Recommended For You
Louis Armstrong said, “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” Duke Ellington said, “There are simply two kinds of music: good music and the other kind.” Christopher Cross said, “If you get caught between the moon and New York City, the best that you can do is fall in love.”
What do these pieces of wisdom add up to? Music, like love, doesn’t follow rules. Musicians as diverse as Armstrong, Ellington and Cross don’t want to be boxed in by genre. They want to write, record and perform and not spend time deciding if they play bebop or hard bop, blues or Southern rock, funk or disco.
But as temperatures heat up and people think of sailing away to find serenity, yacht rock playlists start to float in on the breeze. And that means drawing boundaries with enough latitude that artists don’t object to being boxed in and still foster playlists with a sense of meaning, a sense of continuity and depth. Peaks and valleys must be smartly balanced against the total annihilation of a common aesthetic. (Yes, despite a fascination with sailing and pina coladas, yacht rock can be taken seriously!)
And so, much to Armstrong’s chagrin, we have to ask, “What is yacht rock?” If it seems obvious, take a look at Spotify’s recent “Yacht Rock” playlist . Spotify is a global streaming leader with some 350 million monthly users, an army of music experts and cutting edge artificial intelligence, and yet the company filled its playlist with songs such as Tears for Fears ’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” Van Morrison ’s “Brown Eyed Girl” and Bruce Hornsby ’s “The Way It Is.”
If somebody wants to create and enjoy a stack of songs that runs from tunes by the J. Geils Band , to the Police , to Bad Company , to Talking Heads (yup, the company has all these artists on its playlist and even included Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters”), they should do that with gusto! It sounds like an evening full of classic jams and fun left turns so cheers to the endeavor. But if a major player in the music business wants to do that and call it yacht rock, we need to take a step back and consider what is and isn’t yacht.
We know breezes, islands, keys, capes, cool nights, crazy love and reminiscing help define the yacht aesthetic (see works by Seals & Crofts , Jay Fergeson, Bertie Higgins, Rupert Holmes, Paul Davis, Poco , and Little River Band ). But let’s get beyond the captain’s caps and map the waters of this perfect-for-summer style.
Watch Bertie Higgins' Video for 'Key Largo'
Before 2005, people generally placed Toto ’s “ Africa ” and Holmes’ “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” in the soft rock genre. Maybe if they were getting fancy, they’d call them AM Gold. But in 2005, the online video series Yacht Rock debuted. It fictionalized the careers of soft rock artists of the late ’70s and early ’80s. The cheeky show capitalized on the building renaissance of artists such as Steely Dan and Michael McDonald , who embraced the silliness of the series.
“When it came on I remember watching it pretty avidly,” McDonald admitted in 2018 . “My kids got a huge kick out of it. We would laugh about the characterizations of the people involved. At this point it’s a genre of its own. You’re either yacht or you're not.”
He might be right that you’re either yacht or you’re not. But calling it a genre doesn’t quite work (more on that in a minute).
Listen to the Doobie Brothers' 'Minute By Minute'
By the late ’60s, rock ‘n’ roll had become “art.” The Beatles started as simple teen heartthrobs covering early rock ‘n’ roll, but graduated to the supreme weirdness of the White Album . Chuck Berry gave birth to the Rolling Stones who gave birth to Led Zeppelin and the gonzo bombast of “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.” And all sorts of acts went wild from the Grateful Dead , to Pink Floyd , to Frank Zappa and beyond. The sunshine of ’70s AM Gold came as a reaction to these wonderful excesses. Singer-songwriters aimed to take rock and pop back to the simple pleasures of tight, light tunes such as Beach Boys ’ classics, Motown hits and Brill Building-crafted songs.
Hippies looking for revolution and Gen X-ers on the hunt for rage, irony and sharp edges bristled at the genuine lyrics of tenderness and heartbreak neatly packaged in finely-crafted Top 40. Where the stars and fans of '60s and ’90s rock wanted arty and experimental music, anger and angst, yacht took listeners on a voyage powered by pure earnestness: think of the sincere and intense conviction of Dave Mason’s “We Just Disagree,” Captain & Tennille's "Love Will Keep Us Together," and “Love is the Answer” by England Dan & John Ford Coley.
(Which is why placing the Police or Talking Heads on any yacht mix doesn’t work.)
Yacht rock embodies the final charge of unbridled, heartfelt pop.
“I think these songs remain so popular because they are unabashedly pop,” Nicholas Niespodziani, leader of the hugely successful tribute band Yacht Rock Revue , explains to UCR. “They’re not self conscious. You couldn’t write a song like ‘Africa’ now. What are they even singing about? Who knows? But it’s fun to sing.”
Watch Captain & Tennille's Video for 'Love Will Keep Us Together'
Yacht rock doesn’t just have an earnestness to its lyrics, the sax solos come with the same level of sincerity.
If the style was the last gasp of unadulterated pop, it was also the dying breath of jazz’s influence on rock. Jazz rock started in the ’60s with Zappa, Chicago , Santana and Blood, Sweat & Tears , but slowly simple drums and growling guitars stomped horn lines and rhythmic shifts into the ground. However, yacht rock features echoes of swingin’ saxophones, big band horns and Miles Davis ’ fusion projects.
Yacht rock is very pop, but legitimate musical talents made those hooks. Chuck Mangione logged time in jazz giant Art Blakey’s band then took what he learned and crushed complex harmonic ideas into the pop nugget “Feels So Good,” which is basically a Latin-bebop-disco-classical suite. (If you dig “Feels So Good,” dig deeper and groove to smooth jazz mini-symphony “Give It All You Got.”)
Nearly every classic from the style features either an epic sax solo or dazzling guitar part. For horn glory, go spin Little River Band’s “Reminiscing,” Gino Vannelli’s “I Just Wanna Stop” or Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers ’ “Just the Two of Us." For six-string wizardry as astounding as anything Jimmy Page came up with (and much more economical), try Atlantic Rhythm Section’s “So Into You,” Pablo Cruise’s “Love Will Find a Way” and pretty much every Steely Dan cut.
(Which is why placing Tears for Fears’ “ Everybody Wants to Rule the World ” and Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” on any yacht mix doesn’t work).
Watch the Little River Band's Video for 'Reminiscing'
Being a style, a feeling, an aesthetic, a vibe means that yacht rock can pull a song from a wide variety of genres into its orbit. It also means that it’s not just a catalog of hits from bearded white dudes. Yes, Kenny Loggins , McDonald and both Seals and Crofts helped define yacht rock. But quintessential songs from the style came from the women and artists of color, soul singers, folk heroes and Nashville aces.
For every Loggins' tune in a captain’s hat, there’s a Carly Simon track dressed up as your cruise director. Yes, there's Steely Dan's jazz influence, but also Crosby, Stills & Nash 's folk legacy (“Southern Cross” remains definitively of the style). Yacht rock playlists should also be littered with appropriate R&B gems, such as the Raydio’s “You Can’t Change That” (which features Ray Parker Jr.!), Hall & Oates ’ “Sara Smile” and Kool & the Gang’s “Too Hot.” Likewise, country acts of the era tried to go Top 40 while attempting to retain some twang and managed to make Love Boat music (see Juice Newton’s “Angel of the Morning,” Eddie Rabbit’s “I Love a Rainy Night,” Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers ’ “Islands in the Stream”).
It’s hard to tell if the Commodores’ “Sail On” is pop or R&B, harder still to know if George Benson’s “Give Me the Night” is pop, R&B or jazz. But they both feel yacht.
(Which is why Santana can do psychedelic Latin music and can do yacht on “Hold On,” and why the Pointer Sisters can do new wave disco with “Neutron Dance” and yacht with “Slow Hand.")
Spotify was right to think about diversity when making its playlist, though the company got the type of diversity wrong. Yacht has some pretty specific sonic parameters, but has no demographic restrictions when it comes to the kind of artists contributing to the style’s catalog. That means when you hit the high seas of yacht, you don’t need to be afraid to fight for your favorites to be included, just please don’t have one of those favorites be “Ghostbusters.”
We began talking about drawing boundaries with enough latitude that artists don’t object to being boxed in. The wide latitude yacht rock affords matters because music comes to define eras and outlines cultural trends (remember that yacht came in reaction to art rock and that says a lot about the swing from the late '60s to the early '80s). Calling Christopher Cross soft rock might feel right, but it doesn't tell us much about where he was coming from and what he was trying to accomplish. Calling Cross yacht rock, now that we know it's not a pejorative, illuminates his aesthetic.
Cross came out of the Texas rock scene that produced blues aces the Vaughan Brothers and guitar shredder Eric Johnson (who plays on a lot of his albums). He loves Joni Mitchell and that shows in his craft. He's jazzy but not jazz (see those horns and guitar on "Ride Like the Wind") with a vibe that's completely yacht -- developed from the scene that took '60s pop, updated it and sheltered it from the trends of punk, metal, new wave and hip hop. The same can be said for Loggins, McDonald, Simon, Lionel Ritchie and so many others.
Spotify needs to tweak its algorithm so it gets this right. Or, better yet, connect with the genre-crossing vibe that makes yacht so unique.
More from ultimate classic rock.
I’ve been wanting to put together a best of Yacht Rock list for quite sometime. Now that we’re into the month of May – I’m inspired to pull this list together and get ready to jam to these (and others) all summer long. As an added bonus, recording artist Carly Shea stopped by to talk about her favorite Yacht Rock songs. She listed her songs during the intermission or halftime on the video countdown below .
As I started writing down names to songs that I felt should be included on the list, I noticed that it was being dominated by Michael McDonald/Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, Christopher Cross and America. So I decide to make some ground rules:
Only one song per band would be ranked with solo projects being treated separately. Of course that made for even more decisions. Choosing between the three or four America songs to include on the list was TOUGH. Same with Seals & Croft. Summer Breeze or Diamond Girl ? But then it hit me. A calmness of floating through a no wake zone, if you will. Just relax and make your selections and live with it. At the end of the day, when you are dealing with Yacht Rock – there really aren’t any bad choices.
