As the leader of the band One Republic, Ryan Tedder is the driving force behind their success. But did you know he is an accomplished songwriter who has successfully written hit songs for other artists? His talent for crafting catchy melodies and poignant lyrics has made him a sought-after collaborator in the music industry. Tedder’s ability to adapt his songwriting style to suit different artists has allowed him to work with a wide range of musicians across different genres.
The Oklahoma native got his start writing music back in high school. His first break would come after moving to Nashville after finishing college. Ryan landed on an MTV talent show where contestants had the opportunity to win a recording contract. Tedder would ultimately win this competition. However, the contract has yet to materialize. All was not lost as his stint on the show caught the ear of producer Timbaland. Ryan would end up working with Timbaland as his protege between 2002–2004. He had the following to say about this time:
“The good news is that Timbaland saw me on that TV show, and that’s where the Timbaland thing kicks in. He watched that show, and it took him a year, but he tracked me down… I was with him from 2002–2004 to develop as an artist, but it turned out to be more like going to school for producing. I was already producing for other artists at the time, but being with him for two years stepped up my game a thousand-fold.“
At the same time, Tedder’s band One Republic would be subsequently signed and dropped from a major label. The success of their music on the social media platform MySpace proved to be a springboard for their careers and bolstered his reputation as a hit song writer. The list of artists he’s written for is vast: Hilary Duff, Leona Lewis, Kelly Clarkson, Beyonce, Natasha Bedingfield, Adele, Taylor Swift, Gwen Stefani, Miley Cyrus, and Lady Gaga (among many others).
Here are some of the highlights of some of his biggest hits.
Leona Lewis
One of the earliest hits written by Tedder is fellow talent show winner Leona Lewis’s debut smash single “Bleeding Love.” Ryan wrote the song alongside teen pop star Jesse McCartney. He was inspired by Prince when shaping the song. While he was ecstatic about how the track came together, his label had a more lukewarm response:
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“I thought it was the biggest hit I’d ever written and gave it to the record label, and I — they straight up told me, this is not a hit record… And I literally thought, well, then I need to pick a new career because my ears are telling me that this is a really, really important song,” he added. “Long story short, I put the song on a five-song demo CD, handed it to another guy at a British record label that I had been working with for another artist.”
The song would make its way into the hands of Simon Cowell, who would pass it along to the then-recent X Factor winner Leona Lewis. With the powerhouse of Leona’s voice adding grandeur to this piece, it became an immediate international mega-hit for her. This wouldn’t be the last time the two would work together. Tedder would also write the lead single “Happy” off of Leona’s follow-up album Echo and several other tracks on that record.
Bleeding Love Video
Adele
Tedder and Adele have collaborated on two of her biggest albums, 21 and 25. The most notable track from their sessions is the hit single “Rumor Has It.” During a live performance in Manila, Ryan explained that the track was inspired by the anger she felt over gossip surrounding her personal life:
“She walked into a studio. She was really pissed off. She was in a bad mood. She was talking to her friends in London, and they were spreading all these rumors, saying, ‘I went to this house, and I’ve been with this person, and rumor has it, rumor has it’… ‘You did this, you done that…’ I said, you do the lyrics; I’ll do the melody.”
This wouldn’t be the only song to bloom during these writing sessions. The duo also penned “Turning Tables,” which he has stated felt special due to its emotionally evocative lyrics and sound. Both songs play into the drama that Ryan’s production is known for while solidly keeping with Adele’s famously retro soul tone.
Taylor Swift
Swift collaborated with Tedder for her first pop crossover album 1989. Taylor shared a clip of her original voice memos for the demos of “I Know Places” on the deluxe release of the album. Ryan brought the drama out of her tale of a tormented relationship. You can hear his trademark swelling bright sound in the song’s chorus.
Ryan also co-wrote 1989’s opening track “Welcome to New York,” a piece that strays a bit from his trademark sound. The song celebrates Swift’s love of the Big Apple and all the freedoms it allows. Unlike the more orchestral pieces he has written for Beyonce or Leona Lewis, this fully leans into the indie-pop/80s genre that Taylor aimed for on this record.
Welcome to Newyork vid or song
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Beyonce and Kelly Clarkson
Ryan’s songwriting created a similar sound on Beyonce’s 2008 “Halo” and Kelly Clarkson’s 2009 hit “Already Gone.” Both songs have nearly the same chord pattern throughout the tracks. Clarkson hinted that Ryan might have been lazy and simply reused the structure of Beyonce’s hit song for her own.Tedder had the following to say about this remark:
“‘Already Gone is one of the best songs I’ve written or produced since Bleeding Love and stands tall on its own merits apart from Halo. They are two entirely different songs conceptually, melodically, and lyrically and I would never try to dupe an artist such as Kelly Clarkson or Beyonce into recording over the same musical track, the idea is both hurtful and absurd. When people hear Already Gone, they will hear what I hear — one of the greatest female vocalists on earth giving her most haunting and heart-breaking performance on a song she helped write. I challenge people to listen and form their own opinions.”
Regardless of their similarities, Beyonce and Kelly bring their flavors to each of these songs, making them distinct in the emotions they are trying to convey. Halo seeks to provide a protective energy that gives a holy vibe to the underlying sound. In contrast, Already Gone has a much more heartbroken tone as Clarkson mourns the loss of this relationship. Kelly’s performance brings the drama out of the strings.
While Tedder could have easily recorded many of these songs himself, he has a few surprises. The sultry dark pop sound of Hilary Duff’s 2008 single ‘Reach Out’ comes to mind. An interpolation of the Depeche Mode song ‘Personal Jesus,’ this song sees Duff beckoning for her lover’s touch.
He also co-wrote several songs for Miley Cyrus‘s 80s rock-influenced album Plastic Hearts (including the title track).
Ryan has won several Grammys for his production/songwriting on albums like Adele’s 21 & 25 and Taylor Swift’s 1989. Tedder continues to be a powerhouse producer and songwriter for Ava Max, Machine Gun Kelly, and John Legend. He also continues to release his work with his band One Republic. Check out our special playlist of Tedder’s top non-One Republic songwriting credits, and grab the full list here.
