Three of the five members of the band started playing together at age 12. The four original members of the band met while attending Brentwood School in Los Angeles. While attending Brentwood School, Adam Levine and Jesse Carmichael joined up with Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick to form Kara's Flowers, a rock band.

How did Maroon 5 become famous?

After getting released from the label Levine and Carmichael attended State University of New York. During this period they became much more influenced by soul and R&B artists. This new influence was a major turning point that led to the infectious Maroon 5 pop hit sound they became famous for.

Who inspired Maroon 5?

Many of Maroon 5's influences are soul artists or soul-inflected music by significant pop artists of the 1970s. These include the work of Stevie Wonder, the Bee Gees, Billy Joel, and Marvin Gaye. The band also have mentioned the music of Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Prince as essential reference points.