Activities: Unwinding After Work

This playlist is the cure to a long, hard day at work; real music that's really relaxing.

A collection of ethereal, melodic, and ambient songs to help you unwind after work. From current indie to forgotten gems from the past, everything reverberates with the same dreamy aesthetics. Brought to you from KnowPhase.com

Since her early teens, Brandy has been working hard, multi-tasking as a professional singer and actress. These are the best soulful r&b songs that she recommends for unwinding after a long day. Request songs at: http://on.fb.me/HYcoqc

Everyone with a soft spot for singer/songwriters knows their Troubadour History 101, filled with songsmiths from previous generations, but here's where you'll find the best of the current crop of artists committed to the crafting of thoughtful tunes.

Introspective folk-based songs to help you reflect during the fleeting moments of magic hour when the sun has dipped below the horizon but hasn't yet set.

Soul music re-emerged and took on many forms throughout the 90's and 00's, often referred to as "Neo Soul" or "Soul Revival." Listen to the greatest songs from the women that captured that spirit.

Soul music re-emerged and took on many forms throughout the 90's and 00's, often referred to as Neo Soul or Soul Revival. Here’s an eclectic collection of songs from the men that captured that spirit.

Not all electro acts aim for the dance floor. Explore the low-key, laid-back side of the style though these well-known names and under-the-radar indie acts.

Did Adele turn you on to the current soul-revival scene or the older artists who inspired her? Get deeper into these soulful, sometimes danceable songs by Adele's peers and those who came before them.

Delve into the quiet, ballad-oriented side of Miles Davis, along with a wide selection of the contemplative moods of members of his classic 1950s and '60s bands. Get mellow with Miles.

Starting in the late 1940s, a new, more cerebral and mellower response to bebop became one of the dominant strains in jazz. Enjoy the birth, maturation and continuation of cool jazz, with an emphasis on ballads.

These are the women who wander freely through the worlds of folk, country, bluegrass, and other Americana styles, stirring up a sound that evokes an evening spent watching the sun go down on a rural back porch.

This playlist features comforting folk songs from the '60s to today, replete with warm acoustic guitars and soothing vocal harmonies.

Mom-friendly tunes from classic rockers and newer artists. Nothing too loud or outrageous: you get enough of that in your day as it is.

Listen to feel-good, classic pop songs that Mom will love.

Self-help and life lessons from the pop-rock charts.

The term "indie" may conjure up thoughts of a scrappy aesthetic, but as these exceptional acts prove, there's plenty of room for a more refined sound as well.

It wasn't all about grunge at the birth of The Alternative Era. Some artists took from the rich history of elegantly-constructed pop and made their own indie-minded version of sophistication.

As garish as the decade could often be, the 1980s were also a time of musical sophistication. Especially in the post-punk UK, a suave persona and musical creativity were admirable traits even among DIY indie types.

The 1970s saw the once-homogenous rock audience split into factions like soft singer-songwriters, bluesy hard rock, and artsy progressives. Yet a fondness for complex arrangements and thoughtful lyrics united listeners like never before.

As rock & roll entered its second decade, these artists brought new vocal, lyrical and musical complexity while retaining a youthful spark. The result was rock even the Mad Men generation enjoyed.

Let the cool breezes of these laid-back R&B classics put you in a place where stress evaporates on contact and you drift off into an otherworldly plane of sweet soul music from every era.

An intimate experience with some of rap's most compelling introspective and philosophical songs.

Sometimes you just need some "me" time, with a good book and a cup of tea. Here's some calming classical music for your quiet moments alone.

Nashville's greatest female singers, from the queens of the countrypolitan era to today's sassy and multi-dimensional female country stars.

The Definitive Slow Jam Collection.

Get intimate with these lushly arranged records full of artful elegance -- from idiosyncratic alt-pop to moody soul and cool, classy balladry.

Drawing on influences from traditional folk, psychedelia, and elsewhere, freak folk was born out of the "New Weird America" cultural movement in the mid-2000s. Listen to the sounds inspiring a new generation of hippies and expanding the definition of folk music.

This playlist covers all the bases of love. From Motown classics to Rat Pack standards to '80s R&B sexiness to contemporary hits, these are essential love songs.

This playlist features mellow indie tunes that provide the perfect soundtrack for working, studying, or just plain old relaxing.

Originating in the 1950s, bossa nova (Portugese for "new trend") combined harmonies and rhythms from American jazz with Brazilian samba. Now these songs have become standard jazz repertoire.

Afro-Portuguese music combines the sorrowful vocals and delicate guitar work of Portuguese fado music with the upbeat rhythms of Angolan pop.

An introduction to classical solo piano music, featuring the best recordings of the most important works.

Listen to the best recordings from the most influential female jazz musicians of all time.

Coined in the early '90s, neo-soul describes the fusion of soul and contemporary R&B. While following the tradition of classic soul, neo-soul artists frequently incorporate elements of jazz, funk and hip hop into their music.

The perfect soundtrack of warm, acoustic songs handpicked for enjoying crisp autumn air, fall foliage, and hot apple cider.

The world comes together when chill beats meet international rhythms. Songs for cocktail or coffee hour, or just for grooving to the global beat.

A collection of songs featured on the popular country music blog, countryandwestern.tumblr.com. Listen to a mix of good ol' guys and gals, with a sprinkle of modern cowboys and cowgirls.

This one's all about the ivories, featuring the classic piano-led jazz trios and quartets of the 1950s and '60s, from post-bop to the birth of the modern era.

Classic female blues singers from the 1920s through the '50s, from the lowdown dirty Beale Street blues to the sanctified gospel of the storefront churches.

Country music's biggest stars come together to examine romantic relationships from a Nashville perspective.

Jazz on the light and easy side, spanning the decades with plenty of mellow R&B flourishes.

Classical artists are increasingly crossing over to the pop scene, and vice versa. In either direction, soothing classics and beautiful melodies will always be popular.

The solo piano piece is music at its most contemplative. Enjoy these works from the classical, romantic and modern eras in any setting that calls for the quiet intimacy of the pianist and his or her instrument.

Many of the solo artists that emerged in the 1970s became widely referred to as "singer-songwriters." These artists wrote and performed songs that were personal, sincere, introspective, and, most importantly, timeless.

Life can't all be thrash. Enjoy the more relaxed side of post-2000 pop-punk artists, with slower tempos and acoustic guitars for those mellow moments.

Enjoy the best soft and soothing pop songs from the '90s through today. The perfect soundtrack to melt away the stress of your day.

Clear, concise and creative solo piano recordings that evoke a contemplative and, at times, nocturnal feeling. Perfect for late night unwinding.

In memory of the life of Levon Helm (1940-2012), this playlist explores the country- and blues-flavored roots rock of The Band. Each recording on this playlist features a performance by Robbie, Rick, Richard, Garth or Levon.