Easy Listening Essentials

Take a trip to pop's softer side with these sumptuous tracks, which bring together sonorous saxes, tinkling pianos, and deeply felt vocal performances. Such sweetly simple love songs as Billy Joel's sparkling “Just the Way You Are” and Carpenters' gently rocking “(They Long to Be) Close to You” turn smooth pop into a close embrace; uplifting ballads like Mariah Carey's triumphant “Hero” and Bette Midler's celebratory “Wind Beneath My Wings” add a dash of hope to the mix. Céline Dion's “My Heart Will Go On” and Air Supply's “All Out of Love,” meanwhile, offer solace for the heartbroken with a light touch.