Before Maroon 5 became a household name, some notable Nashville creatives helped them climb the charts.
Now, they’re headed to Music City on their national “Love Is Like” arena tour, which will stop at Bridgestone Arena Nov. 2.
The L.A. group, comprised of vocalist Adam Levine, guitarists James Valentine and Jesse Carmichael, drummer Matt Flynn, keyboardist PJ Morton and bassist Sam Farrar, released their eighth studio album on Aug. 15, “Love is Like.”
More: Maroon 5 announces new record ‘Love Is Like,’ accompanying arena tour with Nashville show
Maroon 5 will perform at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert on Oct. 8.
In the 13-track album, frontman Levine sings alongside Lisa of Blackpink, Lil Wayne and Sexyy Red, belting catchy hooks as the band paints glitzy, bright refrains that feel like a return to form.
Ahead of their Nashville concert, Valentine sat down with The Tennessean to discuss the band’s current era and to dive into the past.
Buy tickets to see Maroon 5 in Nashville
Nashvillians Sheryl Crow, Mike Elizondo go way back with Maroon 5
When Maroon 5 was still a small-time band, they received a big break in 2002 when they were called to open for the “Jeep World Outside Festival” starring Sheryl Crow.
The group was a second-stage act for the early weeks of the summer festival; their debut album “Songs About Jane” had just dropped that June.
“It was the first big tour that that we were asked to be on right when we first started promoting ‘Songs About Jane,'” Valentine said, adding that they were very green and performing on a stage in the parking lot.
James Valentine of Maroon 5 performs at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open on July 11, 2025.
“Sheryl would come out on a golf cart and watch us play, which was very sweet,” Valentine said. “She was very supportive.”
It was before the band dropped their hits “She Will Be Loved” and “This Love” two years later, and around the time that “Soak Up The Sun” singer went country and settled in Music City.
“Sheryl, you’re my hero,” Levine said earlier this year on the Howard Stern Show.
“You’re always so grateful for the first time you get to go on a real … tour with another artist,” he continued.
“When her name pops up, all I can think about is the gift we were given to get ourselves and get our music out on this big, giant summer tour. It was so much fun. We look back on that so unbelievably fondly.”
“I love you, @adamlevine!” Crow replied to a video clip of the interview on Instagram. “So amazing to watch you through the years!”
Valentine called the tour a “great crash course on how to win over an audience.”
The band became such naturals at playing in front of indifferent crowds, Valentine said, that by the end of the show they’d have them hooked.
The group’s other Music City connection comes with their 2007 record “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long.”
Music producer Mike Elizondo, who was based in L.A. for over 15 years, joined the group to work on the record. In 2018, he moved to Gallatin, Tenn. and became a full-time Nashvillian.
Over the years, Elizondo’s produced Nashville stars from Carrie Underwood to Brothers Osborne, Lauren Daigle, Keith Urban and Joy Oladokun.
“He really is the best. I learned so much from him over the years here in L.A.,” Valentine said. “Now Nashville gets him!”
More: Q&A: Nashville producer Mike Elizondo shares what brought him to Music City
Valentine may take a page from Elizondo’s book.
“I could see myself living in Nashville someday,” he said. “(It’s) such an amazing community of really hard working and extremely talented people.”
The inspirations behind Maroon 5’s ‘Love Is Like’
Back in the days the band was opening up for Crow, Valentine said they were directly inspired by specific artists and tracks. Bill Withers and Stevie Wonder to start, then Prince. The Police, Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Nirvana came next.
Eight records down the line, they aren’t consciously trying to emulate anyone else.
“We’ve spent so much time making records that a lot of that has just sort of seeped into our DNA,” he said.
One thing that’s stayed the same?
“The Beatles being the number one person with inspiration for songwriting,” Valentine said. “That’s a through line throughout all of our music.”
Maroon 5 headlines Summerfest’s American Family Insurance Amphitheater on Friday, July 5, 2024.
The band’s work on “Love Is Like” began when Levine sent the group a voice memo of the song that would become “Priceless” with LISA. They sent ideas to each other, feeding off one another’s inspirations.
To Valentine, the first half of the record feels reminiscent of early Maroon 5 with a sound rooted in soul and R&B from the ’70s. The second half was influenced more by late ’90s and early 2000s hip-hop.
“When we start a record, we never know exactly where it’s going to go, because we really try to follow those, those creative muses, wherever they take us.”
The highlight of the recording experience was hearing their track with Lil Wayne played back for first time. It was a “Christmas morning type of experience,” Valentine said.
Now, the band is getting back on the road after an extended Las Vegas residency, kicking off their tour earlier this month in Phoenix.
At their Nashville stop, fans can expect a wide range of songs from throughout the band’s catalog.
In Valentine’s words, it’ll be “all killer, no filler.”
To learn more about Maroon 5 ahead of their Nashville show, visit maroon5.com.
Audrey Gibbs is a music journalist at The Tennessean. You can reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Sheryl Crow helped launch Maroon 5, ‘Love is Like’ details
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