Career
Ondrasik's first album, Message for Albert, was released by EMI in 1997. Capitol Records then re-released this album after the success of America Town.
Originally, Aware Records' Mark Cunningham was a big fan of Five For Fighting and made initial contact with Ondrasik. Cunningham then passed on Ondrasik's demos to the label's new A&R Steve Smith. Smith loved the recordings and after a discussion with Aware head Gregg Latterman, they met with Ondrasik and set up a deal shortly afterwards in partnership with Columbia Records. His second album, America Town, was released on September 26, 2000. The album had impact, but specifically "Superman (It's Not Easy)" topped the charts, reaching #1 on Hot Adult Contemporary, #2 on Adult Contemporary, #3 Triple A, and #14 on Billboard's Hot 100. It is also Billboard 's #7 most played Adult Contemporary song and the #21 most played song of the decade at Hot AC. The hit single eventually became an anthem after the September 11 attacks where Ondrasik went on to perform the song at The Concert for New York City in late 2001. Five for Fighting also contributed a live performance version of the song to the charity album Live in the X Lounge IV.
While America Town did not reach the top 50 of the Billboard 200 album charts, the album's second single, "Easy Tonight", became a #1 Triple A song and consistent album sales eventually led to its going platinum.
His third album, The Battle for Everything, debuted at #20 on the Billboard 200 in February 2004. It included the single "100 Years", which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and stayed at #1 for 12 nonconsecutive weeks. "100 Years" also reached #6 on AAA song charts. In October 2009, The Battle for Everything was RIAA certified Platinum.
Two years later, the album Two Lights was released; this became his first career Top 10 album, debuting at #8 on the Billboard 200 in August 2006. Its first single, "The Riddle", became Ondrasik's third career Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #40. It reached #3 on AC charts and #7 on Hot AC charts. The second single, "World", reached #14 on Hot AC and the music video has been used to raise funds for various charities (see Philanthropy below).
On the weekend of January 27 and 28, 2007, Ondrasik filled in for radio host Casey Kasem on the American Top 20 (where he counted down to his own hit "World"), and American Top 10 (where he counted down to his own hit "The Riddle").
His fifth studio album, titled Slice, was released on October 13, 2009, and appeared on the iTunes Top 10 Albums on the first day. The album was produced by Gregg Wattenberg ("Superman," "100 Years"). Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz, who penned the songs for musicals such as Wicked, Godspell and Pippin, co-wrote the title track, as well as the track "Above The Timberline."
On July 21, 2009, the first single from his album Slice, called "Chances," was released for download. The music video for the single debuted on VH1.com on September 22, 2009. The video shows the story of two teenagers falling in love, while Ondrasik narrates (sings) to the story. It was directed by Steven Drypolcher (Beyoncé, Kanye West, Boyslikegirls) and produced by Partizan. In November 2009, "Chances" was featured in the end credits of the hit movie The Blind Side. The song also appeared in the TV series The Vampire Diaries, and in a promotional video package from WWE for Shawn Michael's 2011 WWE Hall of Fame induction.
On May 27, 2010, John Ondrasik announced that he had left Columbia Records and his album Slice would be re-released on Wind-Up Records along with the song "Slice" being released as a single in July 2010.
On February 20, 2011, Five For Fighting performed at the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic in Calgary, with the Calgary Flames facing off against the Montreal Canadiens.
Ondrasik was named a Top 5 AC and a Top 10 Hot AC artist for the 2000s. He has twice collaborated with Sandra Boynton, recording a song each for her Dog Train book and CD in 2005, and her Blue Moo album in 2007.
With over 2.5 million albums sold and America Town and The Battle for Everything both achieving Certified Platinum status, John Ondrasik continues to write and perform, even writing and co-writing music for other artists, including The Backstreet Boys and Josh Groban. He has also contributed to movie soundtracks such as August Rush, We Were Soldiers, Chicken Little, and Everyone's Hero, and in 2008 Ondrasik wrote and recorded the song "Brothers in Arms" for the award winning documentary film Brothers at War.
In May 2012, John stated in a news update on Five For Fighting's official website that he would spend the summer writing new music for his next album, expected in 2013, as well as continuing to write articles for the Los Angeles Kings.
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