Harmony singing comes into play in just about any genre of popular music you could name. While there have certainly been plenty of bands or duos who’ve been able to pull off wonderful harmonies without being related, there’s just something about family vocal harmonies that take it to another level.
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There were so many possibilities for this list that it was a tough call narrowing it down. In fact, we originally wanted to pick a round number of 10, but couldn’t eliminate anybody from this bunch. As a result, here are 11 acts whose vocal harmonies were and/or are a family matter.
1. The Everly Brothers
In the rock era, familial harmony singing begins with Phil and Don, who set the towering standard that all others had to meet. The ironic thing, as most music fans know, is that these two brothers never could seem to get along for very well when they weren’t singing side by side and creating those heavenly blends. It also helped that they chose (or occasionally wrote) material so well, as those voices seemed to consistently adorn some of the loveliest melodies you can imagine.
2. The Isley Brothers
Much as the Everly’s set the tone for rock/country harmony singing, so too did the Isley’s manage that feat when it comes to soul and rhythm and blues. The main trio of Ronald, Rudolph, and O’Kelly Isley were hitmakers throughout the better part of three decades, proving that they could effortlessly change their music with the times, as long as those voices were center stage. How many other acts could score in the doo-wop flavored ‘50s (“Shout” and “Twist and Shout”), the Motown-dominated ‘60s (“It’s Your Thing”) and the funk-filled ‘70s (“That Lady”)?
3. The Staple Singers
Crossing over with effortless regularity from the world of gospel to the pop charts, The Staple Singers’ success was largely driven by the incredible vocal interplay that they consistently displayed. The two members who tended to step into the spotlight were Pops (first name Roebuck) and Mavis Staple, but fellow group (and family) members Cleotha, Yvonne, and Pervis were integral in building the lush sound so that it reached to the heavens.
4. The Beach Boys
Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson were the brothers, and Mike Love their cousin, and they were all capable enough to step out into the spotlight and take the lead. With Brian writing, they were the recipients of ambitious arrangements that brought their harmonies to the forefront. Whether churning through those early surf hits or tackling Brian’s complex ballads, they always blended as seamlessly as the calm waves rolling into the sea.
5. Bee Gees
The name was an acronym for Brothers Gibb, as in Barry, Robin, and Maurice. What’s striking about their harmonies were how different they sounded individually, especially Robin (reedy and lilting) and Barry (husky and forceful). Yet when they united, either on those early orchestral pop gems or on the disco smashes of the ‘70s, the sound they created was a benevolent, undeniable wall of sound.
[RELATED: Alive and Well Long Before “Stayin’ Alive”: The 8 Best Pre-Disco Bee Gees Songs, Ranked]
6. Kate and Anna McGarrigle
Not only were they brilliant in their own right, this duo is at the core of one of the most impressive of all musical families. Kate was once married to legendary singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, a union that produced acclaimed musicians Rufus and Martha Wainwright. But it was the tender, heartfelt music created by Kate and Anna that earned them this spot. Check out their self-titled debut album from 1976. It’s sheer, harmony-filled perfection.
7. The Roches
The Roches were comprised of sisters Maggie, Terre, and Suzzy, and they actually emerged around the same time as Kate & Anna McGarrigle. This trio had more of an off-kilter sensibility, but they wrung extreme emotion out of their harmonies and fearlessly honest songwriting on wonderful tracks like “Hammond Song” and “Runs in the Family.”
8. The Pointer Sisters
Nobody from the world of R&B scored as big on the charts as the Pointer Sisters in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Their biggest success came with the trio of Ruth, Anita, and June out in front. To show how ridiculously talented they were, at one point in the ‘80s they scored three straight Top 10 singles, each one with a different sister singing lead. Sadly, Ruth is the only one living out of that powerhouse trio, but the group continues with younger Pointer’s joining her these days.
9. Heart
Female-led rock groups weren’t exactly prevalent when Ann and Nancy Wilson started Heart. But they couldn’t be denied once they started churning out brassy smashes like “Barracuda.” While Ann has always been the lead singer, their vocal harmonies have come into play often throughout the years, most notably on their incredible stretch of mid-‘80’s hits like “These Dreams” and “What About Love.”
10. The Avett Brothers
Although they’re still very much in their prime, this brother act has already become legendary in the alt-country/America lane. Their whip-smart songwriting and devotion to traditional instrumentation like the banjo certainly set them apart. But when Scott and Seth Avett step to the microphone, the chemistry that emanates from two brothers who have sung together forever is what hits home.
11. First Aid Kit
On paper, it sounds almost like a novelty act: a pair of Swedish sisters influenced by outlaw country acts like Gram Parsons. But Johanna and Klara Soderberg’s take on American roots music is pure and true. They write songs that combine the sounds of their influences with introspective lyrics, and the sisterly harmonies will just melt your heart.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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