Why John Mayer made his 'worst' album

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John Mayer has said that Paradise Valley is his least favourite album. This isn't to say that it's bad, but it's certainly different. Not only was it made under different circumstances but it was also made in a different way to his previous albums.

[@ashdelarosa]

Paradise Valley is the most innocent, honest and laid back album he’s made. I love it.

[@VineCoreia]

Yeeees

[@dudemanismadcool]

It was the last of his albums I discovered and funnily enough I play it the most of any these days. It's just a great vibe album.

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Ahhh to be simple 😴

[@MrDirtydaves]

Personally I’d always felt born and raised and paradise valley could’ve almost been a double album.

[@Frashcom98]

Yeah it’s always seemed to me like paradise valley was the B side to born and raised. I love the flow of B&R into PV. It’s like he’s moving though hard times into a softer period of life and the vibe follows suit

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Stop. Even when the man is telling yall paradise is ass you still won’t accept it. It’s ass. Not a single great song. Leave born and raised out of it. It’s not incredible but has the Mayer magic and several songs that stood the test of time. Paradise he got obsessed with that weirdo producer , the guy was limited on time , John absolutely absorbed his energy (see cringe hat) and shit out this record that dumb dumbs who clearly have terrible taste still try to defend even when the man who made it tells you it’s straight ass on a stick.

[@dpil810]

love this take

[@abdulrahmanbaig1976]

yeah man, like a Use Your Illusion 1 and 2

[@Blue_3rd]

Born and raised and Paradise valley are two of my favourites. Paradise has a few of his best songs, for me. Nice video!

[@patmakestunes]

As someone who loves all of John’s music, and a creator myself, I always appreciate when a world class musician shares some of the insecurities they have or works they aren’t as proud of. I feel like a lot of us struggle with a bit of that so it’s nice to know the people we look up to are dealing with the same thing. Thanks for the great video!

[@jenjohnson1747]

in all honesty, im surprised he chose Paradise...its one of my favorites

[@jakubholik90]

same here

[@paradise_valley]

Honestly I’d take this over sob rock any day, though that might be my (reverse?) recency bias thing speaking. Too many songs I like his live renditions of too, to lose. And then the Frank Ocean interlude is so nice in the album too.

[@Ponchiboy444]

I like every single song except maybe the frank ocean one. Surprised too.

[@sherrilltechnology]

That is what I said I love that one!

[@rsteel1138]

Damn straight - it's the one I go back to the most.

[@juancarlospertuzzo]

Waitin on the day is a perfect, delicate, deep, brutally honest song. Touches me every time. This is my personal fav Johns´s studio record.

[@liamburke1436]

John plays waiting on the delay all the time in concert! I think he likes it too :)

[@drEmMa21]

Completely agree. Somehow I always tear up whenever I listen to it. Especially the older I get.

[@samwestguitar]

Great video! Really love the format of this video and the one you made about “born and raised” awhile ago. You don’t see many articulate and interesting deep dives in to everything surrounding an album release! Awesome stuff!

[@romans6788]

To me, Born and Raised is my favorite album.

[@davipettersenls]

Thank God he doesn't need to take it out of his discography, cause i love it, I love Paradise Valley, i love Born and Raised, both are unique, both are great.

[@dudemanismadcool]

yup

[@leonardomelato-mercos281]

Waitin on The Day is top 3 for me, easily. Wildfire is also a banger and a very unique song in his catalog.

[@1m2a3t4t5]

Absolutely man. You get it. Such a beautiful song. And wildfire is incredibly catchy and unique, such a cool killer track.

[@parrakis]

This album is actually my favorite album, easily the best of the best out of all his discography. The overall sound is definitely unique, so many layers of emotions, very reflective (like you said in the video), very mature, I might add. Thanks for actually covering this stuff, David.

[@matthewrammig]

John Mayer doesn’t have a “worst” album.

[@jevinday]

Great video. This was the first album by him that I didn't listen to all of. It wasn't bad, it just didn't stick out to me. I haven't listened to any of his new music since then though, I probably should. Continuum and Born & Raised are 2 of the best all around albums of the century so far.

