the best yacht rock albums

A beginner’s guide to yacht rock in five essential albums

Yacht rock, soft rock – call it what you will. Here are five brilliant albums that define the genre in all its bearded, Hawaiian shirted glory

Segments of five classic yacht rock album covers

Was there really ever a genre called yacht rock ? Prior to the 2005 online comedy series of the same name, what we now know of as yacht rock was simply soft rock, largely of the 1970s variety, but occasionally dipping into the 80s as well. It was music that was smooth, slick and did little to challenge the listener in the way that heavy metal or punk rock would. Yet sold in the multi-millions, made superstars of its creators, and was beloved by industry professionals for the stellar musicianship and high production values. And above all, it was detested by the critics.

Today, yacht rock is the ultimate guilty pleasure genre. Its patron saints - almost exclusively men, generally bearded – never appeared on posters that graced adolescents’ walls. Yet bands and artists such as The Doobie Brothers , Loggins & Messina and Christopher Cross made sweet, soulful music featuring some of the finest musicians of the era and sounding so, so perfect in the process.

Unlike prog, hair metal or krautrock, the boundaries of what constitutes yacht rock are blurred. There’s little to link the jazzy noodlings of Steely Dan , Boz Scaggs’ smooth pop and the later, 80s pop-rock of Hall & Oates beyond the fact that the various members of Toto appeared on many of these albums, making them kind of a yacht rock mafia.

Yacht rock, soft rock, call it what you will: the men who made it are laughing all the way to the bank in their Hawaiian shirts and well-sculpted facial hair while the rest of us celebrate their music in all its frictionless glory. Critics be damned, these are the five essential yacht rock albums for those who want to plunge into the genre.

Loggins & Messina - Full Sail (1973)

Kenny Loggins was a boyish-looking yet handsomely bearded fellow with a penchant for country-esque ballads. Jim Messina had been in Buffalo Springfield and country rockers Poco . The pair teamed up to record some of Loggins’ material and ended up becoming an unlikely success story, notching up hits with 1971 single The House At Pooh Corner and the following year’s Your Mama Don’t Dance , later covered by hair metallers Poison.

But 1973’s Full Sail was their apex. Featuring the ultimate yacht rock album cover (two men, one yacht), the album itself contains everything from the calypso frivolity of Lahaina , and the smooth jazz of Travellin’ Blues to the joyously upbeat My Music and hit ballad Watching The River Run . This is yacht rock’s ground zero. Boys, what did you unleash?

Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees (1976)

An early member of the Steve Miller Band , guitarist and vocalist Boz Scaggs’ solo career had begun 1969. But nothing had clicked with the record buying public until he hooked up with David Paich, Jeff Porcaro and David Hungate, all of whom were on the verge of forming Toto , and recorded his seventh solo album, Silk Degrees . A masterful mix of smooth pop and slick ballads, it spawned hits in the shape of It’s Over , Lowdown , We’re All Alone (made famous by Rita Coolidge) and the pulsating Lido Shuffle , a bona fide dancefloor filler.

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Steely Dan - Aja (1977)

Arguments rage as to whether these protagonists of achingly cool and clever jazz rock belong in the yacht rock genre, but hey, if the people who made the Yacht Rock online series say the are, who are we to argue?

Their sixth album, Aja , saw Walter Becker and Donald Fagan stretching out into longer form pieces of music that were funkier and jazzier than they’d ever been before, capping it off with one of the most pristine production jobs ever – such were their levels of perfectionism that six crack session guitarists tried and failed to lay down the guitar solo on Peg to their satisfaction (it was the seventh, Jay Graydon, who nailed it). Bonus yacht rock points: auxiliary Dan backing vocalist/keyboard player Michael McDonald was also a member of The Doobie Brothers.

The Doobie Brothers – Minute By Minute (1978)

In 1974, Steely Dan guitarist Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter moved across to hugely successful blues rockers The Doobie Brothers on a free transfer. The following year, he suggested recruiting Dan backing singer/pianist Michael McDonald as a replacement for the Doobies’ ailing guitarist/vocalist Tom Johnstone.

With his blue-eyed soul croon and knack for writing uptempo R&B-infused songs, McDonald helped nudge the band towards smoother waters. By 1978’s Minute By Minute , they had fully transformed from moustachioed chooglers into yacht rock kingpins. The album’s blend of soft rock and R&B reached its apotheosis on the majestic What A Fool Believes – co-written with Kenny Loggins, naturally – which ultimately helped turn McDonald into a bigger star than the band. For the record, the singer’s 1986 Sweet Freedom compilation is also yacht rock gold.

Christopher Cross - Christopher Cross (1979)

When Christopher Cross released his self-titled debut album in December 1979, no-one knew who he was. A year later, he’d racked up four Top 20 hits and swept the boards at the Grammy Awards.

It’s not hard to see why: Cross’ spectacular voice was matched by the brilliance of his songs. Everyone knows Ride Like The Wind , featuring that Michael McDonald fella on backing vocals, but it was the mellower Sailing that hit the No. 1 spot ( Ride… only managed No. 2). A year later Cross’ theme to the movie Arthur won him and co-writer Burt Bacharach an Oscar.

Cross was no slouch as a musician either: Steely Dan had asked him to play on their albums and he even filled in for a sick Ritchie Blackmore at a Deep Purple US show back in 1970.

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.

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Top 50 Yacht Rock Songs

Yacht rock was one of the most commercially successful genres to emerge from the '70s and yet has managed to evade concise definition since its inception. For many listeners, it boils down to a feeling or mood that cannot be found in other kinds of music: Simply put, you know it when you hear it.

Some agreed-upon elements are crucial to yacht rock. One is its fluidity, with more emphasis on a catchy, easy-feeling melody than on beat or rhythm. Another is a generally lighthearted attitude in the lyrics. Think Seals & Crofts ' "Summer Breeze," Christopher Cross ' "Ride Like the Wind" or Bill Withers ' "Just the Two of Us." Yes, as its label suggests, music that would fit perfectly being played from the deck of a luxurious boat on the high seas.

But even these roughly outlined "rules" can be flouted and still considered yacht rock. Plenty of bands that are typically deemed "nyacht" rock have made their attempts at the genre: Crosby, Stills & Nash got a bit nautical with "Southern Cross," leading with their famed tightly knit harmonies, and Fleetwood Mac also entered yacht rock territory with "Dreams" – which, although lyrically dour, offers a sense of melody in line with yacht rock.

Given its undefined parameters, the genre has become one of music's most expansive corners. From No. 1 hits to deeper-cut gems, we've compiled a list of 50 Top Yacht Rock Songs to set sail to below.

