It was written by frontman Adam Levine and lead guitarist James Valentine.

The single is noted for its music video starring Kelly Preston in a mother-daughter love triangle with lead singer Adam Levine.

1 on the Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Top 40 charts, but it prompted many alternative radio outlets to remove Maroon 5 from their playlists, on the ground that the band's newer songs were too light for alt-rock audiences.

[7] Directed by Sophie Muller,[8] with original sequence by Johanna Bautista (Sweetheart Massive Attack) tells a sad love story, featuring a lovelorn socialite (Kelly Preston) and her rich, deadbeat, abusive husband (John Colton), whose relationship is juxtaposed with that of their daughter's (Corinne Carrey) relationship with a young man (portrayed by Adam Levine).

The younger man, however, constantly obsesses over his girlfriend's mother, understanding that, although she is constantly rejected by her husband and that her life is one of emotional anxiety, she is nonetheless beautiful and attractive, and possibly more so than his own girlfriend.

The video is often compared to the 1967 film The Graduate, as it has similarities with the storyline between the daughter, the boyfriend and the mother.

[10] The band was invited to play the song at the request of George Lucas for his AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony.

[17][18] "She Will Be Loved" was certified platinum on April 18, 2011, by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has sold 3,558,083 copies in the US as of June 15, 2014.

[19][20] In 2005, the song was nominated at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in the Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category.

In 2004, Vodafone Australia began operations and have for twenty consecutive years used this song as their hold/transfer background music.