# Adam Levine
**Adam Noah Levine** (born 1979 in Los Angeles) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor, best known as the frontman and primary songwriter of the pop, funk, and rock band [Maroon 5](https://www.edgepedia.org/maroon-5), whose hits are built around his distinctive tenor croon and occasional falsetto.[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) • [3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) He was also an original coach on NBC's *The Voice* for its first 16 seasons and returned to the show for Season 27.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979, Los Angeles; full name Adam Noah Levine[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) • [4](https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/adam_levine.html) |
| Band history | Kara's Flowers (1990s) reformed in 2001 with guitarist James Valentine as Maroon 5; debut album *Songs About Jane* (2002)[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) |
| Chart record | 32 Hot 100 entries since 2002, with 15 Top 10s and 10 Top 5s; most Hot 100 No. 1s this century by a duo or group[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) |
| Sales and streaming | Seven multi-platinum albums with $98+ million in sales, 750 million singles worldwide, and over 25 billion Spotify streams[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) |
| Awards | 13 Grammy nominations with three wins, plus eight Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, five Teen Choice Awards, and three People's Choice Awards[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) |
| The Voice | Original coach, seasons 1–16 (2011–2019), three wins; returned for Season 27[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) • [1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) |
| Screen work | Leo Morrison in *American Horror Story* Season 2 (2012); Oscar-nominated "Lost Stars" from *Begin Again*[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) • [3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) |
## Early life and Kara's Flowers
Levine was born in Los Angeles in 1979, and formed his first band while a student at Brentwood.[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) His full name is Adam Noah Levine, and as a child he attended the French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts Camp in New York.[4](https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/adam_levine.html)
**Kara's Flowers.** As a junior-high student he began playing music with guitarist [Jesse Carmichael](https://www.edgepedia.org/jesse-carmichael) and bassist [Mickey Madden](https://www.edgepedia.org/mickey-madden) under the influence of Nirvana and [Pearl Jam](https://www.edgepedia.org/pearl-jam); Ryan Dusick joined on drums in 1994, completing the alternative rock band Kara's Flowers.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) The Library of Congress authority record identifies Levine as the band's lead vocalist and guitarist.[5](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2006013632.html) At French Woods, Levine and Carmichael started the group, which released its first album, *The Fourth World*, in 1997 during their senior year of high school.[4](https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/adam_levine.html)
After the band's Reprise deal ended, Levine went with Carmichael to [Five Towns College](https://www.edgepedia.org/five-towns-college) on [Long Island](https://www.edgepedia.org/long-island). There he absorbed new influences in hip-hop, soul, gospel, and R&B, which changed his songwriting and pushed his delivery from a deeper, grunge-inspired style to a higher, more expressive one.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) In 2001 the group added guitarist James Valentine as its fifth member, changed its name to Maroon 5, signed with Octone Records, and released the debut album *Songs About Jane* in 2002; Carmichael moved over to keyboards.[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853)
## Maroon 5: rise and discography
*Songs About Jane*, released in June 2002, sold steadily over the following years, sold more than 10 million copies, was certified multi-platinum in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K., and helped earn the band the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2003.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) • [6](https://www.grammy.com/news/maroon-5-songs-about-jane-20th-anniversary-adam-levine-retrospective-feature/)
The band's sound grew bigger and bolder across subsequent albums: 2007's funky *It Won't Be Soon Before Long*, 2010's sleek *Hands All Over*, and 2021's vulnerable *Jordi*, the last featuring guests including [Megan Thee Stallion](https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-thee-stallion), Blackbear, H.E.R., and the late [Nipsey Hussle](https://www.edgepedia.org/nipsey-hussle).[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/maroon-5-songs-about-jane-20th-anniversary-adam-levine-retrospective-feature/) The 2014 album *V* debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and produced three No. 1 [Top 40](https://www.edgepedia.org/top-40) singles: "Maps," "Animals," and "Sugar."[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) *JORDI* went gold out of the gate as the band's seventh consecutive Top 10 debut on the Billboard Top 200, and its six-time platinum single "Memories" became the band's 10th Hot 100 Top 5.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) By 2019 the band had logged enough hits to headline its own Super Bowl halftime show, and it has collaborated with Christina Aguilera, Kendrick Lamar, and Cardi B.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/maroon-5-songs-about-jane-20th-anniversary-adam-levine-retrospective-feature/)
## Voice and musical style
AllMusic centers Levine's singing on a distinctive tenor croon with occasional falsetto, the sound around which Maroon 5's string of platinum albums and number one singles is built.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) NBC identifies his characteristic falsetto as the driver of the band's hits.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) The documented change in his voice came at Five Towns College: exposure to hip-hop, soul, gospel, and R&B moved his delivery from a deeper grunge-inspired style to a higher, more expressive one.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) The band's own blend is described as pop, funk, and alternative rock.[4](https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/adam_levine.html)
## The Voice and screen career
Levine was an original coach on NBC's *The Voice*, serving from 2011 to 2019 across the show's first 16 seasons and winning three times: Season 1 with Javier Colon, Season 5 with [Tessanne Chin](https://www.edgepedia.org/tessanne-chin), and Season 9 with Jordan Smith.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) • [1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) He left the show in 2019.[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap)
