Enrique Iglesias returns his eagerly-anticipated new album, Euphoria. With its seductive pop, driving hip hop beats and heart of pure passion, Euphoria is set to bring a rush of blood to the dancefloor, with VIP guests including Akon, Nicole Scherzinger, Usher, Puerto Rican reggaeton duo Wisin and Yandel, Juan Luis Guerra and the legendary Lionel Richie.

His most diverse, eclectic collection to date, Euphoria is also Enrique’s first album to feature songs sung in both Spanish and English. “This territory is so exciting for me,” says Enrique. “It taps into so many different styles of music. It’s like nothing I’ve ever done before.”

‘I Like It’ is the first international single from the forthcoming album, produced by Red One, it features a vocal cameo from Lionel Richie, reprising the chorus of his timeless hit ‘All Night Long’. The track is an upbeat floor-filler and comes backed with a crazy hot remix from #1 selling US rapper Pitbull (‘I Know You Want Me’). Enrique was thrilled to work with his friend Lionel Richie, but it was Pitbull who really took it out of him. “Man, working with Pitbull, it’s like he’s got everybody in the world’s mojo, his energy is so intense. And shooting the video together was just insane… ”

Other tracks on Euphoria include Enrique’s Spanish-language smash ‘Cuando Me Enamoro’, featuring Latin superstar Juan Luis Guerra, which crash landed in top 10s across Latin America and Spain on its release. Then there’s the sizzling ‘Heartbeat’, a duet with Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls. It’s utterly pop but emotionally naked. Says Enrique, “If you can create an upbeat song and still put sentiment in it like that… man, that song is raw.”

‘One Day At A Time’, is a departure into mellow calypso, the melody coming to Enrique after he had spent so long battling on the song that he was driving home from the studio in despair. “I turned straight round and went back to record it,” explains the perfectionist. “It was one of those special songs that make you fight for it.” ‘Dirty Dancer’ is a party piece, thick with slamming synthesisers and featuring vocals from Usher, who announces that this is a song “for the dirty girls, all around the world.”

Born in Spain, raised in Miami, and now an international superstar, Enrique discovered his musical talent young, but got his first record deal from a small Mexican label while using a fake name. In 1995 he won a Grammy for his first ever Spanish release (Enrique Iglesias) and in 1999 his eponymous English language debut went on to sell six million albums, go double-platinum in the US, and achieve gold or platinum status in 32 countries. Since then he has had a string of successful albums, from Escape (2001), 7 (2003) and Insomniac(2007) to hisGreatest Hits album (2008), while his sold-out world tours have established him as a captivating live performer.

In the US he is one of the biggest-selling Spanish artists of all time, with over 12 million albums sold and 19 #1 Billboard Latin hits across the Americas. Meanwhile, in the UK Enrique has sold 2.2 million albums and 1.6 million singles, the biggest of which – the inimitable ‘Hero’ – spent four weeks at #1 and is now a staple of teary X Factor scenes. Enrique has had 12 top 20 singles, and six Top 10 singles in the UK, including ‘Bailamos’, ‘Could I Have This Kiss Forever’, ‘Escape’, ‘Not In Love’ (ft Kelis), and ‘Do You Know’.

Traditionally, Latin artists release Spanish and English versions of the same songs. “But I always wanted to combine completely different songs, rather than translate them,” Enrique explains. “I’d write one I liked in Spanish, but then I’d write one I liked even more in English, so then there’d be this internal competition to write an even better one in Spanish, and vice versa. The US is now the biggest market for Spanish songs, so this is an experiment.”

“I know people always believe their new record is the best thing they’ve ever done, but truly, this record is my most diverse, my most exciting and the most surprising album I’ve made in my career,” he says, grinning wildly.  The anticipation is tangible.

Bruno Mars was born and raised in Hawaii by parents Pete and Bernadette “Bernie” San Pedro Bayot Hernandez, of Filipino and Puerto Rican descent. Hernandez was one of six children, (brother Eric and sisters Jaime “Kailani”, Tiara, Tahiti and Presley). He came from a musical family giving him a diverse mix of Reggae, Rock, Hip Hop, and R&B. From a young age, he was impersonating and performing songs by influential artists such as Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. In 1990, at the tender age of 4, Hernandez was featured in MidWeekmagazine as “Little Elvis”. He attended President Theodore Roosevelt High School, graduating in 2003 at age 17, and shortly after moved toL.A. to pursue a musical career.

