Maroon 5 are the Grammy-winning US pop rock band formed originally in 1995. They are best known for their string of successful singles, including “This Love” and “She Will Be Loved”.

Born in 2001 from the ashes of the little known grunge band Kara's Flowers, Maroon 5 -- Adam Levine (lead vocals, guitar), Jesse Carmichael (keyboards, backing vocals), James Valentine (guitar, backing vocals), Mickey Madden (bass) and Matt Flynn (drums) -- released their debut album, Songs About Jane, in June 2002. Written primarily about frontman Levine's breakup with girlfriend Jane, the album initially floundered in the charts until the first single "Harder to Breathe" began to receive airplay in the US. It was Maroon 5's funky, soulful rock that first caught the attention of the public, but it wasn't until nearly two years after its release that Songs About Jane entered the Billboard 200 Top 20. The album eventually reached triple platinum status, selling millions of copies around the world. More than two years after its release, it peaked at No.6 in the Billboard 200 chart.

Maroon 5 have come under some criticism for the misogynistic and sexually provocative nature of their lyrics, as well as the explicitly sexual videos they turn out. In the video for "This Love", Levine and then-girlfriend Kelly McKee are shown making love mostly nude in extended sex scenes, using clever camera work to show the couple together without showing anything that would land them in trouble with the FCC. A version of the video with computer-generated flowers falling in front of the couple was made for more conservative markets.

More sexual content appeared in the video "She Will Be Loved" which showed Levine, this time with actress Kelly Preston, involved in a love triangle with strong sexual imagery. The band have also come under criticism as both studio albums Songs About Jane and new release It Won't Be Soon Before Long have no Parental Advisory label despite explicit lyrics and strong language.

Maroon 5 began touring shortly after the release of Songs About Jane, touring continuously for three years and sharing the stage with many big names in music such as Nikka Costa, Matchbox Twenty, Marc Broussard and even warming up for the Rolling Stones. Maroon 5 also played at Live 8 in Philadelphia in 2005. During this relentless touring, original drummer Ryan Dusick began to suffer from nerve damage in his arms and was forced to take breaks from touring, being temporarily replaced by several drummers to enable the remainder of the band to continue. After a nine month break, temporary drummer Matt Flynn became the permanent drummer when Dusick officially left the band in September 2006.

In May 2007 Maroon 5 released their second studio album. Coming five years after their first album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart, following intensive media hype and years of fan's calls for a new album, selling nearly half a million albums in the first week. The more electronic, danceable sound of It Won't Be Soon Before Long received critical acclaim as well as fan approval. Maintaining their signature bluesy guitar sound but adding the funky electronica inspired by artists like Prince, Michael Jackson and Jamiroquai ensured that they kept their wide appeal, maintaining their original fanbase while simultaneously exposing them to a new, hipper audience.