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"Makes Me Wonder"
Single by Maroon 5
from the album It Won't Be Soon Before Long
B-side
  • "The Way I Was"
  • "Story"
ReleasedMarch 27, 2007 (2007-03-27)
Recorded2007
Genre
Length3:31
LabelA&M Octone
Songwriters
Producers
Maroon 5 singles chronology
"Must Get Out"
(2005) 		"Makes Me Wonder"
(2007) 		"Wake Up Call"
(2007)
Music video
"Makes Me Wonder" on YouTube

"Makes Me Wonder" is a song by American pop rock band Maroon 5. It was released on March 27, 2007, as the first single from their second studio album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long (2007). Upon its release, the song set a record for the biggest jump to number-one in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, rising from number 64 to number one. However, the record was later broken by Britney Spears' 2008 single, "Womanizer" which was broken by Kelly Clarkson's 2009 single, "My Life Would Suck Without You".

"Makes Me Wonder" also became the band's first number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 50th Grammy Awards, their second song to win the award. The song was among the most successful of 2007, and was their biggest hit until the release of "Moves like Jagger" by the band in 2011.

Despite the song's commercial success, critical reception was mixed. It was ranked number 49 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007. Billboard crowned the song number one in its 2022 ranking of the 10 best Maroon 5 songs of all time.[4]

Background and writing

[edit]
Maroon 5 worked with producer Mark Endert for "Makes Me Wonder" at Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas.

Adam Levine began writing parts of "Makes Me Wonder" years before its release in 2007. Maroon 5 recorded a demo of it, which was one of their firsts while on the "road". The band however put the track aside, and years later revisited it for It Won't Be Soon Before Long. Levine recalled that the song "kept coming up because the label loved it".[5] After taking a break from their previous studio sessions for It Won't Be Soon Before Long, which was intended to gain "perspective" with the tracks, Maroon 5 regrouped at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California. There, they "rethought a couple of songs and we went back and recut about three songs".[6]

Reworking the song for their new album, Maroon 5 struggled to finish "Makes Me Wonder". The band could not formulate a chorus that would match with the rest of "Makes Me Wonder"'s music, which then had been around for four years.[6] At one point, it had the band deciding to venture into a songwriting trip to "somewhere without distractions".[5] While working on another song when they went to a Las Vegas studio, Maroon 5 came up with a part that would work "if they changed the chords".[6] Levine recalls, "It was actually great because we were distracted just enough that we didn't think about it too much, and then we wrote this part that wound up being the chorus."[5]

Production and music

[edit]

Prior to "Makes Me Wonder", producer Mark Endert had contributed to the band's debut album, Songs About Jane, in which he provided additional production to and mixed the hit single "This Love". Having worked on a song called "Wake Up Call" for the new album, Endert's involvement transitioned to "Makes Me Wonder". Maroon 5, having re-examined the song, asked Endert to assist them on a track which they did not like. To Endert, the band did not "feel like they had realized its potential". However, "They were open to new ideas, so I had the freedom to go and look for a new approach."[7]

Working on the new material, Endert produced a mockup for the track's arrangement, a process he normally does as a producer. Using his Logic system at Scream Studios, he programmed the keyboards, bass, guitars on an old '80s Roland. When done, Endert flew to Los Angeles to present to the band the track, to which they approved. Endert and the band went to the Sunset Sound studio where they added track and "replaced any parts in Logic that were considered band instruments", resulting to it sounding like Maroon 5's.[7]

According to producer Mark Endert, the idea was to make the song's music contemporary and urban. Meanwhile, they wanted to render it classic by making references to '70s and early '80s sound.[7] Its music changed from "a more rock 'n' roll feel to a '70s funk vibe".[6]

Lyrical meaning

[edit]

"Makes Me Wonder" began as a love song which Levine wrote about a "failed relationship",[8] which he said went horribly wrong.[5] However, when he revisited the song for It Won't Be Soon Before Long a few years later, Levine "recognized a whole new dimension" to it which resulted to his adding political insights on the lyrics.[8]

One meaning of "Makes Me Wonder" is about Levine's frustration at the state of politics and the United States' role in the war in Iraq.

