Waiting on the World to Change

] "Pitchfork Media" found in the track "the gravitas of an infomercial but only a fraction of the soul", giving it the least grade. [Strew, Roque (August 16, 2006). [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/track_review/37871-waiting-on-the-world-to-change "Track Reviews"] Retrieved May 1, 2008.]

Commercial

On February 22, 2007, it peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. It has stayed on the charts for 41 weeks.] The single also reached #1 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Chart, remaining on the chart for over a year. It is Mayer's most successful single (both in sales and chart positions). To date, in the U.S., the single has sold 1,650,493 in digital downloads. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA, a distinction for downloads and sales in excess of one million. The song has found success internationally as well. It peaked at #17 on the Australian ARIA Digital Singles Chart. It also peaked at #36 on the New Zealand RIANZ Top 40 Singles Chart.

Chart performance

Appearances in the media

The song's theme of discontent in world conditions, but optimism for future change, contributed to its use in many television programs, movies and charity events. The song was chosen as accompaniment to shows about world conditions, including "The Oprah Winfrey Show", "7th Heaven", and a "20/20" special actually titled "Waiting on the World to Change". The Deaf Performing Artists Network ( [http://www.d-pan.com/index.html? D-PAN] ), an organization that raises awareness for performing art of the deaf, produced a video showing people signing ASL interpretations of the song intermixed with a montage of deaf civil-rights images.

"Waiting on the World to Change" was also featured on several competition shows. Sanjaya Malakar (in 2007) and David Archuleta (in 2008) chose to sing the song on "American Idol". Likewise, "Australian Idol" contestant Dean Geyer made it his selection in a 2006 episode. But most prominently, choreographer Wade Robson choreographed a dance routine to an abbreviated version of the song for the third season of the US version of "So You Think You Can Dance".

The single was heard in the 2007 comedy film "Evan Almighty", starring Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman, and on the seventh season premiere of "". On July 7, 2007, Mayer performed the song at Live Earth, changing the lyrics to "we're "not" waiting on the world to change" to reflect the proactive nature of the event. Mayer also performed a brief acoustic version of the song on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" on July 12, 2007 on the recurring 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien Summer Concert Series', a spin-off on the popular 'Today Show Summer Concert Series', also on NBC.

On April 12, 2008, on a episode of Saturday Night Live, Ashton Kutcher parodied the song on the sketch The Mellow Show.

The song is regularly used as a "bumper" on the Air America radio program "Ring of Fire" starring Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mike Papantonio.

On September 29, 2008, TV Legend Susan Lucci danced a Rumba to the song on Dancing with the Stars.

Awards won

*Grammy: "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" for "Waiting on the World to Change", 49th Grammy Awards (2007).

References

External links

* [http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=B657B2AE-E677-4F3C-941B-09F53D992E5E&f=34/64&fg=copy Live "Waiting on the World to Change" performance] , on MSN.com
* [http://www.d-pan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=45 D-PAN music video with ASL accompaniment] , on D-PAN.com
* [http://music.yahoo.com/John-Mayer/Waiting-On-The-World-To-Change/lyrics/35651001 "Waiting on the World to Change"] lyrics, at Yahoo! Music