What's that music called that was used in 90s documentaries about the birth of the earth?

No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 45 points – 9 months ago

So this is quite specific and I tried to fit the important stuff in the title, but here's further elaboration (because it is definitely needed).

When I remember documentaries about earth or universe (specifically how it was formed, big bang, or how the moon came to be, etc) from the nineties and early 2000s, then they seemingly all used the same kind of background music. Something that I can only describe as Old school LoFi, smooth but kind of exciting electronic beats.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about, and what this music really was called? Do you maybe even have some examples?

Thanks!

Edit: New Age fits best, Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre are really close to the (probably unknown) artists of the songs that I have in mind. The other recommendations are also great.

Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygene pt. 13, or Era without lyrics, is as close as I can get from what I remember.

Now I hope that I come across one of those documentaries online ^^

You might wanna give the entire Boards Of Canada catalog a listen

This is very close!

I guess a lot of documentaries used similar copyright free music, that thus sounded "simpler" (lower production quality).

This is what I was thinking, although I feel some of the samples more represent 70's & 80's

True they might evoke nostalgia for a more 70's/80's vibe. Oneohtrix Point Never is pretty great too. Whoever synth or vaporwave artists are sampling... [edit] edited out a response for op.

If this is music from Cosmos, then look up Vangelis.

Oooh of course, how could I forget them, yes Vangelis is the closest so far!

I'd say New Age - like Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis

Yes, that's the stuff :D

Thanks

I don't think that it actually answers your question, but I would like to point out that the sun is a mass of incandescent gas: a gigantic nuclear furnace.

Vaporwave? Smooth jazz? Elevator Music? Lounge Music?

Vaporware specifically is the latter 3 things chopped up together and was often found through random commercial projects like films, ads, etc.

I certainly get what you're talking about; I've always liked that kind of music myself. But I'm not sure if there is a specific name for the style.

Not sure if it's what you mean, but synthwave goes very well with anything space-related and fits the time period as well as what you described.

Yeah probably synthwave or close to it if there even was a name for it.

I'm still trying to find examples

Spacewave? It tends to be more slow paced and synth-heavy, and really evokes the feeling of giant planets and stars. For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RlxClUifEw&t=1800 (at the 30 minute mark, though the very first song works too)