“I kept it a cappella, and began to sing it this way in my live show. This detail affected everything to come”: The butterfly effect of Tom’s Diner – how Suzanne Vega’s choice affected the way we all listen to music

Portrait Of Suzanne Vega Portrait of American Folk and Pop musician Suzanne Vega as she poses in an unidentified hotel, Chicago, Illinois, July 13, 1987.

A capella hit singles are a rarity in pop. In fact, you can probably count them on the fingers of one hand: The Flying Pickets’ versions of Only You and When You’re Young And In Love and The Housemartins’ Caravan Of Love.

And Tom’s Diner, an oddity that somehow became Suzanne Vega’s biggest song, as well as playing a crucial role in the development of the MP3.