The band Snow Patrol was formed at the University of Dundee in Scotland by Gary Lightbody and his friends. They were originally called 'Shrug' and then 'Polarbear.' They released an EP under the name Polarbear, but then discovered that Eric Avery (former bassist of Jane's Addiction) already had a band called Polar Bear. To avoid legal trouble, they changed their name to 'Snow Patrol.' The name was suggested by a friend who felt it maintained the 'cold' or 'winter' theme of their previous name. While their first few albums were indie successes, they reached global stardom with their 2003 album 'Final Straw' and the massive 2006 hit 'Chasing Cars,' which became one of the most-played songs on UK radio in the 21st century. The band has since sold over 15 million albums worldwide.