Celebrating the musicians, builders, and visionaries who made Upstate New York a force in American music.
82 Inductees Across 7 Regions
From Buffalo’s funk and punk scenes to Rochester’s Eastman School pipeline, from the Woodstock creative commune to Albany’s underground, Upstate New York has shaped American music in profound and often underrecognized ways.
No Upstate city rivals Buffalo for sheer musical breadth. Rick James defined funk from the East Side. Ani DiFranco built the DIY independent label movement from her Buffalo apartment. The Goo Goo Dolls gave the world "Iris." Cannibal Corpse became the best-selling death metal band of all time. Grover Washington Jr. invented smooth jazz. Griselda put Buffalo back on the national hip-hop map. And Harold Arlen — the man who wrote "Over the Rainbow" — was a Buffalo native.
The Eastman School of Music is the single most important institutional pipeline for Upstate NY music talent. It trained Chuck Mangione, Steve Gadd, Ron Carter, Mick Guzauski, Mitch Miller, Angelo Badalamenti, and Maria Schneider. Lou Gramm of Foreigner grew up in Rochester. Cab Calloway was born there. Son House was rediscovered there in 1964.
When Albert Grossman moved to Woodstock in the 1960s and built Bearsville Studios, he created an ecosystem that attracted Bob Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison, Todd Rundgren, and dozens of jazz legends. Levon Helm hosted the Midnight Ramble concerts from his barn. Alan Gerry saved the Woodstock festival site by building Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.
Jimmy Van Heusen — who wrote "Come Fly with Me" for Sinatra — was born in Syracuse. Ronnie James Dio grew up in nearby Cortland. Joey Belladonna of Anthrax hails from Oswego. Earth Crisis pioneered metalcore. Joe Bonamassa, the world's top-grossing blues artist, opened for B.B. King at age 12 in Utica.
Phantogram, State Champs, Drug Church, Maria Brink of In This Moment, MacArthur Fellow Vijay Iyer, and Voice winner Sawyer Fredericks all have roots here. Greg Haymes built the scene by writing about it for 30 years. Greg Bell booked 3,000 shows. Brooks Brown built WEQX into the last independent alternative radio station in America.
10,000 Maniacs formed in Jamestown. X Ambassadors came out of Ithaca. Orleans gave us "Still the One." Gym Class Heroes launched from Geneva. And the GrassRoots Festival in Trumansburg has been bringing communities together through music since 1991.
38 inductees matching your filters
Jamestown
Jamestown's 10,000 Maniacs pioneered the alternative rock movement in the 1980s. Their MTV Unplugged appearance was a landmark moment, and they helped define the college...
View Profile →Woodstock / Bearsville
The single most important music industry figure in Upstate New York history. Albert Grossman managed Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, The Band, and Peter Paul &...
View Profile →Buffalo
Legendary rock bass virtuoso from Buffalo. Billy Sheehan played with David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and The Winery Dogs, influencing a generation of rock bassists...
View Profile →Albany
Cult-favorite Albany new wave band Blotto was one of the first acts to get major MTV airplay with their novelty hit "I Wanna Be a...
View Profile →Woodstock (resident 1965-1972)
Bob Dylan's Woodstock years (1965-1972) were among his most creatively fertile. The Basement Tapes, recorded with The Band at Big Pink in Saugerties, became one...
View Profile →Pawling (Hudson Valley)
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Daryl Hall chose to build an intimate restaurant and music club in Pawling, a small Dutchess County town. Daryl's...
View Profile →Albany
One of the most critically acclaimed post-hardcore/punk bands of the 2010s-2020s, Drug Church formed in Albany and became a standard-bearer for intelligent, angular heavy music.
View Profile →Buffalo
One of the most beloved and influential hardcore/metalcore bands of the 2000s-2020s. Formed by the Buckley brothers in Buffalo, Every Time I Die became synonymous...
View Profile →Rochester
Rochester-born Lou Gramm was the iconic lead vocalist and co-writer for Foreigner, one of the best-selling rock bands of all time with over 80 million...
View Profile →Utica
Utica-born Fran Cosmo served as lead singer of Boston and Orion the Hunter, bringing an Upstate New York voice to one of classic rock's most...
View Profile →Buffalo
Buffalo's Goo Goo Dolls are one of the biggest rock bands of the late 1990s. "Iris" spent nearly 12 months on the Billboard Hot 100...
View Profile →Geneva
The multi-platinum rap-rock group featuring Travie McCoy formed in Geneva, NY. "Stereo Hearts" with Adam Levine and "Cupid's Chokehold" became massive pop crossover hits.
