Encyclopedia @ Vestigatio Search
Web    Encyclopedia    News    Blogs    Forums   

soft rock


Soft rock, also referred to as light rock or easy rock, is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock and roll to compose a softer, supposedly more ear-pleasing sound for listening, often at work or when driving. Soft rock is known to be confused with psychedelic rock many times. Soft rock is usually sung with higher-pitched vocals, and the lyrics tend to be non-confrontational, focusing in very general language on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of pianos, synthesizers and sometimes saxophones. The electric guitars in soft rock are normally faint and high-pitched.

History


Soft rock as a specifically to a style of rock that emerged in the early 1970s, both as a reaction against the increasingly heavy music (punk rock and heavy metal etc.) that dominated rock at the time, and also as a reflection of the changing priorities of the Baby Boom in the early 1970s. What set 1970s soft rock apart from its 1960s counterpart, which for lack of a better word is usually just called "pop", is that in the 1960s pop existed for those who simply didn't like rock; the 1960s' pop artists usually were vocalists who were stylistic throwbacks to the pre-rock era. Soft rock developed organically to suit the needs of those who did have rock listening experience; as such, it can be considered a bona fide rock genre.

Soft rock became hugely popular later in that decade. By 1977, some radio stations, like New York's WTFM and WYNY, had switched to an all-soft-rock format. Around that same time, Chicago, which had previously been a jazz-rock band, switched to soft rock and reached their biggest commercial successes. British/American blues band Fleetwood Mac achieved its greatest success after adopting parts of the genre. Even Led Zeppelin, considered by some to be standard bearers of hard rock, flirted with the genre at the time in songs like 1979's "All My Love". By the 1980s, tastes had changed and radio formats reflected this change; the genre evolved into what came to be known as "adult contemporary", a pop categorization that bore less overt rock influence than its forebearer.

See also


Adult contemporary music
Arena rock
Yacht Rock
Power ballad



   
   
This section is sponsored by:

soft rock
Don't just search for soft rock, find results.
www.ask.com


soft rock
Find articles, advice and resources on Soft Rock.
www.ExpertTopics.com


Looking for Soft Rock?
Find Soft Rock and more at Ansearch. Answers that matter most!
www.ansearch.com


Lowest Priced Computers
Get the lowest prices on laptops, desktops and computer accessories
www.Geeks.com


Laptops - Save Money and Time
Complete Laptop at Cheap Price! Compare &Deal Here.
Laptop-s.cn


HP Laptops & Notebooks
Find great deals on HP laptops & notebooks along with accessories for your computer.
www.shopping.hp.com


Get a Mac Computer
Find the Mac computer that fits your needs from the Macbook to the iMac
store.apple.com


Laptop & Desktop Computers
Find great deals & low prices brand name laptops and desktop computers.
www.buy.com




©2008 Vestigatio