Easy Listening Genre / Music

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The term ‘easy listening’ has beenused as a tag for the style of popular music that is easy on the ear; soft,beautiful, light music for years. It first emerged in the middle of the 20thcentury and evolved into big band and swing music. The simplicity of ‘easylistening’ music is that it catches the romance of laid-back rhythmic melodies,popular with couples throughout the globe. The genre can include anything frompop singers and bands, exotica artists, through to instrumental forms oftenplayed on violins, organs etc. The genre is very similar to what is called‘lounge music’. However, lounge music is more jazz orientated and moredependent on musical improvisation. Easy listening is usually arranged andorchestrated rather than improvised, which is probably why it’s ‘easylistening’. Another title given to ‘easylistening’ is ‘elevator’ or ‘lift’ music. This is usually referred to as‘muzak’, and generally referred to in a derogatory way. I’m sure we’ve all beenstuck in a lift, having to put up with the constant drone of noise spilling outof the speakers - so there’s no wonder ‘muzak’ is thought of in a derogatoryway.  However, as Muzak is actually a corporation which manufacture,produces and programmes this ‘easy listening’ music, it isn’t actually a genrein itself at all. The American magazine ‘Billboard’featured an easy listening singles chart in the 1960’s – an ‘easy listeningmusic top 40’. This morphed into an adult contemporary chart in 1979 andcontinues to this day. Nostalgia or beautiful music; a subset of easy listeningmusic, had quite rigid standards for instrumentation when played on the radio –few or no saxophones could be played and only a restricted amount of vocalscould be played in an hour. Often, well known cover versions of the 60’s and70’s were re-arranged and customized into instrumental songs for the radio formatduring its peak in popularity. The term ‘easy listening’ is arelatively broad one in that it’s also used to describe genres such as new agemusic, smooth jazz and soft rock, and many more, although it isn’t correct toinclude these in the label at all. After all, even Metallica have songs on thesofter side that could be labeled as easy listening, but not many of us wouldput them in this genre of music. New age music is the perfectaccompaniment to yoga, massage, meditation, stress management and reading. Themelodies are repetitive and soothing and often include a drum beat to give ahypnotic effect. And although there are rarely vocals in new age music, theycan include tribal chants and angelic harmonies. Smooth jazz is a sub-genre of jazzthat is influenced by R&B, funk, rock and pop. Modern derivatives of thegenre include the new adult contemporary format of broadcast radio. However,the popularity of smooth jazz has waned since 2007 and in the US it wasabandoned by several high profile radio stations, even though smooth jazzconcerts and record sales still continue to show fan support. Soft rock, also labeled easy, mellowor light rock, uses the techniques of rock ‘n’ roll to compose a softer, moretoned down sound which is easier on the ears and heart rate. Soft rock songstend to be based on love and life and relationships and tend to involveacoustic guitars, pianos and synths. Electric guitars are toned down to give asofter sound. It’s quite important that all thediffering forms of music should keep their own identity and not be put underthis very ‘easy to use’ ‘easy listening’ label. There are very many styles ofmusic it would be convenient to stuff into the, let’s face it, usually bland,easy listening box that have their own very unique nuances and deserve to havetheir own label. For hundreds of professional musicalbacking tracks see http://www.londonarrangements.com  

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