O.A.R. has transformed itself from an independent college band to a Billboard chart-topper over the course of a long, varied career. First, two of the band’s demo recordings were sold on university campuses. Then, news spread about the band’s roots rock and reggae-inflected songs, which owed much to the jam band genre. Before long, O.A.R.’s website had turned into a highly trafficked internet destination, and the group gradually left the college scene for the bright lights of national stardom. By the time their album Risen appeared in 2001, O.A.R. had earned enough buzz to hire producer John Alagia for the album, which went on to sell 60,000 copies without a major label. To appease its dedicated fan base, the group issued a popular live album, 2002’s Any Time Now, and signed a major-label deal for the release of 2003’s In Between Now and Then. The band then began climbing the Billboard charts with 2005’s Stories of a Stranger, a studio album that contained a pair of Top 20 Hot AC hits in “Love and Memories” and “Heard the World.” A third live offering, the CD/DVD set Live from Madison Square Garden, appeared in 2007. O.A.R.’s slickest album yet, All Sides, followed in 2008, and the four-disc live set Rain or Shine appeared one year later. Both were quite popular, with All Sides peaking at number 13 on the Billboard charts. Looking to repeat that feat, O.A.R. swung for the fences again with 2011’s King, which found the band reuniting with All Sides’ producer, Matt Wallace. They released The Rockville LP in 2014. O.A.R. continues to tour the world.
