Grammy-award winning rock band Switchfoot gathers its first No. 1 radio hit from its highly anticipated album, Fading West, set to release Jan. 14, 2014 on Atlantic Records/Word. After only nine weeks at radio, “Love Alone Is Worth The Fight” claims the top spot on the Billboard Christian Hot AC/CHR chart with a bullet while simultaneously hitting No. 18 and climbing on the AC Indicator chart. In just its first week at radio, the song garnered plays from every Billboard Christian Hot AC/CHR reporting station, marking the only time this has happened since the chart launched in 2006.
With the single available now on the band’s three-song digital Fading West EP released Sept. 17, news of the first No. 1 from the new studio album hits as the band celebrates the release of its Fading West film this week across all leading Video On Demand platforms in the U.S., including iTunes, Amazon, Instant Video, Cable Movies on Demand, Google Play, Xbox Video, Sony Playstation, Cinemanow and Vudu with digital entertainment curator, FilmBuff. In addition, fans can request screenings of the film in a number of markets around the country in partnership with Gathr. The critically acclaimed film release was also highlighted along with a band performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Tuesday (12/10).
“Love alone is worth the fight. It’s a purifying reminder,” says Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman. “We all need to ask ourselves the big questions- why are you alive? What’s your motivation? The applause? The money? The crowd goes away and the money runs out pretty fast. But love is worth the struggle, greater than our fears, embracing those around us. For me, this song encapsulates the story of the film and our story as a band.”
Inspired by such films as Rattle and Hum and Endless Summer, Fading West follows Switchfoot as they travel the globe in search of new musical inspiration and perfect waves. Directed by Matt Katsolis and executive produced by Greenlight Media & Marketing and Switchfoot, the film was shot during their 2012 World Tour and charts the creation of the San Diego-based band’s upcoming ninth album in its earliest and most unpredictable stages. As Switchfoot visits legendary surf breaks in Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Bali, brothers Jon and Tim Foreman breathe fresh life into their songwriting and sound by harnessing the spirit of their stunning surroundings and mining new emotional depths. Part rock documentary, part surf film and part travelogue, Fading West offers rare glimpses of the longtime surfers on their boards and in the waves, captures the frenetic energy of their live shows and, in the end, portrays a journey both epic and intimate.
Switchfoot spent much of this fall on a 52-date tour around the country with the film serving as the opening act, followed by a stripped down, but still rocking live performance by the band. Switchfoot will hit the road again in early 2014 on a full-production, major headline tour with dates to be announced soon.
