During the decades of the 1950s and 1960s in the United States, a type of music emerged that became very popular for easy listening. Also known as chillout, lounge music in contemporary terms is often known as the type of sounds heard in a hotel bar, piano lounge or casino. The first appearance of this genre was back in the 1920s, when it was termed light music.
This particular genre boasts a number of musical inspirations. Electronica, swing, space age pop and downtempo are just a few of the origins of this style. Simultaneously, the genre borrows from cultural styles, such as polynesian, bossa nova and exotica. However, jazz is the predominant origin of this type of music. You will hear key instruments when listening; these include ethnic percussion, drums, the piano, the guitar and also vibraphones.
When you listen to this musical style, you will get a sense of being taken to another place; one that is more tranquil and perhaps even other-worldly, like outer space. The key theme behind the genre is to relax and feel comfortable. This is easy to understand when you consider where you might hear these tunes. It is a good choice of genre for a relaxed social setting.
While you will find that most songs in this style are without lyrics or vocals, especially in more recent times, you can also hear tracks from previous eras with singing in them. In fact, many a singer have attributed their beginning in the industry through lounge singing during the swing jazz period of the 1930s-40s. At this time, it was the singer and not the instrumental that was the focus.
Singers from this time include Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. And Dean Martin, also known as the Rat Pack. Some other vocalists from this era are Louis Prima, Sonny King, Sam Butera and Jackie Gleason. Many of these artistes performed to the music of songwriter and producer Burt Bacharach, who has won six Grammys and three Academy Awards. The artistes he worked with performed mostly in Las Vegas casinos at the time.
In the 1990s, this genre enjoyed a complete revival with musical groups like Combustible Edison, The Cocktails, Love Jones and The High Llamas. In the mid-90s, a series of albums known as the Ultra-Lounge series was released by Capitol Records. The genre was in complete contrast to the grunge style that was also popular during this time.
From the beginning of the twenty-first century, the genre has taken a different direction, with artistes combining a mixtures of styles, such as metal or even hip hop. Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine is one such example. In the same way, French band Nouvelle Vague used post-punk songs from the eighties as the starting point for their inspiration.
There are club style settings where these instrumentals and songs can be heard. The locations are done in the style of a classy bar serving cocktails as opposed to the larger setting of an actual club with a separate dance floor where the music overpowers the environment. The idea behind such ultra-lounges is one of socializing on a more intimate level than in a club, with semi-private rooms and booths available for reservation and much more subdued tunes playing in the background.
This particular genre boasts a number of musical inspirations. Electronica, swing, space age pop and downtempo are just a few of the origins of this style. Simultaneously, the genre borrows from cultural styles, such as polynesian, bossa nova and exotica. However, jazz is the predominant origin of this type of music. You will hear key instruments when listening; these include ethnic percussion, drums, the piano, the guitar and also vibraphones.
When you listen to this musical style, you will get a sense of being taken to another place; one that is more tranquil and perhaps even other-worldly, like outer space. The key theme behind the genre is to relax and feel comfortable. This is easy to understand when you consider where you might hear these tunes. It is a good choice of genre for a relaxed social setting.
While you will find that most songs in this style are without lyrics or vocals, especially in more recent times, you can also hear tracks from previous eras with singing in them. In fact, many a singer have attributed their beginning in the industry through lounge singing during the swing jazz period of the 1930s-40s. At this time, it was the singer and not the instrumental that was the focus.
Singers from this time include Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. And Dean Martin, also known as the Rat Pack. Some other vocalists from this era are Louis Prima, Sonny King, Sam Butera and Jackie Gleason. Many of these artistes performed to the music of songwriter and producer Burt Bacharach, who has won six Grammys and three Academy Awards. The artistes he worked with performed mostly in Las Vegas casinos at the time.
In the 1990s, this genre enjoyed a complete revival with musical groups like Combustible Edison, The Cocktails, Love Jones and The High Llamas. In the mid-90s, a series of albums known as the Ultra-Lounge series was released by Capitol Records. The genre was in complete contrast to the grunge style that was also popular during this time.
From the beginning of the twenty-first century, the genre has taken a different direction, with artistes combining a mixtures of styles, such as metal or even hip hop. Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine is one such example. In the same way, French band Nouvelle Vague used post-punk songs from the eighties as the starting point for their inspiration.
There are club style settings where these instrumentals and songs can be heard. The locations are done in the style of a classy bar serving cocktails as opposed to the larger setting of an actual club with a separate dance floor where the music overpowers the environment. The idea behind such ultra-lounges is one of socializing on a more intimate level than in a club, with semi-private rooms and booths available for reservation and much more subdued tunes playing in the background.
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