Although OneRepublic is popularly known as a rock band but the members like to define themselves as ‘genreless’- stating that they are always open to experimenting with new sounds. Moreover, another feature which sets OneRepublic apart from the contemporaries is that the band members keep rotating instruments which takes them beyond the limits of categorization and also opens them up to new styles.
OneRepublic’s Birth
OneRepublic is a brain child of Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins. The duo’s connection goes back to the time when they had not started making rock/pop hits yet. They met in 1996 while studying at Colorado Springs Christian High School and found a mutual interest in music. Moving to Los Angeles in 2003, they formed OneRepublic.
Fate Plays It’s Game
The duo started writing songs and soon caught the attention of Columbia Records and signed a deal with it. The deal did not work out well and the label dropped them after working on their debut release. It was a tumultuous time for the group which had by that time formed a lineup with Brent Kutzle on the bass, Drew Brown on guitars/keyboards and Eddie Fisher on the drums.
Right when the band felt they could not go further, their fortune took a turn when they decided to start posting songs on MySpace as a last-ditch effort. OneRepublic was back! The response on the website was wonderful, eventually reaching over 20 million plays.
Reaching the Top
OneRepublic’s success on MySpace caught the attention of many record labels, of which Timbaland’s Mosely Music Group was one. Timbaland liked “Apologize” in particular, remixed it and watched it go no. 1 on adult pop radio. And that’s where OneRepublic embarked on the fame train.
After their initial attempt back with Columbia Records, it was in 2007 that the band released a debut album. This album titled Dreaming Out Loud featured the international hit “Apologize” and earned them a Grammy nomination. The single “Stop and Stare” also achieved similar fame and the album was subsequently certified platinum by the RIAA. Their second album came out in 2009 spawning the hit singles “Good Life”, “Marchin On”, “Secrets” and “All the Right Moves”. More success came with their third and most recent release Native which made its way to the top ten Billboard 200 albums chart. “If I Lose Myself Tonight” and “Counting Stars” are the two super hit singles from the album.
The Ryan Tedder factor
Whatever musical setting the band has pursued, they have done really well in connecting with their fans. That makes sense because Ryan Tedder is a talented song-writer not only for his band but is also one of the most in-demand writers for other artists. Adele’s “Rumor Has It”, Leona Lewis’s “Bleeding Love”, Beyonce’s “Halo”, Kelly Clarkson’s “Already Gone” and Jennifer Lopez’s “Do It Well” are few of the songs written or co-written by Tedder; all among the chart-topping songs of the past decade.
The Live Experience!
One thing that is obvious in every OneRepublic concert is the level of energy that the band displays. They have not held themselves back from experimenting with new styles in their music. While the band’s first two albums had an inclination towards mid-tempo and ballads material, their third album has more of an up-tempo character. New style is an element that fans witness in their live concerts as well. Therefore, OneRepublic tickets always mean that there will be something exciting at the concert.