Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 100 Most Dynamic Debut Albums Ever Made, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods. Click “Next Album” below to explore each album or view the full album index here.
MAROON 5 | Songs About Jane
Octone/J/Interscope (2002) | Listen Below
Selected by Danielle Ciofani
The tremendous success of Songs About Jane is the reason we all now hate Maroon 5—none of us can escape a grocery store or dentist’s office without being forced to hear singles from it. THANKS. Though when released in 2002, their accessible white-boy funk and catchy melodies impressed normies and music snobs alike. At the time, it was actually a refreshing addition to the pop music catalogue.
The sassy hard-hitting snare drum opener “Harder to Breathe” was the standout star for a couple of years, announcing that Maroon 5 was kicking the door down on the top 40 scene. Singles were slowly released for what seemed like forever: “This Love,” “She Will Be Loved” and “Sunday Morning” all dropped in 2004. Then came “Must Get Out” in 2005, followed by the Grammy nomination of “This Love” in 2006. Songs About Jane’s perseverance on the pop charts ensured that Maroon 5 is here to stay, no matter how ready we are to move on.
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