Snow Patrol celebrates 20 years of 'Chasing Cars' with new Kylie Minogue collaboration

Created at 11 Jul · 5:06 AM1 source↑ Market-relevant

IN SHORT

Snow Patrol is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their hit song 'Chasing Cars' with a new collaboration with Kylie Minogue titled 'These Alarms'. The band also reflects on their recent restructuring and the release of their latest album, 'The Forest is the Path'.

Key Numbers

20 yearsanniversary of 'Chasing Cars'

2 billionstreams for 'Chasing Cars'

2005year 'Chasing Cars' was written

2006year 'Chasing Cars' was released

2023year drummer and bassist departed

2024year of 'The Forest is the Path' release

Who's Involved

Gary Lightbody

Frontman of Snow Patrol, songwriter of 'Chasing Cars'

Kylie Minogue

Artist featured on Snow Patrol's new song 'These Alarms'

Jacknife Lee

Producer of Snow Patrol's album 'Eyes Open'

Jonny Quinn

Former drummer of Snow Patrol

Paul Wilson

Former bassist of Snow Patrol

Nathan Connolly

Guitarist for Snow Patrol

Jonny McDaid

Multi-instrumentalist for Snow Patrol and Ed Sheeran collaborator

Fraser T Smith

Producer of Snow Patrol's album 'The Forest is the Path'

↳ Why This Matters

The story highlights the enduring legacy of a globally recognized song and a band's ability to navigate significant internal changes and creative challenges. The collaboration with Kylie Minogue also signifies a new chapter for Snow Patrol, potentially broadening their audience and showcasing their continued relevance in the music industry.

Key facts

Snow Patrol is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their hit song 'Chasing Cars'.
The band has released a new collaboration with Kylie Minogue titled 'These Alarms'.
The song 'Chasing Cars' has been streamed over two billion times and was named the UK's most-played radio song of the 21st Century in 2019.
The band experienced a significant restructuring in 2023 with the departure of their drummer and bassist.
Their latest album, 'The Forest is the Path', released in 2024, received positive reviews.

Snow Patrol is marking two decades since the release of their monumental hit 'Chasing Cars' with a new collaboration with pop icon Kylie Minogue. The song, titled 'These Alarms', sees the artists singing in unison, a departure from traditional duets, reflecting the theme of connection.

Frontman Gary Lightbody recalled the genesis of 'Chasing Cars', which was written in 2005 during a prolific songwriting session. Initially conceived as a song for others, it evolved into a career-defining track for the band, eventually being released in 2006 and achieving global success, partly due to its feature on 'Grey's Anatomy'. The song has since amassed over two billion streams and was named the most-played UK radio song of the 21st century.

The band is planning to celebrate the anniversary with two shows at the Royal Albert Hall, performing their album 'Eyes Open' in its entirety. This comes after a period of significant change for Snow Patrol, including the departure of drummer Jonny Quinn and bassist Paul Wilson in 2023. The remaining trio struggled to write new material, leading to scrapped album sessions. However, a renewed focus, aided by producer Fraser T Smith, resulted in their critically acclaimed 2024 album, 'The Forest is the Path'.

Lightbody, who has been open about his recovery from alcoholism and personal reflections, expressed his long-held admiration for Minogue, dating back to a 1995 festival appearance. He wrote 'These Alarms' with her in mind, and the collaboration has been described as a highlight, with Lightbody considering it more of a joint band project than a typical duet.

Frequently asked questions

'Chasing Cars' was written in 2005 and released in June 2006 as part of Snow Patrol's album 'Eyes Open'.

It is Snow Patrol's most successful song, streamed over two billion times and named the UK's most-played radio song of the 21st Century. It significantly boosted the band's global profile.

Gary Lightbody had long admired Minogue and wrote 'These Alarms' with her in mind after hearing she was looking for new material. The song was released recently.

In 2023, drummer Jonny Quinn and bassist Paul Wilson left the band. The remaining members struggled to write a new album before finding renewed creative energy with producer Fraser T Smith.

What Happens Next

01Snow Patrol will perform two anniversary shows at the Royal Albert Hall.

02The band will play their album 'Eyes Open' in full at these shows.

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Cadence

How It Developed

Gary Lightbody formed Snow Patrol in 1994, initially with different band names.

Lightbody wrote the initial chords and lyrics for 'Chasing Cars' in 2005.

The song 'Chasing Cars' was released in June 2006 as a single from the album 'Eyes Open'.

The song gained significant popularity after being featured on the US drama 'Grey's Anatomy'.

Snow Patrol will celebrate the 20th anniversary of 'Chasing Cars' with two shows at the Royal Albert Hall.

In 2023, drummer Jonny Quinn and bassist Paul Wilson quit Snow Patrol.

The remaining trio attempted to write a new album, but the sessions were unsuccessful.

The band hired producer Fraser T Smith, leading to the album 'The Forest is the Path'.

Sources

Snow Patrol on 20 years of Chasing Cars, and their 'non-duet' with KylieBBC News