Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Adam Levine
Discover the career path of Adam Levine, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Adam Levine is an American singer-songwriter, television presenter, and actor. Best known as the frontman of the pop rock band Maroon 5, where he serves as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and the only consistent member. He gained widespread recognition for his musical talent and also for his role as a coach on the television show 'The Voice.'
February 1994: Forms Kara's Flowers
In February 1994, Adam Levine, along with friends Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, and Ryan Dusick, formed the garage band Kara's Flowers.
1994: Forms Kara's Flowers
In 1994, Adam Levine started his musical journey by forming the band Kara's Flowers where he served as lead vocalist and lead guitarist.
1995: First Gig at Whisky a Go Go
In 1995, Kara's Flowers played their first gig at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, California, with Adam Levine on vocals and guitar.
August 1997: Kara's Flowers Release 'The Fourth World'
In August 1997, Kara's Flowers released their first album, The Fourth World, which had little success and led to the band's breakup.
2001: Kara's Flowers Reform as Maroon 5
In 2001, after the commercial failure of their album, Kara's Flowers reformed as Maroon 5, with James Valentine replacing Adam Levine as lead guitarist.
June 2002: Songs About Jane Released
In June 2002, Maroon 5 released their debut album Songs About Jane, marking a pivotal moment in Adam Levine's career.
2002: Maroon 5 Releases First Album
In 2002, Maroon 5 released their first album, Songs About Jane, which achieved multi-platinum status in the US.
2002: Forms Maroon 5
In 2002, after a period of experimentation and change, Adam Levine reunited with former bandmates and formed Maroon 5, which would become a successful act.
2004: 'Songs About Jane' Becomes a Sleeper Hit
In 2004, two years after its release, Maroon 5's album 'Songs About Jane' became a sleeper hit, selling an estimated 10 million copies.
2005: Collaborations in 2005
In 2005, Adam Levine collaborated with Ying Yang Twins on "Live Again" and with Kanye West on "Heard 'Em Say," demonstrating his versatility and openness to different genres.
2006: Begins Recording Second Album
In 2006, Maroon 5 began recording their second album, marking their continued evolution as a band.
May 2007: Maroon 5 Releases Second Album
In May 2007, Maroon 5 released their second album, titled It Won't Be Soon Before Long, showcasing their musical growth.
June 2007: Club Tour
In June 2007, Maroon 5 embarked on a ten-date club tour in Europe and the United States to promote their album 'It Won't Be Soon Before Long'.
2007: SNL Digital Short
In 2007, Adam Levine appeared in an SNL Digital Short called Iran So Far, performing with Andy Samberg, Fred Armisen, and Jake Gyllenhaal.
2007: Maroon 5 Releases 'It Won't Be Soon Before Long'
In 2007, Maroon 5 released their second album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, adding to their discography.
October 2008: Collaborated with First Act
In October 2008, Adam Levine collaborated with First Act to create the First Act 222 Guitar, which was fashioned to his specifications. The guitar was sold via Target stores.
2008: Comedy Central's "Night of Too Many Stars"
In 2008, Adam Levine performed on Comedy Central's "Night of Too Many Stars" and endorsed Barack Obama on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
2009: Recorded "Gotten" for Slash's Album
In 2009, Adam Levine recorded the song "Gotten" for Slash's first solo album, which would be released the following year.
2009: Recording in Switzerland
In 2009, Maroon 5 began recording their third album in Switzerland, collaborating with Robert John "Mutt" Lange.
February 2010: Sang on "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"
In February 2010, Adam Levine participated in the charity single remake of "We Are the World", called "We Are the World 25 for Haiti", alongside approximately 80 other musicians.
2010: Maroon 5 Releases 'Hands All Over'
In 2010, Maroon 5 released their third studio album, Hands All Over, continuing their musical evolution.
February 2011: Stripped Naked for Testicular Cancer Awareness
In February 2011, Adam Levine stripped naked for testicular cancer awareness for a centerfold in Cosmopolitan UK.
