Relaxation

Relaxation music took off in the 1970s, primarily as part of the New Age movement, which was just a posh way of encouraging people to sit still and contemplate their life choices. It typically features soothing sounds like gentle piano, flowing water, and the kind of ambient noise that makes you think a woodland creature might sidle up for a chat. It’s so calming that it could coax even the most anxious among us into a state of zen—provided they don’t trip over their own mindfulness first.