Howard Stern’s 60th birthday turned into a huge radio event on Sirius XM, running four hours and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. The guest list was stacked, with musicians like Steven Tyler, Slash, and Dave Grohl, plus actors including Bryan Cranston and Robert Downey Jr. But the moment that really took off online came when Adam Levine stepped onstage to cover Prince’s “Purple Rain.”
Adam’s take on the song hit people right away, with his vocal tone fitting the ballad in a way that felt fresh without losing its weight. He played live on a Fender Strat, backed by a full band that kept the performance grounded and strong. When the gospel choir kicked in, the song swelled and pushed the energy higher without feeling forced.
The surprise came when Pat Monahan of Train jumped in to open the second verse, catching the crowd off guard. His entrance was unexpected and a little rough at first, but he quickly settled in and delivered a solid verse. He then handed things back to Adam, who tackled Prince’s famous guitar solo on his worn blue Strat with confidence.
That guitar solo became the part fans could not stop talking about as the video spread online and racked up tens of millions of views. One YouTube commenter wrote, “Adam Levine really showed his versatility on this. Brilliant,” while others praised his energy, guitar skills, and overall talent. The reactions kept pouring in as the clip continued to climb past 80 million views.
Adam Levine first rose to fame in 2002 as the frontman of Maroon 5, the band behind hits like “Moves Like Jagger” and “Payphone.” Beyond music, he became a familiar face on television as an original judge on The Voice.
After leaving the show and later returning, he was back again for season 27 in 2025 alongside John Legend, Michael Bublé, and Kelsea Ballerini.
