soft rock

noun

A comparatively unaggressive, melodic rock music genre in which the arrangement and lyrics are emphasized more than the beat; a reaction against hard rock.

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Meanings

nounsoft rock (uncountable)
  1. uncountableentertainmentA comparatively unaggressive, melodic rock music genre in which the arrangement and lyrics are emphasized more than the beat; a reaction against hard rock.

    CSN&Y didn't shy away from politics, but many artists who followed in their footsteps used the new soft rock synthesis to warble inoffensive pop to a nation tired of controversy. […] Subsequently, many artists rode the soft rock formula all the way to the bank—or at least their labels did.

    2010, Christopher Knowles, The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
mellow rock
Cite this entry
APA

soft rock. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/soft%20rock

MLA

“soft rock.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/soft%20rock. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “soft rock,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/soft%20rock.

Source: soft rock on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.