Pop-rock quintet OneRepublic released their new single, “Counting Stars” on Oct. 8 off their new album, Native. The song, written by lead-singer Ryan Tedder, has already topped the UK chart at #1, and climbed its way up to #8 on the US Billboard Top 100.  Noel Zancanella, a producer who helped create other songs like the band’s hit, “Good Life,” recorded the track. The song begins with a slow tempo, but soon progresses into an upbeat, neo-soul melody that carries on until the end. It features an assortment of drums and tambourines, complementing Tedder’s soulful vocals. The lead chorus includes a background gospel-like choir singing “take that money, watch it burn/sink in the river the lessons I’ve learned,” and includes lyrics like “lately, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard/ said no more counting dollars we’ll be counting stars.” The record was inspired by the band’s struggles with money before their rise to fame. With lines like “Old, but I’m not that old/young, but I’m not that bold/and I don’t think the world is sold, I’m just doing what we’re told.” It speaks strongly to young people who dream big but do not always have the financial means of reaching their goals. The music video to the track includes the band playing in what seems like an old and murky cellar. Above the cellar, a religious revival service is taking place and an alligator roams around the empty bathroom. The video ends when one of the participants jumps in a frenzy, bringing the whole ground caving into the cellar. The band has performed the song on shows such as the Ellen Degeneres Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Their new album is available for download on iTunes and their international tour for Native begins in November and will go on until February, 2014.