50. "Thunder Island," Jay Ferguson (1978)

Younger generations might be more apt to recognize Jay Ferguson from his score for NBC's The Office , where he also portrayed the guitarist in Kevin Malone's band Scrantonicity. But Ferguson's musical roots go back to the '60s band Spirit; he was also in a group with one of the future members of Firefall, signaling a '70s-era shift toward yacht rock and "Thunder Island." The once-ubiquitous single began its steady ascent in October 1977 before reaching the Top 10 in April of the following year. Producer Bill Szymczyk helped it get there by bringing in his buddy Joe Walsh for a soaring turn on the slide. The best showing Ferguson had after this, however, was the quickly forgotten 1979 Top 40 hit "Shakedown Cruise." (Nick DeRiso)

49. "Southern Cross," Crosby, Stills & Nash (1982)

CSN's "Southern Cross" was an example of a more literal interpretation of yacht rock, one in which leftover material was revitalized by Stephen Stills . He sped up the tempo of a song titled " Seven League Boots " originally penned by brothers Rick and Michael Curtis, then laid in new lyrics about, yes, an actual boat ride. "I rewrote a new set of words and added a different chorus, a story about a long boat trip I took after my divorce," Stills said in the liner notes to 1991's CSN box. "It's about using the power of the universe to heal your wounds." The music video for the song, which went into heavy rotation on MTV, also prominently displayed the band members aboard a large vessel. (Allison Rapp)

48. "Jackie Blue," the Ozark Mountain Daredevils (1974)

Drummer Larry Lee only had a rough idea of what he wanted to do with "Jackie Blue," originally naming it after a bartending dope pusher. For a long time, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils' best-known single remained an instrumental with the place-keeper lyric, " Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh Jackie Blue. He was dada, and dada doo. He did this, he did that ... ." Producer Glyn Johns, who loved the track, made a key suggestion – and everything finally snapped into place: "No, no, no, mate," Johns told them. "Jackie Blue has to be a girl." They "knocked some new lyrics out in about 30 minutes," Lee said in It Shined: The Saga of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils . "[From] some drugged-out guy, we changed Jackie into a reclusive girl." She'd go all the way to No. 3. (DeRiso)

47. "Sailing," Christopher Cross (1979)

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more quintessential yacht rock song than “Sailing.” The second single (and first chart-topper) off Christopher Cross’ 1979 self-titled debut offers an intoxicating combination of dreamy strings, singsong vocals and shimmering, open-tuned guitar arpeggios that pay deference to Cross’ songwriting idol, Joni Mitchell . “These tunings, like Joni used to say, they get you in this sort of trance,” Cross told Songfacts in 2013. “The chorus just sort of came out. … So I got up and wandered around the apartment just thinking, ‘Wow, that's pretty fuckin' great.’” Grammy voters agreed: “Sailing” won Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Arrangement at the 1981 awards. (Bryan Rolli)

46. "Just the Two of Us," Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr. (1980)

A collaboration between singer Bill Withers and saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. resulted in the sleek "Just the Two of Us." When first approached with the song, Withers insisted on reworking the lyrics. "I'm a little snobbish about words," he said in 2004 . "I said, 'Yeah, if you'll let me go in and try to dress these words up a little bit.' Everybody that knows me is kind of used to me that way. I probably threw in the stuff like the crystal raindrops. The 'Just the Two of Us' thing was already written. It was trying to put a tuxedo on it." The track was completed with some peppy backing vocals and a subtle slap bass part. (Rapp)

45. "Sara Smile," Daryl Hall & John Oates (1975)

It doesn't get much smoother than "Sara Smile," Daryl Hall & John Oates ' first Top 10 hit in the U.S. The song was written for Sara Allen, Hall's longtime girlfriend, whom he had met when she was working as a flight attendant. His lead vocal, which was recorded live, is clear as a bell on top of a velvety bass line and polished backing vocals that nodded to the group's R&B influences. “It was a song that came completely out of my heart," Hall said in 2018 . "It was a postcard. It’s short and sweet and to the point." Hall and Allen stayed together for almost 30 years before breaking up in 2001. (Rapp)

44. "Rosanna," Toto (1982)

One of the most identifiable hits of 1982 was written by Toto co-founder David Paich – but wasn't about Rosanna Arquette, as some people have claimed, even though keyboardist Steve Porcaro was dating the actress at the time. The backbeat laid down by drummer Jeff Porcaro – a "half-time shuffle" similar to what John Bonham played on " Fool in the Rain " – propels the track, while vocal harmonies and emphatic brass sections add further layers. The result is an infectious and uplifting groove – yacht rock at its finest. (Corey Irwin)

43. "Diamond Girl," Seals & Crofts (1973)

Seals & Crofts were soft-rock stylists with imagination, dolling up their saccharine melodies with enough musical intrigue to survive beyond the seemingly obvious shelf life. Granted, the lyrics to “Diamond Girl,” one of the duo’s three No. 6 hits, are as sterile as a surgery-operating room, built on pseudo-romantic nothing-isms ( “Now that I’ve found you, it’s around you that I am” — what a perfectly natural phrase!). But boy, oh boy does that groove sound luxurious beaming out of a hi-fi system, with every nuance — those stacked backing vocals, that snapping piano — presented in full analog glory. (Ryan Reed)

42. "What You Won't Do for Love," Bobby Caldwell (1978)

Smooth. From the opening horn riffs and the soulful keyboard to the funk bass and the velvety vocals of Bobby Caldwell, everything about “What You Won’t Do for Love” is smooth. Released in September 1978, the track peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went on to become the biggest hit of Caldwell’s career. It was later given a second life after being sampled for rapper 2Pac's posthumously released 1998 hit single “Do for Love.” (Irwin)

41. "We Just Disagree," Dave Mason (1977)

Dave Mason's ace in the hole on the No. 12 smash "We Just Disagree" was Jim Krueger, who composed the track, shared the harmony vocal and played that lovely guitar figure. "It was a song that when he sang it to me, it was like, 'Yeah, that's the song,'" Mason told Greg Prato in 2014. "Just him and a guitar, which is usually how I judge whether I'm going to do something. If it holds up like that, I'll put the rest of the icing on it." Unfortunately, the multitalented Krueger died of pancreatic cancer at age 43. By then, Mason had disappeared from the top of the charts, never getting higher than No. 39 again. (DeRiso)

40. "Crazy Love," Poco (1978)

