How to Save a Life by The Fray

The Fray is an American rock band from Denver, Colorado, formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King. Their debut studio album, How to Save a Life (2005) was released by Epic Records and received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), as well as platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The album was preceded by their first hit single, "Over My Head (Cable Car)", which peaked in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. The band saw their biggest success with its follow-up, "How to Save a Life", which peaked at number three on the chart and became a top five hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Furthermore, both songs received Grammy Award nominations for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group.

The group's self-titled second album (2009) debuted atop the Billboard 200 and received platinum certification in the United States, as well as gold in Australia and Canada. It also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2010. While both the albums were commercially successful, critical reception was mixed. The Fray was ranked No. 84 on Billboard's Artists of the Decade list. Their third and fourth albums, Scars & Stories (2012) and Helios (2014) both were met with continued mixed reception and trailing commercial response, peaking at numbers four and eight respectively on the Billboard 200. The band's greatest hits album, Through the Years: The Best of the Fray, was released in November 2016 as their final release with Epic.

The Fray's mood has been described as austere, theatrical, cathartic, poignant, and ethereal; their lyrical content is based around introspection, with themes of yearning, regret, and angst. The band's use of the piano as the lead instrument in their music has led critics to compare the band with British, piano-driven bands such as Coldplay and Keane. The band lists its influences as Counting Crows, Better Than Ezra, and U2.