4 Seasons. 44 Groups. 250+ Performances. From 2009 to 2013, NBC's The Sing-Off dominated its genre as the pinnacle of talent show television, existing as an effortless blend of a cappella, group-oriented, singing based talent week-to-week. In its much too short lifespan of a modest 5 years, The Sing-Off was lightning-in-a-bottle music magic, and today, we're going comprehensively breakdown the volume of art it gifted the world.
So why pick apart this obscure TV show? Why the Sing-Off? Simply put, this show was my childhood. I first caught wind of this show when The Yellowjackets of the University of Rochester, a college local to me, made the 3rd season. I discovered my main man MrDuckBear11, a YouTube legend who uploaded all of the performances, and the rest was history. This show is extremely responsible for a developed love of theatrical music and live performance. Through some rough times, and generally my initial foray into my musical tastes of today, the Sing-Off and a cappella music of the likes of Pentatonix, Chester See, and others has remained as a staple. This show means a TON to me, so I figured it'd be the perfect semi-obscure topic to bring to the blog one day.
If you skipped over my dissection of the Beatle's discography, I'm going to be structuring things in a similar way. First, I'm going to rank the 44 groups across the 4 seasons of the show. I'm ignoring everything to do with the "5 season", aka the 2-hour sham of a special that aired in December in 2014 (The Exchange easily would've won that season if it were a fully season.) From there, I'm going to rank every performance across the 4 true seasons, with some key exceptions. Elimination Battles* do not count, swan songs do not count, victory songs do not count, and holiday songs do not count to our grand total of 252 songs. 252 is a huge number already, and I'm not a huge fan of these categories of songs, as their usually much worse than actual group performances, and it'd just be overall very negative of me to rag on these numbers to no one’s benefits. One final thing before we get into the rankings; PLAYLISTS.
This playlist is my WORST to BEST ranking.
And this playlist is my BEST to WORST ranking.
If neither of those links for you, here is my channel's hyperlink to copy and paste into browser or youtube.
*IMPORTANT NOTE* PLAYLISTS ARE GOING TO BE SUPER IMPORTANT FOR THIS POST. I'M GOING TO HYPERLINK EVERYTHING, BUT DUE TO LIMITATIONS ON SITE STORAGE, I CAN ONLY HAVE SO MUCH EMBEDDED. I WILL HYPER LINK EVERYTHING AS WELL TO FOLLOW ALONG THAT WAY, BUT SORRY FOR THE INCONVENICE.
With all of that estabilished, It's finally time to get into ranking these groups!
44. Solo (Season 1)
Top Peformance - N/A
It's going to be difficult to talk about these groups who got eliminated first, as I only have a single performance to go off of. If you're really looking to fully enjoy this series, I recommend watching at least the before portions of these performances to learn about the groups. The judge's comments afterwards are also extremely intelligent for a talent show like this, shout out Ben Folds, so look into those too if you appreciate the technical aspects of music. Refocusing, Solo has an extremely touching backstory, but simply put, they were not cut out for this show. To be blunt, they sound amateur at best, and very bad at worse. It almost feels like they wanted to go with a cringey, so-bad-it's-good performance you'd find on something like American Idol. This is the only group that ever gives off this vibe, the awesome thing about the Sing-Off is that the competition is so strong, every group is a viable opponent on the quest to win it all. Solo just wasn't made for TV, and that's all I can really offer off of their one performance.
43. Fannin Family (Season 3)
Top Peformance - N/A
I understand why they made the cut for the show; the shtick of a singing family is a classic, loveable angle to work. Similar issues to Solo however; Just not up-to-snuff with the quality you'd expect from this show. Lead wasn't bad, hope the early exit didn't discourage the younger daughter from pursuing music. Nothing else to add, their performance just didn't hit me in a positive way. I noticed this blurb is short, so let me explain briefly that none of the seasons are the same size due to ratings nonsense. Season 1 is 8 groups, Seasons 2 & 4 are 10 groups, and Season 3 is 16 groups. Because of this, 1 group from Season 1 only got a single performance, 2 from Seasons 2 & 4 only got a single chance to shine, and a staggering 4 from Season 3 got the boot after one song. Confusing? Yes, but now you know!
42. The Collective (Season 3)
Top Peformance - "Rocketeer" by Far East Movement
Does this group deserve to be way higher? Yes. They're much more talented than a few of the groups ahead of them. So, what's the gripe? I CANNOT stand the main lead's voice. Ruby, their lead, has this disgusting amount of vibrato on her singing voice, it comes across to me personally as unimaginably irksome. It makes a majority of their performances unlistenable for me. It's even more frustrating when you realize this a group comprised of all soloists, meaning that any one of them could fill this role in place of Ruby. This group was actually put together by Jeremy Lister, the lead from Street Corner Symphony, a group that you'll see later on I enjoy a fair amount. I'm a big fan of his, but I got to ask what he was doing with this one. Big lack of the "Meat and Potatoes" of a strong bass and beatboxer in addition to this lead issue makes The Collective a group that I tend to avoid like the plague.
41. Maxx Factor (Season 1)
Top Peformance - Beach Boys Medley
Here's what I consider to be the worst of the Doo-Wop / Barbershop groups. Sitting at the smallest group size across all of the seasons at 4, there is just not enough bodies to fill a performance. With the complicated production of the modern music they're forced to tackle, they just can't satisfy all of the necessary roles. Additionally, through these constraints, all of their performances end up being very samey, and while samey can be good for establishing a distinct style, some variety in arrangement and delivery is necessary. Any group without a beatboxer is doomed in a competition like this in my opinion, and the lack of a strong bass to boot makes Maxx Factor stick out as the lower-tier throwback group. Not hating on this older sound either, as a disclaimer... you'll see later on that there's some groups I think that do it well.
40. Face (Season 1)
Top Peformance - N/A
Another one of the one and done groups down here. Imagine "Dad rock-a-pella" if you will. I actually don't mind their single performance at all, it's fun and has a decent amount going on. A little empty, but serviceable. Compared to the competition? Yeah, probably deserved to go home. I just can't realistically rank them any higher off of one passable performance, compared to groups who were able to give me a little bit more with multiple attempts. (I know these blurbs for these initial groups are pretty short, but I don't have a lot to say about the one-and-done contestants, and am trying to be more positive than negative.)
39. Men of Note (Season 2)
Top Peformance - N/A
Another first round exit. I think the lead of this group, Richard, actually has a really nice voice, albeit it does sound kind of on the verge of being corny. Their song just felt a little empty, and it's another case of when looking at the spread, they had to be the ones to go home. Judge Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls describes them as "sounding thin", which is a perfect boiling down of what this group gave us, just a brisk, barren performance. There's not really a lot to Note with Men of Note, so let's keep burning through these lower ranked groups and move on to the next one.
38. Pitch Slapped (Season 2)
Discussed Peformance - "Good Girls Go Bad" by Cobra Starship
The other group from Season 2 to be eliminated after a single performance. However, at least this performance was much more memorable by comparison. I don't know how else to describe this group as just exuding immense Chad & Stacy energy. They spend their introduction portion gassing the prestige of their arts college and their dedication to their talents, and then deliver just the bro-iest, awkwardly sexual, cockiest performance you could imagine. The male lead sounds straight out of a frat party, the female lead comes off as smug, there's just a general overconfidence to this group. I do like some of the arrangement choices they put on display here, such as the intro, the background falsetto on "Good Girls Go Bad", and the switch-up chant on the bridge. The performance is compelling in terms of fundamentals, but the execution just comes across as way too arrogant to ever buy into this group. It's weird, I doubt the group is actually like how they come across to me. Some members are featured in the group Delilah in later season 3, and I'm totally fine with them there, just something about this performance that irks me I guess.
37. Element (Season 4)
Top Peformance - "You Keep Me Hangin' On" by The Supremes
Our first Season 4 group, and NOT the first one to be eliminated from that season! Element, to me, stands as the example of how not to do an all-girl group. All-girl groups are at a natural disadvantage, due to their limited range of octaves, as covered to verbatim by the judges of this season. However, there are ways to compensate for this (see Delilah), and there are ways to misuse potential. Element is a group filled with a lot of real talent, it's pretty obvious, they just consistently underperformed until they left the series. They never switched up leads, never got too adventurous or experimental, they kind of just kept doing the same thing, and it just wasn't working. They have a super talented bassist in Jo, but the leads always felt like they were competing with one another, and the group lacked an overall sense of unity, especially in filling out the middle range of their sounds. Similar to other lower ranked groups, thin, empty performances mar the tracks Element tackled. The performance I highlighted as their best sort of addresses these issues, but not to the extent that would warrant their stay in the competition. I wish I got more from these girls, because I see a lot of talent here, it's just sad to see that never translated into the quality of performance that could've been there.
36. Messiah's Men (Season 3)
Top Peformance - "People Get Ready" by The Impressions
Another one-and-done. Extremely tight harmonies and a beautiful lead on display here, Messiah's Men brought a unique diversity in sound to this season with their self-described "Afrocentric Gospel" sound. I quite enjoy their one performance, it's really touching, wholesome fun, and I have no major complaints. However, it's fairly simple in terms of arrangement, so I understand why they were sent packing so early. I would've actually liked to see them go a little bit further in the competition, I'm sure there was more on offer in the prospect of multiple performances that we'll never get to see. Ben described their performance as having a "Relaxing groove" and "Powerful unison", which I think is an apt description of the vibe this performance gave me. Super soothing, very pleasant, something that you may want to check out if you're feeling an adventurous sound. Ranked lower just because it's a single performance that was enjoyable but not astounding.
35. Nota (Season 1)
Top Peformance - "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees
Hot take and SPOILER alert! I have the Season 1 champions, Nota, ranked at 35. Yes, this is behind two one-and-dones, and yes, I do not care. Let me clarify that I think Nota is a really talented group, and probably deserved to go to the finals of Season 1 (a Season that you'll see down the line in this post was pretty weak talentwise, but I digress). However, I don't think Nota should've won Season 1. This is going to come across as really negative, but I find Nota to be extremely gimmicky. Their whole spin is that they're this blend of a Capella and Puerto Rican stylings of music. However, I think the way they execute this shtick is awful. Instead of being an a Capella group who performs songs in their specific style, like how Home Free performed normal songs as a Capella country, or how Afro Blue performed normal songs as Jazz-Capella, Nota is a normal a Capella group who inserts sporadic Latin dance break downs into their normal performances in the most ham-fisted way imaginable. It completely ruins the flow of some otherwise pretty great performances, with their performances of "I'm Yours" and "Down" being notable cases of this. I think David is a really amazing lead, and their backing bassist is pretty respectable, it's just this disconnect I have with them that prevents me from enjoying performances like this. Things get sadder when their performances that I do enjoy with no problems, such as the highlighted "Stayin' Alive", are completely devoid of these intriguing Latin elements. Overall, I feel like I get a lot of nada from nota, I wish I could click with them the judges of Season 1 clearly did.
34. Kinfolk 9 (Season 3)
Top Peformance - "Secrets" by OneRepublic
This may be a polarizing placement for dedicated Sing-Off fans. Kinfolk 9 is a group built from extended family and friends, a la Kinfolk, but completely revolves around the lead, Moi. And similar to The Collective, it’s this fact that kind of deflates this group for me. Moi's singing voice is undoubtedly unique, soulful, and passionate, but man, does it sound like he's overselling every performance. Read the comments on "Let It Be", you'd think the man is a god. Ignore how grating and out of touch he is from the actual group backing him and song he's singing, I guess. Moi operates on either 0 or 100%, and because of this, he often sounds completely disconnected from the group. I'd say Moi is talented, I won't deny that (even if I don't care for his voice and theatrics to the extent others do), but I'd only concede this when assessing him as a Soloist. In addition to my gripes with the leads, this group just generally lacks strong fundamentals, especially in their percussion. When considered with the fact that the other leads are surprisingly weak in comparison to other groups, all these factors culminate to a strongly disjointed feeling in Kinfolk's performances, leading to a lower ranking for them in my tier list.
33. The Socals (Season 1)
Top Peformance - Journey Medley
Season 1, as you're going to learn throughout this post, is just kind of odd. It feels like a Capella evolved by so much in the passage of time between season 1 and season 2. So much more technical as the seasons move on, whereas season 1 is more traditional sounding. Some season 1 groups handle this sound extremely well as you're going to see, and for me, the Socals teeter right on the edge of being super competent and overwhelming cheesy. They're super talented, but also just so Californian for no good reason. They seem that their personality is limited to being from Southern California is an odd way, and signs point to that you should probably not enjoy they’re over the top, sometimes goofy performances... but in a guilty way, there's some fun to be had listening here. They have no bass whatsoever, and some pretty weak beatboxing, but the leads are good to decent. Their song choice is usually pretty spot on for their style however, especially the Journey medley linked above, along with their performance of "Already Gone". I'm pretty torn with them to be honest. This is group and the next group mark a distinct turning point in this list. Up to this point, it's been groups that I'm either indifferent on, don't have enough to go off of, or do not enjoy. Moving past this next one, where finally going to get into territory of groups I enjoy up to adore. Regardless, the Socals make for an interesting inclusion in the ranks of the Sing-Off, and at the very least are serviceable at padding at those playlists’ runtimes.
32. Noteworthy (Season 1)
Top Peformance - "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay
Noteworthy is just barely neck and neck with the Socals for me. Similar gripes; lack of the meat and potatoes of a good bass and beatboxer, performances missing that extra little something to blow you away. What ultimately edges them out over the Socals for me is their strength of leads. Even if her performance on "Think" wasn't all that Noteworthy (hehe), the inclusion of Amy Whitcomb from Delilah on this roster is a huge plus. Whereas the Socals had a sort of questionable personality to them, I associate just kind of a lack of personality with Noteworthy. Glad we got some of the really talented members from this group in a later season to see them shine, but there's not anything really significantly positive for me to make remarks on here. Sitting just on the cusp of being a group to look out for, Noteworthy's early exit from the competition leave them at the top of the lost-from-memory teams to tackle this competition.
31. Cat's Pajamas (Season 3)
Top Peformance - "Some Kind of Wonderful" by Grand Funk Railroad
Well, here's a group that was gone much too soon. Take this with a grain of salt, as it was sourced from Justin Tucker from the YouTube comments of their performances, but he cites "What hurt them is that they wouldn't sign off to the producers getting 50% of their concerts for the next 5 years so the producers booted them right away. NOT the judges! They loved them!" Unfortunate if true, although they already were established as seen in their intro monologue, so not that big of a blow to them personally. Their lead singer has a really timeless, classic voice that is perfectly suited to croon some old school throwbacks. Their backing fundamentals are solid, and their harmonies were on point, so this reasoning offered up by our boy JT seems like a viable explanation to me. Heading back to research the show for this post, I had totally forgot that this group even existed, and was very pleasantly surprised to rediscover this gem from the series. They are unfortunately one-and-done, so not too much I can say, but Shawn said it best, they are most definitely some entertainers on stage.
