Soft Rock Instrumental Covers
tagStarted 1970Peak 1972–1984Last big hit still active
Located in 1 route
Soft rock instrumental covers apply easy-listening technique to singer-songwriter and mellow-rock repertory, keeping the chord warmth and emotional rise of the original while removing the vocal personality. Electric piano, plush strings, acoustic guitar, brushed drums, and slow-burn crescendos are typical.
History
As adult contemporary replaced earlier easy-listening radio, arrangers shifted from show tunes and standards to Cat Stevens, Elton John, Bread, Carpenters-adjacent material, and later soft-rock wedding favorites; the substyle never fully vanished because its central trick—turning emotionally familiar rock songs into non-intrusive ambience—remains commercially useful.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Joseph Lanza, *Elevator Music*
- Library of Congress, "Elevator Music"
- Smithsonian Libraries, "Popular instrumental music." citeturn7search21turn7search11