Red Pill Blues
by Maroon 5
User Score
4.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 159 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 159
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 159
  3. Negative: 67 out of 159
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  1. mkrause
    Nov 16, 2017
    7
    Their best album since 2011. Taking some elements from their earlier songs and mixing it with their later tunes, they seem to hit their stride once again with this album.
  2. MuriloMarcatto
    Dec 3, 2017
    10
    This album sounds more like a raw and experimental pop when it comes to Maroon 5 and their radiophonic songs. That's why there's such a notable difference between this one and their last two albums - they're always trying to reinvent their "own sound".
    "What Lovers Do" is an electropop song and a great choice as their official first single (once "Don't Wanna Know" and "Cold" were    This album sounds more like a raw and experimental pop when it comes to Maroon 5 and their radiophonic songs. That's why there's such a notable difference between this one and their last two albums - they're always trying to reinvent their "own sound".
    "What Lovers Do" is an electropop song and a great choice as their official first single (once "Don't Wanna Know" and "Cold" were previously released as "stand-alone singles").
    Personal Top 5: "Wait", "Whiskey", "Girls Like You", "Denim Jacket" and "Visions Of You".    … Expand
  3. RodHernandez
    Nov 4, 2017
    10
    This is a great album, they change a lot in every record, but this time It´s on point. I was
    skeptical about the colabs, but they sounds great.

    My favs: Best 4 U, Vision, Lips On you.

    Just enjoy the new sounds!!!
  4. hjclouds
    Nov 5, 2017
    9
    Maroon 5 is always about giving us some fun tunes that stay in our head as soon as we listen to it , I haven't ever listen a heart-break type or very emotional song from Maroon 5 that stayed in my head and that's okay , they are not about that , therefore comparing to their last album . they are keeping up with the age and deliver some great songs with this one but only few memorableMaroon 5 is always about giving us some fun tunes that stay in our head as soon as we listen to it , I haven't ever listen a heart-break type or very emotional song from Maroon 5 that stayed in my head and that's okay , they are not about that , therefore comparing to their last album . they are keeping up with the age and deliver some great songs with this one but only few memorable tunes comparing to their previews ones. I listened to Chis brown , Sam smith and Maroon 5 's new albums same day , always love all of their music and I have listened to all of their previous albums . they are three very different unique artists but Maroon 5 was the only one I replayed more and from all of them their new albums, Maroon 5 has more of what I expected comparing to their old albums and New albums I listened same day. Overall It's a great album and Specially good if you want to spend stuck in a great mood .… Expand
  5. clar6
    Nov 5, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Maroon 5's best album since Hands All Over. Best 4 u, lips on you, denim jacket, whiskey, visions and closure are amazing!!!!! Good album, Maroon 5 is legendary!!!!… Expand
  6. usukhu
    Mar 21, 2020
    7
    Good pop album, I mean it didn't deserve the hate it get. I loved "Girls LIke You" at the moment, but nobody's talking about the song. Then boom, six months later, everybody loves the song. But no vocal delivery and what the hell is "Closure"?
  7. BlueJay15
    Nov 5, 2017
    7
    I've always been a big fan of Maroon 5, and when I heard about this album, I was excited, and I really thought this album would be great. Now that's it out, I have a mixed response to it. The album, according to the band, is supposed to give out an R&B feeling. That is true for certain songs, including "Wait," "Best 4 U," and "Lips on You," while songs like "Help Me Out" are meant to soundI've always been a big fan of Maroon 5, and when I heard about this album, I was excited, and I really thought this album would be great. Now that's it out, I have a mixed response to it. The album, according to the band, is supposed to give out an R&B feeling. That is true for certain songs, including "Wait," "Best 4 U," and "Lips on You," while songs like "Help Me Out" are meant to sound like the Dance/EDM type of music. One big complaint I had was the 11-minute "Closure." Closure is the last track on the album, and it really kind of ends at the 4 minute mark lyric wise, but then it extends with 7 minutes worth of instrumental, ending with unnecessary dialogue at the end of it. This is also the Maroon 5 album with the most collaborators, including SZA, Julia Michaels, LunchMoney Lewis, and A$AP Rocky (You can count Kendrick Lamar and Future too, with the deluxe edition), and they actually do nail their part of the song that they're in, even if their parts are a little short (Ex: Who I Am w/LuchMoney Lewis). Then there's the deluxe tracks, "Denim Jacket," "Visions," "Plastic Rose," "Don't Wanna Know," and "Cold." Personally, I think Denim Jacket is good, even if that f bomb that Adam drops feels out of place and unnecessary, Don't Wanna Know is a big stand out since it was a big hit in 2016, but songs like "Cold" just really feel out of place, and doesn't really sound like a M5 song. Overall, with "Red Pill Blues," I don't think it's the best album out of the previous 3 from this decade, but it's still a feel good album that i'm sure you'll find a favorite song or songs from.… Expand
  8. pedrobsj
    Nov 16, 2017
    7
    Adam Levine’s band has yet released another album. The boring way that the previous sentence was written was done on purpose. Why? Well, because it has been a while since Adam Levine & Co. have actually put their hearts and souls into their music. It’s been awhile since Maroon 5 stopped caring about success and thought about upgrading their music style to something serious or meaningful.Adam Levine’s band has yet released another album. The boring way that the previous sentence was written was done on purpose. Why? Well, because it has been a while since Adam Levine & Co. have actually put their hearts and souls into their music. It’s been awhile since Maroon 5 stopped caring about success and thought about upgrading their music style to something serious or meaningful. Yes, we all love catchy choruses, nice Pop productions and the feel good vibes that most of their music gives but isn’t it enough? Where’s the Maroon 5 that once wrote “This Love”? “Sunday Morning”? “She Will Be Loved”? “Makes Me Wonder”? “Won’t Go Home Without You”? I don’t know, do you? I guess “Closure” - present in this record - was a nice attempt but turning what could have been a three minutes song into a 12 minutes song is not something you do, especially if you will have the same instrumental repeating over and over again.

