Sunshine pop, originally known as soft pop and soft rock, emerged from Los Angeles in the mid-to-late 1960s as a studio-centric form of pop music. Characterized by rich harmony vocals, folk-rock influences, and lyrics blending idyllic imagery with melancholic undertones, it became a dominant sound in 1960s television, film, and commercials. Key influences included The Mamas & the Papas (led by John Phillips) and Brian Wilson's production of The Beach Boys' seminal 1966 album Pet Sounds, with producers like Curt Boettcher also crafting significant records for groups such as The Association.
While many acts struggled for sustained commercial success, the genre experienced a significant revival in the 1990s. This renewed interest, initially led by Japanese fans and record collectors (especially those associated with Tokyo's Shibuya-kei scene), led to numerous anthologies and reissues. The term "Sunshine Pop" itself was coined retrospectively in the late 1990s, long after the genre's initial peak.