30. Groove for Thought (Season 2)
Top Peformances - "You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates , "Changes" by David Bowie
We got any jazz fans out there? Is my boy Dylan reading this? Groove for Thought is (one of) the groups for you! They're super smooth, and super smooth, that's for sure. I could've seen them going far under two conditions: being on a weaker season, and selecting some better songs earlier on to perform. The two performances I've highlighted for them really fit their sleek, jazzier style, but Mike Posner and surprisingly Stevie Wonder were not the greatest fits for their first two performances in my opinion. Not to sound like a broken record, but similar to a lot of groups on this half of this list, they ultimately suffered from the lack of some stronger bass and percussion. The more unique, jazzy arrangements they wound up going for masked a lot of this issue, but it's still noticeable when compared to the stronger groups of this season. Additionally, because of this chiller image they have going on, it felt this group just struggled to let loose and have some fun on stage up until their last performance of Hall & Oates. You're going to see that the jazz-influenced groups from later seasons end up doing it way better, which is ultimately what lands Groove for Thought this low in the rankings.
29. North Shore (Season 3)
Top Peformance - "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers
AND
28. Street Corner Renaissance (Season 4)
Top Peformance - "Do You Love Me" by The Contours
I'm ranking these two groups together because they fill pretty much the same exact role in their respective seasons to a near identical quality; they're the fun, loveable throwback groups full of doo wop singing seasoned vets. They take modern pop and make it all jokey and bright, they take those classics and fill them with heart; you know they're not going to win the competition, but you hate to see them leave the show, they're just a bright little ray of sunshine throughout the night of performances. For North Shore, I've got to highlight their versatile lead, Guy, and their monster of a bass. SCR has so much personality between all of their group members, and their slightly more classic sound, coupled with a stronger top performance lead me to rank them a spot higher. I especially love the clip at the start of the linked episode where Sonny tries to learn to beatbox, they were just so much fun to have on the show. I'm more of the modern a Capella persuasion admittedly, but I'd highly recommend running through these two groups catalogs if something old-school is more your speed.
27. Princeton Footnotes (Season 4)
Top Peformance - "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift
This is one of the two last one and done groups, so hopefully I'll have some more to say about these groups as we get out of the twenties. Admittedly, I'm a little bit of a sucker for a good 'ol college group, but come on, these guys didn't have to go home first! This performance had a surprisingly complex arrangement, and although it's pretty clear the AcoUstiKats where the college crew with more personality, these guys could've at least beaten out Element and possibly even higher ranked Calle Sol after their worse first performance. It's not easy for a college guy to body some TSwift the way their lead did, cut them some slack judges. They kissed up to Ben Folds MID-PERFORMANCE, that's that sort of boldness that at least deserves an invite back to week two. I'm not too salty though, Season 4 might be the Season where all of the groups where the closest in terms of talent. Season 1 was king of lacking, Season 3 had some duds just due to the size of the cast, and Season 2 was insanely talented for the top 5, but pretty distant on that lower half of groups. Season 4 is the only season where feasibly any group could've gone home any week for me, so I guess these Jersey boys just should've come out swinging stronger to compensate. It's only a single performance, but the Footnotes cooked up a pretty good one with their one shot, I guess y'all should've give it a peep if you're really committed to diving into the extensive Sing-Off Cast.
26. Eleventh Hour (Season 2)
Top Peformance - "Baby" by Justin Bieber
Imagine being this talented in high school? Pretty unreal to watch a group of high school students slay the game like this. I love Kendall as a lead. She's got some really nice vocal control, and will occasionally bust out this significant amount of grit on certain notes that really sells her emotion, such as 2:40 time stamp on the Biebs performance I've linked. Their beatboxer is surprisingly fantastic for a high school lad, and their supporting harmonies are locked in pretty well. I think what really bit this group in the competition was a lack of adventurous arranging, they played their performances pretty safe. If they would've shopped around some crazier ideas, I could've seen them going much farther in the competition, even in a season as stacked as this one. I know I've made plenty of mention of them already, but seeing some moments for Kendall to shine in our favorite all-star cast in Delilah definitely emboldens my opinion of Eleventh Hour, knowing the talent that was on display here. Honestly, high school groups baffle me with how well they're able to compete. If you want to feel bad about everything you had accomplished by the age of 18, checking some Eleventh Hour performances are the one of the most enjoyable ways there is out there to self-shame.
25. Calle Sol (Season 4)
Top Peformance - "Livin' la Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin
This is what Nota should've been. An authentic, genuine Puerto Rican a Capella group, that also so happens to double as a troop of Latin dancers? Sounds like a fun time to me. Unlike Nota, that dancey, Latin rhythm was present throughout the entire performance when Calle Sol hit the stage, meaning that when they came through with a Spicy breakdown for the audience, it was well earned. Yeah, the breakdown in their first performance was a little weak, but I still had loads more fun with their two performances, especially the second one I've linked, than anything Nota ever gave me. There was no way they weren’t going to crush Livin' la Vida Loca, this performance really delivers. I'm not going to complain about their early exit on a tough season with a weak first performance, but contrary to what my opinions on most Latin pop on the radios currently might have you think, I think what Calle Sol brings to the table is an unmatched exuberant fun not seen before or since they graced the Sing-Off stage. (Also, sorry for the Nota hate, but not that sorry, they kind of bottle of the barrel.)
24. Soul'd Out (Season 3)
Top Peformance - "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" by The 5th Dimension
Ok, so with the Footnotes, I can kind of understand them kicking the bucket first in a tough season, but someone please explain to me how in the weak episode one bracket of North Shore, the Deltones, and the freaking Collective that this is the group that got yeeted off the show? No one's reading this post, and if they are, they're probably only looking at the songs, but I had this performance ranked at 110, nearly in the double digits. That may seem low, but this is out of 252 performances, and I can comfortably say I love every performance from the mid 150's and up, so I actually really really enjoy this performance. For a HIGH SCHOOL group, this is so ambitious, so adventurous, and so bold to drop on the first episode. Only the Deltones ever cooked up something better than this from their bracket, it's insane to me how this wasn't good enough to the judges. Yeah, the second half of this is a little messier, but it's so much fun, and that first half is so damn tight. Yeah, I've got a soft spot for musical numbers, but the theatricality this performance had really made this group stand out for the season 3 debut. Everyone in the comments seems to disagree with me, and that's ok. I think this performance is awesome, wish this group had maybe just an episode or two more to possibly grace us with another classic.
23. The Whiffenpoofs (Season 2)
Top Peformance - "Grace Kelly" by Mika
Ok, so if you read my Beatles blog post, you know I don't expect you to agree with all of my opinions. Like, I can understand if you don't mesh with "Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey", for example. The Whiffenpoofs are my monkey for this post. They are ridiculous. They are SO over the top. People are laughing before the Grace Kelly performance I've linked is even over, thinking to themselves "What did I even just watch?" And I love it. They're almost indescribable... You would never expect such insanity from a group with such a historic prestige. The lead here absolutely nails Mika on this performance. Here's a link to the original Grace Kelly if you're not familiar, its own obscure gem in its own right. Like, who in their right mind said "Let's set this to OPERA." ??? Their other performance of "Haven't Met You Yet" by Michael Bublé is a knee-slapper too, but this Mika track is well into my top 100 of sing performances, so I'm fine just focusing on it for this blurb. Please, give this one a watch, the confusion you will feel is worth the two minutes of your time. What more can I say? Your boy loves a little confusion.
22. The Deltones (Season 3)
Top Peformance - "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes, "The Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga
This is the most under the radar group of this list. The Deltones never quite amazed nor never quite disappointed, they were super consistent for a decent to great performance week to week. I figured in the middle of the list was the perfect placement for a group of this character. Their leads were strong, their harmonies were surprisingly excellent from week to week, and they touted a respectable bass and beatboxer pairing in the back. So what are the gripes? Well, honestly, not a lot. To me, the Deltones never established a distinct sound the same way The Aires or the Yellowjackets did their season. I guess they kind of worked that throwback sound extremely well, especially in that linked Supremes performance, but it really just comes down to that they never had THE performance the way other groups do. This group just needed a little bit more personality to really drive their way home through the competition. Like, they didn't kill Edge of Glory Gaga the same way On the Rocks or Dartmouth showed us how a college group can slay Gaga. I love that performance too, I pretty much love all of the Deltone's performances, they'd just be some of my favorites if they had some more bite, some more sass, some more playfulness to them. Still, one of the smoothest listens of a group to enter this competition, if you're looking for something mellow or softer, I'd highly recommend loading some Deltones on deck.
21. Sonos (Season 3)
Top Peformances - "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5, "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay
This group is so inventive! They made I Want You Back by the Jackson 5 sexy and beautiful to listen to, and that's a sentence I never thought I'd have to type. Backstory for the group; They relied a lot on audio effect pedals in their normal performances, but weren't able to use them on the show, which was a big change that hindered them. Still, every performance they offered up is absolute butter. Some of the easiest listening you'll ever do, with a nice sultry edge as an added bonus. The if they had a sixth member who was a strong bass or male tenor, I guarantee you this group would've made the top 6. Staggering talent on display here, Viva La Vida always kills when a Capella-ized, and their performance of Wicked Game has this calm, ambitious, energy to it, if that even makes sense. Their beatboxer deserves a real special shoutout to. That man has GOT IT. Y'all all know Pentatonix, by the way? This is a group they really looked up to, so rest assured there's some real quality on display here. It's really difficult to make a sparse arrangement cool, and these guys did it 3 times. Y'all know how much I hate empty music and "nap rap", so a stamp of approval from me here means y'all are contractually obligated to give at least one of these performances a listen.
20. Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town (Season 2)
Top Peformances - "House of the Rising Sun" The Animals, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Nicole Scherzinger
Gotta love 'ol Jerry. Member of the Persuasions turned Sing-Off contest, Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town brought a real reverence with them to every performance they gifted us. Right inside the top 20, this is the last of the throwback type groups for this list. As I've stated, I appreciate the style although it's not my favorite, but you have to give it up to such a legendary figure as Jerry L. To have such a clear front man is a sort of odd distinction, but seeing as how other groups end up with de facto leads regardless, it's not too jarring. Talk of the Town is way under-appreciated in my opinion, as a supporting cast, they're miles ahead of any of the other elder groups. Their harmonies are extremely tight and modern, their bass is killer, and they complement Jerry so well. They really help bring out the earnest soul that Jerry's voice has, especially in performances like the linked above "House of the Rising Sun." Also, I'd be remiss not to mention the classic trademark Jerry shriek, seen in performances such as the episode 4 opener, "With a Little Help From my Friends" (2:20 minute mark). Shawn described them as turning normal songs into gospels, and you can’t really argue with that description. I do have a slight complaint that it felt like the show really catered to the group, having a final 4 instead of a final 3 to allow them to continue on, and also nixing On the Rocks to get them to 4 to begin with, but I digress. It's nice to honor your elders, even if it's bad for competition's sake I suppose. Additionally, the performances JL&TOTT routed us in the finals are some of their best, so no complaints there. It's nice to have such a venerated figured included in this show's history, Jerry's inclusion on the show really feels like it legitimizes the show's credibility as a respectable, competitive talent show. I feel like if they were a Season 1 contestant, they easily could've snatched up the crown there, with only the next 2 groups as actual obstacles in their way. Speaking of those next two groups....
19. Voices of Lee (Season 1)
Top Peformances - "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson, Beatles Medley
Outside of possibly #7, Voices of Lee is easily the most soothing group to ever enter the competition. A lot of groups (, especially groups from season 1,) who lack strong beatboxing usually just end up being an unfulfilling, hollow listen. And while on the slight occasion in earlier performances that vibe may come by, Voices of Lee for the most part turn this detriment into a style of their own, pulling through with some of the most tranquil arrangements around. HUGE shoutout to their Bass, that man has the butteriest voice imaginable. All of the lead’s voices complement one another so well, they all nail that same mellow mood so effortlessly, providing a nice feel of cohesion when they swap off that main vocal. For a season 1 group, the beatboxing is very respectable, and even though they give off a more relaxed vibe for the most part, they're still not afraid to get adventurous with arranging. There's just some cool bell and whistles to some of their performances. I especially would like to point out the beginning of the Beatles medley linked above, that opening harmony is so eloquent, and the addition of the little cash register opening noise from that blonde is an adorable addition. The male lead for Paperback writer has an amazing upbeat soul to it, and then Candace coming through on Oh! Darling is just too perfect of a song choice for her. She has a really emotive voice, and it shines through whenever she takes the spotlight. I think the competition between them, and our last Season 1 group, the Beelzebubs, is really close. Ultimately, the Bubs had much higher highs and much lower lows, but weighting things more towards standout performances, they just slightly get the edge. Still, even though Season 1 is a noticeable step back from the later outings, I've got to give mad respect to the groups like Voices of Lee who paved ways for others with their relaxed, laidback style.
18. The Beelzebubs (Season 1)
Top Peformances - "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond, "Come Sail Away" by Styx
This is the group who really set the precedent for what a college group can be. Super high energy, full of personality and theatrics, and the backbone of character through their season. When in their first performance of "Magical Mystery Tour", they formed a bus out of humans to be driven by their shorter lead, I knew that they were the innovators to thank for groups like Dartmouth and On The Rocks. While probably the goofiest of this archetype of college groups, barring the AcoUstiKats, the Bubs still pull off some really touching performances. See the two I've linked for example. Yeah, they're not perfect, maybe hitting some flat notes in their debut or bombing catastrophically on some Flo Rida, but the fact that they're charismatic performance art in addition to a Capella more than makes up for it in my opinion. Let's also talk about Penn Rosen, the lead on the linked Sweet Caroline performance. He actually was just a young Neil Diamond for those two minutes of singing, and I'm glad the comments took that same notice. Their usual lead, Matt, has a really lovely soft lead vocal, and is overall a pretty spectacular front man. Their choreography is usually strikingly on point, and similar to the other elite college groups, they can be just as fun to watch as to listen to. I think for the way they kind of put on the formula for the killer college kids to come, they deserve to be just barely nudged out the top ranked position for Season 1.
