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.
Light It Up
OneRepublic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And let it roll out over the fields
You take your time and watch it crawl
Like you're the big shot symphony
But oh what would you say if I told you 'the pitch is wrong' with a smile?
I took a trip to wonderland gonna get you nowhere by a mile
I, I could light it up for you
We, we ain't got a shot to lose
Put it on but fade it out tell you that you weren't enough
Acting like your favorite drug, raise a cup
We can light it up,
We can light it up
I took a shot and missed the mark
Well every single day I multiply
A million drums of kerosene
Baby, like a hotel in the sky
I just want to see all the sparks you're trying to hide
Let's take a trip to wonderland, we can just tune this fire tonight
I, I could light it up for you
I, I could light it up for you
We, we ain't got a shot to loose
Put it on but fade it out
Tell you that you weren't enough
Acting like your favorite drug, raise a cup
We can light it up
We can light it up
The lyrics to OneRepublic's song "Light It Up" talks about a person's desire to ignite a spark in their life and the lives of those around them. The opening lines, "Like a stone you watch it fall and let it roll out over the fields, you take your time and watch it crawl like you're the big shot symphony" refers to someone who sits back and observes the world around them, almost like they're conducting a symphony. However, they're not doing anything to improve their situation or the situation of others. The singer then adds a playful challenge to this person, asking what they would do if told that their "pitch is wrong" with a smile, implying that this person needs to work on their attitude and actions if they want to see positive change.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I could light it up for you," with the singer alluding to the fact that they are ready to help this person ignite a spark or make a change. They state that "we ain't got a shot to lose," highlighting that the only way to move forward is to take risks. However, despite the potential for failure, the importance lies in trying rather than not trying at all. The bridge of the song details the singer taking a shot and missing the mark, but still pushing forward with an overflow of energy and creativity. They want to see the sparks that this person is hiding and encourages them to come on this journey with them to "wonderland," which could signify a place where creativity and new ideas thrive.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a stone you watch it fall
You are observing something crumble like a stone.
And let it roll out over the fields
You do not interfere when something goes wrong and leave it to nature to take its course.
You take your time and watch it crawl
You are a spectator while problems continuously grow worse.
Like you're the big shot symphony
You are behaving as if you are in control of everything, like an orchestra maestro.
But oh what would you say if I told you 'the pitch is wrong' with a smile?
How would you react if I pointed out that you are mistaken with a smile?
I took a trip to wonderland gonna get you nowhere by a mile
Going on an adventure might not get you any closer to where you want to go.
I, I could light it up for you
I have the power to better your situation.
We, we ain't got a shot to lose
We have nothing to lose by trying to make things better.
Put it on but fade it out tell you that you weren't enough
Even though you tried, you failed, and now it is time to move on.
Acting like your favorite drug, raise a cup
Behaving as if everything is alright while drinking your problems away.
We can light it up,
We can make things better.
I took a shot and missed the mark
I attempted to fix things, but it did not work.
Well every single day I multiply
Every day, the issue gets bigger and harder to ignore.
A million drums of kerosene
The problem is volatile and can turn explosive at any moment.
Baby, like a hotel in the sky
The problem is dangerously high up and could become disastrous if ignored for too long.
I just want to see all the sparks you're trying to hide
I want to uncover the real issues and resolve them once and for all.
Let's take a trip to wonderland, we can just tune this fire tonight
If we work together, we can solve this problem and make things better.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: BRENT MICHAEL KUTZLE, RYAN TEDDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnmath95
One of their most underrated songs.
@gracejacobs1711
saw them live last night and they opened with this. most exciting moment of my life captured in music. love them.
@crazedspidermonkey
Me TOO!! Beyond awesome. The shadows on the curtain. So smart. Go Cinci.
@gracejacobs1711
I agree, It was breathtaking!
@violajones7193
Grace Jacobs they did that for me it was amazing was there with my best friend and we had the time of our lives!
@clockchest186
I know right!!! they were amazing!!! Ryan was having such a good time... it was a great experience for me!! The Script was with them and did amazing aswell ^_^
@violajones7193
yeah the script opened for us too haha
@Martha-xc9fr
Ugh, the way the song ends is amazing! :)
@joeltop2914
That's the only reason I listen to this song :)
@retcon1991
Onerepublic aren't usually my kind of thing, but this tune is stunning - far and away the best of the album, for me. I appreciate, though, that this really isn't their kind of thing, either. I'd love to see more of this style, though.