A cappella masterpieces: Recommended songs where beautiful harmonies shine (Western and Japanese music)

Let’s go a cappellaTRY-TONE

Let's go a cappella

This is a song by the Japanese a cappella group TRY-TONE.

It has a jazzy vibe, but it also gives off a Showa-era folk atmosphere, making it a bright yet somehow comforting song.

The group is now down to three members, but they’re still active.

They hold workshops, so they might be more approachable than you’d expect.

Since the group originated from a Waseda University club, I think it could be a great starting point for students who want to practice a cappella.

If We Trym-pact

M•PACT – “If We Try” (live)

This is a song by m-pact, an American a cappella group currently consisting of six members, formed in Los Angeles in 1995.

The high notes are impressive—hard to believe they’re sung by male voices.

The vocal percussion is solid as well.

Each member seems to have a strong individual character, but as you’d expect from a group that has won music awards in Los Angeles, they come together very cohesively overall.

There’s always tomorrowBaby Boo

There's Always Tomorrow / Baby Boo

They are a five-member male vocal group from Japan who continue their activities under the motto “creating the real thing.” This song was originally a single released by Kyu Sakamoto in 1963, and was later covered by Ulfuls; both versions became major hits.

It has also been sung by members of Yoshimoto.

Mileage of LoveRAG FAIR

RAG FAIR · Love Mileage

They are a five-member Japanese male a cappella vocal group, commonly abbreviated as “RAG.” All members write lyrics and compose music.

The group’s name originated from a T-shirt worn by one of the members; it was later discovered to mean something like “costume parade,” which matched the group’s lively character, so the name was officially adopted.

YesterdayBoyz II Men

Yesterday

They are an American vocal group originally consisting of four members known for their beautiful harmonies.

After one member left in 2002 due to health issues, it seems they continued as a trio without bringing in a new member.

This song is one of the most popular tracks by the British rock band the Beatles and has been covered by numerous musicians around the world.

Mein Fahrraddie Prinzen

Die Prinzen – Mein Fahrrad (Offizielles Musikvideo)

This is a song by my personal favorite German group, die Prinzen.

The title means “My Bicycle.” All five members are from Leipzig in former East Germany, and they all come from a choir background.

As you’d expect from choir singers, their vocal production and harmonies are very beautiful.

In Japan, some people—soccer fans, for example—might know them from songs like “Oli Kahn,” and German learners may know them from the NHK Radio 2 German course.

Their pronunciation is very clear and easy to understand, so I recommend them to learners of German.

If you follow the lyrics, you’ll notice that, while they use solid, grammatically correct German, they sing funny or cynical lyrics with beautiful voices and a straight face—another source of their appeal.

Their music has good variety and dynamic range, and they have a wide repertoire.

They’re also good at church music, such as Christmas songs.

Sebastian and Tobias are mainly on vocals, but there are songs where the high-voiced Wolfgang is the lead, as well as songs where the low-voiced Jens takes the lead, so I’d be delighted if you could listen to a range of their tracks.

TonightRockapella

Rockapella – Tonight

This is a song by Rockapella, an American a cappella group formed in 1986 out of Brown University’s a cappella circle.

The lineup has changed over the years, but they’ve continued performing ever since.

They’ve toured Japan many times, so many fans of Western a cappella music may already know them.

Their skills are unquestionable.

They also have a comedic side, and their live shows look like a lot of fun.