The lyrics of "Makes Me Wonder" have two different meanings. It contains political insinuations disguised as a love song because of Levine's not wanting to be preachy. It combines lyrics about his being in a state of a failed relationship and his "failure to understand or trust" the leadership of his country.[9]

One meaning is about Levine's frustration at the state of politics and the United States' role in the war in Iraq. From the original lyrics, they incorporated the line "Give me something to believe in / Because I don't believe in you anymore" which became the refrain to the chorus.[5] Levine revealed that the lyrics "maybe not targeted at the Bush Administration, but maybe dancing around that territory a little bit".[5] "Makes Me Wonder" shows the band's confusion about the politics in the country.[8] Levine explains:

I really wanted to write a political song, a song that reflected the way I felt about everything. It's one of the most difficult things in the world to do without coming off as a total arse and preachy - all the things that I hate about a lot of songwriting. So I didn't want to overtly say it. I just wanted to allude to it.[8]

The second meaning is simply about love. The lyrics in the chorus reflects one of Levine's relationships that went horribly wrong. Levine states about their relationship, "It had something to do with our growing dissatisfaction with things and the confusion that was in the air."[5]

Critical reception

[edit]

The song received mixed reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, discussing the identity of Maroon 5's music, noted that "Makes Me Wonder", even with its "flash[y] production", is not about its "feel" but the song itself that makes the album "work".[10] Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times called "Makes Me Wonder" an "aggravatingly danceable track".[11]

For Neil Drumming of Entertainment Weekly, Levine seems "detached ... cold even" in the song, adding that "there's a twisted logic to his dispassionate delivery".[12] Wrote Rosie Swash of The Guardian, "'Makes Me Wonder' is so bland it's offensive."[13] Robert Christgau, in his review for Rolling Stone, noted the "political subtext" of the song.[14]

The band won their third Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Makes Me Wonder" at the 50th anniversary show of the Grammys on February 10, 2008. It was their second win in this category after "This Love".

Chart performance

[edit]

The song has had one of the biggest bullets in Hot Adult history, with many AC radio stations putting it into heavy rotation mere days after its release. The song reached number 11 on the U.S. Adult Top 40 after only two weeks on the chart, becoming only the third song since 2000 to reach the top 15 of the Adult Top 40 in two weeks or less.[15]

In the Billboard magazine issue dated May 12, 2007, Maroon 5 scored their first number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, due to strong radio airplay and 243,500 digital downloads. By doing so, they broke a record held by Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" for the biggest jump to number one in Hot 100 history, leaping from number 64 to number one (Clarkson's single had jumped from number 52 in October 2002).[16] "Makes Me Wonder" remained at number one for a second week[17] before falling to number two[18] and then returning to number one in the following week.[19] As of June 2014, it has sold 2,923,000 downloads in the US alone.[20]

In the UK, the song debuted at number 19 with downloads alone a week before its physical release and rose to number 2 the second week, kept off the top spot by Rihanna's "Umbrella". In Mexico, it went on to sell over 420,000 digital downloads.[21]

Music video

[edit]
Maroon 5 shot the video of "Makes Me Wonder" at the Los Angeles International Airport.

Directed by John Hillcoat, the video was shot at the Los Angeles International Airport and at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Levine said Hillcoat had an idea of turning the airport into a bizarre, surreal, sexually charged, fashionable world. It was the band's first music video without former drummer Ryan Dusick, who had left the band the previous year, and it was their first video to feature new drummer Matt Flynn. The clean version of the song is used in the video. At the end of the video, Levine is shown asleep on the plane with an eye mask on as the song plays in the background.

The video premiered on MTV's Total Request Live (TRL) on March 29, 2007. In the video, the gate they are in is "M5", which stands for Maroon 5.

