A little tidbit about A Cappella Music...

Ever wondered what a cappella music is? First and foremost, a cappella are Italian words meaning, "from the chapel." A cappella music is music that is vocalized through song, solo or in unison, with no accompaniment of instruments. Commonly used in church services, a cappella includes vocalizations like Gregorian chant and nasheeds.

Two subcategories include contemporary a cappella, and collegiate a cappella. Contemporary style includes bands that vocalize sounds to create instrument noise along with voice. Collegiate style of a cappella is comprised of university or college groups who practice this form of singing.

Popular groups like Boyz II Men have sung different songs in a cappella form, including their hit single, "So Hard to say Goodbye." Some mainstream musical compositions include brief a cappella pieces that allow for singers to sing a lead or chorus melody.

In recent news, a new organization was formed (the American A Cappella Alliance) late last year with the mission of serving avocational singing groups in North America.

Additionally, the Contemporary Acappella Recording Awards have recently nominated a cappella artists Jorge Drexler for his a cappella song, "Al Otro Lado del Rio;" Ladysmith Black Mambazo for "Raise Your Spirit Higher;" Petra Hayden for an entire a cappella album titled "The Who Sells Out."

To learn more about a cappella music, or if you are seeking specific a cappella music, feel free to listen to Media Positive Radio or visit our recording artist personal pages.