Single-handedly reviving the popularity of the original boy band sound, vocal group the Great British Barbershop Boys are one of the most successful a cappella acts in the U.K. The four-piece, who consist of baritone Joe Knight, a police administration worker from Nottingham, tenor Alan Hughes, a teacher from Warrington, lead singer Zac Booles, a sign writer from Loughborough, and bassist Duncan Blackeby, an I.T. project manager from York, formed at the National Barbershop Youth Chorus in 2005. After winning the 2008 British Quartet Championships, they represented the U.K. at the International Barbershop Convention in Philadelphia, where they were spotted by Sony record executives. After signing a £1 million deal with subsidiary Arista Records, the group recorded and released their debut album, Christmas Time, at the end of 2010, while still holding down their day jobs. The festive-themed release featured their own distinctive interpretations of seasonal hymns and traditional yuletide standards, alongside a duet with I'd Do Anything winner Jodie Prenger. ~ Jon O'Brien