Misery

"Misery" is a song by American band Maroon 5. It was released on June 22, 2010 by A&M Octone Records, as the lead single from their third studio album Hands All Over (2010). The song has been compared to the band's previous worldwide hit, "This Love". The song was nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Background and writing Written by Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, and Sam Farrar, the song is about the narrator finding himself in a difficult situation when a relationship fades. "Why won't you answer me? / The silence is slowly killing me / Girl you really got me bad," he states in the lyrics. The song documents the decay of a relationship, familiar territory for the band. Frontman, Levine told MTV News: "'Misery' is about the desperation of wanting someone really badly in your life but having it be very difficult. Kind of what all the songs I write are about. I'm not treading on new ground, but I think a lot of people – including myself – deal with that all the time. Relationships are difficult, and it's good therapy to write about them." Critical reception Bill Lamb from About.com, while reviewing the single, awarded it with the maximum of stars (5 out of 5), saying: "All of the usual elements of a Maroon 5 hit are here, from the perky pop-soul sound to lyrics of intense conflict in a relationship. However, this time the band takes it all a few steps forward into the category of pop perfection. Quite possibly a key reason for this step forward is the presence of the by now legendary Robert John 'Mutt' Lange in the producers chair. 'Misery' is instantly the best mainstream pop single of 2010 so far."