By now, if you have been keeping up with my articles, you will know I am about as big of an cappella geek as they come. I have gone to multiple ICCAs, have a plethora of songs on my iPod, and follow various different groups online. I have no issues blasting it in my car as I ride down the street to work or to rehearsal. I will proudly stand up for my musical fandom on any day of the week. However, there is one thing that frequently frustrates me when it comes to celebrating my a cappella fandom.
When I tell people that I am a huge fan of a cappella, at some point in the conversation, I get asked the question, “Have you heard of Pentatonix?” Of course I have heard of Pentatonix! Asking an a cappella fan that is like asking a fan of classic rock if they have heard of the Rolling Stones, or asking a fan of musical theatre if they have heard of "Rent" or "Hamilton," or asking a fan of rap if they have heard of Tupac Shakur. It’s not like they are presently the most mainstream a cappella group at this point, and have a gigantic YouTube following, and have reached incredible Billboard chart success. They have broken into popularity unlike any group beforehand, far surpassing the modest celebrity status achieved by "Straight No Chaser."
However, this is not the only problem: people often assume that because I like a cappella music, I must be a gigantic fan of Pentatonix, and essentially believe them to be the best group ever. Frankly, this could not be further from the truth. I have a huge amount of respect for Pentatonix and, yes, they are extremely talented. The sound that they can produce with only five singers is absolutely outstanding and wonderful. And, yes, there are some songs of theirs that I absolutely enjoy. Their original piece, “Can’t Sleep Love,” is beautifully put together and well thought out. And “Run To You” is both incredibly beautiful and emotional. I genuinely respect Pentatonix and enjoy some of their music.
But, generally their style of a cappella is not my favorite. Not all a cappella music is the same, and for me, Pentatonix is too beat box heavy. For example, listen to Pentatonix’s cover of “Royals,” originally performed by Lorde.
Now, listen to some of the songs below, or at least excerpts of them, including an arrangement by Deke Sharon.
The fact is that, personally, I prefer a cappella arrangements that are more singing and less beat boxing. Certainly, beat boxing is an essential part of many pieces, but for me it should not overpower the singers. Too often, I find that the beat boxing in Pentatonix’s pieces overshadows that of the singers. Drawing back to an earlier comparison, just because one is a huge fan of classic rock, does not mean that somebody has to have the Rolling Stones as their favorite. Someone could have issues with stylistic or aesthetic concepts, or maybe the lyrics are a little too cliché and out of touch. (For the record, I am a fan of the Rolling Stones, but they are not my favorite classic rock group).
On the wholesale, Pentatonix has done a lot for the a cappella world and the music world as a whole. They have brought a whole new level of popularity to the genre, along with "Glee" and "Pitch Perfect." They are immensely talented and really know how to make good music, but they oftentimes are not the group for me. Unlike some of my favorite groups, I am more skeptical when somebody tells me to listen to a song of theirs. It is just a case of personal preference, as are any choices people make regarding music. Pentatonix’s style obviously appeals to many people, but they are usually just not my first pick when going through an a cappella playlist.