Speaking of which. A couple of artists got left off of the list. I nearly expanded the list to 30 to make room for anyone. But I decided to keep the top 24. So Hall and Oates (I Can’t Go For That), Toto (Georgy Porgy), Fleetwood Mac (You Make Loving Fun), Kenny Loggins (This Is It), Dobie Gray (Drift Away) and Olvia Newton-John (Magic) – just missed. In fact, the first two names I wrote down initially were Hall & Oates and Toto. It’s a touch business – this Yacht Rock.
Without further ado. Here’s my Top 24 Yacht Rock Songs .
24. England Dan and John Ford Coley – I’d Really Love To See You Tonight
23. Herb Alpert – Route 101
22. Jay Ferguson – Thunder Island
21. Boz Scaggs – JoJo
20. Bobby Caldwell – What You Won’t Do For Love
19. Looking Glass – Brandi (You’re A Fine Girl)
18. Player – Baby Come Back
17. Ambrosia – Biggest Part Of Me
16. Michael Martin Murphey – Wildfire
15. Todd Rundgren – I Saw The Light
14. Michael McDonald – Sweet Freedom
13. Ace – How Long
12. Lionel Richie – All Night Long
11. 10cc – I’m Not In Love
10. Rupert Homes – Escape (Pina Colada)
09. Donald Fagen – I.G.Y.
08. Robbie Dupree – Steal Away
07. Seals & Croft – Summer Breeze
06. America – Horse With No Name
05. Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street
04. Christopher Cross – Ride Like The Wind
03. Steely Dan – Peg
02. Starbuck – Moonlight Feels Right
01. Doobie Brothers – What A Fool Believes
So there you go. The songs I consider the greatest Yacht Rock Songs ever. Of course, with the twist of only one song per act.
Do you have a favorite? Hit me up on Twitter or Instagram below and let me know which song is your top choice.
-Tommy Marz
You can follow Tommy on Twitter and Instagram let him know what you think.
Yacht rock songs top 100, yacht rock songs.
Check out the ultimate authority on smooth songs that really rock. Here’s the foremost Top 100 yacht rock songs of all time. In fact, here’s the real deal. More importantly, for you aficionados, these are the songs you’ve been looking for. Finally, we are posting the hilarious list that really helped turn us on to the best in the YR genre. Unbelievably, the commentary on these songs and the pure genius of which songs made the list energized our thirst for the genre. In fact, literally every song we play made the list and certainly some go to the level of yacht-adjacent but we highly recommend perusing this article. Speaking of articles, check out our Florida adventure here.
To top it off, this list provides some videos and the classic moments that go with the song. The comedy is real and the power of those songs is tangible. You won’t find another list of yacht rock songs like out there. The author certainly crafted it with care and accuracy and we really appreciate weaving the music and life together. Honestly, you can’t read through the list without complete amusement, excitement and laughter. It feels so good to walk through these smooth cuts and see the music’s influence on our culture and what interesting stories are told. It’s meaningful. These songs reverberate with the joy that we as a band play these classic vinyl cuts.
Furthermore, click on this link to find a website that rates the top 100 yacht rock songs of all time. In addition, the commentary is brilliant! Lastly, consider it Anchors AWEIGH and you can thank us later!!!!! In fact, I’m sure many of these amazing tunes will make your new yachty playlist. Interestingly, we discovered this article back in 2014 and clung to the magic of these tunes that make smooth music really tick. Once you begin reading the list, it’ll be hard to put it down. These guys are dead on and the comedy and facts and background make it priceless.
Do yourself a favor and sit down for a deep dive into the genre. Certainly, check out 70’s soft rock and 80’s soft rock as much as they are covered in the list as well. Inasmuch, even if you start at number 100, you’ll surely make it to 50 and 30 and more. Ultimately, you can click the big link or The Hello Loser website to get to numbers 21 through 30 on the TOP 100 SONG LIST.
Your playlist will seriously benefit from this read. In fact, we haven’t seen a comprehensive look at yacht rock songs like this! And now to get back to our Electronic Press Kit, click on the EPK/MEDIA tab on the website.
In fact, yacht rock has a distinct criteria that makes it float. In fact, they have a website you can check for the ultimate authority on what’s Yacht or Nyacht. Thus, it is aptly titled, YachtorNyacht.com. More importantly, there are elements that guide the selection of what makes the cut. The originators JD Ryznar, Hollywood Steve, Hunter Stair, and Dave Lyons generally say it’s polished jazzy, R&B music from 1976 to 1984. But let’s dive into the elements that the fellas use to vote on whether a song makes their list of authentic smooth songs.
Additionally, it’s that well produced complicated chord arrangement played by mainly the best session musicians of the time. Moreover, the songs contain crafty and intricate chord changes buoyed by lush harmonies and plenty of electric piano and saxophone. The yacht behind the rock derives from the ubiquitous nautical references in the lyrics and even the album covers. For example, Loggins and Messina at the helm of a sailboat for the album Full Sail. Or, simply the flamingo on the cover of Christopher Cross’ self titled album.
Now, in recent times, we’ve made much about the fact that as a live band, the music still has to groove. In fact, yacht rock songs can be quite mellow so the band does have to keep it poppin for our audiences. Ultimately, Yachty by Nature has found a great balance of those upbeat and mellow songs to keep the party rockin’. Of course, we’ve been so fortunate as a band to have so much with these songs and the great venues and crowds we play to! For your listening pleasure, we always recommend finding a great playlist on Spotify or some Yacht Rock Radio on Sirius/XM. Additionally, our friend Eddie Ganz at YR Radio brings the smooth like none other.
Yachty by Nature is always adding new tunes. In fact, it’s tough to pick the right song to put in the set, but we’re always experimenting. Additionally, we rely on our crowd to guide the choices and we LOVE to hear those thoughts. As you can see, we have a lot of music to cover and every shade of the rainbow within the genre of smooth music. Like captains going from port to port, we dabble into all kinds of waters.
Yachty songs occupy these certain elements but it certainly isn’t so linear. First, from soft rock to folk rock, the yacht genre encompasses some of those mellower hits. For example, the song Brandy is accepted by our followers but rejected by the Yacht Rock youtube series guys. But it represents something with yachty references and somewhere in the softer and folksy earlier 70’s. The line is drawn tight that Bread is too soft and Summer Breeze by Seals and Croft may be too early as well. But those songs are certainly adjacent and close to the heart of what we like to do. In fact, some of those artists emerge on the yacht like Jackson Browne, Carly Simon, and Rupert Holmes.
Now, there’s what we call Yacht Funk or R&B where we dip into some George Benson, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and even perform Warren G’s Regulate. The Yacht Prog can be seen in Toto, Ambrosia, Alan Parsons and even narrowly Crosby, Stills, and Nash. In fact, Yacht Country makes a splash from time to time. Certainly Islands in the Stream and the crossover country album of Lionel Richie gives you an idea of where it’s at. Jazz makes an appearance or two with George Benson’s Breezin’ and Smooth Operator by Sade which is one saxy mutha.
As you can see, there’s too much to say. One angle begets another and there’s simply a lot to cover. Perhaps we can dive into each of these levels of smooth rock sometime. But for now, check out the Top 100 website, listen to more tunes, and even check out new smooth! And, if you want to focus on the Top 8 yachty songs that Yachty by Nature plays, check out this article Captain Carl published. Until then, Keep it Yachty!
#songlist #yachtrock #top100 #softrock #yachtrocksongs #yachtrockband #yachtybynature #
You can write your comments about this post through the form below
Captain Carl (949) 510-3264 [email protected]
How does one describe yacht rock? The folks at MasterClass did a pretty good job. Essentially, it's a component of soft rock, adult contemporary, and Album-oriented rock (AOR) all rolled into one. Popular in the late 1970s and into the '80s, there are some notable tunes of the ilk (smooth rhythms, light or "breezy" vocals, well-polished and produced) from earlier in the '70s that fall into this category.
In the spirit of easy listening fare, here is our ranking of 22 great yacht rock tunes.
The Southern Californian's biggest hit, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Yacht rock tracks often tell stories, and "Lonely Boy" is one of the great story songs. Whether it's autobiographical in nature has always been ripe for a casual argument. Though Gold, who passed away in 2011 at age 59, repeatedly claimed this song about a boy who felt left out following the birth of his sister was not depicting his life. The 1970s were ripe for one-hit wonders in the United States, and Gold is not still forgotten.
"I Love You" is a sweet, endearing ballad. The kind of song that probably sounded great via that portable 8-track cassette player on a catamaran during an early '80s' summer. From England, Climax Blues Band scored a top-15 hit with "I Love You." Love was a dependable and generally successful topic for artists within the soft/yacht rock genre. In fact, the song is still quite popular on lite rock and adult contemporary radio stations on your FM dial for those who still like to hear their music that way.
Toto rightfully has a place in the yacht rock world, but the band also broke into the top-40, FM radio, and MTV mainstream with the release of 1982's Toto IV . "Rosanna" was a big reason for the album's success, peaking at No. 2 on Billboard 's Hot 100 and winning the Record of the Year Grammy Award. Sure, it's not typical yacht rock fare, per se. It's certainly heavier than other popular tracks on this list, but it's certainly a product of AOR and still routinely played in dentist offices throughout America.
There are those historians who believe the first true example of yacht rock came with this popular '70s staple from the "Captain" Daryl Dragon and his wife Toni Tennille. Now, Neil Sedaka wrote "Love Will Keep Us Together" and originally recorded the song two years earlier. Still, the duo's version was more poppy, with a carefree vibe that's ideal for FM radio. While Captain & Tennille's cover won a Record of the Year Grammy Award, Sedaka has noted that the Beach Boys were one of the inspirations for the tune. This makes sense since many music critics, professionals, historians, etc.. have credited the yacht rock genre as somewhat of an offshoot from the Beach Boys' collective sound.