Before becoming a successful solo artist, he was an acknowledged music producer penning songs for the likes of Flo Rida, Alexandra Burke, Travie McCoy, Adam Levine, Brandy, and Sean Kingston. It was soon announced after the success of “Nothin’ On You” that Hernandez would be releasing his debut EP, titled It’s Better If You Don’t Understand on May 11, 2010 A debut studio album is hinted to be released later this year.

Listen To Bruno Mars “It’s Better If You Don’t Understand” EP Free Here

Matt & Craig of Clizbeats W/Charice

On first glance, Charice looks like any other teenager: pretty, petite and filled with non stop energy. But when the sweet-faced 17-year old opens her mouth to sing – with a profound, rich and soaring 10 decibel voice from every inch of her 5 feet 1 inch body – the audience quite literally gasps. And at 13 million hits and counting on YouTube tell us, that audience is growing at a staggering pace. Fast forward to May 2010: Charice’s US debut CD is scheduled to be released on 143/Reprise Records with her single, “Pyramid” featuring labelmate Iyaz (who recently spent four weeks at #1 with his international smash hit, “Replay”). “Pyramid” will be released to Top 40 radio in March with remixes already getting airplay at the clubs.

“I’m so proud of this record and feel so lucky that I had the chance to work with some of the best songwriters and producers out there. Every note and every word is right from my heart,” says Charice.

But let’s begin at the beginning: Born and raised in the Philippines, Charice’s talent was discovered at age 4 when her mother, also a singer, noticed her daughter’s loud, rather enthusiastic version of “Happy Birthday” and decided to teach her proper vocal technique. By age 7, Charice was competing in local contests and belting out songs.

In 2007, a web-savvy fan began posting a series of Charice’s performances on YouTube including appearances on the Filipino talent show “Little Big Star” and the popular South Korean talent show “Star King.” She instantly became an authentic internet sensation attracting the attention of American TV shows. Appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres Show were followed by several performances on the Oprah Winfrey Show. “You are a force to be reckoned with. That voice comes from something bigger than yourself,” raved Oprah.

Enter 15-time Grammy winning producer David Foster who invited Charice to perform on his David Foster and Friends PBS Show in Las Vegas alongside such star studded Foster produced talents as Michael Bublé, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, and Josh Groban. When the “David Foster and Friends” show returned to the Mandalay Bay the following year, Charice received no less than six standing ovations. In between the two Vegas appearances, Charice went on to perform with Andrea Bocelli (“The Prayer”) in Tuscany and Celine Dion at her Madison Square Garden show in New York City.

During Charice’s most recent appearance on Oprah Winfrey, her heart stopping song “Note To God” written by multi-Grammy winning songwriter Diane Warren became an instant Top 10 hit on iTunes. Charice also had a featured role in the recent “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movie.

Next stop for Charice, “I want to sing AND dance with Justin Timberlake,” she laughed. Her 13 million fans certainly look forward to seeing that.

Fee Fee Dobson

Below is Her Open letter To Fans  about her story on what lead up to occurred After First Hitting The Music Scene in 2003:

In The Beginning

I never imagined how tough living out my dreams would turn out to be – dealing with all the ups, the downs, lefts, and rights. While most teens my age were falling in love with the dreamiest boy in school, I was falling in love with music and musicians. I would study them – their faces, their moves and especially their voices. They made me feel so good, and I knew I had to, one day, be a part of that world.

I was not born into a “perfect” family with the perfect financial situation by far. Due to my mother’s lack of parenting, our family was completely torn apart – handed to the system: Sheldon, fifteen, and Cullen, thirteen, were taken away from her a few years back. Currently one is living with my older sister, Tanya, and the other in a group home. We had to make the best with what we were given, it reeked of unfairness, but for me it was just enough to get by and fight for better. I don’t believe in settling.

I was offered a big recording contract with Jive Records, but decided to pass due to musical differences. It was a tough decision and I was grateful, but their vision for me was different than who I was as an artist. I felt it was important to stay true to myself, and have faith that another offer would come along.

