The Chicago based band, together for a decade, is still on a road of self-discovery. Formed during Tom's teen years when he saw his life laid out before him at Chicago's famed Metro club, the band built a steady following over the years and miles. They were invited to the Warped Tour (three times), opened for bands like Jimmy Eat World, and released two indie CDs their 2002 debut, Stop and 2005's All That We Needed.The band signed with Hollywood Records, releasing Every Second Counts in 2006 and putting "Hey There Delilah" out as a single. The track hit #1 on Billboard and iTunes (becoming one of very few songs ever to log  more than 3 million downloads), propelled the CD into a worldwide hit, and earned the band two Grammy nods, Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals."I remember the first time we got a glimpse of what was happening," Tom recalls. "We were in Milwaukee for a summer festival, we walked onstage and there were at least 20,000 people there to see us.  We did those kinds of shows all summer. There were screaming girls pounding on the car windows. It was incredible" The band went on to conquer Europe, where "Hey There Delilah' also became a #1 hit in several countries."It's easier now in a way," says Tom, reflecting on the group's success. "When you start a band and take it seriously, you basically give up a normal life. You barely see family and friends. The success makes the trade off worth it."Still, the Plain White T's remain happily unsatisfied. "We've grown up, and learned more and more with every record about the band that we are and the band we want to be," adds Tom. "When we record now, we're listening more for character than perfection."With Big Bad World, the Plain White T's put that goal to the test. It's hard to argue they didn't pass.  Tom Higgenson and his bandmates are betting, at least in their corner of pop culture, it's not such a big bad world after all.