Island Def Jam has confirmed to Billboard that "As Long as You Love Me" will be the second radio single from Justin Bieber's new album, "Believe." The set is due to soar onto the Billboard 200 this week. Check Billboard.com tomorrow morning (June 27) for complete details on the album's chart arrival.


The hypnotic, dubstep-infused "Love Me" -- which is not a cover of the Backstreet Boys' like-titled 1998 hit -- features rapper Big Sean. "We could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke. As long as you love me, I'll be your platinum, I'll be your silver, I'll be your gold," Bieber promises in the song.

First released as a retail preview track to "Believe," it debuted last week on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 21 with download sales of 168,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Love Me" will now receive its official radio push when the label begins promoting it to top 40 and rhythmic radio stations on July 9.

"Boyfriend," the first single from "Believe," became Bieber's highest-charting Hot 100 hit, having debuted at No. 2 the week of April 14. The song has spent its first 12 weeks in the chart's top 10 and sold 2.5 million downloads. It also became his first top 10  on the top 40-based Pop Songs radio airplay chart.

UPDATE: LISTEN TO THE SONG PREVIEW
It was reported few months ago that Charice was collaborating with Cheesa Laureta, a former contestant in the US talent show “The Voice”. The new single “I’m Not Perfect, a power ballad R&B song featuring Charice, will be available on September 6, 2012.

Alicia Keys has teamed up with “Starships” rapper, Nicki Minaj for the Inferno version of her new single “Girl on Fire.” Alicia is set to perform the track at the upcoming 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, Thursday September 6th.


“Girl on Fire” serves as the lead single off of Alicia’s forthcoming fifth studio LP ‘Girl on Fire’ due out November 27th. A preview of the single was featured in Alicia’s MTV VMA promo, which you can watch this video now !

It's finally here! Watch the official video to One Direction's new single Live While We're Young

Justin Drew Bieber
born March 1, 1994 is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, producer, entrepreneur, investor, and actor.^[3][5] Bieber was discovered in 2008 by American talent manager Scooter Braun,^[9] who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager. Braun arranged for him to meet with entertainer Usher Raymond in Atlanta, Georgia, and Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG),^[10] and then to an Island Records recording contract offered by record executive L.A. Reid.^[6][11]
His debut extended play, the seven-track My World, was released in November 2009, and was soon certified platinum in the United States. He became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut record to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.^[12] Bieber's first full-length studio album, My World 2.0, was released in March 2010. It debuted at or near number-one in several countries and was certified platinum in the United States. It was preceded by the worldwide top-ten single, "Baby". He followed up the release of his debut album with his first headlining tour, the My World Tour, the remix albums My Worlds Acoustic and Never Say Never – The Remixes, and the 3D biopic-concert film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which nearly tied the record for the biggest opening-weekend gross for a concert-film. Bieber released his second studio album, Under the Mistletoe, in November 2011, when it debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200. Bieber released his third studio album, Believe, in June 2012, it became his fourth chart topper in the United States, debuting at number-one on the Billboard 200. Intent on developing a more mature sound, the album is regarded as a musical departure from his previous teen pop sound.^{[citation needed]}

Bieber has received numerous awards, including Artist of the Year at the 2010 American Music Awards, and was nominated for such accolades as Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 53rd Grammy Awards. With a global fan base, termed as "Beliebers", and over 27 million followers on Twitter, he was named by Forbes Magazine in 2012 as the third most powerful celebrity in the world. He had earned an estimated US$55 million in the previous 12 months. As of May 2012, Bieber has sold 15 million albums.^[13] Justin Bieber along with Taylor Swift won top honours at the Teen Choice Awards on July 22, 2012.^[14] He has a net worth of US$108 million as of August 2012

 (Indonesian pronunciation: [ˈaŋɡun ˈt͡ʃipta ˈsasmi]; born 29 April 1974) is an Indonesian and French-naturalised singer-songwriter. Born in Jakarta, she began performing at the age of seven and recorded a children's album two years later. With the help of famed Indonesian producer Ian Antono, in 1986 Anggun released her first rock-influenced studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (The World is Mine). She became further well known with the single "Mimpi" (1989), which was selected as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone in 2009. She followed it with a series of singles and three more studio albums, which established her as one of the most prominent Indonesian rock stars of the early 1990s.

