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"Waiting on the World to Change" is a song by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released as the lead single from his third studio album, Continuum (2006), on August 1, 2006. The song enjoyed commercial success as a single and won the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 49th Grammy Awards.
Music video
The music video for the song was directed by Philip Andelman and features Mayer walking along the East River while commissioned graffiti artists Futura, Tats Cru, and Daze spray paint messages relating to the song's content on New York City billboards.
Promotion and release
A limited-edition EP of "Waiting on the World to Change" was released that includes both the album version and a bonus, acoustic version featuring Ben Harper. The EP also is the only official source for the studio (electric) version of "Good Love Is On The Way", a live version of which was previously released on the live album Try! by the John Mayer Trio. This particular EP has only been made available through Best Buy and with the purchase of the Continuum album. An acoustic studio version of "Good Love Is on the Way" is also available on Mayer's EP entitled The Village Sessions, released on December 12, 2006 ("The Village Sessions" EP also contains the aforementioned Ben Harper acoustic version of "Waiting On The World to Change").
Critical reception
"Waiting on the World to Change" received mixed reviews from music critics. Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times called the song "a lovely and anger-free ode to a vaguely dissatisfied generation," while Matt Collar with AMG wrote that "Nobody — not a single one of Mayer's contemporaries — has come up with anything resembling a worthwhile anti-war anthem that is as good and speaks for their generation as much as his 'Waiting on the World to Change'". Rolling Stone called the opening track and first single "a moving apologia for Gen Y's seeming 'apathy'". Other reviewers commented on his progression as an artist; Tony Pascarella found the song "gives listeners, both old and new, an idea of how far Mayer has come. To be frank, this is no 'Your Body Is A Wonderland.' With Continuum, Mayer broadens his fan base by infusing a very blues and R&B-influenced sound." Not all reviews were glowing: Entertainment Weekly and the Los Angeles Times were both less than impressed, with the Times saying that, in the song, "his mood tightens up unpleasantly". Greg Kot in the Chicago Tribune also referred to the song (in his report on Mayer's appearance at the Crossroads Guitar Festival) as " the most spineless social-justice song ever written. It advocates a passive approach, whereas the song it most closely resembles — Curtis Mayfield's classic "People Get Ready" — urges everyone to get involved, or risk being left behind". Pitchfork found in the track "the gravitas of an infomercial but only a fraction of the soul", giving it the least grade.
Commercial performance
On February 22, 2007, it peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It stayed on the charts for 41 weeks. The single also reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, remaining on the chart for over a year. It is Mayer's most successful single (both in sales and chart positions). To date, in the US, the single has sold over two million digital downloads, becoming the 103rd song to top the two million mark in paid downloads. It is Mayer's first song to reach that plateau. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA, a distinction for downloads and sales in excess of one million. The song has found success internationally as well. It peaked at number 17 on the Australian ARIA Digital Singles Chart. It also peaked at number 36 on the New Zealand RIANZ Top 40 Singles Chart.
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