#Easy listening music genre full#

The orchestration of the song is characterized by light, mellow instrumentation, which adds to its carefree vibe. Good examples of “easy listening” music: “Moon River” by Henry Manciniĭue to its mellow, calming tune and romantic lyrics, “Moon River” is regarded as an example of “easy listening” music since they foster a relaxed and stress-free environment. It was not unusual for easy listening instrumental singles to place on Billboard’s Hot 100, and many of them even topped the charts and became big sellers. When folk, rock and roll and pop music dominated the charts, easy listening acts capitalized on them by arranging and recording covers of the biggest chart hits of the day to win a new generation of listeners. The genre enjoyed its biggest success during the 1950s through the 1970s. Strings became more dominant during the 1940s and the 1950s when jazz and standard pop music acts began to incorporate them into their own material. Unlike easy listening, which usually has no vocals or features only wordless vocals, orchestral pop music always consists of real songs, with intelligible lyrics.Įasy listening is usually tagged as “with strings.” The origins of easy listening trace back to the 1930s when strings were used in “sweet bands,” whose music became the popular sound during Hollywood’s Golden Age. Orchestral pop is pop music with an orchestral arrangement – it’s pop music with big, lush sounds. As the name implies, it is the Western approximation of native or indigenous music, usually that of the different regions such as Africa or the Caribbean. On the other hand, exotica features more unusual arrangements. Lounge music, for example, is meant to be enjoyed rather than as a background sound. However, some of these abovementioned genres bear no more than a modest and passing resemblance to easy listening. The term “easy listening” is interchangeable with other genres, such as:

Perhaps it’s the chief benefit of easy listening: the music is relegated to the background, which can help you get through in your everyday tasks, from doing the homework to doing the laundry, or hobbies such as reading or knitting. It is usually concentrated on melodies and lush, sumptuous arrangements.Īccording to Jackie Gleason, a master of easy listening music, the genre is a “musical wallpaper that should never be intrusive, but conducive.” That is true. That is the reason why music critics dismiss easy listening music as predictable and disposable.Įasy listening music encompasses instrumental recordings of hit songs, pop standards, folk and even rock songs.

#Easy listening music genre full#

A significant portion of easy listening music are instrumentals, although some easy listening numbers feature wordless vocals and even lyrics.īut unlike jazz or classical music, which demands the listener’s full attention, easy listening music slips into the background. Have you encountered a piece of particular music on the radio – something that’s pleasant enough to the ears but not too intrusive to demand your attention? If that’s the kind of music you’ve heard, it may be classified as “easy listening.”Įasy listening music is designed to be soothing, relaxing, and pleasing to the ears.