View Profile →Utica
Utica native Joe Bonamassa opened for B.B. King at age 12 and has since become arguably the biggest touring blues-rock artist in the world. With...
View Profile →Woodstock (resident)
The Lovin' Spoonful founder became a longtime Woodstock resident. John Sebastian's impromptu performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival is one of the event's most memorable...
View Profile →Rochester
Modern indie rock/synth-pop band formed in Rochester in 2010. Joywave's infectious hooks and electronic-tinged sound have earned them a growing national following and major festival...
View Profile →Rochester (born)
Born in Rochester, Kim Gordon co-founded Sonic Youth — one of the most important alternative rock bands ever. As bassist, vocalist, and visual artist, she...
View Profile →Woodstock
The Band's drummer and vocalist made Woodstock his permanent home, hosting the beloved Midnight Ramble concerts from his barn studio. His three-time Grammy-winning solo career...
View Profile →Buffalo area
Critically acclaimed experimental rock band from the Buffalo area. Mercury Rev's Deserter's Songs is considered one of the great albums of the 1990s and their...
View Profile →Woodstock
Michael Lang co-created the most famous music festival in history — the 1969 Woodstock Festival. His vision defined the idea of the American music festival...
View Profile →Rochester
Rochester native Mick Guzauski is one of the most decorated mixing engineers in Grammy history. His work on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories alone earned...
View Profile →Buffalo / Utica / Albany
One of the most enduring jam bands in the Northeast, moe. formed at the University at Buffalo and built a massive following across the Upstate...
View Profile →Jamestown
From Jamestown, NY, Natalie Merchant was the voice of 10,000 Maniacs and one of the most prominent figures in 1990s alternative rock. Her solo career...
View Profile →Ithaca
With deep Ithaca roots, Orleans gave the world "Dance with Me" and "Still the One" — two of the most beloved AM radio staples of...
View Profile →Greenwich / Saratoga Springs
Electronic rock duo Phantogram formed in Greenwich, NY, near Saratoga Springs. With multiple Billboard hits including "Fall in Love" and "You Don't Get Me High...
View Profile →Syracuse (born)
Born in Syracuse, Post Malone became one of the biggest-selling artists of the streaming era with diamond-certified hits like "Circles" and "Rockstar." Though raised primarily...
View Profile →Syracuse
Formed at Syracuse University in 2006, Ra Ra Riot brought chamber-pop innovation to the indie rock world. Their use of strings and orchestral arrangements set...
View Profile →Buffalo
Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robby Takac reinvested his success directly into Buffalo's music infrastructure — founding Good Charamel Records and opening GCR Audio, a world-class...
View Profile →Cortland
One of the greatest heavy metal vocalists in history. Ronnie James Dio grew up in Cortland, NY, where he formed his first bands. He fronted...
View Profile →Buffalo
Buffalo's Snapcase pioneered a noise rock/metalcore hybrid that shaped the late-1990s hardcore scene. Their technical approach and aggressive sound influenced countless heavy bands that followed.
View Profile →Albany
A major staple of the modern pop-punk scene, State Champs formed in Albany in 2010 and signed to Pure Noise Records. They represent the Capital...
View Profile →Rochester (Irondequoit)
Born in Rochester and trained at the Eastman School of Music, Steve Gadd is widely considered one of the greatest session drummers in music history....
View Profile →Woodstock / Saugerties
The Band lived and created their masterworks in Woodstock and Saugerties, recording Music from Big Pink in a house in West Saugerties. Levon Helm remained...
View Profile →Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs rock band The Figgs became famous as the backing band for legendary English rocker Graham Parker. Their own power pop recordings earned them...
View Profile →Woodstock
Todd Rundgren lived in Woodstock for decades, recording his landmark solo albums and producing classic records at Bearsville Studios — including Meat Loaf's Bat Out...
View Profile →Woodstock area
Legendary bassist for King Crimson and Peter Gabriel, Tony Levin has been based in the Woodstock/Hudson Valley area for decades. His Chapman Stick playing and...
View Profile →Woodstock (resident)
Northern Irish legend Van Morrison was a Woodstock resident who recorded key albums in the area. His time in Upstate New York contributed to some...
View Profile →Rochester
Born in Rochester, Wendy O. Williams was the controversial and theatrical lead singer of The Plasmatics. Her boundary-pushing punk performances and fearless stage presence made...
View Profile →Ithaca
The platinum-selling alternative rock band from Ithaca behind massive hits "Renegades" and "Unsteady." X Ambassadors put the Finger Lakes region on the modern rock map.
View Profile →The Upstate Music Hall of Fame is a living project. If you know of a musician, producer, promoter, or music industry figure from Upstate New York who should be recognized here, we want to hear from you.