10 Overly Hated Musicians In Rock History
2. John Mayer
On the smoother side of rock, John Mayer pretty much checks every box for what gets on people's nerves the most.
There are probably several artists out there who won't even bring themselves to listen to the man's music because of his 'frat guy who plays guitar' demeanor that he has at the worst of times. Once you strip away the pretentiousness though, we actually have a musical monster on our hands here.
As much as Mayer's pillowy soft rock seems too simple to be taken seriously, he actually has some genuine musical chops, being a graduate of the music institute of Julliard. Along with an intense knowledge of theory, the work he has done with the electric and acoustic sides of the guitar is unparalleled, with licks that contemporaries like Jack Johnson wish they could pull off effectively.
Especially on his album Continuum, John teaches a masterclass on how to make perfect guitar based pop songs, all while keeping things amazingly intricate on songs like Stop This Train and The Heart of Life. Even as late as the 2010's, Mayer has started to come around on some fans, turning in time with the Grateful Dead and churning out his own brand of bluesier hard rock music.
If all you know from this guy is Your Body is a Wonderland, dig up those later albums and prepare to be amazed.