Easy Listening

Easy listening refers to a musical current that appeared in the 1950s in the United States, designed to create a pleasant, non-intrusive atmosphere. Derived from orchestral jazz, parlour music and orchestrated pop, it is characterised by lush arrangements, gentle melodies and moderate tempos. Artists such as Henry Mancini, Burt Bacharach and Mantovani defined its classic codes, with omnipresent strings, velvety brass and smooth voices that invite relaxation.

Musically, easy listening values accessibility and sophistication. Arrangements favour fluidity and elegance: no rhythmic roughness, no aggressive dissonances, but particular attention to sound quality and tonal warmth. The genre has evolved over the decades to incorporate jazz, bossa nova, lounge and even highly polished contemporary production influences. It maintains a close relationship with jazz music and soul in its most sophisticated expressions.

Today, artists like DIANA KRALL, Laufey and Tony Hadley carry on the easy listening spirit while integrating contemporary codes. PAOLO FRESU brings a highly refined jazz dimension, while Seth embodies the French version of the genre with particular elegance. Laufey's popularity with younger generations shows that easy listening knows how to reinvent itself.

Easy listening festivals favour intimate and elegant settings: château gardens, historic concert halls, open-air theatres. Festivals such as Jazz à Vienne, Pianissimo events or the Chillout sessions of major pop festivals welcome these artists whose music invites contemplation and the pure pleasure of listening, far from the agitation of daily life.