So those of us who’ve watched every episode of this extended season of the Sing-Off saw 16 teams grace the stage and now we’re down to the final three. Voting is closed and someone, somewhere, knows who the winner is- and it will be revealed live tomorrow night. I’ve called in my votes and sent them all to the team I was fascinated in from the beginning- the futuristic a capella force that is Pentatonix (PTX).

I chose PTX because simply they promised amazing things and the delivered them with EVERY performance. They are a young group with plenty of possibility for growth, and as I’ve seen in other pieces (and I wholeheartedly agree) PTX has a more than legitimate chance of breaking into the charts. They are fresh, incredibly powerful, full of vocal tricks, and sound like a 18-20 person group- this with three singers- an absurd beatboxer- and a surreal bassist. I can’t say it enough, they CONSISTENTLY delivered. Therefore based on this argument PTX should- and probably will be revealed to be the winner.

But what if Urban Method (UM) or the Dartmouth Aires (DA) end up winning?

UM has a legit new style of A cappella all their own, a fusion of Rap and A Capella. They have been fun to watch, quite exciting, ingenious. Yet as much as I was on board with them at the beginning I began to tire of the Rap in every song, I began to tire of the dramatics, and I was glad when they were shaken up and relegated to the bottom two on one occasion. That drove them to have a rebirth of sorts, the judges called them out and they delivered, the women of the group were awesome- knocking the vocals out. Their performances last week were fantastic- arguably their best yet. They certainly could win, but do they deserve to, I’d argue that they do not.

The DA’s are exceptionally entertaining, very dramatic and they always leave it all on the floor. This action-centric performance style also covers up one of their other major issues- they have always had issues with their pitch. And to be entirely honest they have never really grown or changed for the entirety of the competition. And therein lies the problem, could the DA’s carry the day so to speak even though they’ve failed to change one iota? You betcha! In fact I fully expect the DA’s to give UM a run for their money so to speak. However should they realistically be a danger to PTX, I don’t think so. Is that to say the DA’s are bad, no way! They simply have not brought any more or less than themselves to the party, and invited us along for the ride.

In all honesty I don’t thin they should even be in the final three, I think that Afro-Blue (AB) got robbed. Say what you will but AB were by far the better of the two groups. Their soul-filled jazzy renditions all the way up until last week stirred my soul and were truly the hi-light of each episode besides PTX. They were my comfort, they were my groove, and they were funky when they had to be. I think Sara B. was very forthright last week when she said to AB that they (the judges) may have confused AB with their judging comments.

If you go to ITunes you will find that people have by far bought PTX…followed by Afro-Blue.

The Current iTunes Soundtracks Top 100 Chart
3. Dog Days Are Over – Pentatonix
4. Medley: Forget You / Since U Been Gone – Pentatonix
6. Let’s Get It On – Pentatonix
7. Video Killed the Radio Star – Pentatonix
8. A Change Is Gonna Come – Afro Blue
10. Love Lockdown – Pentatonix
14. Stuck Like Glue – Pentatonix
17. Omg – Pentatonix
19. Shout – Dartmouth Aires
21. Medley: Oops!…I Did It Again / Toxic / Hold It Against Me – Pentatonix
22. E.T. – Pentatonix
24. Your Love Is My Drug – Pentatonix
26. Medley: I Believe I Can Fly / Fly – Afro Blue
27. Medley: Sympathy for the Devil / Born This Way – Dartmouth Aires
29. American Boy – Afro Blue
33. Medley: Bittersweet Symphony / Baba O’Riley / Last Friday Night / Hollaback Girl – The Sing-Off Contestants
34. Born to Be Wild – Pentatonix
42. All of the Lights – Urban Method
45. Medley: Hot In Herre / Fever – Urban Method
48. Piece of My Heart – Pentatonix
50. Need You Now – Afro Blue
63. Midnight Train to Georgia – Dartmouth Aires
74. Ignition – Dartmouth Aires
75. Grenade – Delilah
81. Killing Me Softly With His Song – Afro Blue
89. If I Die Young – Delilah
95. Every Little Step – Vocal Point

Going by rankings here it would be:
3. Pentatonix (11)
8. Afro Blue (5)
19. Dartmouth Aires (4)
42. Urban Method (1)
75. Delilah (2)
95. Vocal Point (1)

The number at the front is the highest they are on the chart. The number in () is how many times they are on the list. (I found this listing at the ACB blog.)

There is a bigger danger perhaps than anything else, it’s that the future of television A Capella may hang in the balance of the decision that is announced tomorrow. Should PTX not win it could turn even more people off both A Capella and the show…however this choice was placed in our hands.

It is us that voted.

The future of A Capella is looking bright…and regardless of the outcome of the results tomorrow night A Capella music will survive.

PTX FTW!

Ross Out.