Maroon V is one of the most known pop bands across the world, with lead singer Adam Levine starring as a model and one of the head coaches of the popular show “The Voice”.
The band’s sound has changed significantly since they signed a record deal in 2001, developing into the poppy sound we can hear today in songs like Payphone, Sugar, and What Lovers Do. However, the band formed primarily as a rock and alternative band that then later into a pop music band as their popularity increased.
Their first album, Songs About Jane, is, in my opinion, their best work and features the rock elements of their music that they later lost. In fact, Songs About Jane ranks in my personal top twenty favorite albums. Don’t get me wrong, Maroon V has always had some pop music and Songs About Jane had many chill pop-rock songs, yet in their new music, they have lost their rock influences entirely to appeal to a bigger crowd. No more guitars. Their loss I guess.
Songs About Jane was still a very successful album, it was released in 2002 and became known as a sleeper hit since no one at the time knew of the band and five of the album’s 12 tracks had chart success. The album has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Adam Levine wrote the entire album, inspired by his relationship and breakup with his ex-girlfriend Jane (duh right?). Levine confirmed that every song on the record was written about his past “muse”.
The first song on the album, Harder To Breathe deals with the breakup and how it was an ugly end to the relationship. Yet after the relationship is over the two realize how much they had been relying on the other. The song which features a catchy guitar riff also subliminally criticizes the music industry for suffocating artists and forcing them to produce music too quickly.
This Love was the second single from the album and actually charted in 2004, almost two years after the albums release. It reached number five in the US and one in many other countries. The song, which again discusses Levine’s turbulent breakup also became the band’s first grammy award for Best Duo Vocals Performance. Levine stated in his acceptance speech that the song was written during the end of the breakup and that it was an emotionally trying time.
She Will Be Loved was another single that gained much success long after its release. It is my favorite song on the record and discusses Levine’s appreciation of his ex after they broke up, singing about the good times and how she supported him.
Sunday Morning was the song that got Maroon V their first record deal. Although it was not as successful as the previous two singles it still became very popular and was a critical success. The song has a happy beat discusses the relationship again in a positive light, mentioning the good times he had.
I hope you liked this album as much as I did!