Plot Synopsis

The country's best a cappella groups perform popular songs in a way that viewers never heard them before -- no lip-syncing, no back-up bands, no safety net. These groups are vying for America's vote and the ultimate prize -- an Epic Records/Sony Music recording contract and a cash prize ($100,000 in Seasons 1, 2 & 4; $200,000 in Season 3). In Season 1, the eight a capella groups were: Beelzebubs (Medford, MA); Noteworthy (Provo, UT); FACE (Boulder, CO); Maxx Factor (Baltimore, MD); Nota (San Juan, PR); The SoCals (Los Angeles, CA); Solo (Omaha, NE); and Voices of Lee (Cleveland, TN). The 10 a capella groups in Season 2 were: Committed (Huntsville, AL); Eleventh Hour (Kettering, OH); Pitch Slapped (Boston, MA); Groove for Thought (Seattle, WA); Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town (Oakland, CA); Men of Note (Cherry Hill, NJ); The Backbeats (Los Angeles, CA); On the Rock (Eugene, OR); Street Corner Symphony (Nashville, TN); and Yale University, the Whiffenpoofs (New Haven, CT). In Season 3, the field was expanded to 16 a capella groups: Afro-Blue (Washington, DC); The Cat's Pajamas (Branson, MO); The Collective (Nashville, TN); Dartmouth Aires (Hanover, NH); Delilah (Los Angeles, CA); The Deltones (Newark, DE); Fannin Family (Hortonville, WI); Kinfolk9 (Los Angeles, CA); Messiah's Men (Minneapolis, MN); North Shore (Boston, MA); Pentatonix (Arlington, TX); Sonos (Los Angeles, CA); Soul'd Out (Wilsonville, OR); Urban Method (Denver, CO); Vocal Point (Provo, UT); and The Yellowjackets (Rochester, NY). THE SING-OFF returned for its fourth season on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 9-11pm ET/PT with Nick Lachey returning as host. Plus, Jewel joined the judges' table alongside Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman, who both returned. Season 4 ran for seven episodes over two weeks, with the finale telecast on Monday, Dec. 23 with a two-hour episode (9-11pm ET/PT). The 10 groups that vied to be the best a cappella group in the country in Season 4 were: Acoustikats (Lexington, KY); Calle Sol (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico); Element (New York City, NY); The Filharmonic (Los Angeles, CA); Home Free (Minneapolis, MN); The Princeton Footnotes (Princeton, NJ); Street Corner Renaissance (Los Angeles, CA); Ten (Dallas, TX); Vocal Rush (Oakland, CA); and Voiceplay (Orlando, FL).
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THE SING-OFF returned with a two-hour holiday special on Wednesday, December 17, 2014 from 9-11pm ET/PT on NBC. Six new groups -- two teams from Nashville and one each from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and New Haven -- compete for a first-place prize of $50,000, with returning judges Jewel and Shawn Stockman joined by Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump. Nick Lachey is once again the host. Plus, Season 4 SING-OFF champs Home Free sing with Lachey and all three judges, as well as Season 3 winner Pentatonix. The six competing groups are:

- Timothy's Gift (Nasvhille, TN) is comprised of six women who met at church and often sing at maximum security prisons around the country to inspire inmates to have hope.

- Melodores (Nasvhille, TN), a group of 12 male students who attend Vanderbilt University. Founded in 2009, Melodores strives to be the best all-male collegiate group in the world. Lead singer Ted Moock is featured in the upcoming film PITCH PERFECT 2.

- Several members of The Exchange (Los Angeles) battled against each other on different teams in Season e but have now combined forces to bring their united voices to a new musical level.

- Traces (New York) are five spirit-filled divas who give gospel a modern twist with voices as big as their personalities. With their roots firmly entrenched at church, these women find time away from work to perform afternoon shows in front of appreciative and awe-filled audiences.

- San Fran 6 (San Francisco) has a passion for pop. After having formed just a little more than a month ago by compiling the best a capella talent from the Bay Area, the group has all-star talent that is ready to shine.

- A. Squared (New Haven, CT) is offering their innovative take on a capella reinvented. In fact, leader Jacob Reske turned his senior project into an hourlong 12-song performance.