Complete List Of Snow Patrol Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: Ellen van Bodegom, from Rotterdam, The Netherlands, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

It started with a band called Shrug and a student radio station at the University of Dundee—but no one could’ve predicted the slow-burning, arena-filling rise that would eventually follow. Snow Patrol was born from the friendship of Gary Lightbody and Mark McClelland, two Northern Irish students who first came together in 1994 to write music under the Shrug name. After a brief stint as Polar Bear, they finally adopted the name Snow Patrol in 1997. Based out of Scotland but rooted in Northern Ireland, the group spent the better part of a decade in the margins—touring university towns, recording on a shoestring budget, and constantly evolving their sound before the world began to pay attention.

Their first two albums, Songs for Polarbears (1998) and When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001), were released on the independent Jeepster label. While they received critical praise and built a cult following, neither album managed to chart significantly. Despite their raw charm and creative songwriting, mainstream success remained elusive. Lineup changes began during this period, and Lightbody’s songwriting began to shift, moving from experimental indie tendencies toward a more accessible melodic style. Still unsigned by a major label, the band was at a crossroads by the early 2000s, unsure if they would continue or fade out like so many others.

That turning point came with their signing to Polydor’s InfiDelity imprint, which backed the band’s third studio album, Final Straw, released in 2003. With Nathan Connolly now in the fold on guitar and Jonny Quinn on drums, Snow Patrol’s sound began to crystallize. The album’s breakout single, “Run,” soared to number five on the U.K. Singles Chart, pulling the band into the spotlight for the first time. The album itself eventually went five-times platinum in the U.K., firmly establishing the group as a major act. It marked a creative and commercial breakthrough that had been nearly a decade in the making.

The momentum didn’t just hold—it exploded. Their next album, Eyes Open, released in 2006, became a phenomenon. Fueled by the global success of the single “Chasing Cars,” the record became the best-selling album of the year in the U.K. and went multi-platinum worldwide. “Chasing Cars” achieved something even more elusive than chart success: longevity. It became a cultural fixture, featured in numerous television dramas and emotional climaxes, and ultimately became one of the most-played songs on British radio. The band had officially crossed into the mainstream, not as a one-hit wonder, but as a group capable of crafting songs that lived far beyond their release dates.

Their fifth album, A Hundred Million Suns (2008), continued to build on their success while also showcasing a broader palette of musical ideas. Though it didn’t replicate the towering impact of Eyes Open, it still performed strongly across international markets and featured singles such as “Take Back the City” and “Crack the Shutters.” The album leaned into the band’s increasingly polished and cinematic style, reflecting their comfort with large-scale production and orchestral flourishes. It became clear that Snow Patrol had graduated from alternative underdogs to one of the U.K.’s most consistently successful rock acts of the 2000s.

In 2009, they released their first compilation album, Up to Now, a 30-track retrospective covering their early indie years through to their commercial peak. The release served not just as a summary of their journey but also as a reaffirmation of their longevity. Around this time, the band expanded its influence, with Lightbody collaborating on side projects such as Tired Pony, which brought together members of R.E.M. and Belle and Sebastian. Snow Patrol was now part of the broader rock conversation, and their members were being recognized as seasoned artists in their own right.

The release of Fallen Empires in 2011 marked a more electronic turn in their sound, incorporating loops and synth textures while still retaining their core emotive sensibility. Though met with mixed critical reception, the album debuted at number three on the U.K. Albums Chart and number five in Ireland. It further demonstrated their willingness to evolve while maintaining the grand emotional sweep their fans expected. Supporting the record, they embarked on one of their largest world tours to date, selling out arenas and continuing to build their global following.

After Fallen Empires, the band entered a long period of silence. Behind the scenes, Gary Lightbody was battling depression and writer’s block, a fact he would later speak openly about. The hiatus stretched for seven years, during which fans were uncertain if the band would return. But when they did, in 2018, with Wildness, it marked not just a return to form but a personal triumph. The album explored themes of loss, identity, and survival, reflecting the struggles Lightbody had endured. It debuted at number two in the U.K. and reinforced Snow Patrol’s ability to connect deeply with their audience on emotional terrain.

Throughout their career, the band has amassed numerous awards and accolades. They’ve received six Meteor Ireland Music Awards and a BRIT Award nomination for Best British Group. Their singles “Chasing Cars” and “Run” have become modern standards, and their albums have consistently performed across the U.K., Ireland, and mainland Europe. They’ve also been honored for their contributions to music and charity, with Lightbody receiving awards for his work supporting music education and mental health initiatives in Northern Ireland.

Outside the studio, Snow Patrol has remained deeply connected to their Irish roots. They’ve played countless benefit concerts, performed for youth music programs, and participated in awareness campaigns related to mental health. Lightbody, in particular, has become an outspoken advocate for mental wellness, using his platform to encourage open discussion around depression and anxiety, especially among men. His transparency has endeared him to fans and positioned him as a voice for empathy and resilience within the music world.

Snow Patrol’s endurance has always been about more than hits. Their songs resonate because they embrace vulnerability. Whether it’s the slow-build longing of “Set the Fire to the Third Bar” or the aching honesty of “Open Your Eyes,” they’ve built a career on quiet emotional force. Their music doesn’t shout—it lingers, grows, and stays with people. That quiet power, sustained across decades, is what has allowed Snow Patrol to evolve from university club gigs to headlining international tours.

As of today, the band has released seven studio albums, one compilation, and countless singles that have defined key emotional moments for millions of listeners. Their catalog is a testament to persistence, craft, and the ability to speak plainly and powerfully in song. From the outside, theirs might look like a slow rise—but from the inside, it’s a masterclass in building a meaningful career one album, one lyric, one connection at a time.

