Why Maroon 5 remains a force in the charts

Levine blitzed through the set in a no-nonsense fashion.

Maroon 5 isn’t exactly the most innovative band out there; it neither breaks trends nor sets them.

Its biggest asset, however, lies in its ability to acclimatize itself to the fickle and ever-changing nature of the pop music landscape.

The group’s willingness to compromise, adapt to current trends and churn out more radio-friendly songs means that none of its six studio albums sound exactly the same: The “Cold” Maroon 5 of 2018 feels like a completely different group from the “Harder to Breathe” Maroon 5 of 2002.

In demand

But that’s also the very reason Maroon 5 remains a force in the charts, almost 20 years since it debuted.

It continues to produce hits, like the group’s latest single, the hip-hop-infused “Girls Like You” featuring the rapper Cardi B, which reached No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100. It continues to be an in-demand touring act, selling out venues all over the world, like the SM Mall of Asia Arena, where the band recently brought its “Red Pill Blues” tour.

Adam sang with his signature high-pitched singing and shuffled from one end of the stage to the other to fire up the fans. —PHOTOS BY JASPER LUCENA FOR MMI LIVE

It was Maroon 5’s fifth show in the country overall.

But judging by the packed audience’s energy and excitement, it might as well have been the American band’s first.

The fans erupted into cheers when frontman Adam Levine—who has practically become Maroon 5 himself—emerged onstage, after an intro video showed them shooting out of a giant speaker.

Long list of hits

As in his previous visit here in 2015, Adam blitzed through the set in a no-nonsense fashion, as if saying: “Let’s cut the chit-chat—there’s a long list of hits to be performed.”

The night’s repertoire didn’t have much by way of surprises. But it was, indeed, bulletproof, with 19 songs—culled from all of the band’s past records—that elicited rousing sing-alongs. And one could have a pretty good idea of when each of those songs was released by looking at which part of the crowd was getting all pumped up.

The night’s repertoire was bulletproof, with 19 songs culled from all of the band’s past records.

The older fans raised their fists to the American band’s alternative rock and jazz-tinged earlier material, such as “This Love” and “Sunday Morning,” and then danced to the retro synths of “Makes Me Wonder.”

The younger ones, on the other hand, bopped to the electric, Afrobeat-laden “Cold.” They vibed to “Wait,” which has a sleek, R&B feel, and rapped to Cardi’s part in “Girls Like You,” which was mashed with a cover of Alphaville’s “Forever Young.”

Near the end of the show—mounted by MMI Live and presented by Smart Music Live—Maroon 5 slowed things down with pared-down, acoustic renditions of “She Will Be Loved” and  “Lost Stars,” which sparked thousands of gently swaying twinkling lights.

Signature singing

Adam sang all these with his signature high-pitched singing—falsettos and head tones; flirtatious cooing; and occasional yelps and exultations. He shuffled from one end of the stage, occasionally dragging the mic stand with him, to the other to fire up the fans. He thrust his hips to beats and cheekily tugged on his shirt, much to the delight of the female revelers.

As a showman, Adam—whose popularity was further magnified by being a judge on the talent search “The Voice”—was pretty much like his music: Lacking in danger, but perfectly engaging nonetheless.