Live performances

[edit]

Maroon 5 performed "Makes Me Wonder" for the first time at the 2007 Kids' Choice Awards on March 31, 2007.[22] Later, they continued with the song at the 2007 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 17, and Canadian Idol on August 14, respectively. Maroon 5 performed "Makes Me Wonder" for their ten-date Club Tour from April to June 2007, and the It Won't Be Soon Before Long Tour (2007–2008). The band played with the song live in their various appearances such as American Idol, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Rove and TRL. As of 2024, it is the only song from the album that is played live at nearly every show.

Appearances in other media

[edit]

The song was featured in the television shows Ghost Whisperer, The Hills and Beat Shazam, as well as for the trailer of 27 Dresses (2008). An acoustic version of the song was featured on Radio 1's Live Lounge – Volume 2 and the remix versions by Stargate featuring Mims and Just Blaze (with the latter was included on Call and Response: The Remix Album). The song was featured on the video games Speed Drifters, Lips and Boogie Superstar. This song was used on the dance video game Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2 and was covered by the artist Sunshine Superman. It is also included on Grammy Nominees 2008 and Maroon 5's greatest hits album Singles (2015).

Track listings

[edit]
CD promo
No.TitleLength
1."Makes Me Wonder" (Clean version)3:32
2."Makes Me Wonder" (Super clean version)3:31
3."Makes Me Wonder" (Album version)3:31
US 2-track CD (Released: March 27, 2007)
No.TitleLength
1."Makes Me Wonder" (Clean version)3:31
2."Makes Me Wonder" (Album version)3:31
Australian, German, South Korean CD single (Released: Australia May 7, 2007; Germany May 11, 2007)
No.TitleLength
1."Makes Me Wonder"3:31
2."The Way I Was" (Non-album track)4:19
3."Story" (Non-album track)4:30
4."Makes Me Wonder" (Video)3:42
UK enhanced maxi multimedia CD single (Released: May 14, 2007)
No.TitleLength
1."Makes Me Wonder" (Album version)3:31
2."The Way I Was" (Non-album track)4:19

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Personnel taken from It Won't Be Soon Before Long liner notes,[23] and Sound on Sound.[7]

Maroon 5

Additional musicians

  • Lenny Castro – congas
  • Mark Endert – bass synthesizer, drum programming

Production

  • Mark Endert – production, mixing, recording engineer
  • Maroon 5 – production
  • Ted Jensen - mastering

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications and sales for "Makes Me Wonder"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[77] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[78] Platinum 60,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[79] Platinum 80,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[80] Gold 7,500^
Mexico (AMPROFON)[81] Diamond+4× Platinum 540,000*
Mexico (AMPROFON)[81]
Pre-loaded track 		Platinum+Gold 150,000*
Mexico (AMPROFON)[81]
Ringtone 		Diamond+2× Gold 270,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[82] Gold 15,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway)[83] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[84] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[85] 3× Platinum 2,923,000[20]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for "Makes Me Wonder"
Region Date Format Label Ref(s).
Australia May 7, 2007 CD A&M Octone [86]
April 3, 2007 Contemporary hit radio [87]
Germany May 11, 2007 CD Universal [88][89]
United Kingdom May 14, 2007 Polydor [90]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Makes Me Wonder

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
"Makes Me Wonder" is a song by the American pop rock band Maroon 5, released on March 27, 2007, as the lead single from their second studio album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long. The track, written primarily by frontman Adam Levine, features a blend of funk-influenced rock and pop elements, reflecting the band's evolution from their debut album. It achieved significant commercial success, debuting and peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, marking Maroon 5's first chart-topper and setting a record for the largest position jump to the summit in the chart's history, rising 64 spots in one week. The song also earned critical acclaim, winning the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in 2008.

