The third season of The Sing-Off premiered on September 19, 2011. The number of a cappella groups was increased from 10 to 16, resulting in a new format. The show created two brackets, with only half the groups performing each week for the first few weeks. Nick Lachey stayed as host for the new season, as did Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman as judges. New to the judges' table was Sara Bareilles, who replaces Nicole Scherzinger, who left after 2 seasons to become a judge on The X Factor. Deke Sharon returned as music director and vocal producer. The music staff included Ed Boyer, Ben Bram, Rob Dietz, and Christopher Diaz. The program ran for 11 episodes, and concluded on November 28, 2011, with Pentatonix winning the title.
Groups Contestant School Finish Number of members WebsitePentatonix Arlington, TXNA Dartmouth Aires Hanover, NHDartmouth College Urban Method Denver, CONA Afro-blue Washington, DC Howard University Vocal Point Provo, UTBrigham Young University Delilah Los Angeles, CANA YellowJackets Rochester, NYUniversity of Rochester The Collective Nashville, TN NA The DeltonesNewark, DEThe University of Delaware North Shore Boston, MANA Sonos Los Angeles, CANA Kinfolk 9 Los Angeles, CANA Soul'd Out Wilsonville, ORWilsonville High School Messiah's Men Minneapolis, MNNA The Cat's PajamasBranson, MONA Fannin Family Hortonville, WINA
Elimination Table Legend Place in bracket (Bracket ID) EliminatedSing-Off BattleLast safeSafeThirdRunner-up Winner
Date:9/19 (A)9/26 (B)10/3 (A)10/10 (B)10/1710/2410/3111/711/1411/2111/28Place GroupResult1Pentatonix 2nd (B1) 3rd (B) 1st (2) 1st (2) 2nd 1st 1st 2ndWinner2Dartmouth Aires 1st (B1) 2nd (B) 3rd (1) 2nd (1) 1st 3rd 3rd Sing-OffSecond Place3Urban Method 2nd (A2) 2nd (A) 2nd (2)3rd (2)6th 2nd 2nd 1stThird Place4Afro-Blue 2nd (A1) 4th (A)4th (2) 1st (1) 5th5th4thEliminated5Vocal Point 1st (A2) 1st (A) 3rd (2)3rd (1) 3rd 4thEliminated6Delilah 1st (A1)5th (A)4th (1) 2nd (2) 4thEliminated7The YellowJackets3rd (A1) 3rd (A) 2nd (1)Sing-OffEliminated8The Collective 2nd (B2)5th (B) 1st (1)Eliminated9The Deltones3rd (B2) 4th (B)Eliminated (2)10North Shore 1st (B2) 1st (B)Eliminated (1)11Sonos3rd (B1)Eliminated (B)12Kinfolk 93rd (A2)Eliminated (A)13Soul'd OutEliminated (B2)14Messiah's MenEliminated (B1)15The Cat's PajamasEliminated (A2)16Fannin FamilyEliminated (A1)
Performances
Episode 1 Theme: Contestants' choice Group performance: "Fuckin' Perfect" by Pink
+ A summary of the groups' performances on the first live show, along with the results. Group Order Song Result Popularity on iTunes The YellowJackets 1 "Wavin' Flag" by K'naan Last Safe 2 Fannin Family 2 "Who Says" by Selena Gomez & the Scene Eliminated 7 Afro-Blue 3 "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae Safe 4 Delilah 4 "Grenade" by Bruno Mars Safe 1 Urban Method 5 "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem and Rihanna Safe 3 The Cat's Pajamas 6 "Some Kind of Wonderful" by Grand Funk Railroad Eliminated 8 Kinfolk 9 7 "Secrets" by OneRepublic Last Safe 6 Vocal Point 8 "Jump Jive an' Wail" by The Brian Setzer Orchestra Safe 5 Fannin Family 1"Tomorrow" from Annie The Cat's Pajamas 2"Bye Bye Love" by The Everly Brothers
Episode 2 Theme: Contestants' choice Group performance: "Sing" by My Chemical Romance
+ A summary of the groups' performances on the second live show, along with the results. Group Order Song Result Popularity on iTunes* Dartmouth Aires 1 "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder Safe 2 Pentatonix 2 "E.T." by Katy Perry Safe 1 Messiah's Men 3 "People Get Ready" by The Impressions Eliminated 2 Sonos 4 "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak Last Safe 2 The Collective 5 "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele Safe 2 Soul'd Out 6 "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" by The 5th Dimension Eliminated 2 North Shore 7 "Runaround Sue" by Dion DiMucci Safe 2 Deltones 8 "Feels Like Home" by Randy Newman Last Safe 2 Messiah's Men 1"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" Soul'd Out 2"Mama, I'm Coming Home" by Ozzy Osbourne * For this episode, only the song by Pentatonix appears to have had any significant iTunes sales.
Episode 3 Theme: Radio Hits (first round), 60's Classics (second round) Group performance: "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane
+ A summary of the groups' performances on the third live show, along with the results. Group Order First song Popularity on iTunes* Order Second song Popularity on iTunes* Result Vocal Point 1 "Never Say Never" by Justin Bieber 4 9 "The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra 4 Safe Delilah 2 "Whataya Want From Me" by Adam Lambert 1 7 "(Love Is Like A) Heatwave" by Martha & the Vandellas 4 Last Safe Urban Method 3 "Just Can't Get Enough" by The Black Eyed Peas 4 8 "Dance To The Music" by Sly and the family Stone 4 Safe Afro-Blue 4 "American Boy" by Estelle ft. Kanye West 2 10 "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by The Miracles 4 Safe The YellowJackets 5 "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz 4 11 "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Frankie Valli 4 Safe Kinfolk 9 6 "Price Tag" by Jessie J ft. B.o.B 4 12 "Let It Be" by The Beatles 3 Eliminated Kinfolk 9 1 "Loser" by Beck
* For this episode, only the top three songs appear to have differed significantly from the others in iTunes sales.