After passing on the Jive deal, Jay Levine and James McCollum helped me find direction. They sent me off to play at small cafes and bars – preparing me for the events to come. Fortunately, my musical family kept growing while I waited for another deal to come along. Jay and James introduced me to their manager, Chris Smith, whom I had to play an acoustic set of four songs to get him fully hooked. He did not say much to me when he left the lounge, but in my gut I knew I had just won myself a manager. From that point on all the other missing pieces fell into place. Meeting with various record companies were scheduled, and I was busy doing showcases for record executives. At the end, I found a home at Island Records and was beyond happy.

My first record

My debut album was definitely a first look into my sort of topsy-turvy world.

I wrote about things that sometimes even made me feel awkward, but I was not afraid to go there and open up about real topics and my unorthodox relationships. I wrote a lot about love and feeling love.

It was quite the experience making that first album: I was new to the industry; a fresh face and things felt awesome. I moved to New York, which was a big deal for me seeing as before then I was not even allowed to go to the movies by myself. I started recording Fefe Dobson as soon as I got there.

It took a few months to perfect but finally the record was complete.

To promote Fefe Dobson, I toured for about 2 years playing multiple cities multiple times. I got to meet so many different artists that I had the pleasure to befriend and share a stage with artists I remember staring at with admiration on the TV such as Justin Timberlake, Cindy Lauper, Joan Jett, Lenny Kravitz, amongst others, but, as time ticked on, reality kicked in. The promotion of Fefe Dobson was cut short due to a restructure within the record label: a new Island/Def Jam regime was formed and it was like starting all over again; I had to gain their confidence. My time on the road was over, and I was back to square one preparing for record number two.

Working on Sunday Love

I recorded and recorded… I recorded my brains out. I gave every bit of energy I had to give, and when the energy began to falter, I prayed for a deeper connection. I lost my Canadian boyfriend and my American affair. I deserved it, as I was not being true to either one. At the same time I began to completely lose perspective for my music. Things were falling apart. I started experimenting – watching florescent lights go off in my eyes. This was my way to escape. However, it was not my only way. During this very dark period in my life I decided that the crème de la crème of escapes was to alter myself completely. I found a way to reflect the new, gloomier me by changing the tone of my voice, my image, everything about me. That makeover backfired in my face; to the media and the public I came across as trying too hard. Sunday Love was looked at as a failure. It did not take the new executives at Island and me very long to separate. The album was shelved and when a label shelves an artist, they do not just shelve recorded discs with pretty artwork, they shelve dreams.

My life went on pause, and when it was on play, it was actually in slow motion. I flew back to Toronto – back to my home and back to the drawing board. I knew I was not going to give up, but I was afraid that in the process of not giving up, I might lose my mind. I had to make another record, but I did not know where to begin or how I was going to do it. I had no label but did have a manager that believed in me no matter what, and that was more than enough for me. In a calm yet desperate attempt, I called up some pals I knew and began cutting demos.

The New Me

Lucky enough, I also began maturing. I found myself writing happier songs with happier meanings; my voice felt lighter. I was letting go of all the resentment against my former record label, my former lovers, and my family. Before I knew it, it was happening right in front of my eyes. Maybe it started when my best friend begged me to smile, or when I met a new boy, or maybe it was when I finally woke up on the right side of the bed. Whatever it was, it worked. I could have sat around and moped about all the horrible things that were happening to me, but instead I just grabbed my guitar and started strumming.

I read books, watched films, and listened to artists that both enthused and inspired me: The Alchemist, Many Lives Many Masters, The Secret, and John Lennon. I wanted to fill my soul with something other than anger and past baggage. What is the best way of ridding yourself of heavy baggage? Toss out the things that do not fit anymorePack light, live lightI have tried to teach my brothers the things I have learned over the years. I have warned them about karma, and explained the beauty of forgiveness and compassion. The main reason why I push this on them is because we have had to, somehow, forgive our own mother. I do my best in giving them advice and being the older sister and friend they need, and deserve. I am told that I inspire them, and that shines a light on my heart. Knowing that my words and love provide inspiration and hope gives me a sense of faith and has helped me become a better person. I have come to realize that a major positive change occurred when I opened my arms to my once absent father. It took me time to get to that point, but when I did it was totally worth it. Growing up, I honestly could never have imagined having him in my life. I even wrote a song to him called “Unforgiven”, which expressed the hurt I went through as a young girl because he wasn’t in my life. My mother told me so many bad things about him — all of which ended up being far from the truth. When we finally got together, he proved to be a very sweet and hard-working man.

