Facts you might not know about Maroon 5

They formed the band at High School

Maroon 5

by Laura Thornton and Natalie Higgins |
Updated on

Maroon 5 are one of the world's most well-known music acts. Having formed in High School, the group have gone from strength to strength. Lead singer Adam Levine and his bandmates have released seven studio albums, had nine tours and had a whopping 13 Top 20 songs in the UK.

After smashing their halftime show at the 53rd Super Bowl in February 2019, Maroon 5 have reached new heights - so we've drawn together a fact file of everything you need to know about the band...

Adam Levine performing with Maroon 5 at the 2019 Super Bowl
©Adam Levine performing with Maroon 5 at the 2019 Super Bowl © Getty Images

Who are Maroon 5?

Maroon 5 are an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band is made up of members Adam Levine on lead vocals and guitar, Jesse Carmichael on keyboards, rhythm guitar and backing vocals, James Valentine on lead guitar and backing vocals, Matt Flynn on drums and PJ Morton on keyboard and backing vocals.

Mickey Madden, who announced he was temporarily leaving the band in 2020 played the bass guitar. In a statement to PEOPLE he said: "I have some things that I need to deal with and address right now and so I have decided to take a leave of absence from Maroon 5 for the foreseeable future."

When were Maroon 5 formed?

The band first started making music in 1994, whilst they were still in High School! The original members Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick even self-released an album called 'We Like Digging?'. We wish we were this cool at school.

Maroon 5's song 'Memories'

Maroon 5's song 'Memories' delighted fans at the beginning of October 2019. The song has already had more than 470 million views on YouTube in the six months since its release.

The chorus of 'Memories' contains the lyrics, 'Here's to the ones that we got. Cheers to the wish you were here, but you're not. 'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories of everything we've been through. Toast to the ones here today. Toast to the ones that we lost on the way. 'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories, and the memories bring back, memories bring back you.'

WATCH: The video for Maroon 5 'Memories':

Take a look at Maroon 5's Adam Levine through the years:

Gallery

Adam Levine Appreciation Gallery (stacked)

young band members at gig in Colorado1 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2003

A very young Adam Levine and James Valentine performing on stage at the tour opener of the 'John Mayer/Counting Crows U.S. Summer Tour 2003' in Englewood, Colorado.

Adam Levine photoshoot in 20042 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2004

Adam Levine looking amazing during a photoshoot in Los Angeles, 2004.

Adam on his way to a pre-grammy's party in 20043 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2004

Adam Levine giving a cheeky grin on his way to a pre-Grammy's party in 2004.

Adam at the Honda Civic Tour in 2005 in California4 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2005

Maroon 5 perform in support of the 'Honda Civic Tour 2005' at the H.P. Pavilion in 2005 in San Jose, California.

Band performance in NYC for MTV5 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2007

Maroon 5 performed on MTV's TRL in January 2007 in New York City.

Band perform in New York6 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2007

Singer Adam Levine and his band Maroon 5 performed on MTV's Total Request Live in May 2007 in New York City.

Adam Levine in Italy performing7 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2010

Adam Levine performing at Coca Cola Live @ MTV - The Summer Song in Naples, Italy in 2010.

Adam Levine at awards ceremony8 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2011

Adam Levine when he arrived at the 16th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards at the Hollywood Palladium in 2011, showing off his signature smile.

Adam Levine Q&A The Voice9 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2012

New coach Adam Levine onstage during the The Voice panel during the NBC Universal portion of the 2012 Winter TCA Tour at The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa in 2012.

Adam Levine Christmas show10 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2014

Maroon 5 at the taping of 'A Very GRAMMY Christmas' on 18th November 2014, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California with the one hour special airing in December that year.

Adam Levine at a concert UK11 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2014

Adam Levine of Maroon 5 performs on stage at LG Arena in 2014 in Birmingham, United Kingdom for their world tour. They NEED to come back!

Blond Adam Levine12 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2017

A newly BLOND Adam Levine of Maroon 5 performs on stage at Wango Tango at StubHub Center in 2017 in Carson, California.

Adam Levine topless13 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

Adam Levine, 2019

Adam Levine showing off his bod at the Super Bowl Half Time Show in 2019.

Adam Levine and wife Behati Prinsloo14 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Alamy

Adam Levine, 2020

Adam Levine with his wife Behati Prinsloo wowing the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in 2020.

