ABBA

Estimates of ABBA’s worldwide sales vary from 300 – 400 million, making them the second most successful band of all time, after The Beatles. They were the first mainland European act to become regulars on the British, American and Australian pop charts. This helped pave the way for many other European acts and established Sweden in the mainstream music industry.

Black Eyed Peas

The Black Eyed Peas is an American musical group, consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo. Originally an alternative hip hop group, they subsequently changed their musical sound to pop and dance-pop music.[2] Although the group was founded in Los Angeles in 1995, it was not until the release of their third album, Elephunk, in 2003, that they achieved high record sales. Since that time, the group has sold an estimated 76 million records (35 million albums and 41 million singles), making them one of the world's best-selling groups of all time.[3] As of 2011, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the Black Eyed Peas were the second-best-selling artist/group of all time for downloaded tracks, behind Rihanna, with over 42 million sales.

Bobs

They rehearsed for six months. Gunnar remembers that their first gig was at an open mike in a Cuban restaurant where they were shuffled ahead of the line waiting flamingo guitarists by a manager aware of the patron's acute flamenco ennui. They sang "Psycho Killer", "A White Sportcoat" and a few others that night. The audience loved them.

At first all the arranging that Gunnar and Richard did was cover tunes. As they began writing their own songs, the need for another voice became an imperative. Auditions found Janie 'Bob' Scott. Lots of local appearances caused the stage show to gel. A record contract with a local record company, Kaleidoscope Records, produced the first album, The Bobs. A Grammy nomination for their arrangement of "Helter Skelter," a nation wide tour, and soon they were on radio, then TV, eventually traveling to Europe doing huge festivals and concerts.

Carpenters

The Carpenters was an American vocal and instrumental duo of Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (b. 1946). They produced a distinct soft musical style, combining Karen's contralto vocals with Richard's arranging and composition skills. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded ten albums, along with numerous singles and several television specials.

Classic Sounds

If you close your eyes and think back to Murray the K, the Brooklyn Paramount, the street lights on Belmont Avenue, the boulevards of Bensonhurst, straphanging from a leather strap on your way to see "Dem Bums", Frankie, Dion, WMCA Good Guys, cruising the streets in a '56 Chevy with the windows cranked down, singing to the tunes on your portable AM radio, and a host of other good times, you'll know why "The Classic Sounds" sing DooWop. That's why a surgeon, a plumber, 2 teachers, and a musician can lean in close to each other, sing those back-up sounds that are second nature to us all, give you a little hand jive and a smile, and make you remember what "feel good" acappella music is all about.

First Call

The Christian a cappella group, First Call, have reinvigorated the familiar Christmas classics with fresh arrangements and sincere renditions of the old favorites. Appearances by guest vocalists and multi-tracking allow for a multiplicity of textures and sounds. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" will rekindle good will toward all in even the most cynical holiday Grinch. "The New Twelve Days of Christmas" replaces the partridge and pear tree with shopping malls and choir rehearsals, and segues brilliantly into "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." The shimmering, pure vocal tones are augmented by the crisp, digital production. This is an "Evening" you won't want to miss!

Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac is a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. The band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling bands. In 1998, select members of Fleetwood Mac were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Fleetwood Mac was founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer.

fun.

Fun is an American indie pop band based in New York City. The band was formed by Nate Ruess (former lead singer of The Format), with Andrew Dost (of Anathallo), and Jack Antonoff (of Steel Train and Bleachers). Fun has released two albums: Aim and Ignite in August 2009 and Some Nights in February 2012. On February 10, 2013, Fun won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for "We Are Young". Additionally, Fun was a nominee for four other Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo or Group Performance (both for "We Are Young") along with Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album (both for Some Nights).

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Gladys Knight & the Pips were an R&B/soul family musical act from Atlanta, Georgia that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for three decades. The group reached commercial success after signing with Motown Records in 1966. After a year and a half, the group recorded the first hit single version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" in 1967, which led to several hit singles for Motown's Soul Records label, including "Nitty Gritty", "Friendship Train", "If I Were Your Woman" and "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)".