I also realized I was completely uneducated about all of my ethnic slices as I didn’t know my father growing up, but with time and understanding, the missing ingredients began forming a whole pie: an English, French, Native Canadian, and Jamaican pie. I even found out I am closely related to the famous Jamaican Olympic runner, Donald Quarrie. How cool is that?

I’ve Found Joy

JOY is my third LP. It is the first album I can honestly say hit the spot. I finally felt I had all the ideal elements into place. With true love, happiness, forgiveness, and of course, joy, dancing around in my back pocket, I courageously went back to Los Angeles to record. It was wild. Things took on a different color for me. I had the freedom to create, and I felt confident doing it. This was by far the best experience making a record I’ve had – ever. It was all hippie vibes and Wii-, a truly far out combination.

21 Music (Chris Smith’s indie label) gave me the opportunity to experiment without any pressure. Chris trusted in our eight lengthy years of working together, and allowed me to make the music I wanted to make. There were no questions like “who is Fefe?” He knows who I am and is encouraged by what he has heard and seen.

There are more than ten songs on this album where I offer expressions of me like “Watch Me Move,” a party song at the surface but if you dig deeper you may find that it’s a song about confidence and rejuvenation. What’s really exciting about “Watch Me Move” is that VH1 recognized the potential of the song early and before the album was completed made it the theme song for the Margaret Cho Show. I love the guitars in this song. They make me think of sun bathing on the top of a 1966 GTO. “I Want You,” is about attraction and desire. As a special treat we are releasing both “Watch Me Move” and “I Want You” together along with a video that will showcase both songs and a new title, “I Want You 2 Watch Me Move.” “Set Me Free” is about finding liberation and freedom. “Joy,” is about the excitement you get from finding new love. “In Your Touch”, talks about the fear of falling for an ex-boyfriend all over again — if given the chance. To me, “Shame” represents my self absolution: So sick of being ashamed/So sick of playing games/So sick of all the lies I keep inside/Yea they’ll eat you alive/Till nothing else remains/Except shame.

I would sort of be lying if I said that I am forever saved of all my heartache and “Paranoia,” and I would also be lying if I said I was not appreciative of those intangible feelings. They are slightly beautiful as long as they are managed beautifully… oddly enough, I think I realized how to do just that. I had to feel the bad in order to feel the good and I had to learn from my mistakes in order to grow. Growing comes with rewards and I was given the best one. I made an album with my friends. Dave Lichens, Jon Levine, Dean Dichoso, Gadget, the Heavy Steadies, Chris Smith and the 21 team. They all helped me actualize my Joy, and I did it with a permanent smile on my face.

Enjoy.

Fee Fee Dobson

“I Want You” & “Watch Me Move”

21 Music/Island Records

Singer/songwriter Matisse is no stranger to the spotlight. She began appearing on TV at six months of age on “One Life To Live” and by the age of 15 she was a popular spokes-model for the successful hair care brand John Frieda and signed to The Ford Agency. But now at 23 years old it’s always been about music.

From an early age Matisse gravitated toward music, finding inspiration in the songs of Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Whether singing along to Motown with family, putting on impromptu concerts with friends or taking the stage with her Dad and his band, she always had a tendency to steal the show.  “My family is very musical and I grew up listening to everything from rock and roll, to pop, soul, the blues you name it.  I definitely inherited my parent’s love of music, and was influenced by their diverse tastes.” Evidently music is an innate family trait. Matisse and her twin sister Alex honed their craft from an early age which led to a stint as a duo with Universal Music.  Now, after years of writing, recording and fine-tuning her sound, Matisse is ready for her close-up.

Like the famous painter with whom she shares her name, Matisse refuses to follow convention and instead sings to the beat of her own drum.  “Over the years people have tried to make me into something I’m not,” Matisse says, “but I’m not interested in being the next ‘so and so’ or compromising myself to be a one hit wonder.  I want to make music that I like and that I can be proud of.”

Matisse has been working with some of the biggest names in music such as Dallas Austin, Tricky Stewart, The Dream, Ne-Yo, Stargate and Kevin Rudolf.  As a result, she has compiled a collection of songs that define her as bold, colorful, strong and determined; someone ready to be heard.  “I’ve been writing, recording and performing for years now. I’m definitely ready for this.”

