Embrace is an English alternative rock band from Bailiff Bridge, West Yorkshire. The band’s history began in 1990, when brothers Danny McNamara (vocals) and Richard McNamara (guitar) started writing songs together in a small, makeshift studio in their family home. The lineup that would become the band’s permanent one was established in 1996, featuring Danny, Richard, keyboardist Mickey Dale, drummer Mike Heaton, and bassist Steve Firth. The band should not be confused with the American band Embrace, a hardcore group led by Ian MacKaye that was active between 1985 and 1986.
After catching the attention of the British music press with a series of EPs and singles released in 1997—especially “All You Good Good People”—Embrace signed with Hut Records, a subsidiary of Virgin. Their debut album, The Good Will Out, was released in 1998 and reached number one on the UK charts, remaining on the chart for 24 weeks. The album, which also featured songs like “Come Back to What You Know” and “My Weakness Is None of Your Business,” transformed the quintet into one of the leading names in British rock at the end of that decade.
The band followed up with Drawn from Memory (2000) and If You've Never Been (2001). Although they reached eighth and ninth place, respectively, on the UK charts, these albums represented a decline in commercial performance compared to their debut. After this period, the group ended its partnership with Hut Records.
Embrace got back on track by signing with the Independiente label and releasing Out of Nothin (2004). Driven by “Gravity,” a Coldplay song licensed to the band, the album marked a commercial resurgence and reached number one in the UK. The success continued with This New Day (2006), which also topped the UK charts and featured “Nature’s Law,” the group’s highest-charting single, reaching number two.
After a few years away from the spotlight, the quintet returned in 2014 with the self-titled album Embrace, released by Cooking Vinyl. Their discography expanded with Love Is a Basic Need (2018) and How to Be a Person Like Other Peopl (2022), the latter released on the band’s own label, Mobetta.
On June 12, 2026, the band released Avalanche, their ninth studio album. Released by Cooking Vinyl during the celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the band’s current lineup, the album maintained the group’s signature blend of sweeping melodies, confessional lyrics, and emotionally resonant rock. The album debuted in the top ten on the UK charts and reached number one on the independent albums chart.
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