A pool of skilled session musicians rather than a single quartet, this L.A.-based conglomerate interprets contemporary pop songs and standards using the classical instrumentation of two violins, a viola, and a cello. Since dropping its 1999 debut album, The String Quartet Tribute to Led Zeppelin, the paradigm-setting project has released over 120 albums and honed its distinctive sound. A revolving slate of arrangers deftly translates songs by stars as diverse as The Beach Boys, Billie Eilish, and the Foo Fighters—highlighting the melodic essence of the material without big beats or big production.