Rusty Young was paneling a wall when inspiration struck. He'd long toiled in the shadow of Stephen Stills , Richie Furay and Neil Young , serving in an instrumentalist role with Buffalo Springfield and then Poco . "Crazy Love" was his breakout moment, and he knew it. Rusty Young presented the song before he'd even finished the lyric, but his Poco bandmates loved the way the stopgap words harmonized. "I told the others, 'Don't worry about the ' ooh, ooh, ahhhh haaa ' part. I can find words for that," Young told the St. Louis Dispatch in 2013. "And they said, 'Don't do that. That's the way it's supposed to be.'" It was: Young's first big vocal became his group's only Top 20 hit. (DeRiso)

39. "Suspicions," Eddie Rabbitt (1979)

Eddie Rabbitt 's move from country to crossover stardom was hurtled along by "Suspicions," as a song about a cuckold's worry rose to the Top 20 on both the pop and adult-contemporary charts. Behind the scenes, there was an even clearer connection to yacht rock: Co-writer Even Stevens said Toto's David Hungate played bass on the date. As important as it was for his career, Rabbitt later admitted that he scratched out "Suspicions" in a matter of minutes, while on a lunch break in the studio on the last day of recording his fifth album at Wally Heider's Los Angeles studio. "Sometimes," Rabbitt told the Associated Press in 1985, "the words just fall out of my mouth." (DeRiso)

38. "Moonlight Feels Right," Starbuck (1976)

No sound in rock history is more yacht friendly than Bruce Blackman’s laugh: hilarious, arbitrary, smug, speckled with vocal fry, arriving just before each chorus of Starbuck’s signature tune. Why is this human being laughing? Shrug. Guess the glow of night will do that to you. Then again, this is one of the more strange hits of the '70s — soft-pop hooks frolicking among waves of marimba and synthesizers that could have been plucked from a classic prog epic. “ The eastern moon looks ready for a wet kiss ,” Blackman croons, “ to make the tide rise again .” It’s a lunar make-out session, baby. (Reed)

37. "Same Old Lang Syne," Dan Fogelberg (1981)

“Same Old Lang Syne” is a masterclass in economic storytelling, and its tragedy is in the things both protagonists leave unsaid. Dan Fogelberg weaves a devastating tale of two former lovers who run into each other at a grocery store on Christmas Eve and spend the rest of the night catching up and reminiscing. Their circumstances have changed — he’s a disillusioned professional musician, she’s stuck in an unhappy marriage — but their love for each other is still palpable if only they could overcome their fears and say it out loud. They don’t, of course, and when Fogelberg bids his high-school flame adieu, he’s left with only his bittersweet memories and gnawing sense of unfulfillment to keep him warm on that snowy (and later rainy) December night. (Rolli)

36. "Eye in the Sky," the Alan Parsons Project (1982)

Few songs strike a chord with both prog nerds and soft-rock enthusiasts, but the Alan Parsons Project's “Eye in the Sky” belongs to that exclusive club. The arrangement is all smooth contours and pillowy textures: By the time Eric Woolfson reaches the chorus, shyly emoting about romantic deception over a bed of Wurlitzer keys and palm-muted riffs, the effect is like falling slow motion down a waterfall onto a memory foam mattress. But there’s artfulness here, too, from Ian Bairnson’s seductive guitar solo to the titular phrase conjuring some kind of god-like omniscience. (Reed)

35. "Somebody's Baby," Jackson Browne (1982)

Jackson Browne 's highest-charting single, and his last Top 10 hit, was originally tucked away on the soundtrack for the 1982 teen comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High . That placed Browne, one of the most earnest of singer-songwriters, firmly out of his element. "It was not typical of what Jackson writes at all, that song," co-composer Danny Kortchmar told Songfacts in 2013. "But because it was for this movie, he changed his general approach and came up with this fantastic song." Still unsure of how it would fit in, Browne refused to place "Somebody's Baby" on his next proper album – something he'd later come to regret . Lawyers in Love broke a string of consecutive multiplatinum releases dating back to 1976. (DeRiso)

34. "Still the One," Orleans (1976)

Part of yacht rock’s charm is being many things but only to a small degree. Songs can be jazzy, but not experimental. Brass sections are great but don’t get too funky. And the songs should rock, but not rock . In that mold comes Orleans’ 1976 hit “Still the One.” On top of a chugging groove, frontman John Hall sings about a romance that continues to stand the test of time. This love isn’t the white-hot flame that leaves passionate lovers burned – more like a soft, medium-level heat that keeps things comfortably warm. The tune is inoffensive, catchy and fun, aka yacht-rock gold. (Irwin)

33. "New Frontier," Donald Fagen (1982)

In which an awkward young man attempts to spark a Cold War-era fling — then, hopefully, a longer, post-apocalyptic relationship — via bomb shelter bunker, chatting up a “big blond” with starlet looks and a soft spot for Dave Brubeck. Few songwriters could pull off a lyrical concept so specific, and almost no one but Donald Fagen could render it catchy. “New Frontier,” a signature solo cut from the Steely Dan maestro, builds the sleek jazz-funk of Gaucho into a more digital-sounding landscape, with Fagen stacking precise vocal harmonies over synth buzz and bent-note guitar leads. (Reed)

32. "Sail On, Sailor," the Beach Boys (1973)

The Beach Boys were reworking a new album when Van Dyke Parks handed them this updated version of an unfinished Brian Wilson song. All that was left was to hand the mic over to Blondie Chaplin for his greatest-ever Beach Boys moment. They released "Sail On, Sailor" twice, however, and this yearning groover somehow barely cracked the Top 50. Chaplin was soon out of the band, too. It's a shame. "Sail On, Sailor" remains the best example of how the Beach Boys' elemental style might have kept growing. Instead, Chaplin went on to collaborate with the Band , Gene Clark of the Byrds and the Rolling Stones – while the Beach Boys settled into a lengthy tenure as a jukebox band. (DeRiso)

31. "Time Passages," Al Stewart (1978)

Al Stewart followed up the first hit single of his decade-long career – 1976's "Year of the Cat" – with a more streamlined take two years later. "Time Passages" bears a similar structure to the earlier track, including a Phil Kenzie sax solo and production by Alan Parsons. While both songs' respective album and single versions coincidentally run the same time, the 1978 hit's narrative wasn't as convoluted and fit more squarely into pop radio playlists. "Time Passages" became Stewart's highest-charting single, reaching No. 7 – while "Year of the Cat" had stalled at No. 8. (Michael Gallucci)

30. "I Go Crazy," Paul Davis (1977)

