Vertical Horizon

Biography

Vertical Horizon are 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. The band has released seven studio albums since 1992 – the most successful of which was their third, Everything You Want×Everything You Want15 June 1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1We Are4:022You’re a God3:393Everything You Want4:174Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)4:315You Say3:596Finding Me4:327Miracle4:238Send It Up3:429Give You Back4:2310All of You3:0411Shackled5:19, 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)".

Early years (1991–98)

Vertical Horizon was formed in 1991 by Georgetown University undergraduate students Matt Scannell and Keith Kane. In 1992 after graduating, the duo relocated to Boston to record and self-release their debut album There and Back Again×There and Back AgainOctober 1992 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Trying to Find Purpose3:172Children’s Lullaby5:213Footprints in the Snow3:294Love’s Light3:375The Mountain Song2:526Prayer for an Innocent Man3:357Lines Upon Your Face5:288Willingly4:479On the Sea4:4810Liberty3:05. 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×Running on Ice7 April 1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Heart in Hand4:392Wash Away4:303Fragments3:504Famous3:055The Man Who Would Be Santa4:446Angel Without Wings4:197Answer Me5:328Life in the City4:139Japan5:2510Call It Even3:4011Sunrays and Saturdays3:3612Candyman4:2013Falling Down4:1214Goodnight My Friend6:34, produced by John Alagia (Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer), Doug Derryberry, and Scannell. Drummer Ed Toth joined the band in 1996.
The band released a live album, Live Stages×Live Stages14 January 1997 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The Man Who Would Be Santa5:452The Ride3:323Falling Down5:154On the Sea6:245Japan4:536It's Only Me5:017Candyman4:218Fragments4:449The Unchosen One5:1910Heart in Hand7:1311Wash Away12:2412Great Divide4:26, in January 1997. In 1998, bassist Sean Hurley was invited to join Vertical Horizon. 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.

Everything You Want (1999–2000)

The band's first album with a major label was 1999's Everything You Want×Everything You Want15 June 1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1We Are4:022You’re a God3:393Everything You Want4:174Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)4:315You Say3:596Finding Me4:327Miracle4:238Send It Up3:429Give You Back4:2310All of You3:0411Shackled5:19. It was a breakthrough album for the band. Four singles were released from the album. The album's first single was "We Are×We Are1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1We Are4:032Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)4:30", which reached the Modern Rock Tracks chart and peaked at no. 21. 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. As of 2022, "Everything You Want" is Vertical Horizon's most successful single. 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.
The Everything You Want album was certified double platinum by the RIAA.

Go and Go 2.0 (2001–05)

Vertical Horizon's next album, Go, was released in September 2003. Go was released while RCA was going through a major restructuring and as a result, the album received little support from the label. The album's first single, "I'm Still Here", peaked at number 17 on the Adult Top 40. RCA did little to promote the album, leading Scannell to comment, "Without the label behind us, it just floundered and sort of withered on the vine, which is just a heartbreaker."

Burning the Days (2006–10)

Burning the Days was released on September 22, 2009, and was the group's first release after a five-year hiatus. Singer/songwriter Matt Scannell has said that Burning the Days marks a shift in his songwriting, both musically and lyrically. 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."
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.
On June 3, 2010, Keith Kane confirmed his departure from the band.

Echoes from the Underground and The Lost Mile (2011–present)

Vertical Horizon announced in June 2011 that they had begun recording material for a new album. Echoes from the Underground was released on October 8, 2013.
In June 2017, Scannell announced at a concert in Fairfax, Virginia, that another album, the band's seventh, was forthcoming. The Lost Mile, came out on February 23, 2018.
Vertical Horizon issued the single "Last Night of Our Lives×Last Night of Our Lives27 February 2026 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Last Night of Our Lives3:09" on February 27, 2026.

Band members

Current members

Matt Scannell – lead vocals, lead guitar (1990–present)
Ron Lavella – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2009–present)
John Wesley – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2021–present)
Logan Tabor – bass guitar, backing vocals (2024–present)
Former members

Keith Kane – rhythm guitar, backing & lead vocals (1990–2010)
Ryan "Chopper" Fisher – bass guitar (1994–97)
Ed Toth – drums, percussion (1996–2005)
Seth Horan – bass guitar, backing vocals (1997–98)
Sean Hurley – bass guitar, backing vocals (1998–2009, session in 2013 and 2018)
Jason Sutter – drums (2009–10)
Steve Fekete – rhythm guitar, backing & lead vocals (2009–12)
Jenn Oberle – bass guitar, backing vocals (2011–12)
Jeffrey Jarvis – bass guitar, backing vocals (2013–16)
Donovan White – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2012–21)
Mark Pacificar – bass guitar, backing vocals (2016–24)
Former touring members

Corey McCormick – bass guitar (2009–10)
Eric Holden – bass guitar, backing vocals (2009–11)
Jason Orme – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2011–12)
Cedric LeMoyne – bass guitar, backing vocals (2011–12)
Matthew Robbins – rhythm guitar (2015–18)
Timeline