Gregg Smith Singers

Gregg Smith founded the Singers in 1955, when he was a graduate teaching assistant in the music department of UCLA. In 1958 the group took its first step toward international recognition with a European tour that included an appearance at the Brussels World's Fair.

Soon after, the Singers came to the attention of Igor Stravinsky, and in 1959 they began a 12-year association which ended with Gregg Smith traveling to Venice, at the family's request, to prepare the chorus and orchestra for Mr. Stravinsky's funeral.

Harbor Lights

With the amazing success of the musical hit "Jersey Boys" touring throughout the country, and the even more recent emergence of "Straight No Chaser" into the marketplace, the a cappella Doo Wop sound has never been more in the forefront. Audiences of all ages are thirsting for this fun, uplifting harmonic vocal style that simply makes you feel really good.

Five seasoned entertainers with individual histories of performances at The Whitehouse in DC, the 100th Olympiad in Atlanta, live international broadcasts on Voice of America, and tours in Europe to entertain US troops, George Carl, Dave Mitchell, Cheryl De rosier, Jimmy Calinski and Fernando Rodriguez came together 10 years ago to become Harbor Lights.

Idea of North

The Idea of North defies categorisation. As a quartet of musicians, their voices are their instruments: soprano, alto, tenor and bass, with a bit of vocal percussion thrown in. Their sound and style is distinct, yet they cross many musical genres: jazz, pop, folk, gospel, even comedy.

Their arrangements are extraordinary. They take songs you know and songs you don't and create songs you'll love. But it's not just about the music:

"A pitch-perfect ensemble negotiating complex modulations with ease, constant seamless transition between lead and accompaniment parts, and the whole thing strung together by low-key, humorous conversational patter..." The Courier-Mail

Katrina & The Waves

Katrina and the Waves (sometimes written as Katrina & The Waves) were a British-American rock band best known for the 1985 hit "Walking on Sunshine". They also won the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Love Shine a Light". Despite their return to the public eye in the UK, Katrina and the Waves were not able to follow up "Love Shine a Light" with another hit, and Leskanich left the group in 1998 after several disagreements within the band. Legal wrangling followed, preventing Leskanich from using the band name.

Lady Antebellum

Lady Antebellum is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. The group is composed of Hillary Scott (lead and background vocals), Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals, guitar), and Dave Haywood (background vocals, guitar, piano, mandolin). Scott is the daughter of country music singer Linda Davis, and Kelley is the brother of pop singer Josh Kelley.

Lambert, Hendricks and Ross

In 1962 Ross, tired of touring, called it quits. Lambert and Hendricks choose Yolande Bavan for the impossible job of replacing Ross. Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan recorded three albums for RCA. None were as successful as those of the previous trio, and the group broke up in 1964. Sadly, Dave Lambert was killed in a car accident in 1966. Jon Hendricks continues to perform. Annie Ross also continued singing and working in films. Though they only graced the musical landscape for a few short years, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross left an indelible mark in the world of vocal jazz that has yet to be equaled to this day.

Lumineers

The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The founding members are Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion). Schultz and Fraites began writing and performing together in Ramsey, New Jersey in 2005. Cellist and vocalist Neyla Pekarek joined the band in 2010, and was a member until 2018. The Lumineers emerged as one of the most popular folk rock/Americana artists during the revival of those genres[2] and their growing popularity in the 2010s.The band's stripped back raw sound draws heavily from artists that influenced Schultz and Fraites such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. They are known for their energetic live shows and several international hit singles including "Ho Hey", "Stubborn Love", "Ophelia" and "Cleopatra".

Mamas and The Papas

The Mamas & the Papas were an American folk rock vocal group that recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968, and were a defining force in the music scene of the Counterculture of the 1960s. The band reunited briefly in 1971. The group was composed of John Phillips, Denny Doherty, Cass Elliot, and Michelle Phillips née Gilliam. Their sound was based on vocal harmonies arranged by John Phillips, the songwriter, musician, and leader of the group who adapted folk to the new beat style of the early sixties.

Manhattan Transfer

The Manhattan Transfer are the New York vocal jazz group formed in 1972 by Alan Paul, Janis Siegel, Laurel Masse and Tim Hauser.