Development and Production

Background and Writing Process

"Makes Me Wonder" drew primary inspiration from Adam Levine's frustrations in a tumultuous romantic relationship, reflecting themes of relational discord that echoed the personal storytelling of Maroon 5's earlier work. Levine has described the track as stemming from a specific argument with his then-girlfriend, capturing emotional tension amid the band's post-debut pressures. This personal catalyst aligned with the group's recovery phase following the delayed breakthrough of their 2002 debut , which achieved multi-platinum sales and a Grammy win only after extensive touring into 2004-2005, prompting a deliberate creative reset. Levine initiated the song's composition years earlier but revisited and expanded it during collaborative sessions for the second album in 2006, marking a shift toward a harder-edged rock aesthetic distinct from the soul-infused pop of their first release. Co-written with bandmates James Valentine (guitar), Jesse Carmichael (keys/guitar), and Mickey Madden (bass), the process emphasized amplified guitars and rhythmic drive to reinvigorate their sound after the debut's R&B leanings. These efforts occurred as the band reconvened post-hiatus, aiming to avoid stagnation by incorporating rawer, guitar-forward elements reflective of their live energy. Early demos highlighted the track's potential, leading the band and label to select it as the for It Won't Be Soon Before Long, prioritizing its anthemic hook and energetic pivot. Released to radio on March 27, 2007, ahead of the album's May 22 debut, it signaled Maroon 5's intent to broaden their appeal with a bolder sonic identity.

Recording and Musical Production

"Makes Me Wonder" was produced by Mark Endert alongside , with principal recording occurring at Glenwood Place Studios in , as part of sessions for the album It Won't Be Soon Before Long spanning late 2006 into early 2007. Endert also handled drum programming, additional keyboards, and the overall arrangement for the track. The mixing process took place at Scream Studios in , where Endert integrated the elements into a polished final product using software. The production relied on live to achieve a fusion of pop-rock energy and grooves, including electric guitars for the song's signature looping —processed through effects pedals and amps—and supporting bass and drum elements that drive the rhythmic foundation. Levine's lead vocals were recorded with band input to emphasize raw emotional delivery, complemented by backing layers for textural depth during choruses. Endert's approach prioritized clarity and punch, employing outboard gear like the Alan Smart C2 compressor and dual Tube-Tech CL 1B units to control dynamics and enhance the track's commercial sheen. Post-production tweaks focused on optimizing the mix for broadcast, resulting in a of 114 beats per minute that supports the song's upbeat, danceable without altering the core live feel. This refinement contributed to the track's suitability for radio play, balancing instrumental separation with compressed to meet industry standards of the era.

Musical Composition and Lyrics

Genre, Structure, and Instrumentation

"Makes Me Wonder" exemplifies pop rock with infusions of funk and dance-rock, characterized by its energetic groove and rhythmic drive that contrasts the more ballad-centric approach of Maroon 5's debut album Songs About Jane. The track's upbeat aggression stems from syncopated rhythms and a pulsating bassline, evoking influences from 1970s and early 1980s funk while maintaining a contemporary urban polish in its production. The employs a standard verse-chorus form, including pre-choruses building tension and a bridge for variation, with a total runtime of 3:31. Its structure features above-average chord complexity for , utilizing progressions in that incorporate unexpected modulations and melodic lines spanning a wide . Driving riffs, provided by guitarist James Valentine, anchor the verses, while syncopated bass lines from propel the funk-inflected groove. Instrumentation centers on electric guitars for riff-based propulsion, keyboards layered by to add textural depth and synth-like elements, and a tight pattern emphasizing off-beat accents. Lead vocalist employs hooks in the choruses for dynamic contrast against the section's aggression, supported by minimal additional production like subtle electronic textures to enhance the danceable quality without overshadowing the core band sound.

