Melodic Rock

Melodic rock is a category of rock music, closely overlapping adult-oriented rock (AOR), defined by the priority of melody, harmony singing and polished studio production over aggression or experimentation. It developed in the United States in the late 1970s around arena acts such as *Journey*, *REO Speedwagon*, *Styx* and *Foreigner*, whose guitar-and-keyboard arrangements, anthemic choruses and power ballads were engineered for album-rock and top-40 radio alike. Songs favor major-key hooks, layered backing vocals and dramatic dynamic lifts. The style reached its commercial height in the first half of the 1980s and persists through heritage touring and European melodic rock scenes.