A ten-piece male vocal group renowned for their inventive a cappella arrangements of contemporary hits and seasonal standards, Straight No Chaser first assembled at Indiana University in 1996. There they cultivated a songbook that blended time-honored material with current pop numbers, all delivered without instrumental support. Early campus appearances, among them a memorable predawn set during the school’s annual thirty-six-hour dance marathon, helped the ensemble cultivate a devoted local following. The original members issued several recordings, performed throughout the Midwest, and even entered a national competition at Carnegie Hall before graduation scattered the lineup.
Nearly a decade later, plans for a 2006 reunion concert prompted the release of a DVD drawn from a 1998 performance. Clips uploaded to YouTube quickly accumulated views, eventually reaching Atlantic Records chairman and CEO Craig Kallman. He invited the singers to New York, extended a contract offer, and ultimately welcomed all but two of the founding members into the revived group.
Their debut project, the holiday collection Holiday Spirits, appeared in 2008 and was followed by extensive touring. In 2009 the ensemble issued another seasonal set, Christmas Cheers, alongside the inaugural Six Pack EP, which included fresh takes on Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” and Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.” Straight No Chaser next turned to modern rock material by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay, and Oasis for the 2010 release With a Twist, marking their first non-holiday full-length. The 2011 EP Six Pack, Vol. 2 continued the pattern with selections associated with Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bell Biv Devoe, and Weezer.
Under the Influence arrived in 2013 and showcased guest contributions from Phil Collins, Dolly Parton, and Jason Mraz; it was succeeded by the holiday edition EP that featured Colbie Caillat, Paul McCartney, and Cee Lo Green. The 2015 album The New Old Fashioned revisited current pop fare, while the 2016 holiday project carried the title I’ll Have Another…Christmas Album. Six Pack, Vol. 3 followed in 2017, incorporating Jon Bellion’s “All Time Low,” Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like,” and a Beyoncé medley. One Shot, released in 2018, mixed assorted repertoire with spoken interludes in which members reflected on their shared history. The 2019 EP Open Bar spotlighted convivial classics such as Semisonic’s “Closing Time” and Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey,” and Social Christmasing appeared as a holiday album in 2020. Yacht on the Rocks, devoted to soft-rock favorites from the 1970s and 1980s, surfaced in 2023.