17. VoicePlay (Season 4)
Top Peformances - "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry, "Don't Speak" by No Doubt
Here's a group harboring some really intense talent. Think of a Pentatonix lite, a really versatile group of a few guys and a solo girl. Teetering on goofy with certain notes and arrangement choices, VoicePlay was pretty much a lock for a fun listen from week to week, alongside the AcoUstiKats, in Season 4. Honey, the only lady of the group, is (for the most part) the sole lead, unlike Pentatonix. She's got a decently powerful, playful voice, which compliments the jocular style VoicePlay brings pretty well. Honey was added right before the start of the competition, and as YouTube commenters are apt to point out, this can create a feeling of the lack of some cohesion between here and the group on occasion. Her voice stands out so much from the rest of the lads, resulting in a worse blend of harmonies for when she hops off the lead vocal. Regardless, I still like Honey’s voice, and when it’s just the boys singing notes together, they have some of the best harmonics of the entire competition. What gets them weighted towards the bottom of the groups that I really love is a few smaller issues similar to this, mainly some stylistic constrictions. Throughout the competition, they never really buckled down to give us a serious, emotional performance (outside of Don’t Speak), making it feel that a group that was so versatile in arranging wasn’t pushing boundaries in the way they should. Technically speaking, however, VoicePlay is killer. Their bass is superb, and they boast some strong percussion to match. Earl and Ellie have some amazing singing voices, and although the group tends to lean on some higher register singing, I still think Ellie would be able to handle any male lead necessary. Unfortunately, they’re not shown off too much throughout their performances on the show… they do have an extremely active YouTube channel to satisfy this need, however. Performances like the linked above Play That Funky Music really did bring the house down, and overall, VoicePlay was an exceedingly fun group I’m happy to have had included in the competition.
16. Vocal Point (Season 3)
Top Peformances - "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins, "Never Say Never" by Justin Bieber
Ah, here’s the group of BYU Mormon boys that may on occasion really get on my nerves, but is undeniably super talented. Vocal Point can occasionally be really annoying, see the beginning and end of their "Jump Jive an' Wail" or all of their "You Really Got Me" performances as example. They have this proclivity to base performances around either some wack delivery or these really obnoxious, shrill notes, where they’re cawing out notes in opposition to singing. However, when they lock it in for a performance, they’re a force to be reckoned with. They have, in my opinion, unarguably the best breakdowns of any group from the competition. See the 3rd song of their Elvis Presley Medley or their stellar Footloose performance that I’ve linked above. Their beatboxer, Tanner, is probably a top 5 beatboxer to ever perform on the show. He carried them through more than one occasion. The group is comprised of a bunch of really talented leads, and their blending is actually super on point. If they could clean up their arrangement choices, I’m sure I’d have this group tiered much, MUCH higher. When they’re hitting though, they’re just a crashing wave of party, a constant barrage of a fun time. The Never Say Never performance I’ve linked above is a great example; Dope arranging with the subtle “Get Backs” and background flourishes, amazing beatboxing, all accompanied by a genius reimagining of a song. The energy they bring to the stage on a lively performance is unmatched, if they could’ve locked in their style on the slower songs they came across performing, I really do believe Vocal Point would’ve been a series threat to place first in Season 3.
15. Yellowjackets (Season 3)
Top Peformances - "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Frankie Valli,
"The Show Goes On" by Lupe Fiasco
It feels dirty to rank them so low. My hometown group, the group that put me onto this this episodic delight, clocks in at 15 for these rankings. There’s no really strong reason, they just have a dud performance or two, and only 1 true out-of-the-park outing. This high up the list, the competition is just too steep for me to justify a higher ranking. So, getting into the negatives first, the Yellowjackets are occasionally corny. Jamal’s opening vocal on their “Dynamite” performance is extremely questionable, and their complete halt in the middle of their “Wannabe” performance is a baffling arrangement choice. In addition, they do hit the occasional sour note, such as Aaron’s calling of dynamite at the end of the dynamite performance, or the last note he hits to conclude their Billy Joel Medley. A little shrill, no lie. Ironically, getting into their biggest strengths, let me sell you on this Aaron Sperber. I ADORE Aaron as a lead. His voice is just this pillow-y, soothing magic. So smooth, so beautiful, so charming. Some of the other members, such as the multifaceted Jamal or the crowd-starting Jonathan also come to mind as huge contributors. They’re additionally really smart arrangers, seen in the two performances I linked above as their best. They talk about their trip to Africa together in the beginning of their first performance montage, and it was really neat of them to work that African influence into multiple performances. Also, there was no way I was going to be able to write this blurb without gushing about their Can’t Take My Eyes Off You performance. Everything about this performance is mystifying to me. The way they open with those horns? The background ooh-la-la’s? The woodblock percussion and the bass? Aaron’s stunning, captivating handling of lead? The subtle choreography and background elements of the performance? Not going to spoil the songs ranking, but rest assured that this one that if you do not listen to, I will be legitimately upset about it. I have never wanted to emulate performance art more than this performance, I love everything about it, it really speaks to a really isolated depth of my heart. It makes me pretty proud that the hometown boys put it on for this competition in such a dashing fashion, and although I didn’t rank swan songs, they’d easily take the cake with their Tubthumping performance. Good on you ROC boys.
14. Urban Method (Season 3)
Top Peformances - "Gonna Get Over You" With Sara Bareilles,
Medley of "Hot in Herre" by Nelly and "Fever" by Peggy Lee
"All of the Lights" by Kanye West
So, Urban Method was a tough group to rank for me. I’m stilling going back and forth between switching them and the YellowJackets, but I think this is the right, unbiased ranking. So, for starters, Urban Method did not really deserve to make the final 3 of their season. They started out hot, but for a stretch in the middle of the season, they were abysmal. The peaked at just the right time, coming through with some smash performances to close off their season, but if they even deserved the right to have these performances at this point is debatable. Still, the 3 performances above all came from episode 10 and the final episode, and in my opinion are their 3 best. They peaked at the right time, and because of their distinct style, I think they deserve this ranking. So, the whole shtick of Urban Method is that they’re hip-hop-apella. They have a rapper front man, Myke, who the group kind of is centered around. Their beatboxer is nasty, their male singer is eccentric but capable. Then we have the 3 girls in the group, who kind of account for the majority of the inconsistency here. Katie, who they ended up propping as their main lead as the season progressed, is not a strong lead at all. She has a tendency to wail powerful notes rather than sing them, and when Liz and Kim have these much more interesting, stylized voices that I wish they explored using more. Liz’s performance on Fever is so sultry and perfect, she could’ve been such a surprise factor for them to use. Their masterful performance with Sara Bareilles kind of showcases this need for a lead. Regardless, this fragility is often masked by Myke’s brilliance as a rapper. You know me, I listen to some hip-hop on occasion. Trust me when I say that Myke’s delivery and stage presence is immensely impressive. Man pulls of Kanye way too convincingly. His Eminem is equally as astounding. I would’ve honestly to see him on a solo talent show outside of this season, the way he locks down a stage is unreal. This group had their fair share of duds from that midseason stretch, but I think the innovation they brought to Season 3 with integral hip-hop infusion of every performance deserves some significant props, they really conquered some uncharted waters this season. They pulled through with some classics while evolving in front of a national audience week to week, and ultimately I’m more overall impressed if anything when looking at their season as a whole.
13. Home Free (Season 4)
Top Peformances - "I'm Alright" from the film Caddyshack, alongside with the Filharmonic
"Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash, "Colder Weather" by Zac Brown Band
Here it is, the winners of Season 4 clocking in at 13th. Gosh, Home Free is just as tricky to place for me as Urban Method was. I want to recognize the immense talent and consistency our Country boys had throughout the season. They never really dropped the ball. Week to week, they were accountable for an enjoyable performance. Even their worse performances aren’t necessarily bad, just super safe, lazy, or by the numbers. You’re about to see me gas Country music, which isn’t something I do often. Home Free makes some really authentic, soulful, TRUE country music whenever they hit the stage, and that’s super commendable. They are not stadium country, pop country, or bro country, they’re super authentic and in touch with the defining characteristics of what makes country music country music. Ultimately, I think this lower ranking kind of just comes down to my natural lack of enjoyment with country, a genre that continues to spur me to this day. They may be more talent then groups 12-10, but I don’t necessarily enjoy them as much as them, so that’s why I’m ranking them here. I still really love Home Free a lot. Similar to all of the winning groups, they’re a cast of 6 guys with a really defined style, that being an honest country twang on everything that leaves their lips. Their lead Austin has a really angelic voice, and these lads sure do know how to use their bass, Tim. Tim has an amazing range, can make the ladies swoon, and hit the lowest note I’ve ever heard come out of a human in the Ring of Fire performance I linked above. Between him, the Filharmonic boys, and the AcoUstiKats, Season 4 was really dishing out some feels to those lady viewers, no lie. Home Free does an impressive job ‘countrifying’ a song, as seen in their dope “Pretty Woman” performance. Sonically, I have zero complaints about Home Free. Outside of their stylistic choices, I guess a gripe of mine would be a lack of stage presence. Outside of Tim, the rest of the group is really stiff to me when performing, and the theatric side and choreography that a Capella offers is something that I really appreciate. Additionally, perhaps because of some suspected favoritism from the show, Home Free was never once forced to challenge themselves on the show. Nearly every song they were given was within their wheel house, and because of this, they’re really able to phone it in on certain performances. Still, Home Free crushes it as a Country a Capella group, and they’re still really active on YouTube to this day, so please give them some clicks if you’re interested.
12. Vocal Rush (Season 4)
Top Peformances - "Fame" from the film Fame (originally by Irene Cara)
"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" from the film Against All Odds
"Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae
It’s absolutely unbelievable that this is a high school group. Their singing voices are so matured for a group of teenagers. Their beatboxer is super technical, and they really lock in their harmonies super well. Their limited rotation of leads were all very impressive, that one kid who they had rap a few times was more than sufficient, and they had some pretty nice step choreography to accompany a majority of their performances. So, why ranked only at 12? They never had that one WOW factor performance that the groups ahead of them mustered on multiple occasions. They were extremely consistent, almost any of their performances could’ve wound up as one of the 3 I highlighted, and I would be fine with it. They showed immense versatility, from bombastic energy on their Bottom of the River performance, to a reserved matureness with Kyana’s beautiful rendition of Against all Odds, and they even brought some party on performances such as Gonna Make You Sweat. Sarah’s such a powerful lead, and their main performer, Jordan, has this really unique, gritty, soulfully developed voice. The talent was all there for this group, I think what they really lacked was just the confidence to go for some more risky arrangement decisions. This is part of the reason I love their performance with Ten so much, they’re attempting such a wide variance of vocal stunts, and pulling them all off with ease. Additionally, this is their performance where their bassist really shines through in my opinion. I really love Vocal Rush and all of their performances, but I wish they just gave me a little bit more to love, with that extra oomph factor to a performance or two, I could definitely see them placing much higher on this list.
11. AcoUstiKats (Season 4)
"Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell Williams
The AcoUstiKats are just dumb, stupid, charming fun. How do you not smile whenever the Kats hit the stage? They’re just gushing with personality. With their constant mentions of ‘AcoUstiKrushes’, to Jeremy constantly spiking the camera, to their excessively over the top choreography, bits, and delivery in performances, the AcoUstiKats are just a party on soundwaves. Look at the breakdown on Blurred Lines, all of Hey Ya!, or the insanity that is Old Time Rock and Roll to get an insight into what I’m talking about. They switched between 3 genres multiple times and lost pants on the latter, and that’s not even that surprising of a statement if you have some knowledge of who these guys are as a group. And that’s not to say they can’t buckle down for a serious performance too, which is an important trait to have to be a well-rounded group. Their performance of Amazed by Lonestar is really stirring, and the surprise proposal at the end is really sweet. I’ve got to take some time to mention the leads of the group; Ross has a really fierce, powerful voice that can knock the wind out of you, Jeremy has this endearing growl with just a little bit of country twang that perfectly fits his image as the cute one of the group, and Ron has this staggering amount of range that launches from playful to classical gospel in the drop of a hat. Easily the group with the most personality to ever tackle the Sing-Off, with a little bit more backing on the technical side of things, especially beatboxing, I think these Kats would’ve wrecked the competition Season 4. Just outside of the top 10 feels right for this group, an absolute blast who is just a step or two away from being absolute stunners week to week. From here on up, any of these groups could look like winners of their season if you didn’t know any better… Let’s break into that top 10!
10. Street Corner Symphony (Season 2)
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears
I was initially flabbergasted to see this group nearly drop out of my top 10 when I finalized my rankings. Street Corner Symphony are Sing-Off elite, their influence spans across multiple seasons (with a member moving to Home Free in season 4 and Jeremy arranging together a group in season 3), and their existence seems so integral as a cornerstone of defining the Sing Off as the elite competition that it is. And man, watching them throughout the season, you really want Jeremy to just finally get his breakthrough in the music industry. Every performance he’s really giving it his all, especially their performances of Fix You and Creep linked above. That performance of Creep? Chilling. It’s an essential listen from the Sing-Off, one of the most impressive solos across all of the 4 seasons. That performance of Fix You from the finale night, where, spoiler, all of the other groups from the season walk out mid performance and stand behind Jeremy, backing him gushing his heart at? It seemed like at that point they had a lock on winning the competition, it’s astounding to see them place second after such a display. They do it all, from bring the fun on performances like Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Gone with Ben Folds, to being super impressive with harmonies and respectively technical with percussion. So, why didn’t they win their season, and why did I end up ranking them only at 10? When I started looking at my personal enjoyment of all 252 performances, and was seeing where groups shook out relative to one another, Street Corner Symphony just had too many dud performances for me to ignore. Obviously, I was never going to love a performance of a Train song, but when I saw a lower ranked group did a Beatles Medley better justice than they did, and they had a similarly bothersome performance in Down by the Corner, it was just culminatively just all too much. I love this group, and I love how they really helped build the Sing-Off into the wonderful experience it is, but I have to keep it real. Yeah, a lot of my problems are to do with song choice, but when compared to some of my all time favorite groups from this show, they just don’t make the most of their shot in the same way, leaving them a respectable spot just inside the top 10.
