Even though many of these singers and bands had their biggest hits decades ago, their songs created a new genre and redefined generations of music, from the 90s and 2000s through today. These artists are widely known for writing soft rock classics. So, who are the best soft rock bands? Any list of good soft rock artists has to include the legendary Elton John, James Taylor, Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Carole King, The Carpenters, and Randy Newman. The best soft rock artists are widely acclaimed, and with many of them featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Soft rock songs dominated the 1970s and 1980s charts and served as some of the most popular and enduring songs of that era. In fact, soft rock is often associated with piano rock, due its use of synthesizers and pianos. The best soft rock artists performed songs about love, everyday life, and relationships (the opposite of many hard rock themes). With the use of acoustic instruments and mellow melodies, the genre combined palatable tones with memorable tunes. Fusing elements of low tempo folk music with mainstream rock, soft rock became popular towards the end of rock music's initial period, and it has maintained popularity over the years. This list of the top soft rock bands and artists let’s you see who soft rock fans think are the best soft rock singers and bands.

Classic soft rock 70s 80s 90s