Adam Levine, the lead vocalist of Maroon 5 and a judge on “The Voice,” recently shared his perspective on the current state of rock music in an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music.

He nostalgically recalled listening to Avril Lavigne’s songs like “I’m With You,” expressing admiration for their quality which he felt was overlooked in his youth.

Levine lamented the apparent scarcity of rock bands today compared to when Maroon 5’s first album was released, expressing sadness over the decline of band-centric music in the mainstream. He acknowledged that while there are still many bands, they don’t seem to have the same prominence in popular music, particularly in comparison to other genres like hip-hop and R&B.

In 2018, Levine made similar comments to Variety, noting his band’s long-standing influence from hip-hop and R&B, and observing the lack of rock music in the current musical landscape. He praised hip-hop for its innovation and authenticity, suggesting it was more compelling than other genres.

These remarks were met with criticism from Corey Taylor, known for his work with Slipknot and Stone Sour, who responded with a pointed rebuke, challenging Levine’s understanding and representation of rock music. Taylor’s response highlighted the ongoing debate about the evolution and relevance of rock music in the contemporary music scene.