Lost (Maroon 5 song)

On the deluxe edition of the album's track-by-track descriptions on Apple Music, Maroon 5's lead singer, Adam Levine, provided insight on the creation of "Lost":

"Lost" is actually one of my favorites we've ever done. I think it just captures everything the band stands for, all in one song. Whether you liked us back then, whether you like us now, whether you'll like us later, I think this is kind of a classic sound that we've always had. And the song, the lyrics actually were a great process and I worked a lot. They took a while, and that's, to me, the most important contribution I think that I made to any record. Just sitting with them and really trying to make sure everybody understood what I was saying and not trying to shroud it too much in any metaphor.^[1]

"Lost" is a tropical house-pop song.^[2] It is a "spare, open-hearted ode to finding love in a lonely world".^[3] On May 5, 2021, when the band announced the Target edition of the album, the title of the song was revealed when fans could pre-order it.

The song received negative reviews, Rolling Stone listed it among the worst songs of 2021, saying that it's "repetitive and dull" and "beyond forgettable".^[4] In a negative review of Jordi, Kate Solomon of i described both "Lost" and another track from the album, "Echo", featuring American singer-songwriter Blackbear, as possibly "the same song", explaining that "it is perfectly crafted to please crowds, to slip into your consciousness without you really realising - and if you find yourself buying a new car after listening, then its work here is probably done.^[5] Writing for NME, El Hunt reported that Maroon 5 tried to emulate the "eeriness" of American singer and songwriter Billie Eilish.^[6]

On June 10, 2021, the day before Maroon 5 released "Lost" and Jordi, they performed the song, as well as another single from the album, "Beautiful Mistakes", a collaboration with American rapper Megan Thee Stallion, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.^[7] Although, while recording the album, the full band was not together in the same area, they came together for the performance.

The official music video premiered alongside the release of the song and album on June 11, 2021.^[8] Directed by Sophie Muller and shot in Malibu, California.^[9] The band members of Maroon 5 are seen performing the song on a beach. Lead singer Adam Levine is later pictured swimming underwater with his wife, Namibian model Behati Prinsloo Levine, who plays the role of a mermaid in the accompanying visuals.^[10]

Credits adapted from Tidal.^[11]

• Official lyric video on YouTube