With a self-described musical style of "the stuff your dad likes", the band signed to Big Cat Records in 2003, recording their debut album This is the Tomb of the Juice which was released in 2004. They were named "Hope for 2004" at the 2004 Meteor Awards. In 2005, the singles "Comeback Girl" and "You Know It" received significant airplay on Irish radio. Republic of Loose's second album Aaagh!, released in April 2006, reached number two in the Irish Albums Chart, achieving platinum sales and a Choice Music Prize nomination in the process. It spawned several more successful singles, including "Break" which achieved notoriety in South Africa where a radio station banned it following complaints regarding its allegedly explicit lyrics. Vol IV: Johnny Pyro and the Dance of Evil, Republic of Loose's third album, was released in 2008. That album produced their highest chart performer to date, "The Steady Song", which peaked at number twelve and stayed in the Irish Singles Chart for thirteen weeks.
Having earned the admiration of several musicians, including members of Snow Patrol and U2, as well as Sinead O'Connor—with whom they have recorded, released and performed a duet at the 2008 Meteor Awards—, the band have had their music played on radio stations in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. The Irish Times placed them at number thirty-seven in a list of "The 50 Best Irish Acts Right Now" published in April 2009, referring to them as "one of Ireland's most original bands" led by "the gruff singer with the extraordinary soul voice [...] simultaneously channelling the spirits of James Brown and James Joyce in one fell swoop. Aside from U2 and Bell X1, they are the Irish band with the most airplay in their native country.
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