Maroon 5 has been a hit with fans for almost 30 years – but there’s one thing they have refused to reveal. Despite being one of the biggest bands in the world, Adam Levine has kept this under wraps

Despite their immense fame and more than 140 awards, Maroon 5 has managed to maintain a certain air of mystery.

The band, now comprising Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, James Valentine, Matt Flynn, PJ Morton, and Sam Farrar, formed in 1994 as Kara’s Flowers with original members Levine, Carmichael, Mickey Madden, and Ryan Dusick.

A fan recently took to Quora, pondering the meaning behind the band’s unique name, discovering that Levine has been keeping its significance under wraps for years. In a 2023 interview on The Howard Stern Show, Levine mentioned that Billy Joel, the only outsider privy to the name’s meaning, was briefed only because he asked.

Though Levine jokingly surmised Joel likely “forgot” the explanation shortly after being told. In contrast, some devoted fans claim to have deduced the answer by scrutinizing past interviews, career milestones, and scattered tidbits of information.

For instance, their original moniker Kara’s Flowers allegedly drew inspiration from a high school girl the band members collectively admired, according to Atkins Bookshelf.

The group experienced a bit of an identity shift after changing management and were advised to mix things up. An official statement shared: “For whatever reason, the band has not been forthcoming about how they came up with the name.”

One prevailing theory suggests a nostalgic origin: “One likely explanation is that the band is named for an alma mater and its official colour. Two band members, Levine and Carmichael, both briefly attended Five Towns College, a private college focused on the creative arts located in Long Island, New York.”

The statement hints at connections, noting that “The ‘five’ also ties in nicely to the number of members in the band. And guess what is the college’s official colour? You guessed it – maroon. So until one of them writes a biography, or gets drunk and inadvertently address this, we’ll have to go with the ‘academic’ theory.”

Fans vocalized their critiques and praises of Maroon 5’s adaptability and evolution. One fan observed: “Maroon 5 changes with the times and knows how to produce hits. They’re at peace with that, whereas other established pop/rock bands aren’t willing to compromise their art to sell records. That’s why they’ll continue to be successful for another 16 years, if they so decide that that’s what they want.”

Another fan expressed mixed feelings: “Maroon 5 is an amazing band or was a band, now most of the time Adam is the only one we see. But that’s totally there personal problem, the song by this band are unique and very special because it fits with the circumstances very easily. If you haven’t heard them, listen to them for once, you will love there songs.”