Rise to Success: Career Highlights of John Mayer

Discover the career path of John Mayer, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

John Mayer is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He briefly attended Berklee College of Music before forming Lo-Fi Masters in Atlanta. After the duo split, he continued performing, gaining recognition at the 2000 South by Southwest festival and signing with Aware Records/Columbia Records. His debut EP was 'Inside Wants Out' (1999). His first two albums, 'Room for Squares' (2001) and 'Heavier Things' (2003), achieved critical and commercial success. 'Your Body Is a Wonderland,' from 'Room for Squares,' won a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and 'Heavier Things' reached number one on the Billboard 200.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

1997: Mayer leaves Berklee and moves to Atlanta

In 1997, John Mayer left Berklee College of Music and moved to Atlanta with Clay Cook to form the Lo-Fi Masters.

1999: Release of Inside Wants Out

In 1999, John Mayer released his debut EP, Inside Wants Out, through Aware Records, an imprint of Columbia Records.

2000: Mayer performs at South by Southwest festival

In 2000, John Mayer performed at the South by Southwest festival, leading to him being signed by Aware Records.

2001: Release of Room for Squares

In 2001, John Mayer released his first studio album, Room for Squares, which achieved critical and commercial success and spawned the single "Your Body Is a Wonderland".

2001: Mayer Signs with Columbia Records and Re-releases Room for Squares

In early 2001, John Mayer signed with Columbia Records through Aware Records. In September 2001, Columbia re-released Mayer's internet-only album, Room for Squares, with updated artwork and an added track.

2002: Success of Room for Squares

By the end of 2002, Room for Squares spawned several radio hits, including "No Such Thing", "Your Body Is a Wonderland", and "Why Georgia", and received critical praise.

February 2003: Release of Any Given Thursday

In February 2003, John Mayer released a live CD and DVD of a concert in Birmingham, Alabama, titled Any Given Thursday, which included unrecorded songs.

December 2003: Collaboration with Buddy Guy

In December 2003, John Mayer accompanied Buddy Guy in a concert at the Irving Plaza.

2003: Release of Heavier Things

In 2003, John Mayer released his second album, Heavier Things, which received generally favorable reviews and peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.

2003: Grammy Award for Your Body Is a Wonderland

In 2003, John Mayer won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Your Body Is a Wonderland".

2003: Martin Guitars released the OM-28 John Mayer acoustic guitar

In 2003, Martin Guitars gave John Mayer his own signature model acoustic guitar called the OM-28 John Mayer, limited to a run of 404.

January 2004: Performed at Apple's Macworld Conference & Expo

In January 2004, Steve Jobs invited John Mayer to perform during Apple's annual keynote address at the Macworld Conference & Expo as Jobs introduced the music production software GarageBand.

June 2004: Started "Music Lessons with John Mayer" column in Esquire

In June 2004, John Mayer began writing a column called "Music Lessons with John Mayer" for Esquire magazine. Each article featured a lesson and his views on various topics.

2004: Hosted comedy special on VH1

In 2004, John Mayer hosted a one-shot, half-hour comedy special on VH1 titled John Mayer Has a TV Show.

2004: Release of As/Is live recordings

In 2004, John Mayer recorded live concerts across seven nights of his U.S. tour and released them to the iTunes Store under the title As/Is.

2004: Surprise performance at Pennsbury High School senior prom

In 2004, after a public campaign, John Mayer performed a surprise three-song set at the Pennsbury High School senior prom.

August 2005: Invited readers to create music for orphaned lyrics

In August 2005, John Mayer invited readers to create music for orphaned lyrics he had written as part of his "Music Lessons with John Mayer" column in Esquire.

October 2005: John Mayer Trio opens for the Rolling Stones

In October 2005, the John Mayer Trio opened for the Rolling Stones.

2005: Fender signature Stratocaster electric guitars released

In 2005, Fender released two Fender signature Stratocaster electric guitars for John Mayer.

2005: Mayer delves into blues and rock and forms the John Mayer Trio

In 2005, John Mayer moved away from acoustic music, delving into blues and rock, and formed the John Mayer Trio, releasing the live album Try!.

2005: "Daughters" wins Grammy for Song of the Year

In 2005, John Mayer's song "Daughters" won the Grammy for Song of the Year.

January 2006: Martin Guitars released the Martin OMJM John Mayer acoustic guitar

In January 2006, Martin Guitars released the Martin OMJM John Mayer acoustic guitar, which had similar attributes to the OM-28 but with a more affordable price tag.

May 2006: Contribution to Cars soundtrack

In May 2006, John Mayer contributed a cover of the song "Route 66" for the Pixar animated film Cars and garnered a Grammy nomination.

