OneRepublic: "Apologize"

Good pop music -- yes, such a thing exists -- requires good composition. A hook, a melody, a chorus, something memorable and satisfying. Songwriter, producer and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder seems to have found the magic formula.

Two of Tedder's songs found unprecedented radio success in the last few years. "Bleeding Love," which launched singer Leona Lewis onto the scene, reached number one in 34 countries in 2008. (The only other song to do that was Elton John's "Candle in the Wind," which is the second-best selling single of all time.) But that success was preceded by "Apologize," which was released by OneRepublic in 2006 and then remixed by Timbaland in 2007. The remix shattered radio play records, subsequently becoming one of the biggest pop songs of the decade.(Sidenote: Compare the original version of the song to Timbaland's remix. It's rare that we get a glimpse into a finished product that was revised and then positively exploded thanks to those changes. See, kids? Revision can be worth the time, tears and effort.)

Tedder also wrote Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone" and Beyonce's "Halo," among many others. With eight Grammy nominations (but no wins yet), he's posturing to be one of the most successful pop songwriters working today. Enjoy this stripped-down, beautifully pure performance -- free from the influence of auto-tune.

"Apologize," performed by OneRepublic.
Original on OneRepublic's "Dreaming Out Loud" (2006).