Was Maroon 5's Super Bowl halftime show really that bad?

The Super Bowl halftime show combines two of the biggest performances in sports and music.

According to critics on social media, Maroon 5’s performance at the Super Bowl LIII halftime show Sunday in Atlanta failed to impress this year. The pop rock band has been targeted by so much criticism, their lead singer mentioned it in his first post on social media after the show.

The group was also joined by Travis Scott and Big Boi, but most of the criticism was pointed at the headliner — Maroon 5.

Some online poked fun at frontman Adam Levine’s dancing during Travis Scott’s performance. Others blasted the band for being “mediocre,” “straightforward” and “bland.” There were jokes about Levine’s choice of clothing until he took off his shirt and created an “unbearable” scene to close out the show.

One person even called it “the Fyre Festival of halftime shows” in a direct shot at the band, comparing it to the much-publicized 2017 music event that failed so badly that it featured in a new Netflix documentary.

Levine responded to the backlash on his personal Instagram account, where he expressed gratitude for the “historic opportunity to play on the world’s biggest stage” while thanking his critics “for always pushing us to do better.”

Maroon 5 performed some of their most popular songs over the years, from early 2000s tunes such as “Harder to Breathe” and “This Love” to their more recent hits “Moves Like Jagger” and “Girls Like You.”

There were some people who enjoyed the performance, but most people seemed to be disappointed with the fact that the show was missing a jaw-dropping moment that have become part of the Super Bowl tradition. Despite some pyrotechnics and lanterns that formed words in the air, critics suggest the show lacked some much-needed excitement.

For example, there was Lady Gaga soaring across the stage in 2017, Katy Perry riding large metal lion in 2015, and who could forget Janet Jackson’s infamous “Nipplegate” moment with Justin Timberlake in 2004?

While this year didn’t include a spectacle on the same level as past years, it did include a shirtless male singer, which spurred even more backlash.

What do you think of this year’s Super Bowl halftime show? Are people being too hard on the American band or are people justified in their criticism of what some are calling an “underwhelming” show? Let us know what you think by voting in the poll above and leaving your reaction in the comment section below.