[1] It originated with acts who blended elements of jazz, soul, and pop with lavish production.
[5] The genre has been described as mellow, romantic, and atmospheric,[5] with artists often adopting a sharp, well-dressed and well-groomed visual presentation.
Stylus Magazine suggested that acts had been influenced by the work of Roxy Music (such as 1982's Avalon, often cited as the first sophisti-pop album),[5] and Bryan Ferry's Boys and Girls (1985) and Bête Noire (1987).
[6] Sweetwater named major artists in the genre as including the Blue Nile, Prefab Sprout, the Style Council, Scritti Politti, Everything but the Girl, and Danny Wilson.
[2] Writer Iain Munn added to the list Level 42, the Blow Monkeys, and Joe Jackson's 1984 album Body and Soul.