Anggun left Indonesia in 1994 to pursue an international career. After two years struggling in London and Paris, Anggun met French producer Erick Benzi and signed to Sony Music Entertainment. She released her first international album, Snow on the Sahara (1997), in 33 countries worldwide; this album spawned her international signature hit "Snow on the Sahara", which reached number one in several countries. Since her international debut, Anggun has released five studio albums in English and French, as well as a soundtrack album to the Danish film Open Hearts (2002). She has collaborated with a host of international artists, including Julio Iglesias, Peter Gabriel and Pras Michel of the Fugees.
Anggun is the first Indonesian artist to break into the European and American record charts.^[1] Her albums have been certified gold and platinum in several European countries. She has received a number of accolades for her achievements, including the prestigious Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French Minister of Culture. Aside from her musical career, Anggun has been involved in numerous environmental and humanitarian works. She has been appointed as the global ambassador of the United Nations twice, first for the International Year of Microcredit in 2005 and then for the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2009. Anggun represented France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, ranking at the 22nd place.

 (born March 27, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. She made her recording debut in 1990 under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, and released her self-titled debut studio album, Mariah Carey. The album went multi-platinum and spawned four consecutive number one singles, on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Following her marriage to Mottola in 1993, a series of hit records, including Emotions (1991), Music Box (1993) and Merry Christmas (1994), established her position as Columbia's highest-selling act. Daydream (1995), made music history when the second single, "One Sweet Day" a duet with Boyz II Men, spent a record sixteen weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100, and remains the longest-running number-one song in US chart history. During the recording of the album, Carey began to deviate from her pop beginnings, and slowly traversed into R&B and hip hop. After her separation from Mottola, this musical change was evident with the release of Butterfly (1997).


Carey left Columbia in 2000, and signed a record-breaking $100 million recording contract with Virgin Records. Carey ventured into film with Glitter (2001). Before the film's release she suffered a physical and emotional breakdown and was hospitalized for severe exhaustion. Following the film's poor reception, she was bought out of her recording contract for $50 million, which led to a decline in her career. She signed a multi-million dollar contract deal with Island Records in 2002, and after an unsuccessful period, returned to the top of music charts with The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). Its second single "We Belong Together" became her most successful single of the 2000s, and was later named "Song of the Decade" by Billboard. Carey once again ventured into film, and starred in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (2009). Her role in the film was well-received, and she was awarded the "Breakthrough Performance Award" at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and Black Reel and NAACP Image Award nominations.
In a career spanning over two decades, Carey has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. In 1998, she was honored as the world's best-selling recording artist of the 1990s at the World Music Awards. Carey was also named the best-selling female artist of the millennium in 2000. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the third best-selling female artist in the United States, with 63.5 million certified albums. With the release of "Touch My Body" (2008), Carey gained her eighteenth number one single in the United States, more than any other solo artist. In 2012, Carey was ranked second on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Women in Music". Aside from her commercial accomplishments, Carey has won five Grammy Awards, 17 World Music Awards, 11 American Music Awards, and 31 Billboard Music Awards. Referred to as the "songbird supreme" by the Guinness World Records, she is famed for her five-octave vocal range, power, melismatic style and signature use of the whistle register.

Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982^[1] or December 8, 1984^[2]), known by her stage name Nicki Minaj ( /mɪˈnɑːʒ/), is a Trinidadian-born American rapper, singer, songwriter, voice actress and television personality. She was born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago. When she was five years old, she moved to the New York City borough of Queens. Minaj trained as an actress before she released three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009 and signed to Young Money Entertainment.

Minaj rose to prominence when she released her debut album, Pink Friday, in November 2010, peaking at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and being certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a month after its release.^[3][4] She became the first female solo artist to have seven singles on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time.^[5] Her seventh single, "Super Bass" has since been certified quadruple-platinum by the RIAA, and has sold more than four million copies, becoming one of the best-selling singles in the United States. Minaj released her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, in April 2012, which topped charts internationally, also spawning the top 10 singles "Starships" and "Pound the Alarm". Since, the album has become one of the best-selling albums of 2012, according to the Nielsen SoundScan, selling 1,000,000 copies worldwide.^[6] In 2012, Minaj embarked on two worldwide tours, the Pink Friday Tour and the Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour.
Minaj's artistry features alter egos and accents, notably British cockney. Her outlandish and colorful costumes, wigs and clothing have given her recognition as a fashion icon.^[7] She featured as a voice actress in Ice Age 4: Continental Drift, will serve as a judge on American Idol and has endorsed Adidas, MAC Cosmetics, and Pepsi. Minaj's work has earned her six BET Awards, two American Music Awards, two MTV Music Award and Billboard's 2011 Rising Star. She is the first female artist included on MTV's Annual Hottest MC List, with The New York Times suggesting that some consider her "the most influential female rapper of all time.

