Exclusive: The Fray Debuting Single On ABC

November 17th, 2008 |

Author: Willis

Two-and-a-half years after a key placement on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” helped turn the Fray into platinum stars, the band is utilizing another high-profile TV partnership to introduce its new single, “You Found Me,” Billboard can exclusively reveal.

In a commercial break from the tense elevator confrontations of the Nov. 20 episode of “Grey’s,” a one-minute promo with scenes from the upcoming season of ABC’s “Lost” will premiere the track, as well as parts of the music video.

Viewers will be directed to abc.com, where they can find a three-minute version of the clip as well as a link to iTunes; there they can buy the single, which goes to radio the next day.

The partnership between ABC and the Fray — vocalist/pianist Isaac Slade, guitarists Joe King and David Welsh and drummer Ben Wysocki — also includes an agreement for the band to appear on the American Music Awards, “Good Morning America” and the outdoor concert series on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” ABC will use “You Found Me” as the promo song for this season of “Lost,” and discussions are underway to use the band’s music on sister channel ESPN during the height of football season.

“Because this band appeals to everyone from 8 to 80, television really does play a great role in exposing the music to a wider audience,” Epic executive VP of marketing Lee Stimmel says. “And the band writes amazing songs that work with a picture.” (Asked if he watches “Grey’s Anatomy,” Slade says, “I have seen it a few times. It’s a really good show.”)

As for the sound of “The Fray” — produced like the debut by Epic VP of A&R Mike Flynn and Aaron Johnson — it’s “a little more extreme than the last record,” Slade says. “The quieter stuff is a little quieter than our last record and the rock stuff is a little rockier. It definitely spreads the spectrum a little bit.”

The Fray will preview the album during a tour of small venues in early January. It will be available for physical and digital pre-order beginning Nov. 21 at thefray.net; purchasers who buy the CD from the site will get a bonus disc of live recordings from the January tour.

That online integration reflects a sales history of more than 6 million digital tracks sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and the Fray scored iTunes’ top-downloaded album of 2006 with “How To Save a Life.