It was the first single released from their debut studio album, No Name Face (2000), issued through DreamWorks Records.

The track was written by lead singer Jason Wade, who said that he wrote the song in about five minutes without thinking about what would happen to it.

The track became an international success as well, peaking atop the Australian Singles Chart for five weeks and reaching the top 40 in the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

In 2001, the song was certified double platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and was the most-played radio track of that year in Canada.

[6] "Hanging by a Moment" was described as a post-grunge and alternative rock song that contains a strong melody.

[9] Bill Lamb of About.com called the song "one of the biggest rock hits ever by a Contemporary Christian band crossing over into the mainstream.

"[10] Sean Rizzo of Sputnikmusic says that the song "presents one of the best with the guitar's plucking during the verses and a chorus infectious enough to infiltrate your brain for a few days.

"[11] In a 2017 interview with Billboard on the core theme of the song, Wade said, "I didn't really think about it when I was writing it.

(The first was "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs in 1965, the second was "Breathe" by Faith Hill in 2000, and the fourth was "Levitating" by Dua Lipa in 2021.

While singing, Wade is seen packing his clothes into a suit case in separate camera shots.

Toward the end of the video, it switches to Lifehouse playing the song in front of a crowd while showing shots of Wade in a car going down a highway.

It ends with the scene of Lifehouse in a restaurant and then switches to a camera shot of all of the band members with the video fading out on Wade.

On January 10, 2001, MTV confirmed that Lifehouse would serve as an opening act on a fourteen-day tour for Matchbox Twenty, who were promoting their album Mad Season (2000).

[29] While on tour with Matchbox Twenty, Lifehouse went on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for the first time and performed "Hanging by a Moment" on March 28, 2001.

[30] Several months later, the band performed the song at the River Rave Festival in Foxboro Stadium on May 26, 2001.

[31] In July 2001, Lifehouse went on tour, opening for 3 Doors Down on twelve select dates, and performed songs from No Name Face, including "Hanging by a Moment".