Adam Levine15 of 15
CREDIT: u00a9 Alamy

Adam Levine, 2021

Adam Levine looking fab in a tailored black suit and shirt at the Baby2Baby 10-Year Gala in 2021.

Why did Ryan Dusick leave Maroon 5?

From 1994 to 2005, Ryan Dusick was the drummer for Maroon 5. He had to leave due to injuries sustained in his arm while on tour, and was replaced by Matt Flynn. He remained an active helper with the band, being credited as musical director for their album 'It Won't Be Soon Before Long'.

What were Maroon 5 originally called?

When Maroon 5 formed in 1994, the group included Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Ryan Dusick and Mickey Madden under the name Kara's Flowers. They were signed by record label Reprise Records and released an album called 'The Fourth World' in 1997. The album had little success and the band were released from the label.

However, they vowed to stay together, and brought in James Valentine to play lead guitar and started working on songs that strayed away from the sound of their previous songs. The band scored a new deal with Octone Records under the new name and sound, releasing 'Songs About Jane' in 2002.

The tracks were mostly inspired by one of Adam's failed relationships with 'Jane' from the album title 'Songs About Jane'. It's not known where the band Maroon 5 name came from, but Adam has always said in interviews that he will never reveal the truth as it's "too embarrassing". WE NEED TO KNOW!

Who is Jane from 'Songs About Jane'?

The infamous Jane that the album ‘Songs About Jane’ is based on, is frontman Adam Levine’s former girlfriend and High School sweetheart, Jane Herman, who he says he first spotted at a petrol station.

The pair dated for a few years between 1997 and 2001, before eventually splitting, but Adam states they are still friendly. Every song on the band’s album features at least one reference to Adam and Jane’s relationship.

Where did the members of Maroon 5 meet?

The original members of Maroon 5 come from Los Angeles, California, except for James Valentine, who was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. Ryan Dusick (drummer) and Adam Levine (singer, guitar) had known each other since they were children, and met Mickey Madden and Jesse Carmichael at High School.

The original line-up of Maroon 5 in 2004: (L-R) Ryan Dusick, James Valentine, Mickey Madden, Adam Levine and Jesse Carmichael
©The original line-up of Maroon 5 in 2004: (L-R) Ryan Dusick, James Valentine, Mickey Madden, Adam Levine and Jesse Carmichael © Getty Images

Maroon 5's studio albums and tours

The band's debut album, 'Songs About Jane', was a hit after its release in 2002, with five of its songs being released as singles. It then became the seventh best-selling album of 2002 and went Platinum in 2004.

The success of their first album earned them a Grammy award for Best New Artist in 2005, and the following year, the band won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with with their upbeat track 'This Love'.

Their second studio album was released in May 2007, entitled 'It Won't Be Soon Before Long', reaching Number 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. After the album's success, the band embarked on a world tour, playing all the biggest songs from the album.

Not long after, the band recorded and released their third studio album in 2010, 'Hands All Over'. The album didn't debut as well as previous albums, but after the success of its singles it shot up the album charts to Number 7 in the US, selling 500,000 copies.

Maroon 5 on their 'Overexposed' tour
Maroon 5 on their 'Overexposed' tour ©© Alamy

'Overexposed', the band's fourth studio album strayed away from their original pop funk sounds, to try and appeal to a wider audience. Taking on a pop vibe was a success, debuting at Number 2 in the charts, with sales of 220,000 in its first week. The album marked Maroon 5's best sales week since their debut album back in 2004.

In the United States, their fifth album 'V' debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard 200, with the first week's sales reaching 164,000 copies and earning them their second US Number 1 album. It was their first since 'It Won't Be Soon Before Long' released in 2007.

How many studio albums have Maroon 5 released?

They've had many more live albums, but when it comes to studio albums, the band have produced an impressive seven. Albums 'Songs About Jane' and 'It Won't Be Soon Before Long' topped the album charts, and 'Hands All Over', 'Overexposed' and 'V' all made it to the Top 10. Their sixth album, 'Red Pill Blues', was released in 2017, and the title was inspired by the Matrix film franchise.

Then, in 2021 the band released 'Jordi', which was their seventh album. It included their 2019 hit 'Memories' and was named after Jordan Feldstein, their late manager. The song 'Memories' was also dedicated to Jordan.

