| In our harried and hectic 21st century lives, New Age | | | | and Erik Satie?who heralded a new openness in |
| music just might be the right antidote for all the | | | | Western music to sounds that complimented the |
| craziness that seems to surround us every day. New | | | | musical environment rather than intruding upon it. In the |
| age music offers a magical blend of sounds that reach | | | | mid 20th Century, historians say, the New Age genre |
| deep into the psyche and transport listeners to a | | | | was blown wide open by a composer named John |
| blissful state of harmony and contentment. New Age | | | | Cage who experimented with a wide range of sounds |
| music is also known by many other names including | | | | 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. The history of | | | | consciousness. In the new millennium, historians say |
| New Age music is also open to interpretation. Some | | | | that New Age music belongs to a whole new group of |
| music historians say it can be traced back to a British | | | | listeners known as the ?rave? generation. Whatever |
| musician named Brian Eno who coined the term | | | | your perception of the origins or purposes of New |
| ?ambient music.? regarding his 1978 album, ?Ambient 1: | | | | Age music, it?s clear that there is a prominent place |
| Music for Airports,?. In the sleeve notes, Eno explained | | | | for it in today?s culture. Yes, we?re caught up in a |
| that it was music ?designed to induce calm and a | | | | harried existence, but we always find time to take a |
| place to think.? He explained that depending on the | | | | chill pill with this soothing genre of music. Listen to free |
| listener, it could be used as background music or be | | | | New Age Music MP3's at Where does your favorite |
| actively listened to. According to these historians, New | | | | ringtones.ez-tracks.com/Healing_Garden.html">New |
| Age music?s prime source is two 19th Century | | | | Age Ringtones for your mobile now. |
| classical avant-garde composers--Claude Debussy | | | | |