Lyrical Content and Interpretations

The of "Makes Me Wonder" center on themes of relational doubt, emotional ambiguity, and frustration arising from perceived and inconsistency in a romantic . The narrator grapples with a partner's evasiveness, as evidenced in lines such as "I thought I heard you say something about giving up" and "Give me something to believe in," which convey a for clarity amid turmoil. This narrative unfolds as a post-breakup reflection, with the questioning the authenticity of past commitments—"And it really makes me wonder if I ever gave a about you"—stemming from causal triggers like and unresolved conflict. The song's structure amplifies this through repetitive choruses emphasizing disbelief and , portraying a causal from emotional investment to disillusionment. Adam Levine, Maroon 5's lead vocalist and primary songwriter, has confirmed the track's foundation in personal experience, describing it as originating from "failed relationships" that "went awfully wrong." In a , he elaborated that the composition began years earlier as a direct response to relational strife, prioritizing raw emotional realism over abstract metaphors. This aligns with verifiable details from Levine's life around 2002–2006, including documented breakups that informed much of the band's second album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, on which the song appears. Alternative interpretations posit a secondary layer of political commentary, particularly a veiled critique of the administration's policies during the mid-2000s. Proponents cite lines like "stock market's plunging, and your mouth won't speak" as alluding to economic instability and governmental silence amid events such as the and financial volatility. However, this reading lacks direct endorsement from and overextends metaphorical intent, as biographical evidence—such as his contemporaneous focus on personal heartbreak rather than public —prioritizes the romantic core. While the ambiguity allows such projections, empirical attribution to relational , corroborated by the artist's statements, renders politicized overlays unsubstantiated and secondary at best.

Commercial Release and Performance

Release Formats and Promotion

"Makes Me Wonder" was issued as the from 5's second studio album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, on March 27, , through and Interscope. The release targeted radio airplay as a primary promotional vehicle, with the track sent to stations on the same date to build anticipation for the album's full rollout. Available formats encompassed digital downloads, standard singles, and promotional CD-Rs distributed to industry insiders and media outlets. Physical editions often paired the title track (running 3:31) with the B-side "The Way I Was" (4:19), while specialized promo variants included club-oriented remixes by producers such as Harry Choo Choo Romero and DJ Strobe, released on 12-inch vinyl and digital files for DJ use. versions and maxi-singles appeared in select markets including the , , and , with labels varying by region (e.g., Polydor in parts of ). Promotion tied directly to the album launch on May 22, 2007, leveraging the single's radio momentum to highlight Maroon 5's return after a four-year gap since . Interscope's strategy focused on previews in band interviews and trade publications, framing "Makes Me Wonder" as an energetic opener to drive pre-orders and streaming previews where available. No major television ad campaigns or merchandise tie-ins were emphasized in initial rollout documentation, prioritizing organic airplay and digital accessibility over extensive physical retail variants.

Chart Positions and Sales Data

"Makes Me Wonder" debuted at number 84 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart dated April 21, 2007, before surging to number one on the May 12, 2007, edition, achieving the largest single-week climb to the top in the chart's history by jumping 64 positions. The track held the summit for three non-consecutive weeks and remained on the Hot 100 for 26 weeks total. Its rapid rise was propelled by digital download sales, which totaled 244,000 units in the peak week alone. The song also topped the Adult Top 40 chart. Internationally, "Makes Me Wonder" reached number one on the Canadian Hot 100 and the Euro Digital Tracks chart. It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, spending 17 weeks in the top 40. Additional peaks included number six on the Australian Singles Chart and number ten on the Italian Singles Chart.
Country/RegionPeak PositionSource
1Billboard
Euro Digital Tracks1Billboard
2Official Charts
6ARIA via acharts
10FIMI via acharts

Certifications and Streaming Metrics

In the United States, "Makes Me Wonder" was initially certified Platinum by the (RIAA) in 2007 for 1 million units shipped, reflecting strong physical and digital sales at the time. This certification was upgraded to 2× Platinum and then to 3× Platinum on September 17, 2018, accounting for 3 million equivalent units that include both sales and on-demand audio/video streams. No further RIAA recertifications have been issued since, despite ongoing streaming accumulation. Internationally, the single received a Silver certification from the (BPI) in February 2008 for 200,000 units in the . Certifications in other regions, such as and various European markets, have not reached equivalent multi-platinum thresholds based on available industry data, though the track's chart performance contributed to broader album sales certifications.
RegionCertificationCertified UnitsDateCertifier
United KingdomSilver200,000February 2008BPI
3× Platinum3,000,000September 17, 2018RIAA
Streaming metrics underscore the song's sustained viability in the digital era. As of late 2024, it has surpassed 221 million plays on , driven by playlist inclusions and nostalgic rediscovery among younger audiences. The official music video on has accumulated over 185 million views, with steady growth from algorithmic recommendations and live performance clips. These figures, absent major promotional pushes post-2008, highlight organic longevity in pop-rock streaming consumption without recent updates to reflect streaming equivalents.

