John Mayer Leaves Columbia Records After 21 Years: 'My Best Work Still Lies Ahead'

Singer John Mayer has been with Columbia Records for more than two decades, but now it seems like it’s time for a change.

On Friday, the “Waiting On The World To Change” singer surprised fans when he announced on Instagram that he was not going to renew his contract with the record label after producing eight studio albums with them in the past.

On Friday, Mayer took to Instagram to put out a short statement regarding his decision.

“After 21 years, eight studio albums, and some wonderful personal and creative relationships, I have decided not to renew my recording agreement with Columbia Records,” he wrote. “Hard as it is to say goodbye, I’m excited to pursue new avenues of making music, both of my own and with other artists.”

“I love music more than ever, and I believe some of my best work still lies ahead,” he added. “With gratitude and enthusiasm, John.”

Mayer first signed to the label after appearing at South by Southwest in 2001. All of his albums are under the label, including his debut album Room For Squares, Heavier Things, 2006’s Continuum, 2009’s Battle Studios, and 2017‘s The Search for Everything. His recent LP, Sob Rock, is also under the label.

Mayer has been nominated for 19 Grammys over the years and has won seven, including Song of the Year for “Daughters” in 2005. He also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 2009 for “Say” and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for “Gravity.”

Mayer is currently promoting his Sob Rock tour throughout the United States. Last summer, Mayer said that the record was a “s--- post,” explaining, “it’s what I thought was a s--- post, and this gets down to where artists sit in front of you and play you what they think is their garbage. And you go, ‘That’s the best thing I ever heard you play.’ It makes a mockery of their interpretation of the experience. Which is just enough to break out of the mold and make something unique.”

Unfortunately, Mayer’s tour has been recently disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On February 21, Mayer tweeted, “This afternoon, our drummer tested positive for COVID-19. Tonight's concert @TheGarden will go on as scheduled, with a very special presentation. We all wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing you all at the show.”

A few days later, he tweeted, “Whelp. More members of the band tested positive for Covid today, and I was one of them. This means we have to reschedule the next four shows, which we’ve already rescheduled and posted above. I’m so sorry to make you change your plans.”

He included a link to his TicketMaster concert page revealing that his next scheduled tour date is listed as March 11 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

From there, he will be making multiple stops at The Forum in Inglewood, California, before heading to Seattle, Denver, Tampa, Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Houston, Chicago, Toronto, and Pittsburgh. He makes a final stop on Long Island, New York, before wrapping up his tour with a two-night stay in Boston on May 9 and 10th.

The “Wild Blue” singer posted a longer message on Instagram, where he provided a small addition about his health.

“Whelp. More members of the band tested positive for Covid today, and I was one of them,” he wrote. “This means we have to reschedule the next four shows, which we’ve already rescheduled and posted above. I’m so sorry to make you change your plans.”

“This is a bummer for everyone in the band and crew, to say nothing of the question hanging over everyone’s head - mine included - as to how I tested positive on PCR twice in two months,” he admitted. “(The first was extremely mild, but this one’s got the better of me.) We’ll give you everything we’ve got at these upcoming shows, just as soon as we rest up and regroup. With love and appreciation… me.”

Many fans wished him a quick recovery.