Paul Davis looked like he belonged in the Allman Brothers Band , but his soft, soulful voice took him in a different direction. The slow-burning nature of his breakthrough single "I Go Crazy" was reflected in its chart performance: For years the song held the record for the most weeks spent on the chart, peaking at No. 7 during its 40-week run. Davis, who died in 2008, took five more songs into the Top 40 after 1977, but "I Go Crazy" is his masterpiece – a wistful and melancholic look back at lost love backed by spare, brokenhearted verses. (Gallucci)

29. "Biggest Part of Me," Ambrosia (1980)

Songwriter David Pack taped the original demo of this song on a reel-to-reel when everyone else was running late, finishing just in time: "I was waiting for my family to get in the car so I could go to a Fourth of July celebration in Malibu," he told the Tennessean in 2014. "I turned off my machine [and] heard the car horn honking for me." Still, Pack was worried that the hastily written first verse – which rhymed " arisin ,'" " horizon " and " realizin '" – might come off a little corny. So he followed the time-honored yacht-rock tradition of calling in Michael McDonald to sing heartfelt background vocals. Result: a Top 5 hit on both the pop and adult-contemporary charts. (DeRiso)

28. "Africa," Toto (1982)

Remove the cover versions, the nostalgia sheen and its overuse in TV and films, and you’re left with what makes “Africa” great: one of the best earworm choruses in music history. Never mind that the band is made up of white guys from Los Angeles who'd never visited the titular continent. Verses about Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti paint a picture so vivid that listeners are swept away. From the soaring vocals to the stirring synth line, every element of the song works perfectly. There’s a reason generations of music fans continue to proudly bless the rains. (Irwin)

27. "Hello It's Me," Todd Rundgren (1972)

“Hello It’s Me” is the first song Todd Rundgren ever wrote, recorded by his band Nazz and released in 1968. He quickened the tempo, spruced up the instrumentation and delivered a more urgent vocal for this 1972 solo rendition (which became a Top 5 U.S. hit), but the bones of the tune remain the same. “Hello It’s Me” is a wistful, bittersweet song about the dissolution of a relationship between two people who still very much love and respect each other a clear-eyed breakup ballad lacking the guile, cynicism and zaniness of Rundgren’s later work. “The reason those [early] songs succeeded was because of their derivative nature,” Rundgren told Guitar World in 2021. “They plugged so easily into audience expectations. They’re easily absorbed.” That may be so, but there’s still no denying the airtight hooks and melancholy beauty of “Hello It’s Me.” (Rolli)

26. "Smoke From a Distant Fire," the Sanford/Townsend Band (1977)

There are other artists who better define yacht rock - Michael McDonald, Steely Dan, Christopher Cross - but few songs rival the Sanford/Townsend Band's "Smoke From a Distant Fire" as a more representative genre track. (It was a Top 10 hit in the summer of 1977. The duo never had another charting single.) From the vaguely swinging rhythm and roaring saxophone riff to the light percussion rolls and risk-free vocals (that nod heavily to Daryl Hall and John Oates' blue-eyed soul), "Smoke" may be the most definitive yacht rock song ever recorded. We may even go as far as to say it's ground zero. (Gallucci)

25. "Dream Weaver," Gary Wright (1975)

Unlike many other songs on our list, “Dream Weaver” lacks lush instrumentation. Aside from Gary Wright’s vocals and keyboard parts, the only added layer is the drumming of Jim Keltner. But while the track may not have guitars, bass or horns, it certainly has plenty of vibes. Inspired by the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda – which Wright was turned on to by George Harrison – “Dream Weaver” boasts a celestial aura that helped the song peak at No. 2 in 1976. (Irwin)

24. "Reminiscing," Little River Band (1978)

The third time was the charm with Little River Band 's highest-charting single in the U.S. Guitarist Graeham Goble wrote "Reminiscing" for singer Glenn Shorrock with a certain keyboardist in mind. Unfortunately, they weren't able to schedule a session with Peter Jones, who'd played an important role in Little River Band's first-ever charting U.S. single, 1976's "It's a Long Way There ." They tried it anyway but didn't care for the track. They tried again, with the same results. "The band was losing interest in the song," Goble later told Chuck Miller . "Just before the album was finished, Peter Jones came back into town, [and] the band and I had an argument because I wanted to give 'Reminiscing' a third chance." This time they nailed it. (DeRiso)

23. "Heart Hotels," Dan Fogelberg (1979)

Ironically enough, this song about debilitating loneliness arrived on an album in which Dan Fogelberg played almost all of the instruments himself. A key concession to the outside world became the most distinctive musical element on "Heart Hotels," as well-known saxophonist Tom Scott took a turn on the Lyricon – a pre-MIDI electronic wind instrument invented just a few years earlier. As for the meaning of sad songs like these, the late Fogelberg once said : "I feel experiences deeply, and I have an outlet, a place where I can translate those feelings. A lot of people go to psychoanalysts. I write songs." (DeRiso)

22. "Year of the Cat," Al Stewart (1976)

Just about every instrument imaginable can be heard in Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat." What begins with an elegant piano intro winds its way through a string section and a sultry sax solo, then to a passionate few moments with a Spanish acoustic guitar. The sax solo, often a hallmark of yacht-rock songs, was not Stewart's idea. Producer Alan Parsons suggested it at the last minute, and Stewart thought it was the "worst idea I'd ever heard. I said, 'Alan, there aren’t any saxophones in folk-rock. Folk-rock is about guitars. Sax is a jazz instrument,'" Stewart said in 2021 . Multiple lengthy instrumental segments bring the song to nearly seven minutes, yet each seems to blend into the next like a carefully arranged orchestra. (Rapp)

21. "How Long," Ace (1974)

How long does it take to top the charts? For the Paul Carrack-fronted Ace: 45 years . "I wrote the lyric on the bus going to my future mother-in-law's," he later told Gary James . "I wrote it on the back of that bus ticket. That's my excuse for there only being one verse." Ace released "How Long" in 1975, reaching No. 3, then Carrack moved on to stints with Squeeze and Mike and the Mechanics . Finally, in 2020, "How Long" rose two spots higher, hitting No. 1 on Billboard's rock digital song sales chart after being featured in an Amazon Prime advertisement titled "Binge Cheat." (DeRiso)

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 pre-dates the classic yacht-rock era. Consider acts like Seals & Crofts and these one-hit wonders pioneers of the genre. Ironically, the effortless-sounding "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" was quite difficult to complete. "We recorded 'Brandy' two or three different times with various producers before we got it right," Looking Glass' principal songwriter Elliot Lurie told the Tennessean in 2016. The chart-topping results became so popular so fast, however, that Barry Manilow had to change the title of a new song he was working on to " Mandy ." (DeRiso)

19. "I Can't Tell You Why," Eagles (1979)

