

But as more and more artists entered the field, each act expressed a different relationship with dynamics. That didn’t stop the big bands from letting up on occasion The Rolling Stones had “As Tears Go By,” of course. As the basic set-up for rock artists tilted toward the guitar/bass/full drum kit configuration in the 1960s, songs overall got a little harder and faster. Ballads were always part of the mix, but those were songs that were deliberately written as love songs or down-tempo numbers. Rock and roll had been growing and changing since its inception. This is the story of the rise of soft rock radio. So much appeal, in fact, that it carved out its own chain of stations. Driven by acts like The Carpenters, this new brand of soft rock had broad appeal. In between the British Invasion, Motown, and metal on one end, and punk, funk, disco, and hip-hop on the other, there was room in the middle for a more mellow zone on the airwaves. This list answers the questions "what are the best soft rock groups of all time?" and "who is the greatest soft rock musician ever?" If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular soft rock bands.If ever a pair of decades had the social upheaval of the times reflected in their music, it was the ’60s and ’70s. That said, it's up to you to determine who the best soft rock bands of all time are. Even though many of these singers and bands had their biggest hits decades ago, their songs created a new genre and redefined generations of music, from the 90s and 2000s through today.

These artists are widely known for writing soft rock classics. So, who are the best soft rock bands? Any list of good soft rock artists has to include the legendary Elton John, James Taylor, Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Carole King, The Carpenters, and Randy Newman. The best soft rock artists are widely acclaimed, and with many of them featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Soft rock songs dominated the 1970s and 1980s charts and served as some of the most popular and enduring songs of that era. In fact, soft rock is often associated with piano rock, due its use of synthesizers and pianos. The best soft rock artists performed songs about love, everyday life, and relationships (the opposite of many hard rock themes). With the use of acoustic instruments and mellow melodies, the genre combined palatable tones with memorable tunes. Fusing elements of low tempo folk music with mainstream rock, soft rock became popular towards the end of rock music's initial period, and it has maintained popularity over the years. This list of the top soft rock bands and artists let’s you see who soft rock fans think are the best soft rock singers and bands.
