American pianist and composer David Lanz, born in 1950 in Seattle, began writing his own piano compositions as a child and co-wrote the 1974 number-one pop hit Seasons in the Sun before turning fully to solo piano. His 1988 album Cristofori’s Dream became Billboard’s first-ever number-one New Age album, and his 1999 release East of the Moon earned a Grammy nomination; he has described his own style as Heavy Mellow.

Mood and energy: Melodic, nostalgic, warmly cinematic. Recommended uses: reflection, sleep, meditation.

Sacred Ground Confidence Score: 5 out of 5 stars   Final recommendation: Approved.

Why this artist belongs in Sacred Sounds: One of the most commercially significant pianists in New Age history, whose chart-topping catalog anchors the Reflection and Sleep collections with genuine mainstream crossover credibility.