Heavier Things, Eagerly-Awaited New Album From Grammy Winner John Mayer, Debuts at #1 on Billboard Top 200 Album Chart

Aware/Columbia Records -- Heavier Things, the eagerly-awaited new album from the Grammy-winning Aware/Columbia recording artist John Mayer, has debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 best-selling albums chart with first week's sales of more than 315,000 pieces. The album is also #1 on the Top Internet sales chart.

John Mayer will perform songs from Heavier Things on his upcoming cross-country fall tour headlining arenas and other major venues, which will include his first concert at New York's Madison Square Garden (see itinerary following).

John Mayer will make his first appearance on "Saturday Night Live," during the Emmy Award-winning program's 29th Season Premiere on Saturday, October 4, to be hosted by Jack Black. He will follow-up his SNL premiere with an appearance on CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" scheduled to air on Friday, October 10. ABC's "Primetime Thursday" is scheduled to air a piece on John Mayer on Thursday, September 25.

Entering the chart at #1, Heavier Things is the third John Mayer album currently in the Top 200, joining his triple platinum breakthrough Room For Squares (released in 2001, it's now at #55, having peaked at #8 in March 2003) and his platinum-certified live album, Any Given Thursday (currently at #183). The chart-topping debut of Heavier Things is driven in part by the radio success -- it's been #1 on the AAA chart for three weeks and is bulleting up the Top 40 -- of John's new single, "Bigger Than My Body." A music video for "Bigger Than My Body," directed by Nigel Dick, is currently in "The Big Ten" on MTV. From September 2-9, John Mayer fans were able to preview Heavier Things online at MTV.com's "The Leak," where the album was streamed a record- breaking 1.3 million times.

In a four star rave review of John's new album in Rolling Stone (October 2, 2003), music writer James Hunter observes that, "With his follow-up, Heavier Things, Mayer offers an equally available yet more sophisticated album ... Most of these tracks proceed more subtly, with an emphasis on interior life ... These songs have no trouble lifting off when they want: 'Someday I'll fly,' Mayer sings in 'Bigger Than My Body,' propelling a chorus that's pure radio bliss ... Mayer's new methods swirl into unusual majesty."

John Mayer and Heavier Things are the subject of a New York Times (September 14, 2003) piece, authored by music critic Jon Pareles, entitled "Romantics of the Road: The Next Generation." "While Mr. Mayer's earlier songs were often on the verge of melting into boudoir ambience, all warm and fuzzy," points out the New York Times piece, "his new ones have more backbone and more substance."

                   John Mayer Fall Tour 2003 Itinerary

   10/08/03  Montreal, QC             Metropolis
   10/13/03  Dublin, Ireland          Vicar Street
   10/17/03  Koln, Germany            Kantine
   10/18/03  Berlin, Germany          Columbiafritz
   10/19/03  Munich, Germany          Elserhalle
   10/22/03  Stockholm, Sweden        Klubben
   10/23/03  Copenhagen, Denmark      Vega
   10/31/03  State College, PA        Bryce Jordan Center
   11/01/03  Rochester, NY            Blue Cross Arena
   11/03/03  London, ONT.             John Labatt Centre
   11/04/03  Ottawa, ONT.             Corel Centre
   11/05/03  Toronto, ONT.            Air Canada Centre
   11/08/03  Ames, IA                 Iowa State Center, Hilton Coliseum
   11/09/03  Iowa City, IA            University Of Iowa, Carver Hawkeye
   11/11/03  Columbia, MO             University Of Missouri-Columbia,
                                      Hearnes Center
   11/12/03  Omaha, NE                Qwest Center
   11/14/03  Oklahoma City, OK        Cox Convention Center
   11/15/03  Little Rock, AR          Alltel Arena
   11/16/03  Austin, TX               Frank Erwin Center
   11/18/03  Tallahassee, FL          Leon County Civic Center
   11/19/03  Birmingham, AL           Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center,
                                      Coliseum
   11/21/03  Atlanta, GA              Philips Arena
   11/23/03  Richmond, VA             Richmond Coliseum, Arena
   11/24/03  New York, NY             Madison Square Garden
   11/26/03  Baltimore, MD            1st Mariner Arena
   11/28/03  Chicago, IL              Allstate Arena
   11/29/03  Auburn Hills, MI         Palace Of Auburn Hills, Arena

SOURCE: Aware/Columbia Records

CONTACT: For more information on John Mayer - Angelica Cob Baehler of
Columbia Records Media, Santa Monica, +1-310-449-2508,
Angelica_Cob@sonymusic.com; Tour press - Dana Goldstein of On The Road Public
Relations, New York, +1-212-535-6829; Fax: +1-212-988-6359,
dana@ontheroadpr.com; or online press - Lisa Yvette Linder of Sony Music
Online Services, New York, +1-212-833-6666, Lisa_Linder@sonymusic.com

Web site: http://www.johnmayer.com/
http://www.local-83.com/
http://www.columbiarecords.com/