Parents' Guide to

The Sing-Off

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Spirited singing contest shows off power of the human voice.

TV NBC Reality TV 2009
The Sing-Off Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

MsMediaMom
MsMediaMom Adult
October 18, 2011
age 13+

The Sing-Off is a winner

Great show. A family favorite, although the stage costumes and song lyrics are sometimes sexually suggestive and/or explicit. Wouldn't recommend it without reservation to someone who avoids popular music for those reasons. Once or twice we have fast-forwarded through a particular song at our teenagers' insistence (they're more familiar with the music than I am!), because of inappropriate lyrics, but feel the show is excellent overall. I love the way the various groups set goals, work hard together, support eachother and, so far, demonstrate admirable sportsmanship whether they end up winners or losers. It's easy to want to "adopt" your favorite group, even if you never heard of them before the show.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Former pop star Nick Lachey hosts reality competition THE SING-OFF, in which eight a capella groups from across the country compete for a $100,000 prize and a recording contract with Sony. Over the course of five nights, the groups are pared down by a panel of three judges (recording artists Ben Folds, Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men) until only three remain. At that point, the decision is turned over to the voters at home.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (4):

For Glee fans who can't get enough of energetic vocal performances, The Sing-Off will satisfy your cravings for pop songs with a generally positive edge, presented by some truly talented people who love to perform. And for those who don't know much about a capella music, The Sing-Off is a fun introduction to the topic, and it might even inspire some younger performers in your family to give it a try with a school or community group.

It's also nice to see judges who don't shy away from real criticism -- if a group's pitch veers off key, even for a second, they aren't likely to get away with it -- and who are knowledgable enough about music that they can give honest and useful feedback regarding song choices, dynamics, and vocal arrangements. It's a show for music lovers, for sure. But whether there are enough viewers to support future incarnations of a show like The Sing-Off is less certain.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes a capella singing different from other types of music-making. How do different groups use the human voice to mimic the sound of musical instruments? Do you think it takes more talent to sing a capella, without the benefit of a backing track?

  • Do you think the show's creators are trying to take advantage of the success of other popular shows about singing, particularly Glee?

TV Details

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