Easy Vocal Pop
tagStarted c. 1958Peak 1960–1968Last big hit c. 1970
Located in 1 route
Easy Vocal Pop sits between standards singing and soft mainstream pop, favoring tuneful, lightly orchestrated songs with smooth vocals and very little rhythmic abrasion. It tends to be bright, melodic, and instantly singable, often borrowing some of the standards world’s polish without committing fully to its old-song canon.
History
As pop diversified in the 1960s, a gentler adult lane remained for singers and vocal stars who wanted contemporary songs with traditional finesse rather than rock edge; Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Robert Goulet, Vikki Carr, Petula Clark, and Bobby Vinton occupy the center of that world, and their records fed MOR radio, variety television, and the softest edge of the easy-listening market.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica on Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra
- Wikipedia, “Crooner.”