In a fresh take on pop-punk, Sub-Radio delivers a more soothing spin, potentially revitalizing the genre.
Rewritten Article:
Sub-Radio Rises From DC Basement to Pop-Punk Stardom
The pandemic hit hard, but for Sub-Radio, it was a golden opportunity. The band took their act to social media from their basement in the DC area, garnering attention with their livestream performances and unique renditions of popular music. They struck gold with their own spin on "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne, going viral and setting the stage for their rise to fame.
Fast forward a few years, the quintet released their debut album Sunrise City, playing a few tracks at NPR's headquarters. The band has come a long way, beginning their journey in the Northern Virginia suburbs, where they've been friends for awhile.
"We did the cover band thing for a buck or two," said Matt Prodanovich, guitarist for the band. "But it mostly started when we were just young kids in high school, getting our feet wet playing shows around the D.C. scene at places like Whitlow's and Clarendon Ballroom."
The two met in a high school guitar class. Matt, the band's de facto recruiter, saw Adam Bradley play a heart-wrenching rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." Adam's powerful vocals, somewhere between Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump and an '80s ballad tenor, made an impression on Matt, ultimately landing him the lead vocalist spot.
The band was complete with the addition of drummer Michael Pereira, guitarist Kyle Cochran, and John Fengya on keys. Together, they represent a continuation of the early 2000s pop-punk tradition while offering a fresh twist on the genre.
For fans of that era, bands like Panic! At The Disco and Fall Out Boy hold a special place, and now Sub-Radio fits comfortably within that pantheon following their work with Grammy-winning producer Neal Avron.
"Me and Adam are probably the biggest Fall Out Boy stans on the planet," Matt jokes. "Neal Avron produced their famous From Under the Cork Tree album."
Sub-Radio set out to bring Avron on board after realizing they needed his expertise to polish their debut album. With the help of their followers, they managed to impress Avron with a viral social media video and seal the deal.
While the band had a previous release under their belt, self-produced by member Kyle Cochran, they recognized the need for change. The band's creative process was a bit haphazard, with songwriting happening separately before being thrown together on an album. They wanted to level up, focusing on broad appeal and creating pop-driven music.
"When left to my own devices, I'm more of an artsy lyricist, not quite the pop songwriter I needed to be. But we want to be a commercial act, we want to reach a wide audience," Adam said.
And they've succeeded. Sub-Radio boasts a combined internet following in the millions and plays to sold-out shows. They maintain that their music is meant for everyone. Simultaneously, they've built a strong connection with the queer community, whose feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
"I'm bisexual, and I talk about it on stage. I think it's essential to be open about my sexuality because it's drawn a lot of queer fans to the band," Adam said. "Queer fans have created a safe and welcoming space that I feel lucky to be a part of."
Although queer people have always been present in pop-punk and adjacent genres, the early 2000s were a different time. Sub-Radio's openness and embrace of their queer fans set them apart, offering a fresh perspective on a genre often plagued with misogyny.
"I always felt that the Warped Tour scene, the pop-punk world we emerged from, was incredibly masculine and incredibly misogynistic. We wanted to intentionally distance ourselves from that, and Sub-Radio is a band of five dudes, but we strive to be soft and positive," Adam said.
This "soft" and positive energy isn't confined to love songs or upbeat tracks. Sunrise City also features deeper introspective songs like "Nothing's Broken," a slow song about depression, anxiety, and maintaining a positive outlook even in the face of hardship.
"I wrote it as a sort of melting pot for people in my head who could use a bit of perspective, not to sound patronizing, but to offer reassurance that it's okay to feel a little broken while accepting that that's not the truth," Adam explained.
In essence, if Sunrise City were a real place, it would be somewhere you could go whenever you need a burst of positivity, whether that's making a trip to a Sub-Radio show or simply listening to the album.
Sunrise City, released on May 9, 2025, serves as a beacon of hope, optimism, and a refreshing take on the pop-punk genre we can all embrace, if only for a little while.
This live performance chat audio was engineered by Andie Huether and Josephine Nyounai.
[1] https://pitchfork.com/news/sub-radio-announces-debut-album-sunrise-city-shares-moody-ballad/ [2] https://www.npr.org/2021/05/07/996366343/sub-radio-sunrise-city-album-review [3] https://www.billboard.com/music/sub-radio/
- Sub-Radio's friendship dates back to their high school days in Northern Virginia, where they would perform at local venues like Whitlow's and Clarendon Ballroom.
- Adam Bradley's powerful voice, reminiscent of both Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump and '80s ballad tenors, caught the attention of Matt Prodanovich, landing him the lead vocalist spot in the band.
- The band aims to appeal to a wide audience, focusing on creating pop-driven music, and they've succeeded, boasting a combined internet following in the millions and playing to sold-out shows.
- Sub-Radio has built a strong connection with the queer community, whose feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Adam, who is bisexual, often discusses his sexuality on stage, drawing in queer fans and contributing to a safe, welcoming space within the band's community.