9. Ten (Season 4)
Top Peformances - "Skyfall" from the film Skyfall (originally by Adele)
"Love on Top" by Beyoncé "Hot in Herre" by Nelly
For starters, I’d just like to apologize for not ranking 10 at the 10th spot. I nearly almost dropped them just for the meme. But man, for a group of background singers cobbled together right before the start of the fourth season, the immediate establishment of powerful leads, awesome bass, and a defined style is unfathomably impressive. Between Emoni and Dee holding down lead with their powerful and sultry voices respectively, Ten is able to cover a range of genres. A gospel choir? Check that off for the Skyfall performance. A hip-hop groove? Yep, they nailed their Hot in Herre performance. Some straight soul music? They did Aretha justice on their Chain of Fools performance. Effortless pop / R&B fun? See Ten effortlessly put some Love on Top in the finale. They do it all, they’re so diverse, but have such a distinct flair in all their performances. Two of the best breakdowns from this entire season are seen on their Skyfall and Love on Top performances. In all honestly, I was super disappointed to see these guys only place second at the end of season 4. They really had everything Home Free had, without being confined to a single genre. Every performance of theirs has so much personality in comparision to some of the other groups of the season, be it sass or swagger or playfulness or anything in-between. Outside of that first performance where they were still figuring the group out, there catalog is pretty spotless. Although Season 4 was shorter than the previous season, Ten still managed to give a performance for every type of music listener in half the number of outings, which is extremely impressive. It would’ve done Afro Blue, a group reminiscent of Ten who was sort of snubbed from the Season 3 final, some justice to give Ten the crown, who share some similar soulful elements. In all honesty, Ten deserves to be higher up this list from an objective perspective, they’re a top 5 group in pretty much all fundamental categories. With groups so talented being all that’s left, we’re really into personal bias territory here. So, thank you Ten, for holding it down as the anchor of consistency on Season 4.
8. Delilah (Season 3)
Top Peformances - "Grenade" by Bruno Mars, "Whataya Want From Me" by Adam Lambert
"(Love Is Like A) Heatwave" by Martha & the Vandellas, "How to Love" by Lil Wayne
There is an alternate universe out there where Delilah won it all in Season 3, and honestly? That universe wouldn’t be too far off from our own: they might be the most talented group of this whole list. I’m not even kidding. Built from singers from the first two seasons, Delilah’s roster boasts Ingrid and Hannah from Pitch-Slapped, Kendall from Eleventh Hour, Candace from Voices of Lee, Lana and Amy from Noteworthy, and their friends from the community, Jo the bassist, and the lovely Geena, their beatboxer. If you’ve read any of the bios I’ve written on these groups already, you’ll know that Candace and Kendall and others were my favorite parts of these previous groups, so to have this superstar roster all on one squad is unreal. And man, did Delilah blow the doors off of the competition to start. If the show ended after the 4th episode, and the 5th was the finale, I guarantee you Delilah would’ve taken the trophy home. From their performance of "Flash Dance, What a Feeling" On, some consistency issues crept in, ultimately leading to an early exit for the group when some later performances didn’t click how they were supposed to. Regardless, I absolutely love some of the standout performances that Delilah graced us with. Their first performance of Grenade is just something else. It instantly had the crowd locked in and reacting to every brilliant arrangement choice. Amy’s lead is second to none, Geena’s beatboxing is versatile and essential to the performance, Jo’s bass is ridiculously low & smooth for a female bassist, the harmonies are chilling, and the entire aesthetic of the group as a whole is perfect. Kendall absolutely nails the lead on the Whataya Want from Me performance following this explosive debut. Their arranging skills continued to impress as they switched up styles from powerhouse performers to touching ballad effortlessly between weeks. Kendall closes out that week 2 performance on a hauntingly beautiful note, and contrary to every comment on their Season 3 performance, I adore the way they tackled their song, Heat Wave. Hannah and Kendall’s delivery are perfectly playful, the arrangement is an excessive amount of fun, and I think they absolutely nailed the balance of being true to the genre whilst stylistically themselves. I like their 4th performance of "Flash Dance, What a Feeling"… my girl Geena absolutely holds it down on the percussion, and I love Candace as a lead, but is the first noticeable drop in quality for the group. Their 6th performance of an Alicia Keys medley is super solid, but when compared to the rest of the medleys from the night, it doesn’t hold up. Sandwiched between these two performances is their super compelling rendition of How to Love by Lil Wayne. I may be super biased; Geena owns the keys to my heart and kind of put me onto my wave of having a type for beatboxers, but even outside of her stunning handling of this performance on both the lead and her traditional role, this is still one of the most sincere and compelling performances of the season. I think what really doomed Delilah was their 7th performance of Dream On. It was kind of a subpar rehashing of what they showed us they could do in Week 1. And although they crushed it on their final performance of If I Die Young, the judges decided that it was their time to part with the show. Kind of ridiculous, seeing how awful of a night Vocal Point had that week, and how Urban Method was having similar issues, but I digress. Delilah was so talented, it’s really sad they didn’t get to last longer in the competition to give us some more gems. They did it all, and in my opinion, are far and away the best all girl a Capella group. With 4 performances of theirs ranked within the top 50 for me, no one from the sing off even comes close. Thanks for making the most of those second chances, Delilah. We’re all better off because of it.
7. Afro Blue (Season 3)
Top Peformances - "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae
"American Boy" by Estelle ft. Kanye West, "Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
"Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum
Man, the comments already covered a lot of what I need to say about Afro Blue. Were they snubbed for the finals? Yeah, probably should’ve made it over Urban Method, especially after their last performance of Change is Gonna Come, linked above. Did the judges kind of mislead them with some of their comments, leading to their midseason slump? You’d probably be right suggesting that as well. Afro Blue is probably the most technical sound group of the entire show outside of Pentatonix, and probably the most stylistically defined outside of Committed and the Filharmonic. Jazz has never felt so pleasant and accessible to me then when I’m listening to Afro Blue. They just do so much little stuff in every performance to captivate the listener. I don’t want to ruin the fun of discovering the cool stuff for yourself. Let’s just say they be having some scat breakdowns that are nothing short of buttery smooth goodness for the ears. I think that their opening performances of Girl Put Your Records On and American Boy is easily the greatest back-to-back, one-to punch set of performances from any group. They really came out swinging the same way Delilah did. In fact, a lot of their issues are also very similar to Delilah. Immense potential showcased early on, followed by a little bit of floundering. However, whereas Delilah’s gaffs are a little more attributed to the group themselves, I do think the judges mislead Afro Blue with some of their constructive criticism, making them head down a path for an approach to arrangement that wasn’t true to what the group brought to the table. And to see them go on an outstanding performance was really heartbreaking. Afro Blue was just so unique, no one else is out here doing Jazz-Capella justice like that. Just like Delilah, if Afro Blue locked it down every week, showed the same consistency that helped Pentatonix win the season, I am so confident that they would’ve cleaned up the competition. If you just want to be soothed, to be charmed with some intricate, masterfully woven a Capella, Afro Blue is the group for you.
6. The Filharmonic (Season 4)
Top Peformances - "This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan, "Treasure" by Bruno Mars, "I'm Alright" from the film Caddyshack, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from Armageddon
Maybe I’m just really into boybands, seeing as how I have the Filharmonic in addition to On the Rocks and Dartmouth Aires ranked so high. At this point though, the remaining groups are the opposite of the Delilah’s and the Afro Blue’s of the competition – the really awesome groups that were also consistently awesome throughout the entire competition. Are the Filharmonic are talented as the past two entries? Yeah, probably not as not technically developed. But from this point on, all of the groups left never dropped the ball on a performance once. The Filharmonic brought an entertaining, awesome performance every week, never flubbed an outing, and 100% deserved to at least make the finale night. My lowest ranked performance from the Filharmonic is at 114… They nearly dropped exclusively top 100 performances. Getting into who the Filharmonic are, they’re an all Filipino boy band a Capella group. Sounds pretty awesome, right? From the voices, to the choreography, to the look, they really have it all in terms of presentation. Outside of some of the supporting members having some weaker solo voices, and the occasion miss on locking a harmony in, there’s no real complaints for me to offer at the Filharmonic. Their bridge on that Montell Jordan track is intoxicating, they really know how to hit those boybands tropes in an endearing and talented way. They bring the fun of performances like I’m Alright with Home Free, and bring in that classic boyband swoon on tracks like Treasure, I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing, and I Need Your Loving. Ladies (and fellas) beware, the Filharmonic are going to put you into your feels, and there’s not a lot you’re going to be able to do about. Ben Folds said it best when critiquing “This is How We Do It”: their performances just straight up sound like a record, form beginning to end. If I was a season 4 judge, rest assured that the Filharmonic would’ve taken home the gold. As a group, they have all of the tangibles from the formula of how to make a cohesive a Capella group, and all of the intangibles of how to stand out both stylistically and personality wise. Glad to see them get there just-dues with an inclusion in Pitch Perfect 2, the Filharmonic is a suave, skilled group of lads who deserve all of the continued success [see their active YouTube channel] that they’ve earned.
5. The Backbeats (Season 2)
Top Peformances - "If I Were A Boy" by Beyoncé, "Breakeven" by The Script
"Firework" by Katy Perry
Man, the Backbeats are such an unlikely contender for the top of this list, but here we are. A sort of non-college group disguised as a college group; the Backbeats put pretty much all other large mixed gender ensemble groups to shame. Same awesome core elements as other awesome groups, solid beatboxing, percussion, harmonies, etc… Where the Backbeats really shine for me is their arranging and their leads. Although boasting a wide array of talented lead vocalists, I specifically want to focus on Johanna. Outside of Dartmouth Aires’ Michael, Johanna is my favorite vocalist from ANY group. Her voice is just so raw with emotion, every serious performance she offers up is just soul stirring. Like, the way she owns their first performance of If I Were a Boy is awe-inspiring, she has the ability to sell the believability of a performance like none other. And then the way the rest of the group backs her perfectly with this beautiful, swelling performance? Close second to Afro-Blue for group that came out the gate swinging the hardest. You’ll notice that, spoiler, I have the Backbeats behind On the Rocks, the other college group from the season who got eliminated two episodes earlier. Why’s that? They’re really comparable in all measures – Awesome leads, stunning harmonies, super theatrical… But where as On the Rocks started to heat up before their unceremonious exit, it felt like the Backbeats really only kept decreasing in quality every week up to the finale. Love Shack, You Give Love a Bad Name, the Gaga Medley…. I love all of these performances, but each week seems worse than the last up until they dropped the Firework performance in the finale. I love the other leads like Catherine and Kenton, but they just don’t demolish tracks the same way Johanna does for me, and with the college groups above the Backbeats, I feel like their lead rotations are much more consistent, but It’s really nitpicks at this point. Every Backbeats performance is awesome, regardless if they dropped their best two with their first two. Although they're a blast when they're singing along to some B52's, those more dramatic, serious performances are where the Backbeats make your soul weep just a little (in the best way imagineable). Possibly the most accessible group of all the seasons, the Backbeats are a super talented, super versatile do-it-all group that definitely deserves all of your attention. Please check them out!
4. On The Rocks (Season 2)
Top Peformances - Elton John Medley, "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister,
"Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga
I’ve got some Sing-Off beef with certain groups… The Filharmonic deserved to make the finals, Afro Blue got snubbed, Nota definitely shouldn’t have won, yada yada… but nothing grinds my gears more than OTR’s early exit. Everybody, me included, LOVED watching these guys perform. They were so talented! So many theatrics, super tight harmonies and arranging, an outstanding rotation of leads between Peter, Jonah, and everyone else, heaps of personality, technical capability…. There are no holes for me to poke in On The Rocks as an ensemble. Are we going to start complaining about that they were to good? Yeah, I guess their Kyrie performance was TOO endearing, their Pour Some Sugar on Me performance was TOO sexy, their Bad Romance and Live Your Life renditions were TOO fun. That Elton John medley was only the best medley of any group across all four seasons, not the best performance overall, so why not just vote them home after that? Rant aside, On the Rocks really does do it all. Their choreography is probably top 5 for all groups. They actually pulled off rapping extremely convincing for a bunch of white boys, shoutout Jeff. Their beatboxing and bass were pretty top notch in terms of college groups, who often tend to rely on these facets less than smaller, less full sounding groups. OTR is arguably the best Entertainment group of any group, the best performance group of the whole Show. Admittedly though, they do just slightly fall behind Dartmouth and maybe even the Backbeats of technical ability, specifically on that Live Your Life performance. Still though, it baffles me how these guys missed the finals. The way Jonah brought the house down on that Def Leppard track? You’ve got to have that sort of party on your finale night, come on! Look at how Dartmouth electrified the crowd with their performances on finale night… if only we got the same for season 2. I love everything about these Oregon goons, and I’m honestly pretty sure that y’all will too. Consistently one of my highest ranked groups across all 252 tracks, On the Rocks does the most for establishing the Sing Off as the biggest party of any singing competition imaginable.
3. Dartmouth Aires (Season 3)
Top Peformances - "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips,
"Not the Same" by Ben Folds, "Ignition (Remix)" by R. Kelly,
Medley of "Sympathy for the Devil” and "Born This Way"
Here they are, the de facto college group. I don’t know what to say about the Aires that won’t make me sound like a broken record, 41 groups in. They’re just so… phenomenal. With such a large cavalcade of members, you can attribute every positive assessment I’ve made so far to this group in one way or another. It goes without saying that everything comprising their backing, from harmonies to beatboxing to percussion, is outstanding. Id’ rather just gush about their awesome performances than bore you with more of the same after describing 2 other awesome college groups. Let’s talk about leads first, though. Brenden is probably the best performer of any group of any season. His sense for theatricality and performance art is so enchanting, he is the soul to their Sympathy for the Devil medley. Henry is super smooth and sort of akin to Aaron of the Yellowjackets, just not as much of a standout vocalist. Xavier absolutely brings the house down, oozing charisma all over his handling of the Ignition Remix. The one gruff sounding guy from their Queen Medley and Twisted Sister covers holds it down on the rock tracks. Clark has the highest of high kicks on Jessie’s Girl. And of course, the man, the myth… Michael. Michael is the best singer to come out of the Sing Off. You may be a Pentaholic, you may love Tim’s crazy country bassist voice, or Amy and Joanna’s girl power lead, but in my mind, no one comes CLOSE to even challenging for first. I don’t even know what to say..? Michael does it all, and does it all so well. He’s so emotive, so theatric, so fun, so serious, so powerful, so lighthearted, every paradoxical positive attribute all rolled into one beautiful soloist’s voice. Want him to handle a Flo Rida club banger? He’s got it. Want him to make you fall in love? Hop on that Midnight Train to Georgia with him. Want him to bring the house down? Let him sing some Isley Brothers. Or, or maybe you’d prefer to be taken to Broadway for a moment? Well, the Queen Medley and Sympathy medley have got you covered. Ben called his voice timeless, and I could not think of a better descriptor if I tried. He has a voice that I will never, EVER, get sick of hearing. Michael is the greatest front man a group could ask for, but the crazy thing is, it never feels like the Michael show for me. The Aires are so insanely cohesive behind Michael. No matter the lead, the Aires are bringing the personality alongside the talent behind them, such as continuing to masterfully execute Pinball Wizard, all the while playing a human pinball machine. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the Aires. Gosh, that Midnight Train to Georgia performance still touches me to this day. Even with the immense sample size of performances that comes with being a season 3 finalist, the Aires still really never disappointed me in any of their outings. Thank you, Dartmouth, for cultivating such an amazing assembly of a Capella talent.