Adam Levine on The Voice US

Adam Levine has been in huge demand, and in 2011 he was booked on NBC's version of The Voice, coaching Season 1 winner Javier Colon to victory during the inaugural season. Since then, he's won a further three Seasons.

However, Adam's involvement in the show wasn't without controversy, such as when he instructed viewers to not vote for his own act, DeAndre Nico. He asked the audience to vote for Reagan Strange, as she was too sick to perform her 'Instant Save' song. Adam's plan worked, and his own artist DeAndre was eliminated from the competition.

DeAndre said online that he felt he'd been 'sold out' by Adam, and he received backlash on social media for throwing his own artist under the bus, with fans calling for him to be axed from the show.

Maroon 5 songs

After the release of 'This Love' from their debut album, Maroon 5 won the MTV Video Music award for Best New Artist, soon followed by 'She Will Be Loved,' sweeping up the charts and placing it at Number 5.

The music video for 'She Will Be Loved' featured Kelly Preston, the late wife of John Travolta, who died after a two-year battle with breast cancer. Adam Levine paid tribute to the actress on Instagram saying, 'My first pretend kiss...We will miss you Kelly. You’ll always hold a special place in my heart.'

Maroon 5 'Makes Me Wonder'

Once their second album, 'It Won't Be Soon Before Long' had been released, the first single, 'Makes Me Wonder', became the band's first Number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. The song impressively snagged the GRAMMY Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Maroon 5 'Misery'

The melody for the song 'Misery' is infectious with Adam Levine employing his signature falsetto in all the right places. It was the lead single from their third studio album 'Hands All Over', and it shot to the top of Billboard’s U.S. Adult Top 40 chart and received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Maroon 5 'Daylight'

'Daylight' was the third single from 'Overexposed' and is arguably one of the band’s most romantic, slow-danceable and singable tracks. Like several previous hits, the soft ballad hit Number 1 on the mainstream and adult Top 40 charts.

Maroon 5 'Maps'

'Maps' was released as the fifth album's first single, with the teaser of the song being uploaded on the band's Facebook page. The hysteria for the song meant it peaked at Number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100, giving the band their ninth Top 10 hit in the country. It also reached the Top 10 in an additional 14 countries, including a peak of Number 2 on the UK chart.

Maroon 5 'Sugar'

'Sugar' was then released as the album's third single and was the most successful single from the album, reaching the Top 10 in 24 countries, including Number 6 in Australia, Number 7 in the UK, and Number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Maroon 5 'Memories'

Most recently, Maroon 5 released 'Memories' after teasing fans with snaps of their own memories on Instagram.

Now take a look at Maroon 5's most popular songs from 'Moves Like Jagger' to 'Sugar'.

Who have Maroon 5 collaborated with?

Maroon 5 have an impressive back catalogue of tracks with some of the world's biggest artists. They recorded a version of 'If I Never See Your Face Again' with Rihanna, stormed the charts with 'Moves Like Jagger', which featured Christina Aguilera, and Gwen Stefani joined them for the track 'My Heart Is Open' on their album 'V'.

Wiz Khalifa rapped on 'Payphone', with Kendrick Lamar featuring on 'Don't Wanna Know', whilst LunchMoney Lewis, SZA, Future, Julia Michaels and A$AP Rocky all featured on tracks on their latest album 'Red Pill Blues'. Country band Lady Antebellum also teamed up with Maroon 5 for 'Out Of Goodbyes'.

Why are Maroon 5 banned from China?

In 2015, Jesse Carmichael wished the Dalai Lama a Happy 80th Birthday in a tweet, that was later removed. This led to Maroon 5's tour date in Shanghai being cancelled - however, there's no evidence to suggest that they're banned from entering the country!

Did Maroon 5 write a song in 24 hours?

Yes, Maroon 5 did write a song in 24 hours! Working with Coca Cola on a charity campaign called the 24 Hour Project, the band wrote and recorded 'Is Anybody Out There' within 24 hours. These guys have some serious talent.

Are Maroon 5 on tour in the UK?

Sadly, Maroon 5 aren't on tour.

You can hear song by Maroon 5 on heat.

Now read:

Maroon 5's most popular songs from 'Moves Like Jagger' to 'Memories'

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