A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used in a broad range of

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Funk ...

traditional music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...

, and world music styles. Solo artists may employ professional backing vocalists in studio recording sessions as well as during concerts. In many rock and

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typi ...

bands (e.g., the power trio), the musicians doing backing vocals also play instruments, such as guitar, electric bass, drums or keyboards. In

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

or Afro-Cuban groups, backing singers may play percussion instruments or shakers while singing. In some

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

and hip hop groups and in musical theater, they may be required to perform dance routines while singing through headset microphones. Styles of background vocals vary according to the type of song and genre of music. In pop and

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whil ...

songs, backing vocalists may sing harmony to support the lead vocalist. In hardcore punk or

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...

, other band members who play instruments may sing or shout backing vocals during the chorus (refrain) section of the songs.

Terminology

Alternative terms for backing vocalists include ''backing singer'', ''backing vocals'', ''additional vocals'' or, particularly in the United States and Canada, ''backup singer,'' ''background singer'', or ''harmony''.

Examples

While some bands use performers whose sole on-stage role is backing vocals, backing singers commonly have other roles. Two notable examples of band members who sang back-up are The Beach Boys and

The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developm ...

. The Beach Boys were well known for their close vocal harmonies, occasionally with all five members singing at once such as " In My Room" and " Surfer Girl". The Beatles were also known for their close style of vocal harmonies – all of them sang both lead and backing vocals at some point, especially

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

and

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. On ...

, who frequently supported each other with harmonies, often with fellow Beatle George Harrison joining in. Ringo Starr, while not as prominent as a singer due to his distinctive voice, sings backing vocals in such tracks as " The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" and " Carry That Weight". Examples of three-part harmonies by Lennon, McCartney and Harrison include " Nowhere Man", " Because", " Day Tripper", and "

This Boy "This Boy" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon–McCartney). It was released in November 1963 as the B-side of the band's Parlophone single " I Want to Hold Your Hand". In the United S ...

". The members of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and

Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era i ...

each wrote songs, sang backup or lead vocals, and played various instruments in their performances and recordings.

Lead singers who record backing vocals

In the recording studio, some lead singers record their own backing vocals by overdubbing with a multitrack recording system, record his or her own backing vocals, then recording the lead part over them. Some lead vocalists prefer this approach because multiple parts recorded by the same singer blend well. A famous example overdubbing is Freddie Mercury's multipart intro to Queen's "

Bohemian Rhapsody "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth album, '' A Night at the Opera'' (1975). Written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, the song is a six-minute suite, notable for its lack ...

". Other artists who have recorded multitrack lead and backing vocals include Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, Tom DeLonge of Blink-182 and Angels and Airwaves, Wednesday 13 in his own band and Murderdolls,

Ian Gillan Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945) is a British singer who is best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band Deep Purple. He is known for his powerful and wide-ranging singing voice. Initially influenced by Elvis Presley, Gillan ...

of Deep Purple, Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, Simon Le Bon of

Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band wen ...

, and Brad Delp of

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...

. With the exception of a few songs on each album,

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

Prince A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in s ...

, Dan Fogelberg, Eddie Rabbitt,

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

, Harry Nilsson, and Richard Marx sing all of the background vocals for their songs.

Robert Smith Robert Smith or Bob Smith, or similar, may refer to: Business * Robert MacKay Smith (1802–1888), Scottish businessman, meteorologist and philanthropist who founded Glasgow University's Mackay Smith Prizes * Robert Barr Smith (1824–1915), ...

the Cure The Cure are an English rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith has remained the only constant member. The band's ...

sings his own backing vocals in the studio, and doesn't use backing vocalists when performing live.

Uncredited backing vocals

Prominent vocalists who provide backing vocals in other artists' recordings are often uncredited to avoid conflicts with their own recording agreements, and for other reasons. Examples include: * " Roll with Me, Henry" by Etta James, which includes Richard Berry, author of " Louie Louie", performing the role of Henry. * Sam Cooke's " Bring It On Home to Me", with vocal "echo" responses by Lou Rawls. *

and

on the Rolling Stones' " We Love You". * Ronnie Spector on Eddie Money's " Take Me Home Tonight", from the Ronettes' 1963 hit " Be My Baby". * Mick Jagger doing background vocals on Carly Simon's recording of " You're So Vain", which led to the erroneous theory that the song was about Jagger. *

as one of the background revellers on Donovan's 1966 "

Mellow Yellow "Mellow Yellow" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. In the US, it reached No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Outside the US, "Mellow Yellow" peaked at No. 8 in the UK in early 1967. Content The song was rumo ...

". (Contrary to popular belief, McCartney does not whisper "quite rightly" in the chorus, but Donovan himself). * Andrew Gold's " Never Let Her Slip Away", with harmony vocals by Freddie Mercury. * Jonathan Richman's "The Neighbors", featuring Jody Ross. * Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me", with backing vocals by Jermaine Jackson and

. * " Bad Blood" by Neil Sedaka, with backing vocals by Elton John. * Patti LaBelle on

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

's "Roses" from the album '' Late Registration''. She said the liner notes were already printed when she lent her vocals to the track. *

Usher Usher may refer to: Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place: * Usher (occupation) ** Church usher ** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony ** Fiel ...

's "Superstar", with vocals by Faith Evans. * Mýa's background vocals on "Get None", the debut single by Tamar Braxton. * Al B. Sure!'s background vocals in Guy's song "You Can Call Me Crazy". (According to producer Teddy Riley, the song was originally planned for Sure!'s debut album '' In Effect Mode'' but didn't make the final cut.) * Mint Condition frontman Stokley Williams doing background vocals on "The Curse Of The Gifted" from

Wale Wale or WALE may refer to: Places *Wale, Devon, a hamlet in England *Wale, Tomaszów Mazowiecki County, a village in Poland People *Wale (surname) *Wale (rapper), stage name of American rapper Olubowale Victor Akintimehin Radio and television ...

's 2013 album '' The Gifted''. * Eric Roberson's background vocals on Cam'ron's song "Tomorrow" from his 2002 album '' Come Home with Me''. * Anelia's vocals on Andrea's 2014 song ''Най-добрата'' (Nay-dobrata). * Jamie Foxx's vocals on

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...

's 2015 single " Focus". * Ina Wroldsen's vocals on Calvin Harris's and

Disciples A disciple is a follower and student of a mentor, teacher, or other figure. It can refer to: Religion * Disciple (Christianity), a student of Jesus Christ * Twelve Apostles of Jesus, sometimes called the Twelve Disciples * Seventy disciples in ...

's 2015 song "

How Deep Is Your Love How Deep Is Your Love or How Deep Is Your Love? may refer to: * How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees song), "How Deep Is Your Love" (Bee Gees song), 1977, covered by Take That * "How Deep Is Your Love" (Keith Sweat song), 1987 * How Deep Is Your Love ( ...

". * Iselin Solheim's vocals on Alan Walker's 2015 song " Faded", and his 2016 song " Sing Me to Sleep". * Beyoncé's background vocals on

Coldplay Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey (manager), Phil H ...

's 2015 song Hymn for the Weekend from their album A Head Full of Dreams.

References

External links