1981–2001: Early life and career beginnings

Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan, in New York City.^[10][11][12] She is the only child of Teresa Augello, a paralegal and part-time actress, and Craig Cook, a flight attendant.^{[13][14][15][16]} Keys' mother is of Italian, Scottish, and Irish descent, and her father is African-American;^[17] Keys has expressed that she was comfortable with her biracial heritage because she felt she was able to "relate to different cultures".^[11][18] Her parents separated when she was two and she was subsequently raised by her mother during her formative years in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan.^[19] In 1985, Keys made an appearance on The Cosby Show at the age of four, where she and a group of girls played the parts of Rudy Huxtable's sleepover guests in the episode "Slumber Party".^[20][21] Throughout her childhood, Keys was sent to music and dance classes by her mother.^[22] She began playing the piano when she was seven and learned classical music by composers such as Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin.^[13] Keys enrolled in the Professional Performing Arts School at the age of 12, where she majored in choir and began writing songs at the age of 14.^[14][23] She graduated in four years as valedictorian at the age of 16.^[24]
In 1994, Keys met long-term manager Jeff Robinson after she enrolled in his brother's after-school program.^[25] The following year Robinson introduced Keys to her future A&R at Arista Records, Peter Edge, who later described his first impressions to HitQuarters: "I had never met a young R&B artist with that level of musicianship. So many people were just singing on top of loops and tracks, but she had the ability, not only to be part of hip-hop, but also to go way beyond that."^[26] Edge helped Robinson create a showcase for Keys and also got involved in developing her demo material. He was keen to sign Keys himself but was unable to do so at that time due to being on the verge of leaving his present record company. Keys signed to Columbia Records soon after.^[26] At the same time as signing a recording contract with Columbia Records, Keys was accepted into Columbia University. At first, Keys attempted to manage both, but after a month, she dropped out of college to pursue her musical career full-time.^[24][27]
Keys signed a demo deal with Jermaine Dupri and So So Def Recordings, where she appeared on the label's Christmas album performing "The Little Drummer Girl". She also co-wrote and recorded a song entitled "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Men in Black.^[27] The song was Keys' first professional recording; however, it was never released as a single and her record contract with Columbia ended after a dispute with the label. Keys was unhappy with the label because her career had stalled during her two years under contract at Columbia due to executive indecision over her direction and major changes within the company.^[26] Keys called Clive Davis, who sensed a "special, unique" artist from her performance and signed her to Arista Records, which later disbanded.^[10][11] Keys almost chose Wilde as her stage name until her manager suggested the name Keys after a dream he had. Keys felt that name represented her both as a performer and person.^[28] Following Davis to his newly formed J Records label, she worked with Kerry "Krucial" Brothers and recorded the songs "Rock wit U" and "Rear View Mirror", which were featured on the soundtracks to the films Shaft (2000) and Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), respectively

Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. She attended Professional Performing Arts School and graduated at 16 as valedictorian. Keys released her debut album with J Records, having had previous record deals first with Columbia and then Arista Records.
Keys' debut album, Songs in A Minor, was a commercial success, selling over 12 million copies worldwide.^[1] She became the best-selling new artist and best-selling R&B artist of 2001.^[2] The album earned Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for "Fallin'".^[3] Her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, was released in 2003 and was also another success worldwide, selling eight million copies.^[4] The album garnered her an additional four Grammy Awards in 2005.^[5] Later that year, she released her first live album, Unplugged, which debuted at number one in the United States.^[6] She became the first female to have an MTV Unplugged album to debut at number one and the highest since Nirvana in 1994.^[2]
Keys made guest appearances on several television series in the following years, beginning with Charmed. She made her film debut in Smokin' Aces and went on to appear in The Nanny Diaries in 2007. Her third studio album, As I Am, was released in the same year and sold five million copies worldwide, earning Keys an additional three Grammy Awards. The following year, she appeared in The Secret Life of Bees, which earned her a nomination at the NAACP Image Awards. She released her fourth album, The Element of Freedom, in December 2009, which became Keys' first chart-topping album in the United Kingdom. Throughout her career, Keys has won numerous awards and has sold over 35 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artist of all time.^[7] Billboard magazine named her the top R&B artist of the 2000–2009 decade. In 2010, VH1 included Keys on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.^[8] Billboard magazine placed her number ten on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years

