The Fray – American Rock Band from Denver
Essay Preview: The Fray – American Rock Band from Denver
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The Fray is an American rock band from Denver, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King, they achieved mainstream success with the release of their debut album, How to Save a Life in 2005, which was certified double platinum by the RIAA and platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. The Fray achieved national success with their first single, “Over My Head (Cable Car)”, which became a top ten hit in the United States. The release of their second single, “How to Save a Life”, brought the band worldwide fame. The song charted in the top three of the Billboard Hot 100 and was a top 5 single in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The groups second self-titled album, released in 2009, debuted at number-one on the Billboard charts[1] and was certified gold in the United States, Australia and Canada. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2010.[2] While both the albums were commercially successful, critical reception was mixed. The Fray was ranked #84 on Billboards “Artists of the Decade” list.
The bands debut album How to Save a Life was released on 13 September 2005. “Over My Head (Cable Car)” was released as the first single from the album, and it soon became a top 40 hit on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in late 2005, peaking at #37.[15] The single gained airplay nationally, entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart on the issue marked February 25, 2006. Fourteen weeks later, it reached its peak position at #8 on the Hot 100 chart.[16] On the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart, the single reached the #2 position.[17] Internationally, the song was a Top 25 hit in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK. The song was the fifth-most downloaded single of 2006.[18]
While “Over My Head (Cable Car)” was rising on the charts, the song “How to Save a Life” was first featured during a second season episode (“Superstition”, aired March 19, 2006) of Greys Anatomy, and then on a fifth season episode (“My Lunch”, aired April 25, 2006) of Scrubs.[19] Despite not having been originally released as a single, “How to Save a Life” entered the Hot 100 chart on the issue marked April 15, 2006. The song was released as the bands second single. On August 18, 2006, ABC announced that the song would be used for the main advertising promotion for the season premiere of Greys Anatomy.[20]
Only weeks after this promotion started, the song became The Frays second Top 40 hit in the United States. The song peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 chart, surpassing the peak position of “Over My Head (Cable Car)”.[21] It tied for the seventh longest charting single of all time on the Hot 100 chart, with Santanas “Smooth”, at 58 consecutive weeks.[11] The song also topped