They had their initial success in the US with their self-titled debut album, and the single "Operator". Their next few releases had a greater impact on the charts in the UK, where single "Chanson D'Amour" from Coming Out went to No.1.

Miracles

The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American rhythm and blues vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and influential groups in pop, rock and roll, and R&B music history. The Miracles have been awarded many top music industry honors over the years. In 1997, the group received the Pioneer Award at the Rhythm and Blues Foundation for their musical achievements. Four years later, in 2001, they were inducted to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

New York Voices

New York Voices is the Grammy Award winning vocal ensemble renowned for their excellence in jazz and the art of group singing. Like the great groups that have come before, such as Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Singers Unlimited, Manhattan Transfer and Take 6, they have learned from the best and taken the art form to new levels. Their interests are rooted in jazz, but often Brazilian, R & B, classical, and pop influences are included with equal creativity and authenticity. The group was formed in 1987 by Darmon Meader, Peter Eldridge, Kim Nazarian, Caprice Fox and Sara Krieger. By way of explanation, Darmon, Peter, Kim and Caprice attended Ithaca College in NY and were part of an invitational alumni group formed to tour the European Jazz Festivals in the summer of '86. As a result of this exciting experience, the idea of forming a professional group was born.

Norman Luboff Choir

The Norman Luboff Choir was among the most popular choral ensembles of their day, releasing a series of hit easy-listening LPs during the late 1950s and 1960s. Luboff was born May 14, 1917 in Chicago, where he began his career as a vocalist and arranger for area radio programs. In 1948 he relocated to Hollywood, singing on to compose movie music for Warner Bros. The first incarnation of the Norman Luboff Choir was formed during the mid-1950s, and in the years to follow they released a series of albums on Columbia that drew on music from a variety of genres and geographic locales, with titles including Calypso Holiday, Broadway!, Songs Of The Cowboy and Songs Of The Caribbean. The choir also backed a number of vocalists including Harry Belafonte and Doris Day, and although their recording career came to a halt during the late 1960s, they continued touring until Luboff's cancer-related death on September 22, 1987.-

Pentatonix

Vocal sensations and winners of season 3 of NBC's The Sing-Off, Pentatonix are taking instrument-free music far beyond anyone's wildest expectations. Named after the world's most widely recognized five-note musical scale, this vocal quintet has transformed one of pop music's purest and most soulful expressions into an exciting future, filled with limitless sonic possibility. Pairing their intricate arrangements with cleverly re-imagined pop songs, Pentatonix have quickly cultivated a sound and style that is entirely unique and undeniably infectious.

Platters

The Platters is an American vocal group. They were one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre. The act went through several personnel changes, with the most successful incarnation comprising lead tenor Tony Williams, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed, and Zola Taylor. The group had 40 charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1955 and 1967, including four no. 1 hits. The Platters were one of the first African American groups to be accepted as a major chart group and were, for a period of time, the most successful vocal group in the world

Pretenders

The Pretenders are an English-American rock band formed in Hereford, England, in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Martin Chambers (drums, backing vocals, percussion).

Pretenders

The Pretenders are a British-American rock band formed in London, England, in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Martin Chambers (drums, backing vocals, percussion). Following the drug-related deaths of Honeyman-Scott and Farndon, the band has experienced numerous subsequent personnel changes, with Hynde as the only consistent member, and Chambers returning after an absence of several years.

Real Group

The Real Group is a professional a cappella ensemble from Sweden, in constant development since the formation 24 years ago. TRG is one of the leading forces in the world of vocal music today.

Through the years, the members have been engaged in a variety of activities - concert performances, events, CD/DVD-recordings, song-writing, arranging, score publishing, CD-production for other artists, master-classes/workshops, seminars, etcetera.

