Pentatonix Covers We Still Can't Get Enough Of
Arguably the most famous a cappella group in the world, Pentatonix paved the way for the 2010s' obsession with the niche practice following their winning performance on NBC's "The Sing-Off" in 2011. Of course, any die-hard a cappella fan could rattle off a list of their favorite groups, from college groups like the Nor'Easters to professional ensembles like "Straight No Chaser." Still, Pentatonix has cornered the market on Christmas music covers, even as they've branched out to create their own original music.
The group's top two listens on Spotify still hold a joint top spot in many fans' hearts for a good reason. Their cover of "Hallelujah," written by Leonard Cohen and performed by dozens of artists since 1984, still sends shivers down even the least religious listener and has amassed an incredible 300 million streams on Spotify. The second song on their top five is "Mary Did you Know?" a Christmas song that has an impressive 133 million listens on the platform.
The group's most recent release is a Christmas album titled "Evergreen," a highly on-brand compilation of classic covers and the group's original songs. 2020's Christmas album, titled "We Need a Little Christmas," also dominated the seasonal genre as well as millions of listeners' festive parties. Recent secular albums have included 2021's release, "The Lucky Ones," which is comprised of entirely original songs, like their self-titled 2015 album.
Pentatonix have covered some karaoke classics
Pentatonix's best covers come in the form of singles and EP's, and 2020's six-song EP and quarantine creation, "At Home," was the perfect combination of new and old favorites. For a slow-burning soul crusher, check out their cover of Billie Eilish's "when the party's over." To hear some truly insane beat-boxing and maybe the coolest a cappella has ever sounded, your go-to is their cover of Clean Bandit's "Cologne."
If you're someone who likes mashups, go for their 2018 single "New Rules x Are You That Somebody," a super creative arrangement that interweaves Dua Lipa's 2018 hit and Aaliyah's iconic jam. The group also covers music theater hits, like "Waving Through A Window" from Broadway's "Evan Hansen" and the unforgettable smash "Shallow" from the 2018 "A Star Is Born" remake, which will likely be a karaoke go-to for many years to come.
If you're a vocal purist, there are no better choices than their 2020 cover of the Tear's For Fear's 1983 hit "Mad World" and their 2019 cover of Simon and Garfunkle's 1964 classic, "The Sound of Silence."