Adam Levine was born in Los Angeles, California to parents Patsy Noah and Fred Levine. His background is Jewish.

Levine attended Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing Arts Camp (Hancock, NY), where he met the original members of the band Kara's Flowers: Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick. Levine met the third member of Maroon 5, Mickey Madden. Levine is noted as describing Mickey as a "musical encyclopedia" and it is thought that Levine's influence played a major role in Madden acquiring his first bass guitar soon after.

Levine first became friends with John Ondrasik, from Five For Fighting who played clarinet in Regis High School Orchestra, while playing together at the French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts. It was from John Ondrasik that Levine learned the high-pitched vocal style which he would use later in his career. Levine, Madden, Ondrasik and Carmichael played their first show together as Edible Nuns at their Jr. High dance, playing only cover versions of nineties favorites such as Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains.

As the trio progressed through high school, the drummer left the band. He was replaced by Amy Wood, a friend of one of the current members. She would soon leave the band and again the group was one drummer short, leaving a window of opportunity open for Adam. He would reconnect with Ryan Dusick, who completed the band on drums.

In 1997, the band released an album titled The Fourth World. The album reached little success, and its only single "Soap Disco" failed. Disappointed with the results of their album, the band went on hiatus and went on their separate ways.

Levine and bandmate Carmichael left North Carolina to study at Five Towns College, a small liberal arts school in Dix Hills, Long Island, New York. After dropping out of Five Towns College, Adam and Jesse reunited with Mickey and Ryan, but added former Square guitarist, James Valentine in 1999. Renaming the band Maroon 5, Adam and his friends began to compile all of their newfound musical influences into their music. Levine's expressive voice helped the band to achieve much success in the record charts. Their debut album, Songs about Jane, is about Levine's ex-girlfriend, a girl who, as he says, has inspired him over the years, and most of the lyrics of the songs are inspired by their stormy relationship. Currently, Levine is promoting the new Maroon 5 album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, which was released on May 22, 2007.