Grey's Anatomy Music Revisited

(Political Animal)  GREY'S ANATOMY MUSIC REVISITED....This wouldn't normally make it onto the Washington Monthly's radar screen, but a few days ago I wrote a vague post about "Grey's Anatomy music," asking if people understood what I meant by that term. Some did, some didn't. Today, by chance, the Wall Street Journal introduces us to the performer on tonight's finale episode:

The singer is Ingrid Michaelson, a 26-year-old Staten Island native who lives at home with her parents and has become the chanteuse of "Grey's Anatomy." She was discovered on MySpace by a management company that specializes in finding little-known acts and placing their works in soundtracks for TV shows, commercials, movies and videogames....Three of her songs have already been aired on this season's "Grey's" as the sonic backdrop for the drama's soapy tales of Seattle Grace Hospital.

....TV, of course, has become an increasingly powerful force for driving music sales. Apart from "American Idol" and "Saturday Night Live," possibly the most coveted TV slots for musicians are on "Grey's Anatomy," which has helped make songs like "How to Save a Life" by the Fray into top sellers on iTunes. A finale spot on "Grey's" is considered a particularly plum slot. Last year, the finale allowed Scottish band Snow Patrol to break through to a broad audience and played a role in making its featured song, "Chasing Cars," a hit.

So there you have it. That "finale spot" is what I was talking about, and I had no idea that it was (a) a different performer every week, or (b) even recognizable music, let alone a "particularly plum" soapbox for aspiring artists. I thought it was just the show's version of Muzak.

Yet another demonstration that I'm totally out of touch with this stuff. Consider me schooled.