June 2011: Participated in ADHD Awareness Campaign
In June 2011, Adam Levine participated in an educational campaign called "Own It" to raise awareness of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
2011: Success with "Stereo Hearts"
In 2011, Adam Levine achieved solo success with his appearance on Gym Class Heroes' single "Stereo Hearts", which reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100.
2011: Joined The Voice
In 2011, Adam Levine became a judge/coach on "The Voice", a reality TV show. He remained on the show until 2019 and the show boosted both Maroon 5's and Adam Levine's popularity.
2011: Supported It Gets Better Project
In 2011, Adam Levine made a video on Maroon 5's official YouTube account in support of the It Gets Better Project. The It Gets Better Project supports LGBTQ+ youth.
2011: Joins The Voice as a Coach
In 2011, Adam Levine started his journey as a coach on NBC's reality talent show, The Voice.
2011: "Moves Like Jagger" Success
In 2011, Maroon 5 released "Moves like Jagger" (featuring Christina Aguilera), which became a worldwide success and revived the band's popularity.
January 2012: Changed Location of Post-Grammy Awards Show
In January 2012, Adam Levine announced that Maroon 5 had changed the location of their post-Grammy Awards show due to the "unnamed Los Angeles restaurant's backing of Proposition 8".
February 2012: Founded 222 Records
In February 2012, Adam Levine founded his own record label, 222 Records. He was inspired by Rozzi Crane, who was the first singer to be signed onto the label.
June 2012: Cast in Begin Again
In June 2012, Adam Levine was cast in the film "Begin Again" where he played Dave Kohl. He played the former boyfriend of Keira Knightley.
September 2012: Collaboration with Bench
In September 2012, Adam Levine collaborated with the clothing company Bench in the Philippines. They launched the menswear collection.
2012: "Moves Like Jagger" Success
As of 2012, "Moves Like Jagger" became the eighth-best-selling digital single of all time, highlighting its immense popularity and impact on Maroon 5's career.
2012: Appeared in American Horror Story: Asylum
In 2012, Adam Levine appeared in "American Horror Story: Asylum" as Leo Morrison, a photographer on honeymoon. He admitted he wasn't a fan of the show or horror genre in general.
2012: Acting Debut in American Horror Story
In 2012, Adam Levine made his acting debut in the second season of the television series American Horror Story, playing the recurring character Leo Morrison.
2012: Worked with 50 Cent on "My Life"
In 2012, Adam Levine's vocals were featured on 50 Cent's song "My Life", which also included Eminem, showcasing his diverse collaborations.
2012: Overexposed Album Release
In 2012, Maroon 5 released their album Overexposed, reflecting Adam Levine's public presence and a dance-driven musical direction.
2012: Maroon 5 Releases 'Overexposed'
In 2012, Maroon 5 released their fourth studio album, Overexposed, further solidifying their pop rock sound.
January 2013: Partnership with Sears Holdings
In January 2013, Adam Levine announced that he would enter a partnership with Sears Holdings to launch a multi-department lifestyle brand of apparel and accessories collections.
February 2013: Launched Debut Scent
In February 2013, Adam Levine launched his debut eponymous scent in Los Angeles. The line was launched at the Premiere Fragrance Installation.
2013: Begin Again Film
In 2013, Adam Levine appeared in the film Begin Again, expanding his presence in the entertainment industry.
2013: Hosted Saturday Night Live
In 2013, Adam Levine hosted Saturday Night Live and featured in Lonely Island's digital short "YOLO", though his hosting received mixed reviews.
2013: Launched Fragrance Line
In 2013, Adam Levine launched his eponymous fragrance line and collaborated with Kmart and ShopYourWay.com for a menswear collection, branching out into the business world.
2013: Started 222 Productions
In 2013, Adam Levine started a production company called 222 Productions. Their first project was Sugar, which was inspired by Maroon 5's song of the same name.
