Snow Patrol

Artist Image: Snow Patrol
Attribution
Image Credit: Ellen van Bodegom, from Rotterdam, The Netherlands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/heavenuphere/268727239/), CC BY 2.0

Biography

Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band formed at the University of Dundee in 1994, though at this time as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow, Scotland. The band's first three records, the EP Starfighter Pilot (1997), and the studio albums Songs for Polarbears (1998) and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001), were commercially unsuccessful and were released by the independent labels Electric Honey and Jeepster respectively. The band then signed on to the major record label Polydor Records in 2002. Snow Patrol rose to national fame with their major label debut, Final Straw, in 2003. The album was certified 5x platinum in the UK and eventually sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Their next studio album, Eyes Open, (2006) and its hit single "Chasing Cars," propelled the band to greater international fame. The album topped the UK Album Charts and was the best-selling British album of the year, selling over 6 million copies worldwide. In 2008, the band released their fifth studio album A Hundred Million Suns, then in 2009 their first compilation album, Up to Now and in 2011 they released their seventh album Fallen Empires. During the course of their career, Snow Patrol have won five Meteor Ireland Music Awards and have been nominated for three BRIT Awards. Since the release of Final Straw, the band has sold over ten million albums worldwide.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1994
Number of Albums 27
Record Label Polydor
Website www.snowpatrol.com
Wikipedia Snow Patrol on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

What was the name of the band founded at the University of Dundee in 1993?

Shrug

...of Dundee in 1993 by Lightbody, Michael Morrison, and Mark McClelland as Shrug . After briefly using the name Polarbear and released the EP Starfighter...
In what year was the band formed?

1993

...stBritpop movement. The band were founded at the University of Dundee in 1993 by Lightbody, Michael Morrison, and Mark McClelland as Shrug. After brie...
Which two albums were released in 1998?

Songs for Polarbears

...97 and added Quinn to its lineup. Their first two studio albums, Songs for Polarbears (1998) and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001), ...
What record label did Snow Patrol sign to in 2002?

Polydor Records

...el Jeepster Records. The band then signed to the major record label Polydor Records in 2002. Connolly joined Snow Patrol in 2002, and after their majo...
When did Connolly join Snow Patrol?

2002

...jor record label Polydor Records in 2002. Connolly joined Snow Patrol in 2002 , and after their majorlabel debut album, Final Straw, the following year...
What was the name of Snow Patrol's debut album?

Final Straw

...y joined Snow Patrol in 2002, and after their majorlabel debut album, Final Straw , the following year, the band rose to national fame. The album was c...
What was Eyes Open's hit single?

Chasing Cars

...wide. Their next studio album, Eyes Open (2006), and its hit single, Chasing Cars , propelled the band to greater international fame. The album topped ...
What was the name of the band's fifth album?

A Hundred Million Suns

...worldwide. In 2008, the band released their fifth studio album, A Hundred Million Suns ; then, in 2009, they released their first compilation album, Up...
What was their first compilation album called?

Up to Now

... Million Suns; then, in 2009, they released their first compilation album, Up to Now ; and, in 2011, released their sixth studio album, Fallen Empires....
In what year did the band release their sixth album, Fallen Empires?

2011

... Million Suns; then, in 2009, they released their first compilation album, Up to Now; and, in 2011 , released their sixth studio album, Fallen Empires....
Which album was released in 2011?

Fallen Empires

... Million Suns; then, in 2009, they released their first compilation album, Up to Now; and, in 2011, released their sixth studio album, Fallen Empires ....
Where is Snow Patrol based?

Bangor, Northern Ireland

...undee, Scotland, United Kingdom in 1994 and currently based in Bangor, Northern Ireland , where most of the band members are from. They consist of Gary...
Who is the guitarist of Snow Patrol?

