It's Ok To Like Jason Mraz!

I call them the three J’s: John, Jack and Jason. Even with their differences, most people of my generation would group them together into one genre of music. Critics might call it barefoot crap. They claim that whether barefoot or wearing flip flops, these artists and their followers are too laid back and do not fully appreciate true music. On a more positive note, the use of guitar and smooth vocals of all three have helped them achieve a mainstream sound. They are John Mayer, Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz.



Music, like fine art or literature, has its positive attributes but it also comes with the cultural elite. These individuals boast about their music collections and how many bands they can name. They refuse to listen to mainstream music and dismiss musical genres they do not approve of. Generally, these are also the people that would deem the music of the three J’s to be garbage. They say that John Mayer is successful because he is a heartthrob, that the only place Jack Johnson’s songs should ever be played is on the beach and that Jason Mraz is just following in the footsteps of the former two. In fact, my roommate, one of the music snobs I’m referring to, went even further saying that Jack Johnson’s music should not be played anywhere, ever.

We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. (2008), Jason Mraz’s latest album, is proof that both the barefoot critics and the cultural elite are wrong. This album offers twelve tracks that will have the listener fully engaged; upon my first listen, I found myself only skipping one song. His most successful single to date “I’m Yours” is an enjoyable listen with a Hawaiian sounding motif backing up his melodic vocals. This song, like his others, is recognizable from his first word because of his distinctive sound, one of the true marks of an artist.

One of two duets on the album, “Lucky” with Colbie Caillat, is relaxing with a jazzy tempo. With “Butterfly”, the listener is compelled to dance to its upbeat rhythms and rhymes and with “Live High”, Mraz effectively employs a reggae sound and a powerful gospel choir.

Sadly, the death of the album and the rise of Internet music storefronts have limited exposure to an artist’s bibliography. In 2009, a member of my generation is more inclined to buy or download an artist's most famous single as opposed to purchasing the entire album. Therefore, the public larely identifies Jason Mraz with “I’m Yours”, making him the sappy, love song singer that all girls want. In turn, they do not know the Jason Mraz that sings about divorce, environmental awareness and the complexities of human relationships.

When researching Jason Mraz’s influences, reggae, jazz, hip-hop, gospel and pop were all listed. That he seamlessly blends these genres into his songs is one of the things that make him successful. With Mraz, you get a little bit of everything and that’s what my generation is looking for. In these challenging economic and political times, we are looking for innovation and stability. We’re always searching for the newest technological updates but still want our technology to do the core functions we depend on. Thus, Jason Mraz, with his success at achieving a hybrid of musical flavors, is a perfect choice for our generation. And for all of you haters and teenage boys out there: it’s ok to like Jason Mraz!