Onerepublic - Counting Stars (official Music Video) | 2025-2026 |

The official music video for OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" is a visual exploration of the song's themes of ambition, spirituality, and the rejection of materialism. Filmed in , the video's striking imagery and symbolic narrative helped it become the first video by a band to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube. Production & Setting

The lyrics contrast the literal stress of "counting dollars" to pay bills with the figurative "counting stars," which represents dreaming, hope, and finding meaning beyond material wealth. OneRepublic - Counting Stars (Official Music Video)

OneRepublic performs the track in a run-down, leaky basement surrounded by hanging bulbs. This setting represents the "mundane" or corrupted world. The official music video for OneRepublic's "Counting Stars"

It was the first video by a band to reach 1 billion views (achieved on November 2, 2015) and currently has over 4.2 billion views , ranking it among the top 20 most-viewed videos on the platform. OneRepublic performs the track in a run-down, leaky

Shot on May 10, 2013 , in the basement of a historic African American church (reportedly the second-oldest in the US) in New Orleans, Louisiana . Release Date: Premiered on May 31, 2013 .

As the music reaches its peak, the ceiling collapses, and a man from the upstairs congregation falls through the floor into the basement. This "breakthrough" represents the collision of the spiritual and material worlds, suggesting they are interconnected and eventually influence one another. Song Meaning

An alligator prowls through the basement where the band is playing. Interpretations suggest it represents the inherent danger and predatory nature of a world focused on "counting dollars".