His screen work includes a 2009 appearance as himself in the season 3 finale of NBC's *30 Rock* and a three-episode arc as Leo Morrison in Season 2 of *American Horror Story* in 2012.[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) He performed "Lost Stars," the theme song of the film *Begin Again*, which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine)
## By the numbers
Maroon 5's chart record is the core of Levine's commercial profile. The band has charted 32 records on the Billboard Hot 100 since its first release in 2002; 26 reached the Top 50, 22 the Top 25, 15 the Top 10, and 10 the Top 5.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) Maroon 5 holds the record for most No. 1s on the Hot 100 this century by a duo or group, the Pop Airplay record among pop duos or groups with 11 No. 1s, and the Adult Pop Airplay record with 15 No. 1s.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine)
**Certifications and streaming.** Three of the band's records are U.S. diamond certified and 23 are U.S. platinum certified; the discography comprises seven multi-platinum studio albums with $98+ million in sales, 750 million singles worldwide, and gold and platinum certifications in more than 35 countries.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) "Moves Like Jagger" (2011) is diamond certified.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) The U.S. diamond single "Girls Like You" topped three charts (Top 40, Adult Pop, and the Hot 100), earned more than 3 billion YouTube/VEVO views, and was the most-watched video on VEVO in 2018.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) The Grammy-nominated "Sugar" video has amassed over 4 billion views, making it one of the most-viewed videos of all time.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine) Maroon 5's Spotify streams exceed 25 billion, and Levine has earned over 3.5 billion additional combined streams on records he performed on outside the band.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine)
**Solo-chart milestones.** When "Moves Like Jagger" hit No. 1, Levine became the first artist in the Hot 100's 60-year history to reach No. 1 as part of a group while simultaneously in the Top 10 as a soloist on [Gym Class Heroes](https://www.edgepedia.org/gym-class-heroes)' "Stereo Hearts"; he was also the first artist on Spotify with 1 billion streams on a song as part of a group and 1 billion on a song as a soloist.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine)
**Awards.** Levine's tally alongside Maroon 5 stands at 13 Grammy nominations with three wins, eight [Billboard Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/billboard-music-awards), three [American Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-music-awards), five [Teen Choice Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/teen-choice-awards), and three People's Choice Awards.[1](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap) The Recording Academy's artist page confirms the 13 nominations, including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nods for "Payphone" (55th Annual Grammy Awards), "Sugar" (58th), and "Girls Like You" with Cardi B (61st), and a Best Pop Vocal Album nomination for *Overexposed*.[7](https://www.grammy.com/artists/adam-levine/3982/)
## Featured vocals outside the band
Levine's guest-vocalist career began with [Kanye West](https://www.edgepedia.org/kanye-west)'s 2005 single "Heard 'Em Say," followed by Gym Class Heroes' "Stereo Hearts" (2011), 50 Cent's "My Life" (2012), and R. City's "Locked Away" (2015).[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853) Billboard's archive gives their Hot 100 runs: "Stereo Hearts" debuted July 2, 2011, peaked at No. 4 on October 15, 2011, and spent 37 weeks on the chart; "Locked Away" debuted August 8, 2015, peaked at No. 6, and spent 27 weeks; "Heard 'Em Say" entered the chart dated October 29, 2005, and peaked at No. 16 over 12 weeks; "My Life" entered dated December 15, 2012, and peaked at No. 27.[8](https://www.billboard.com/artist/adam-levine/) Billboard also credits him with a featured "Man in the Mirror" duet with Javier Colon, his Season 1 winner on *The Voice*.[8](https://www.billboard.com/artist/adam-levine/)
## Health disclosures and advocacy
Levine was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager and launched an educational campaign called "Own It" to raise awareness of the disorder.[4](https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/adam_levine.html) He is an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights, including an "It Gets Better Project" video citing his openly gay brother; in January 2012, Maroon 5 changed the location of its post-Grammy Awards show because the original host restaurant backed Proposition 8.[4](https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/adam_levine.html)
## Business ventures
Outside music, Levine's documented ventures include his own label, 222 Records, and a branded perfume, alongside charity work.[9](https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/4404332)
## What has changed since 2023
A documented post-2023 development is Levine's return to *The Voice*: after appearing on the show's first 16 seasons, he returned to the red chair in Season 27.[3](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine)
## References
1. [Voice Coach Alum Adam Levine's Albums, Movies, and TV Shows — NBC Insider](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-adam-levine-from-the-voice-a-career-recap)
2. [Adam Levine — AllMusic biography](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-levine-mn0000594853)
3. [Adam Levine — The Voice coach bio, NBC](https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/credits/coach/adam-levine)
4. [Adam Levine — Jewish Virtual Library](https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/adam_levine.html)
5. [Levine, Adam, 1979- — Library of Congress Name Authority Record](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2006013632.html)
6. [Maroon 5's 'Songs About Jane' Turns 20 — Grammy.com](https://www.grammy.com/news/maroon-5-songs-about-jane-20th-anniversary-adam-levine-retrospective-feature/)
7. [Adam Levine Grammy Awards and Nominations — Grammy.com](https://www.grammy.com/artists/adam-levine/3982/)
8. [Adam Levine | Biography, Music & News — Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/artist/adam-levine/)
9. [Adam Levine — Deezer artist biography](https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/4404332)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Pop and R&B singer-songwriters › Pop singers, 2000s to present › R&B and hip-hop-influenced pop singers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license