Complete List Of Snow Patrol Songs From A to Z

– – Eyes Open – 2006
A Dark Switch – Wildness – 2018
A Youth Written in Fire – Wildness – 2018
Absolute Gravity – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
All – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
An Olive Grove Facing the Sea – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
And Then I’m Gonna – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Ask Me How I Am – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Ask Me How I Am (video) – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Batten Down the Hatch – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Berlin – Fallen Empires – 2011
Black and Blue – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Broken Bottles Form a Star (Prelude) – Fallen Empires – 2011
But I’ll Keep Trying – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
Called Out in the Dark – Fallen Empires – 2011
Chased by… I Don’t Know What – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Chasing Cars – Eyes Open – 2006
Chocolate – Final Straw – 2003
Chocolate (video) – Final Straw – 2003
Crack the Shutters – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Crack the Shutters (video) – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Days Without Paracetamol – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Disaster Button – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Don’t Give In – Wildness – 2018
Don’t Give In (alternate version) – Wildness – 2018
Downhill from Here – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Empress – Wildness – 2018
Engines – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Everything’s Here and Nothing’s Lost – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
Fallen Empires – Fallen Empires – 2011
Falling Through All of This Time – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
Favourite Friend – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Fifteen Minutes Old – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Firelight – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
First Week of Term – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Get Balsamic Vinegar…Quick You Fool – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Gleaming Auction – Final Straw – 2003
Grazed Knees – Final Straw – 2003
Half the Fun – Final Straw – 2003
Hands Open – Eyes Open – 2006
Headlights on Dark Roads – Eyes Open – 2006
Heal Me – Wildness – 2018
Heal Me (alternate version) – Wildness – 2018
Hold Me in the Fire – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
Hollow as I Am – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Holy Cow – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
How to Be Dead – Final Straw – 2003
I Could Stay Away Forever – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
I’ll Never Let Go – Fallen Empires – 2011
If I’d Found the Right Words to Say – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
If There’s a Rocket Tie Me to It – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
If There’s a Rocket Tie Me to It (video) – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
In Command of Cars – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
In My Arms – Eyes Open – 2006
In the End – Fallen Empires – 2011
It’s Beginning to Get to Me – Eyes Open – 2006
Jacknife Lee’s Studio Safari – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Jj – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Last Ever Lone Gunman – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Life and Death – Wildness – 2018
Life on Earth – Wildness – 2018
Life on Earth (alternate version) – Wildness – 2018
Lifeboats – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Lifening – Fallen Empires – 2011
Limited Edition – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Little Hide – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Mahogany – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Make Love to Me Forever – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Make This Go on Forever – Eyes Open – 2006
Make Up – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Making Enemies – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Marketplace – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Monkey Mobe – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
My Last Girlfriend – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Never Gonna Fall in Love Again – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Never Really Tire – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
New York – Fallen Empires – 2011
NYC – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
On/Off – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
One Hundred Things You Should Have Done in Bed – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
One Night Is Not Enough – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Open Your Eyes – Eyes Open – 2006
Perfect Little Secret – Eyes Open – 2006
Please Just Take These Photos from My Hands – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Post Punk Progression – Final Straw – 2003
Raze the City – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Riot, Please – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Run – Final Straw – 2003
Run (video) – Final Straw – 2003
Same – Final Straw – 2003
Sessions@AOL: Interview – Final Straw – 2003
Sessions@AOL: Run – Final Straw – 2003
Set Down Your Glass – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Set the Fire to the Third Bar – Eyes Open – 2006
Shut Your Eyes – Eyes Open – 2006
Somewhere a Clock Is Ticking – Final Straw – 2003
Soon – Wildness – 2018
Soon (alternate version) – Wildness – 2018
Spitting Games – Final Straw – 2003
Spitting Games (video) – Final Straw – 2003
Starfighter Pilot – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Steal – Final Straw – 2003
Sticky Teenage Twin – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
T.M.T. – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Take Back the City – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Take Back the City (video) – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
Talk to the Trees – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Talking About Hope – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
The Beginning – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
The Finish Line – Eyes Open – 2006
The Forest Is the Path – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
The Garden Rules – Fallen Empires – 2011
The Golden Floor – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
The Last Shot Ringing in My Ears – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
The Lightning Strike I. What If This Storm Ends? II. The Sunlight Through the Flags III. Daybreak – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
The Only Noise – Eyes Open – 2006
The Planets Bend Between Us – A Hundred Million Suns – 2008
The President – Fallen Empires – 2011
The Symphony – Fallen Empires – 2011
The Weight of Love – Fallen Empires – 2011
These Lies – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
This Is the Silence – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
This Is the Sound of Your Voice – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
This Is the Sound of Your Voice (Will Reynolds Remix) – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
This Isn’t Everything You Are – Fallen Empires – 2011
Those Distant Bells – Fallen Empires – 2011
Tiny Little Fractures – Final Straw – 2003
Velocity Girl – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Waking Up Now – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
Warmer Climate – Eyes Open – 2006
Ways & Means – Final Straw – 2003
We Can Run Away Now They’re All Dead and Gone – Final Straw – 2003
What If Nothing Breaks? – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
What If This Is All the Love You Ever Get? – Wildness – 2018
What If This Is All the Love You Ever Get? (alternate version) – Wildness – 2018
What’s Left in the Light – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
Whatever’s Left – Final Straw – 2003
When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
When You’re Right, You’re Right (Darth Vader Bringing in His Washing Mix) – Songs for Polarbears – 1998
Wild Horses – Wildness – 2018
Workwear Shop – When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up – 2001
Wow – Final Straw – 2003
Years That Fall – The Forest Is the Path – 2024
You Could Be Happy – Eyes Open – 2006
You’re All I Have – Eyes Open – 2006
Your Heart Home – The Forest Is the Path – 2024