The Fray

The Fray

The Fray is a US alternative rock band from Denver, Colorado, formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King. The group’s line-up also includes Dave Welsh and Ben Wysocki. Its music is centred on piano, which leads to frequent comparison with other piano-driven rock bands, while the band names the Wallflowers, Counting Crows, Better Than Ezra and U2 among its influences.

Albums and singles

The Fray first gains major attention with How to Save a Life, its debut album, which appears in 2005. The record is certified double platinum in the United States and platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. Its first single, “Over My Head (Cable Car)”, becomes a top ten hit in the US. The follow-up single, “How to Save a Life”, brings the band wider international recognition and reaches the top three of the Billboard Hot 100, while also placing in the top five in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

The band’s second album, The Fray, is released in 2009 and debuts at number one on the Billboard charts. It is certified gold in the US, Australia and Canada, and is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2010 Grammy Awards. The band’s third album, Scars & Stories, appears in 2012 and debuts and peaks at number four on the Billboard 200. Helios follows in 2014, and the compilation Through the Years: The Best of the Fray is released in 2016.

Recognition

The Fray’s early commercial success earns the band a place at number 84 on Billboard’s Artists of the Decade list. Critical response to its major releases is mixed, even as the records achieve strong sales and chart positions.