The polls still pop up. Usually John wins, because he's the most famous and got the most fans. So, how would the results be if it was entirely up to me?
Points can be earned in 3 categories:
· Talents: Playing & Singing (1 point);
· Their Songs (2 points; each sub category 1 point):
- Musical;
- Lyrics;
· Personality & Publicity (2 points; each sub category 1 point):
- Personality;
- Publicity.
There's a total of 5 points to be earned. The one earning the most points out of 5 wins.
TalentsPlaying & SingingJohn Mayer is amazing on guitar, but tends to suck at singing. He tries and sometimes he surprises me, but usually not so much.
Jason Mraz is an amazing vocalist, but his guitar playing is not impressive. I usually got the feeling the guitar really only is a tool to back his vocals up, so he doesn't try too hard to evolve in that area.
Still, I have to reward 1 point to Jason, cause Jason's guitar playing is bearable where John's singing sometimes really isn't.
Jason 1 versus John 0.
Their SongsMusical
John Mayer is more developed in a greater variety of sounds. He also tends to be edgier, but usually it only lasts for a few songs per period. He has written a few songs which are incredibly good in quality; I dare to say these are timeless. Unfortunately, he also writes quite a few songs which disappear easily.
Jason Mraz tries on a great variety of musical styles, but tends to get stuck at the simple (sounding) love songs and happy tunes. Especially a lot of his new songs sound alike. Jason can be a really fun songwriter and takes you to a party, but the songs don't last. Sometimes he's edgy, but usually the edginess of it is superficial and underneath lies another happy (love) tune.
I have to chose quality over quantity; John gets this point.
Jason 1 versus John 1.
Lyrics
John wrote some of my all time favourite lyrics; really clever ones in which just anyone could find something they understand and love.
Jason wrote some clever lyrics. The difference lies in where the lyrics are clever; where John writes stuff anyone can relate too, Jason can describe one situation in 100 different ways, making it sound poetic. He even manages to give double meanings to sentences or make seemingly meaningless sentences mean something really grand.
Still I'm going to have to give John the point, because I find myself relating more to his lyrics than to Jason's. Tough choice though, because I really admire the way Jason can play tricks with words and make his message come across.
Jason 1 versus John 2.
Personality and PublicityPublicity
John Mayer dated Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Aniston; all ladies in brighter spotlights than he is. His tendency to date those women gives the suspicion he dates them for the benefit of his career; for the attention. Obviously, that's a big No-No.
John is able to deal with the press well, but regularly fails, because the press takes the liberty to misunderstand. I'm pretty sure John hates certain aspects of the image the press made of him.
Jason Mraz hardly is in the publicity. Whenever he is, it's because he released an album, a single or a book of pictures, or he gives a concert. There's no news, not even gossip about who his new love interest might be. He's only seen in briefs and with a big ass knife, because he posted it himself on his blog. So tongue in cheek, it was obvious this was worth a buzz, not a rumour. Jason handles everything he puts out into the open, and especially to the press, so well and smart, there's nothing that could be turned and twisted into a rumour. Jason already took the edge off for you or handed it to you edgier than you can pass it on to anyone else.
Obviously, one point to Jason for knowing how to deal with people and especially with the press.
Jason 2 versus John 2.
Personality
John is a weird guy with a wicked kind of sense of humour. He's often misunderstood, because he tends to express himself a little too strong or chooses the wrong words. John is an attention seeking guy, somehow. Even though he makes a lot of social mistakes, he's not dumb; on the contrary, I believe he's actually pretty smart. John understands his own choices and he's aware of his social awkwardness. John doesn't follow without understanding, but thinks for himself.
Jason is a bit of a follower; he's an eternal victim of fashion. But because he is, he understands completely why people do certain things and what they're trying to do, and he's smart enough to tap in on it. Beside that, Jason is very passionate about his latest choice of fashion and other people see and feel that and want to feel the same way as Jason does. Even though I hate how he follows without completely understanding, I love how passionate he is about it and how he brings that passion on to others even though it leads others into doing stupid things. His not completely understanding, however, is a big No-No.
Half a point to John Mayer for being nothing but himself and the other half to Jason Mraz for inspiring people to do the right things and being passionate about it.
Jason 2 1/2 versus John 2 1/2.
So, who wins?I don't know.
In my opinion, neither is better than the other. They both got their talents and use them well. They both got their personality issues, but who doesn't? I love them both for doing what they do in their own way. I love how they believe in their ways and how passionate they are about it. And of course, I love their music; I am a fan after all.