1981–2001: Early life and career beginnings

Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan, in New York City.^[10][11][12] She is the only child of Teresa Augello, a paralegal and part-time actress, and Craig Cook, a flight attendant.^{[13][14][15][16]} Keys' mother is of Italian, Scottish, and Irish descent, and her father is African-American;^[17] Keys has expressed that she was comfortable with her biracial heritage because she felt she was able to "relate to different cultures".^[11][18] Her parents separated when she was two and she was subsequently raised by her mother during her formative years in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan.^[19] In 1985, Keys made an appearance on The Cosby Show at the age of four, where she and a group of girls played the parts of Rudy Huxtable's sleepover guests in the episode "Slumber Party".^[20][21] Throughout her childhood, Keys was sent to music and dance classes by her mother.^[22] She began playing the piano when she was seven and learned classical music by composers such as Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin.^[13] Keys enrolled in the Professional Performing Arts School at the age of 12, where she majored in choir and began writing songs at the age of 14.^[14][23] She graduated in four years as valedictorian at the age of 16.^[24]
In 1994, Keys met long-term manager Jeff Robinson after she enrolled in his brother's after-school program.^[25] The following year Robinson introduced Keys to her future A&R at Arista Records, Peter Edge, who later described his first impressions to HitQuarters: "I had never met a young R&B artist with that level of musicianship. So many people were just singing on top of loops and tracks, but she had the ability, not only to be part of hip-hop, but also to go way beyond that."^[26] Edge helped Robinson create a showcase for Keys and also got involved in developing her demo material. He was keen to sign Keys himself but was unable to do so at that time due to being on the verge of leaving his present record company. Keys signed to Columbia Records soon after.^[26] At the same time as signing a recording contract with Columbia Records, Keys was accepted into Columbia University. At first, Keys attempted to manage both, but after a month, she dropped out of college to pursue her musical career full-time.^[24][27]
Keys signed a demo deal with Jermaine Dupri and So So Def Recordings, where she appeared on the label's Christmas album performing "The Little Drummer Girl". She also co-wrote and recorded a song entitled "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Men in Black.^[27] The song was Keys' first professional recording; however, it was never released as a single and her record contract with Columbia ended after a dispute with the label. Keys was unhappy with the label because her career had stalled during her two years under contract at Columbia due to executive indecision over her direction and major changes within the company.^[26] Keys called Clive Davis, who sensed a "special, unique" artist from her performance and signed her to Arista Records, which later disbanded.^[10][11] Keys almost chose Wilde as her stage name until her manager suggested the name Keys after a dream he had. Keys felt that name represented her both as a performer and person.^[28] Following Davis to his newly formed J Records label, she worked with Kerry "Krucial" Brothers and recorded the songs "Rock wit U" and "Rear View Mirror", which were featured on the soundtracks to the films Shaft (2000) and Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), respectively

Birthday: December 22, 1989
Hometown: Glendale, AZ
Audition City: Seattle
American Idol Season 6 - Winner

Jordin Sparks Biography:


Daughter of former Dallas Cowboys left cornerback Phillippi Sparks, 18-year old Jordin Sparks is the youngest female to make it to the Top 24 in American Idol, season 6. A native of Glendale, Arizona and the winner of “Arizona Idol,” she auditioned for the reality show in Seattle and pleasantly surprised the judges with her powerful singing voice. She had an early start in singing, already showing her talent at the very young age of 18 months. Another talent that Jordin has boasted of is her ability to speak with different accents. Aside from making it to the Top 24, Jordin is also proud to have been deemed the “Overall Spotlight Winner” in 2004 by the GMA Academy.
Although Jordin's talent for singing is apparent, she struggles when it comes to studying math.

Jordin Sparks was declared winner of the sixth season of American Idol with her rendition of “Fighter” (Christina Aguilera) and “A Broken Wing” (Martina McBride).  In addition to being the youngest winner in American Idol history, she also conquered the contest without ever being in the bottom 2 or 3, joining Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Hicks.