Singers Unlimited

The Singers Unlimited were born out of a strange combination of stark commercialism and rare innovation that somehow yielded some pretty high art. Gene Puerling was the vocal arranger as well as a singer with The Hi-Lo's, and later moved into jingle singing and arranging in Chicago. Don Shelton had been a Hi-Lo as well, and joined Puerling in the commercial field. Along the way they joined with Len Dresslar (the voice of the Jolly Green Giant) and vocalist/voiceover artist Bonnie Herman. This led to the formation in 1967 of a ready-to-go jingle-singing quartet. Then Puerling began experimenting with the new technology of multi-track recording, and the Singers expanded their four voices into eight, twelve, sixteen, and later into practically a hundred or more! The Singers produced around 15 LP's in the period between 1971 and 1981.

Skyliners

The Skyliners are an American doo-wop group from Pittsburgh. The original lineup was: Jimmy Beaumont (lead), Janet Vogel (soprano), Wally Lester (tenor), Jackie Taylor (bass voice, guitarist), Joe Verscharen (baritone).The Skyliners were best known for their 1959 hit, "Since I Don't Have You". They also hit the Top 40 with "This I Swear" and "Pennies from Heaven". Other classics include "It Happened Today" (1959), "Close Your Eyes" (1961) and "Comes Love" (1962). The original group dissolved in 1963, but re-united eleven years later (without Jackie Taylor), for what would become their last charted record, "Where Have They Gone?"

Sly and the Family Stone

Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. The group's core line-up was led by singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone.

Stormy Weather

Stormy Weather, a Damon Runyon-esque quintet of Hoosiers from the steel mill area of Gary/ Hammond, Indiana is the chief proponent of the nation's revitalized a cappella doo-wop sound. Growing up, they all idolized local residents, the Spaniels, of "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" fame.

The group has recorded eight albums, including the highly touted seasonal record entitled "Street Carols," which itself has become a holiday classic. Also, a cameo-recording on Rhino Records' sports music perennial, "Baseball's Greatest Hits." Their children's series, "Doo-Wop & Lollipops," has won numerous awards, including the Parent's Choice Gold Award and the Parent's Guide to Children's Media Award.

Stormy Weather's latest release is "Looking for an Echo," their Silver Anthology containing 27 tracks marking the group's 25th Anniversary, which features the official song of the Millennium, entitled "Lady Millennium."

Sugarland

Sugarland is an American country music duo consisting of singer-songwriters Jennifer Nettles (lead vocals) and Kristian Bush (vocals, mandolin, acoustic guitar, and harmonica). Sugarland was founded in 2002 by Kristen Hall with Bush and became a trio after hiring Jennifer Nettles as lead vocalist.

Swingle Singers

There are few music lovers who haven't heard the name the Swingle Singers. Since the release of that ground-breaking debut album in 1963, this virtuosic eight-voice a cappella group (complete with their own vocal rhythm section) has performed on the world's most famous stages, sustaining over four decades a level of international popularity beyond the dreams of its founder, American-born Ward Swingle.

Toronto Children's Chorus

Founded in 1978, the Toronto Children's Chorus is Canada's premier treble choir. Having performed around the world and having won numerous choral competitions, the Chorus's musical education model is copied around the world.

The Toronto Children's Chorus consists of six choirs: five Training Choirs and the Main Choir. Within the Main Choir are the Cantare, Chorale, Chamber, and Choral Scholars. As choristers become more and more accomplished, they graduate to higher levels within the choir structure. The highest level a chorister can achieve is to be a member of the Choral Scholars.

The Chorus is a world class treble choir. The Toronto Children's Chorus has performed on numerous professional classical recordings and has been invited as guest artist in acclaimed concerts around the world.

Turtles

The Turtles was an American rock band led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band had several Top 40 hits beginning with their cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965. They scored their biggest and best-known hit in 1967 with the song "Happy Together".

The band broke up in 1970. Kaylan and Volman later found long-lasting success as session musicians, billed as the comedic vocal duo Flo & Eddie. In 2010, a reconstituted version of the band, the Turtles Featuring Flo & Eddie, began performing live shows again.

VocalEssence

Founded in 1969 under the name Plymouth Music Series, VocalEssence is recognized internationally for innovative exploration of music for voices and instruments. Each year the organization presents an engaging collection of concerts featuring the 130-voice VocalEssence Chorus and its core group, the 32-voice professional mixed chorus called the Ensemble Singers, along with soloists and instrumentalists. There is no organization quite like VocalEssence in its range, variety and quality of performance.

