The Blueprint of Modern Pop-Rock: A Look Back at John Mayer’s Room for Squares
The album’s success was anchored in Mayer’s ability to bridge the gap between the casual listener and the studied musician. Unlike many of his pop contemporaries, Mayer was a guitarist first, heavily influenced by the complex voicings of Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King. However, on Room For Squares, he restrained his blues chops in service of the song. This decision resulted in a collection of tracks defined by "ear candy" melodies and distinct guitar motifs. The iconic opening riff of "No Such Thing" or the rhythmic pulse of "Neon" demonstrated a level of technical proficiency rarely seen in mainstream "Pop" at the time. Mayer proved that a song could be commercially viable without sacrificing musical integrity, introducing a generation of teenagers to complex chord extensions and fingerstyle techniques. John Mayer - Room For Squares -2001 Pop- -Flac ...
"Neon": Famed among guitarists for its difficult thumb-and-index finger picking pattern and complex jazz chords. The Blueprint of Modern Pop-Rock: A Look Back
Background