The piano-based music of Augustana echoes Coldplay and the band's adult alternative vibe is reminiscent of Counting Crows. Augustana currently resides in California, but harks from southern Illinois, where they formed in 2002 while Dan Layus (vocals/keyboards) and Josiah Rosen (guitar) were both students of contemporary Christian music at Greenville College. Augustana released a duo of self-distributed CDs with their original lineup-Simeon Lohrmann (bass), David Lamoureaux (keyboard) and Kyle Baker (drums)-in 2003 but despite promising feedback from the full-length Midwest Skies and Sleepless Mondays and the EP Mayfield, the band decided to relocate to a less-conservative climate.

Augustana founders Layus and Rosen left their other bandmate's (and their education) behind and moved to Los Angeles, where they folded John Vincent (keyboard), Jared Palomar (bass) and Justin South (drums) into the group. The newly vamped Augustana landed a contract with major label Epic Records in 2005, who released All the Stars and Boulevards in September of that year. Despite a slow start, All the Stars and Boulevards spawned hit single "Boston," which appeared in an episode of smash sitcom Scrubs. Seeking to capitalize on the growing success of Augustana's major label debut, Epic released a limited-edition version of the album which included extra tracks and video content in September 2006; All the Stars and Boulevards graced the Billboard Top 40 nearly two years after its initial release.

When Rosen left Augustana to pursue a solo career in 2006, Chris Sachtleben (guitar/mandolin) was added to the lineup in 2008. Can't Love, Can't Hurt followed soon after, and delivered another batch of sentimental (yet not cheesy enough to be played during a particularly weepy scene on One Tree Hill, as "Boston" was) songs that showed Augustana to be a band worth watching.