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Soft rock, also referred to as lite rock and formally Mellow rock, is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock and roll to compose a softer, supposedly more ear-pleasing sound for listening, often at work. The appropriation of the term "rock" for music which some consider the very antithesis of rock and roll infuriates many of rock music's fans, leading to the following observation:
"Soft rock music ain't rock, and it ain't music. It's just soft." - George Carlin
Some bands/singers who have recorded a considerable number of songs considered soft rock: Phil Collins, Carole King, James Taylor, Bread, Wilson Phillips, Meat Loaf, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, Whitney Houston, Bette Midler, Céline Dion and Adult contemporary music
| Rock and roll | Rock genres |
| Garage rock | Glam rock | Glitter rock | Hard rock | Heartland rock | Instrumental rock | Jangle pop | Post-rock | Power pop | Psychedelia | Pub rock (Aussie) | Pub rock (UK) | Rock en español | Soft rock | Southern rock | Surf |
| Blues-rock | Country rock | Folk-rock | Progressive rock | Rockabilly |
| Japanese rock | Kiwi rock | Aboriginal rock |