Angels & Airwaves

Angels & Airwaves was formed in 2005 by Tom DeLonge, the lead vocalist and guitarist, following Blink-182’s hiatus. DeLonge spent six months developing new material in his home studio before assembling the band. The initial lineup included David Kennedy on guitar, Atom Willard on drums, and Ryan Sinn on bass. The band’s debut album, “We Don’t Need to Whisper,” was released on May 23, 2006, after a premature leak of their first single “The Adventure.” This album achieved commercial success, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and attaining gold certification in the US and Canada. Subsequent singles from this album included “The War,” “Do It For Me Now,” and “It Hurts.” In 2007, Ryan Sinn departed from the band, and Matt Wachter joined as the new bassist. This early period established Angels & Airwaves not just as a musical act, but as a project aiming to explore broader human themes through various artistic mediums.

The band continued to develop its unique sound and multimedia approach, releasing their second studio album, “I-Empire,” in 2007. The single “Everything’s Magic” quickly gained radio popularity. Angels & Airwaves became known for incorporating narrative and visual elements into their work, a concept solidified with the release of the documentary film “Start the Machine” in 2008, which detailed the band’s formation and creative process. While DeLonge briefly reunited with Blink-182 in 2009, Angels & Airwaves resumed work, leading to the “Love” album project. This initiative saw the release of “Love” (2010) and “Love: Part Two” (2011), accompanied by a science fiction drama film titled “Love” (2011), screened in 460 theaters nationwide. This period marked a significant expansion of the band’s vision, intertwining their music with cinematic and narrative projects.

Over the years, the band experienced lineup changes, with Ilan Rubin joining as drummer in 2011 and Matt Rubano later becoming the bassist. Angels & Airwaves continued to produce conceptual works, including the album “The Dream Walker” (2014) and its accompanying animated short film “Poet Anderson: The Dream Walker.” After DeLonge’s departure from Blink-182 in 2015, he increasingly focused on Angels & Airwaves, releasing EPs like “…Of Nightmares” (2015) and “Chasing Shadows” (2016), often paired with graphic novels. Their most recent studio album, “Lifeforms,” was released in 2021, accompanied by singles like “Rebel Girl,” “Kiss & Tell,” and “Euphoria.” The band has also engaged in philanthropic efforts, such as donating profits from their song “All That’s Left Is Love” (2020) to Feeding America’s COVID-19 relief fund, and continues to explore new ways of connecting with their audience through fan community subscriptions and graphic novels like “Lifeform: Vivian.”