Life after American Idol proved to be very fruitful for Jordin Sparks as lingered in the limelight, making several appearances on television shows like The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, The Today Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, The Early Show and The View.  Along with television and radio invites, she graced the covers of Entertainment Weekly and World, and was featured in VIBE, TV Guide, Glamour and other publications.

At present, Sparks continues to perform on tours and concerts to promote her self-titled extended play album, which is a compilation of her most downloaded songs, including "I (Who Have Nothing),” "Wishing On A Star," "To Love Somebody," "A Broken Wing," and "This Is My Now," which was the winning song of the first American Idol Songwriting contes

One Direction are an English boy band formed in London in 2010, consisting of members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. They signed with Simon Cowell's record label Syco Records after being formed and placing third in the seventh series of British television music competition The X Factor. They subsequently signed in North America with Columbia Records.
Buoyed by the international chart-topping debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful", One Direction's debut studio album, Up All Night (2011), topped charts worldwide. Its number one debut on the US Billboard 200 chart, made One Direction the first British group in US chart history to debut at number one with their first album, a feat which was inducted in the Guinness World Records. One Direction supported the album with their Up All Night Tour. One Direction's 2013 World Tour is set to run for most of 2013, with tickets grossing $15.7 million for their Australian and New Zealand dates. The tour is set to be preceded by their second studio album, Take Me Home, which is scheduled for release on 12 November 2012. Besides their musical endeavors, One Direction have supported various charities and foundations, and have commercial endorsements with Pokémon, Nokia, HarperCollins and Hasbro.
Generating millions in combined music, merchandising and touring sales, One Direction have been described as sparking a resurgence in the boy band concept, and of forming part of a new "British Invasion" in the United States. As of June 2012, according to Nick Gatfield, the chairman and chief executive of Sony Music Entertainment UK, One Direction represent a $50 million business empire. By August 2012, One Direction have sold 12 million records. Their achievements include a BRIT Award and 3 MTV Video Music Awards. The Huffington Post proclaimed 2012 "The Year of One Direction"

The X Factor, formation and record deal (2010–11)

In 2010, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson auditioned as solo candidates for the seventh series of British television music competition The X Factor.^[3] Failing to progress to the "Boys" category at "judges' houses", after a suggestion by guest judge Nicole Scherzinger,^[3] they were put together to form a five-piece boy band at Wembley Arena, London, England, July 2010, during the "bootcamp" stage of the competition,^[4] thus qualifying for the "Groups" category. Subsequently, the group got together for two weeks to get to know each other and to practise.^[5][6] Styles came up with the name One Direction as he thought it would sound good when The X Factor announcer read their name out on the live shows.^[5] For their qualifying song at "judges' houses", and their first song as a group, One Direction sang an acoustic version of "Torn".^[7] In the live shows, after the elimination of F.Y.D., Diva Fever and Belle Amie within four weeks, they were Simon Cowell's last act in the competition.^[8] The group quickly gained popularity in the UK.^[9] One Direction finished in third place behind runner-up Rebecca Ferguson and winner Matt Cardle.^[10] Immediately after the final, their song "Forever Young", which would have been released if they had won The X Factor, was leaked onto the internet.^[10] Shortly afterwards it was confirmed, One Direction had been signed by Cowell to a £2 million Syco Records record contract.^[11][12] Recording for their debut album began in January 2011, as they flew to Los Angeles to work with producer RedOne.^[13] In February 2011, One Direction and nine other contestants from the series participated in the X Factor Live Tour.^[14] The tour saw the group performing for 500,000 people throughout the UK.^[15] After the tour concluded in April 2011, the group continued working on their debut album,^[13] recording took place in Sweden, UK, and the United States, as One Direction worked with producers Carl Falk, Savan Kotecha, Steve Mac, and Rami Yacoub, among others

Maroon 5 is an American   pop-rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album in 1997. After a brief period they re-formed with guitarist James Valentine, and pursued a new, more pop-oriented direction as Maroon 5. In 2002 they released their debut album Songs About Jane, which contained four hit singles: "Harder to Breathe", "This Love", "She Will Be Loved" and "Sunday Morning"; it also enjoyed major chart success, going gold, platinum, and triple platinum in many countries around the world.^[4]