13 comments:
Thank you so much for reading.
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sorry but I don't agree in the first point. Mraz is more famous than John. I'm from Spain and I live in Germany. Neither Spain nor Germany know him, sorry mate
Anyway, interesting comparison. Good work
I suppose Mraz is a little more famous in Europe now, cause he already did that huge European tour; the one Mayer is doing now.
I must say I based that statement on facts that were true before 2008 (and before I'm Yours was officially released). In 2007 that statement would have been valid.
Damn, Mraz roze fast!!!
I entirely disagree with your opinions. Mayer has a far more developed sense of musicality than Mraz any day. And in my opinion is far more vocally talented too. The popularity point might be debated either way. Mraz's chart busters like 'I'm yours' and 'Lucky' made him super popular. But Mayer on the other hand has 4 multi platinum disks which have won him 7 Grammy Awards as compared to Mraz's two. I don't care much about awards but it just shows that Mraz is not as established as Mayer. And Mayer's ability on the guitar is not comparable to anything on Mraz's side. But that said Mraz's style focuses more on simplicity.
IMO both are TREMENDOUS artists that bring some fresh material always. But at this standpoint John Mayer is a step in the front with amazing original songs like Gravity, Neon, Your Body is a Wonderland, Waiting On The World To Change, Belief, Why Georgia and many others. He just brings more to the plate with a variety of songs.
If you read this blog propperly, you'll find we agree on more points than you think. However you made a few points I would like to adress.
Concerning popularity I think at this moment, in Europe, it's a draw. Both artists have a very loyal following and are reasonably famous over here. I don't know where you are located, but I'm speaking from a Dutch point of view, which is pretty much the only point of view I can really speak from. How many awards(Grammys) either one has won I left out and with that the question of who is most established on which I happen to agree with you.
Maybe John may sound fresher than Jason, but when I look back into music history I can see and hear John's influences. He's not that much more fresh than Jason, if he is. Jason's problem is, some of his stuff never makes it to the foreground very much. That probably has to do with how established he is, I don't know. I just know to me, Jason brings as much exciting and fresh material to the table as John does. I hear it, maybe you haven't?
There's only one point we strongly disagree on, the vocal abilities. I feel Jason is far superior in the vocal area compared to John.
Oh, and thank you for reading my blog; I'm flattered.
Yeah but aside from all the playing and songs, look up interviews of the two of them. Jason Mraz couldn't be happier where he is in life and is traveling and actually living, while John Mayer is having some sort of a cowboy-crisis. Since his Battle Studies era he seems to be one of the most lost and depressed celebrities out there. Don't get me wrong, I love John Mayer but Jason Mraz has love and is happy, and that's all that counts in the end. Not who had more radio hits or interviews.
Musicmattl, that's really cool and grande (or maybe not in John's case) but it was not something I took in account when I was writing this piece. As a person outside their personal lifes, as a fan, I am only really interested in their career, not in their personal lifes. That does include how they handle press and fans, not how happy or depressed they are. I simply left that out not only because I'm not interested, but because I feel I can't judge about their personal lifes, nor is it any of my business. Of course I wish them both well, but if one or both of them get depressed than there's nothing I can do about it but pray they will get through the hard times. And if they disappear out of music business because they're busy living a happy family life, then I wish them well and will be disappointed not to hear new music from them. At that point, my fandom just stops, cause I'm fan of their music, not necessarily of their lifestyles.
Also, this blog was written before/around the Battle Studies era (if you can call it an era at all). So anything that happened to either one of them afterwards is not taken in account either...logically.
Oh, and thnx for reading my blog and for the comment. I'm very flattered, after all this time, it's still read. Thank you!
I also think Jason Mraz is more famous than the John Mayer. In terms sing ging, I do agree with you, Jason is better, in addition, I feel his voice is unique and fresh as well. But when I listen Mayer, I don't feel that feeling. Sounds like 80's, that is totally my personal opinion. So, my vote for Jason,but I have to say you compared them very well. Keep it up.
you describe mraz's guitar playing only as 'bearable' - he is a great guitar player and his rhythm is excellent... watch his right hand a bit closer, some of the picking he does is very technical.
Hello David Cain, thanks for your comment.
That's right, I described it as "only" bearable. I did that because I was comparing it to John's singing, which sometimes isn't bearable.
Also, over the years, Jason has become better at guitar playing. I can't quite remember where on the scale of quality-guitar-playing he was when I wrote this post. So...
BTW, Jason had already won that point. I'm not entirely sure why you decided to comment on that.
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