[@oxsila]

Highly recommend these newer songs: Helpless, Moving on, Rosie, In The Blood, You're Gonna Live Forever Shot in the Dark, Wild Blue 👍

[@jevinday]

@@oxsila thank you! I was hoping for some newer recommendations

[@ralphjohntizon5244]

Well when I was a couple of years younger, I never liked Born and Raised & Paradise Valley .. But these are the kind of records that grows on you, The emotions attached to it is just different.. It's like listening to life as it passes by..

[@natecravillion5193]

This was really well done. You really brought a lot of cohesion to this interview. I saw the interview live, and was just board, so I decided to watch this video. But you produced it really well. I really enjoyed this video.

[@JFurse96]

Love the video essay. Here's my thing about Paradise Valley: I wouldn't argue anyone who says it isn't his objective-best album, but I think it holds a LOT of merit in its own right. For me personally, the songs resonate with something very specific in me--I'll put this below. But as far as marking a point in JM's career, PV cemented Born and Raised into place. After all that stuff in 2009, instead of being like "whoopsie!" to the press and then not growing as a person at all, he went off and stayed quiet for a bit. Choosing not to speak + *literally not being able to* (which is why I love Speak For Me so much, lol). And then--bada bing, bada boom--Born and Raised! Honest, heartbreaking, introspective almost to a fault, and an honest expression of turning in a new, good direction. But any artist can fake it for awhile. Any artist can say "nahh that's the old me--look at THIS!" and then show that it was all talk. But PV... PHEW! THAT's walking the walk. He made a second, sort of unsuspecting, under-the-radar, not-quite-curated-for-radio-popularity album and it. kicks. ass. Musically and lyrically. To say it one more way, if the Queen of Cali stepped down during Born and Raised, Paradise Valley was her first day as a regular citizen. Hahahaha, corny I know--but one of the reasons I love the album so much. Bonus content, lol: the specific feeling it gives me is what I think of as a kind of quiet joy, like... idk, a rainy, happy day. One of those days where--sure--you didn't do *anything* productive and you didn't hang out with your friends, but it was perfect. The kind of feeling that everything in the world is exactly as it should be, without needing your help to keep it spinning. It feels like a jog on a chili day followed by a fresh cup of coffee while petting your dog. And I don't want every day to be quite like that, but I LOVE when they make an appearance. Unsolicited essay: concluded. Hahaha

[@webbsteroni]

Well put, chap. Any album that makes me feel like a jog on a chili day followed by a fresh cup of coffee while petting my dog is worth a spin. Cheers!

[@JFurse96]

⁠@@webbsteronihahaha yes, couldn’t agree more! Lmk if you dig it

[@LukeValentino]

Born & Raised and Paradise Valley have grown to be amongst my most favorite albums from him.

[@diegoebustamante]

I always saw Paradise Valley as a metaphor for him transitioning into a different season of life. Almost like a salute good bye to the Born and Raised era of his life

[@mrchecox2206]

Yes!!! Like he needed ir for transitioning.

[@crakesandbarrels]

Waiting on the Day is super underrated.

[@thiromao]

I love this album. I went to one of his shows right after he released it and it was without a doubt one of the best concerts I've ever been to, the energy was fantastic.

[@p-Claud73]

I love all of his albums. Paper Doll is awesome.

[@nicospinozzi1378]

one of if not my favorite jm songs for sure

[@thomashogan1985]

It's much better than battle studies I love JM's guitar playing, I do feel like he constantly trips himself up in an effort to be overly profound re his song writing . To me PV is him getting out of his own way and just being a musician

[@honestmanmusic]

Great video. I saw the interview live with Andy Cohen as well. This was a great follow up

[@Sherrie143]

This is my Favorite and when I started to listen to him more. Some people lack taste... 🦋💕

[@TheAceOfSpades315]

Totally agree sister!!😄

[@jamesgordon3494]

I think it’s one of his best if not the best. It’s one of his only albums that doesn’t have any cringy/ super corny songs

[@carlosangel9404]

Its at least my second or third to least favorite. Gun to my head, my ranking from least to most favorite would be Sob Rock, Heavier Things, Paradise Valley, Battle Studies, TSFE, RFS, Continuum, Born and Raised.

[@misterpepesalsa]

Thats actually my favorite album of him. That's how I started listening to him, and I didn't like his previous work because I already liked the Paradise Valley sound so much. I haven't listen to another album from Mayer since Paradise either.

