Crafting another slice of infectious folk-pop that radiates like a warm slice of sun on a breezy day, “Waves” sees The 502s blend catchy melodies and cheery banjo plucks with twangy vocals and nostalgic lyricism.

Romantic and wistful, yet never compromising on its happy-go-lucky feel, the track sees the 6-piece craft a sound that is celebratory, sentimental and life-affirming.

Led by earnest banjo-strumming songwriter Ed Isola, The 502s are best known for both their viral TikTok videos and their raucous live shows. With a breezy bluegrass sound that combines the familiar folk-pop singalongs of The Lumineers with the swelling instrumental energy of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, “Waves” arrives as a taster of the band’s new EP. Set to land this Autumn, the extended release sees the band revelling in the thrill of living their dreams, yet resilient in the face of heartbreak and the relentless upheaval that comes with the passing of time.

The EP will also arrive as The 502s gear up for a string of UK live dates this October and November. Bringing their sunny melodies and riotous live energy to UK audiences, the tour kicks off with a sold out show in Manchester on 28 October, and will see stops in London and Glasgow. Full dates and details below.

The 502s
UK LIVE DATES 2022

OCTOBER
28 – Band on the Wall, Manchester
29 – Saint Luke’s, Glasgow

NOVEMBER
01 – Scala, London

Tickets are available here.

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The 502s are a band of friends and family hailing from Florida. A sextet comprising cousins Ed and Jake Isola, who grew up across the street from one another (in house number 502!), the band also features kindergarten friends Matt Tonner and Joe Capati, plus Sean Froehlich and Nick Melashenko who joined the gang when they all met at college together.

Cutting their teeth playing in various house bands at the Universal Studios theme park, The 502’s have since gone on to become viral TikTok sensations with their smash hit “Just A Little While”. With an infectious spirit of adventure, the song exploded in popularity on the social media platform last December and is confirmed to be the lead track from their upcoming album ‘Could It Get Better Than This’.

After firing up their TikTok account one day, the band were inundated with thousands of videos from college and high school students posting compilation videos of their time at school — all scored by the ebullient chorus of “Just A Little While”. Soon the trend caught on with users of all ages, locations and backgrounds, with the song appearing in everything from motivational videos to makeup tutorials to posts about globetrotting excursions.

Gaining a massive influx of new fans as a result, the trend pushed The 502s streaming numbers through the roof, landing them on Billboard’s Hot Rock and Alternative charts, as well as the #3 spot on Spotify’s Top Viral 50.

Although the band have soared into the spotlight overnight, they’re anything but a flash in the pan. The boys are no strangers to TikTok acclaim, following a prior viral moment back in 2020 with their song “Magdalene”. Last year’s album is their second full-length to date, and the band have already played multiple tours across North America and Europe.

Described as bringing “undeniable, immaculate rays of Florida sunshine bringing happiness to the world, one tune at a time”, their latest single “The Waves” is a fine case in point.

Tune in and keep your ears peeled for more news from The 502s in the coming months…