Her background and experience make Matisse a unique – and sometimes surprising – personality.  “My family likes to tease me because I’m fiercely independent and freedom loving, yet I don’t have my driver’s license.  They think it’s funny that I can be equally enthralled with “The Star” magazine as I am with “Anna Karenina.”

As Tricky Stewart says, Matisse “brings the entire package to the table: great songwriting, strong vocals and explosive live performance”.

Meet Matisse.

(Press Play Button on bottom left to hear music)

Sometimes it pays to be different. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, a city known for its outcasts, B.o.B is truly out of the ordinary. At just 19 years old, the rapper – born Bobby Ray Simmons – has become a breath of fresh air in Atlanta’s snap and trap-obsessed scene. Known primarily for his heavy smokers anthem, “Cloud 9,” and the frenetic energy of his song “Haterz Everywhere,” B.o.B scored a record deal with Atlantic Records while he was still in high school. Now, the teen-aged rap phenomenon is ready to bring his genre-bending style nationwide with his highly anticipated debut, The Adventures of B.o.B.

B.o.B made the decision very early in his young life to pursue a career in hip-hop. He started rapping at the age of 13 after studying classic albums from DMX and Eminem. With the encouragement of his older brother, B.o.B started feverishly writing down anything and everything. “At the time, Joe Budden was poppin’ and my brother told me when Joe was 15 he used to fill up notebooks with rhymes,” says B.o.B “That lit off a light bulb for me and I was like damn, I need to do more than that. Then from seventh grade up to tenth grade, I just started filling up notebooks with lyrics. Then it got to the point where I was just writing them in my head.”

While still in junior high school, B.o.B formed a group with his cousin Swag, called The Klinic. The two young MCs were able to buy a simple studio set-up that included the beat-making program Fruity Loops. They quickly started crafting their own songs and performing at open mics around Atlanta. Their manager, B Rich, introduced them to a local ATL rapper named Playboy Tre of the Georgia Durt camp, and he taught the young’ns how to use his professional studio.

The Klinic continued to collaborate until their senior year of high school in 2006, when B.o.B’s cousin decided to leave home in order to attend college. Faced with a tough decision, B.o.B chose to continue rapping, this time as a solo artist. “I called my manager and was like, ‘I think I’m just going to start working at the mall for a little while and get some money so I can really start pursuing music like I want to,’” he remembers. “Him and Playboy Tre came by my house and were like, ‘Look man, we can get you a deal within a year, don’t give up!’”

In mid-September of ‘06, just two weeks after going solo, B.o.B performed at Club Crucial, where TJ Chapman, founder of the national DJ conference TJ’s DJ’s, was in attendance. After hearing the rap rookie perform “Cloud 9,” TJ was convinced he was in the presence of a star. “That was the first time I performed ‘Cloud 9′ and I got a standing ovation,” says B.o.B “TJ Chapman was amazed. He linked up with B Rich, who let him hear my music, and TJ wanted to be involved in the team.”

With the budding MC’s demo in hand, TJ, B.o.B and B Rich flew to Miami to meet platinum producer Jim Jonsin. After one listen, Jonsin offered B.o.B a spot on his label. On October 3, 2006, B.o.B signed to Atlantic Records through Jonsin’s Rebel Rock. “I’m really focused on painting a picture of myself as a musician and an artist and not just a rapper,” says B.o.B “I feel like I’m not just making rap music; I feel like I’m changing music, period.”

The gifted showman’s debut album, The Adventures of B.o.B, is a fascinating journey into the Atlanta artist’s far-reaching imagination. On the track “Not Alone,” a song B.o.B describes as an alternative rock chant, he touches on his pain as a child who was unable to fit in with his own peers. The Tombz-produced cut, “Camera,” explores the story of a young woman who chooses life as a stripper over a college education.

B.o.B continues to rap to the ladies on “Cyber Heaven,” where he claims his lovin’ will take them out of this world, while “Haterz Everywhere” featuring Rich Boy, a song that has flooded the South since its release in early 2007, proves his stronghold over the competition. B.o.B’s most honest reflection of his artistic intent comes on “Trippin’,” where he raps about using his craft as a therapeutic means of solving his feelings of eccentricity. “I feel like I have a really different perspective,” he says. “When I grew up it was really hard for me to figure out why I felt that way, like I really felt like I was from another planet. Now, it’s the opposite. All of that time I spent developing my talent and really analyzing myself, now I feel like I can express all of that and give all of my energy and love to the world.”