[@SpeedBoost]

I skipped Paradise Valley when it was released and just thought it was like a continuation of or out takes from Born and Raised, then last year I listened to it for the first time and I was blown away by how instantly I loved each song. I think people were just expecting two more Continuiums or Battle Studies, and they reacted harshly to Born and Raised and Paradise Valley, almost out of spite. I personally love that each of John's albums zig when everyone is expecting him to zag, it keeps him interesting.

[@misterbeane]

I was shocked to hear him say PV during that interview, as I feel like Heavier Things is his weakest by a VERY long shot. He's spoken a number of times about how tumultuous the recording time scale and process was too rushed, resulting in things like the nonsensical lyrics in Clarity, for example. On top of that, there's so many songs from HT that he hasn't rarely played live at all in almost 2 decades now (Split Screen Sadness, New Deep, etc.). In my opinion, he clearly wanted to make the transition over to the electric/blues sound that he'd always wanted to play, and Heavier Things was a failed attempt at that, which spawned the Trio era, which gave birth to Continuum, his best album by far, even to this day. I still wonder if the Trio era had happened right after the RFS era, Heavier Things may have been so much better...but that could've made Continuum much different. In the end, I'm sure he'd admit he's glad the timeline of everything went as it did.

[@efilacchione]

He has actually played Split Screen Sadness a few times on this tour and Wheels

[@paradise_valley]

I thought he should’ve said Sob Rock, but he can’t say that his latest output sucks, right?

[@efilacchione]

@@paradise_valley hehe I don’t think it’s a bad album. I rank it higher than HT and PV, close to Search for Everything

[@paradise_valley]

I respect that @@efilacchione! Quite personally my favourites are Wild Blue and Til The Right One Comes. The solo on I Guess I Just Feel Like is amazing, the song itself is a little bland tho.

[@miguel77077]

I don’t think there’s such thing as a bad John Mayer album ,just an album that you’re not into at the time ,it’s happened to me multiple times through the years ,I used to hate Heavier things and right now I think it’s an amazing album ,Clarity is easily one of John’s best songs, come back to bed is a master piece as well ,Only heart, Daughters ,Wheel, Bugger than my body ,Home life ,they make me feel like I’m back in 2000s even if I was a baby ,it’s almost like I lived everything that he lived ,and that’s what makes Mayer special ,he transports you to specific times he’s lived but also times you’ve lived ,it’s hard to explain but I’m sure a lot of Mayer fans would understand

[@tudobem12]

Paradise got so much better after Sob Rock, this last album is so bad and boring

[@J_Fowler]

i love the born and raised/paradise valley era. the show for that tour stands as my favorite too as far as songs and the band he had during that tour

[@ightoaks]

So cool to see how the different approach led to such a magical result

[@cowboiboi3793]

Born and Raised and Paradise Valley are what made me fall in love with him 😢

[@oxsila]

We all just have our preferred tastes. It's like the magic of The Beatles. They have an album, a song for every mood, every different type of person near enough. One year my favorite album is X, the next it's Y. That's why like The Beatles, i've been a fan of John's for so long because of the variety.

[@febcortes5878]

Good lord Born and Raised and Paradise Valley will remain my favorite Mayer albums. While everybody knows his talent with the blues, I think the albums also show how great he is in making more folksy and country songs. I think that's him at his best, and I will forever love it.

[@darioswatchclub8]

I have to say I TRULY LOVE SO MANY SONGS from this ALBUM. Life wouldn't be so Joyfull without these Songs.

[@alicetaylor3947]

John Mayer sang songs from "Paradise Valley" in his Solo tour. I enjoy the album alot!

[@TheAceOfSpades315]

I respectfully disagree John!! I love that album as much as all the rest. So you John, should just make your music and not judge it! Because you obviously are not aware that your “least favorite” album is better than all the other musicians best album, in my opinion. I listen to this album as much as your others. I think the genre is so different too. I love all your music John. Don’t worry about which one is the best or least!! Lol

[@rossconnelly2913]

Battle Studies

[@Drummer1981]

One of my favorites also. Very different from everything else he’s released. Very open and refreshing sounding from him.

[@MrBlank0907]

That’s literally my favorite Mayer album 😂😭😭

[@beejoutbush3322]

Paper Doll is a great song.

[@gunkanjima3408]

I sometimes wonder if it’s because he went in such a different direction that was fun for him at the time, due to moving to Montana. Kind of like if a singer/songwriter moves to the islands and puts out an island/reggae album and years later was like huh?