Critical and Commercial Reception

Reviews from Music Critics

The "Makes Me Wonder" garnered praise from critics for its infectious energy and Adam Levine's dynamic falsetto vocals, which propelled its radio dominance and peak at number one on May 5, 2007. highlighted the track's punchy percussion and hook-driven structure as emblematic of Maroon 5's refined pop-rock evolution, awarding the parent album It Won't Be Soon Before Long three-and-a-half stars out of five. similarly lauded the song's conga-infused groove and Levine's emotive delivery, crediting it with avoiding the through slick production that balanced accessibility with rhythmic drive. Critics also noted drawbacks, including a perceived dilution of the band's earlier funkier edge in favor of polished mainstream appeal, which some viewed as formulaic. The album's aggregate score of 66/100, drawn from 14 reviews, underscores this tension: while the single's catchiness earned empirical validation through over 3 million U.S. digital sales by 2007, detractors argued it prioritized commercial sheen over lyrical or compositional depth. This reception emphasized achievements in broad appeal rather than artistic boundary-pushing, with Levine's political lyrical nods—such as frustration with national leadership—dismissed by some as superficial amid the track's upbeat veneer.

Industry Accolades and Awards

"Makes Me Wonder" won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the on February 10, 2008, recognizing its vocal execution and production amid the song's chart-topping ascent. This accolade, determined by voters including music professionals, highlighted the track's mainstream appeal and technical polish, directly correlating with its unprecedented leap from number 64 to number 1 on the in May 2007—the largest such jump in the chart's history at that point. The song earned additional industry nods, including a nomination for Best Group at the , reflecting peer recognition for its video and band performance. later included "Makes Me Wonder" in its retrospective ranking of Maroon 5's top songs, affirming its enduring commercial benchmark as the group's first Hot 100 number one. These honors, grounded in measurable metrics like sales and airplay rather than subjective critique, validate the song's production efficacy and broad resonance.

Visual and Performance Elements

Official Music Video

The official music video for "Makes Me Wonder," directed by , premiered in March 2007 as promotion for the single's release. Filming took place at , where the band performs amid simulated airplane turbulence and chaotic cabin scenarios involving flight attendants. These visuals evoke relational strain through abstract depictions of disorder and interpersonal dynamics, paralleling the song's lyrical ambiguity between personal conflict and broader discontent without explicit political endorsement. The production emphasized high-energy performance shots within confined aircraft interiors, heightening tension via rapid cuts and disorienting camera angles to mirror the track's urgent rhythm. 's central role underscores themes of emotional turmoil, with band members interacting in ways that suggest fractured relationships rather than overt commentary. While some observers linked the chaotic imagery to the lyrics' allusions to political frustration, Levine emphasized the song's core as interpersonal narrative, a focus the video supports through its stylized, non-literal approach. Heavy rotation on MTV and early YouTube availability amplified the video's reach, contributing to the single's visual identity during its chart run, though specific premiere metrics from 2007 remain undocumented in primary records. The clip's aviation motif, distinct from urban decay tropes, prioritized metaphorical unrest over literal settings.

