Maroon 5's career could be split between two concrete eras: before "Moves Like Jagger" and after. Beforehand, sure, they were still your typical pop rock act. But they also had actual jams. It's well known that Songs About Jane remains their consensus classic album. Hits like "This Love," "She Will Be Loved," and "Sunday Morning" still gets plays to this day. Even their demos showcase a jazzier side to their music. Adam Levine and co. were respectable as a band.
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Additionally, It Won't Be Soon Before Long is a pretty solid outing for Maroon 5 as well. Sure, it's a lot more sleek and synthetic in its production but it still has its fair share of great songs. "Makes Me Wonder" can go blow for blow with the best Songs About Jane cuts. Moreover, "Won't Go Home Without You" is a pretty smooth display of longing and yearning. But once "Moves Like Jagger" came out, it feels like we received some deranged clone version of Adam Levine. Either the original is held captive somewhere or he's been hellbent on making bad music for the last 15 years.
It's strange though. Apparently, he was worried his biggest hit would actually tank his music career for good.
Adam Levine Thought "Moves Like Jagger" Would Be a "Career Ender"
Recently, The Voice judge went on The Howard Stern Show, where he talks about his massive hit "Moves Like Jagger." Instead of describing it as this concrete feeling that it was a hit, he had some second thoughts. "Benny [Blanco] came to us. He knew our manager," Levine recalls. "He brought me a song. It was funny because I was like, 'man, this m--f--g song is either a career ender, or it's the biggest f----g thing on the planet. I don't know.'"
Coldplay's Chris Martin felt a certain kind of whiplash about "Moves Like Jagger" too. "It's funny. The thing Chris Martin said was the best thing ever about [the song] when I met him years ago," Levine continues. "And it made me laugh so hard and was so true because it was so honest. He was like, 'Man, when I first heard that song, I hated it. And then, I listened again. And then I just fell in love with it.'"
Obviously, plenty of people fell head over heels for the Maroon 5 ear worm. But it still remains divisive for others, including myself. It'll never quite be Songs About Jane.
