Four adorable guys. One MySpace page with more than a million hits. They’re together for less than two years, yet the pop-rock phenomenon Push Play has already been named Best Band on Long Island by Long Island Press. Their new CD, Deserted, has reached nearly 30,000 fans, and their iTunes release stayed in the top 100 for the first two weeks, which is unheard of for an indie band. In April they rocked Nokia Theatre—the only unsigned band ever to play on their stage.

Push Play consists of lead vocalist CJ Baran, 18, from Melville, guitarist/keyboardist Steve Scarola, 18, from Garden City, bassist Nick DeTurris, 18, from Commack, and drummer Derek Ries, 19, from Ronkonkoma. The guiding force behind the band is CJ’s mother and manager, Sue Baran, better known as the “momager.” According to CJ, “We take what she says as the word because she got us to where no one else could.” A newcomer to the music industry, Sue is the owner of several real-estate companies, and has a business-savvy mind focused on succeeding. Under her direction, the band printed up thousands of promotional cards and handed them out at concerts of other “tween-scene” artists, such as Good Charlotte. “We listen, we offer suggestions, sometimes she listens, sometimes she says no, but she’s never been wrong. So we take her lead, always,” CJ emphasizes.

Last December they sold out at NYC’s Irving Plaza, leaving a line of disappointed fans four blocks long. Recently signing with the mega-talent firm Creative Artist Agency, Push Play is fast-forwarding once again, but not without celebrating another milestone: three high-school graduations (CJ, Nick, and Steve) in June. President of his class at St. Anthony’s High School, CJ successfully completed the difficult balancing act as a musician and student. “Now I can finally devote all my time to my craft,” he says with a sigh of relief.

Throughout the year, Push Play has been performing local benefit shows to raise money for several charitable organizations. Proceeds from their CD are donated to the Education and Assistance Corporation, which focuses on enhancing the lives of foster children and the elderly. “We’d like to get their name out there, but ultimately we’d like to make a difference and give something back to the world,” says Sue Baran.

Check out push play at www.myspace.com/pushplayrox