John Mayer Addresses Criticism That ‘Waiting on the World to Change’ Was 'Too Passive'
John Mayer Addresses Criticism That ‘Waiting on the World to Change’ Was 'Too Passive'
Meredith WilshereSat, April 25, 2026 at 8:29 PM UTC
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John MayerCredit: John Shearer/Getty -
John Mayer reflected on writing 'Waiting on the World to Change' during an event in Philadelphia
The song, which won a Grammy, faced mixed reviews for its perceived passivity and message of inaction
Mayer joked about the song's relevance today, comparing its message to waiting for roadside assistance to arrive
John Mayer isn't waiting for people's minds to change.
During the opening concert of HISTORYTalks in Philadelphia on April 17, a member of the audience requested that Mayer, 48, play his 2006 hit Waiting on the World to Change.
While the song is beloved, Mayer noted that it received mixed reviews for its perceived passivity when it first came out.
“It is a good idea. Sound and responsible,” Mayer replied. “A lot of people thought it was passive. It was too passive.”
In the song, Mayer sings about his generation's feelings of helplessness and subsequent inaction, which he attributes to a lack of power, amid turmoil in the world.
During the event, Mayer explained that people handle stressful situations differently, noting that while some people like to do things themselves, others look to professionals for help, using an analogy of car troubles to drive home the message.
“If your car broke down, or let's say you got locked out of your car, and somebody walked up to you and said, ‘Why can't you get in your car? What are you doing right now?'" he said. "And [you reply], ‘I'm waiting for AAA.' "
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John MayerCredit: Emma McIntyre/SiriusXM’s SmartLess Live/Getty
He continued, "Sometimes there are some people who say, 'Why don't you just smash through the window and just unlock it inside of the car?' Some people go, ‘Just wait for your roadside assistance.' "
"Theoretically, now, I wrote that song 20 years ago. AAA hasn't shown up," he added, seemingly alluding to the fact that we are still waiting for government leaders to step up.
Jokingly, he ended, “John Mayer makes an incisive remark at the 250th anniversary [of the United States].”
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John MayerCredit: Frazer Harrison/Getty
Waiting on the World to Change was released on July 11, 2006, as a lead single off Mayer's third studio album, Continuum.
When the song came out, it got mixed reviews, with The New York Times saying it was a “lovely and anger-free ode to a vaguely dissatisfied generation," while Pitchfork wrote, “Preaching the gospel of non-action and civic apathy, the song has the gravitas of an infomercial but only a fraction of the soul.”
Still, the song was Mayer's best-performing single in both charts and sales. He also won the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
