The History and Rise of A Cappella Music

Shelbi Baker
Jun 21
5 min read

Remember a few years back when it seemed like a cappella music was just everywhere? Artists like Cimorelli, Pentatonix, and Straight No Chaser were all the rage. While the craze has somewhat toned down in the 2020s, the genre continues to be extremely popular all over the world. So, how did we get here? Come along as we take a deep dive into the history and rise of a cappella music.

A Cappella's Origins - 14th and 15th Centuries

The term, 'A Cappella' originates from Italian, meaning, 'of the chapel'. The most common (and seemingly obvious) place you might find groups singing together in the Middle Ages was in a church. The music of the time was primarily used during religious services to enhance the spiritual atmosphere of the church. Choral music itself evolved from Gregorian chanting, an earlier form of spiritual singing that took place specifically in Catholic services. The main difference between a cappella and Gregorian chanting is the inclusion of harmony. While chanting may have started the trend, bringing in harmonic voices brought choral music to a whole new level. Unfortunately, recording devices weren't invented until much later, so we have to rely on recreations from sheet music to hear the songs of the period. Thankfully, we can hear The Romanian Symbol Choir performing their rendition of a traditional Greek Orthodox hymn from the 1400s.

Classical and Shanties - 16th to 19th Centuries

Although musical instruments have existed for centuries, there was once a strong distinction as to what they were used for. Typically, instrumental music in the 14-1500s was associated with dancing, drinking, and celebration. Churches of the time didn't particularly welcome this kind of music, as they felt the church should be more of a sacred space. It's a simple explanation for why instruments were fairly scarce in churches of the time. As time went on, little by little, choral music was breaking free from the church. Polyphonic music could be found nearly anywhere during the late Renaissance period as the line between religious and secular styles began to blur. Composers began to branch out and soon developed the styles we know today as classical and Baroque.

Meanwhile, amongst the crews of large ships, musical instruments were in short supply. Thus, in the 19th century, the sea shanty was born. With a simple call-and-response rhythm, the sea shanty created a sense of camaraderie within the crew, making their long-haul journeys much more bearable. Additionally, the shanties served a functional purpose. The simple repetitive rhythm helped sailors to perform team-oriented tasks like raising sails in unison. Pulling a rope together certainly gets the job done faster than being uncoordinated.

Barbershop's Beginnings - The 20th Century

Entering into the 1900s, the a cappella craze crossed the Atlantic, taking root in the United States. In 1906, the first a cappella chorus was formed in the US at Northwestern University. The tradition of college a cappella groups will play a larger role later, but remember this for now. It'll be on the test! (There is no test.) Barbershop music was on the rise. Originating in the late 1800s, barbershop singing got its name from the men who would sing together while waiting to get a haircut at the barbershop. Over time, the simple pastime exploded in popularity, becoming a timeless tradition that today, is even a competitive sport. The Barbershop Harmony Society was formed primarily for men in 1938 and holds regular competitions every year across the world. Sweet Adelines International, the women's counterpart to BHS, also holds a strong presence in the barbershop world, having been founded in 1945. However, a group doesn't need an organization to make music. One of the most iconic barbershop quartets, The Dapper Dans, can be found performing almost daily on Main Street USA in Disneyland, CA.

Later in the 20th century, a cappella elements began to find their way into pop music. The Beach Boys, for instance, were famous for their catchy tunes and solid multi-part harmony. Of course, they did play instruments, but their vocals were certainly a contender for the focal point of their sound. Vocal a cappella jazz also began to step into the mainstream, leading to academic establishments beginning to take this a cappella thing seriously. In the 1990s, boy bands like The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC lit up the charts, bringing harmony to an even wider audience. Beatboxing came into the mainstream as Justin Timberlake's secret talent. Folks just couldn't get enough. Young people continued to popularize the age-old art until nearly every major university in the US was housing a cappella groups of their own, which brings us to a wonderful segue.

Pitch Perfect and the 21st Century A Cappella Renaissance

If you weren't living under a rock in 2012, you definitely remember Pitch Perfect and Glee absolutely dominating pop culture at the time. Anna Kendrick's popularity was at an all-time high and Lea Michele's voice might have been the most captivating thing you'd ever heard. A cappella cover artists like Pentatonix, Cimorelli, Smooth McGroove, and Straight No Chaser began entering the spotlight. Harmonic groups like Fifth Harmony and Little Mix were touring. It was such a cool time to be alive. Pitch Perfect, however, stands out as a significant point in history for a cappella music. A movie based around a fairly niche musical art? Well, we hadn't had something like that since Drumline! While admittedly, Pitch Perfect is quite exaggerated for the college a cappella scene, it put the art front and center, appealing to a whole new generation of teenagers and young adults. Anna Kendrick's "Cups" played over and over again on the radio, prompting folks to learn that cool cup drumming thing themselves. Everyone wanted in on the trend.

Today, elements of a cappella can be found across many musical spaces. In just the past few years, we've seen a resurgence of sea shanties pop up on TikTok. Pentatonix continues to wow the world with their unique takes on the Christmas classics and some originals. BHS and SAI are always practicing for the next contest or show. And of course, folks are organizing a cappella mixes in their own bedrooms for YouTube. Across history, one thing remains the same, as long as people have a voice, they're going to use it!

Thank you so much for making it to the end of this article. What did you think? Did you learn something new about the history of a cappella music? We hope so! Tell us your thoughts at any of our socials below.

Written By Shelbi Baker