Timothy B. Schmit joined just in time to watch the Eagles disintegrate. But things couldn't have started in a better place for the former Poco member. He arrived with the makings of his first showcase moment with the group, an unfinished scrap that would become the No. 8 hit "I Can't Tell You Why." For a moment, often-contentious band members rallied around the outsider. Don Henley and Glenn Frey both made key contributions, as Eagles completed the initial song on what would become 1979's The Long Run . Schmit felt like he had a reason to be optimistic. Instead, Eagles released the LP and then promptly split up. (DeRiso)

18. "Sentimental Lady," Bob Welch (1977)

Bob Welch first recorded "Sentimental Lady" in 1972 as a member of Fleetwood Mac . Five years later, after separating from a band that had gone on to way bigger things , Welch revisited one of his best songs and got two former bandmates who appeared on the original version – Mick Fleetwood and Christine McVie – to help out (new Mac member Lindsey Buckingham also makes an appearance). This is the better version, warmer and more inviting, and it reached the Top 10. (Gallucci)

17. "So Into You," Atlanta Rhythm Section (1976)

Atlanta Rhythm Section is often wrongly categorized as a Southern rock band, simply because of their roots in Doraville, Ga. Songs like the seductively layered "So Into You" illustrate how little they had in common with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd . As renowned Muscle Shoals sessions ace David Hood once said, they're more like the " Steely Dan of the South ." Unfortunately, time hasn't been kind to the group. Two of this best-charting single's writers have since died , while keyboardist Dean Daughtry retired in 2019 as Atlanta Rhythm Section's last constant member. (DeRiso)

16. "Dreams," Fleetwood Mac (1977)

Stevie Nicks was trying to channel the heartbreak she endured after separating from Lindsey Buckingham into a song, but couldn't concentrate among the bustle of Fleetwood Mac's sessions for Rumours . "I was kind of wandering around the studio," she later told Yahoo! , "looking for somewhere I could curl up with my Fender Rhodes and my lyrics and a little cassette tape recorder." That's when she ran into a studio assistant who led her to a quieter, previously unseen area at Sausalito's Record Plant. The circular space was surrounded by keyboards and recording equipment, with a half-moon bed in black-and-red velvet to one side. She settled in, completing "Dreams" in less than half an hour, but not before asking the helpful aide one pressing question: "I said, 'What is this?' And he said, 'This is Sly Stone 's studio.'" (DeRiso)

15. "Minute by Minute," the Doobie Brothers (1978)

Michael McDonald was so unsure of this album that he nervously previewed it for a friend. "I mean, all the tunes have merit, but I don't know if they hang together as a record," McDonald later told UCR. "He looked at me and he said, 'This is a piece of shit.'" Record buyers disagreed, making Minute by Minute the Doobie Brothers' first chart-topping multiplatinum release. Such was the mania surrounding this satiny-smooth LP that the No. 14 hit title track lost out on song-of-the-year honors at the Grammys to "What a Fool Believes" (found later in our list of Top 50 Yacht Rock Songs) by the Doobie Brothers. (DeRiso)

14. "Lonely Boy," Andrew Gold (1976)

Andrew Gold’s only Top 10 U.S. hit is a story of parental neglect and simmering resentment, but those pitch-black details are easy to miss when couched inside such a deliciously upbeat melody. Gold chronicles the childhood of the titular lonely boy over a propulsive, syncopated piano figure, detailing the betrayal he felt when his parents presented him with a sister two years his junior. When he turns 18, the lonely boy ships off to college and leaves his family behind, while his sister gets married and has a son of her own — oblivious to the fact that she’s repeating the mistakes of her parents. Gold insisted “Lonely Boy” wasn’t autobiographical, despite the details in the song matching up with his own life. In any case, you can’t help but wonder what kind of imagination produces such dark, compelling fiction. (Rolli)

13. "Baby Come Back," Player (1977)

Liverpool native Peter Beckett moved to the States, originally to join a forgotten act called Skyband. By the time he regrouped to found Player with American J.C. Crowley, Beckett's wife had returned to England. Turns out Crowley was going through a breakup, too, and the Beckett-sung "Baby Come Back" was born. "So it was a genuine song, a genuine lyric – and I think that comes across in the song," Beckett said in The Yacht Rock Book . "That's why it was so popular." The demo earned Player a hastily signed record deal, meaning Beckett and Crowley had to assemble a band even as "Baby Come Back" rose to No. 1. Their debut album was released before Player had ever appeared in concert. (DeRiso)

12. "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight," England Dan & John Ford Coley (1976)

There aren't too many songs with choruses as big as the one England Dan & John Ford Coley pump into the key lines of their first Top 40 single. Getting there is half the fun: The conversational verses – " Hello, yeah, it's been a while / Not much, how 'bout you? / I'm not sure why I called / I guess I really just wanted to talk to you " – build into the superpowered come-on line " I'm not talking 'bout moving in ... ." Their yacht-rock pedigree is strong: Dan Seals' older brother is Seals & Croft's Jim Seals. (Gallucci)

11. "Hey Nineteen," Steely Dan (1980)

At least on the surface, “Hey Nineteen” is one of Steely Dan’s least ambiguous songs: An over-the-hill guy makes one of history’s most cringe-worthy, creepiest pick-up attempts, reminiscing about his glory days in a fraternity and lamenting that his would-be companion doesn’t know who Aretha Franklin is. (The bridge is a bit tougher to crack. Is anyone sharing that “fine Colombian”?) But the words didn’t propel this Gaucho classic into Billboard's Top 10. Instead, that credit goes to the groove, anchored by Walter Becker ’s gently gliding bass guitar, Donald Fagen’s velvety electric piano and a chorus smoother than top-shelf Cuervo Gold. (Reed)

10. "Rich Girl," Daryl Hall & John Oates (1976)

It’s one of the most economical pop songs ever written: two A sections, two B sections (the second one extended), a fade-out vocal vamp. In and out. Wham, bam, boom. Perhaps that's why it’s easy to savor “Rich Girl” 12 times in a row during your morning commute, why hearing it just once on the radio is almost maddening. This blue-eyed-soul single, the duo’s first No. 1 hit, lashes out at a supposedly entitled heir to a fast-food chain. (The original lyric was the less-catchy “rich guy ”; that one change may have earned them millions.) But there’s nothing bitter about that groove, built on Hall’s electric piano stabs and staccato vocal hook. (Reed)

9. "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," Elvin Bishop (1975)

