A string-strumming troubadour charming a lady with catchy melodies and romantic lyrics is an image that’s likely older than recorded history. Even with the advent of synthesizers and autotune, a dude strumming on a guitar and belting his heart out has never truly gone out of style. For PLAYBOY model Rebecca Adam, singer-songwriter Max McNown’s songs are so hypnotic, she can’t stop listening to him. Here’s why.

Why Rebecca Adam loves Max McNown

“I actually just got tickets to see him when he’s in Los Angeles at the Troubador,” Rebecca told PLAYBOY. The way he just belts songs out…it’s like you’re listening to magic. I absolutely love it.”

In an incredibly insular music industry, McNown’s rise is a breath of fresh air. There’s an almost fairytale quality to it.

Originally from Bend, Oregon, McNown moved to South Carolina in August of 2022, and learned to play the guitar in a single year. When he decided to move east, his father gave him the guitar that he would strum on a nearly nightly basis, singing McNown and his four brothers to sleep.

McNown would practice his craft on the San Clemente pier, on the suggestion of a friend.

“That night I made 93 bucks, and also got a free taco and a girl’s phone number folded into a $5 bill,” McNown says of his first busking experience.

The 2023 release of his first single, “A Lot More Free” hit the Billboard Emerging Artists charts. As of January 2025, the song has nearly 7 million streams on YouTube alone.

His first album, “Wandering,” released in April of 2024, with a second album due out in late January 2025. Despite the immense popularity of “A Lot More Free,” Rebecca’s favorite McNown tune is “Love Me Back.”

“I love the song’s optimism,” Rebecca says. “For me, I’d always rather focus on the positive parts of a relationship. I just love hearing men sing about love.”

Rebecca Adam is on The Playboy Club. Talk to her now.