Listen live here

Whether it is 2 a.m. or 7 p.m., the sweet doo-wop sound can always be heard, allowing music lovers to enjoy the sweet sounds of vocal harmonies. DooWop Radio is an online radio station that plays nothing but doo-wop sounds. With over ten DJs hosting shows and "spinning" oldies, there is always something great to listen to.

The site was started back in 2014 by Joe Panarello, who has had past DJ work across his home state of Pennsylvania. Growing up, he mostly heard the white covers of doo-wop songs, a common thing during the time of the 50's. However, in the 70s, when WICK station out of Scranton, PA started to play oldies, Panarello got a real kick out of it.

With his love for radio as well as the observation that everything is on the internet, DooWop radio was born. "The world will end up on the internet,” Stated Panarello.

With this online station, it pulls in listeners from not only from the United States but from Europe as well, with most of their listeners being from England and Spain. DooWop radio has become the globe's number one online doo-wop radio, pulling in over 500,000 listening hours per month. Each DJ has control over what kind of doo-wop they play. However, people such as Panarello play the groups of New Haven's past, such as The Nutmegs and The Five Satins. For Panarello, who has several thousand doo-wop

"The newer music doesn’t evoke emotions like doo-wop can." continued Panarello.

One DJ, Louann Galanty, hosts two shows a week: Lou's Bronx Pizza Parlor on Wednesdays from 5-p P.M and an acapella show on Sundays from 6-7 P.M.

"Back in the Bronx we all had groups and sang on the corners and in building hallways for the echo. I had a group of 5 girls." Galanty says. Her Wednesday's show name is inspired by her upbringing in the Bronx and how after school, she and her friends would hang out at the local pizza parlor.

Galanty says to her, "doo-wop music is vocal group harmony. "The themes were the same as always: boy and girl, love and loss, etc., and of course, many songs were just fun songs, like Coasters' "Charlie Brown".'

Although most early doo-wop was considered R&B and was not played much on public radio when she was growing up, once New York stations began playing 50's music in the 70s, Galanty was hooked. When she discovered DooWop Radio, she knew she wanted to be a DJ.

"When I found out there was actually an internet station for this music, (DooWop Radio) I was excited and started hearing all these songs from other markets that New York didn't get." Continued Galanty. "(The) New York market was so big that we didn't get West Coast, Philly, Pittsburgh, etc (music). So when they said they needed DJs, I signed up."

Another DJ on the website, Arlene Reid, has her show every Thursday from 2 to 5 P.M called Arlene's Rockin' Kitchen. "It was 2020 when I discovered doowopradio.com and immediately fell in love with the music and DJs. I joined in a few chat rooms and this is where it all began. One of the DJs was impressed with my knowledge of the music, group relationships, etc, and suggested I consider a DJ position." She said. Reid has always been a fan of music since she could remember with doo-wop being one of her top genres. In the 80s, long before the days of online radio, she was a DJ at Lowell University, having a show with Harry Glover for three hours every Saturday.

DooWop Radio recently celebrated its 10th anniversary on the air with no plans to slow down. Although the genre was formatted in the 1950s and a good majority of the station's listeners are 50 and older, demographics also see a rise of younger (18-29) listeners who enjoy the 50s culture and its music.

Panarello believes the younger audience is attracted to the genre because of its tight harmonies. "You had to have some skills. Five-part harmonies are very hard to do.” He said.

So whether a listener is in their early twenties or seventies, all are welcome to listen to DooWop Radio. The station also has its own Facebook community page, DooWop Radio, where DJs and fans can share doo-wop songs, facts, and stories. There is also a chatroom on the website to chat to DJs on air and other doo-wop fans.