Elvin Bishop made his biggest pop-chart splash with "Fooled Around and Fell In Love," permanently changing the first line of his bio from a former member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band to a solo star in his own right. There was only one problem: "The natural assumption was that it was Elvin Bishop who was singing,” singer Mickey Thomas told the Tahoe Daily Tribune in 2007. Thomas later found even greater chart success with Starship alongside Donny Baldwin, who also played drums on Bishop's breakthrough single. "A lot of peers found out about me through that, and ultimately I did get credit for it," Thomas added. "It opened a lot of doors for me." (DeRiso)

8. "Baker Street," Gerry Rafferty (1978)

Gerry Rafferty already had a taste of success when his band Stealers Wheel hit the Top 10 with the Dylanesque "Stuck in the Middle With You" in 1973. His first solo album after the group's split, City to City , made it to No. 1 in 1978, thanks in great part to its hit single "Baker Street" (which spent six frustrating weeks at No. 2). The iconic saxophone riff by Raphael Ravenscroft gets much of the attention, but this single triumphs on many other levels. For six, mood-setting minutes Rafferty winds his way down "Baker Street" with a hopefulness rooted in eternal restlessness. (Gallucci)

7. "Dirty Work," Steely Dan (1972)

In just about three minutes, Steely Dan tells a soap-opera tale of an affair between a married woman and a man who is well aware he's being played but is too hopelessly hooked to end things. " When you need a bit of lovin' 'cause your man is out of town / That's the time you get me runnin' and you know I'll be around ," singer David Palmer sings in a surprisingly delicate tenor. A saxophone and flugelhorn part weeps underneath his lines. By the time the song is over, we can't help but feel sorry for the narrator who is, ostensibly, just as much part of the problem as he could be the solution. Not all yacht rock songs have happy endings. (Rapp)

6. "Ride Like the Wind," Christopher Cross (1979)

“Ride Like the Wind” is ostensibly a song about a tough-as-nails outlaw racing for the border of Mexico under cover of night, but there’s nothing remotely dangerous about Christopher Cross’ lithe tenor or the peppy piano riffs and horns propelling the tune. Those contradictions aren’t a detriment. This is cinematic, high-gloss pop-rock at its finest, bursting at the seams with hooks and elevated by Michael McDonald’s silky backing vocals. Cross nods to his Texas roots with a fiery guitar solo, blending hard rock and pop in a way that countless artists would replicate in the next decade. (Rolli)

5. "Summer Breeze," Seals & Crofts (1972)

Jim Seals and Dash Crofts were childhood friends in Texas, but the mellow grandeur of "Summer Breeze" makes it clear that they always belonged in '70s-era Southern California. "We operate on a different level," Seals once said , sounding like nothing if not a Laurel Canyon native. "We try to create images, impressions and trains of thought in the minds of our listeners." This song's fluttering curtains, welcoming domesticity and sweet jasmine certainly meet that standard. For some reason, however, they released this gem in August 1972 – as the season faded into fall. Perhaps that's why "Summer Breeze" somehow never got past No. 6 on the pop chart. (DeRiso)

4. "Lowdown," Boz Scaggs (1976)

As you throw on your shades and rev the motor, the only thing hotter than the afternoon sun is David Hungate’s sweet slap-bass blasting from the tape deck. “This is the good life,” you say to no one in particular, casually tipping your baseball cap to the bikini-clad crew on the boat zooming by. Then you press “play” again. What else but Boz Scaggs ’ silky “Lowdown” could soundtrack such a moment in paradise? Everything about this tune, which cruised to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, is equally idyllic: Jeff Porcaro’s metronomic hi-hat pattern, David Paich’s jazzy keyboard vamp, the cool-guy croon of Scaggs — flexing about gossip and “schoolboy game.” You crack open another cold one — why not? And, well, you press play once more. (Reed)

3. "Lido Shuffle," Boz Scaggs (1976)

Scaggs' storied career began as a sideman with Steve Miller and already included a scorching duet with Duane Allman . Co-writer David Paich would earn Grammy-winning stardom with songs like "Africa." Yet they resorted to theft when it came to this No. 11 smash. Well, in a manner of speaking: "'Lido' was a song that I'd been banging around, and I kind of stole – well, I didn't steal anything. I just took the idea of the shuffle," Scaggs told Songfacts in 2013. "There was a song that Fats Domino did called 'The Fat Man ' that had a kind of driving shuffle beat that I used to play on the piano, and I just started kind of singing along with it. Then I showed it to Paich, and he helped me fill it out." Then Paich took this track's bassist and drummer with him to form Toto. (DeRiso)

2. "Peg," Steely Dan (1977)

"Peg" is blessed with several yacht-rock hallmarks: a spot on Steely Dan's most Steely Dan-like album, Aja , an impeccable airtightness that falls somewhere between soft-pop and jazz and yacht rock's stalwart captain, Michael McDonald, at the helm. (He may be a mere backing singer here, but his one-note chorus chirps take the song to another level.) Like most Steely Dan tracks, this track's meaning is both cynical and impenetrable, and its legacy has only grown over the years – from hip-hop samples to faithful cover versions. (Gallucci)

1. "What a Fool Believes," the Doobie Brothers (1978)

Michael McDonald not only steered the Doobie Brothers in a new direction when he joined in 1975, but he also made them a commercial powerhouse with the 1978 album Minute by Minute . McDonald co-wrote "What a Fool Believes" – a No. 1 single; the album topped the chart, too – with Kenny Loggins and sang lead, effectively launching a genre in the process. The song's style was copied for the next couple of years (most shamelessly in Robbie Dupree's 1980 Top 10 "Steal Away"), and McDonald became the bearded face of yacht rock. (Gallucci)

Top 100 Classic Rock Artists

Gallery Credit: UCR Staff

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The 25 Best Yacht Rock Songs Of All Time

Yacht rock isn’t exactly a genre. it’s more a state of mind..

Yacht Rock is the musical equivalent of a mid-afternoon mimosa nap in a nautical location—a balmy lite-FM breeze with the substance of a romance novel and the machismo of a Burt Reynolds mustache comb.

But what exactly is Yacht Rock?

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 just easy to mock. It’s also deserving of the abuse. There’s a sensitive-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...

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What are the qualifications for inclusion on our list?

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:

Finding the love of your life;

Having a memorable one-night stand; or

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...

1. "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes

"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.

2. "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) by The Looking Glass

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.

3. "Summer Breeze" by Seals and Crofts

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.

4. "Africa" by Toto

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 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.

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. 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.

6. "Drift Away" by Dobie Gray

Originally recorded 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.

7. "Love Will Find a Way" by Pablo Cruise

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.

