We have all heard John Mayer's music at one point in time. In fact, it's safe to assume that most of us once have had a tune or two of his stuck in our heads. However, he's not only an incredible songwriter who is capable of writing hit melodies and killer guitar parts. Mayer is one of the few "pop artists" to maintain relevancy in our fast, ever-changing music industry that has both blessed and cursed us. This article discusses a few of the ways that John Mayer stays relevant.
Unlike most celebrities in general, Mayer is not a one-trick-pony. When most people hear a song of his, they only think of his singing and songwriting. But, John Mayer is a really incredible guitarist with a blues foundation that blows so many big name guitarists out of the water. Mayer began playing guitar in his teenage years and even went on to pursue guitar performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston. However, he ended up withdrawing only after one semester because he felt that the school couldn’t bring him to the level where he wanted to be. So, instead he decided to plunge himself into the real world and take himself to where he needed to be. John Mayer’s unique and impeccable guitar playing is what has opened the most doors to let him stay relevant for so long. His performances truly move people and he manages to inspire people of all ages with his timeless and tasteful guitar work. The licks, riffs, solos, fills, etc. simply never grow old and he always seems to amaze both diehard fans and people who tend not to listen to his music. After one is introduced to Mayer’s guitar playing, there’s no forgetting it. He has a signature sound; he has his own feel and style. He leaves imprints on those who hear his songwriting and performance.
One way that John Mayer stays relevant is with unexpected collaborations. In his most recent team effort, Bob Weir invited him to tour with Dead and Company, a group formed by remaining members of The Grateful Dead and a few “new guys”. When it was announced that Mayer would tour with Dead and Company there was definitely a split between fans of Mayer and hardcore fans of The Grateful Dead. Some people absolutely hated the idea of having a pop artist perform with a band that played a huge part in the counter-culture of the 60’s, but once they gave Dead and Company a chance, most people ended up really loving the act. A second example of Mayer collaborating to keep himself relevant is the artist features on his most recent release Paradise Valley. On the track “Who You Love”, Katy Perry makes an appearance and the duet create a very poppy love song that potentially attracted fans to either artist. Also, Frank Ocean teams up with Mayer on “Wildfire”. These are very unexpected collaborations and while risky, they paid off for every artist involved, especially John Mayer.
Another way that John Mayer stays relevant is with social media. A lot of celebrities, especially in music, tend to stay far, far away from social media for a variety of reasons. Mayer, however, is very active on both Instagram and Snapchat and he really connects with his fans on a less serious and more relatable level. His social media presence has allowed his relevancy to remain especially among the younger generation. He posts about more than just music, making him a more unique celebrity. He gives fans a small peak inside his personal life and day-to-day activities. Basically, John Mayer knows how to keep up with the times and not take himself so seriously as a public figure.
The third way that he has stayed relevant is his interest in other expressions of art. Although his secondary hobbies have never really turned into full-time gigs, it’s admirable to see a celebrity who can be so open-minded about other creative outlets. Mayer has dabbled into things such as stand-up comedy, column writing, and even television hosting.
John Mayer is a clear example of the evolution of celebrities. Gone are the days of super famous people doing exclusively super famous people things. Nowadays, even the most renowned of people have to hustle to keep themselves relevant in positive lights. We will definitely see more and more celebrities inching closer to the fans and connecting with us on levels that we had never imagined as our technologies improve and as the desire for entertainment continues to grow.