[@Jackanaitor250]

I love paradise valley. It doesn’t sound like John dislikes paradise valley, more so it was an experiment that felt less like an ‘album’ than his others. But songs like ‘lost at sea’ and ‘badge and gun’. They’re beautiful.

[@lisaverbosky7022]

I love Paradise Valley but I get all the points made. Great video

[@dieseIboy]

I loved his rendition of, J. J. Cale's - Call Me the Breeze.

[@gingerbolam]

I personally think Paradise Valley is one of his best albums genuine and pure a musician putting himself really out there and you get to learn a little bit more about John as a person.

[@tmoore4075]

I guess maybe overall but I love Wildfire, On The Way Home, Who You Love and Paper Doll.

[@asoaresjr]

I'm glad John did Born and Raised + Paradise Valley to get them out of his system, but I'm glad Poncho John is gone and we have Rock Star John back

[@smoothz01]

I love all his albums except sob rock wasn’t digging it

[@alexdamaceno]

It’s one of my favorite albums. Too bad he feels this way

[@Karimichelle1978]

I think Paradise Valley is an extension of Born and Raised genre wise and its actually one of my favorites!

[@sniffableandirresistble]

Just listened to a few tracks just now its not horrible or regretful even its too twangy for me got that country element which is like saccharin to me ❤

[@mikestibor1]

I thought he was going to pick Battle Studies. Artists usually can't be objective about their own art. Paradise Valley is actually what got me into John Mayer. It's my second favourite next to Born and Raised.

[@jebusgod]

this one wouldn't be leaving my collection if I had to launch one of Johns albums, it'd more likely be room for squares or heavier things

[@joelmaskell4936]

Paradise Valley was incredible, chill and down to earth, yet deep ✊

[@BigJohn95]

Very interesting. Paradise valley is actually the record that made me like John Mayer. Still my favorite to this day.

[@pawelzabicki7785]

The last one, and Paradise Valley - I love it!

[@AdamMeredithMusic]

Paradise Valley and Born & Raised are by far my two favorite albums he's ever made

[@alessioborsch8583]

The best album in his discography in my opinion.

[@TheAceOfSpades315]

Now here is somebody who thinks like me!! 🤓

[@timoteitodor2868]

it's so interesting to hear this from john, and it goes to show how music is so dependent on the audience, it's a back and forth between the musician and peers. I can understand his justification about the record but at the same time if you look at how the fans received this album, and i'm talking about the majority of people who like the record and I include myself in that category because I absolutely love the record, you can see that his doubts were overcome by the people's desire to dive into any new stuff john throws out there. I actually disagree with you on this one, when you said Paradise valley stands alone compared to the other records when in fact every other record stands alone except Paradise Valley which is a younger sibling to Born and raised.

[@davidhodge7461]

I love this album. Kind of sad that JM feels the way he does about it but I also completely understand

[@travismccoy8316]

Idk love this album but I get why others might not. It’s more loose and sparse. I love it though

[@reflexivmusic]

On the way home is still one of the most fitting send off/outro songs to an album I have come across.

[@smazerolle]

Paradise Valley is probably my favorite album of all.

[@anaabanana]

I love Paradise Valley! It’s one of my fave albums

[@josephrice171]

I love that one!! Like a love letter to country and folk. I guess once again. I am an oddball..😂

[@JeremiahBarkdoll]

i love mayer, but sob rock is so much worse

[@NickHered]

This!! Like I wasn’t really even into the southern rock almost country influence on born and raised and paradise valley when he first started exploring it but I started growing into liking it and I still prefer it over sob rock. Sob rock has some good hits like new light but it’s by far his “worst” album

[@oxsila]

I find Heavier Things to be much worse than Sob Rock. But I still like a handful of songs on HT.

[@NickHered]

@@oxsila that’s fair. I’m more partial to heavier things cuz I love clarity and split screen sadness so much

[@p3dr_o]

Como assim? Eu adoro esse álbum, letras incríveis e arranjos bem criativos

[@JohnnyTurnerMusic]

Heavier Things is my least listened to album followed by Battle Studies. They both have highlights but i think Paradise Valley is pretty comprehensive album thematically speaking.

[@mrKai33]

Dear Marie my fav John Mayer song, love this album

[@retepmo6534]

Mine too. A brilliant song all around in my opinion.