The Plymouth Music Series was founded by Philip Brunelle, now one of Minnesota's most recognized musical entrepreneurs, as an arts outreach program of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. The Series immediately established the marks of its future success: world, United States, and Midwest premieres; famous guest artists; commissions of new works (over 115 to date); and a reputation for surprise.

Voces8

VOCES8's career has developed both in the classical choral scene and the world of a cappella. In 2009, the group's first commercial album, EVENSONG, was nominated for a CARA. The group's most recent release, ACES HIGH, is a scintillating collection of VOCES8's unique interpretations of jazz and pop favourites and theme tunes from the legendary James Bond movies and is on general release on the Signum Classics label. The group's latest release on the Signum label is a collection of motets by J. S. Bach.

Notable London appearances include the Royal Festival Hall, the Wigmore Hall, Alexandra Palace, Kings Place, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. VOCES8 broadcasts regularly on international television and radio, including live recordings for Deutschlandradio Kultur and Radio France Musique.

Voice Trek

Voice Trek has been thrilling listeners with their impeccable vocal skills since 1987. Their astonishing adaptability and inventive arrangements have defined this vocal quintet as one of the topmost in their genre. Based in Minnesota, the all-original members of Voice Trek are Shelley, Vicki, and Rae Plaster - three sisters who are known for their dazzling vocal mix; the group's tenor, Denis Allaire, specialist in vocal percussion and vocal instrumental sounds; and bringing up the bass is the dynamic Kevin Smith - the irreplaceable bottom line.

A multitalented and prolific group with numerous CD's in their catalog, Voice Trek has appeared in performance venues around the globe. Voice Trek's newly released CD "An A cappella Trek" is already receiving enthusiastic reviews from fans and critics alike.

Vox One

Vox One is an award-winning a cappella jazz quintet that combines elements of blues, funk, gospel, and folk into their own brand of vocal music, which is "most adventurous and distinctive." - San Francisco Examiner. The group, formed in 1988, has since developed a unique style considered to be the cutting edge of a cappella. "This jazz quintet puts all kinds of throat sounds to such funky good use that listeners break into applause and - better - feel like dancing." - Boston Magazine.

Vox One has performed internationally, and has opened for Ray Charles, Chicago, the Persuasions, the Bobs, the Woody Herman Orchestra, and the Count Basie Orchestra. Their awards include "Best A cappella Group, Jazz" - Boston Magazine. Vox One's eponymous debut CD was named "Best Album" and awarded "Best Song" by the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASAWith their 1998 album "Chameleon," Vox One was named "Artist of the Year," and once again it earned "Best Jazz Album" and "Best Jazz Song."

Voz en Punto

This exceptional ensemble, founded by its director Jose Galvan in 1990, has focused its artistic energy on the highly colorful arena of Mexican culture; nevertheless, it is capable of interpreting with equal success a wide variety of music, from pieces of Mexican colonial polyphony from the 16th and 17th centuries, songs in native tongues and/or with African influences, up to folklore and music of living Mexican concert composers. As if this repertoire weren't versatile enough, the group has also presented programs consisting of European composers, including motets and madrigals; Latin-American music, from tangos to Cuban music and Brazilian bossa-nova; negro spirituals, etc., etc.

It is within the context of this great talent, vocal aplomb, charisma, and interpretative flair, in which each member of Voz en Punto places his or her own seal. The end result is an audience which becomes-to quote the group's press notes-"Ecstatic", "On Fire", or "Delirious". Such adjectives would hardly seem to describe a vocal group which achieves its effects without the aid of microphones or other paraphernalia. Voz en Punto is, indeed, the irrefutable proof that the voice is the most glorious instrument which humankind has always had at its disposition.

Weavers

The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and sold millions of records at the height of their popularity. Their style inspired the commercial "folk boom" that followed them in the 1950s and 1960s, including such performers as The Kingston Trio; Peter, Paul, and Mary; The Rooftop Singers; and Bob Dylan.