OneRepublic had been working behind the scenes for some time--especially in the form of frontman Ryan Tedder's songwriting and production work for the big-name likes of Hilary Duff, Ashley Tisdale, and Jennifer Lopez--before being thrust into the limelight in 2007 when producer Timbaland put one of Tedder's tracks on his SHOCK VALUE solo release. The song was a hit, and later that year OneRepublic released its full-length debut. The album boasts a strong collection of pop-rock material in the vein of Coldplay, highlighted by Tedder's strong singing and knack with a melody. "Say (All I Need)" and "Apologize" are standouts.