Pop + Orchestra

When fresh-faced ‘60s pop collided with the last of the big band era, it brought forth the godfathers of easy listening, chart-topping hits and avant-garde pop: Burt Bacharach, The Beach Boys and Scott Walker. This hand-curated list offers up intriguing layers of strings and vocals—a sound that has endured with Radiohead and The Last Shadow Puppets continuing to sow fresh, lush soundscapes.