Nathan Connolly

... members are from. They consist of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, vocals), Paul Wilson (bass), Tom Simpson (keyboards) and ...
What part of the band is Tom Simpson?

keyboards

...r), Nathan Connolly (guitar, vocals), Paul Wilson (bass), Tom Simpson ( keyboards ) and Jonny Quinn (drums). Lightbody and Quinn are the only original m...
What was the band's fourth record?

Eyes Open

... both sides of the Atlantic on the back of their fourth record, 2006's Eyes Open and the ballad Chasing Cars a song that has spent a nearrecord breaki...
How long has the song Chasing Cars been in the UK Top 75?

90 weeks

...nd the ballad Chasing Cars a song that has spent a nearrecord breaking 90 weeks on the UK Top 75. Some of their other well known songs are Run, Spitti...
How many years after Snow Patrol started out as a student band at Dundee University are they still flying by the seat of their pants?

14

... and Take Back the City. The main thing to get about Snow Patrol is that, 14 years after they started out as a student band at Dundee University, they...
What was Gary's band previously known as?

Polar Bear

...dent as by deliberate intention. Lightbody's band used to be known as Polar Bear hence their 1998 debut album Songs For Polarbears but were obliged to...
What was the name of the band's 1998 debut album?

Songs For Polarbears

...band used to be known as Polar Bear hence their 1998 debut album Songs For Polarbears but were obliged to change it after discovering that this was wh...
How long did we spend making records?

10 years

...s was what the bassist of Jane's Addiction was calling his side project. We spent 10 years making records that 6000 people bought, Lightbody confirms....
Where did Lightbody and McClelland relocate to?

Scotland

...rn Ireland, cofounders Gary Lightbody and Mark McClelland relocated to Scotland during their teenage years to attend college. The duo eventually adopt...
When did Snow Patrol hire Jonny Quinn to play drums?

1997

...dopted the Snow Patrol moniker and enlisted Jonny Quinn to play drums in 1997 . One year later, Snow Patrol signed with Jeepster Records, a small label...
What was the name of the small label that Snow Patrol signed with?

Jeepster Records

...inn to play drums in 1997. One year later, Snow Patrol signed with Jeepster Records , a small label based in London, and released the debut effort Song...
Where did the band relocate to?

Glasgow

...ars. As Snow Patrol's audience modestly expanded, the trio relocated to Glasgow upon graduation. Their second fulllength album, When It's All Over We ...
When was Patrol's second fulllength album released?

April 2001

... album, When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up, was released in April 2001 . Jeepster dropped the band from its roster that same year, however, p...
What Scottish supergroup did Lightbody form?

Reindeer Section

...ear, however, prompting Lightbody to blow off steam by forming the Reindeer Section , a Scottish supergroup featuring members of Mogwai and Belle and S...
When did Snow Patrol form?

1994

...Snow Patrol (formed 1994 ) Snow Patrol is a Northern Irish band, though they are based in Glasgow, having formed the band in Dundee. The mainstream roc...
What label released the Starfighter Pilot EP?

Electric Honey

... Patrol. In 1997, the band released the Starfighter Pilot EP on the Electric Honey label. Richard Colburn and Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian bo...
What was the name of the EP released on the Electric Honey label?

Starfighter Pilot

...er changed it again to Snow Patrol. In 1997, the band released the Starfighter Pilot EP on the Electric Honey label. Richard Colburn and Stuart Murdoc...
Who were the two artists that appeared on the record?

Richard Colburn and Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian

...rfighter Pilot EP on the Electric Honey label. Richard Colburn and Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian both appeared on the record. The next EP, Lit...
What was the name of the band's first two albums?

Songs For Polarbears (1998) and When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up (2001).

...released their first two albums, Songs For Polarbears (1998) and When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up (2001). Their single 'Run' went to numbe...
Which song in Jeepster's single ran to number five in the UK singles chart?

Run

...8) and When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up (2001). Their single ' Run ' went to number five in the UK singles chart. Their first album for Poly...
What was the name of the band's seventh album?

