How to Save a Life is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band The Fray. Released on September 13, 2005, by Epic Records, the album peaked within the top 15 of the Billboard 200 and was a top ten hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK. Its first two singles, "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and "How to Save a Life", both became hit songs and led the band to mainstream recognition.

Critical responses to How to Save a Life were mixed, with some critics complimenting its similarities in style to British piano-driven bands like Keane and Coldplay, but in turn disparaging its unoriginality, as well as its schmaltzy and self-pitying lyrics. The album received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and was also certified platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK; it became the best-selling digital album of all time until Eminem's Recovery (2010), breaking the record held previously by Coldplay's X&Y (2005). Billboard listed the album on their Best Digital Albums of the Decade list – at number 21.

After independently releasing two EPs, The Fray were looking for a record company to release a full-length album. The band released their song "Cable Car" to Denver radio station KTCL, and the song saw significant airplay. Denver alternative newsweekly Westword named the band "Best New Band" in 2004, and this prompted Epic Records A&R man Mike Flynn to sign the band to a recording contract on December 17, 2004. The album was recorded over six weeks in Echo Park Studios in Bloomington, Indiana, and was produced by Aaron Johnson and Mike Flynn. Former bass guitar player Dan Battenhouse left the band a year before entering the studio; Jake Smith, former lead singer and guitarist of the band The Mysteries of Life, took over bass guitar duties.

Overall, critical reception for the album was mixed. The piano-oriented sound of the album drew comparisons with British piano-rock band Keane, and Coldplay (whose music – although classified as alternative – is driven by the piano).

AllMusic, whilst giving the album a modestly positive review, stated that the band "lacked originality" and the album itself lacked any "inspiration and excitement". Stylus Magazine gave the album a negative review, stating "The Fray, as a rule, are moribund, emotionally strained, uninvolving, and have a tendency to sound like The Cranberries fronted by a man." Rolling Stone and Blender echoed many of these statements, both giving the album three stars out of five.

All tracks are written by Isaac Slade and Joe King, except where noted.

In later editions, an extra track was added:

The Fray