An Introduction to Yacht Rock

The late 1970s and early 1980s were a golden age for popular music, with the legendary songs of The Eagles, Van Halen, and Bruce Springsteen Dominating the airwaves. But while all this was going on, the session musicians of southern California were creating a different style of music, characterized by smooth grooves, and a combination of jazz, rock, and R&B influence. That’s right- I’m talking about yacht rock. 

While many people are familiar with yacht rock, how the genre should be classified is frequently debated. To find out, let's look back to how the phrase was coined. The term yacht rock did not exist when the music was new. In 2005, J. D. Ryznar, Hunter Stair, and David B. Lyons produced a mockumentary web series based on the careers of soft rock musicians. They called the series Yacht Rock and the name stuck.

If you’re new to yacht rock, and need some essentials to listen to, here are some of my recommendations:

Steely Dan

If you’re not familiar with “The Dan,” allow me to explain. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen wrote all the songs, but the rest of the band was made up of a rotating group of elite session musicians. Becker and Fagen were notorious for their attention to detail and perfectionism in the studio, often having the session musicians record dozens of takes of each track until they finally had one they were satisfied with. This resulted in Steely Dan’s beautifully polished sound.

Many of Steely Dan's rotating musicians went on to become yacht rock icons including Michael McDonald, and Jeff Porcaro of Toto. Their “yachtiest” album is definitely 1980’s Gaucho. The album is filled with smooth, beautifully produced songs. The lyrics take place in California (as opposed to other Steely Dan songs which are set in New York), adding to the yacht rock atmosphere.

Michael McDonald

Micheel McDonald is the definitive yacht rock artist. Even if you’ve never heard his name before, odds are you’ll recognize his voice. After touring with Steely Dan in the 1970s, he became the lead vocalist for The Doobie Brothers in 1975. McDonald took the band in an entirely new direction, from mainstream blues influenced rock and roll to softer Blue-eyed soul sound driven by horns and electric piano. “What a Fool Believes” is probably the most well-known song from this era, and remains at the top of the yacht rock creators’ Yacht or Nyacht Leaderboard. It is definitely worth a listen.

Kenny Loggins

Kenny Loggins is probably best known for the songs from Footloose, and Caddyshack, but he also pioneered the yacht rock genre. Loggins and McDonald co-wrote several essential songs for any yacht rock playlist including, “What a Fool Believes, ” and also “Heart to Heart” and “This is it.”

What makes yacht rock interesting is that in contrast to most mainstream rock of the time period, it is softer, smoother, and much more intensively produced. This is also what makes it approachable today. Even if, like me, you aren’t influenced by personal nostalgia for yacht rock, this music is definitely something to be appreciated.