Men of Note
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to understand why people love a cappella. Heck, even for those of us who do actively enjoy it, it can be difficult to put into words why we enjoy this art form so. While we’ll never have a truly comprehensive list of everything cool about a cappella, 200 Reasons to Love A Cappella is our best attempt at assembling a list of what makes it great.
Reason #179: Men of Note
Before enterprises like The Sing-Off and Pitch Perfect launched a full-fledged explosion of a cappella at every level, there were Men of Note.
That’s not to say that Men of Note has gone anywhere—the all-male group out of Cherry Hill West High School in New Jersey is, to the best of my knowledge, still singing—but there’s a particular magic that the group achieved in the late-to-mid-2000s that still sticks with me.
These were the years when the group was a dominant force in competitive a cappella, capturing three ICHSA Championships, besides recording, and ultimately sending a contingent to The Sing-Off.
We could debate whether and how this group fits into the scheme of all-time great groups, but what I’ll always remember most about them is a unique sense of style and class—a breezy, confident, fun showmanship that made their every performance irresistible. Plenty of a cappella groups strive for intense and brooding nowadays, and there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that, but Men of Note stand out to me as evidence that a group can thrive with a lighter heart and rock-solid harmonies.
I love it!