Maroon 5-Ever?

In the past couple of weeks, I’ve found myself listening to “Girls Like You” on repeat. I don’t know what it is about this newest hit from Maroon 5, aided by the omnipresent Cardi B, but I can’t stop listening to it — even though the lyrics mean literally nothing to me and the beat is only moderately catchy. Which has made me wonder: why am I consistently so into this Maroon 5 song? And, more importantly, how is Maroon 5 still a thing?

I know what you’re thinking: has anyone even cared about Maroon 5 since, I don't know....2004? And trust me, I see where you’re coming from. But when you think about it, Maroon 5 is one of those bands that has always been able to suck us in with their newest, catchiest tune.

Ever since the early 2000s, the L.A.-based band has been churning out hits that reach the top of the charts. In fact, they’ve had 29 songs in the Billboard Top 100 since 2003. Maroon 5 has come out with so many hits that I often find myself forgetting how many of their songs I actually know.

Remember hits like “Daylight,” “Love Somebody,” and “Maps”? You probably don’t remember any of those! You’re probably looking them up right now! And yet, as soon as they start to play, you will realize these songs are imbedded somewhere deep within your subconscious, so far down you didn’t even realize you still knew them.

Maroon 5 has somehow managed to stay afloat through the changing tide of pop music for over a decade. Not only do they know how to create the perfect pop song — full of catchy lyrics and melodies that get stuck in your head — but they have also been able to evolve alongside pop music trends.

In the early 2000s, their first big songs like “This Love,” “She Will Be Loved,” and “Sunday Morning” had a recognizably soulful, singer-songwriter quality. As they moved closer to 2010, their music started to hone a pop bounce to their alternative rock, with “Won’t Go Home Without You,” “Makes Me Wonder,” and “Never Gonna Leave This Bed.” From there, they also started to come out with hits that are more in line with the quintessential pop song you'd find on the radio — “Misery,” “Moves Like Jagger,” “Payphone,” and “Animals.” And most recently, their songs are full of more electronic sounds and production than ever before, while also paired with some of the most trendy artists of today, such as Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar, Future, and SZA. Maroon 5’s continued evolution means today’s music is nothing like their initial album, yet it has enabled them to keep generating hit after hit.

Maybe it’s the pleasantly shrill sound of Adam Levine’s voice, or maybe it’s just catchy pop music that sticks with you, but Maroon 5 has been able to maintain their relevance on the pop music scene for an impressive amount of time, and they don’t seem to be going anywhere.

What I find most remarkable about the group, though, is that despite their numerous hits, most of us don’t actually care about them. I don’t know that I’ve heard anyone claim Maroon 5 as their favorite band. I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone wanting to sit down and discuss the latest Maroon 5 track. I don’t think Maroon 5 ever really crosses most of our minds. Yet somehow, they have still been creating hits for over a decade. They have managed to soar at the top of the charts while simultaneously flying below the radar.

Maroon 5 is a complete enigma to me. They’ve got too many hits to remember, and I don’t really care about them that much. And yet, even knowing that won’t stop me from listening to them on repeat.