Not many can claim a spot in the Top 20 most-watched YouTube videos of all time, but OneRepublic’s “Counting Stars” has earned its spot with over 4 billion views on the platform. While the world easily embraced the track as an instant hit, the band’s journey to individual success wasn’t so straightforward.

For OneRepublic lead singer Ryan Tedder, "Counting Stars" wasn't just a single; it was a make-or-break moment for the band. Reflecting on the pressure they were under at the time, Tedder shared on Variety's Behind the Song , "We thought our first two singles were a failure and this was our last chance." Tedder felt strongly about the song itself: "I put ['Counting Stars'] on the album for a reason," he recalled.

The journey began when Tedder was in the middle of making music for another major pop star. “I started [‘Counting Stars’] at a camp in the Hamptons, writing for Beyoncé,” he says. “It was her self-titled album, and I did the lead single on that album, called ‘XO.’ A lot of times, when I’m put in a space where I’m focusing on another artist, I write my own story, because that’s what I’m drawing from.”

This mix of personal inspiration and professional opportunity laid the foundation for what would become one of OneRepublic’s most popular songs. Despite the win, Tedder’s relationship with his own voice is complicated. “I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with my own voice,” he admits. “The first two albums, I didn’t like how pop it sounded; it drove me crazy.”