via The Tofu Hut
Speaking in broadest terms, Ambient music is pleasant and melodic, not entirely unlike New Age, but usually much more deliberate and experimental (ie. unmarketable). I reckon that Brian Eno, one of (if not The) pioneer of the style, stated that Ambient music (in its purest form) is not so much designed to be listened to, but rather, to be heard. Check out his albums and other things sonically related to them for an idea of what he meant by that. From my experience, the best Ambient albums are the ones that you forget you're listening to until you realize that you're not listening to nothing.Speaking in simplest terms, Ambient music is meant for sleeping. Good Ambient music will make you melt into a puddle of grinning, happy jelly, but it's good for more than just that. It's great to work to, or to talk over, or to... well, you know, do those icky grown-up things to. However, frankly speaking, I believe my affinity for this style is directly linked to the fact that I've lived more than a decade beyond my sexual prime.