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 OneRepublicβs 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 βWest Coastβ 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 U2βs 2017 hit, βSummer of Love,β which actually turned the original demo into an anti-war track.
After years of anticipation and re-tooling, the final version of βWest Coastβ 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.
Mercy
OneRepublic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where did you read my story?
Pulled from the papers, desperate and hurting
Seeking a momentary fix
All I wanted to say, all I wanted to do
Is fall apart now
All I wanted to feel, I wanted to love
A tragedy I fear
Angel of mercy, how did you find me?
How did you pick me up again?
Angel of mercy, how did you move me?
Why am I on my feet again?
I see you
Whoa whoa whoa
I feel you
Whoa whoa whoa
Fortress of daylight
Caught me on standby
Waiting to catch the quickest plane
To fly me to nowhere
It's better than somewhere
That's where I've been and nothings changed
All I wanted to say, all I wanted to do
Is fall apart now
All I wanted to feel, I wanted to love
It's all my fault now
A tragedy I chose
Angel of mercy, how did you find me?
How did you pick me up again?
Angel of mercy, how did you move me?
Why am I on my feet again?
I see you
Whoa whoa whoa
I feel you
Whoa whoa whoa
I'm so lost in you
A tragedy, it seemed to be over now
A tragedy, it seemed to be over now
Angel of mercy, how did you find me?
How did you pick me up again?
Angel of mercy, how did you move me?
Why am I on my feet again?
I see you
Whoa whoa whoa
I feel you
Whoa whoa whoa
I feel you
Oh oh whoa
I feel you
Oh oh oh
The song "Mercy" by OneRepublic talks about the singer's struggle with their own flaws and mistakes. They feel desperate and hurting, seeking a momentary fix to ease their pain. Then, an "angel of mercy" finds them and picks them up, moving them forward and helping them get back on their feet. The singer reflects that they just wanted to fall apart and feel loved, but it was all their fault, acknowledging their mistakes and the tragedy that they have chosen. The chorus repeats the question of how the angel of mercy found and helped them, expressing gratitude and an almost spiritual connection between them.
Line by Line Meaning
Angel of mercy, how did you find me?
Asking how the person who helped him feel better after a difficult time found him in the first place.
Where did you read my story?
Wondering how the person who brought him relief knew so much about his struggles.
Pulled from the papers, desperate and hurting
Indicating that the difficulties he faced were written about in some way.
Seeking a momentary fix
Acknowledging that he was looking for a temporary solution to his pain.
All I wanted to say, all I wanted to do
Is fall apart now
All I wanted to feel, I wanted to love
It's all my fault now
A tragedy I fear
Describing his emotional state as full of pain and self-blame for something tragic that he's afraid of happening.
How did you pick me up again?
Wondering how someone else gave him the strength to recover from his struggles.
Angel of mercy, how did you move me?
Asking how the person who helped him feel better was able to have such a significant impact on him.
Why am I on my feet again?
Asking how he was able to find the energy to keep going and move forward after such a difficult time.
Fortress of daylight
Caught me on standby
Waiting to catch the quickest plane
To fly me to nowhere
It's better than somewhere
That's where I've been and nothings changed
Describing the struggle of feeling trapped and stagnant, even though he's been trying to make progress.
A tragedy I chose
Taking ownership of the tragic things that have happened to him or the mistakes he's made, rather than blaming anyone else.
I'm so lost in you
Referring to the person who helped him recover as being his new anchor or guiding light.
A tragedy, it seemed to be over now
Feeling like he's escaped or overcome his previous difficulties.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Andrew Brown, Ryan Tedder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JuniorGarcia007
Angel of Mercy
How did you find me?
Where did you read my story?
Pulled from the papers
Desperate and hardened
seeking a momentary fix
All I wanted to say
All I wanted to do
Is fall apart now
All I wanted to feel
I wanted to love
Its all my fault now
A Tragedy I fear
Angel of Mercy
How did you find me?
How did you pick me up again?
Angel of Mercy
How did you move me?
Why am I on my feet again?
And I see you
Whoa Whoa Whoa
I feel you
Whoa Whoa Whoa
Before just the daylight
Come and I stand by
Waiting to catch the quickest plane
Fly me to nowhere
it's better than somewhere
That's where I've been and nothing's changed
All I wanted to say
All I wanted to do
Is fall apart now
All I wanted to feel
I wanted to love
Its all my fault now
A Tragedy for sure
Angel of Mercy
How did you find me?
How did you pick me up again?
Angel of Mercy
How did you move me?
Why am I on my feet again?
And I see you
Whoa
I feel you
Whoa
I'm so lost in you
A tragedy seemed to be over now
A tragedy it seemed to be
Angel of Mercy
How did you find me?
How did you pick me up again?
Angel of Mercy
How did you move me?
Why am I on my feet again?
And I see you
whoa
I feel you
Whoa
I feel you
Oh Whoa
I feel you
Oh Oh Oh
@onerepublicmore5621
I can't really understand why this song is so underrated.
@ShubhiRofiddinsa
this song was actually a hit on 2007 where they released their first-studio album.
underrated? for 2015 yes, you know, songs nowadays only suitable for partying (or for remix of other DJs and stuff), where this song probably has a deeper meaning (also a great tune).
@clementmukundji5526
OneRepublic&More
Onerepublic is Great
@mercymusinguzi3375
You don't have to have the world enjoy great stuff with u. Just love it for you. Am sure One republic feels appreciated by you regardless.
@bartholomewmontgomery2494
Didnt know 10 million is under rated
@jamesgo8454
Me too
@km111lms
The songs in this album are literally all good! Literally....
@renzorey1705
It is
@karyllelanguido128
β€
@witneyh9353
This is the real Onerepublic.. All people know them for is "counting stars" and "Kids" but this is their roots.. It makes me so sad that bands have swapped meaningful lyrics for EDM style music where the song writing is weak and compensated for by studio noises. I wish people would listen to these old songs again where the lyrics are so beautiful and meaningful... I hope music will return to being about passion and not selling albums.