Studio Album · No. 4

Battle Studies Songwriting Credits by John Mayer

2009 Columbia Records 11 tracks 46 min

Produced by John Mayer, Steve Jordan  ·  Engineered by Chad Franscoviak, Manny Marroquin, Michael H. Brauer, Joe Ferla, Greg Calbi

Columbia Records Pop RockBlues RockSoft RockSinger-Songwriter
91%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether John Mayer carries a lyricist or composer credit.

91%
10 trackswritten by John Mayer 1 trackoutside writers
John Mayer's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist91%
Composer91%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
2
Lyricists
2
Producers
2.6 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
2009
Released

Awards & Recognition 2

Best Pop Vocal Album (2011, Nominated)
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (2011, Nominated)
Data Insight

John Mayer wrote nearly all of Battle Studies, again co-producing with Steve Jordan as he had on Continuum. The two exceptions are the Robert Johnson cover 'Crossroads' and 'Half of My Heart,' which features a guest vocal from Taylor Swift. The album leans on themes of heartbreak and romantic conflict, framed by Mayer's blues-inflected pop-rock songwriting. Chad Franscoviak handled engineering, with mixing split among Manny Marroquin, Michael H. Brauer, and Joe Ferla.

Battle Studies came out on Columbia in November 2009 and opened at number one on the Billboard 200 with 286,000 copies in its first week. Mayer wrote all eleven songs except the Robert Johnson cover "Crossroads," and Taylor Swift sings on "Half of My Heart."

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Heartbreak Warfare #34
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)
2
All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)
3
Half of My Heart #25
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan Taylor Swift
4
Who Says #17
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)
5
Perfectly Lonely
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)
6
Assassin
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)
7
Crossroads
Robert Johnson Robert Johnson John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)
8
War of My Life
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)
9
Edge of Desire
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)
10
Do You Know Me
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)
11
Friends, Lovers or Nothing
John Mayer John Mayer John MayerSteve Jordan John Mayer (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 4 contributors

JM
John Mayer
Writer · Producer · Vocals
On this album10 written
RJ
Robert Johnson
Writer
On this album1 written
SJ
Steve Jordan
Producer
On this album11 produced
TS
Taylor Swift
Performer
On this albumGuest

More from John Mayer

2001 100%
Room for Squares
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2003 100%
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2006 92%
Continuum
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12 tracksProd. John Mayer
2012 100%
Born and Raised
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2013 82%
Paradise Valley
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2017 100%
The Search for Everything
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2021 100%
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Frequently Asked Questions Battle Studies

Did John Mayer write Battle Studies?
Yes. John Mayer wrote nearly every song on Battle Studies. The exceptions are 'Crossroads,' a cover of the Robert Johnson blues standard, and 'Half of My Heart,' which he wrote but recorded as a duet with Taylor Swift. Mayer also co-produced the album with Steve Jordan.
Who produced Battle Studies?
Battle Studies was co-produced by John Mayer and Steve Jordan, the same pairing behind Continuum. Chad Franscoviak engineered the record, with mixing handled by Manny Marroquin, Michael H. Brauer, and Joe Ferla.
Is Half of My Heart a duet with Taylor Swift?
Yes. 'Half of My Heart' features Taylor Swift on guest vocals. Written by John Mayer, it reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
Is Crossroads on Battle Studies a cover?
Yes. 'Crossroads' on Battle Studies is a cover of the blues standard written by Robert Johnson. It is one of only two songs on the album not written solely by John Mayer.
What was the lead single from Battle Studies?
'Who Says' was the lead single from Battle Studies, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. It debuted at its peak position and became one of John Mayer's top-20 hits.
Did Battle Studies win any Grammys?
No. Battle Studies received two Grammy nominations at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011, for Best Pop Vocal Album and for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance ('Half of My Heart'), but did not win either.
How many copies did Battle Studies sell?
Battle Studies sold around 2.6 million copies worldwide and was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA in the United States. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with about 286,000 first-week copies.

Sources

Wikipedia: Battle Studies (album) Wikipedia: Who Says (John Mayer song) Wikipedia: Heartbreak Warfare Wikipedia: Half of My Heart MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: Battle Studies by John Mayer