John Mayer Parts Ways With Columbia Records After 21 Years

John Mayer has announced he is leaving Columbia Records after more than 21 years.

“After 21 years, eight studio albums, and some wonderful personal and creative relationships, I have decided not to renew my recording agreement with Columbia Records,” the musician wrote on Instagram on Friday. “Hard as it is to say goodbye, I’m excited to pursue new avenues of making music, both on my own and with other artists.”

John Mayer signed with Columbia Records in 2001 after he played South by Southwest. All eight of his studio albums are with the Sony subsidiary. “I love music more than ever, and I believe some of my best work still lies ahead. With gratitude and enthusiasm, John,” the singer signs off on the announcement.

John Mayer was nominated for 19 Grammys and earned a total of 7. He’s currently on his Sob Rock tour across the United States, which he says is a bit of a sh*tpost of an album. Speaking with Zane Lowe on the Apple Music 1 channel, Mayer says the album is the music equivalent of what internet denizens call ‘being bad on purpose.‘

“It’s called Sob Rock because it’s a shitpost. But more importantly, it’s what I thought was a shitpost, and this gets down to where artists sit in front of you and play you what they think is their garbage. And you go, ‘that’s the best thing I ever heard you play.’”

“It makes a mockery of their interpretation of the experience,” Mayer continues. “Which is just enough to break out of the mold and make something unique.” That something unique will be Mayer’s last album with Columbia Records, it turns out.

John Mayer may have been hinting that he was looking at greener pastures in the same interview. “I’m only interested if I get to put new paints on the canvas,” he said of making music. “This one’s called Sob Rock because you just would never have imagined that was the name of the record.”