After producing the majority of his album by himself, and learning to play multiple musical instruments – including the piano, trumpet and French horn – B.o.B is destined to spread his message of creativity and empowerment through his music. “I just want to show people that there are endless possibilities of what you can do,” he says. “You don’t just have to be a rapper, you don’t just have to be a trapper; you can be anything you want to be and whatever you do, just love it and it will show.”

Alicia Keys

Nine-time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys returns with her long-awaited third studio album, As I Am, set for a worldwide release on November 13 on J Records. Within 10 hours of being serviced to radio, Alicia first single, “No One,” became one of the fastest moving and highest charting single on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. This also marks the highest first single debut for a female artist in 2007 on the R&B Monitor’s Urban Mainstream chart!
“No One” was written and produced by Keys, longtime collaborator Kerry “Krucial” Brothers and Dirty Harry. The Justin Francis/The Saline Project-directed video for “No One” was recently shot in LA and will premiere on national video outlets on September 17.

Her first studio album since the critically-acclaimed 2003’s The Diary of Alicia Keys, Alicia showcases her songwriting and producing talents on all 13 songs on As I Am, but also joins forces on several tracks with her longtime collaborator Kerry “Krucial” Brothers, award-winning songwriters Linda Perry, John Mayer, Harold Lilly, Sean Garrett and producers Mark Batson, Dirty Harry, Swizz Beatz and Jack Splash.

One of the few artists who can capture an old-school vibe and make if feel refreshingly new, Alicia tackles this feat once again with an album she describes as “Janis Joplin meets Aretha Franklin.” Punctuated with rich powerful vocals, Alicia’s vocal muses can be felt on songs ranging from the anthemic “Superwoman” and power-charged “Go Ahead” to the misty-eyed ballad “Like You Never See Me Again” and the soulful “Sure Looks Good To Me.”

Tonight on CBS’s Fashion Rocks, Alicia mesmerizes the audience with a soul-stirring performance of “The Thing About Love” from As I Am and joins the incredible Carlos Santana in an amazing duet of “Black Magic Woman.” Keys will also rock the MTV Video Music Awards on September 9 with a national televised debut performance of her new hit single “No One.”

Since the 2001 debut of Songs In A Minor, the New York native has built an unparalleled repertoire of hits and accomplishments with over 20 million albums sold worldwide! Songs In A Minor, which spawned her signature hit “Fallin,” sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and garnered five Grammy Awards including Best New Artist and Best R&B Album. Alicia’s follow-up disc, 2004’s The Diary of Alicia Keys, which is currently 7 times platinum, captured four Grammy Awards and featured the hits “If I Ain’t Got You,” “You Don’t Know My Name,” and “Karma.” With the 2005 release of Unplugged, which has sold 2 million copies, Keys became the first female R&B artist to have three consecutive #1 debuts on the Billboard 200 album chart in as many releases.

John Mayer

Clizbeats Artist of the month is John Mayer

John Mayer enrolled in the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of nineteen.  After two semesters, he chose to cut his studies short, and at the urging of his college friend and Atlanta native, Clay Cook, the two moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Quickly making a name for their two-man band, LoFi Masters, they began their career in earnest there, frequenting the local coffee house and club circuit in venues like Eddie’s Attic. Cook has said, however, that they began to experience musical differences due to Mayer’s desire to take the duo in more of a pop direction.  The two parted ways, and Mayer embarked on a solo career.

With the help of local producer and engineer Glenn Matullo, Mayer recorded the independent EP Inside Wants Out. Cook is also cited as the co-writer of many of the songs from the EP, most notably, Mayer’s first commercial single release, “No Such Thing”. The EP includes only eight songs, all with Mayer on lead vocals and guitars, with the exception of “Comfortable” in which Mayer only recorded the vocals. For the opening track, “Back To You”, a full band was enlisted, including the EP’s co-producer David “DeLa” LaBruyere on bass guitars.  Mayer and LaBruyere then began to tour throughout Georgia and the surrounding states.
Major label success

Mayer’s reputation began to build, and a March 2000 appearance at South by Southwest brought him to the attention of “launch” label, Aware Records. After including him in the Aware Festival concerts and having his songs included on Aware compilations, in early 2001, Aware released Mayer’s internet-only album entitled, Room for Squares. During that time, Aware inked a deal with Columbia Records that gave Columbia first pick in signing Aware artists, and so in September of the same year, Columbia remixed and re-released Room for Squares. As part of the major label “debut”, the album’s artwork was updated, and the track “3×5″ was added. The re-release also included reworked studio versions of the first four songs from his indie album, Inside Wants Out.

