Instrumental music, once relegated to being a background sound for certain activities, has evolved to become a key element of the way people organize their day-to-day experiences. Thousands of people now stream long, continuous loops of beat tapes, ambient playlists and jazz compilations while they work, cook, study or sleep.
Platforms have created new formats for “mood”
Rather than listening to an album from start to finish, streaming services and 24/7 live broadcasts have normalized listening based on the listener’s activity and emotional state rather than by album or by genre. For example, “lofi hip hop radio – beats to relax/study to” and “jazz lofi radio – beats to chill/study to” channels offer a constant, unbroken sequence of instrumentals optimized for low distractions and concentration.
These continuous streams of music were made possible through the use of music-information-retrieval (MIR) technologies. MIR research demonstrates how algorithms can automatically identify various characteristics of an audio file including tempo, spectral brightness, dynamic range and rhythmic regularity and group them into “relaxed”, “energetic”, “romantic” or “dark” groups. Research on users’ perceptions of personalizing playlist generation based on desired mood indicate that users view these tools as companions to help them complete their daily tasks, particularly when the generated playlists match both the user’s current affective state and stylistic preferences. In practical terms, for example, an office worker may select “focus,” a home cook may choose “chill,” and a couple may select “sax romantic” and trust that the tool will create a playlist of instrumentals that are relevant to their task.
The Lo-Fi Hip Hop aesthetic and the anonymous nature of digital music
Lo-fi hip-hop has been the symbolic sound of this era of listening. Many radio stations and compilations of “Chill Lofi 2025” or “Instant Mood Boost Lofi Chill Gamer Beats” rely heavily on the use of mellow tempos, minimalist drum patterns, vinyl crackle and repetitive harmonic patterns. The absence of vocals and repetitive structures allow listeners to easily keep tracks playing for extended periods of time without requiring their full attention.
Independent producers also utilize free-music archives to extend the use of this sonic palette across other genres, such as romantic piano or corporate background music, and tag thousands of tracks for use in a variety of scenarios including video game music, vlogging music, relaxation music and commercial music. Across all genres, however, the functionally-designed nature of each track is a common thread – each piece was created to support a particular activity rather than to serve as a primary object of listening.
Jazz ballads as a link between historical repertoire and functional listening
While traditional acoustic instruments continue to be an integral component of mood-based playlists, electronic innovations have provided a unique contribution to the development of this genre. Jazz ballads in particular serve as a connection between the historical repertoire of jazz and the contemporary uses of jazz music as background music for functional listening. Examples of playlists that include jazz ballads include “Crackling Fireplace & Smooth Jazz” or “Christmas Jazz Instrumental.” These playlists highlight how the use of brushed drums, double bass, piano and horn lines can be used as background music in situational contexts, and can even be used seasonally.
A significant factor in the use of traditional acoustic instruments is the use of lead instruments that produce a vocal-like quality. The saxophone is a notable example of this type of instrument, as it is frequently included in playlists intended for dinner, late-night relaxation or romantic settings, and typically at slower tempos and softer volumes.