This No.1 Billboard Hot 100 hit for England's Rupert Holmes has achieved a steady cult following over the years. Perhaps, because of the unique title and conjured images of some warm, beach-laden paradise. Yacht rock's association with summer, water, and care-free living, as a backdrop to a romantic story, is one of its appealing aspects. This song is about a couple who ultimately patch up a rough relationship through personal ads . Any time somebody of a certain age sips one of these drinks, ideally at some Caribbean resort with the warm winds off the ocean blowing, "The Pina Colada Song" should come to mind.
Formed in Australia, the soft/pop rock and often yacht rock stylings of LRB were a hit in the United States. " Reminiscing " was the band's biggest hit in America, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Like many songs of this genre, "Reminiscing" is paced by the electric piano. Which also happened to be a staple of the Little River Band. Sure, it's not "breezy" like other yacht rock tunes, but Will Ferrell's Det. Allen Gamble is a big fan in The Other Guys (2010).
Yes, more from Toto. If there's one popular Toto hit that whole-heartedly falls under the yacht rock moniker, it's " Africa ." The group's only song to top the Billboard Hot 100, and made a resurgence with Weezer's popular cover in recent years , "Africa," is the proper combination of mellow and poppy. It continues the Toto tradition of shared vocals, while the consistent synthesizer and keyboard presence, though more pronounced than the typical soft rock/adult contemporary vibe.
L.A.'s Ambrosia, co-founded by vocalist/guitarist/songwriter David Pack and bassist Joe Puerta was all about the soft rock sound that surfaced in Southern California during the early 1970s. "How Much I Feel," from the group's third album Life Beyond L.A. , might have more of an adult contemporary vibe but certainly falls into the yacht rock category. It was one of the band's biggest hits, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's remained popular over the years, even being sampled by Kanye West.
Steely Dan was, in its prime, under the direction of celebrated songwriters Donald Fagan and Walter Becker, many things regarding a collective sound. Rock, pop, jazz, blues. Usually melodic, well within the soft-rock category. Songs like "Peg," from the 1977 masterpiece Aja , certainly has a yacht rock vibe, too. Perhaps most notably is that the great Michael McDonald, longtime frontman of the Doobie Brothers and driving singer-songwriter in the soft/yacht rock circles, provides backing vocals on the track.
It really does get more yacht rock than this—smooth , with a flowing rhythm, precise, but not overbearing, harmonies . Not to mention the subtly stellar keyboard work from David C. Lewis. Throw in sessionist Ernie Watts' sax solo, and we have one great soft/yacht offering. It was the second of Ambrosia's two top-5 hits, reaching No. 3 on Billboard 's Hot 100. The version from the 1980s One Eighty album runs about 5 1/2 minutes long. Talk about pure easy-listening joy.
Long considered one of the great "summer songs" ever recorded. And summer-themed tunes from the 1970s tend to lend themselves to the yacht rock moniker. That said, Seals & Crofts were definitely a soft rock outfit, but with elements of folk and pop. "Summer Breeze" peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1970s and, again, is notable for being one of the earliest yacht rock offerings. Several other prominent artists, such as Ray Conniff, the Isley Brothers, and a stellar metal version from Type O Negative.
It's safe to say that Christopher Cross is the king of yacht rock. A brilliant songwriter and above-average guitar player, Cross could rock, but it's his definitive soft rock numbers that made him a star with lite-FM, adult contemporary and yacht rock fans. "Ride Like the Wind" is the first single from Cross' stellar five-time Grammy-Award-winning self-titled debut from 1979. A more upbeat number about an outlaw running from the authorities, the track is less uplifting than other yacht rock tunes, but the vibe is the same. Of note, Michael McDonald provided backing vocals.
From John Friesen's steady drum intro to that durably underlaid bass line via Ron Moss to J.C. Crowley's keyboard presence begins the soft-rock brilliance of "Baby Come Back." With lyrics describing the yearning to reacquire a lost love and full-band harmonies, "Baby Come Back" just might be the quintessential offering of the yacht rock genre. It was the biggest hit for Player , the L.A.-based group that featured vocalist and song co-writer Peter Beckett, who was born in England. The tune topped the Billboard Hot 100 and still has a presence with its inclusion in films such as Transformers and Black Adam. Plus, various versions in popular TV shows like The Simpsons. American Dad and King of the Hill.
The Doobie Brothers were a rather hard-rocking outfit before Michael McDonald joined up in the mid-1970s. The band was in need of an established songwriter, and McDonald delivered. However, with a more mellow, synthesizer/electric piano-driven sound that produced soft-rock gems like this one. Co-written by Kenny Loggins, who put out a version for himself, "What a Fool Believes" hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in April 1979. Several critics have cited this as the best song in the vast Doobie Brothers catalog.
If you're going to be a one-hit wonder, why not make it count? More than 30 years since its release, " Steal Away " can still be heard in elevators and office buildings throughout the United States -- or in the third season of Better Call Saul . Undeniably yacht rock, Dupree, born in Brooklyn, enjoyed success with the song during the summer of 1980 -- always a perfect time to enjoy the smooth, soothing sounds of a piece within this genre that peaked at No. 6 on Billboar d's Hot 100.
Here's a case where middle-aged and baby-boomer music fans probably remember the song but perhaps not the group who performed the track. That's OK. Atlanta's Starbuck is essentially a one-hit wonder thanks to "Moonlight Feels Right," which topped out at No. 3 on Billboard 's Hot 100. For those who remember this track for its lite-flowing beat, with lyrical references to the ocean, "Baltimore," and 'Ole Miss," and band member Bo Wagner marimba solo, it might take them back to a simpler, more laidback time in their lives.
Perhaps more so than the previously mentioned "This Is It," "Heart to Heart" truly has all the requirements of a great yacht rock/soft rock tune. It was co-written by Michael McDonald, who also played the electric piano and provided backing vocals. David Foster, of Chicago songwriting and '80s ballad fame, also helped compose the tune, which features David Sanborn on saxophone. The track is one of Loggins' best-known hits, cracking the top 20 of the Hot 100.
Co-written by David Paich and featuring Jeff Porcaro on drums -- both of whom who go on to form the aforementioned Toto. One of Scaggs most well-known hits, "Lowdown" has a bluesy and almost disco vibe. And a number we can imagine being played at some swanky yacht club party where the dance floor is filled, and more than a few people are sporting captain's hats. The song reached No. 3 on Billboard 's Hot 100 and also topped the Billboard Cash Box chart in the United States.
Yacht rock and one-hit wonders seem to go hand-in-hand. Higgins scored one in the early 1980s with this number that reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Florida native was inspired to write this song about trying to avoid a romantic breakup by the 1948 movie of the same name, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, who are referenced in the tune. Though Higgins never enjoyed the same individual success as a musician, the song has had a solid shelf life and remains a definitive moment in the yacht rock genre.
Sure, "Ride Like the Wind" is a gem, but the undisputed star of Cross' aforementioned debut album is the Hot 100-chart-topper "Sailing." It might be the definitive yacht rock song, capturing what Cross described, at the time, the "West Coast sound," which was long being composed, produced and performed, but maybe didn't have an appropriate moniker. The song won Grammys for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Arrangement of the Year, and was a big reason Cross earned the same award for Best New Artist.
A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for parts of four decades. He was an integral member of award-winning sports sections at The Times of Northwest Indiana (Munster, Ind.) and Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette, where he covered the NFL, PGA, LPGA, NCAA basketball, football and golf, Olympics and high school athletics. Jeff most recently spent 12 years in the editorial department at STATSPerform, where he also oversaw coverage of the English Premier League. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Jeff's work has also appeared on such sites at Yahoo!, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated and NBA.com. However, if Jeff could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High School and Grand Lakes University
More must-reads:
Customize your newsletter.
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
By David Browne
Summer’s here and time is right for dancing … on the deck of a large nautical vessel. During the late Seventies and early Eighties, the radio was dominated by silver-tongued white-dude crooners with names like Rupert and Gerry, emoting over balmy R&B beats, swaying saxes, and dishwasher-clean arrangements. Though it didn’t have a name, the genre — soft rock you could dance to — was dismissed by serious rock fans as fluffy and lame. But thanks to a web series in the mid-2000s, the style — belatedly named “ yacht rock ” — has since spawned a satellite-radio channel, tribute bands, and a Weezer cover of Toto’s “Africa.” Is the modern love of the music ironic or sincere? Hard to say, yet there’s no denying yacht rock is a legit sound with a vibe all its own that produced a surprising amount of enduring music perfectly at home in summer. (John Mayer even tips his own sailor’s hat to the genre on his new “Last Train Home” single, and even the aqua-blue cover of his upcoming Sob Rock album.) The resumption of the Doobie Brothers’ 50th anniversary tour, postponed last year due to COVID-19 but scheduled to restart in August, is the cherry atop the Pina colada.
Before yacht rock was an identifiable genre, Scaggs (no fan of the term, as he told Rolling Stone in 2018) set the standard for what was to come: sharp-dressed white soul, burnished ballads that evoked wine with a quiet dinner, and splashes of Me Decade decadence (the narrator of the pumped “Lido Shuffle” is setting up one more score before leaving the country). Add in the Philly Soul homage “What Can I Say,” the burbling life-on-the-streets homage “Lowdown,” and the lush sway of “Georgia,” and Silk Degrees , internationally or not, set a new high bar for Seventies smoothness.
The sophisticated high-water mark of yacht, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker’s masterpiece is the midway point between jazz and pop, with tricky tempo shifts, interlocking horn and keyboard parts, and pristine solos. Not settling for easygoing period clichés, these love songs, so to speak, are populated by a sleazy movie director (the gorgeous rush of “Peg”), a loser who still hopes to be a jazzman even if the odds are against him (the heart-tugging “Deacon Blues”), and a guy whose nodding-out girlfriend is probably a junkie (“Black Cow”). The most subversive cruise you’ll ever take.