2. Committed (Season 2)
Top Peformances - (All of them tbh) "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green,
I really, REALLY wanted to rank Committed as the #1 Group. They’re legitimately like if Boyz II Men +Usher + Pre-Cancelled R Kelly all teamed up to form one astounding, classic, timeless R&B supergroup. Gospel, Soul, R&B, Committed is a choir of 3 of the arguably most gorgeous genres to ever exist. My words cannot and will not do Committed justice. If you’re a fan of insane runs of notes, perfect harmonies, seductive charisma, set-the-mood music, Committed can take any song and make it that. I’m serious. The Police’s Every Breath You Take? Yeah, you’ll be swooning. OneRepublic’s Apologize? The only thing they’re going to be apologizing for is for launching your heart to the stratosphere with that beautiful run in the middle. Look at the way Shawn Stockman flips his pencil in that clip. Committed pretty much had the win on lockdown for Season 2 from that point on. They’re just unfathomably good… They lesser bass and beatboxing then PTX, but crush them on the harmonies and blending fronts. The real thing edging Pentatonix ahead of Committed is their versatility, you all know I love groups that can do it all, but there hasn’t been a music act to do one thing so well like this in a minute. And that stems outside of a Capella too. Committed doing R&B better than pretty much 99% of the R&B game out right now, and I will stand by that statement. Instead of just reiterating, let me get into some specific moments in performances that can better elucidate the magic of this group. For their This Love performance, Committed adopts what can only be described as the world’s most seductive Doo-wop style imaginable. Also, that shift into the bridge is just soooooo lush. I’ve already touched on one magic moment of their Apologize performance, but man, the runs their bassists’ hits at the closing of the song are just soul-stirring. The breakdown on I Want It That Way is just unfair for smooth it is. It really puts the possible stank face on you. For their Usher Medley, the way they put it on for U Got It Bad is just jaw-dropping. It’s so entirely their own style, but gripping to the same extent the original song was. Their performance with Boyz II Men is awesome and seamless, but their real kicker for me is their rendition of Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together. While writing this, spoiler, I’m still debating whether or not this is my favorite Sing Off performance of them all. Not even going to comment on the 1000000 stunning moments in it, not ruining that first listen for you, please just go peep that track. WOW. Judge Nicole said it best: “Those boys were just born to sing.” Heavenly voices that I’m blessed to have heard with these ears in this lifetime. Personally, probably my #1 group from the show all time. Realistically though, only one group is the rightful wearer of the crown of best Sing Off group of all time. You probably know them….
1. Pentatonix (Season 3)
Top Peformances - (also all of them) "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
"Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles
"Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine
"Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf
Almost feels like a cop out to have PTX claim the crown. But also… 16 million YouTube subscribers, 4 billion views, a Grammy here, a platinum album there… It just had to be like this. What can I even say about them? They revolutionized a Capella with their arrangements and technical ability. They’re easily the only group from this show you’ve heard of. Do I even need to break things down for you all? Is anyone even reading this? I.Y.K.Y.K. The mainstream conscious already knows how talent these 5 mad lads are. I guess I’ll just give you some highlights from the season for you to pick and choose around if you are peeping these performances. So: All of Let's Get It On and Video Killed the Radio Star are necessary. Dog Days has some awesome arranging. Born to be Wild has some insane beatboxing and bass that just straight up sounds like an actual motorcycle. Kirstie’s Spanish on Una Noche is too hot to handle. Stuck Like Glue is a Country performance with a random Reggae break. Finally, their first performance, E.T., is such an adorable case of humble beginnings (even though they were killing it from the start.) If you read even just the top 10 groups for this post, and peeped a few songs, thank you. If you skipped right to the #1 group or the songs list, I get it. It’s a lot of reading. Regardless, my laptop already cannot handle the size of this post, so let’s get into this performance ranking quick!
So, based off of some feedback I've gotten, I know a lot of people just skip to the top songs. It would really mean a lot to me if you check out a few of these highly ranked performances, as they're some of the most definitive pieces of musical work in shaping my current musical palette, so I've decided to discuss these song rankings from FIRST to WORST. If you are the absolute mad man with all this time to spare and want to work your way up from the bottom, scroll all the way down, you've been warned. I won't be discussing every song, only what I find most important, for the sake of time. Let's get into things!
MY SONG TIER LIST:
1. "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Frankie Valli – Yellowjackets (Season 3 ep. 3)
These top 3 have bounced around so many times for me. I think it speaks to something about my character that my top 5 songs are all love songs, but I digress. I adore this performance. It’s just so genuine, it perfectly encapsulates that eager, hopeful, optimistic spirit of young love for me. Aaron’s lead is so impassioned and sincere, probably due to the fact he’s directly serenading a judge of the show in Sarah. It’s so convincing, it’s the most believable musical declaration of love I’ve ever seen. But the performance is sappy; It actually has such a swagger to it. Aaron demonstrates an immense confidence throughout his ballad, he delivers the entire thing like he’s assured that he’s THAT guy, and I love it. Not only is it an endearing lead, but the performance itself is playful as well! It’s like even though Aaron is going to make you swoon with that angelic voice, he’s going to do it a way honest to him; with his goofy, silly squad backing him up as the perfect wingmen. The rest of the Yellowjacket’s do not slump on this performance either; The percussion has this really distinctive woodblock, there’s imitation trumpets and trombones in there, The harmonies from the “Ba-Da’s” to the wispy coos in the background all lock in so well. Additionally, that choreography? Aaron kills it in his own right with some deadly moves, specifically that knee drop slide and hand kiss, but the way the entire group plays out as an orchestra with Jamal as the conductor works so perfectly with the arrangement that includes some pretty accurately imitated vocal instruments. I always smile when I hear this. I can’t help but sing along, I am 100% bought into this performance. Rochester may not of won the Sing Off, but they sure won my heart for dropping such a spectacular display of a Capella wonder.
2. "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 9)
Michael deserves a solo career equivalent to that of a Justin Timberlake or a Stevie Wonder, and I stick to that sentiment. He’s raw performing magic. I’ve heard this performance over a 100 times, and listening to it still makes my eyes puff out a little bit. Unadulterated sincerity. That earnest soulful grit Michael brings is just indescribable… It’s so moving. Every run, every crescendo, every wail, every croon, they’re all so emboldened by the most believable delivery one could imagine. It feels like Michael has lived the life of the singer of this song 10 times over. Michael’s not singing a song about taking a Midnight Train to Georgia, Michael sounds like he’s seriously contemplating his love life and future in a musical fashion. Additionally, the Aires are punching it in on that train ticket too, they absolutely slaughter that backing job. Their bassist LOCKS IT IN on this performance. The harmonies are so perfectly gentle for that pre-chorus verse. And the swells and peaks on those choruses? So cohesive. They throw in these adorable train noises that add so much character, and they perfectly match that increase in energy that Michael brings to close out the track. This is the deepest performance of the show for me. So tender, so raw, so timeless. I think this is the only performance from the show that I ever bought on iTunes many years ago. My sentiments still haven’t changed, this is magic in audio form.
3. "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green – Committed (Season 2 ep. 6)
Similar to how I had In My Life as the working #1 for my Beatle’s ranking list, this stunning Al Green cover sat upon the top spot for a long while making this list. This is the greatest display of raw singing talent I have EVER seen. “Smooth” doesn’t even begin to describe how effortlessly talented this group is. Everything just hits, even after switching up lead 5 TIMES BEFORE EVEN HITTING THE CHORUS. They do not drop a beat, it’s just unfathomable. They switch out a component of the harmony 5 freaking times, and it never breaks from perfection. Like, how? These boys are just so gifted. All 5 of those leads? Impeccable. That bass-boxing? So sultry, so on-point. Man, the runs these boys hit are just absolute ear candy. That falsetto on “See-ee-e-e-e-eeeeeee” is chilling. This performance just oozes this buttery, suave charisma that is infatuating. All my readers who are into fellas, between these top 4 performances, your heart is going to skip a beat a couple of times. To all my readers who aren’t, yours probably will too, just due to the magnitude of natural talent on display. I love this song, and Al Green is a legend, but I honestly believe Committed outdo him here. A lot of these top performances out do the original track, but they’re putting on for R&B and Soul better than some R&B and Soul legends! This performance is like stopping time, it’s just such a gripping experience to watch these god-gifted guys perform. Easily could still be that number 1 spot, my personal connection to those other two tracks just ever so slightly edges it to bronze on the podium. Unreal performance, please give it a listen.
4. "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 9)
I don’t need to gas Pentatonix to you all. They’re revolutionary, and had Season 3 on a lock down half way through the competition. This is the climax of everything the Fab Five did on the Sing Off. I think the intro clip really helps build this performance, actually. We get an expedited recap of the group’s season, some talk about how they really need to continue to blow things out of the water… and then they annihilate the hell out of anything resembling water. This performance is very similar to Committed’s performance above them, just whereas that outing was entrancing and suave, this lightshow is ravishing and sexy. Avi’s bass is wonderful, Kevin holds things together, Scott’s voice is perfect for the lead, everything just clicks exactly how it needed to. They brought the entire audience to their feet, that was a well-earned standing ovation. When a judge on a talent show can joke by saying that your performance was just “alright” and everybody is in on the joke that you as a group just did so much more than that, you’ve won the competition right there. I’m just going to steal Shawn’s words, and let y’all experience this stunner for yourself: “I cannot express how incredible that just was.”
5. "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 1)
This is the de facto “Performance that put me onto a song that I’ve really loved throughout the years.” Video Killed the Radio Star, the Elton John Medley, Not the Same, Somewhere Only We Know, and others are all similar cases, but this is THE ONE. Afro Blue is the perfect intro to Jazz. So accessible sounding, but amazing intricacies in arrangement and performance. Afro Blue came through with easily the most soothing performance of the entire show here. There’s just so much going on here, I don’t have enough words left in me to describe it all to you. That breakdown is so dense, but so perfect. I’ve counted 6 distinct different harmonies in less than half a minute, and they all blend so well! Additionally, this was their FIRST PERFORMANCE. How do you come out the gate swinging like this? Imagine if they kept delivering on this level for the whole show. Absolutely timeless, making traditional performance sound perfectly modern. With some of the most unique bass and beatboxing you’ll ever hear in an a Capella performance to boot, Afro Blue absolutely wows me with this rendition, I’m still practically speechless years after my first listen.
6. "Creep" by Radiohead – Street Corner Symphony (Season 2 ep. 3)
This performance kind of aligns with my comments on Midnight Train to Georgia. It’s impossible to night buy into what Jeremy is laying down here. This man threw his heart down on the track, he lets it all bare out, and I am here for it. While this performance is entirely their own, SCS is perfectly synchronous with that malevolent, conflicted energy that the original track has. There’s so much pain, hurt, healing, struggle, and realness to Jeremy’s wailing here. If you’ve read anything I’ve written about music ever, you know progression in a track is something I stress a ton. A good song will bring you in at one point, change you along the way, and leave you somewhere else with more. The way the SCS boys build behind Jeremy, draw you in, knock you down a few pegs, and then angelically fade out? It’s the most effective progression of this entire competition. Those harmonies are so indulgently ominous, and that beatboxing is unfathomably both tranquil and danceable. Jeremy’s a Rockstar, and he proved it with this performance.
7. "If I Were A Boy" by Beyoncé – The Backbeats (Season 2 ep. 1)
Basically, ditto everything I said about Creep to right here. Joanna Jones is a superstar. In my mind, the only performer who rivals Michael Odokara-Okigbo in terms of stardom. She’s actually performing in Hamilton now, and totally deserves to be. Her voice is so unique, it’s decently deep but with incredible power and range. She has this really distinctive jaw-y delivery, and it really transforms her from a talented vocalist to a standout performer. For a group that was cobbled together before the season, the way they instantly clicked on this first performance is breathtaking. Those angsty harmonies are perfectly fitted for the tone of this song, that beatboxing is super advanced for a Season 2 group especially, and their arrangement is on point. I wish Joanna a long, successful career as a performer, she has the ability to shut the house down on a moment’s notice. This is a really stirring, moving performance, one that I’m sure any pop listener would more than enjoy.
8. "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 5)
What an innovative, unique, performance. Every risk taken here payed off. That initial fade in is beautiful. Kevin’s beatboxing is so fittingly mechanical, and Avi’s bass oscillations similarly fit the theme of this performance. Listening to this performance is like watching the cogs on the clock turn. There are so many intricacies on display here, all working together in such a precise fashion to make this machine run. They’re skipping their voices on purpose for crying out loud! The choreography is near automaton! The way the meticulous, futuristic application of a Capella melds with this song choice is just so one of a kind. To me, this is the performance that set Pentatonix ahead of the pack as something special. This is the week where PTX locked it in, and never looked back. Awesome to see the roots of a group who’s come so far.
9. "Skyfall" from the film Skyfall (originally by Adele) – Ten (Season 4 ep. 5)
I was going to start off this blurb by saying that Ten really brought the house down, but they did so much more than that: They actually made the sky FALL.
That progression is so powerful! This performance is like being an avalanche or a volcanic eruption. Calm, followed by a foreboding feeling, followed by an eruption of explosive, seismic potential. Adele is not easy to justice, and Ten finesses this performance with absolute easy. There’s such an urgency, a feeling of attack going on here, and it’s beautiful. It’s like organized panic. You can hear the barracks being cleared, the artillery being waged, the catastrophe unfolding. For a movie night performance, Ten brought the most cinematic display of a Capella one will ever be able to see.
10. Elton John Medley – On The Rocks (Season 2 ep. 5)
There may be a lot of personal bias on display here. My love for a proper rendition of Bennie and the Jets. A soft spot for theatric, college a Capella groups. Doubling down on the greatness here, because this is somehow the performance OTR was sent home on. I’ll admit that all of those are factors that may influence my opinion of this track. Do I care? Absolutely not! This performance is so grand! First, the choreography on Bennie is amazing. The royalty of Elton that Jonah captures here is so hilariously spot on. His lead vocal is lovely. The perfect amount of charm to complement the silliness happening around him. That background run after ‘to change the weather’ is amazing. The beatboxing and bass on Bennie just have so much heart to it. And then, the way Peter brings the soul on Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me? Man, he really establishes himself as something more right there. He deserves that successful YouTube career, I’ll Tell You What. That resonate feeling of togetherness and hope they close this performance out on is just so impactful, so it stings that much more knowing they got sent home after this. All in all, just a riveting performance of a legendary artist… what more can you ask for?
