OneRepublic is an American pop rock band. Formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2002 by vocalist Ryan Tedder and guitarist Zach Filkins. The group achieved commercial success on Myspace.
In late 2003, after OneRepublic played shows throughout Los Angeles, several record labels became interested in the band, but eventually OneRepublic signed Velvet Hammer.
They made their first album with producer Greg Wells in the summer/fall of 2005 at his Rocket Carousel studio in Culver City, California. The album was originally scheduled to be released on June 6, 2006, but the unexpected happened two months before the album's release. The first single of this album "Apologize" was released in 2005. He received some recognition on Myspace in 2006.
History of the creation of the OneRepublic group
The first step in the formation of OneRepublic was back in 1996 after Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins became friends while in high school in Colorado Springs. On the way home, when Filkins and Tedder discussed their favorite musicians, including Fiona Apple, Peter Gabriel and U2, they decided to form a band.
They found some musicians and named their rock band This Beautiful Mess. A phrase that first gained cult fame a year earlier when Sixpence None the Richer released its award-winning second album, This Beautiful Mess.
Tedder, Filkins & Co. did some small gigs at the Pikes Perk Coffee & Tea House with friends and family in attendance. The end of senior year, and Tedder and Filkins broke up, each going to different colleges.
Meeting old friends for success
Reunited in Los Angeles in 2002, Tedder and Filkins renamed their group under the name OneRepublic. Tedder, by then an established songwriter and producer, convinced Filkins, who was living in Chicago, to move. Nine months later, the band signed with Columbia Records.
After several lineup changes, the band finally settled with Tedder on vocals, Filkins on lead guitar and backing vocals, Eddie Fisher on drums, Brent Kutzle on bass and cello, and Drew Brown on guitar. The band's name was changed to OneRepublic after the record company mentioned that the Republic name might cause controversy with other bands.
The band worked in the studio for two and a half years and recorded their first full length album. Two months before the album's release (with the debut single "Sleep"), Colombia Records released OneRepublic. The band began to gain notoriety on MySpace.
The band has attracted the attention of several labels, including Mosley Music Group Timbaland. The band soon signed to the label, becoming the first rock band to do so.
First Album: Dreaming Out Loud
Dreaming Out Loud was released in 2007 as their first studio album. Although they were still new to the game, they turned to established musicians such as Justin Timberlake, Timbaland and Greg Wells. Greg helped produce entire songs on the album.
Justin teamed up with Ryan writing the hit "Apologize" which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and gave them worldwide exposure as he ruled multiple singles charts around the world. The success of "Apologize" intrigued Timbaland to remix the song and added it to his own "Shock Value" part 1 recording.
Since that time, Ryan has been writing and producing songs for other artists. Among his works: Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love", Blake Lewis "Break Anotha", Jennifer Lopez "Do It Well" and many others. As for the band itself, they were involved in Leona's 2009 song "Lost Then Found".
Second album OneRepublic: Waking Up
From "Dreaming Out Loud" they moved on to the next project. In 2009 they released another studio album "Waking Up" and tour with Rob Thomas.
“There will be more uptempo songs on this album compared to the last one. I think when you're touring as much as we've been doing the last three years, not only will you want to put out songs that excite people, but you'll also need your own live set. Our goal is to make the music we love and always make it 'amazing' for everyone else," Ryan told AceShowbiz exclusively about the album's content.
The album, Waking Up, was released on November 17, 2009, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard 200 and eventually selling over 500 copies in the US and over 000 million worldwide. The first single "All the Right Moves" was released on September 1, 9, reaching number 2009 on the US Billboard Hot 18 and being certified 100x Platinum.
On the wave of success
Secrets, the second single from the album, reached the top five in Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and Poland. It also topped the US Pop Pop Music and Adult Contemporary charts. As of August 2014, it has sold almost 4 million copies in the US. In addition, it reached number 21 on the Hot 100. The song has been used in television series such as Lost, Pretty Little Liars and Nikita. Also in the science fiction film The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
"Marchin On", the album's third single, reached the top ten in Austria, Germany and Israel. However, it was the fourth single "Good Life" that became the group's most successful song, especially in the US. Released on November 19, 2010, it became their second top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at number eight. It has sold over 4 million copies in the US alone. The single was certified 4x platinum.
