ambient music

American  

noun

1. Also called ambient.  a genre of instrumental music that focuses on sound patterns more than melodic form and is used to create a certain atmosphere or state of mind.

2. background music.

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Etymology

Origin of ambient music

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Calming classical-like or ambient music accompanies the images on the screen, all made to relax dogs.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

Some shops were decorated with psychedelic art on the walls, beanbags laid out over the floor and ambient music playing; others were little more than just wooden table stalls in the middle of the street.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2024

Eno, who is world renowned as a founding member of Roxy Music and a pioneer of ambient music, is a key part of the project through his EarthPercent charity.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2024

To reach a compromise, Valles and her fellow restaurant owners agreed to a ban on outdoor ambient music, which is prohibited by the temporary program.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2023

Hecker first made techno under the alias Jetone, then slid into the sort of ambient music that is now a streaming commodity because it felt less dependent on being young or sticking to a scene.

From New York Times • Apr. 25, 2023