Wildness

...to ponder that over the last couple of years. The bands seventh album, Wildness , their first in seven years, entered the UK charts at Number Two, went...
Who recently anointed a modern classic as the most played song on UK radio of the 21st century?

PPL

..., in the shape of Chasing Cars, a modern classic recently anointed by the PPL as the most played song on UK radio of the 21st century. Still, in music...
What is hard won and easy lost in music?

the good grace of the press

...y. Still, in music, as in life, nothing is a given. Of course the good grace of the press is hard won and easy lost, but radio kept on playing us. Tha...
What was the real key to Snow Patrol's success?

radio kept on playing us

...rse the good grace of the press is hard won and easy lost, but radio kept on playing us . Thats been the real key to our success, I firmly believe. Tra...
What was the name of the charity album that Snow Patrol released?

The Fireside EP

... check out our top 10 Snow Patrol facts to celebrate the release of The Fireside EP . Weve always had a bit of a soft spot for Snow Patrol but during l...
Who did we completely fall in love with during lockdown?

Gary Lightbody

...for Snow Patrol but during lockdown we completely fell in love with Gary Lightbody and his Northern IrishScottish bandmates. Could you name any other ...
What is the name of Snow Patrol's latest single?

Reaching Out to You

...inviting them to cowrite songs? While playing their latest single Reaching Out to You on repeat, have a look at our top ten fascinating facts about Sn...
Why did Snow Patrol rename themselves in 1997?

name conflicts with another band

... top ten fascinating facts about Snow Patrol below. Due to name conflicts with another band , they renamed themselves again in 1997 and have been perfo...
What is Gary's hobby?

writing articles

...997 and have been performing as Snow Patrol ever since. Gary loves writing articles almost as much as writing songs a naturalborn writer Chances are, ...
When did Songs for Polarbears receive raving reviews?

1998

...a flop. Songs for Polarbears received raving reviews by music critics in 1998 . The band members ended up sleeping on fans floors and taking up random ...
What did the band members end up sleeping on?

fans floors

...views by music critics in 1998. The band members ended up sleeping on fans floors and taking up random money jobs in between gigs to survive, with Gar...
What was Nathan Connolly's profession?

Guitarist

... attention of gentleminded indie pop fans all over the United Kingdom. Guitarist Nathan Connolly joined the fold shortly after. Snow Patrol decided to...
What Scottish supergroup did Lightbody form in 2001?

The Reindeer Section

...d, in 2001, singer Lightbody formed a Scottish supergroup called The Reindeer Section . After two years without a label, Interscope Records signed Snow...
After two years without a label, who signed Snow Patrol?

Interscope Records

...oup called The Reindeer Section. After two years without a label, Interscope Records signed Snow Patrol for their next album. Although the band had be...
What was the name of the producer that the band teamed up with for their next album?

Garrett Lee

...ualms with signing to a major label. The band hooked up with producer Garrett Lee to help achieve an album full of dramatic yet intimate pop ballads, ...
Where did Gary Lightbody grew up?

Bangor in Northern Ireland

...Gary Lightbody, singersongwriter I grew up in Bangor in Northern Ireland and didnt understand the Troubles when I was younger. Then I saw Nirvana live...
What was Garys goal when he went to Dundee University?

to start a band

...e and my brain exploded. I went to Dundee University with one goal: to start a band . Im lucky that people didnt have camera phones in those days, beca...
Who found me and thought I was dead?

Drummer Jonny Quinn

...swearing, smashing up instruments I was completely off the rails. Drummer Jonny Quinn found me and thought I was dead. He said I was laid out like one...
Where was Snow Patrol formed in 1994?

Dundee, Scotland

...ow Patrol are a Northern IrishScottish rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland . They consist of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly ...
Where was Snow Patrol formed?

University of Dundee

...s part of the postBritpop movement. The band were founded at the University of Dundee in 1994 by Lightbody, Mark McClelland, and Michael Morrison of S...