Written by: Brock Hardesty
John Mayer became an international rockstar following the release of Continuum on September 12, 2006. In honor of the 15th anniversary of the album, I wanted to write a throwback review.
Continuum was John Mayer’s third studio album and it produced a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year and several global smash hits that made Mayer one of the most recognizable artists in all of music. Continuum also ranked #486 on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. “Waiting on the World to Change” was the first single off the album and arguably one of the greatest songs of the early 2000s. It picked up a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. It delivers such a powerful message that was very culturally relevant at the time of release because it was when the U.S. was at war with Afghanistan and it was right at the 5 year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. “Gravity” was the song off the album that established Mayer as one of the greats when it comes to blending soulful lyrics and expert guitar playing and is definitely a career favorite. It was listed at 84 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time. “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room”, while not as big of a cultural hit as the first two songs, it’s definitely staked a spot in Mayer’s essentials. With universally relatable lyrics and a slow melody, this might be one of the greatest breakup songs of all time. Overall, this album is the perfect blend of slow guitar and tender lyrics making it great for anything from a sunny Sunday drive with your person to dancing alone on a rainy night.