8. "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image

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 with Atco Records. Their sophomore record, Open , yielded their one and only hit. The Blues Image reach #4 on the charts in 1970 with a tune about a bunch of men who disappear into the mists of the San Francisco Bay while searching for a hippie utopia.

9. "Eye in the Sky" by The Alan Parsons Project

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 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.

10. "Miracles" by Jefferson Starship

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 Jefferson 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.

11. "Sad Eyes" by Robert John

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.

In the summer of '79, he would again climb the charts, this time to the top spot. 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.

12. "Magnet and Steel" by Walter Egan

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.

13. "Lido Shuffle" by Boz Scaggs

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.

14. "What You Won't Do for Love" by Bobby Caldwell

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."

15. "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" by Michael McDonald

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.

16. "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty

To the casual listener, Gerry Rafferty's name should sound vaguely familiar. Indeed, you may remember hearing it uttered in passing in the film Reservoir Dogs . In a key scene, a radio 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 the 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.

17. "Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang" by Silver

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.

18. "Biggest Part of Me" by Ambrosia

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.

19. "Baby Come Back" by Player

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.

20. "On and On" by Stephen Bishop

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).

21. "Chevy Van" by Sammy Johns

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 reached #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.

22. "You Are the Woman" by Firefall

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."

23. "Sailing" by Christopher Cross

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.

24. "Steal Away" by Robbie Dupree

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 listed just above--Christopher Cross.

25. "This is It" by Kenny Loggins

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.

Ready for more?

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TCYSHOP.COM

TOP YACHT ROCK ALBUMS

The epicenter of yacht rock was the sound studios of LA, the time 1978-82, with some scant but notable ripples lapping out both forward and backward for a couple of years. This is the West Coast Sound , or West Coast AOR: the songs are smooth, shallow, melodic, with a high production value, and made for summer – especially if you’re a yuppie at the top of your game. They nearly always have electric piano right off the top, and a characteristic “ Doobie bounce ” rhythm.

Some of the key bands and artists include Steely Dan, Toto, The Doobie Brothers, Airplay, and Christopher Cross. There are a number of good notable protoyacht tracks from the mid-70s, such as England Dan & John Ford Coley’s “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight”; the few tracks from the mid to late 80s that still contain the same basic rhythm and feel are already postyacht.

Yacht rock was the brainchild of Hollywood writer J. D. Ryznar . Ryznar – along with pals Hunter Stair, Dave Lyons, and Steve Huey – created the Yacht Rock series in the early oughts, debuting during the June 2005 Channel 101 film festival in LA.

Ryznar and company pinpointed a certain era and vein of American soft rock – or “adult-oriented rock” – recorded by experienced studio musicians, mostly based in LA, and very much associated with singer-songwriters Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. The series was a fictionalized account of those musicians, and it ended up becoming the most important look at American soft rock ever made.

After the success of their series, Ryznar and friends popularized yacht rock with a podcast , which eventually led to the format (or bastardizations of such) being picked up on satellite radio and other streaming technologies , as well as DJ’ed in nightclubs everywhere.

It should be noted that yacht rock is not a genre, and was not contemporaneous with the music it describes. Yacht rock is a format – exactly like “classic rock” and other traditional radio formats. And just like classic rock, yacht rock as a designation applied to a set of music of the past is not a fad and will remain a useful categorization for as long as people are interested in that period of music.

Endless lists have been compiled of “yacht rock songs,” some even possibly canonical , but there have been almost no yacht rock album guides. So, we’ve decided to create one.

Not every song on every one of these albums will be 100% marina-certified yacht rock – for instance, there are definite yacht rock tracks on Michael Jackson’s Thriller . Essential yacht rock , even. But that doesn’t mean that “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” are yacht rock. They’re nyacht , and have absolutely no place in a proper “yacht rock” mix. (That fact shouldn’t stop you from playing those songs on your slip in Marina Del Rey, of course.)

Then, there’s also dark yacht , coined and conceived by journalist and actress Katie Puckrik . She felt that Joni Mitchell had “unintentially” created this new format with the title track of her 1975 album, The Hissing of Summer Lawns. We agree, and feel the suburban anguish and yuppie misery is as strong as what might be found in a Don DeLillo novel. To Pickrik’s discovery we add several of our own, including Valerie Carter’s albums of the era. We’ve identified those dark yacht albums in this list as such.

Airplay, Airplay (1980)

Alessi, Alessi (1976), Driftin’ (1978), Long Time Friends (1982)

Peter Allen, Bi-Coastal (1980)

Ambrosia, One Eighty (1980), Road Island (1982)

Paul Anka, Walk A Fine Line (1983)

Patti Austin, Every Home Should Have One (1981)

George Benson, Give Me The Night (1980), The George Benson Collection (1981), In Your Eyes (1983)

The Brecker Brothers, Detente (1980)

Byrne & Barnes, An Eye For An Eye (1981)

Bobby Caldwell, Cat In The Hat (1980)

Valerie Carter, Just A Stone’s Throw Away (1977), Wild Child (1977) (Dark Yacht)

Bill Champlin, Single (1978), Runaway (1981)

Kerry Chater, Love On A Shoestring (1978)

Paul Clark, Drawn To The Light (1982)

Christopher Cross, Christopher Cross (1979), Another Page (1982)

Dane Donohue, Dane Donohue (1978)

The Doobie Brothers, Minute By Minute (1978), One Step Closer (1980)

George Duke, Dream On (1982)

The Dukes, The Dukes Bugatti & Musker (1982)

Robbie Dupree, Robbie Dupree (1980), Street Corner Heroes (1981)

Exile, Don’t Leave Me This Way (1980)

Dwayne Ford, Needless Freaking (1981)

Randy Goodrum, Fool’s Paradise (1982)

Jimmy Hall, Touch You (1980)

Hall & Oates, Voices (1980)

Finis Henderson, Finis (1983)

Amy Holland, Amy Holland (1980)

Michael Jackson, Thriller (1982)

Al Jarreau, Breakin' Away (1981), Jarreau (1983)

Quincy Jones, The Dude (1981)

Marc Jordan, Mannequin (1978), Blue Desert (1979), A Hole In The Wall (1983)

Karizma, Dream Come True (1983)

Steve Kipner, Knock The Walls Down (1979)

Bill LaBounty, Rain In My Life (1979), Bill LaBounty (1982)

Larsen-Feiten Band, Larsen-Feiten Band (1980)

Nicolette Larson, Nicolette (1978), In The Nick Of Time (1979)

Larry Lee, Marooned (1982)

Kenny Loggins, Celebrate Me Home (1977), Keep The Fire (1979), High Adventure (1982)

