When the average mainstream media consumer thinks of a cappella, their mind heads straight to the 2012 hit Pitch Perfect. The movie, which follows a collegiate a cappella group, opened eyes to the unique world of just vocal music. But just before that film dropped, NBC had a little show called The Sing Off. From 2009 and 2014, The Sing Off was the first, and only, a cappella singing competition. It watched as amateur and collegiate acts competed for a chance for a cappella glory.
During the heat of reality television singing competition shows, The Sing Off was different. There were no auditions. We went straight into the performances of the season's finalists. The show was ahead of the game because, rather than tearing down the contestants, some of the judging panel would offer sound advice and comprehensive critiques. With three Pitch Perfect films and a television series since The Sing Off debuted, it’s proven that a cappella is still beloved. The main mission was to bring joy and make viewers smile.The Sing Off is a part of reality TV history, for better or worse.
What Made 'The Sing Off' Special
At the surface, The Sing Off was NBC's formulaic answer to its rival's singing shows. At that time, American Idol was the biggest show in the country. While other singing formats had success overseas, shows like X Factor hadn't crossed the pond yet. So, during the downtime of primetime television season in December, NBC introduced The Sing Off to music lovers. Focusing solely on music created by the mouth, The Sing Off celebrated a cappella music. Nick Lachey took on hosting duties with the original judging lineup, which included Ben Folds, Nicole Scherzinger, and Shawn Stockman.
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What made this series unique was that there was no Simon Cowell. The mean judge didn't exist. Ben Folds didn’t care if the viewers didn’t know music theory; it was most important for him to bestow his musical knowledge onto the contestants. His experience with the genre made him the go-to voice to listen to. Then you had Nicole Scherzinger, who spent her time flirting with the college boys. And the former Boyz II Men singer happened to be there to round out the roster.
Because celebrity schedules are busy, The Pussycat Dolls frontwoman departed the series after season 2 as she was introduced as a judge on the X Factor. It wasn't a bad thing because she was upgraded with the addition of Sara Bareilles. Sadly, she only lasted a season as she would go on to be replaced by Jewel. For the final single episode Season 5, Ben Folds was missing and replaced with Patrick Stump, the lead singer of Fall Out Boy. Even with a slightly haphazard judging panel, the series was all about the talent and the wonders they could do with musical arrangements of your favorite songs.
'The Sing Off' Helped Launch Pentatonix
Image via NBC In nearly every episode, the night would begin with a group performance featuring all the competitive groups. Yes, that meant upwards of forty-plus singers could be singing together as one voice. It broke down the boundaries of heated competition to focus on the unity of music. Whether they're taking on a medley of fun. songs or "Mr. Blue Sky" by ELO, these moments have become ingrained in fans' memories because of how special they were. When a group would be eliminated, they would be granted one final "Swan Song" as they left the competition. Again, it allowed the artists to feel special and loved one final time.
The Sing Off was a unique series because it was a celebration of an art form that rarely is highlighted. It may seem niche, but we’ve all heard a barber shop quartet before. Generation X kids remember Rockapella singing the theme song to Where In the World is Carmen Sandiego? Thanks to the popularity of Pitch Perfect, it allowed eager new a capella fans to fall in love with the music style. With a prize $100,000 and a recording contract, The Sing Off was a launching pad for certain careers. Especially one mammoth group, season 3 winners, Pentatonix. They have reached the height of success that some other mainstream competition series winners have never achieved. They have dominated YouTube with their brilliant covers of classic tunes to the point of other singular or group a capella acts have aspired to. For some, Pentatonix is the sound of the holiday season. Sometimes, a strong showing on a reality show is all it takes to become famous!
They Got the Music in Them
With the bar set incredibly high thanks to Pentatonix, the way that these groups would present their performances through impeccable vocal arrangements is something you rarely hear on a reality competition show. On other programs, it's likely that the orchestrations and arrangements are crafted by the show's music team. For The Sing Off, they're present to assist as this is what these groups do on their own. And it wasn't always just a single song. Medleys were more than welcome! Whether it's having a Spanish flair like Season 1 winner's Nota or bringing the country twang like Season 4 winner's Home Free, The Sing Off opened up the door to how a capella can sound.
Whether it was the inconsistency of maintaining a judging panel, lower ratings during the holiday season, or just an oversaturation of competition series with NBC's addition of The Voice, The Sing Off only lasted five seasons. But that's not to say a cappella music is not still alive and well. In fact, it's still a major presence on college campuses and within the amateur circuit. In a time when hope and joy are needed, The Sing Off deserves another chance. Perhaps it’s time to reboot the series and make new memories! The Sing Off is currently unavailable to stream.
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