“I thought this was a very important and pressing issue that needed to be brought to light,” the producer tweeted sarcastically.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Did Jack Antonoff block Katy Perry's ears at the VMAs this week?
Keen-eyed viewers seemed to notice the producer wearing a pair of AirPods during Perry’s performance at the awards show on Wednesday, where she accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Fans immediately began speculating that Antonoff was using the earbuds to block out Perry’s vocals, going so far as to suggest that the producer was standing next to frequent collaborator Taylor Swift (Swift and Perry were rumored to have had a falling out during the awards show). reputation (Though it should be noted that she was seen dancing to a medley of Dark Horse's hits on Wednesday night.)
In a new tweet, Antonoff responded to the controversy, saying he was simply using earplugs to help protect his hearing. “Let me tell you straight out that I used earplugs last night,” he wrote on Thursday. “They were the blue ‘Hearos’ brand,” he joked. “I’m ashamed to admit I’ve been using them for a long time and buying them in bulk.”
Antonov approved
HEAROS Xtreme Foam Earplugs
Antonov's favorite earplugs are now available on Amazon, where the retailer is selling a bulk pack that's great to have on hand for award shows as well as festivals, concerts, and travel.
Hearos earplugs use soft, gentle hypoallergenic foam, while the unique conical shape helps the plugs fit more comfortably in your ears. Hearos says its earplugs have a noise reduction rating of up to 33 decibels—the highest rating for a pair of foam earplugs.
Antonov tweeted that he buys earplugs for multiple uses: “I don’t just use them when I’m in environments with 100+ decibels,” he wrote. “It’s humiliating to have to admit that I [also] “They used it on planes and every night while sleeping,” the songwriter and producer adds sarcastically. “I thought it was a very important and urgent issue that needed to be brought to light.”
Antonoff attended this year's VMAs to support his friend and frequent collaborator Taylor Swift, who took home seven awards that night, including Video of the Year for the song “Fortnight,” co-written with Post Malone, which Antonoff helped write.
You can buy Antonoff's earplugs here and see his full response on Twitter below.