VIDEO: Maroon 5’s Adam Levine and James Valentine Talk ‘The Voice,’ the Influence of Grunge, and the Massive Success of ‘Moves Like Jagger’

By 2007, Maroon 5 was by all means a success. Their debut album, “Songs About Jane,” had already sold millions of copies and earned a Grammy for Best New Artist. Even so, when the band hit “The Today Show” stage that August in support of their sophomore album, “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long,” frontman Adam Levine suddenly found himself feeling overwhelmed. “I remember just feeling this weight, and I had never felt anything like it, and I was breathing weird, and I was sweating profusely,” he recalled to Howard Wednesday morning in his first Stern Show appearance since 2023. “But then I came to a realization of, ‘Okay, look. What’s the worst thing that could possibly fucking happen? I mess something up, I don’t sing something right, I forget a lyric, I don’t have a successful second album — okay, I had a first successful album.’”

“It’s so human to feel vulnerable and feel scared and insecure,” Levine added. “The second I allowed myself to feel that way I realized that there was nothing that was going to get me.”

Right by Adam’s side on Wednesday was Maroon 5’s longtime lead guitarist, James Valentine. In a deep dive of the history of the band, Valentine remembered hearing Nirvana’s “Smell Like Teen Spirit” while driving back from his very first guitar lesson at 13, and the impact the bands of that era had on him. “That was a great time to learn guitar because they were guitar-based songs and it was all relatively simple,” he said before noting the shredding style of many of the ’80s bands felt unattainable. “But then grunge comes along, and these guys were like, ‘Fuck that, we just need three chords and we’re good.’”

Oddly enough, the band only needed two chords for their massive 2011 hit, “Moves Like Jagger.” Featuring Adam’s then-co-star of “The Voice,” Christina Aguilera, the song was a departure for the guys as it was their first time utilizing outside writers — including past Stern Show guest benny blanco. “I was like, ‘Man, this motherfucking song is either a career ender or it’s the biggest fucking thing on the planet,’” Adam told Howard with a laugh. “That song had not been able to be placed with anyone … I guess it was written from a female perspective … They played me the song and I was like, ‘I guess I can say I got the moves like Jagger’ — and the whole room gasped. It was a huge swing, but we did it and then the rest is history.”

“[Coldplay frontman] Chris Martin said the best thing about ‘Moves Like Jagger,’” Levine continued. “He was like, ‘Man, when I first heard that song, I hated it … and then I listened again and again and then I just fell in love with it’ … And I found that to be so true of the song. It’s almost like when you first hear it, you’re like, ‘No, no, no, no,’ but then it’s like this delicious piece of candy.”

In addition to working on new music and a tour from Maroon 5, Adam has returned to his other gig as a coach on “The Voice” — his first season back after a six-year absence. “I’m having a blast,” he said, adding, “I think when I left … I was just so unbelievably busy all the time that I felt like maybe that life was starting to slowly eat away at me. As fortunate as I was, I was just nonstop. And so, I was ready to take a break.”

“Being back is truly a beautiful thing,” the singer continued before singing the praises of Michael Bublé and Kelsea Ballerini, two of his new “Voice” colleagues. “It feels very right, and it feels like where I am supposed to be.”

Check out more of Adam and James’ extensive sit-down with Howard, where the duo also talked about opening for Sheryl Crow and covering the Beatles in front of Paul McCartney (below).

Adam & James Thank Sheryl Crow for Taking Maroon 5 on Tour

Watch Adam on “The Voice” on Monday nights on NBC.