My interest in rock music never strayed too far from the fringes of the pop world. The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and U2 never really resonated with me personally. As a kid, I heard their music on the radio, so when these bands became popular, I still listened to them, even though it wasn't my favorite music.
As Y2K approached, the days of Queen and Journey were fading fast, and the radio introduced me to my new favorite rock band: Maroon 5 and its lead singer, Adam Levine, who seemed to come out of nowhere. Their first album, Songs About Jane, was a modern fusion of rock, and Levine's voice was clearly recognizable.
How pop music has shaped connections
The story of Maroon 5 is emblematic of a shift that transformed how audiences connected with music. The group began when four members, Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, and Ryan Dusick, formed a band called Kara's Flowers while in high school (Burns, 2013). Indie producer Tim Allen led them to Reprise Records and producer Rob Cavallo. Their first album, The Fourth World, released in 1997, failed to make it onto the charts.
They eventually reformed and began rehearsing with a new sound. James Diener, David Boxenbaum, and Ben Baker of Octone Records could sense the energy of the audience during their live performances. Octone took a different approach to pop music by focusing on developing a band-nurturing approach that reflected the principles of gradual skill acquisition and mastery rather than quick profits. Rebranded as Maroon 5, their music gradually climbed the charts, with the single “Harder to Breathe” peaking at number four a year after its release.
The Acceleration of Pop Music and Its Impact
Research by Schneider and Gros (2019) documents a broader shift in consumer behavior. Previously, albums would slowly rise up the charts, eventually reaching the top or near the top, and then begin a slow decline. The previous trajectory was similar to that seen with Maroon 5's first album, where the band's sound was slowly absorbed into one's musical experience.
This upward trend can be seen in the chart below.
More No. 1 albums since 1973
Source: Arturo E. Hernandez
As you can see, the top albums of the past didn't start out at the top of Billboard's Top 100. In 1973, future number one albums started at number 45 on average and then dropped down to around number 20. In the late 1980s, we see this trend drop off sharply. The top albums entered the top of the Top 100 and stayed there.
As we enter the 2000s, we see nearly every top album start at the top and then drop rapidly down the ranks, making our connection with the music more fleeting and our emotional experience more short-lived.
The evolution of pop music distribution
One question that arises is what is causing top album sales to increase at an ever-increasing rate? The following chart from the Recording Industry Association of America is very insightful:
The main trend in the early 1980s was from dark blue albums to light blue cassettes. CDs dominated sales in the mid-10s and have continued to do so as we move into the 21st century. Y2K introduced downloads, which lasted for a short time. By 2014 we see music streaming overtaking all other types of music formats.
Changes in delivery format by year
Source: Recording Industry Association of America
The rise in streaming was also eclipsed by a similar increase in the use of social media, which allowed information about album releases to spread quickly among people. These technological trends completely changed the nature of pop music (Interiano et al.). In the past 30 years, hit songs have been sung by female pop stars, and have become sadder and more danceable. The packaging of music has changed the emotional experience of pop music listeners.
Emergence in pop music: A new perspective
The story of Maroon 5 shows how quickly the music world and our experiences have evolved, and even with their second album being released, which is just around the corner, it creates a certain feeling within me and the fans.
Over time, Maroon 5 blended into broader trends in pop music, but there's no particular reason for this change. Faster chips, more memory, and the advent of the Internet allowed for faster delivery. The advent of social media further accelerated this process. Changes in pop music also shed light on the way our minds process information. Humans are constantly adapting to new stimuli and integrating different influences to form our experiences and identities. As a researcher, I'm fascinated by these “emergent” phenomena and their impact on our minds.
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Levine and Maroon 5 came on the brink of a major shift in technology and culture. They came on the scene at a major turning point. They slowly worked their way to the top over time, but ultimately it was an acceleration of music distribution and the way fans experienced music. So it wasn't Adam vs. the Internet, it was Adam plus the Internet. Maybe a better name would be Adamnet.
