Easy Listening Pop
tagStarted 1950Peak 1956-1970Last big hit still active
Soft, melodic orchestral pop engineered for relaxed background and adult radio: lush strings, gentle rhythm, mellow tempos and smooth instrumentals or light vocals. Soothing, uncluttered and pretty, prioritizing mood and warmth over edge. The cushioned, beautiful-music sound of mid-century adult pop programming.
History
Took shape in the 1950s as orchestras and 'beautiful music' radio formats supplied calm, melodic pop for adult listeners. It peaked from the late 1950s through the 1960s with chart-topping instrumental themes and conductor-led orchestras, then evolved into and overlapped with adult contemporary, remaining a durable mood-music and format tradition into the present.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy_listening
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_from_A_Summer_Place
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/easy-listening-ma0000002630