2013: Wrote "My Most Terrible Secret" for Community
In 2013, Adam Levine wrote the song "My Most Terrible Secret" for the cast of Community, highlighting his songwriting skills beyond his band.
2013: Overexposed Tour and Honda Civic Tour
In 2013, Maroon 5 conducted the Overexposed Tour and headlined the Honda Civic Tour, increasing their visibility and fan base.
2013: Salary for The Voice Estimated
In 2013, The Hollywood Reporter estimated that Adam Levine was being paid $10–12 million per season for his role on "The Voice".
2014: Maroon 5 Releases 'V'
In 2014, Maroon 5 released their fifth studio album V, continuing their collaboration with various songwriters.
2014: Overexposed Tour Extended
In 2014, The European leg of the Overexposed Tour extended to 2014 due to scheduling conflicts.
February 2015: Maroon V Tour Kicks Off
In February 2015, Maroon 5 started their Maroon V Tour with a show in Dallas, supporting their album V.
2015: Featured on "Painkiller" and "Locked Away"
In 2015, Adam Levine was featured on the song "Painkiller" by Rozzi Crane and R. City's single "Locked Away", continuing his collaborations with other artists.
2016: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Film
In 2016, Adam Levine appeared in the film Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, showcasing his comedic side.
2016: Collaboration with The Lonely Island
In 2016, Adam Levine collaborated with The Lonely Island for the song "I'm So Humble" on the soundtrack album Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, which they also appeared in the film of the same name.
February 10, 2017: Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
On February 10, 2017, Adam Levine received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, honoring his contributions to the recording industry.
2017: Appears in Fun Mom Dinner and The Clapper
In 2017, Adam Levine appeared in the films Fun Mom Dinner and The Clapper, further building his acting portfolio.
2017: Maroon 5 Releases 'Red Pill Blues'
In 2017, Maroon 5 released their sixth studio album, Red Pill Blues, showcasing their evolving musical style.
2018: Sugar Released
In 2018, Sugar was released. Adam Levine's production company produced it and it was inspired by Maroon 5's song of the same name.
April 2019: Featured on Charity Single "Earth"
In April 2019, Adam Levine and 29 other musical acts were featured on the charity single "Earth", raising awareness about climate change.
May 2019: Left The Voice
In May 2019, Adam Levine departed "The Voice" after being on the show for sixteen seasons and eight years.
May 28, 2019: Songland Premiered
On May 28, 2019, Songland premiered on NBC. It is a reality competition series where Adam Levine served as executive producer.
2019: Leaves The Voice as a Coach
In 2019, Adam Levine ended his initial run as a coach on NBC's reality talent show, The Voice.
January 2020: Became Ambassador for Shure
In January 2020, Adam Levine announced that he is the new Ambassador of the brand Shure for the wireless earphones and headphones.
April 2, 2020: Shure Aonic 215 and 50 Available
On April 2, 2020, the Shure Aonic 215 and 50, for which Adam Levine is the ambassador, became available on electronic stores.
July 2020: Collaborated with Ferrari and Save the Children
In July 2020, Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo collaborated with Ferrari and Save the Children to raise funds to support U.S. education programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Featured on "Trust Nobody" and "Same Guy"
In 2020, Adam Levine was featured on Lil Wayne's "Trust Nobody" and Jack Harlow's "Same Guy", highlighting his continued collaborations.
December 2021: Calirosa Tequila Bottles Available
In December 2021, Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo's tequila company called Calirosa made the brand's tequila bottles available for purchase.
2021: Maroon 5 Releases 'Jordi'
In 2021, Maroon 5 released their seventh studio album, Jordi, continuing their presence in the pop music scene.
June 2024: Return to The Voice Announced
In June 2024, it was announced that Adam Levine would be making a return to "The Voice" for its 27th season, which is scheduled to air in the spring of 2025.
2025: Returns to The Voice as a Coach
In 2025, Adam Levine returned as a coach on NBC's reality talent show, The Voice.
