More than words: 10 a cappella songs better than the originals

They won the 2011 season of The Sing Off and have been unstoppable since. They chart the best bits of Bey’s career – and there are a lot of good bits: Destiny’s Child’s Bills, Say My Name, Survivor, Crazy In Love, Single Ladies, Run The World (Girls). The Bootylicious vocalisation will make you wonder if they’ve snuck a keyboard in. We love that they end with a powerful, slow build up in Halo.

The American group, comprising South Asian male graduates of University of Pennsylvania, cover 60+ years of mainstream Indian cinema. There’s Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki (Dulari, 1949), Dilliwaali Girlfriend (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, 2013) and lots in between, in five minutes. It’s perfect for a trip down memory lane. Add to playlist for the next house party.

This Delhi musician knocked it out of the park during the lockdown with his 23-part a capella rendition of Jacob Collier’s Moon River. Collier himself responded to the video on Instagram, cheering Singh on. Singh’s version has the perfect subtle delicate background vocals for the song that carries on for two and a half minutes. It’s escalated his career.

All kinds of feels for this raw and earthy instrument-free version of the Shillong group’s own song. It’s soft, uplifting and makes for great music for when you’re down or even if you’re working. We’re partial to the Reel the choir put up from their UK tour, where they are walking around at night, singing this song. Goosebumps!

Imagine a couple of dads sitting in a living room, chilling with their toddlers and then, singing in perfect harmony. We love their boomy bass and the lower-end harmonies. The only complaint: It’s too short, thought just right for Instagram and YouTube Shorts. Browse around and there’s a hauntingly melodious of Muse’s Uprising in there too.

They have catchier originals, but this cover stuck out when the Ed Sheeran hit was playing EVERYWHERE. They’ve used a kalimba, but it’s the ample use of shakers, a bowl of rice and other makeshift instruments that adds, well, flavour, to the song. The chorus even uses spoons in a cup. The harmonies are a bonus and their wide vocal range is surprising.

The riff-off aka a vocal face-off is tailor-made for Justin Timberlake fans. They perform Sexyback, Rock Your Body, Cry Me A River, Filthy and Suit & Tie, with bits spread over five minutes. They don’t perform a phrase and move on, but do justice to each Timberlake hit, making it a more determined earworm.

This mash-up by University of Chicago’s student-run a cappella group, performs hard-to-follow work by Rina Sawayama, Säje and Yebba. And they got the perfect solos for each. They start soft, mysterious, go into a tasty middle, and end peppy and powerful. Inspiring given that these kids are fresh into the field. Every second of the 10+ minutes is worth it.

How could the inspiration for The Treblemakers in Pitch Perfect not make it to this list? The University of Oregon gang sounds as good as the one in the film. This take is enriching, power packed and will make you dance along (Don’t follow the steps in the YouTube video, maybe?). It’s funky, has got the right attitude and seems impossible to be do without instruments. And yet, here we are.

There are a zillion renditions of this song. But this one by the four-member American girl band delivers it all: Rich vocals, backing harmonies and precise beat boxing. They keep the foundation and bass classic, adding their own flavour without fidgeting with the structure of the song, something many forget while doing covers.