11. "Grenade" by Bruno Mars – Delilah (Season 3 ep. 1)
Similar to the Backbeats first performance. How do you form a group specifically for the show, and then have your first performance just hit SO hard? Amy has got the pipes! Her voice is so strong and controlling, she will forcefully drag you through this performance whether you want her to or not. The lovely Geena slays it on the percussion, per usual. Jo’s bass is astounding for a female bassist, and that breakdown!? I could watch them “watch me burn down in flames” on repeat for days. To have the harmonies, the drum and bass, the lead, all firing on full cylinders right after forming your group…. It’s just spectacular. Give the ladies some love, peep this performance if you haven’t.
12. "Apologize" by OneRepublic – Committed (Season 2 ep. 2)
This is classic R&B. Usher would take a step back after hearing this. Things breakdown after ‘shot for you’…. That pen flip from Shawn was WELL-EARNED. They light up those notes in such a stunning fashion, this performance absolutely sweeps you off of your feet! And of course, I’ve got to shout down my man holding it down on bass. The tearful runs he hits at the end of this song are destructive to the walls of my heart. MY GOD, he wails his way so beautifully through some heartbreak, he’s belting out one of the best performances a bassist has ever had on this show! You’re going to see a lot of Committed high up in this list, I won’t waste your time by repeating myself, just know that they really are all that and more.
13. "American Boy" by Estelle ft. Kanye West – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 3)
Similar energy to Girl Put Your Records On. Some amazing scat in the beginning there, it really brings the ear in for this listen. They build the harmonies so well at the intro, and then the way they play with the arrangement throughout this performance is just breathtaking. And God, the way the guys come forward on the breakdown is so smooth! That choreography and some fresh threads some fresh threads to boot? I don’t want to get to in depth with a lot of these technical group’s performance, as part of the magic is hearing it on your own, but Afro Blue is just so damn fly.
14. "Not the Same" by Ben Folds – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. F)
This is hands down, the BEST theatric performance this show ever saw. Ben Folds is a mad genius, and pairing him with the Aires was brilliant. The way they incorporate the crowd is stunning, it really just is. The unity on display, the awesome inclusivity of this performance… It leaves me speechless. Ben’s aged, wise lead vocal is perfect for this whimsical performance. Their bass and drums really locked in on this performance, no denying that. The Aires did an awesome job supporting Ben’s lead with some strong harmonies and interesting arrangement choices. This performance is just so uplifting, it’s such an awesome little moment in the show’s history. The way it peaks too!! Got to love the Aires, they really deserve their own Broadway show or something.
15. "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 3)
This is probably the performance that puts me into my feels the most. I just have a really longstanding, deep connection with this song. It’s this weird duality of isolated and hollow, but yet somehow comforting to that fact. The original version is just as fire. This is one of the few group performances where the sum is more than that of its parts. Every group brought their A-game. Afro Blue performers have some beautiful runs, Aaron kills it for the Yellow Jackets, the Delilah and Urban Method girls sound awesome. Kinfolk’s Moi and the Vocal Point boys show a perfect amount of restraint, and don’t over do it in the slightest. I don’t think I’ve ever cried because of music before, but this could be the way to do it to me.
16. "This Love" by Maroon 5 – Committed (Season 2 ep. 1)
Song I love + Group I love = Performance I love. My only gripe is how this performance ends, it drags just slightly. Other than that, this is just Committed doing what Committed does! Also, let’s just acknowledge that Committed, Afro Blue, and Dartmouth all charted 3 performances in the top 20. That’s super impressive. Even more impressive is Committed having 5 songs in the top 30, with their 6th song being the 31st. Unreal consistency
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17. A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 10)
Watching Afro Blue get sent home on this is rough. This is similar to a Michael vibe, where you can believe that the performer really went through the hurt woven into their words. The traditional bass and soulful harmonies really sell this performance. This performance really speaks to the honest, wounded hopefulness this song was birthed from. It’s super touching, and immensely compelling. This performance is such a journey, Afro Blue channels a history of soul into only a few minutes. They really did deserve that finale spot…
18. "Ignition (Remix)" by R. Kelly – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 9)
Who just likes a bucket load of fun? I have a lot of notes about the little things I love about this performance, but I’ve decided that it’s better for you all to just live those moments yourself. Maybe the most unified performance this group has ever had. Henry, Clark, Michael, and especially Xavier all get a moment to shine, and shine they do.
19. "Gonna Get Over You" With Sara Bareilles – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. F)
The Urban Method girls never sounded this good all season, glad they eventually clicked, even if it was the finale night. Sara’s performance, is really endearing, and this fusion of doo-wop-hip-hop is really unique, interesting, and delightful. There’s this soft playfulness to this performance that’s super obscure to a show like this. This performance is so subtle, there’s nothing that immediately jumps out to the listener, but the more you listen to it, the more and more competent it gets.
20. "Love on Top" by Beyoncé – Ten (Season 4 ep. F)
Yo, they really brought the beat in. I won’t even comment on the leads, I’m just speechless. Maybe the most slept on arrangement of this whole competition though. This is some Afro Blue levels of so much perfection going on. If I spent more time with this track, I could see it shooting up a few spots. Not spoiling anything, but if you like Key Changes in music…. Peep this Ten track.
21. "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister – On The Rocks (Season 2 ep. 4)
Why’d the judges clown this performance? Peter is so wholesome, and the arrangement is really sincere while still holding that OTR personality. There’s some awesome progression on display here, and OTR really rocks out. I also got to shoutout Peter’s gecko face at the 2:10 mark, I don’t know why, but this has always stuck out to me. The way Jonah comes in to cover the lead is super compelling, and overall, it’s hard not to be charmed by this performance.
22. "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga – On The Rocks (Season 2 ep. 1)
This is the gold standard of fun, goofy, yet competent college a Capella performance. I really love any time Jonah gets the lead; he has such a versatile voice. You wouldn’t expect a group of college guys to nail the Gaga ethos so perfectly, but this track has all of the energy your typical 2010s Gaga Track would have. Got to shout out the choreography, it’s something else. OTR never disappointed a single week, they deserved so much more respect from the judges and the show.
23. "How to Love" by Lil Wayne – Delilah (Season 3 ep. 6)
I’m extremely biased by Geena on this track, she be owning my heart and all that. Outside of that, what a stunning reimagining of a Lil Wayne song. I’ve always known the original track by Lil Wayne was something more than your average rap track, but the way Delilah converted it into an operatic display is unfathomable. Ingrid’s lead is spectacular, and the way they finessed half of this performance without any beatboxing or bass is super impressive.
24. "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 8)
Classic Afro Blue. Super compelling, you can hear the hurt and anguish in the deliveries here. Their bass is so slept on, he’s one of the greatest bassists to ever grace the Sing Off stage. Trent, the male lead, really shined in his one spotlight opportunity. Country is so far away from Jaz in almost every way, so to watch a Jazz group deliver a grand slam of a Country performance is really, really special. Real tears were shed here, it’s really touching.
25. "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 10)
This is the a Capella equivalent of a victory lap. Like, they had the win locked up, did they really need to flex on the competition with this? Seeing Mitch get some shine on this performance is super dope. Kevin and Avi are inconceivable as always, bringing some locomotive power to this performance. Scott does that Scott lead perfectly, and Kirstie is the unsung hero holding down those harmonies. Nick said it best: “Pentatonix, finishing it on a high note.”
26. "This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan – Filharmonic (Season 4 ep. 2)
27. "Treasure" by Bruno Mars – Filharmonic (Season 4 ep. 1)
Filharmonic really was snubbed from the finale night. They never dropped the ball, and they were just such a unique group. The boyband angle is so fun! There are so many interesting flavors in these performances. Traditional boyband stylings, hip-hop, R&B…. The youthful energy this group brought week to week was just such a treat. Awesome choreography, amazing leads from VJ and Joey, beautiful harmonies… Even the bass and drum are nasty on that Montell joint! The Filharmonic are guaranteed to charm.
28. "Breakeven" by The Script – The Backbeats (Season 2 ep. 2)
Pretty much my exact sentiments from their If I Were a Boy performance. Joanna is a stellar lead, and the group around her are great in their own right. Nice to see the rare male lead vocal from the Backbeats on this performance though.
29. "Motownphilly" with Boyz II Men – Committed (Season 2 ep. F)
Ooh, a match made in heaven. You really do get the sense that Committed is reminiscent of a younger B2M from this performance. Again, with this performance and the next 2, it’s just more of Committed being spectacular in the exact way you’d expect them to be. Special shoutout to the U Got It Bad portion of the Usher Medley.
30. "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys – Committed (Season 2 ep. 4)
31. Usher Medley – Committed (Season 2 ep. 5)
32. "I'm Alright" from the film Caddyshack – Filharmonic & Home Free (Season 4 ep. 5)
The interplay between groups here is outstanding! Both groups not only bring their own distinctive style flawlessly, they also both share stylistic elements between the groups to great effect. Awesome choreography! Somehow, both an awesome country and boyband performance! That beatboxing battle is crazy! A top 3 party performance, by the end of this, you will be dancing / clapping / singing / laughing along to this performance, guaranteed! Everything about this track is just so unlikely, but yet, there isn’t a single thing that doesn’t click.
33. "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 3)
34. "Never Say Never" by Justin Bieber – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 3)
I just realized I have back to back Kenny Loggins performances unintentionally. Man, the prospects of What Vocal Point could’ve been. These performances really show how awesome a group they were when they ditched their irritating tendencies. Their Footloose performance is exactly what I expect Mormons having fun to look and sound like, but it really works. They nail the old school sound though, and that breakdown is NASTY. And man, the way they reimagine the Biebs… I especially love the way Tanner beatboxes into the “Get Down” ‘s! It’s super catchy, and he really glues this performance all together, a really unsung beatboxer of the competition.
35. Medley of "Hot in Herre" by Nelly and "Fever" by Peggy Lee – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 10)
Honestly? Not only is this probably Myke’s greatest rapping performance, but Liz’s voice is actually so perfect for this song choice. Her seductive, sultry, delivery is just so fitting. She really deserved more leads. This song really persuades the listener, you can’t help but buy into what UM is laying down here. Myke’s aggressive posturing is the perfect level of machismo for this song. I love his delivery on both ‘bodacious’ and ‘steez’. Not to sound cliché, but Urban Method did a more than sufficient job of turning up the heat with this performance. From a heated, intimate breakdown, to the inclusion of what can only be described as nose sax, this performance was a really unique but welcome detour from the usual Urban Method style of performance.
36. Medley of "Sympathy for the Devil” and "Born This Way" – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 10)
Man, Brendan is one hell of a performer. Michael may be the ultimate voice of the competition, and one of the best performers in his own right, but the fact that Brendan can not only go toe to toe but best him in the theatrics department speaks volume. In fact, Brendan might be the best theatric performer of the entire competition. He’s just so expressive and versatile! And the duality that the Aires presented in this performance is just wonderful. In all honesty, this is probably the most creatively conceived, arranged, and executed performance of the entire show. Great job Aires.
37. Queen medley – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 7)
With Michael and a studded ensemble on your side, you already know that a Queen medley is guaranteed to be a smash hit for the Aires. This almost feels like a gimme, like it’s too easy to like this performance, this selection was really made for the Aires strengths.
38. "(Love Is Like A) Heatwave" by Martha & the Vandellas – Delilah (Season 3 ep. 3)
I do not understand why the judges and all of the comments are so sour on this performance. I absolutely love it! Hannah and Kendall bring such a fun charm with their leads, and this performance is super 60’s while still sounding totally like a Delilah song. Jo does a lot of subtle carrying here, and although the song choice just didn’t call for any outrageous beatboxing or harmonies, the arrangement still some interesting ear candy going on. This performance is just really cute and well packaged, it’s super concise and is exactly what it needed to be.
39. "21 Guns" by Green Day – Group Performance (Season 2 ep. 3)
Really awesome to see all of the Season 2 contestants lock it in for a group performance. The harmonies are what especially impress me here, especially when OTR comes in, everything just clicks really well. Got to love the leads from Joanna and Catherine of the Backbeats specifically, I think they did a really stellar job sticking out.
40. "Club Can't Handle Me" by Flo Rida – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 6)
Gosh, aren’t the Aires just so much fun? Michael has such a swagger to him in this performance! That bassline is dope, and Henry is a surprising competent rapper, even if he sounds a little nervous. The Aires do a really good job of giving this performance an ebb and flow, allowing for the listener to breath for being pulled back in. I don’t know how many times I’ll stress it while commenting on these songs, but Michael is just really something special, his performance here is just so captivating.
41. "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 8)
Can we talk about how Avi and Kevin made a believable impression of a motorcycle with just their voices? Like, they made a MOTORCYCLE ENGINE with their vocal cords. Kirstie power throughs being sick on this performance, you can’t even hear any recession in her vocal strength. I want to point out two moments that really stick out to me; that brief pause at 2:25 is a really smart and impactful arrangement choice, and the way Kevin fires off that “GUNS” at 2:40 is just the coolest.
42. "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond – The Beelzebubs (Season 1 ep. 5)
Our first Season 1 group! There are only 5 Season 1 groups even in the top 100.
Not only do I love their fits, I love Penn’s lead vocal. He’s got a super lovely voice, and I wish we got to see more of him throughout the competition. This may be song choice bias, because, who doesn’t love Sweet Caroline? Regardless, still an extremely enjoyable performance.
43. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard – On The Rocks (Season 2 ep. 3)
There’s nothing I can write here that will be more entertaining than just reading the comments on this performance’s video. A lot of hot and bothered listeners after this performance, apparently.
44. "Whataya Want from Me" by Adam Lambert – Delilah (Season 3 ep. 3)
Kendall crushes this performance! The way Delilah chose to build their harmony piece by piece was a really neat arrangement choice. Jo’s bass continues to amaze, and as always, Geena’s fantastic. Really awesome progression on this performance, Delilah really works to earn your attention with this one, and it pays off dividends. Additionally, I love that sort of sour hanging note Kendall ends this performance on. Some really unique stuff on display here.
45. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears – Street Corner Symphony (Season 2 ep. 1)
Your boy’s just a sucker for some Tears for Fears! SCS does TFF justice though. This is actually a pretty safe, simple performance. But hey, sometimes it’s ok to not overcomplicate things. The beatboxing here is actually immensely impressive, and Jeremy’s lead is spot on. Just a solid, zero flaw performance.
46. "Hot in Herre" by Nelly – Ten (Season 4 ep. 2)
There’s a rule of a Capella that I’ve learned from this show; It’s impossible to perform Hot in Herre and not have a smash hit performance on your hands.
