This is an enjoyable consideration.

I agree with your final choice (for the same reasons), but I would tend to call these artists "soft rock" to separate them from mid-century instrumental music (aka "Easy Listening") and soft jazz. Here's Henry Mancini and Doc Severinsen covering "If" (most people would cvall this "easy listening") for comparison: https://youtu.be/HLdWH0KgTX4

But maybe it's all a matter of semantics--good music is good music after all.