Easy listening

Easy listening describes a musical style which emerged in the mid 20th century. It was seen to emphasise relaxation and in some music stressed a lack of emotional challenge, but other easy listening music possessed hidden depths.

Artists and music

• 1960s easy listening
  • Burt Bacharach
  • Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
  • Ray Conniff
  • Bert Kaempfert
  • James Last
  • Guy Lombardo
  • Henry Mancini
  • Mantovani
  • Lawrence Welk
• Easy listening falls out of fashion
• "Ironic" easy listening revival: The Mike Flowers Pops
• New Age music
• Easy listening returns again, chill-out music, easy listening vs. trip-hop