47. Elvis Presley medley – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 7)
My main reason for ranking this so high is really only the Jailhouse Rock performance. Man, that breakdown at 4:07 is just otherworldly. Tanner is an absolute beast, and it’s when Vocal Point jumps into insane decompositions like this that they truly shine their brightest.
48. "Firework" by Katy Perry – The Backbeats (Season 2 ep. F)
This performance has a very strange sense of earnestness to it, and I can’t really place my finger on it. Its equal parts motivating as it is longing, and this sort of misplaced duality of moods is really interesting to me. Kenton does not look like he should be able to sing the way he does and I love it.
49. "Love Lockdown" by Kanye West – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 6)
50. Britney Spears Medley – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 7)
51. "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)" by 98 Degrees – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. F)
This is just more of PTX being PTX. I would like to give a special shoutout to Kirstie’s Spanish on Una Noche. I know that it’s got a lot of us listeners feeling a certain type of way. Super high-quality performances per usual from this group.
52. "Hey Ya!" by OutKast – AcoUstiKats (Season 4 ep. 2)
This performance is just moronic fun. Like, there’s so much mind melting insanity going on here. Like, this arrangement is actually super authentic to something Three Stacks would’ve put together, and I give the Kats a world of props for that. I don’t really know how to put this blast of pandemonium into words, it is goofy college group to the max with the AcoUstiKats, and I for one am a huge fan.
53. "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 8)
54. "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon – Group Performance (Season 2 ep. 2)
Just two of the better Group Performances notching their spot on here.
55. "Animal" by Neon Trees – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 4)
Brendan’s no Michael, but my man still holds it down on the lead. I love the outfits, and I think there’s some mad delightful compositional stuff in the mix here. Love some of the percussive elements on display throughout this performance.
56. Medley of "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly and "Fly" by Nicki Minaj – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 10)
I’m actually super glad they included that Nicki verse in here, it really showcases the group’s versatility. This medley sounds exactly as you’d expect two songs about flying fused together to sound, but it’s a good thing Afro Blue didn’t pull any punches here. This performance was just as graceful and tranquil as it needed to be.
57. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from the film Armageddon – Filharmonic (Season 4 ep. 5)
Gosh, Joe is just such a sweetheart! This is such an emotionally tender performance. The Filharmonic really delivered on all of the judge’s criticisms. Those harmonies are eloquent, that percussion is flawless, and the leads, as usual when Joe and VJ pick up a mic, are just to die for. Special shoutout to their bassist, this whole performance is just glue together by him holding it down. The Filharmonic are just some certain kind of special, I’m glad their YouTube channel is still popping post-Sing Off.
58. "All of the Lights" by Kanye West – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 10)
I love when Myke does Kanye. One of Katie’s best vocal performances too. Some questionable arrangement choices, but the good really outweighs the bad here in my opinion.
59. "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash – Home Free (Season 4 ep. 4)
I’m not going to try to break down these country performances a whole lot, Country just isn’t my area of expertise. There’s a very impressive low note here or something, though.
60. "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell Williams – AcoUstiKats (Season 4 ep. 1)
Literally the same exact sentiments as I wrote on Hey Ya! Just a whole lot of asking yourself “What was that!?” in the best way possible.
61. Medley of "Forget You" and "Since U Been Gone"– Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 10)
62. "E.T." by Katy Perry – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 2)
63. "Your Love Is My Drug" by Kesha – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 4)
I love the way PTX chose to tell a story with these two songs and their choreography on this medley. Typical Pentatonix being smart. ET is such humble beginnings, it’s adorable. The Kesha performance has a wicked breakdown too.
64. "Every Breath You Take" by The Police – Committed (Season 2 ep. 3)
65. "Colder Weather" by Zac Brown Band – Home Free (Season 4 ep. 6)
Rob is so slept on. I don’t know why Austin had to take almost every lead; Rob’s voice is such a pleasant change of pace. In fact, my least favorite part of this performance is when Austin takes back over!
66. Master Mix – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 10)
Really stupid comment, but man, the way Michael actually throws his back into singing the word ‘back’ is just that sort of small touch that makes me love him so much.
67. "Come Sail Away" by Styx – The Beelzebubs (Season 1 ep. 3)
Matt’s such a wholesome performer, and this outing from the Bubs is just some clean-cut family-friendly fun.
68. "Fame" from the film Fame (originally by Irene Cara) – Vocal Rush & Ten (Season 4 ep. 5)
This is a match of groups made in heaven. Also, can we talk about how Ten sounds just as full as Vocal Rush with way fewer members? All of the leads from this performance deserve individual praise, what a beautiful plethora of strong, talented voices.
69. "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry – VoicePlay (Season 4 ep. 2)
70. "Don't Speak" by No Doubt – VoicePlay (Season 4 ep. 4)
Performances like these are such an insight to the immense talent that VoicePlay had and never quite capitalized on. Big shoutout to that run on Don’t Speak, and the bass and drums on that Wild Cherry joint.
71. "The Show Goes On" by Lupe Fiasco – Yellowjackets (Season 3 ep. 6)
Damn, Jamal is really a spitter! Got to love Aaron’s “wa-wa-wa’s”. Overall, this is just one of the greatest rap songs of all time, so I’m really impressed to see the Roc boys pull off that hip-hop sound so well.
72. "House of the Rising Sun" The Animals – Jerry Lawson & The Talk of the Town (Season 2 ep. 6)
This is the sort of song choice I needed more of to buy into JL&TOTT. Not picking songs that are the groups style, more of picking songs that the group can perfectly reimagine into their style. There was so much favoritism to Jerry Lawson on this show, which I understand, but these guys really stood out to me when they were forced to work for their place just a little bit more. So. Much. Soul.
73. "Baby I Need Your Loving" by The Four Tops – Filharmonic (Season 4 ep. 6)
Those opening harmonies were so on point! VJ’s lead is to die for! You sent the Filharmonic boys’ home on this? This was one of their better performances! And then the way they incorporated their signature sound into this performance was just so smart…. I can’t believe that people don’t enjoy this performance. I think it’s outstanding.
74. "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes – The Deltones (Season 3 ep. 4)
The Deltones are the most unremarkable remarkable group. They’re so under the radar, but actually really talented. This performance is the definition of soothing. That lead vocal is B-U-T-T-E-R. Their harmonies are always locked in. The bassist nails all of his opportunities. This is a hidden gem of Sing Off performances.
75. "Amazed" by Lonestar – AcoUstiKats (Season 4 ep. 3)
It’s always awesome to see the Kats get serious. Considering how goofy they are, it does hit a little harder to see them buckle down and bring home something really sincere.
76. "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" Against All Odds – Vocal Rush (Season 4 ep. 5)
77. "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae – Vocal Rush (Season 4 ep. 1)
Wow, Jordan’s voice is so sultry and defined for being such a young talent!
Kyana’s adorable, and a beatboxer, so I loved seeing her get some big shine in both of these performances, on both the singing and percussion sides of things. It’s hard to believe these are high school students.
78. "Love Shack" by B52s – The Backbeats (Season 2 ep. 4)
Gosh, I love how goofy this is. Kenton was born to perform this.
79. "Fix You" by Coldplay – Street Corner Symphony (Season 2 ep. F)
I can’t believe SCS lost after this performance. The way they brought everyone out? Seems like a Season winner type move. I mean, I would’ve been outraged if Committed lost, but it’s surprising none the less.
80. "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra – Group Performance (Season 1 ep. 3)
81. R&B medley – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 9)
82. Halloween medley – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 7)
Here’s another batch of dope group performances!
83. "Shout" by The Isley Brothers – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 10)
Y’all, the Aires’ crowd control is unreal. Their theatrics on stage are just so attention-grabbing.
84. "Grace Kelly" by Mika – The Whiffenpoofs (Season 2 ep. 1)
I have no words. Yes, this performance is ridiculous. Yes, I understand that you will probably not like it. Yes, I ADORE it.
85. "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5 – Sonos (Season 3 ep. 4)
I can’t believe Sonos made I Want You Back sexy, and did it in a convincing way. What an absolute arranging risk! I think it paid off dividends, this is a really awesome standout performance from the group.
86. "Chain of Fools" by Aretha Franklin – Ten (Season 4 ep. 3)
This is Ten’s sermon, welcome to Church everybody.
87. "King of Anything" with Sara Bareilles – The Backbeats (Season 2 ep. F)
Isn’t Sara just the cutest? This performance is a little sugarier than that awesome subtleness her performance had with Urban Method, which may be a turn off for some, but I don’t mind. The Backbeats do pop really well.
88. "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi – The Backbeats (Season 2 ep. 3)
89. "Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners – Street Corner Symphony (Season 2 ep. 4)
90. "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson – Voices of Lee (Season 1 ep. 5)
I’ve just decided, Voices of Lee easily had the best leads from this season, and this performance is what convinced me. They do this smooth, soothing, calm sound so well! Even when they bring out the power in their voices, its still got this level of restraint that is just lovely.
91. "Eye of the Tiger" from the film Rocky III – AcoUstiKats & VoicePlay (Season 4 ep. 5)
All 3 of these duo performances were so amazing. This one had such charming choreography and story-telling.
92. "I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 7)
93. Who Medley – The Beelzebubs (Season 1 ep. 4)
94. "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay – Sonos (Season 3 ep. 4)
Sonos are the king of putting twists on songs. I love how eerie, how void of life they made this song sound. Their beatboxer is just an absolute tank, and the girl who held down bass on this absolutely slaughtered a role that was in no way, shape, or form hers.
95. "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark" by Fall Out Boy – Vocal Rush (Season 4 ep. 6)
96. "Nothin' on You" by B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 6)
97. "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson – Group Performance (Season 4 ep. F)
98. "Dream On" by Aerosmith – Delilah (Season 3 ep. 8)
I like this performance, but they definitely used Amy’s powerful voice as a crutch, rather than an asset, here.
99. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Nicole Scherzinger – Jerry Lawson & The Talk of the Town (Season 2 ep. F)
Nicole and Jerry’s voices are so perfect in duet! They were made for one another; she brings the sultry and he brings the soul. This performance is so delightful, I love how the audience is just clapping along, enjoying it, for the whole entire song.
100. "Proud Mary" by Ike & Tina Turner – Ten (Season 4 ep. 6)
101. "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" by Big & Rich – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 8)
The Best moment from this performance might be after the Aires are done singing. Adorable, such gentlemen.
102. "Old Time Rock and Roll" from the film Risky Business – AcoUstiKats (Season 4 ep. 5)
These boys covered like 5 genre switches with ease. They took me to a concert, the ranch, and church all in the span of a few minutes. I’m floored, great job Kats!
103. "Gonna Make You Sweat” by C+C Music Factory – Vocal Rush (Season 4 ep. 2)
This is a really tough song to cover, especially for a group of inexperienced high school kids. I think Vocal Rush crushed it.
104. "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 4)
My man Clark got some leg on him, my word.
105. Billy Joel Medley – Yellowjackets (Season 3 ep. 7)
Everything outside of Aaron’s last note is solid to perfect from this performance. Do love me some Billy Joel!
106. "Live Your Life" by T.I. and Rihanna – On The Rocks (Season 2 ep. 2)
So lowkey, Jeff might’ve dropped the best rap performance from any of the performances of the whole show. I don’t know if it’s flattering or insulting for me to say that Peter pulls of a really convincing Rihanna, but he really does just an angel’s voice.
107. Beatles Medley – Voices of Lee (Season 1 ep. 4)
This is ranked way too low in retrospect, but I’m just too lazy to change things. I think my favorite Sing Off moment ever might be at 1:14 where she makes a cash register noise to open the performance, like they just sold a paperback to the audience. The song choice is impeccable! The harmonies of Paperback Writer are delightful, and that lead is raw soul. The bassist is so talented from this group. I think Oh! Darling was the perfect song choice for Candace to sing. She brings just such a perfectly confident reimagining of the track. She absolutely sells that McCartney feisty pain! And the way they close out with All You Need is Love is just some straight, wholesome fun.
108. Lady Gaga Medley – The Backbeats (Season 2 ep. 5)
109. "Stuck Like Glue" by Sugarland – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 8)
How’d they fit Reggae into a Country track? Unreal!
110. "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" by The 5th Dimension – Soul’d Out (Season 3 ep. 2)
I spoke my piece on my discussion of this group earlier. This is also ranked way too low… I LOVEEEE this performance.
111. "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem and Rihanna – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 1)
112. "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 5)
These are two performances where Myke absolutely steals the show for me.
113. "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler – Vocal Rush (Season 4 ep. 4)
114. "One More Night" by Maroon 5 – Filharmonic (Season 4 ep. 3)
Some of the arranging on here is just unfathomable for a group of kids. This is such a smart performance by these boys! VJ really does Adam Levine so perfectly, and this performance just covers so much ground in such a short amount of time. My only real critique is their fits.
115. "Oh, Pretty Woman" from the film Pretty Woman – Home Free (Season 4 ep. 5)
That breakdown at the 4:30 mark kind of makes my heart swell. I wish Home Free stepped out of their comfort zone with tricks like that more often.
116. "Hold My Hand" by Michael Jackson & Akon – Committed (Season 2 ep. F)
117. Alicia Keys Medley – Delilah (Season 3 ep. 7)
Someone tell me why Candace has so much Alicia Keys energy in her!? I want to say this is another performance ranked too low, but it’s just crazy to me how we’re over 110 songs in and I still love all of these performances. All of the leads are beautiful; Kendall, Candace, and Hannah nail that seductive edge, and Amy brings the power in a controlled matter. You’re bugging though if you don’t think I’m not about to give it up to Geena for holding it down across this medley.
118. "You Don't Own Me" (with Nicole Scherzinger) – The Beelzebubs (Season 1 ep. F)
Nicole’s voice is perfect for this song. I love the interplay between her and the Bubs in the choreography. She did a great job of domesticating the boys with this one.
119. "I've Got the Music in Me" by Kiki Dee – Group Performance (Season 2 ep. 1)
120. My Generation Medley – Group Performance (Season 4 ep. 4)
121. "Roar" by Katy Perry – Vocal Rush (Season 4 ep. F)
122. "Livin' la Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin – Calle Sol (Season 4 ep. 2)
I’m usually pretty adverse to Latin Pop on today’s charts, but if it sounded more authentic like this, I think I’d change my mind.
123. "OMG" by Usher feat. will.i.am – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 9)
I really like when Avi said “Let the beat drop.” Also, the fact that PTX was stomping the comp so bad that they had to fabricate pre-performance drama for them is just hilarious.