July 11, 2006: Release of "Waiting on the World to Change"

On July 11, 2006, John Mayer released "Waiting on the World to Change" as the first single from Continuum. It quickly became the third-most downloaded song on the iTunes Store and debuted at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

August 2006: Fender started manufacturing SERIES II John Mayer Stratocasters

In August 2006, Fender started manufacturing SERIES II John Mayer Stratocasters.

August 23, 2006: Album debut on Star 98.7

On August 23, 2006, John Mayer debuted his entire album Continuum on Los Angeles radio station Star 98.7, offering commentary on each track.

September 12, 2006: Release of Continuum

On September 12, 2006, John Mayer's third studio album, Continuum, was released, produced by Mayer and Steve Jordan. The album was intended to combine blues and pop.

September 21, 2006: Mayer appeared on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

On September 21, 2006, John Mayer appeared on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, performing "Waiting on the World to Change" and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room".

October 22, 2006: Recorded session for Live from Abbey Road

On October 22, 2006, John Mayer recorded a session for the British program Live from Abbey Road at Abbey Road Studios.

December 7, 2006: Grammy Nominations

On December 7, 2006, John Mayer was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for Continuum. The John Mayer Trio also received a nomination for Try!.

December 12, 2006: Release of The Village Sessions EP

On December 12, 2006, John Mayer released The Village Sessions, an EP featuring acoustic versions of his songs, recorded at the Village Recorder in Los Angeles.

2006: Mayer receives Hal David Starlight Award

In 2006, John Mayer received the Hal David Starlight Award at the 37th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

2006: Release of Continuum and Grammy Nominations

In 2006, John Mayer released his third studio album, Continuum, which received positive critical reception and earned him a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. He also won Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his single "Waiting on the World to Change".

2006: John Mayer Trio takes a break

In mid-2006, the John Mayer Trio took a break.

January 2007: Collaboration with Two Rock and Fender

In January 2007, Two Rock collaborated with John Mayer on custom-designed amps and Fender released a limited run of 500 John Mayer signature Stratocasters in Cypress-Mica.

February 28, 2007: End of North American Continuum tour

On February 28, 2007, John Mayer's initial North American Continuum tour ended with a show at Madison Square Garden.

2007: Endorsed Volkswagen and BlackBerry

In 2007, John Mayer endorsed Volkswagen's GarageMaster electric guitar campaign and used and endorsed the BlackBerry Curve.

January 23, 2008: Deleted Blog Entries

On January 23, 2008, John Mayer posted a quote and deleted all previous blog entries.

November 17, 2009: Battle Studies Debut

On November 17, 2009, John Mayer's fourth studio album, Battle Studies, debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart, marking a significant milestone in his career.

2009: Release of Battle Studies

In 2009, John Mayer released Battle Studies, marking his return to pop music.

September 14, 2010: Deleted Personal Twitter Account

On September 14, 2010, John Mayer deleted his personal Twitter account.

2010: Fender announced production of Mayer's Black1 guitar

In 2010, Fender announced a production model of John Mayer's Black1 guitar, producing 500 un-relic'd versions worldwide. Production signature Stratocasters were also produced in three-tone sunburst and Olympic White finishes.

2010: CMT Crossroads Concert and CMT Music Awards Performance

In 2010, John Mayer and Keith Urban performed a medley of their songs and a rendition of George Michael's song "Faith" at a CMT Crossroads concert. This performance in 2010 led to them teaming up again at the 2010 CMT Music Awards.

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2011: Developed interest in The Grateful Dead

In 2011, John Mayer began to develop a strong interest in the music of the Grateful Dead after hearing their song Althea by chance on Pandora radio.

May 2012: Release of Born and Raised

In May 2012, John Mayer released his fifth studio album, Born and Raised, after its release was delayed due to the discovery of a granuloma on his vocal cords.

August 20, 2013: Paradise Valley Album Release

On August 20, 2013, John Mayer's sixth album, Paradise Valley, was released and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 145,560 copies in its first week in the United States.

June 1, 2014: "XO" on Billboard Hot 100

For the week ending June 1, 2014, John Mayer's version of "XO" debuted at number 90 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 13 on the US Hot Rock Songs chart, marking its initial impact on music charts.

September 2014: Partners Album Release

In September 2014, John Mayer recorded the song "Come Rain or Come Shine" as a duet with Barbra Streisand for her album Partners, showcasing his versatility as a collaborator.

2014: Album Sales Exceed 20 Million

By 2014, John Mayer had sold a total of over 20 million albums worldwide.

2014: No longer a Fender Artist

In 2014, John Mayer announced that he was no longer a Fender Artist, leading to the removal of his signature line of guitars from production.

2014: Cameo in Zombeavers

In 2014, John Mayer made a cameo as a truck driver in the comedy horror film Zombeavers.

January 16, 2015: Wrote open letter to IWC

On January 16, 2015, John Mayer wrote an open letter to the watch brand IWC in his column for the horology website Hodinkee, encouraging the brand to embrace its heritage and simplify its design language.

