Logan Henderson also said he was selected 'very early on,' after creator Scott Fellows took interest in him after seeing his role in the Disney Channel pilot Life Bites. A 'nationwide' talent search was conducted, with the directors embarking on four national casting tours, visiting major cities 'from LA to New York to Florida to Texas.' According to James Maslow, he was the very first actor and singer to audition, and he followed the process throughout the entire two-year span. The casting for Big Time Rush spanned over two years. Scott Fellows, who had previously created the Nickelodeon live-action series Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, pitched a series 'with musical elements,' that would be a co-production with Sony Music and feature original songs created for the show.
In 2007, Nickelodeon formed an agreement with Sony Music to collaborate on future music and television projects.