Live Performances and Covers

"Makes Me Wonder" received its television debut performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on January 30, 2007, shortly following the single's release in May of that year. The song quickly became a concert staple during Maroon 5's It Won't Be Soon Before Long Tour (2007–2008), appearing in average setlists alongside tracks like "If I Never See Your Face Again" and "Harder to Breathe," with documented inclusions at venues such as Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Virginia Beach on July 25, 2008. Overall, setlist data indicates the track has been performed over 670 times live by the band as of 2025, underscoring its enduring appeal and fan-driven consistency in tour rotations. The band has delivered varied renditions, including acoustic and stripped-down versions early in the song's lifecycle, such as a 2007 live acoustic performance and appearances on 1's . In more recent outings, "Makes Me Wonder" featured prominently in Maroon 5's Love Is Like Tour, with a setlist slot at the in , on October 10, 2025, positioned after "" and before "." It also appeared in their Las Vegas residency shows, including at on September 19, 2025, as part of an encore sequence following "." Notable covers remain limited, with the song primarily sustained through the band's own live adaptations rather than widespread reinterpretations by other artists. Variations in performance length and arrangement, such as extended instrumental sections in residency formats, have kept it adaptable to contemporary production styles.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Appearances in Media and Covers

"Makes Me Wonder" was featured in the third season, fifth episode of the reality series The Hills, titled "Rolling with the Enemy," which originally aired on September 3, 2007. The song played during a scene involving interpersonal drama among the cast. The track appeared in the theatrical trailer for the 2008 film , a starring and , released on January 18, 2008. In 2008, it was also used in a for the MIX fm radio station in . Among covers, a family-friendly version by Kids was released on their album Kidz Bop 12 in 2007, adapting the lyrics for younger audiences while retaining the original's pop-rock structure. No prominent parodies or interpolations of the song have achieved notable cultural traction.

Enduring Influence and Recent Relevance

"Makes Me Wonder" exemplified Maroon 5's strategic evolution from their debut album's influences toward a funk-infused pop sensibility, laying the groundwork for the band's formula of groove-driven tracks that dominated radio play in the late and beyond, including the 2011 collaboration "." This shift, evident in the song's danceable rhythms and polished production, established a template for blending rock instrumentation with pop accessibility, influencing Maroon 5's trajectory as a commercially viable act capable of arena-filling consistency. Within the broader 2000s pop-rock landscape, the track secured Maroon 5's position as exemplars of genre hybridization, where accessible melodies and thematic introspection on relationships resonated widely, even as detractors argued the band's emphasis on hit-making veered into formulaic commercialization at the expense of deeper experimentation. Such critiques, often from music commentators viewing the pivot as a dilution of earlier edgier elements, are tempered by the song's role in propelling the album It Won't Be Soon Before Long to multi-platinum status and Grammy recognition, underscoring its empirical validation through audience and industry uptake rather than consensus acclaim. In 2025, performances of "Makes Me Wonder" during Maroon 5's "Love Is Like" tour—including dates at the in on October 10 and residencies in —highlight its persistent vitality, with live sets drawing capacity crowds and fan-recorded footage capturing sustained energy that rebuts claims of the band's waning cultural footprint. Similarly, the song's feature in the Asia Tour stop at Manila's MOA Arena on January 29 affirmed its cross-generational pull, as evidenced by high-engagement video captures of audience sing-alongs, reflecting causal continuity from its original release to contemporary stage revivals amid ongoing global demand for the band's catalog.

