“Contemporary” a cappella is a broad term, and some contemporary groups are like a good recipe – a pinch of this (rock), a dash of that (pop), just a little shake of that (doo-wop), a teaspoon of this (R&B), a dollop of something spicy (jazz), mix it up in the blender for three minutes, and voila – a contemporary a cappella group! Whether your taste is a little more old-fashioned, four voices alone singing old favorites, or you like the hard-hitting, radio-ready sound of a vocal band doing original tunes, we’ve got the men’s groups doing that work, and particularly, men’s groups doing that work well.

Are you one of those people who get a kick out of it when someone blows stereotypes all out of the water? Good. So are we. And that’s why we get such a thrill out of our women’s contemporary groups – they challenge the stereotypes and throw them out on their ear, proving you don’t need a Y chromosome to rock the house and deliver a ballad with a punch. Heck, you don’t even need one for a floor-clearing bass line! Contemporary women’s groups are holding their own with the men’s groups out there – if you don’t believe us, take a listen!

We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again – mixed groups have all the advantages, and really are the best of both worlds. They can have a sound that hits the stratosphere and the basement all at once, and their blend conveys that little tingle to the listener that a single-gender group just can’t give. If you like the contemporary sound, and enjoy either male or female groups, we dare you to give our mixed groups a listen – you’ll find something (or quite a few somethings) to write home about, we promise!

One of the most popular music forms of the last century, jazz comes in many styles, from the all-instrumental and accompanied to our favorite - vocal. It's an art form that is so identified with the United States, and yet so much great jazz comes from talented groups around the world. Doesn't matter, though, because Jazz transcends language and national borders - warm, luscious tones, smooth sounds and powerful, emotive chords are great anywhere. And vocal jazz is just the icing on a very smooth and delightful cake.

In the pre- and post-WWII era, the term “popular” music took on a whole new meaning. Performing groups of that age were some of the first to have the mass commercial appeal the current generation is so accustomed to their stars having. And these vintage harmony groups deserved their status! They inspired generations of close harmony groups to emulate their sound, and current groups owe much of their history to these exquisite, talented singers who paved the way for them. Explore the history, and enjoy it, too. Consider these recordings museums on CD!

Expressing Christian faith in music is an idea that goes back millennia, but contemporary Christian music is one of those art forms that is, if not uniquely American, certainly recognizably so. For nearly a century, singers have been performing and recording celebratory expressions of their faith in a modern fashion, usually in English, frequently in popular musical styles. Contemporary Christian music brings religious music to the general public in a totally new way, and makes it just plain fun. If you don't believe us, take a listen to some of these terrific groups!

Gospel music, as it is known today, is one of those art forms that is almost uniquely American, with its origins stemming from the African-American musical traditions commonly seen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a lively, celebratory music that you just don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy – if you enjoy showing joy in music, showing joy through music, feeling the joy that happy, passionate music full of love conveys, you’ll enjoy the Gospel groups here.

“Choral” is a broad umbrella term that covers a wide variety of groups singing a wide variety of music. “Excellent” is another broad umbrella term that covers this wide variety of male groups singing a wide variety of music. Whether it’s classical choral ensembles from the UK singing early Christian music, Americans singing Spirituals or Germans performing the works of Schubert, these groups bring a purity of sound, tone and spirit that makes the music a sheer pleasure to listen to. Surround yourself with the sound, drink it in, and see why some of these groups are known world-wide for their incredible music!

Bulgaria. Slovenia. The UK. Canada. The U.S. Latvia. Spain. Finland. Norway. Women’s choirs come from all over the planet, and they sing music from around the world, too. Some of the groups are more traditional in their raison d’etre – simply to sing wonderful music – while others are a bit more specific, dedicated only to the works of women, to raising awareness of issues, or simply to celebrate their cultural origins. The diversity is great to see, and shows how much more there is to music than the sound of it – when paired with this lovely sound, it’s a two-fer you shouldn’t pass up!

The very definition of music, and particularly, a cappella, has changed throughout the centuries. Here, with these groups, you can hear what a cappella sounded like in the days when it really was written to be performed in the chapel. Whether women’s groups from the U.S. or Norway, men’s ensembles from the UK or mixed-voice ones from Belgium or America, there are talented groups around the planet who are bringing new life to centuries-old music, exploring history and making it come alive to fans everywhere. If you like a cappella, you should know where it comes from – and with these groups, you’ll learn exactly that.

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