Easy Pop
tagStarted 1968Peak 1972-1988Last big hit still active
Pop written for easy listening: simple, hummable melodies, gentle tempos and warm, uncluttered arrangements of piano, light strings and soft rhythm. Vocals are clear and unforced, hooks immediate and reassuring. Descended from orchestrated easy-listening, it strips away tension entirely, prizing pleasantness and singability over drama or grit.
History
Rooted in the easy-listening tradition of the 1960s, it modernized as pop melodicists like the Carpenters and Burt Bacharach's interpreters softened arrangements for mass adult appeal. The 1970s lite-radio boom made it ubiquitous. It later folded into AC, but its DNA - simple, soothing, instantly catchy pop - persists across decades of soft hits.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy_listening
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/easy-listening-ma0000002616
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_contemporary_music