The band achieved its first commercial success on Myspace as an unsigned act. In late 2002, after OneRepublic played shows throughout the Los Angeles area, several record labels approached the band with interest, but the band signed with Velvet Hammer, an imprint of Columbia Records. They made their first album with producer Greg Wells during the summer and fall of 2005 at his studio, Rocket Carousel, in Culver City, California. The album was scheduled for release on June 6, 2006, but the group was dropped by Columbia two months before the album was released. The lead single of that album, "Apologize", was released on April 30, 2006, on Myspace, eventually reaching number one on the Myspace charts.
In 2007, OneRepublic released their debut album, Dreaming Out Loud. Their lead single, "Apologize", was remixed by Timbaland, becoming a huge international success, reaching number one in sixteen countries and subsequently earning them a Grammy Award nomination. The second single, "Stop and Stare", mirrored its predecessor's success. The album was later certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The band's second album, Waking Up (2009), produced the singles "All the Right Moves", "Secrets", "Marchin On", and "Good Life", with the last reaching the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100.
OneRepublic's third album, Native (2013), became the band's first top ten album on the Billboard 200, and highest-charting album to date, charting at number four. The lead single, "If I Lose Myself", charted within the top ten in several countries, while the album's third single, "Counting Stars", became the band's most successful single in recent years, obtaining top-five placements in Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, the US, and the UK. This marks their highest-charting single in the United Kingdom to date. It also peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, matching the group's highest peak of "Apologize" in 2007.
On October 7, 2016, OneRepublic released Oh My My, their fourth studio album, featuring several collaborators, including Cassius, Peter Gabriel, and Santigold. Preceded by the singles "Wherever I Go", released on May 13, 2016, and "Kids", released on August 12, 2016, it was recognized as a change in their sound from previous albums by critics and by the band. In 2017, the band released the singles "No Vacancy", "Truth to Power", "Stranger Things" with Kygo and "Rich Love" with Seeb. Their fifth studio album, Human, was released in 2021. The band has sold approximately over 16 million records worldwide.
On November 1, 2021, OneRepublic released the song "Sunshine". The song is used as the theme song to the 2021 film Clifford the Big Red Dog.
In February 2022, OneRepublic released the song "West Coast". The song is the lead single from OneRepublic’s upcoming sixth studio album. The song is an ode to the American state of California and evokes classic 1960s California sounds, stemming from groups such as The Beach Boys and The Mamas and the Papas, along with inspiration from Gorillaz. It has been both a band favorite and a fan favorite for a long time, and it ultimately became a tone-setter for their sixth studio effort. They first started working on “West Coast” during the production process of their 2016 album, Oh My My, but ended up shelving it for later. An earlier version of the song was used for U2’s 2017 hit, “Summer of Love,” which actually turned the original demo into an anti-war track.
After years of anticipation and re-tooling, the final version of “West Coast” was officially made public on February 25, 2022.
On April 1, 2022, OneRepublic released "You Were Loved" as a single with DJ and producer Gryffin. On May 13, 2022, the band released "I Ain't Worried", the second single from the soundtrack for the film Top Gun: Maverick. It will also be featured on their upcoming sixth studio album which is rumored to be released by the end of the summer. On January 31, 2023, Ryan Tedder confirmed in The Great Creators with Guy Raz that he will upload song teasers on social media, and let the public choose the next single.
OneRepublic's varied style of music has been described by Ryan Tedder: "We're no respecter of genre. If it's a good song or a good artist whether rock, pop, indie or hip hop, they've probably influenced us on some level... nothing's new under the sun, we're a sum of a bunch of parts." Specific artists whom OneRepublic has cited as influences include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Beatles, U2, M83, and Prince.
OneRepublic has won several music awards and landed many nominations, including for American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, World Music Awards, and Grammy Awards. Separately, lead singer Ryan Tedder has won three Grammy Awards due to his songwriting credits for Adele and Taylor Swift.
Counting Stars
OneRepublic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Yeah, we'll be countin' stars
I see this life like a swingin' vine
Swing my heart across the line
In my face is flashin' signs
Seek it out and ye shall find
Old, but I'm not that old
Young, but I'm not that bold
And I don't think the world is sold
On just doing what we're told
I feel something so right
Doing the wrong thing
And I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be
We'll be countin' stars
Hey, yeah
I feel your love and I feel it burn
Down this river, every turn
Hope is our four-letter word
Make that money, watch it burn
Old, but I'm not that old
Young, but I'm not that bold
And I don't think the world is sold
On just doing what we're told
And I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie
Everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be
We'll be countin' stars
Oh
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be
We'll be countin' stars
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
The song is about dreaming big and chasing your dreams regardless of what people tell you. The lyrics talk about losing sleep over the possibilities of what could be, and praying hard to make those hopes become a reality. The singer sets their sights high, saying that they will no longer be counting dollars, but instead will be counting stars, a metaphor for reaching for the unreachable.
The second verse talks about the feeling of being torn between doing the right and wrong things. The singer acknowledges that everything that kills them (metaphorically) also makes them feel alive. They feel a burning desire to succeed, even if it means taking risks and defying the norm. The repetition of the chorus drives home the message that the singer is determined to chase their dreams, even if it means losing sleep over it.
Overall, "Counting Stars" is an inspirational song about never giving up on your dreams and striving for greatness, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
I have been constantly worrying and feeling anxious at night.
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
Imagining and hoping for a better future.
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Asking for guidance and help from a higher power.
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
We need to focus on something more valuable than money, like our dreams and goals.
Yeah, we'll be countin' stars
We will strive for success and reach for the stars.
I see this life like a swingin' vine
Life is unpredictable and we must navigate it like a swinging vine.
Swing my heart across the line
We must take risks and put our hearts on the line to achieve great things.
In my face is flashin' signs
There are signs and opportunities all around us if we pay attention.
Seek it out and ye shall find
If we actively search for what we want, we will find it.
Old, but I'm not that old
I have lived a long time, but still have much life ahead of me.
Young, but I'm not that bold
I may be young, but I still have doubts and fears.
And I don't think the world is sold
I don't believe that everyone is content with following the status quo.
On just doing what we're told
We should not blindly follow orders or societal norms.
I feel something so right
I feel a strong sense of purpose and direction.
Doing the wrong thing
Even though my actions may not seem right to others, they feel right to me.
And I feel something so wrong
Sometimes what others view as right doesn't feel right to me.
Doing the right thing
Even if it's difficult, I will do what I believe is right.
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie
I cannot pretend to be someone I'm not.
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
I am invigorated by taking risks and facing challenges, even if they are difficult.
Hey, yeah
An expression of enthusiasm and eagerness.
I feel your love and I feel it burn
Your love inspires and motivates me.
Down this river, every turn
The journey of life is like a river, full of twists and turns.
Hope is our four-letter word
Hope is a simple but powerful word that keeps us going.
Make that money, watch it burn
We should not become obsessed with money, as it can be fleeting and meaningless.
Everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly
Challenges and struggles can actually motivate me to strive for greatness.
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
I will learn from my mistakes and let them go, like objects sinking in a river.
Take that money, watch it burn
Money isn't everything, and sometimes it's better to let it go than to become consumed by it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ryan Tedder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Geneya Campbell
love this song..