124. "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak – Sonos (Season 3 ep. 2)
Besides the intro where it sounds like the beatboxer is macking on some macadamias, this performance is effortlessly smooth. Sonos is a really underappreciated Sing Off group, I 100% understand why PTX looked up to them.
125. "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line – Home Free (Season 4 ep. 1)
126. Rihanna medley – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 7)
127. "Freedom! '90" by George Michael – Voices of Lee (Season 1 ep. 3)
128. "No One" by Alicia Keys – Voices of Lee (Season 1 ep. 2)
129. "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by The Miracles – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 3)
130. "Every Little Step" by Bobby Brown – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 9)
131. "The Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga – The Deltones (Season 3 ep. 4)
I love how this performance is a little bit of everything. It’s got some country twang on the lead, a pop beat, some traditional a Capella runs, it’s such a beautiful cacophony of arrangement elements.
132. "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry – Delilah (Season 3 ep. 8)
I love how literally any member of Delilah can mess around and kill a lead. Ingrid is flawless here.
133. "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac – The Backbeats (Season 2 ep. 6)
134. Party Mix Medley – Group Performance (Season 4 ep. 2)
The groups are covering one another’s flaws so well here.
135. "Love Train" by The O'Jays – Jerry Lawson & The Talk of the Town (Season 2 ep. F)
136. "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" by Meat Loaf – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. F)
This is ridiculous and stupid, but I still love it. Michael and Amy are a really interesting pairing, but I can kind of ship it.
137. "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 8)
I do not care what you say, there is no way of transitioning to the bridge of a song then singing in falsetto “and now we’re going to the bridge.”
138. "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. 4)
139. "Baby" by Justin Bieber – Eleventh Hour (Season 2 ep. 1)
Kendall’s just such a convincing lead, I think she’s the reason I’m really able to buy into this performance.
140. "Do You Love Me" by The Contours – Street Corner Renaissance (Season 4 ep. 2)
Old School fun is just as fun as new school fun! This is the perfect song for a group like this to bust out to start off the competition.
141. Janet Jackson medley – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 7)
142. "Pinball Wizard" by The Who – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 4)
Can we talk about how they made a human pinball machine? Sound’s like an SNL Stefan description!
143. Otis Redding Medley – Jerry Lawson & The Talk of the Town (Season 2 ep. 5)
I really like the move to cover Otis here. I think out of all of the old school artists they could’ve chose, Otis is really analogous to the talents JL&TOTT have.
144. "Easy" by The Commodores – Jerry Lawson & The Talk of the Town (Season 2 ep. 4)
145. "Sing" by My Chemical Romance – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 1)
146. "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift – Princeton Footnotes (Season 4 ep. 1)
147. "Killing Me Softly" by The Fugees – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 6)
148. "Best of My Love" by The Emotions – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 9)
149. "Magical Mystery Tour" by The Beatles – The Beelzebubs (Season 1 ep. 2)
150. “Gone” with Ben Folds – Street Corner Symphony (Season 2 ep. F)
I really like Ben Folds as an artist. He has an amazing video of him composing a symphony in like 15 minutes somewhere on the depth of YouTube. But honestly? He might be my least favorite part of this performance.
151. "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" Dirty Dancing – Group Performance (Season 4 ep. 5)
It was so sweet how they paired a bunch of group members together as ‘couples’ for this performance. I love that little extra addition of charm.
152. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" The Breakfast Club – VoicePlay (Season 4 ep. 5)
Interesting casting for who played which member of the Breakfast Club amongst the group.
153. "You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates – Groove for Thought (Season 2 ep. 4)
I’m not going to lie; I wish every Groove for Thought performance was just a Hall & Oates cover.
154. "Wannabe" by Spice Girls – Yellowjackets (Season 3 ep. 5)
155. "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy ft. Faith Evans & 112 – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 6)
Cool of them to let Ben drain his heart on stage, but I feel like his emotions got the best of his performance here. I appreciate the sentiment though.
156. "The Way You Look Tonight" by Fred Astaire – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 3)
157. "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 9)
158. "F**kin' Perfect" by Pink – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 1)
159. "Dance to The Music" by Sly and the family Stone – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 3)
Easily the worst 3 count I have ever heard. EVER. Regardless, super innovative for Urban Method, really outside of their comfort zone, and I think they pulled it off well.
160. "Knock You Down" by Keri Hilson feat. Kanye West & Ne-Yo – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 9)
161. "Pocket Full of Sunshine" (with Natasha Bedingfield) – Voices of Lee (Season 1 ep. F)
162. "American Girl" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Afro Blue (Season 3 ep. 8)
Afro Blue settled it. Not to be sexist, but American Boy is better than American Girl. (Obviously because it’s from a female’s perspective, #girlpower)
163. Fun Medley – Group Performance (Season 4 ep. 1)
All this performance does is remind me of how I kind of miss that era of pop where Fun was a relevant group. :-(
164. "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees – Nota (Season 1 ep. 3)
165. "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 8)
166. "It's Your Thing" by The Isley Brothers – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 3)
167. "Feel This Moment" by Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera – VoicePlay (Season 4 ep. 1)
168. "Haven't Met You Yet" by Michael Bublé – The Whiffenpoofs (Season 2 ep. 2)
My man on lead has really impressive Bublé impersonation. I hate holiday music but I’d buy his Christmas album.
169. "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King – Voices of Lee (Season 1 ep. F)
170. "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers – North Shore (Season 3 ep. 4)
171. "With a Little Help from My Friends" The Beatles – Group Performance (Season 2 ep. 5)
My only comment is going to be a timestamp: 2:20. You’re welcome.
172. "Jump Jive an' Wail" by The Brian Setzer Orchestra – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 1)
Okay, for a really competent group who can breakdown a performance like no other, why do they have to just pull some annoying crap so often? That shrieking outro haunts me.
173. "Some Kind of Wonderful" by Grand Funk Railroad – Cat’s Pajamas (Season 3 ep. 1)
174. "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield – Voices of Lee (Season 1 ep. 1)
175. "Mercy" by Duffy – Jerry Lawson & The Talk of the Town (Season 2 ep. 2)
176. "Flashdance... What a Feeling" by Irene Cara – Delilah (Season 3 ep. 5)
177. "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz – Yellowjackets (Season 3 ep. 3)
178. "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder – Dartmouth Aires (Season 3 ep. 2)
179. "Without You" by David Guetta feat. Usher – Pentatonix (Season 3 ep. F)
You can tell PTX was just getting tired at this point. Their voices are worn out, and they were a shoe in to win, so they phoned it in for a performance.
180. "Feels Like Home" by Randy Newman – The Deltones (Season 3 ep. 2)
181. "Hey Soul Sister" by Train – Street Corner Symphony (Season 2 ep. 2)
Is this performance actually decent, but ranked low because I hate Train?... How about you stop asking so many questions?
182. "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay – Noteworthy (Season 1 ep. 2)
183. "Listen to Your Heart" by Roxette – The Deltones (Season 3 ep. 5)
184. Journey Medley – The Socals – (Season 1 ep. 4)
185. "Life Is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane – Home Free (Season 4 ep. 2)
186. "Airplanes" by B.o.B ft. Hayley Williams – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 6)
187. Beatles Medley – Street Corner Symphony (Season 2 ep. 5)
188. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2 – Group Performance (Season 1 ep. F)
189. Michael Jackson Medley – Nota (Season 1 ep. 4)
190. "Down on the Corner" by C.C.R – Street Corner Symphony (Season 2 ep. 6)
191. “Changes” by David Bowie – Groove For Thought (Season 2 ep. 3)
Definitely a performance I’ve ranked to low. Groove For Thought another one of those Sing Off groups that was never going to go far, but is still really good.
192. Beach Boy Medley – Maxx Factor (Season 1 ep. 4)
Hey, who knew 4 elderly women could kind of pull off the greatest harmonizing group known to man?
193. "I Want Crazy" by Hunter Hayes – Home Free (Season 4 ep. F)
I’m kind of offended by how safe of a final performance it is. Like we get it, the show favored you from like week 3 on, did you really have to rub it in with such a complacent outing? Do ANYTHING out of pocket!
194. "Wavin' Flag" by K'naan – Yellowjackets (Season 3 ep. 1)
195. "Runaround Sue" by Dion DiMucci – North Shore (Season 3 ep. 2)
196. "Forget You" by CeeLo Green – Street Corner Renaissance (Season 4 ep. 3)
197. "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction – Street Corner Renaissance (Season 4 ep. 1)
198. "Secrets" by OneRepublic – Kinfolk 9 (Season 3 ep. 1)
199. "Just Can't Get Enough" by The Black Eyed Peas – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 3)
200. "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. 8)
201. "Satisfaction" The Rolling Stones – Jerry Lawson & The Talk of Town (Season 2 ep. 3)
202. "Save the Last Dance for Me" by Drifters – Jerry Lawson & The Talk of Town (Season 2 ep. 1)
203. "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus and Chaka Khan – Ten (Season 4 ep. 1)
204. "Rocketeer" by Far East Movement – The Collective (Season 3 ep. 4)
205. "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars – North Shore (Season 3 ep. 4)
I think one of my favorite genres of television is ‘older person confused by newer concept.’ Like, Bruno Mars isn’t that much to unpackage right? Regardless, Guy is a great lead here.
206. "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder – Groove For Thought (Season 2 ep. 1)
207. The Tracks of My Tears" (with Smokey Robinson) – Nota (Season 1 ep. F)
Ok, so Smokey did Smokey, but I feel like he was lacking that supporting cast he needed on this performance. This is me ranking Nota low, not the legend.
208. "Price Tag" by Jessie J ft. B.o.B – Kinfolk 9 (Season 3 ep. 3)
209. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" by The Supremes – Element (Season 4 ep. 4)
210. "Burn" by Ellie Goulding – Element (Season 4 ep. 1)
211. "Raise Your Glass" by P!nk – Element (Season 4 ep. 2)
The order of these are really arbitrary. They are both good and really bad outings in their own distinct ways. Man, they could’ve been so much more.
212. "Pon de Replay" – Calle Sol (Season 4 ep. 1)
213. "People Get Ready" by The Impressions– Messiah’s Men (Season 3 ep. 2)
Honestly, I think I ranked this one a little low. This is just a happy little ray of sunshine of a performance. I’m still okay with this being a one and done group, but, this is charming nonetheless.
214. "Already Gone" by Kelly Clarkson – The Socals – (Season 1 ep. 2)
215. "Shake It Out" by Florence and the Machine – Group Performance (Season 4 ep. 6)
216. "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. F)
217. "Under Pressure” by Queen / David Bowie – Group Performance (Season 1 ep. 1)
218. "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" by Jackie DeShannon – Group Performance (Season 2 ep. F)
219. "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel – Group Performance (Season 4 ep. 3)
220. "All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 5)
I’ll be honest, I only remember 2 of these 6 group performances.
221. "Cooler Than Me" by Mike Posner – Groove For Thought (Season 2 ep. 2)
I don’t think Mike Posner and jazz mix the greatest. Just a personal opinion.
222. "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars – Eleventh Hour (Season 2 ep. 2)
223. "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News – North Shore (Season 3 ep. 5)
224. "Hold On, I'm A Comin'" by Sam & Dave – The Collective (Season 3 ep. 4)
225. "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor – The Collective (Season 3 ep. 5)
226. "Somebody To Love" by Queen – The Socals (Season 1 ep. 1)
That lead is just kind of not the greatest. This would actually be pretty solid with a stronger vocalist!
227. "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by The Temptations – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 9)
228. "Think" by Aretha Franklin – Noteworthy (Season 1 ep. 1)
229. "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers – Nota (Season 1 ep. F)
230. "Life is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 8)
Mormons and Country are just two separate worlds, I guess.
231. "Let It Be" by The Beatles – Kinfolk 9 (Season 3 ep. 3)
It still baffles me how people are infatuated by this performance. Does no one think Moi overdoes everything? He’s practically unlistenable!
232. "Good Girls Go Bad" by Cobra Starship – Pitch Slapped (Season 2 ep. 1)
233. "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips – Noteworthy (Season 1 ep. 3)
234. “The Longest Time” by Billy Joel – Men of Note (Season 2 ep. 1)
235. "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi – Face (Season 1 ep. 1)
236. "Love Story" by Taylor Swift – Maxx Factor (Season 1 ep. 2)
237. "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship – The Socals (Season 1 ep. 3)
238. "Rhythm of Love" by Plain White T's – Group Performance (Season 3 ep. 4)
239. ‘Dancing Queen” by ABBA – Maxx Factor (Season 1 ep. 1)
240. "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine – Urban Method (Season 3 ep. F)
241. “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse – Maxx Factor (Season 1 ep. 3)
242. "Down" by Jay Sean – Nota (Season 1 ep. 2)
I’ve tried to slow down my comments for the lower ranks, as I don’t want to clown any groups by bashing them with negative comments, but I’ve got to reiterate myself: Why would you hamfist in a Latin breakdown into a song you’ve performed entirely without any Latin flair? It irks me to no end.
243. "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo – The Collective (Season 3 ep. 6)
All of the Collective’s low rankings are entirely due to me being unable to tolerate Ruby’s voice. Too much vibrato for me, I cannot sit through a full performance of her singing.
244. “Hazy Shade of Winter” by Simon & Garfunkel – The Socals (Season 1 ep. 5)
245. "Where is the Love?" by The Black Eyed Peas – The Beelzebubs (Season 1 ep. F)
246. "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks – Vocal Point (Season 3 ep. 8)
This might be the cringiest performance across all 4 of the Seasons.
247. "Who Says" by Selena Gomez & the Scene – Fannin Family (Season 3 ep. 1)
248. “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel – Nota (Season 1 ep. 5)
249. "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz – Nota (Season 1 ep. 1)
YO! NOTA! STOP! If you want to be a Latin pop group, be a Latin pop group! Don’t forget to be that and then just randomly tack it onto the end of the mix!
250. "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele – The Collective (Season 3 ep. 2)
See ranking 243.
251. "Right Round" by Flo Rida – The Beelzebubs (Season 1 ep. 2)
I lied, THIS is the cringiest performance of sing off history.
252. "Whatcha Say" by Jason Derulo - Solo (Season 1 ep. 1)
I really want to root for this group, they have a compelling backstory. They’re just… they do not compare to the rest of the talent on the show. a Capella isn’t everybody’s thing.
And… That’s it! Not going to waste anymore of your time with an Outro, this post is TOO long! Thanks so much if you read any of it, it means a lot! Send me recommendations for new posts ideas now that I’ve buried this behemoth! Until next time!! 😊