The Maccabeats are an all-male college a cappella

A cappella

A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...

 group from Yeshiva University

Yeshiva University

Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...

 noted for their 2010 Hanukkah

Hanukkah

Hanukkah , also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE...

 song "Candlelight

Candlelight (song)

"Candlelight" is a song by the band The Maccabeats, that was released in late 2010. It achieved viral status. The song is a transformation of Mike Tompkins's a cappella cover of the Taio Cruz song "Dynamite"...

".

Career

The group released its first album, Voices from the Heights, in March 2010. In November 2010, they released "Candlelight

Candlelight (song)

"Candlelight" is a song by the band The Maccabeats, that was released in late 2010. It achieved viral status. The song is a transformation of Mike Tompkins's a cappella cover of the Taio Cruz song "Dynamite"...

", a Hanukkah-themed single directed by Uri Westrich, a medical student and Yeshiva grad. The song, a spoof of Taio Cruz's

Taio Cruz

Taio Cruz is a British singer-songwriter, record producer, occasional rapper, and entrepreneur. In 2008, he released his debut album Departure, which Cruz wrote, arranged and produced himself. It achieved initial success in the UK and earned him a MOBO Award nomination...

 "Dynamite

Dynamite (Taio Cruz song)

"Dynamite" is the fourth single from English recording artist Taio Cruz's second album Rokstarr. It was written by Cruz, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, and Dr. Luke, and produced by Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco for the international version of Rokstarr. In the UK, the song was released as the first single...

", has received over 6 million hits on YouTube

YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....

.

The Maccabeats opened for Matisyahu

Matisyahu

Matthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....

 at the Yeshiva University Chanukah Concert in early December 2010.

On March 8, 2011, The Maccabeats released a music video called "Purim Song".

On May 17, 2011, the group performed at the White House at a reception in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month is an annual recognition and celebration of Jewish American achievements in and contributions to the United States of America. It is observed annually in the U.S. during the month of May....

 where President Obama thanked them for "their outstanding performance."

On September 22, 2011, The Maccabeats released a music video called "Book of Good Life".