Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. The group originally formed in 1994 as Kara's Flowers with a line-up of Adam Levine (vocals, guitar), Jesse Carmichael (guitar, keyboards), Mickey Madden (bass) and Ryan Dusick (drums). The band currently consists of Levine (a constant member) and Carmichael (who took a hiatus between 2012 and 2014), alongside lead guitarist James Valentine (since 2001), drummer Matt Flynn (since 2006), keyboardist PJ Morton (since 2012) and bassist Sam Farrar (since 2017).

History In 2001, guitarist James Valentine joined and the band changed the name to Maroon 5. In 2006, Ryan Dusick departed the band and was replaced by Matt Flynn, originally a touring member from 2004 to 2006.

In 2010, PJ Morton auditioned to be a touring keyboardist and backing vocalist of Maroon 5 and joined the band. Morton became an official member when he filled-in for Jesse Carmichael (who took a temporary break from performing with the group to focus on his studies) from 2012 to 2014 and as Carmichael returned to the band in 2014. In 2017, multi-instrumentalist Sam Farrar, who had been touring with the band since 2012, was announced as an official member. Bassist Mickey Madden left the band in 2020, at which point Farrar shifted to bass.

Members

Current ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions Adam Levine 1994–present All Maroon 5 releases and Kara's Flowers releases Jesse Carmichael All Maroon 5 releases (except Overexposed) and Kara’s Flowers releases James Valentine 2001–present All Maroon 5 releases Matt Flynn 2006–present As a touring member Live – Friday the 13th (2006) As an official member All Maroon 5 releases since 2006 PJ Morton 2012–present All Maroon 5 releases since 2012 Sam Farrar 2016–present As an outside collaborator Songs About Jane (2002) – programming ("She Will Be Loved") It Won't Be Soon Before Long (2007) – producer Call and Response: The Remix Album (2008) – remixed a song, "Woman" Hands All Over (2010) – writer ("Misery", "Stutter", "Don't Know Nothing", "I Can't Lie", "Hands All Over", "How" and "Last Chance") Songs About Jane: 10th Anniversary Edition (2012) – producer As a touring member One off appearance (2001) - bass Overexposed (2012) – producer and writer ("Ladykiller", "Fortune Teller" and "Tickets"), backing vocals, programming V (2014) – backing vocals ("Unkiss Me" and "This Summer" – the latter song is from the 2015 re-release of V), programming As an official member All Maroon 5 releases since Red Pill Blues (2017)

Former ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions Mickey Madden 1994–2020 All Maroon 5 and Kara's Flowers releases until Jordi Ryan Dusick 1994–2006 As an official member All Maroon 5 and Kara’s Flowers releases until 2006 As an outside collaborator It Won't Be Soon Before Long (2007) – musical director, writer ("The Way I Was") Overexposed (2012) – writer ("Wasted Years") As an author and narrator Harder to Breathe: A Memoir of Making Maroon 5, Losing It All, and Finding Recovery (2022)

Touring musicians ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsNotes Ryland Steen 2003–2004 Steen and Day filled in for Dusick before Flynn joined. Josh Day Tommy "Boom-Boom" King 2009 King played with the band in 2009, and contributed to Hands All Over (2010) – writer ("The Air That I Breathe") Adrian Young Young played with the band in 2009.

Timeline

Line-up history PeriodMembersStudio releases1994–2001 Adam Levine – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar Ryan Dusick – drums, percussion, backing vocals Jesse Carmichael – lead and rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Mickey Madden – bass We Like Digging? (1994) The Fourth World (1997) Stagg Street Recordings (1999)2001–2004 Adam Levine – lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar Ryan Dusick – drums, percussion, backing vocals Jesse Carmichael – keyboards, backing vocals, occasional rhythm guitar Mickey Madden – bass James Valentine – lead and rhythm guitar Songs About Jane (2002)2004–2006 Adam Levine – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar Ryan Dusick – backing vocals, drums, percussion Jesse Carmichael – keyboards, backing vocals, rhythm guitar Mickey Madden – bass James Valentine – lead and rhythm guitar Matt Flynn – drums, percussion Live – Friday the 13th (2005)2006–2010 Adam Levine – lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, percussion / drums, keyboards Jesse Carmichael – keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals Mickey Madden – bass James Valentine – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals Matt Flynn – drums, percussion It Won't Be Soon Before Long (2007) Hands All Over (2010)2010–2012 Adam Levine – lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar Jesse Carmichael – keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals Mickey Madden – bass James Valentine – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals Matt Flynn – drums, percussion PJ Morton – keyboards, backing vocals 2012–2014 Adam Levine – lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar Mickey Madden – bass James Valentine – lead and rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Matt Flynn – drums, percussion PJ Morton – keyboards, backing vocals Sam Farrar – rhythm guitar, percussion, samples, synthesizers, MPC, keyboards, backing vocals Overexposed (2012)2014–2016 Adam Levine – lead vocals, occasional guitars Jesse Carmichael – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Mickey Madden – bass James Valentine – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals Matt Flynn – drums, percussion PJ Morton – keyboards, backing vocals Sam Farrar – samples, rhythm guitar, percussion, synthesizers, MPC, keyboards, backing vocals V (2014)2016–2020 Adam Levine – lead vocals, occasional guitars Jesse Carmichael – rhythm guitar, occasional keyboards, backing vocals Mickey Madden – bass James Valentine – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals Matt Flynn – drums, percussion PJ Morton – keyboards, backing vocals Sam Farrar – bass, samples, percussion, synthesizers, MPC, keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals Red Pill Blues (2017) Jordi (2020) 2020–present Adam Levine – lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar Jesse Carmichael – rhythm guitar, occasional keyboards, backing vocals James Valentine – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals Matt Flynn – drums, percussion PJ Morton – keyboards, backing vocals Sam Farrar – bass, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion, occasional rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jordi (2021) Love Is Like (2025)

References