In support of Songs About Jane, Maroon 5 toured extensively throughout 2003–2005 and during that period of time two live albums were released. The band won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2005. Dusick left the band in September 2006, citing injuries sustained by constant touring, and was replaced by Matt Flynn. Maroon 5's second studio album It Won't Be Soon Before Long was released in 2007, with the singles "Makes Me Wonder", which was their first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, "Won't Go Home Without You" and "Wake Up Call". The band performed live in two tours between June and November 2007. During that time a compilation of previously unreleased songs, The B-Side Collection, were released.
Two more live albums and a remix album were issued in 2008. Maroon 5's third studio album Hands All Over was released in the United States on September 21, 2010. Since debuting in 2002, the band has sold over 10 million albums in the United States.
Maroon 5's biggest hit yet is "Moves like Jagger" featuring Christina Aguilera, selling over 8 million copies worldwide as of June 2012, therefore establishing itself among the best-selling singles of all time.^[5]
On March 26, 2012, Maroon 5 announced their fourth studio album, Overexposed. It was released on June 26, 2012.^[6] The lead single "Payphone", which features rapper Wiz Khalifa, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually rose to number two on the chart. The second single from the album, "One More Night", became the band's third number one single.


The four original members of Maroon 5 have known each other since attending Brentwood School in Los Angeles.^[7][8] While attending Brentwood School, Adam Levine and Jesse Carmichael joined up with Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick to form Kara's Flowers,^[9] a pop band. The name was taken from a girl that the band had a "collective crush" on.^[8] The band played its first gig at Whisky a Go Go on September 16, 1995. While they were playing a beach party in Malibu, indie producer Tommy Allen heard them play and offered to manage them and record a complete record with his partner, songwriter John DeNicola (Dirty Dancing). While shopping for a deal for the band, Bob Cavallo's management team heard the record Allen and DeNicola produced, which eventually led to their deal with Reprise Records and producer Rob Cavallo.^[10] Very early on, their sound was what Carmichael called "Fugazi [the sound] meets Sesame Street [the lyrics]". However, by the release of The Fourth World in 1996, they had morphed into band with a style reminiscent of 1960s Britpop.^[8] Despite high expectations from the band and record company, the album failed to catch on and their lead single, "Soap Disco", was a failure.^[11] According to Levine, the failure of the album was "a huge disappointment" that nearly led them to break up in 1998.^[8][12] The album sold around 5,000 copies and they were dropped after only six months.^[13]
When the two returned in 2000, they brought those influences with them.^[12] Sam Farrar (bassist of the band Phantom Planet, which is currently on hiatus, and former roommate of Levine and Valentine) says that the Aaliyah song "Are You That Somebody?" affected the band and influenced the song "Not Coming Home."^[8] Producer Tim Sommer signed them to a demo deal with MCA records and produced three tracks with them in Los Angeles in the middle of 2000 with Mark Dearnley engineering. Against Sommer's advice, MCA declined to pick up the band, and these tracks were never released. Jordan Feldstein, a friend of Levine's family and a junior agent at ICM, stopped by one of the band's rehearsals and was so surprised by what he heard that he quit his job in order to manage the band full-time.^[12] The band put together a demo that was rejected by several labels, before falling into the hands of Octone Records executives James Diener, Ben Berkman and David Boxenbaum.^[12] While looking for talent for the new Octone label, Berkman was given a bunch of demos by the brother of a former colleague at Columbia Records and the song that caught his attention was "a genius song called 'Sunday Morning'".^[13] Berkman was surprised the song was credited to Kara's Flowers because they sounded completely different from the band he had heard while at Warner Brothers.
Berkman encouraged Diener and Boxenbaum to fly out to L.A. to watch a showcase gig at the Viper Room for the four-piece Kara's Flowers. After watching Levine onstage, they were convinced. Berkman told HitQuarters he believed what the band needed was a "fifth member to play the guitar and free up the singer, so he could be the star I perceived him to be." Octone immediately insisted that the band change its name to break with its pop past. Also, the label began looking for a full-time guitarist to enable Levine to focus on performing as the frontman. James Valentine (from the L.A. band Square) was recruited for the job.^[12] On his joining the band, Valentine commented: "I became friends with them and we sort of started jamming together, it was very much like I was cheating on my band, we were having sort of an affair and I eventually quit my other band to join up with them."^[12] Even still, the only songs of their repertoire that showcased the band's new direction were "Sunday Morning" and the soon-to-be-written "She Will Be Loved"—neither of which the label approved of as a first single. The band toured for a full year before entering the studio with producer Matt Wallace. Levine's frustration with Berkman's demands for a lead single inspired him to write just that—a song called "Harder to Breathe"