SING Goes Digital

Critically Acclaimed Compilation Series now available from ACR

San Francisco, California - September 16th, 2009 - Through an exclusive distribution deal with A Cappella Records, the entire SING series, one of the most celebrated compilations of a cappella music today, is now available in the iTunes Store.

The Alliance for A Cappella Initiatives (AACI), in collaboration with the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA), has been producing and distributing the SING! compilation for the past five years. Unique in that it features both scholastic and professional groups, it has always been met with high sales and critical acclaim. As selections for their sixth installment draw to a close (September 28 is the submission deadline), the previous five editions of SING! will be digitally released through A Cappella Records (ACR).

Dave Sperandio, one of the driving forces behind the SING! compilation and the founder of AACI, says that, though he is thrilled that SING! features groups from all corners of the world, his initial vision was more localized. "I initially started [SING!] to showcase groups from the South...to cross pollinate them, and to show the world the south could 'sang,'" he said, noting that only the first installment of SING! followed this model as he quickly realized the potential of such an album, were it to expand beyond the South.

CASA and ACR have also come together to strike a groundbreaking deal to compensate the artists for individual sales downloads. "This is the first time that an a cappella compilation will bring in money for artists via digital distribution," says Chris Crawford, President and founder of A Cappella Records. "To put things in perspective, no other a cappella compilation does this. All revenue earned on digital sales is sent to the producers whether or not the consumer purchases individual songs or the full album. Now with the entire SING catalogue, ACR sends half of our earnings to you the artists that recorded the track. If it's your recording, you deserve to get a cut of every digital download."

Julia E. Hoffman, Executive Producer of SING! as well as President of the Board for CASA, is excited for the potential to increase their SING! fan base through this release. "CASA is constantly looking for new ways to get vocal music into the hands of the public, and that includes people who are already fans of a cappella, as well as those who are new to this art form--distribution [...] through ACR will allow us to spread this incredible music farther, through strategic distribution in major outlets," she said. "The world of music distribution is changing and CASA aims to move with it." Hoffman also explains, "SING! is a compilation that does not underestimate its listeners - instead, we look for opportunities to inspire, educate, and entertain through what we believe is the best vocal music."

All five SING albums ( SING: Vocal Explosion , SING 2: Electric Boogaloo , SING 3: Mélange à Trois , SING IV: Good Medicine and SING V: groovus ) are now each available for $9.99 in the iTunes Store . They will also be available on Amazon MP3 later this month.