The Doobies got their start as a biker-y boogie band, but they smoothed things out for Minute by Minute . Highlighted by “What a Fool Believes,” the unstoppable Michael McDonald-Kenny Loggins co-write, the LP piles on romantic turmoil, falsetto harmonies, and plenty of spongy electric piano. But it also proves how much personality and muscle the Doobies could bring to what could be a generic sound. McDonald’s husky, sensitive-guy delivery shrouds the unexpectedly bitter title song (“You will stay just to watch me, darlin’/Wilt away on lies from you”) and honoring their biker roots, “Don’t Stop to Watch the Wheels” is about taking a lady friend for a ride on your hog.
Every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, 25 most influential creators of 2024.
Seals & crofts, get closer (1976).
The Dylan-goes-electric moment of yacht, “Get Closer” validated the idea that folkie singer-songwriters could put aside their guitars (and mandolin), tap into their R&B side and cross over in ways they never imagined. In addition to the surprising seductiveness of the title hit, Get Closer has plenty of yacht-rock pleasures. In “Goodbye Old Buddies,” the narrator informs his pals that he can’t hang out anymore now that he’s met “a certain young lady,” but in the next song, “Baby Blue,” another woman is told, “There’s an old friend in me/Tellin’ me I gotta be free.” A good captain follows the tide where it takes him.
Cross’ debut swept the 1981 Grammys for a reason: It’s that rare yacht-rock album that’s graceful, earnest, and utterly lacking in smarm. Songs like the politely seductive “Say You’ll Be Mine” and the forlorn “Never Be the Same” have an elegant pop classicism, and the yacht anthem “Sailing” could be called a powered-down ballad. Fueled by a McDonald cameo expertly parodied on SCTV , the propulsive “Ride Like the Wind” sneaks raw outlaw lyrics (“Lived nine lives/Gunned down ten”) into its breezy groove, perfecting the short-lived gangster-yacht subgenre.
The album that made Holmes a soft-rock star is known for “Escape (The Piña Colada Song),” which sports a made-for-karaoke chorus and a plot twist worthy of a wide-collar O. Henry. But what distinguishes the album is the Steely Dan-level musicianship and Holmes’ ambitious story songs, each sung with Manilow-esque exuberance. The title track equates a hooker and her john to co-workers at a department store, “Lunch Hour” ventures into afternoon-delight territory, and “Answering Machine” finds a conflicted couple trading messages but continually being cut off by those old-school devices.
The Dan’s last studio album before a lengthy hiatus doesn’t have the consistency of Aja, but Gaucho cleverly matches their most vacuum-sealed music with their most sordid and pathetic cast of characters. A seedy older guy tries to pick up younger women in “Hey Nineteen,” another loser goes in search of a ménage à trois in “Babylon Sisters,” a coke dealer delivers to a basketball star in “Glamour Profession,” and the narrator of “Time Out of Mind” just wants another heroin high. It’s the dark side of the yacht.
Michael mcdonald, if that’s what it takes (1982).
Imagine a Doobie Brothers album entirely comprised of McDonald songs and shorn of pesky guitar solos or Patrick Simmons rockers, and you have a sense of McDonald’s first and best post-Doobs album. If That’s What it Takes builds on the approach he nailed on “What a Fool Believes” but amps up the sullen-R&B side of Mac’s music. His brooding remake of Lieber and Stoller’s “I Keep Forgettin’” is peak McDonald and the title track approaches the propulsion of Christopher Cross’ “Ride Like the Wind.” With his sad-sack intensity, McDonald sounds like guy at a seaside resort chewing over his mistakes and regrets – with, naturally, the aid of an electric piano.
Yacht rock babylon, concert venues accuse yelp of pushing fake tickets.
Loggins’ journey from granola folk rocker to pleasure-boat captain embodies the way rock grew more polished as the Seventies wore on. Anchored by the percolating-coffeemaker rhythms and modestly aggro delivery of “This Is It,” another McDonald collaboration, Keep the Fire sets Loggins’ feathery voice to smooth-jazz saxes and R&B beats, and Michael Jackson harmonies beef up the soul quotient in “Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong.” The secret highlight is “Will It Last,” one of the sneakiest yacht tracks ever, fading to a finish after four minutes, then revving back up with some sweet George Harrison-style slide guitar.
Earlier in the Seventies, these jokesters established themselves with novelty hits like “The Cover of ‘Rolling Stone,’’ but they soon paddled over to unabashed disco-yacht. Sometimes You Win features three of their oiliest ear worms: “Sexy Eyes,” “When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman” and “Better Love Next Time,” all oozing suburban pickup bars and the somewhat desperate dudes who hang out there. The album, alas, does not include “Sharing the Night Together,” recently reborn by way of its sardonic use in last year’s Breaking Bad spinoff El Camino .
As a trailblazing female singer-songwriter, Simon was already a star by the time yacht launched. Boys in the Trees features her beguiling contribution to the genre, “You Belong to Me,” a collaboration with the ubiquitous Michael McDonald. The Doobies cut it first, but Simon’s version adds an air of yearning and hushed desperation that makes it definitive. The album also packs in a yacht-soul cover of James Taylor’s “One Man Woman” and a “lullaby for a wide-eyed guy” called “Tranquillo (Melt My Heart),” all proving that men didn’t have a stranglehold on this style.
More smooth hits for your next high-seas adventure.
“BREEZIN’”
George Benson, 1976
The guitarist and Jehovah’s Witness made the leap from midlevel jazz act to crossover pop star with a windswept instrumental that conveys the yacht spirit as much as any vocal performance.
“WHATCHA GONNA DO?”
Pablo Cruise, 1976
Carefree bounce from a San Francisco band with the best name ever for a soft-rock act — named, fittingly, after a chill Colorado buddy.
“BAKER STREET”
Gerry Rafferty, 1978
Rafferty brought a deep sense of lonely-walk-by-the-bay melancholy to this epic retelling of a night on the town, in which Raphael Ravenscroft’s immortal sax awakens Rafferty from his morning-after hangover.
“REMINISCING”
Little River Band, 1978
The Aussie soft rockers delivered a slurpy valentine sung in the voice of an old man looking back on his “lifetime plan” with his wife. Innovative twist: flugelhorn solo instead of sax.
“WHENEVER I CALL YOU ‘FRIEND’ ”
Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks, 1978
After its ethereal intro, this rare genre duet grows friskier with each verse, with both Loggins and Nicks getting more audibly caught up in the groove — and the idea of “sweet love showing us a heavenly light.”
“LOTTA LOVE”
Nicolette Larson, 1978
Neil Young’s sad-boy shuffle is transformed into a luscious slice of lounge pop by the late Larson. Adding an extra layer of poignancy, she was in a relationship with Young around that time.
“STEAL AWAY”
Robbie Dupree, 1980
Is it real, or is it McDonald? Actually, it’s the best Doobies knockoff — a rinky-dink (but ingratiating) distant cousin to “What a Fool Believes” that almost inspired McDonald to take legal action.
“TAKE IT EASY”
Archie James Cavanaugh, 1980
Cult rarity by the late Alaskan singer-songwriter that crams in everything you’d want in a yacht song: disco-leaning bass, smooth-jazz guitar, sax, and a lyric that lives up to its title even more than the same-titled Eagles song.
“BIGGEST PART OF ME”
Ambrosia, 1980
Ditching the prog-classical leanings of earlier albums, this trio headed straight for the middle of the waterway with this Doobies-lite smash. Bonus points for lyrics that reference a “lazy river.”
“I CAN’T GO FOR THAT (NO CAN DO)”
Daryl Hall and John Oates, 1981
The once unstoppable blue-eyed soul duo were never pure yacht, but the easy-rolling beats and shiny sax in this Number One hit got close. Hall adds sexual tension by never specifying exactly what he can’t go for.
“COOL NIGHT”
Paul Davis, 1981
The Mississippi crooner-songwriter gives a master class on how to heat up a stalled romance: Pick a brisk evening, invite a female acquaintance over, and suggest . . . lighting a fire.
“KEY LARGO”
Bertie Higgins, 1981
Yacht’s very own novelty hit is corny but deserves props for quoting from not one but two Humphrey Bogart films ( Key Largo and Casablanca ).
“AFRICA”
The same year that members of Toto did session work on Michael Jackson’s Thriller, they released the Mount Kilimanjaro of late-yacht hits.
“SOUTHERN CROSS”
Crosby, Stills, and Nash, 1982
The combustible trio’s gusty contribution to the genre has choppy-water rhythms and enough nautical terminology for a sailing manual.
Hear bruce springsteen's new cover of jesse malin's 'she don't love me now'.
Channing tatum says gambit accent was supposed to be 'unintelligible' at times and he was 'too scared to ask' marvel for the costume to bring home, cheryl hines' enthusiasm for donald trump could not be more curbed, all about rfk jr.'s daughter kick kennedy amid rumors she's dating ben affleck, mariah carey's mother and sister die the same day, singer confirms: "my heart is broken", you might also like, julia fox to star in lgbtq romantic drama ‘perfect’ (exclusive), more seniors working to fill youth participation gap, reveals ebri study, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, ‘families like ours’ teaser: thomas vinterberg’s coming-of-age story is set amid climate change disaster, wells fargo hires sports banking exec peter dorfman from truist.
Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.
Often dissed as slick, overly-produced music made by white men in the '70s, Yacht Rock actually resulted in some amazing pop music beyond Christopher Cross' "Sailing." Here are tracks that define the genre's rich, jazzy textures and irresistible melodies.
12 Songs, 1 hour, 1 minute
Featured artists, the doobie brothers, gerry rafferty, daryl hall & john oates, blues image, donald fagen, africa, middle east, and india.
Yacht Rock isn’t exactly a genre. It’s more a state of mind. It is the musical equivalent of a mid-afternoon mimosa nap in some nautical location—a cool breeze of lite-FM confection with the substance of a romance novel and the machismo of a Burt Reynolds mustache comb.
Yacht Rock is ‘70s soft schlock about boats, love affairs, and one-night stands.
Typified by artists like Christopher Cross, Rupert Holmes, and Pablo Cruise, Yacht Rock is not only easy to mock, but it’s also deserving of the abuse. There’s a sensitive 70s male brand of chauvinism that permeates this material—like somehow because you could schnarf an 8-ball of cocaine and sail a boat into the sunset, your indulgences and marital infidelity were actually kind of sexy. Cheap pickup lines and beardly come-ons abound.
And yet, this stuff is irresistible on a slow summer day. It reeks of sunshine and laziness, and couldn’t we all use a little of both?
These are the 25 Best Yacht Rock Songs, in order. Zero suspense. (Sorry if that’s less fun for you).
If you would like to learn more about Yacht Rock without getting a sailing license, read on…
So Yacht Rock refers to a type of soft rock, right? But there’s a ton of soft rock out there that doesn’t fit the bill. There’s no room on my boat for Barry Manilow. At the Copa? Sure. But not so much on my boat. So what makes a great yacht rock song exactly?
Ideally, one or more of these themes will be present:
These features pretty much capture everything that’s great about this milieu. But there’s also an important cheese factor at play here. While Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, CSN, and the Doobie Brothers all made songs that might qualify for inclusion here, the artists themselves are–let’s just say it–too good to be considered Yacht Rock.
We’ll make sure to include them in our deluxe playlist at the article’s conclusion.
But in order for a song to be considered for our list, it must be at least slightly embarrassing. Case in point, the top song on our list…
“The Pina Colada Song” is arguably the most perfect embodiment of yacht rock, fulfilling, as it does, all three of the qualifications cited above. Holmes sings about making love in the dunes, attempts to cheat on his wife, then ultimately, rediscovers that his “old lady” is actually the love he’s been searching for all along. That’s the holy trinity of Yacht Rock themes, all wrapped up in a breezy story of casual adultery. And at the turn of a new decade, listeners were feeling it. Released as a single in 1979, “Escape” stood at the top of the charts during the last week of the year. Falling to #2 in the new year, it returned to the top spot in the second week of 1980. This made it the first song to top the charts in two separate, consecutive decades. Fun fact: Rupert Holmes never drank a Pina Colada in his life. He just thought the lyric sounded right. Hard to argue that point.
Formed at Rutgers University in 1969, Looking Glass topped the charts in 1972 with the tale of a lovelorn barmaid in a harbor town haunted by lonely sailors. It would be the band’s only hit. Lead singer Elliot Lurie would go on to a brief solo career before becoming head of the music department for the 20th Century Fox movie studio in the ’80s and ’90s. That means he was the musical supervisor for the soundtrack to Night at the Roxbury . Do with that information what you will. And with respect to “Brandy,” see the film Guardians of the Galaxy 2 for Kurt Russell’s surprisingly detailed treatise on its lyrical genius.
The title track from the soft-rock duo’s breakout 1972 record, “Summer Breeze” is an incurable earworm, a bittersweet twilight dream that captures everything that’s right about Lite FM. From an album inhabited by Wrecking Crew vets and studio aces, “Summer Breeze” curls like smoke drifting lazily through an open window.
Toto singer David Paich had never been to Africa. The melody and refrain for this #1 hit from 1982 came to him fully formed as he watched a late night documentary about the plight of those living on the African continent. The lyrics touch on missionary work and describe the landscape as inspired by images from National Geographic , according to Paich’s own recollection. Putting aside its self-aware inauthenticity, “Africa” is an infectious, 8x platinum AOR monster.
Released in the summer of 1978 and reaching up to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Reminiscing” was guitarist Graeham Goble ‘s nostalgic take on the swing band era. Not only is it the only Australian song ever to reach five million radio plays in the U.S., but rumor is that it was among the late John Lennon’s favorite songs.
Recorded originally by a country-swamp rocker named Jeffrey Kurtz, Dobie’s 1973 cover became his biggest hit, reaching #5 on the charts. Though not explicitly nautical, “Drift Away” captures the distinct sensation of cruising at sunset.
Pablo Cruise may have the most “yachty” of all band names on our list. And “Love Will Find a Way” is sort of the musical equivalent of a ketch skipping along a glassy surface on a crisp summer dawn. Pablo Cruise was formed in San Francisco by expats from various mildly successful bands including Stoneground and It’s a Beautiful Day. And there is a certain slick professionalism to the proceedings here. Of course, Pablo Cruise was never a critic’s darling. Homer Simpson once accurately classified them as wuss rock. Still, they perfectly captured the white-folks-vacationing-in-the-Caribbean energy that was all the rage at the time. Love found a way to reach #6 on the Billboard charts, remaining in constant radio rotation during the red-hot summer of ’78.
Blues Image emerged from South Florida in the late ’60s and served as the house band for Miami’s vaunted Thee Image music venue upon its inception in 1968. This gave Blues Image the opportunity to open for ascendant headliners like Cream and the Grateful Dead. The association landed them a contract Atco Records. Their sophomore record Open yielded their one and only hit, a #4 in 1970 about a bunch of men who disappear into the mists of the San Francisco Bay in search of a hippie utopia.
This #3 hit from 1982 has nothing to do with sailing. But it’s infectiously smooth production sheen, layered synth, and dreamy vocals make it a perfect Lite FM gem–one cut from the stone that gave us yacht rock. The “Project” was actually a British duo–studio wizard Alan Parsons and singer Eric Woolfson. The title track from their sixth studio album is also their very best recording. It’s also often paired with the instrumental lead-in “Sirius,” a song famous in its own right for blaring over unnumbered sporting arena PA systems. If that tune doesn’t make you think of Michael Jordan, you probably didn’t live through the late 80s.
Marty Balin was a pioneer of the San Francisco scene, founding Jefferson Airplane in 1965 as the house band for his own legendary club–The Matrix. But in 1971, deeply shaken by the death of Janis Joplin, Balin quit his own band. Four years later, he was invited to rejoin his old mates on the already-launched Starship. He immediately contributed what would become the biggest hit by any Jeffersonian vessel. “Miracles” reached #3 in 1975. Gorgeous, elegant, and open, this is a complete anomaly in the Airplane-Starship catalogue. Listen closely for the NSFW lyrics that have often flown under the radar of some adorably innocent censors.
In 1972, Robert John had a #3 hit with his cover of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” And yet, just before recording “Sad Eyes”, the Brooklyn-born singer was employed as a construction worker in Long Branch, New Jersey. By the summer of ’79, he would have a #1 hit. In fact, the charting success of “Sad Eyes” was part of a cultural backlash against the reign of disco. A wave of pop hits swept on to the charts, including this slick soft rock throwback. With his sweet falsetto and doo wop sensibility, Robert John knocked The Knack’s “My Sharona” from its 6-week stand atop the charts.
Before launching headlong into his music career, Walter Egan was one of the very first students to earn a fine arts degree from Georgetown, where he studied sculpture. The subject would figure into his biggest hit, a #8 easy listening smash from 1978. Featured on his second solo record, “Magnet and Steel” enjoys the presence of some heavy friends. Lindsey Buckingham produced, played guitar and sang backup harmonies with Stevie Nicks. By most accounts, Nicks was also a primary source of inspiration for the song.
Of course, not all yacht rock songs are about sailing on boats. Some are about missing boats. Boz Scaggs looks dejected on the cover of 1977’s Silk Degrees , but things turned out pretty well for him. This bouncy #11 hit is a classic rock mainstay today. The band you hear backing Boz–David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, and David Hungate–would go on to form the nucleus of Toto that very same year. Toto, as it happens, is essentially a recurring theme of the genre. Before rising to massive success in their own right, the members of Toto absolutely permeated rock radio in the 70s, laying down studio tracks with Steely Dan, Seals and Crofts, Michael McDonald, and more.
This smooth-as-silk tune reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its 1978 release. It also reached #6 on the Hot Selling Soul Singles Chart. This is significant only because of Caldwell’s complexion. He was a white man signed to TK Records, a label most closely associated with disco acts like KC and the Sunshine Band. Catering to a largely Black audience, the label went to minor lengths to hide their new singer’s identity–dig the silhouetted figure on the cover of his own debut. Suffice it to say, once Caldwell hit the road, audiences discovered he was white. By then, they were already hooked on this perfect groove, which you might also recognize as a sample in 2Pac’s posthumous 1998 release, “Do For Love.”
Technically, Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin’” is an adaptation of an earlier tune by the same name. In fact, the original “I Keep Forgettin” was conceived by the legendary songwriting duo Leiber and Stoller–best known for iconic staples like “Hound Dog”, “Kansas City”, “Poison Ivy” and much much more. The original recording is by Chuck Jackson and dates to 1962. But McDonald’s 1982 take is definitive. If that wasn’t already true upon its release and #4 peak position on the charts, certainly Warren G. and Nate Dogg cemented its status when they sampled McDonald on “Regulate”. Get the whole history on that brilliant 1994 time capsule here .
Oh and by the way, this tune also features most of the guys from Toto. I know, right? These dudes were everywhere.
To the casual listener, Gerry Rafferty’s name may sound vaguely familiar. Indeed, you may remember hearing it uttered in passing in the film Reservoir Dogs . In a key scene, the DJ (deadpan comedian Steven Wright) mentions that Rafferty formed half the duo known as Stealers Wheel, which recorded a “Dylanesque, pop, bubble-gum favorite from April of 1974” called “Stuck in the Middle With You.” In the same scene, Mr. Blonde (portrayed with sadistic glee by Michael Madsen), slices off a policeman’s ear. At any rate, this is a totally different song, and is actually Rafferty’s biggest hit. “Baker Street” is a tune that reeks of late nights, cocaine, and regret. Peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Baker Street” soared on wings of the decade’s most memorable sax riff. Raphael Ravenscroft’s performance would, in fact, lead to a mainstream revitalization of interest in the saxophone writ large.
There are several interesting things about Silver that have almost nothing to do with this song. First, bass guitarist and singer Tom Leadon was both the brother of Bernie Leadon from the Eagles and a member of Tom Petty’s pre-fame band, Mudcrutch. Second, the band’s keyboardist was Brent Mydland, who would go on to become the Grateful Dead’s longest tenured piano guy. Third, Silver put out their only record in 1976, and future Saturday Night Live standout Phil Harman designed the cover art. With all of that said, Arista executives felt that their first album lacked a single so they had country songwriter Rick Giles cook up this ridiculous, gooey concoction that I kind of love. Let’s say this one falls into the “so bad it’s good” category. Anyway, the song peaked at #16 on the charts. The band broke up in ’78, leading Mydland to accept the deadliest job in rock music. He defied the odds by playing with the Grateful Dead until an accidental drug overdose claimed his life in 1990.
I admit, I’m kind of hard-pressed to make Ambrosia interesting. In fact, they were extremely prolific, and earned high regard in early ’70s prog rock circles. And in the 1990s, lead singer David Pack would actually be the musical director for both of Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration concerts. But this Southern California combo is much better known to mainstream audiences for their top-down, hair-blowing-in-the-wind soft rock from the decade in between. Peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980, “Biggest Part of Me” is the group’s best-known tune–a seafoamy bit of blue-eyed soul served over a raw bar of smooth jazz and lite funk.
Player released their self-titled debut album in 1977 and immediately shot up to #1 with “Baby Come Back.” Bandmates Peter Beckett and J.C. Crowley had both recently broken up with their girlfriends. They channeled their shared angst into this composition, a self-sorry guilty pleasure featuring former Steppenwolf member Wayne Cook on keys. Granted, Steppenwolf’s edgy disposition is nowhere to be found on this record, but it is pretty infectious in a late-summer-night, slightly-buzzed, clenched-fist sort of way. Player endured various lineup changes, but never returned to the heights of their first hit.
Remember that scene in National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978) where there’s this dude in a turtleneck singing a super cloying folks song before John Belushi mercifully snatches away his guitar and smashes it to smithereens? That guy was Stephen Bishop, who was actually in the middle of enjoying considerable success with his 1976 debut album, Careless . “On and On” was the album’s biggest hit, a vaguely Caribbean soft-rocker that reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in ’77. The gentle electric riffs you hear there are supplied by guitarist Andrew Gold–who wrote the theme song for the Golden Girls . (I freakin’ know you’re singing it right now).
The classic tale of boy-meets-girls, bangs-her-in-his-van, and brags-to-his-buds, all with backing from the world famous Wrecking Crew studio team. In 1975, a lot of people super related to it. It sold over a million copies and reach #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. I can’t tell you this song is good. But I also can’t tell you I don’t like it.
Firefall’s lead guitarist Jock Bartley perfectly captures this song’s impact, calling the band’s biggest hit “a singing version of [a] Hallmark card.” That feels right. The second single from Firefall’s 1976 self-titled debut was only a regional hit at first. But it was driven all the way to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the strength of radio requests. As Bartley explained, “Every female between the ages of 18 and 24 wanted to be the woman portrayed in the song, and that caused their boyfriends and spouses to call radio stations and subsequently flood the airwaves with dedications of the song and the sentiment.”
Arguably, “Sailing” is the single most emblematic song of the Yacht Rock genre. Its thematic relevance requires no explanation. But it’s worth noting that the song is inspired by true events. During a tough time in his youth, Cross was befriended by Al Glasscock. Serving as something of an older brother to Cross, Glasscock would take him sailing. He recalls in his biggest hit that this was a time of escape from the harsh realities of his real life. In 1979, Cross released his self-titled debut. In early 1980, “Sailing” became a #1 hit, landing Cross a hat-trick of Grammys–including recognition as best new artist. Though Cross and Glasscock would lose touch for more than 20 years, they were reunited during a 1995 episode of The Howard Stern Show . Cross subsequently mailed a copy of his platinum record to Glasscock.
Apparently, this song was perceived as so blatant a ripoff of Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins’ “What a Fool Believes” that legal action was actually threatened. It never formulated. Instead, Robbie Dupree landed a #6 Billboard Hot 100 hit with the lead single from his self-titled 1980 debut. Critics hated it, but it was a dominant presence in the summer of 1980. It even earned Dupree a Grammy nomination for best new artist. He ultimately lost to the man just above–Christopher Cross.
You didn’t think we’d get through this whole list without an actual Kenny Loggins tune. This song has the perfect pedigree, teaming Loggins and Michael McDonald on a 1979 composition that became the lead single off of Kenny Loggins’ Keep the Fire. Coming on the tail end of the ’70s, “This is It” felt positively omnipresent in the ’80s. I may be biased here. I grew up in Philadelphia, where a local television show by the same name adopted “This is It” as its theme song. But then, it did also reach #11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
And in that spirit…this is it, the end of our list.
But as usual, here’s a bonus playlist–an expanded voyage through the breezy, AOR waters of the mid-’70s to early ’80s.
Yacht rock is a smooth and polished music genre that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It features a blend of soft rock, jazz, and R&B with a focus on harmonies, catchy melodies, and laid-back rhythms. The genre is often associated with the luxurious lifestyle of yacht owners and the coastal cities of California. The songs typically have themes of love, relationships, and nostalgia.
Releases by year.
Here you can see the popularity of Yacht Rock genre over time. This graph shows albums and singles releases count by year and decade.
The Doobie Brothers
Daryl Hall & John Oates
Kenny Loggins
Robert Palmer
Rick Springfield
Fleetwood Mac
Neil Diamond
George Benson
Lee Ritenour
Little River Band
Barry Manilow
Explore yacht rock history by listening to songs from every decade. Click on the decade to view songs.
Here is a list of yacht rock artists on Spotify, ranked based on popularity, who exemplifies the yacht rock genre. You can find out what yacht rock genre sounds like where you can preview artists or sort them the way you want, just click the headers to sort.
# | name | popularity | followers | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 69 | 2551492 | --> | |||||
2 | 76 | 2480539 | --> | |||||
3 | 68 | 2274599 | --> | |||||
4 | 67 | 1110369 | --> | |||||
5 | 76 | 3001811 | --> | |||||
6 | 76 | 10888426 | --> | |||||
7 | 57 | 1030741 | --> | |||||
8 | 70 | 4150851 | --> | |||||
9 | 63 | 851573 | --> | |||||
10 | 63 | 1599505 | --> | |||||
11 | 56 | 1203026 | --> | |||||
12 | 59 | 725575 | --> | |||||
13 | 82 | 11892323 | --> | |||||
14 | 56 | 751565 | --> | |||||
15 | 48 | 294438 | --> | |||||
16 | 68 | 2854573 | --> | |||||
17 | 52 | 790464 | --> | |||||
18 | 56 | 814233 | --> | |||||
19 | 55 | 662629 | --> | |||||
20 | 63 | 1212567 | --> | |||||
21 | 42 | 187983 | --> | |||||
22 | 65 | 1046444 | --> | |||||
23 | 62 | 1704109 | --> | |||||
24 | 45 | 160877 | --> | |||||
25 | 55 | 531307 | --> | |||||
26 | 53 | 486586 | --> | |||||
27 | 63 | 370260 | --> | |||||
28 | 57 | 157159 | --> | |||||
29 | 56 | 393302 | --> | |||||
30 | 53 | 174447 | --> | |||||
31 | 53 | 255342 | --> | |||||
32 | 47 | 193055 | --> | |||||
33 | 44 | 141254 | --> | |||||
34 | 42 | 100285 | --> | |||||
35 | 41 | 221973 | --> | |||||
36 | 40 | 167314 | --> | |||||
37 | 64 | 816904 | --> | |||||
38 | 38 | 15675 | --> | |||||
39 | 37 | 17247 | --> | |||||
40 | 37 | 11401 | --> | |||||
41 | 36 | 5318 | --> | |||||
42 | 60 | 104762 | --> | |||||
43 | 34 | 3114 | --> | |||||
44 | 34 | 13799 | --> | |||||
45 | 34 | 3579 | --> | |||||
46 | 33 | 45107 | --> | |||||
47 | 59 | 333869 | --> | |||||
48 | 59 | 60199 | --> | |||||
49 | 32 | 14977 | --> | |||||
50 | 32 | 7348 | --> | |||||
51 | 32 | 13104 | --> | |||||
52 | 48 | 172643 | --> | |||||
53 | 52 | 396885 | --> | |||||
54 | 51 | 224274 | --> | |||||
55 | 30 | 2137 | --> | |||||
56 | 30 | 6307 | --> | |||||
57 | 28 | 4004 | --> | |||||
58 | 29 | 2682 | --> | |||||
59 | 27 | 6062 | --> | |||||
60 | 28 | 1160 | --> | |||||
61 | 28 | 1306 | --> | |||||
62 | 27 | 3101 | --> | |||||
63 | 27 | 808 | --> | |||||
64 | 47 | 165636 | --> | |||||
65 | 52 | 58631 | --> | |||||
66 | 25 | 1987 | --> | |||||
67 | 24 | 2551 | --> | |||||
68 | 23 | 1447 | --> | |||||
69 | 23 | 9156 | --> | |||||
70 | 23 | 4365 | --> | |||||
71 | 23 | 879 | --> | |||||
72 | 23 | 1633 | --> | |||||
73 | 48 | 10085 | --> | |||||
74 | 46 | 59374 | --> | |||||
75 | 46 | 30500 | --> | |||||
76 | 45 | 239673 | --> | |||||
77 | 44 | 22264 | --> | |||||
78 | 44 | 11859 | --> | |||||
79 | 43 | 12963 | --> | |||||
80 | 42 | 70788 | --> | |||||
81 | 41 | 17067 | --> | |||||
82 | 41 | 52513 | --> | |||||
83 | 40 | 9490 | --> | |||||
84 | 38 | 72739 | --> | |||||
85 | 36 | 10335 | --> | |||||
86 | 36 | 18964 | --> | |||||
87 | 36 | 6156 | --> | |||||
88 | 34 | 20824 | --> | |||||
89 | 34 | 7780 | --> | |||||
90 | 30 | 3988 | --> | |||||
91 | 27 | 17577 | --> | |||||
92 | 30 | 1731 | --> | |||||
93 | 30 | 7880 | --> | |||||
94 | 29 | 140143 | --> | |||||
95 | 28 | 4933 | --> | |||||
96 | 27 | 35045 | --> | |||||
97 | 26 | 29425 | --> | |||||
98 | 26 | 2758 | --> | |||||
99 | 24 | 364 | --> | |||||
100 | 23 | 3031 | --> |
Enjoy this playlist of popular yacht rock music. We made this playlist using an algorithm created by our team.
Discover more related genres to genre. This list is ordered by similarity from left to right.
Million-dollar bashes: a peek inside the 1%'s favorite party destinations.
Yachts, villas, and private performances in lavish destinations are all the makings of a party for ... [+] the wealthy.
When it comes to throwing a party, the wealthy don't just settle for a local venue—they go all out with destination celebrations that are as extravagant as they are unforgettable. And it's not just about destination weddings anymore. From milestone birthdays to exclusive events, these high-profile parties are taking place in some of the most luxurious and remote locations across the globe. Steve Einzig, CEO of BookingEntertainment.com , who has booked events on every continent—except Antarctica—says it best:
“The locations are a huge part of the experience of the party as it becomes part of the uniqueness of seeing an A-list act in such an intimate setting. Not only are the guests having a once in a lifetime concert experience, it’s happening in an incredible location that is not usually used for concerts (a private villa, a yacht or an estate for example). If we can time the sunset with the time of the concert, that can also bring another incredible dimension to the experience as well.”
With that in mind, here are some incredible locations where Einzig and his team have helped clients book entertainment for some of the most over-the-top bashes.
Imagine this: A two-night private party for 75 guests, held behind a $25 million villa at the prestigious Amanyara resort in Turks & Caicos. The first night? The Wailers. The second night? Earth, Wind & Fire. Yes, you read that right.
For those familiar with Amanyara, it's an extraordinary collection of private villas set along the ocean on the remote side of the island. Each villa is its own oasis, complete with a private chef, guest houses, pools, and a pristine beach. Hosting a concert under the stars on the private beach of one of these lavish villas is nothing short of magical. The ocean waves, the Caribbean breeze, and iconic music legends—this is the ultimate party venue.
Trump vs. harris 2024 polls: harris leads trump in latest post-dnc surveys, today’s nyt mini crossword clues and answers for wednesday, august 28th, yacht in porto santo stefano – a mediterranean surprise.
Take a 257-foot yacht, anchor it off the coast of Porto Santo Stefano, and surprise your guests with a performance by the Gipsy Kings. Sounds like a dream? Well, it happened.
The yacht was stationed on the Mediterranean coast, just an hour north of Rome, and the surprise element was key. The band was secretly brought on board via a tender and sneaked through an ocean-level door, up the elevator, and into the galley, which had been transformed into a green room. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the birthday boy had no clue what was coming. When the Gipsy Kings started playing, the evening turned into an unforgettable Mediterranean experience, with the stunning backdrop of the Italian coastline.
How about a private concert with Bon Jovi at Mick Jagger's old house in Barbados? This mansion, now owned by the client who hosted the party, sits on a cliff overlooking the ocean, with two levels that create a natural stage for rock legends.
The setup was ideal: a top-level mansion, a staircase leading down to a pool house, a lawn, and a cliff that plunges 200 feet to the ocean below. The bands performed with the ocean as their backdrop under a full moon that reflected perfectly off the water. It was nothing short of spectacular, a rock-and-roll fantasy come to life.
Picture this: A 21st birthday party for the daughter of the Lavazza coffee empire owner, hosted on a private beach in Piombino, Tuscany. The event was an elaborate dinner celebration, capped off with a surprise performance by international DJ Robin Schulz.
The whole event was so grand that news stations covered it from afar. Tuscany's natural beauty, an exclusive beach, and world-class entertainment combined to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the guests.
For a more remote yet equally luxurious option, consider hosting a milestone celebration at the ultra-luxurious Amangiri Hotel in Utah. Imagine a custom yurt and stage built in the middle of a canyon, with 150 guests enjoying a surprise performance by Nelly. The unique desert setting, coupled with the hotel's opulent accommodations, made for an unforgettable 50th birthday party that could easily have cost a few million dollars. The lighting setup alone, bouncing off the canyon walls, turned the desert into an ethereal dreamscape.
These destinations prove that when it comes to throwing a truly over-the-top bash, the sky's the limit—and so is the budget. From private islands in the Caribbean to luxury yachts in the Mediterranean and even secluded desert canyons in Utah, each location offers something unique and spectacular. So, if you're planning a milestone birthday, an exclusive event, or just want to throw a party that no one will forget, these destinations are where memories (and possibly a few million dollars) are made. Now, the only question is: Where will you throw your next legendary bash?
One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.
Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.
In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service. We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.
Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:
User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:
So, how can you be a power user?
Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service.
Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at 3:30 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream now with KPBS Passport + Encores Sunday, Sept. 1 at Noon and Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. on KPBS TV
In a musical voyage like no other, “Yacht Rock Revue” sets sail on the shimmering seas for a nostalgic journey through the hits of the late '70s and early '80s, where soft rock and smooth grooves rule the waves. A talented group featuring exceptional musicianship and tight harmonies, the program pays homage to the golden era of yacht rock, delivering pitch-perfect renditions of iconic classics from artists like Hall & Oates , Steely Dan , Toto , Michael McDonald , and more.
“Yacht Rock Revue” takes audiences back in time with their lush instrumentation, soulful voices, and tight jeans. Their infectious enthusiasm and engaging stage presence create a feel-good atmosphere that encourages everyone to sing along and dance the night away. The music transports viewers to a bygone era of breezy melodies and yacht rock magic.
Yacht Rock Revue is on Facebook / Instagram
Each week we’re featuring a playlist to get your mind going and help you assemble your favorites. This week we take a deep dive into the soft rock hits of the late ’70s and early ’80s, which have come to be known in some circles as Yacht Rock. The term Yacht Rock generally refers to music in the era where yuppies enjoyed sipping champagne on their yachts — a concept explored in the original web series Yacht Rock, which debuted in 2005 and has developed a cult following. Artists most commonly thought of in the Yacht Rock era include Michael McDonald, Ambrosia, 10cc, Toto, Kenny Loggins, Boz Scaggs, and Christopher Cross. Yacht Rock has become the muse of a great number of tribute bands and is the current subject of a short-run channel on Sirius XM.
Here is a stab at the Top 100 Songs of Yacht Rock — not necessarily in rank order, with a few more added for honorable mention. We welcome your comments. What songs are ranked too high? What songs are ranked too low? What songs are missing? Make your case. Also, please let us know concepts for playlists you’d like to see — or share a favorite list of your own.
Artist | Title | |
---|---|---|
1 | Steely Dan | Hey Nineteen |
2 | Herb Alpert | Route 101 |
3 | Robbie Dupree | Steal Away |
4 | Jan Hammer Group | Don't You Know |
5 | Blues Image | Ride Captain Ride |
6 | Toto/Cheryl Lynn | Georgy Porgy |
7 | Gerry Rafferty | Right Down The Line |
8 | Paul Young | Every Time You Go Away |
9 | Boz Scaggs | Jojo |
10 | Johnny Nash | I Can See Clearly Now |
11 | Daryl Hall/John Oates | Sara Smile |
12 | Orleans | Dance With Me |
13 | Olivia Newton John | Magic |
14 | Seals & Crofts | Summer Breeze |
15 | Lionel Richie | All Night Long |
16 | Fleetwood Mac | You Make Loving Fun |
17 | Steely Dan | Deacon Blues |
18 | Christopher Cross | Ride Like The Wind |
19 | Little River Band | Cool Change |
20 | Jackson Browne | Somebody's Baby |
21 | 10cc | Dreadlock Holiday |
22 | Dr. Hook | When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman |
23 | Boz Scaggs | Lowdown |
24 | Player | This Time I'm In It For Love |
25 | Fleetwood Mac | Everywhere |
26 | Steely Dan | Peg |
27 | Todd Rundgren | I Saw The Light |
28 | Gerry Rafferty | Baker Street |
29 | Eagles | One Of These Nights |
30 | James Ingram | Yah-Mo Be There |
31 | 10cc | I'm Not In Love |
32 | Ambrosia | Biggest Part Of Me |
33 | Terri Gibbs | Somebody's Knockin' |
34 | Atlanta Rhythm Section | So In To You |
35 | Boz Scaggs | Lido Shuffle |
36 | Steve Miller Band | Wild Mountain Honey |
37 | Michael McDonald | I Gotta Try |
38 | Matthew Wilder | Break My Stride |
39 | England Dan & John Ford Coley | I'd Really Love To See You Tonight |
40 | Player | Baby Come Back |
41 | Kenny Loggins | This Is It |
42 | Michael McDonald | I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) |
43 | Toto | Rosanna |
44 | Daryl Hall/John Oates | Kiss On My List |
45 | The Doobie Brothers | What A Fool Believes |
46 | Christopher Cross | Sailing |
47 | Loggins & Messina | Watching The River Run |
48 | Eagles | The Long Run |
49 | Looking Glass | Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) |
50 | Bread | Everything I Own |
51 | Steely Dan | Reelin' in the Years |
52 | Joe Jackson | Steppin' Out |
53 | Jackson Browne | Doctor My Eyes |
54 | Sanford & Townsend | Smoke from a Distant Fire |
55 | Bobby Caldwell | What You Won't Do For Love |
56 | Fleetwood Mac | Rhiannon |
57 | Ace | How Long |
58 | Daryl Hall/John Oates | Rich Girl |
59 | Toto | Africa |
60 | Steely Dan | Do It Again |
61 | Bertie Higgins | Key Largo |
62 | Rupert Holmes | Escape (The Pina Colada Song) |
63 | Little River Band | Reminiscing |
64 | Jimmy Buffett | Margaritaville |
65 | Fleetwood Mac | Dreams |
66 | Firefall | Just Remember I Love You |
67 | Eagles | I Can't Tell You Why |
68 | Eagles | The Best Of My Love |
69 | Eagles | Take It To The Limit |
70 | Eagles | Tequila Sunrise |
71 | Chicago | Saturday In The Park |
72 | Bob Welch | Sentimental Lady |
73 | America | Sister Golden Hair |
74 | America | A Horse With No Name |
75 | Ambrosia | How Much I Feel |
76 | Alan Parsons | Eye In The Sky |
77 | Air Supply | Lost In Love |
78 | Steely Dan | Dirty Work |
79 | Steely Dan | Only A Fool Would Say That |
80 | Orleans | Still The One |
81 | Stephen Bishop | Sinking In An Ocean Of Tears |
82 | 10cc | The Things We Do For Love |
83 | America | Ventura Highway |
84 | Al Stewart | Year Of The Cat |
85 | Bread | Baby I'm A Want You |
86 | Firefall | You Are The Woman |
87 | George Benson | Gimme The Night |
88 | Barbara Streisand/Barry Gibb | Guilty |
89 | Christopher Cross | Arthur's Theme |
90 | Marty Balin | Hearts |
91 | Poco | Barbados |
92 | Daryl Hall/John Oates | I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) |
93 | Al Stewart | Time Passages |
94 | Jay Ferguson | Thunder Island |
95 | Dr. Hook | Sexy Eyes |
96 | Donald Fagen | I.G.Y. |
97 | Michael McDonald | Gotta Try |
98 | Bread | Make It With You |
99 | Pablo Cruise | Whatcha Gonna Do |
100 | Doobie Brothers | Dependin' On You |
101 | Ozark Mountain Daredevils | Jackie Blue |
102 | Pablo Cruise | Love Will Find A Way |
103 | Starbuck | Moonlight Feels Right |
104 | Billy Ocean | Caribbean Queen |
105 | Linda Ronstadt | Ooh Baby Baby |
106 | Hues Corporation | Rock The Boat |
107 | Loggins & Messina | Danny's Song |
108 | Rupert Holmes | Answering Machine |
109 | Stephen Bishop | On And On |
110 | Bread | The Guitar Man |
111 | Seals & Crofts | Diamond Girl |
112 | Air Supply | Even The Nights Are Better |
113 | Ambrosia | You're The Only Woman |
114 | George Benson | Breezin' |
115 | Daryl Hall/John Oates | She's Gone |
116 | Dave Loggins | Please Come To Boston |
117 | Rickie Lee Jones | Chuck E.'s In Love |
118 | Captain/Tennille | Love Will Keep Us Together |
119 | Dr. Hook | Better Love Next Time |
120 | Chilliwack | I Believe |
121 | Crosby, Stills & Nash | Southern Cross |
122 | Climax Blues Band | Couldn't Get It Right |
123 | Gilbert O'Sullivan | Alone Again (Naturally) |
124 | America | Daisy Jane |
125 | Beach Boys | Sail On, Sailor |
Please Join Our FREE Newsletter!
Related articles more from author, let’s go girls – a new celebrity bar is coming to nashville’s broadway, tpac launches international dance series, everything new coming to prime video september 2024, close to home events, disney on ice to bring magic to bridgestone arena: special labor..., pilgrimage festival celebrates 10 years of growth of the americana triangle..., ryman auditorium announces fall dates for sidewalk sessions, uk band the chameleons to bring tour to nashville, see photos from reagan movie premiere in franklin, country music hall of fame adds over 20,000 items from marty..., 6 live shows this week- august 26, 2024, close to home news, top 5 stories from august 28, 2024, burn ban issued for city of la vergne, nashville teen seven whitman found safe, maxpreps high school football rankings 2024, kroger offers labor day savings, middle tennessee high school football schedule – week 2.
Editorial Inquiries 615-807-0805
Advertising Inquiries 615-535-4554
All Other Inquiries 615-899-2447
Email field is required to subscribe.
You Have Successfully Subscribed to the Newsletter
IMAGES
COMMENTS
20. "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)," Looking Glass (1972) Like "Summer Breeze" (found later in our list of Top 50 Yacht Rock Songs), Looking Glass' tale of an alluring barmaid in a busy harbor town ...
Furthermore, Aja, the album that houses Peg, is one of the most impressive American albums of all time, beyond its Yacht Rock appeal. 3. Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass. Released in 1972, the one-hit wonder by Looking Glass, Brandy, established a much bigger name for itself than the band ever managed to achieve on its own.
(Top) 1 Notes. 2 References. Toggle the table of contents. List of yacht rock artists. Add languages. Add links. Article; Talk; English. Read; Edit; View history; Tools. ... The following is a list of yacht rock bands and artists. Yacht rock. Airplay [1] [2] Alessi [1] Ambrosia [3] [4] America [5] Attitudes [1] Patti Austin [1] Average White ...
A few non-rock artists almost made this list (George Michael's 'Careless Whisper' and Spandau Ballet's 'True' are almost examples, but not quite), yet a big chunk of Thriller heavily relied on the yacht rock sound. Michael Jackson proved just how popular the genre could get with several songs on the album, but 'Human Nature' is the finest example.
Putting aside its self-aware inauthenticity, "Africa" is an infectious, 8x platinum AOR monster. 5. "Reminiscing" by Little River Band. Released in the summer of 1978 and reaching up to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Reminiscing" was guitarist Graeham Goble 's nostalgic take on the swing band era.
Artists most commonly thought of in the Yacht Rock era include Michael McDonald, Ambrosia, 10cc, Toto, Kenny Loggins, Boz Scaggs, and Christopher Cross. Yacht Rock has become the muse of a great number of tribute bands, and is the current subject of a short-run channel on Sirius XM.
Playlist · Yacht Rock - 100 Best Ever - Top Yacht Rock Songs · 113 songs · 2.2K likes
Officially, to be considered Yacht Rock, the song must have been released between 1976 and 1984, and I adhere to this rule for the 101. That means no songs that are proto-Yacht Rock, such as Seals ...
Discussing the history and style of yacht rock music. ... Top 100 Classic Rock Artists. Next: The Top 100 Live Albums. Categories: Longform, Opinion. More From Ultimate Classic Rock.
Yacht Rock Extravaganza - The Top 24 Greatest Yacht Rock SongsI've been wanting to put together a best of Yacht Rock list for quite sometime. Now that we're into the month of May - I'm insp ... Sound Vapors is an online music, and entertainment site designed to bring readers closer to bands/artists and the music they create.
Here's the foremost Top 100 yacht rock songs of all time. In fact, here's the real deal. More importantly, for you aficionados, these are the songs you've been looking for. ... In fact, some of those artists emerge on the yacht like Jackson Browne, Carly Simon, and Rupert Holmes. Yacht rock Songs subgenre.
Toto rightfully has a place in the yacht rock world, but the band also broke into the top-40, FM radio, and MTV mainstream with the release of 1982's Toto IV."Rosanna" was a big reason for the ...
Yacht Rock: Album Guide. From Steely Dan to Christopher Cross to Carly Simon, these smooth summer jams will take you away to where you're going to. Walter Becker, left, and Donald Fagen are Steely ...
Browse the top yacht rock artists to find new music. Scrobble songs to get recommendations on tracks you'll love. ... Yacht Rock Artists Box Fan. 1,060 listeners. We don't have a wiki here yet... Don't want to see ads? Upgrade Now. Sneaker. 7,868 listeners. There are at least 3 bands/artists named Sneaker, an American rock band from 1973 to ...
YACHT ROCK | TOP 100 SONGS. Filtr. Preview. 70s + 80s Soft Rock for a day on the boat. Island tunes, chill summer hits + nothing but smooth sailing while jamming to hits from TOTO, Looking Glass, Billy Joel, Hall & Oates + more. ... Featured Artists. Looking Glass. Earth, Wind & Fire. Toto. Kenny Loggins. Christopher Cross. The Doobie Brothers ...
Of course no Top 10 list, especially one dedicated to such a maligned sub-genre as Yacht Rock, would be complete without a few Honorable Mentions: Top 10 Yacht Songs Honorable Mentions
Listen to the The Best Yacht Rock Songs (That Don't Suck) playlist by Rolling Stone on Apple Music. 12 Songs. Duration: 1 hour, 1 minute. ... Top 100. 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: Top 100. 12 Songs Written by Bert Berns. ... Featured Artists. Steely Dan. The Doobie Brothers. Gerry Rafferty. 10cc. Daryl Hall & John Oates. Boz Scaggs. Blues ...
If you don't love songs about boats, one-night stands, and breezy California nights, you've come to the wrong place. Yacht Rock embodies the singer-songwriter soft rock that dominated FM radio playlists in the '70s. Combine slick L.A. production, earnest singing, and a touch of lite-country songwriting, and chances are, you had a Top 40 hit. These are the best of them.
Top New yacht rock Songs of 2024. Solitary Man. Neil Diamond. Love is Blue (feat. The Robert Farnon Orchestra) George Benson. Stone Flower. Lee Ritenour. Window To The World.
Share your videos with friends, family, and the world
Sailing: The Best Of Yacht Rock is the ultimate #YachtRock playlist of the smoothest classic rock songs ever written.
The genre 'yacht rock' (gotta love the name) is a type of soft rock that incorporates west coast style instrumentation and vocals. ... with one another. The '72 classic rock tune was covered during a live performance at the CMAs in 2014, featuring artists like Hunter Hayes and Jennifer Nettles. ... This 1980 top ten Steely Dan hit finds ...
Yacht in Porto Santo Stefano - A Mediterranean Surprise ... with two levels that create a natural stage for rock legends. The setup was ideal: a top-level mansion, a staircase leading down to a ...
Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at 3:30 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream now with KPBS Passport + Encores Sunday, Sept. 1 at Noon and Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. on KPBS TV. Set sail on the shimmering seas for a ...
Artists most commonly thought of in the Yacht Rock era include Michael McDonald, Ambrosia, 10cc, Toto, Kenny Loggins, Boz Scaggs, and Christopher Cross. Yacht Rock has become the muse of a great number of tribute bands and is the current subject of a short-run channel on Sirius XM. ... Here is a stab at the Top 100 Songs of Yacht Rock — not ...