Episode 4 Theme: Radio Hits (first round), 60's Classics (second round) Group performance: "Rhythm of Love" by Plain White T's
+ A summary of the groups' performances on the fourth live show, along with the results. Group Order First song Order Second song Result Deltones 1 "The Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga 8 "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes Safe Pentatonix 2 "Your Love Is My Drug" by Kesha 7 "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin Safe The Collective 3 "Rocketeer" by Far East Movement 10 "Hold On, I'm A Comin'" by Sam & Dave Last Safe North Shore 4 "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars 9 "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers Safe Dartmouth Aires 5 "Animal" by Neon Trees 12 "Pinball Wizard" by The Who Safe Sonos 6 "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay 11 "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5 Eliminated Swan song Sonos 1 "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" by Boyz II Men
Episode 5
Theme: Guilty pleasures Group performance: "All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie*
+ A summary of the groups' performances on the fifth live show, along with the results. Group Order Song Result The YellowJackets 1 "Wannabe" by Spice Girls Safe Delilah 2 "Flashdance... What a Feeling" by Irene Cara Last Safe North Shore 3 "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News Eliminated The Collective 4 "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor Safe Dartmouth Aires 5 "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield Safe Afro-Blue 6 "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston Last Safe Pentatonix 7 "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles Safe Deltones 8 "Listen to Your Heart" by Roxette Eliminated Urban Method 9 "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe Safe Vocal Point 10 "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins Safe Swan songs North Shore 1"Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite" by The Spaniels Deltones 2"Goodbye to You" by Michelle Branch
* This song marks the biggest performance in television history.
Episode 6 Theme: Hip-Hop Group performance: "Nothin' on You" by B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars
+ A summary of the groups' performances on the sixth live show, along with the results. Group Order Song Result Dartmouth Aires 1 "Club Can't Handle Me" by Flo Rida Safe Afro-Blue 2 "Killing Me Softly" by The Fugees Safe The Collective 3 "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo Bottom Two Vocal Point 4 "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy ft. Faith Evans & 112 Last Safe Urban Method 5 "Airplanes" by B.o.B ft. Hayley Williams Last Safe Pentatonix 6 "Love Lockdown" by Kanye West Safe Delilah 7 "How to Love" by Lil Wayne Safe The YellowJackets 8 "The Show Goes On" by Lupe Fiasco Bottom Two The Sing Off Battle The Collective1"Just a Dream" by NellyEliminated The YellowJackets2Safe Swan song The Collective 1"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan
Episode 7 Theme: Superstar medleys Group performance: Halloween medley of "This Is Halloween" by Danny Elfman, "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon and "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr. Guest performance: Chris Brown medley by Committed
+ A summary of the groups' performances on the seventh live show, along with the results. Group Order Medley Result Urban Method 1 Rihanna medley of "What's My Name?", "Umbrella" and "Only Girl (In the World)" Last Safe Vocal Point 2 Elvis Presley medley of "Don't Be Cruel", "Can't Help Falling in Love" and "Jailhouse Rock" Safe Afro-Blue 3 Janet Jackson medley of "What Have You Done For Me Lately", "When I Think of You" and "Miss You Much" Safe Group 2 Dartmouth Aires 4 Queen medley of "Killer Queen", "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Somebody to Love" Safe Pentatonix 5 Britney Spears medley of "Oops!... I Did It Again", "Toxic" and "Hold It Against Me" Safe Delilah 6 Alicia Keys medley of "Fallin', "A Woman's Worth" and "If I Ain't Got You" Safe Group 2 The YellowJackets 7Billy Joel medley of "The River of Dreams", "She's Always a Woman" and "Uptown Girl" Eliminated Swan song The YellowJackets 1 "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba (with lyrics referencing the show and the hosts)
Episode 8 Theme: Rock classics (first round), Country hits (second round) Group performance: "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire
+ A summary of the groups' performances on the eighth live show, along with the results. Group Order First song Order Second song Result Pentatonix 1 "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf 12 "Stuck Like Glue" by Sugarland Safe Dartmouth Aires 2 "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister 7 "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" by Big & Rich Safe Afro-Blue 3 "American Girl" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 8 "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum Last Safe Delilah 4 "Dream On" by Aerosmith 10 "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry Eliminated Urban Method 5 "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake 9 "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood Safe Vocal Point 6 "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks 11 "Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts Safe Swan song Delilah 1 "Survivor" by Destiny's Child
Episode 9 Theme: R&B Current Hits (first round), R&B Classics (second round) Group performance: R&B medley of "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown, "ABC" by The Jackson 5 and "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z
+ A summary of the groups' performances on the ninth live show, along with the results. Group Order First song Order Second song Result Dartmouth Aires 1 "Ignition (Remix)" by R. Kelly 6 "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips Safe Urban Method 2 "Knock You Down" by Keri Hilson feat. Kanye West and Ne-Yo 7 "It's Your Thing" by The Isley Brothers Safe Vocal Point 3 "Every Little Step" by Bobby Brown 8 "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by The Temptations Eliminated Afro-Blue 4 "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey 9"Best of My Love" by The Emotions Last Safe Pentatonix 5 "OMG" by Usher feat. will.i.am 10 "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye Safe Swan song Vocal Point 1 "Home" by Michael Bublé
Episode 10 Theme: Master Mix (combining 2 songs from different artists) (first round), Judges' Choice (second round) Group performance: Master Mix: "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve, "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani, "Baba O'Riley" by The Who, and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" by Katy Perry