[@DennisAlvey]

What's ironic is this is the record that turned me into a fan. I didn't like his music before this....

[@JonasArthurMusic]

I think Paradise Valley is an absolutely great JM album and stands strong along side his whole catalog.

[@collinwebster291]

Ummmm Battle Studies for me

[@omerkonu4247]

When he had released that album, I have stoped listening to Mayer until sob rock ( the legend is back bitches )

[@JLFulks]

Paradise Valley and Born and raised are really the only albums I like by him. His other stuff is too girlie pop for me

[@charliegreen5781]

He is one of those guys you either love or hate. His ridiculous. effected vocal style is comical at best and his ego overshadows anything he does but he definitely has a following.

[@thomaschristopherwhite9043]

wtf, I love paradise valley. That album is the perfect road trip or hanging out on the pourch watching the sun go down music.

[@erikiveberg7711]

The Search for everything is without a doubt his worst album

[@humphreykentbalane8991]

Paradise Valley was my 2nd fave, just behind Continuum

[@rafaelmarquez6115]

WHAT! But Paradise Valley is like in his top 3 albums to me (born and raised and continuum are the top 2)

[@Swagoullie]

It's what has given his career such longevity, evolution, trying different things.

[@fredericorod]

it's my favorite album, although i see the importance and greatness of the others

[@hijkellamellap6655]

Lol I feel that answer will soon change to sob rock in a couple years

[@paradise_valley]

Already has for me. PV is great imo!!

[@adam_michael540]

He literally says in this interview that continuum, sob rock, and born and raised are his favorites. John loves Sob Rock with a passion.

[@1m2a3t4t5]

its also the most recent adam, of course your going to dig what your into currently the most

[@adam_michael540]

@@1m2a3t4t5 John was very insecure after the release of Born and Raised. The lukewarm reaction made him question if it was worth making, if it was worth continuing, and if it really was as good as he wanted it to be. He was not sure how he felt about it for years and only became sure of it as the years went by and people began to accept it. It’s all just to say I don’t think the argument that it’s his most recent album means that he’s just super attached to it. He even knew making paradise valley it wasn’t his favorite. In fact people have been very lukewarm on Sob Rock and John has stuck his guns that he loves that album and is proud of it. Just some observations. I don’t think it being the newest means that’s why he loves it.

[@paradise_valley]

@@adam_michael540 this is fair, and the recency bias factors into it too but in this case I’d go so far as arguing Born And Raised is far more essential and significant in his discography if only for the time it came out in his career. Sob Rock is more shoddily put together as an album in comparison imho.

[@nbassasin8092]

Paradise Valley has some real gems, is it Johns least original album, sure, but as standalone album that you arent comparing to anything else, its amazing

[@tylerlinville826]

Wtf thats my favorite album of his lmao

[@Sagar-tg9fq]

Same

[@wsbarth92]

If he 'moved on' and 'reinvented' himself, why did he include Paper Doll on his 2nd 'post revival' album?

[@360.Tapestry]

i like quite a few songs off that album (maybe more in total than from any of his other albums) because they don't necessarily point to a hard overall theme - and nobody's forcing you to leave one off, john lol

[@nthatte1215]

Dear Marie and On The Way Home are in his top 10 greatest songs IMO.

[@Michael_Kelsey]

Damn, I listen to paradise valley just about everyday😂 You’re No One Til Someone Lets You Down, Wildfire, I Will Be Found, and Call Me The Breeze!

[@xoxoprinc_e]

Worst? Bro I'm in love w this album

[@RyanSmith-ow4mo]

It's his least "important" album but I also think it's the one where he feels most comfortable in his own skin.

[@trentmont]

Paradise Valley is one of my top 5 albums of all time lol like literally one of the first albums I’d share with someone ever

[@manueltheguitarstudent8441]

I would take sob rock out. Dear Marie and paper doll are pretty good songs

[@isaacihr]

i love all albums... i couldn't take out some album or song

[@MrGus937]

I really like Paradise Valley. My #2 of his work

[@CyberneticArgumentCreator]

It's "pored" over. He didn't spill a beverage onto the album.

[@kohlmanndean]

Maybe the “lack” of effort made it one of the best. That tends to be the way of the universe.

[@jmillanoff]

Funny how his "worst" album is comfortably better than most people's best albums.

[@ElmerFerrer]

What?!! Paradise is a great album man!