    Well, the band released “Red Pills Blues” in the beginning of November. The album’s first single was the extremely catchy and radio-friendly “What Lovers Do”, a duet with SZA that I fell in love immediately. I have heard the song quite a few times - also on the radio - and it still sounds so fresh to me. I guess that has to do with the minimalistic production Maroon 5 adopted for this album. Besides “What Lovers Do”, the album’s opening track “Best For You”, “Plastic Rose” or “Help Me Out” follow this minimalistic and irresistible trend that does fit Adam’s characteristic tone.

    Besides this trend, there’s something common to every song. You guessed it, they are all so catchy. All it takes is one listen and you already know the rhythm and the chorus… Is this good? Depends on what you’re looking for. Besides this uninspired way Maroon 5 has been making music sonically, lyrically it isn’t much better. The amount of “oh yeah” in the songs (check “Who I Am” or “Girl Like You”) is... Not something they can really brag about. Let’s put it that way.

    All of this doesn’t take away the fact that they work with some of the best Pop producers out there and, therefore, release great Pop songs. “Wait”, “Bet My Heart” or the sexual “Lips On You” are some of the best examples and also some of my favorites off this record that is built off love songs in its various ways. Throughout the CD, Adam goes from singing songs where he is the one to blame for the relationship failure (“Best For You”, “Denim Jacket”) to songs where he is heartbroken (“Whiskey”, “Bet My Heart”)... Which kind of creates a certain concept to this record. The video for the single “Cold” was probably the motto to it and it kind of goes along with the title “Red Pill Blues” that can be related to illusions or “Visions”.

    Overall, Maroon 5’s sixth studio album isn’t something to die for but is something you can listen without getting bored and for fun. If they’re not taking their music and talent seriously, who are we to do so? Nonetheless, I will for sure keep a few of those in my playlist. Damn those catchy tunes!    … Expand
  9. CacoTorres
    May 3, 2018
    10
    I think they did a great job mixing the sounds of R&B with pop, trying to stick to their roots with Songs About Jane.

    Red Pill Blues is the closest in terms of sound to their first album.
  10. Imadamnhero
    Jul 31, 2018
    10
    Very cool and enjoyable album with great writing, melodies and production. The featured artists are good, but Maroon 5 has really hit their stride making songs that people want to hear again and again. I enjoy this album quite a lot
  11. Lonect
    Jun 22, 2021
    7
    This album is definitely Maroon 5's most interesting album to review at the time I'm writing this. "Interesting" comes with a couple of connotations:

    Simply put, the instrumentals sound plastic and fake. Maroon 5 is sonically evolving in the wrong direction; they used to define the mainstream, and now they're conforming to it. However, as agents of the mainstream, they managed to    This album is definitely Maroon 5's most interesting album to review at the time I'm writing this. "Interesting" comes with a couple of connotations:

    Simply put, the instrumentals sound plastic and fake. Maroon 5 is sonically evolving in the wrong direction; they used to define the mainstream, and now they're conforming to it. However, as agents of the mainstream, they managed to sound quite good. "What Lovers Do" is the perfect example of this; it's missing all of the energy that led me to fall in love with the band in the first place, but it captured my attention from start to finish.

    Lyrically, we get the full range from wholly uninspired to goosebumps-inducing. It's all too easy to write off the lyrics when you don't like the sound design, and in several cases, the lyrics truly are throwaway. However, you also get gold nuggets like "Lips on You" and "Whiskey" that actually do make me shiver.

    In the end, Red Pill Blues is far from my favorite Maroon 5 album, and I despise the direction they're taking the sound. Even so, I can appreciate and respect it for what it is.    … Expand
  12. zsoltisinko
    Jun 21, 2021
    8
    My least favourite album, but still an amaizing one. The thing with this album is, they main singles are amaizing, but the attached songs are not that good, of course there are examples, such as Best 4 u, Visions, Denim jacket.
  13. RoxanneKimberly
    Nov 24, 2021
    10
    People usually dislake this album and even though I don't think its better than their first ones, I still think its good
  14. EstellaKimberly
    Nov 25, 2021
    10
    Maroon 5 is not as relevant as they use to be but they still manage to make a great album
  15. brubruzinha
    Nov 25, 2021
    10
    A very good album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Most Discussed Album of 2017
88
#88 Most Shared Album of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8
  1. Pitchfork
    Nov 8, 2017
    48
    Levine’s voice murmurs and glints in the corners of the arrangement, and the total effect is exactly as pleasingly immaculate and numbing as all soft rock should be.
    Read full review
  2. Rolling Stone
    Nov 6, 2017
    70
    Whether skating over house beats on "Plastic Rose" or cruising through a ballad like "Denim Jacket," Levine proves himself a pliant star of Jacksonian ease and Stingly self-assurance.
    Read full review
  3. The Skinny
    Nov 6, 2017
    20
    With Red Pill Blues Levine and co have managed to produce an album that is uninteresting and unexciting; at best this is background music, to be listened to on very, very low volume, or even better, not at all.
    Read full review
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