Maps of Music

It Won't Be Soon Before Long (2007)

Where the lyrics of It Won't Be Soon Before Long take you, and where it was really made.

The album's name came from a motivational phrase the band adopted on tour, and its first-week sales were enough to debut at number one in the US.

Key places

Recorded at Conway Recording Studios (2007)

Recording site Conway Recording Studios — The album page lists Conway Recording Studios in Hollywood as one of its recording locations. The pin marks the studio's location at the level of its building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Sunset Sound (2007)

Recording site Sunset Sound — The album page lists Sunset Sound in Hollywood as one of its recording locations. The pin marks the studio's location at the level of its building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Studio at the Palms (2007)

Recording site Studio at the Palms — The album page lists Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas as one of its recording locations. The pin marks the studio's location at the level of its building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• It Won't Be Soon Before Long is the second studio album by American pop rock band Maroon 5.
• Released May 16, 2007 by A&M Octone Records.
• Follow-up to the 2002 debut album Songs About Jane.
• Debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.
• First Maroon 5 album to feature drummer Matt Flynn.

Background

• The title came from a phrase the band adopted to stay motivated on tour.
• Recording sessions produced the 12 album songs plus 7 extra tracks.
• The extra songs were released as B-sides to the singles and later on The B-Side Collection.
• The band said the album feels different from Songs About Jane.
• The songs are not all based on one specific relationship, unlike Jane.
• The sound is more electric, drawing inspiration from Talking Heads, Michael Jackson and Prince.
• Guitarist James Valentine said the goal was to make the songs more up-tempo than on the previous record.
• A review written before release described the songs as having a very retro feel.
• Lead singer Adam Levine said working with Kanye West and Alicia Keys influenced the record.
• Former drummer Ryan Dusick officially left the band in 2006 due to serious wrist and shoulder injuries and was credited as Musical Director.

Recording

• Production by Mike Elizondo and Mark "Spike" Stent on most tracks.
• Mark Endert produced tracks 2 and 12 and handled audio mixing and recording engineering on tracks 1, 2 and 4.
• Eric Valentine produced tracks 3 and 7.
• Ted Jensen did the mastering.
• Adam Hawkins was Pro-Tools engineer.
• Rashida Jones added vocals on track 10.
• Recording locations listed on the page include Conway Recording Studios and Sunset Sound in Hollywood, and Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas.

Cover

• Cover photography by Andrew Zuckerman.
• Art direction and design by Len Peltier.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed as Kara's Flowers in Los Angeles, California, in 1994 while members attended Brentwood School.
• Released the independent album ...We Like Digging? in late 1994 and signed to Reprise Records, releasing The Fourth World (1997), which sold around 5,000 copies before the band was dropped.
• Re-emerged in 2001 as Maroon 5 after signing to Octone Records and adding guitarist James Valentine.
• Debut album Songs About Jane (2002) peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2005.

Members

• Current lineup: Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, James Valentine, Matt Flynn, PJ Morton, Sam Farrar.
• Ryan Dusick left in 2006 and was replaced by Flynn.
• Mickey Madden left in 2020 after a domestic violence arrest; the case was dropped without charges and Farrar replaced him.

Career

• It Won't Be Soon Before Long (2007) debuted atop the US Billboard 200; "Makes Me Wonder" topped the Billboard Hot 100.
• "Moves Like Jagger" (2011) reached US number one; "One More Night" topped the Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks in 2012.
• Maroon 5 has sold more than 135 million records and won three Grammy Awards and three American Music Awards.
• Headlined the Super Bowl LIII halftime show in 2019 and ran a Las Vegas residency from 2023 to 2025.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• AllMusic rated the album 4.5 stars out of 5, praising its production.
• Billboard rated the album 4.5 stars.
• Initial critical response was positive.
• Metacritic gives an average of 66 out of 100, based on 14 reviews.

Reappraisal

• In 2017, Substream Magazine's Gabriel Aikins called the album "Still Maroon 5 at their best" a decade after its release.
• Ranked number 32 on Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.

Records

• Debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 429,000 copies sold in the first week.
• Sold 102,000 copies digitally in the first week, breaking a record set the week before by Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight, which moved 84,000 digital copies.
• Ranked number one on iTunes' top best-selling albums of 2007 in December 2007.
• In the UK, became the band's second number-one album and their first to debut atop the UK Albums Chart.
• Peaked at number two in Canada and New Zealand, number five in Australia and Taiwan, number three in Ireland, Japan and Mexico, and number six in Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
• Certified Gold in Ireland, Italy and New Zealand; platinum in Australia, Canada, Japan and the UK.
• Certified 2× Platinum in the US and 3× Platinum in South Korea.
• Certified Diamond in Colombia and Mexico.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Ryan Dusick is credited as musical director even though he officially left the band in 2006 due to serious wrist and shoulder injuries.
• The chorus of "Nothing Lasts Forever" matches the one used in Kanye West's single "Heard 'Em Say", which features Levine.
• The lead single "Makes Me Wonder" became the band's first number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
• The video for "Goodnight Goodnight" was directed by Marc Webb and featured actress Candace Bailey as Levine's love interest.
• The band also performed "Goodnight Goodnight" on the television series CSI: NY, guest starring in the episode "Page Turner".

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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