Adam Levine (vocals/guitar), Jesse Carmichael (keyboards), Mickey Madden (bass), and Ryan Dusick (drums) spent the latter half of the '90s playing in the modern rock foursome Kara's Flowers. The Fourth World was their proper debut for Reprise, a favorite in the college market, but a change of direction loomed ahead. They left Reprise in 1999 and renamed themselves Maroon 5 with the addition of guitarist James Valentine. Levine and his junior-high pals spent the next years tweaking their rollicking style and played various music showcases in and around New York City and Los Angeles. The independent label Octone Records caught one those shows and offered Maroon 5 a deal. Songs About Jane emerged from those sessions, finally appearing in June 2002. It wasn't until the next summer that things started happening for Maroon 5. "Harder to Breathe" and "This Love" went top 10 on the singles charts and by January 2004, Songs About Jane was certified platinum. A third single, "She Will Be Loved," appeared later that August. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide