| In our harried and hectic 21st century lives, New Age | | | | heralded a new openness in Western music to sounds |
| music just might be the right antidote for all the | | | | that complimented the musical environment rather than |
| craziness that seems to surround us every day. New | | | | intruding upon it. |
| age music offers a magical blend of sounds that reach | | | | In the mid 20th Century, historians say, the New Age |
| deep into the psyche and transport listeners to a | | | | genre was blown wide open by a composer named |
| blissful state of harmony and contentment. New Age | | | | John Cage who experimented with a wide range of |
| music is also known by many other names including | | | | sounds from countries around the world. Cage even |
| ambient, contemporary instrumental, experimental, | | | | challenged the notion that music could not be a |
| spacerock, mood music and chillout. Not everyone | | | | recording of silence. In the 1960s, the New Age |
| agrees on exactly what New Age music | | | | floodgates opened when American composers with |
| encompasses. One group of fans claims that New | | | | classical backgrounds started to explore the idea of |
| Age is an offshoot of electronic music that includes | | | | repetition whether with orchestras, electric instruments |
| melodic non-dance pieces. Artists in this tradition include | | | | or non-Western instrumental arrangements. The |
| Enya, Yanni and Vangelis, who are all hugely popular. | | | | invention of the analog synthesizer led to the |
| Others consider New Age as an outgrowth of | | | | development of many other types of compositions by |
| electronic music used primarily for relaxation in Eastern | | | | this school of composers who came to be known as |
| practices like yoga and meditation. There is an entire | | | | minimalists. In the 1990s, some historians note that the |
| industry of recording companies that produce | | | | term "New Age music," for better or worse, was |
| cassettes and CDs to teach and compliment these | | | | co-opted by self-help gurus who thought that it could |
| practices. Another point of view is that New Age is | | | | lead to self-realization and new levels of |
| purely melodic with long, soothing tracks. | | | | consciousness. In the new millennium, historians say |
| The history of New Age music is also open to | | | | that New Age music belongs to a whole new group of |
| interpretation. Some music historians say it can be | | | | listeners known as the 'rave' generation. |
| traced back to a British musician named Brian Eno | | | | Whatever your perception of the origins or purposes |
| who coined the term "ambient music." regarding his | | | | of New Age music, it's clear that there is a prominent |
| 1978 album, "Ambient 1: Music for Airports,". In the | | | | place for it in today's culture. Yes, we're caught up in a |
| sleeve notes, Eno explained that it was music | | | | harried existence, but we always find time to take a |
| "designed to induce calm and a place to think." He | | | | chill pill with this soothing genre of music. |
| explained that depending on the listener, it could be | | | | Listen to free New Age Music MP3's at Where does |
| used as background music or be actively listened to. | | | | your favorite top New Age songs rank? Visit |
| According to these historians, New Age music's prime | | | | EZ-tracks to check out top country music charts. |
| source is two 19th Century classical avant-garde | | | | Want a soothing ringtone for you cell phone? |
| composers--Claude Debussy and Erik Satie-who | | | | Download New Age Ringtones for your mobile now. |