Maroon 5 cuts out the middle men, gets fans to do their job

Maroon 5 - yes, it turns out they're still going for some reason - are inviting fans to tell them what their music sounds like.

Given the sludge of their records sounds like it's been created by a series of focus groups anyway, it's not entirely clear what difference this might make.

I think we're supposed to assume that up until now, the band's songs have been created by the five members working together; by inviting all their fans to collaborate instead, they're going to see what it's like if fewer people create a track.

The recording session, to be held in London, will be steamed live on the internet and the band will work with fans in real time to create the one-off track.

Fans will appear to the group through a movement based projection system, which will stream their thoughts and comments to the whole studio space rather than the group - Adam Levine, James Valentine, Jesse Carmichael, Michael Madden and Matt Flynn - having to gather around a computer screen.

Yes, this idea is so dull, they're trying to make having a projector sound like it's an exciting development. Jesus, guys, even the monthly East Midlands Region Wagon Wheel Sales Team meeting hooks a laptop to a projector.

The really heartbreaking thing is that isn't even something Maroon 5 are doing because it's a good idea, but are instead doing it because Coke are paying them:

The session takes place in association with Coca Cola, and Joe Belliotti, Director of Global Entertainment Marketing for the company, said: "We are excited to be working with Maroon 5. "They have worked closely with us to help shape the event and ensure the session will be a fun and engaging experience for fans no matter where in the world they are.

"This is the most ambitious and experimental effort in music Coca-Cola has ever undertaken."

Really, Mr Belliotti? Wasn't attempting to build a Coke-branded digital music download store and unseat Apple as the key provider of online music not a little bit more ambitious than putting an internet-enabled PC in a recording studio?

Still, it'll be a lot of fun, I'm sure, and can I just stress that logging in simply to suggest writing a song about how great Pepsi is, or the way trades unionists whose activities were awkward for Coca-Cola had a nasty habit of turning up dead would be a terrible abuse of the generosity of the Coca-Cola company. If that's the sort of thing you're planning, you might want to keep well away from the project's website.