June 2015: Guest Appearance with Phil Lesh and Friends

In June 2015, John Mayer appeared as a guest for two nights with Phil Lesh and Friends at Terrapin Crossroads, recreating the Grateful Dead's notable May 8 and June 9, 1977, concerts.

2015: Collaboration with PRS Guitars announced

In 2015, John Mayer announced that he was collaborating with PRS Guitars.

2015: Formation of Dead & Company

In 2015, John Mayer joined three former members of the Grateful Dead and two other musicians to form the band Dead & Company.

2015: Performed with Bob Weir on The Late Late Show

In 2015, while the Dead's Fare Thee Well shows with Trey Anastasio were being planned, John Mayer performed "Althea" with Weir on The Late Late Show, along with "Truckin'".

2015: Guest hosted The Late Late Show

In early 2015, CBS invited John Mayer to guest host The Late Late Show on three dates, February 4–6, after the retirement of Craig Ferguson.

2015: Acted in Get Hard

In the 2015 film Get Hard, John Mayer played a version of himself who is disgusted with the "monetization of the creative process".

2015: Joined Annual Tour

John Mayer joined each annual tour from 2015 to the present.

2015: Touring with Grateful Dead members

Since 2015, John Mayer has been touring with Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead as part of Dead & Company. Oteil Burbridge plays bass, and Jeff Chimenti is the keyboardist.

January 2016: Postponement of Studio Album

In January 2016, John Mayer postponed working on his next studio album until that time, as a result of touring with Dead & Company, planning to finish it by the end of the year.

March 2016: Super Eagle collaboration with PRS revealed

In March 2016, John Mayer and PRS revealed their collaborative project, the Super Eagle, a limited release from PRS's Private Stock line of instruments.

2016: Bob Weir discussed working with Mayer

In 2016, Bob Weir discussed the genesis of working with John Mayer after the Fare Thee Well shows in an interview with Rolling Stone.

January 2017: J-MOD 100 signature amp announced

In January 2017 at the NAMM Show, PRS and John Mayer announced the J-MOD 100 signature amp.

June 2017: Super Eagle II revealed

In June 2017, the Super Eagle II was revealed, limited to 120 instruments.

2017: Release of The Search for Everything

In 2017, John Mayer released his seventh album, The Search for Everything, a loose concept album about romantic break-ups.

2017: Lesh praised Dead & Company performances

In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, Phil Lesh praised Dead & Company's performances and explained his decision not to take part in the project.

January 2018: Martin Guitar announced John Mayer Signature D-45

In January 2018, Martin Guitar announced the limited-release (45 instruments) John Mayer Signature D-45, with a list price of $14,999.

March 2018: PRS released signature Silver Sky model

In March 2018, John Mayer's signature Silver Sky model was released by PRS, available in four colors.

September 2018: Showed trailer for Instagram Live show

In September 2018, John Mayer showed a trailer for his new Instagram Live show, entitled Current Mood, on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

September 30, 2018: Debuted new Instagram Live show "Current Mood"

On September 30, 2018, John Mayer debuted his new Instagram Live show, entitled Current Mood, on his IGTV account.

November 18, 2019: Began latest season of Current Mood

On Sunday, November 18, 2019, John Mayer's latest season of Current Mood began with guest Shawn Mendes and a surprise feature with Camila Cabello on his first episode.

2021: Release of Sob Rock

In 2021, John Mayer released his eighth album, Sob Rock, inspired by 1980s soft rock music.

2022: Dead & Company continue to tour

In 2022, Dead & Company continued to tour and considered recording a studio album of Grateful Dead songs and originals.

2022: Small role in Vengeance

In 2022, John Mayer had a small role in the film Vengeance, playing a friend of the lead character.

October 2023: Announced Sirius XM Channel "Life with John Mayer"

In October 2023, John Mayer announced a new real-time satellite radio channel on Sirius XM, titled "Life with John Mayer" featuring music curated by Mayer.

2023: Appeared on Impractical Jokers

In 2023, John Mayer appeared as a guest star on the fourth episode of the tenth season of the TruTV show Impractical Jokers.

March 2024: Appointed as "Creative Conduit" at Audemars Piguet and launched limited-edition watch

In March 2024, John Mayer was appointed with the title of "Creative Conduit" at Audemars Piguet, and AP announced the new limited-edition collaborative Perpetual Calendar Royal Oak model (Ref. 26574BC.OO.1220BC.02), dubbed the "John Mayer" featuring a faceted blue dial.

November 2024: Began "How's Life" interview series on Sirius XM

In November 2024, John Mayer began an interview series on the Sirius XM channel "Life with John Mayer" called "How's Life," featuring conversations with fellow musicians, beginning with Billy Joel.