OneRepublic were formed by Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins in 2002. They met in their senior year in high school in Colorado Springs. Before making music under the moniker OneRepublic, they formed a band called This Beautiful Mess and played one talent show but broke up after a week. They vowed to spend their time and energy sharpening their skills as musicians and songwriters before making another leap into band life again. 

"Most bands they play for years and they suck," Ryan said. "They figure out writing on the back end if they figure it out at all. I always wanted to know that as long as I was alive, I could write the kind of songs that would be hits so I would have a career."