MAROON 5

Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles, California. The band includes lead vocalist and guitarist Adam Levine, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine, drummer Matt Flynn, keyboardist PJ Morton, and bassist and keyboardist Sam Farrar. The group originated from the band Kara's Flowers, formed in 1994 by Levine, Carmichael, bassist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick while they were in high school. Kara's Flowers released an independent album, ...We Like Digging?, before signing to Reprise Records and releasing their debut studio album, The Fourth World, in 1997. After receiving a lukewarm response and being dropped by the label, the members focused on college. In 2001, the band rebranded as Maroon 5, with the addition of guitarist James Valentine. Signed to Octone Records, they released their first album under the new name, Songs About Jane, in 2002. The album included singles such as "Harder to Breathe," "This Love," and "She Will Be Loved," and peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 chart. It achieved quadruple platinum status in 2005. That year, the band received the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.