Maroon 5 To Critics Of ‘V’: ‘We Like It And We Like The Way We Did It’


Maroon 5 may be the biggest rock band in the world right now, but to many fans, their sound is so radically different from their debut album Songs With Jane that Adam Levine and company are hardly recognizable to them anymore.

In a recent interview with the Oakland Press, however, guitarist James Valentine doesn’t seem to mind.

“I know a lot of our fans would love to hear us make another ‘Songs About Jane’ type of record and I think as some point we’ll go back in and make a record in that sort of way,” Valentine said. “But (‘V’) is not that type of record, but we like it and we like the way we did it.”

While many are critical that Maroon 5’s sound is completely altered, Valentine paints a picture of a band that actually embraces their commercial vibe and desire to be more radio-friendly.

“I think it’s a natural evolution for us,” says Valentine. “The sounds that we’re interested in right now are coming from lots of different arenas, lots of different worlds. It’s not the way we used to make records. And it’s about wanting to be part of the dialogue of what’s happening on radio.”

Sales for Maroon 5’s latest album V topped the Billboard 200 upon it’s release in September, 2014. Buoyed by hit singles “Animals” and “Sugar,” the Adam Levine-fronted band continue to stay relevant and keep their momentum going almost 15 years after they debuted. To many, that in and of itself is no small feat. And it’s something Valentine says was very deliberate.

“We didn’t really stop recording after we finished [fourth album] ‘Overexposed.’ On ‘Overexposed’ we started working with outside producers and writers and we just kind of kept the process going after we finished that record because we built great relationships with these guys. The writing and recording just keeps going, and (‘Maps’) seemed as much like the fifth single off of ‘Overexposed’ as it did the first single from (‘V’).”

Their live shows have also continued to sell out. As reported by Inquisitr, Maroon 5’s ticket prices are among the highest for live acts currently on tour. They’ve also garnered rave reviews for the concerts themselves. Maybe Valentine and Levine know what they’re doing in the studio, after all.

“It’s more of a producer’s medium right now. It’s about experimenting with more of these electronic elements and more of the beats and seeing where that takes us. That seems more exciting right now.”

[Maroon 5 photo credit: David Becker Getty Images]

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