Rolling Stone placed the song on their list of the 15 Greatest Songs of All Time. Waking Up was later certified Gold in Austria, Germany and the US. Since then it has sold over 1 million copies worldwide.
Third album: Native
On March 22, 2013, OneRepublic released their third studio album, Native. With this, the group marked the end of a three-year break in creativity. The album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200. It was a top 10 album in the US with first week sales of 60 copies. It was also their best sales week since their debut album Dreaming Out Loud. The latter sold 000 copies in its first week.
"Feel Again" was originally released as a single on August 27, 2012. However, after the album's delay, it was renamed to a "promo single". The song was released as part of the "Save the kids from bumps" campaign, where a portion of the proceeds from sales will be donated. It peaked at number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It only reached the top ten positions in Germany and the US pop chart.
The single was later certified Platinum in the US. The song was featured in the official trailer for The Spectacular Now. The album's first single "If I Lose Myself" was released on January 8, 2013. It reached the top ten in Austria, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland. But it only reached number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has since been certified Gold in Italy and Australia.
Big group tour
On April 2, 2013, the band embarked on The Native Tour. It was a promo for an album that was going to be released in Europe. The band has performed live in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The 2013 North American Tour was a co-headlining tour with singer-songwriter Sarah Bareil. The 2014 summer tour was a joint tour with The Script and American songwriters. The tour ended in Russia on November 9, 2014. A total of 169 concerts took place and this is the band's biggest tour to date.
The album's fourth single, Something I Need, was released on August 25, 2013. Despite little promotion for the song after its release due to the late and unexpected success of Counting Stars, the song still managed to top the charts in Australia and New Zealand.
In September 2014, OneRepublic released the video work for "I Lived". It was the sixth single from their album Native. Tedder noted that he wrote the song for his 4-year-old son. The related video raises awareness of cystic fibrosis by showing 15-year-old Brian Warneke living with the disease. A remix was released for the Coca-Cola (RED) AIDS Campaign.
Fourth album
In September 2015, it was confirmed that the band's fourth upcoming studio album would be released in early 2016. At one of Apple's media events held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on September 9, Apple CEO Tim Cook ended the event by introducing the band for a surprise performance.
On April 18, 2016, the band posted a letter on their website and they set a countdown to May 12 at 9pm. They started sending out postcards to fans all over the world saying that the single from their 4th album would be titled "Wherever I Go". On May 9, OneRepublic announced that they would be releasing their new song on May 13.
OneRepublic at The Voice Finals
They were featured guests at the final of The Voice of Italy on May 25, 2016. Also played at MTV Music Evolution Manila on June 24th. On BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Exeter on Sunday 29 May.
On May 13, 2016, their single "Wherever I Go" from the new album was released on iTunes.
OneRepublic's varied music style was described by Ryan Tedder as follows: “We don't support any particular genre. If it's a good song or a good artist, whether it's rock, pop, indie or hip hop... It's probably all influenced us on some level... nothing is new under the sun, we're the sum of all these parts."
The band members cite The Beatles and U2 as a stronger influence on their music.
The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. The following year, while touring with the Fitz & the Tantrums and James Arthur, the band released a standalone single, "No Vacancy", with a Latin tinge, featuring Sebastian Yatra and Amir.
After several standalone singles released in 2017, OneRepublic returned in 2018 with "Connection", the first single from their upcoming fifth studio LP. The second single "Rescue Me" followed in 2019.
Human album presentation
Human is the band's fifth studio compilation. The album was released on May 8, 2020 by Mosley Music Group and Interscope Records.
Band member Ryan Tedder announced the release of the album back in 2019. Later, the musician said that the recording of the album would have to be postponed, since they would not physically have time to prepare it.
The lead single Rescue Me was released in 2019. Note that he took an honorable third place in the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100. The composition Wanted was released as the second single on September 6, 2019.
The musicians presented the composition Did't I in March 2020. The band members recorded a video clip for the track. A month later, another track of the new disc was presented. We are talking about the song - Better Days. All the funds that the musicians received from the sale of the album, they donated to the MusiCares Covid-19 charity.
OneRepublic group today
In early February 2022, the band's live album was released. The collection was called One Night In Malibu. The show of the same name took place online on October 28, 2021.
At the concert, the band performed 17 tracks, which included compositions from their new full-length album. The show was broadcast worldwide.
