- The phrase "Middle of the road" is also used in other contexts as a synonym for political centrism or general moderation.
Middle of the road or MOR is a broad term encompassing a number of musical
styles. Not technically a genre in its own right, it was, and in some places still is, a popular
radio format. Music classed as MOR is broadly popular in outlook, but not cutting edge; it is generally strongly
melodic and frequently uses vocal harmony
techniques and arrangements involving orchestral
instruments. Such music is rarely (if ever) aggressive or abrasive. The Beautiful Music
stations of the 1960s and 1970s can be regarded as a form of MOR
radio, as could today's Smooth Jazz and Soft
AC formats.
Conceived as a format that would include music of broad and almost universal appeal due to its pool of bestselling performers
and its gently inoffensive sentimentality, it is often the format of choice for doctors' offices, stores, and other public and
semi-public places of business. The combination of the unchallenging, decorous quality and its association with being piped in to
places one is compelled to remain has drawn the genre its detractors. Ironically, the format has largely replaced what was once
referred to as Elevator Music, or Muzak, which was
anonymous, instrumental versions of such popular but mild tunes designed to lull the listener, yet the stigma of being unwelcome
background music has transferred to the MOR genre if only because of its similar usage.
Some musical styles frequently included under the general heading of "middle of the road" include:
MOR should not be confused with AOR (Album Oriented Rock).
Notable MOR musicians
Some artists whose work falls wholly or mostly into the category of MOR include:
Contemporary Usage
The term "middle of the road" has begun to be used in a pejorative sense by more dedicated
(or genre-specific) music fans to describe musicians who avoid innovative or "edgy" material and calibrate their appeal to the
lowest common denominator of popular taste; in other words, it is used as an
accusation of blandness. Critic Sasha Frere-Jones, in a generally positive article on
Mariah Carey, characterized her music as "appeal[ing] to people who don't otherwise listen
to pop. These are people who probably also like Andrea Bocelli and Céline Dion, singers who avoid the sexual tug of the
blues and the glorious noises of rock and hip-hop in favor of tremulous expressions of chaste emotion."[1] Artists such as Westlife (by pop fans)[2] or Train (by rock
fans)[3] would generally be considered to fall within this
category. Similarly, the term is often used in a somewhat negative light when describing the progress of a band from innovative
to more tried and true pop paths. For example here is an excerpt from Pitchfork's review
of Duran Duran's Rio on their list of the top
100 albums of the 80's: "The band peppered the 80s with a number of hot singles (most of which can be found on the unstoppable
side A of Rio) before departing for MOR country." Lyrics to the song "Hit Factory" by Godley and Creme on their album L include "MOR is safe. MOR is here. MOR is you."
Nonetheless, Middle of the Road music does have a following, usually with listeners age 50 and up. Frequently referred to as
Adult Standards or Nostalgia, a few radio stations continue to broadcast versions of the format.
Citations
- ^ Frere-Jones, Sasha. "On Top". New
Yorker, April 3, 2006, pp. 76-77.
- ^ http://arts.guardian.co.uk/christmas2003/story/0,,1100163,00.html
- ^ http://www.nme.com/reviews/train/6019
See also
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