[8] Hawthorne started out as a member of the group Athletic Mic League (as DJ Haircut), based in Ann Arbor, before moving to Los Angeles in 2005.

[1][6] Originally the Mayer Hawthorne tracks were created for sampling purposes and for pleasure, but upon hearing them Peanut Butter Wolf insisted they be made into an album.

[14] Mayer Hawthorne is influenced by the music of Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry, Barry White, Steely Dan, Smokey Robinson and the songwriting and production trio Holland–Dozier–Holland.

[1][6][15] Taking umbrage at the notion that his is a purely "throwback" soul sound, however, Hawthorne also cites more contemporary artists, such as J Dilla, Hanne Hukkelberg, and Santigold, as significant influences.

The album has a vintage sound, which involves twelve '70s inspired tracks, filled with orchestral pop and funky bass lines—"I've taken what I can from the classic heroes of soul and updated it with the music I grew up listening to and loving like Public Enemy and Juan Atkins and Cybotron."

[18] Hawthorne's song, "Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'" was included in the fourth season of Ugly Betty in its finale episode, "Hello Goodbye".

An excerpt of "The Walk" was used in a Blue Moon beer TV commercial in 2017,[citation needed] and in Season 4 episode 10 of the Fox television series Fringe.