References

  1. https://genius.com/Maroon-5-makes-me-wonder-lyrics/q/release-date
  2. https://www.discogs.com/master/136494-Maroon-5-Makes-Me-Wonder
  3. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/maroon-5/makes-me-wonder
  4. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/maroon-5-makes-wondrous-jump-to-lead-hot-100-1052374/
  5. https://www.billboard.com/lists/maroon-5-top-songs-billboard-hot-100/
  6. https://www.billboard.com/photos/maroon-5s-top-25-career-moments-a-timeline-5527292/
  7. https://www.stereogum.com/2216228/the-number-ones-maroon-5s-makes-me-wonder/columns/the-number-ones/
  8. https://genius.com/Maroon-5-makes-me-wonder-lyrics
  9. https://www.popmatters.com/maroon-5-it-wont-be-soon-atr15
  10. https://www.discogs.com/release/16285872-Maroon-5-It-Wont-Be-Soon-Before-Long
  11. https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/secrets-mix-engineers-mark-endert
  12. https://equipboard.com/pros/adam-levine-maroon5
  13. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/maroon-5/makes-me-wonder/
  14. https://www.discogs.com/release/1137279-Maroon-5-Makes-Me-Wonder
  15. https://gaana.com/song/makes-me-wonder-9
  16. https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/view/maroon-5/makes-me-wonder
  17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8bMpL0hPm8
  18. https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0058276
  19. https://ew.com/article/2007/03/14/maroon-5-long-wait-new-cd-almost-over/
  20. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/2000s/2007/RR-2007-12-07.pdf
  21. https://genius.com/albums/Maroon-5/It-wont-be-soon-before-long/q/release-date
  22. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/it-wont-be-soon-before-long-maroon-5/
  23. https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2007-05-19/
  24. https://www.billboard.com/artist/maroon-5/
  25. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/bp/week-ending-april-22-2012-record-maroon-5-003153171.html
  26. https://www.reuters.com/article/music-maroon5-dc/radio-success-fuels-maroon5s-wonder-years-idUSN2242496220070422
  27. https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-hot-100/2007-06-29/
  28. https://www.billboard.com/charts/euro-digital-tracks/2007-06-16/
  29. https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20070603/7501/
  30. https://tsort.info/music/yys7h7.htm
  31. https://acharts.co/australia_singles_top_50/2007/21
  32. https://acharts.co/italy_singles_top_50/2007/33
  33. https://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-m/maroon5.htm
  34. https://headlineplanet.com/home/2018/09/17/maroon-5s-moves-like-jagger-reaches-9x-platinum-several-songs-also-earn-new-certifications/
  35. https://tsort.info/music/yr2007.htm
  36. https://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=58525
  37. https://kworb.net/spotify/artist/04gDigrS5kc9YWfZHwBETP_songs.html
  38. https://kworb.net/youtube/artist/maroon5.html
  39. https://www.allmusic.com/album/it-wont-be-soon-before-long-mw0000582020
  40. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/it-wont-be-soon-before-long-98825/
  41. https://www.metacritic.com/music/it-wont-be-soon-before-long/maroon-5
  42. https://www.grammy.com/awards/50th-annual-grammy-awards
  43. http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-m/maroon5.htm
  44. https://www.billboard.com/lists/maroon-5-best-songs-of-all-time/
  45. https://imvdb.com/video/maroon-5/makes-me-wonder
  46. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/qa-adam-levine-43626/
  47. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAebYQgy4n4
  48. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m9XhT-RIgA
  49. https://www.setlist.fm/stats/average-setlist/maroon-5-4bd6bfea.html?year=2007
  50. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/maroon-5/2008/verizon-wireless-amphitheater-virginia-beach-va-3bd324c4.html
  51. https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/maroon-5-4bd6bfea.html
  52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGYWxyfJDUQ
  53. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nClrMzTFoZg
  54. https://www.ticketmaster.com/maroon-5-tickets/artist/824144
  55. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hlFcqlxgcQ
  56. https://www.tunefind.com/show/the-hills/season-3/2713
  57. https://www.what-song.com/Tvshow/79/The-Hills/s/243
  58. https://www.splendad.com/ads/songs/2007.html
  59. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0w2Sy-ZfU0
  60. https://www.whosampled.com/Maroon-5/Makes-Me-Wonder/covered/
  61. https://chris.molanphy.com/how-maroon-5-fused-with-the-pop-machine-to-score-a-second-life-on-the-charts/
  62. https://www.sonical.ly/blog-post/maroon-5-a-legacy-of-pop-rock-excellence
  63. https://www.coursehero.com/file/238343297/Untitled-document-14pdf/
  64. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTdak_JLD24
  65. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFzVn2va4BA
  66. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjnOubUEuSU
  67. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpqdArZlRcY
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