Vertical Horizon is an American alternative rock band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1991. Vocalists and guitarists Matt Scannell and Keith Kane started the band when they were students at Georgetown University, later expanding the duo into a full four-piece band. Since the mid-2000s the group has undergone multiple line-up changes, with Scannell serving as the only constant member throughout.[1] The band have released seven studio albums since 1992 – the most successful of which was their third, Everything You Want, which was certified double Platinum by the RIAA. Its title track is the band's signature song, having reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2000 – the only single of the band's to do so. The album also spawned two further two Hot 100 entries, "You're a God" and "Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)".
Vertical Horizon was formed in 1991 by Georgetown University undergraduate students Matt Scannell and Keith Kane.[2] In 1992, after graduating from Georgetown, the duo relocated to Boston and self-released their debut album There and Back Again.[3] Scannell and Kane toured as a duo for the next few years, mostly appearing with similar bands such as Jackopierce, and settled back in the Washington, DC area to record their next album, 1995's Running on Ice, produced by John Alagia (Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer), Doug Derryberry, and Scannell.[2] Drummer Ed Toth joined the band in 1996.[4]
The band released a live album, Live Stages, in January 1997.[5] In 1998, bassist Sean Hurley was invited to join Vertical Horizon.[6][7] The band's indie albums began to attract record executives from several record labels during the late 1990s. The band signed with RCA Records in 1998. RCA re-released Vertical Horizon's independent albums, with new packaging and graphics. Before the RCA re-release, the band's first three albums had sold 70,000 combined units.[2]
The band's first album with a major label was 1999's Everything You Want.[8] It was a breakthrough album for the band.[9] Four singles were released from the album.[10] The album's first single was "We Are",[11] which reached the Modern Rock Tracks chart and peaked at no. 21.[12] The album's second single was "Everything You Want". The song became a massive hit, reaching number one at the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Adult Top 40 chart and becoming Billboard's Most Played Single of 2000.[9] As of 2022, "Everything You Want" is Vertical Horizon's most successful single.[13] Two other singles from the album, "You're a God" and "Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)", were also hits; they peaked at 23 and 58, respectively, at the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[13] All three singles from the album became staples in adult contemporary music.[1]
The Everything You Want album was certified double platinum by the RIAA.[14]
Vertical Horizon's next album, Go, was released in September 2003.[15] Go was released while RCA was going through a major restructuring and as a result, the album received little support from the label.[16] The album's first single, "I'm Still Here", peaked at number 17 on the Adult Top 40.[17] RCA did little to promote the album,[18] leading Scannell to comment, "Without the label behind us, it just floundered and sort of withered on the vine, which is just a heartbreaker."[16]
Burning the Days was released on September 22, 2009, and was the group's first release after a five-year hiatus.[19] Singer/songwriter Matt Scannell has said that Burning the Days marks a shift in his songwriting, both musically and lyrically.[20] According to Scannell, "There is a lot more variety and quite a few different artistic moods on this record - almost different sonic landscapes... a lot of these songs feel like a faster tempo than anything we’ve ever done before."[20]
The late Neil Peart of the Canadian rock band Rush played drums on three songs on the album: "Save Me From Myself", "Welcome to the Bottom", and "Even Now", which was co-written by Scannell and Peart, with Peart writing the lyrics and Scannell writing the music.[19][21][22]
On June 3, 2010, Keith Kane confirmed his departure from the band.[23]
Vertical Horizon announced in June 2011 that they had begun recording new material for a new album.[24] The album, Echoes from the Underground, was released on October 8, 2013.[25]
In June 2017, Scannell announced at a concert in Fairfax, Virginia, that another album was forthcoming. The band's seventh album, The Lost Mile, was released on February 23, 2018.[26]
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