By the end of 2002, Room for Squares had spawned several radio hits, including “No Such Thing,” “Your Body Is a Wonderland,” and ultimately, “Why Georgia.” In 2003, Mayer won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Your Body Is a Wonderland.” In his acceptance speech he remarked, “This is very, very fast, and I promise to catch up.” He also figuratively referred to himself as being sixteen, a remark that many mistook to mean that he was only sixteen years old at the time.

In 2003, Mayer released a live CD and DVD of a concert in Birmingham, Alabama entitled, Any Given Thursday. The concert featured songs previously not recorded, such as “Man on the Side” (co-written with Cook) and “Something’s Missing”, which later appeared on Heavier Things. The concert also included “Covered In Rain”. According to the accompanying DVD documentary, this song is “part two” of the song “City Love”, which features the line “covered in rain”. Commercially, the album quickly peaked at number seventeen on the Billboard 200 chart. The CD/DVD received conservative, although consistent, praise, with critics torn between his pop-idol image, and (at the time) emerging guitar prowess. Erik Crawford (of Allmusic) asked “Is he the consummate guitar hero exemplified when he plays a cover of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s ‘Lenny’, or is he the teen idol that the pubescent girls shriek for after he plays ‘Your Body Is a Wonderland?’”

Heavier Things, Mayer’s second album, was released in 2003 to generally favorable reviews. Rolling Stone, Allmusic and Blender all gave positive, although reserved, feedback. PopMatters said that it “doesn’t have as many drawbacks as one might assume”. The album was commercially successful, and while it did not sell as well as Room for Squares, it peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. Mayer earned his first number one single with the song “Daughters” as well as a 2005 Grammy for Song of the Year, beating out fellow contenders Alicia Keys and Kanye West. He dedicated the award to his grandmother, Annie Hoffman, who died in May 2004. He also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, beating Elvis Costello, Prince, and Seal for the award. In his February 9 2009 interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Mayer said that he thought he shouldn’t have won the Grammy for Song of the year because he thought that Alicia Keys’ If I Ain’t Got You was the better song. Because of this, he removed the top half of the Grammy and gave it to Keys, and kept the bottom part for himself. At the 37th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2006, Mayer was honored with the Hal David Starlight Award.

Mayer again recorded live concerts across seven nights of his U.S. tour in 2004. These recordings were released to the iTunes music store under the title as/is, indicating that the errors were included along with the good moments. A few months later, a “best of” CD was compiled from the as/is nights. The album included a previously unreleased cover of Marvin Gaye’s song “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”, featuring a solo from Mayer’s support act—jazz and blues turntablist, DJ Logic. All the album covers of the as/is releases feature drawings of anthropomorphic bunnies.
January 2005, left to right: David Ryan Harris, John Mayer and Steve Jobs at Macworld 11, SF Moscone Center.

With increased exposure, Mayer’s talent came into demand in other areas. Steve Jobs invited Mayer to perform during the keynote address of Apple’s annual Macworld Conference & Expo, in January 2004, as Jobs introduced the software application GarageBand. The gig led to Mayer becoming a fixture of the event. He rejoined Jobs on stage for a solo performance at Macworld 2007, following the announcement of the iPhone. Mayer has also done endorsements, such as a Volkswagen commercial for the Beetle’s guitar outlet and for the BlackBerry Curve.

CBS confirmed on January 14, 2009 that Mayer is in negotiations with the station for a variety show. The details of the deal and the nature of the show are yet unknown.

Mayer has recently collaborated with Australian soul artist Guy Sebastian on three songs on his upcoming album “Like it Like That”. He also played guitar on the title track of Crosby Loggins’s debut LP, Time to Move, released on July 10, 2009.

On 7 July 2009, Mayer performed an instrumental guitar version of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” at Jackson’s memorial service.
Battle Studies

On August 24, 2009, Mayer posted on his official Twitter profile that his fourth studio album, Battle Studies, will be released November 17. The album consists of 11 tracks running 45 minutes long. The first single from the album, called “Who Says”, was released on September 24.