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Hall of Fame:
1983-present

Artists | Songs | Albums | Years
Random Song | Playlist | About


About the Hall of Fame

The Penguin's Hall of Fame was created from the personal collection of music writer, Gary Wien, who runs The Penguin Rocks.

"People always say that you love music from a certain era more than at any other time in your life. For many, it is the music of their youth. I thought about that one day - wondering if there was a period of time that stood out from any other for me. When did I fall in love with music? Did that love stay throughout my life? So, I started this project to find out..."

"I thought about the music I love. If I included everyone, I would never finish. Bands from the sixties and seventies were largely gone before I started buying music, but those albums are in my collection and include some of my all-time favorites. I decided to start with the year my music collection began to take off - 1983. That was the year I was buying albums as they first came out. It probably makes sense that it was the year I became a teenager. Likewise, it was also the year MTV came to my cable system. For me, MTV was like America's own BBC channel. The early years were filled with alternative rock acts that I fell in love with. A few years later, I'd become a die-hard listener of FM 106.3 - a great alternative rock station in my area. Between MTV and 106.3, my musical tastes were defined. Those songs changed my life."

"As an adult, I started writing about music. There was a period of time in which I was at The Saint, a club in Asbury Park, most nights during the week. I saw tons of talented local artists and tons of touring artists - some became big, some faded away, but their music stayed with me."

"Going through my music collection, I pulled out the songs and albums that stood out to me. The songs in which you can clearly remember the lyrics decades later. The ones in which the choruses are burned into your memory. Those are the songs found in this Hall of Fame. Some became hits, some are obscure, but nearly all were played on my internet radio station for years. There are probably hundreds of albums and songs not found in here that I love, but these are the ones I wanted in my music collection - the ones I needed to own. I figure if it is in my collection, I went the extra step to get it and that makes it special."

"Everybody has their own Hall of Fame whether they actually create it or not. I wanted the artists in the HOF to know that someone was listening, someone still loves their music, and someone has never forgotten them. The music here is important to me. Give the music a try, maybe you'll love it, too. It's music that I think should be remembered."




 

COLUMNS


This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from July 1-7, 2025

Here is a look at shows taking place from July 1-7, 2025 along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.




BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 6/30/25




Makin Waves Song of the Week: "My Place" by Des & the Swagmatics




Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...6/26/25






 

MORE NEWS

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Asbury Lanes presents There, There on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 8:00pm. They are the premier Radiohead tribute act, playing songs from throughout the band's iconic multi-decade catalogue.


The Beach Boys LIVE! at Ocean City Music Pier




bergenPAC presents Straight No Chaser - Summer: The 90's Part 2




Blue Curtain presents 2025 Summer Concert Series in Princeton




An Interview with Jim Testa, Veteran Music Writer






 

UPCOMING SHOWS


Sounds of a Summer Night: Music, Nature, and Community in Concert at Reeves-Reed Arboretum

(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic baskets to Reeves-Reed Arboretum and celebrate summer with their 2025 concert series, Sounds of a Summer Night! All performances will be held on select Wednesday evenings on the grounds of this non-profit public garden located in Summit.


2025 Horizon Sounds of the City at NJPAC




South Orange Summer Nights to Offer Free Concerts Every Wednesday Night In July




Middlesex County's Free Concert Series Returns for 2025






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