Bobby Martin, Bobby Martin (1983)

Maxus, Maxus (1982)

Michael McDonald, If That’s What It Takes (1982)

Sérgio Mendes, Confetti (1984)

Joni Mitchell, The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975), Hejira (1976) (Dark Yacht)

Jaye P. Morgan, Jaye P. Morgan (1976) (Protoyacht)

Nielsen Pearson Band, Nielsen/Pearson (1980), Blind Luck (1983)

John O’Banion, John O’Banion (1981)

Orleans, Forever (1979)

Pablo Cruise, A Place In The Sun (1977), Worlds Away (1978), Reflector (1981)

Pages, Pages (1981)

Jim Photoglo, Fool In Love With You (1981)

Player, Player (1977)

Lionel Richie, Can’t Slow Down (1983)

Lee Ritenour, Rit (1981)

David Roberts, All Dressed Up (1982)

Diana Ross, Ross (1983)

Brenda Russell, Two Eyes (1983)

The Sanford-Townsend Band, Smoke From A Distant Fire (1977)

Boz Scaggs, Silk Degrees (1976), Middle Man (1980)

Tom Scott, Desire (1982)

Alan Sorrenti, L.A. & N.Y. (1981)

Steely Dan, The Royal Scam (1976), Aja (1977), Gold (Expanded Edition) (1978), Gaucho (1980)

Eric Tagg, Dreamwalkin' (1982)

Tavares, Supercharged (1980)

Toto, Toto (1978), Hydra (1979), Toto IV (1982)

Roger Voudouris, Radio Dream (1979)

Kelly Willard, Blame It On The One I Love (1978)

Stevie Woods, Take Me To Your Heaven (1981)

These albums are great on vinyl for home and hanging out, but for the car – or the yacht – we highly recommend them on what is probably the ideal yacht rock album format: cassette!

Michael Stutz

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Sailing: 10 Essential Yacht Rock Albums to Own as Vinyl Records

The sun is out, the wind is in your hair, and the smell of salty sea air permeates. It's the time of year that's practically begging you to drop the needle on some good old yacht rock . What is yacht rock, anyway? It's a bit difficult to define, but if the vibes are gentle, the guitars are mellow, and the vocals are buttery smooth, odds are you're listening to yacht rock. Yacht rock is experiencing something of a renaissance in popularity without much of a need or effort to reproduce it. There's something about Kenny Loggins with the windows down that just hits in a way that can't be replicated. As we get summer rolling, here's a list of essential yacht rock albums.

Christopher Cross (1979) — Christopher Cross

Christopher Cross really helped to define the genre with his self-titled debut, right down to the pink flamingo on the cover. The album contains two of Cross' biggest hits, "Sailing" and "Ride Like the Wind," both staples of late '70s soft rock. "Sailing" in particular took on a life of its own, with its mellow, acoustic guitars and string sections coming to define Cross' career.

Takin' It to the Streets (1976) —The Doobie Brothers

The Doobie Brothers emerged in the early 1970s as a relatively traditional rock band. Distorted guitars and high-octane solos were typical of the Doobies' sound, but that changed with the addition of vocalist Michael McDonald in 1976. With McDonald, the group released Takin' It to the Streets , a more laid back, jazzier record that even incorporated a horn section. It was a tremendous success, leading to a permanent shift in musical approach for the band. McDonald left the band in 1982, but recently rejoined, reuniting the golden-era Doobie Brothers lineup.

Breakin' Away (1981) — Al Jarreau

Beginning his career as a jazz musician, Jarreau gradually migrated closer to pop music as the '70s drew to a close. 1981's Breakin' Away is atply titled, as it represents his first major effort at a jazz-pop crossover, released to widespread acclaim. Jarreau added a jazz and soul influence to the yacht rock genre that took it in a new direction and opened doors for other artists to get in the game. Jarreau went on to release several more crossover albums, racking up Grammy nods along the way.

Welcome Home (1978) — Carole King

When all is said and done, Carole King will go down as one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century. King has penned hit after hit after hit, both for other artists as well as her own impressive catalog. Welcome Home offers up King's typical level of brilliance, with hits like "Morning Sun." King may not fit squarely into the yacht rock subgenre, but the vibes are certainly there, and there's never not a valid excuse to listen to more Carole King.

Can't Buy a Thrill (1972) — Steely Dan

Quick, think of the quintessential "dad band." It's Steely Dan, isn't it? Steely Dan later began experimenting with other genres like jazz fusion and electronic music, but always had one foot firmly planted in yacht rock. Can't Buy a Thrill is about as good of a debut album as can be, featuring iconic tracks like "Dirty Work," "Do It Again," and of course "Reelin' in the Years," iconic opening guitar solo and all.

Late for the Sky (1974) — Jackson Browne

Re-issued on vinyl, Jackson Browne's landmark album, Late for the Sky is the record that thrust him into superstardom. Browne had already worked with the Eagles and other major artists as a songwriter, but Late for the Sky established him as a major player in soft rock, with the title track being used in the film Taxi Driver . This was the album that opened the door for Browne, as he released a string of hits throughout the late '70s and '80s.

No Secrets (1972) — Carly Simon

No Secrets was Carly Simon's third outing, but her first major commercial success. The album features her signature song, "You're So Vain," leading to a web of conspiracy theories as to who the song could possibly be about in the pre-internet age. 50 years after its release, we're left with only a third of the answer. Simon also collaborated with major artists like James Taylor, Paul and Linda McCartney, and Mick Jagger to produce this icon of the '70s.

Outside From the Redwoods (1993) — Kenny Loggins

All hail Kenny Loggins, the Supreme Lord of Yacht Rock. There is arguably no artist so closely identified with the genre, from his days in the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to his solo work to the pinnacle of yacht rock with Loggins & Messina. Outside From the Redwoods is a live album that serves as something of a retrospective of his career, touching on each phase; yes, even "Footloose." A large part of the yacht rock subgenre is collaboration with other yachties, as Loggins duets with Michael McDonald on "What a Fool Believes."

Songs You Know by Heart (1985) — Jimmy Buffett

Nobody can transport you to a Caribbean island quite like Jimmy Buffett. Released in the '80s, Songs You Know by Heart is a compilation record of some of Buffett's biggest hits, including career-defining tracks like "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and "Margaritaville." Buffett's troves of loyal fans, known as Parrotheads, can chill with the best of them, reclining in their beach chairs, sipping on fruity drinks and spinning vinyl.

Marathon (1979) — Santana

While Santana may be more closely identified with Carlos Santana's ripping blues guitar licks, 1979's Marathon veers into yacht rock. Vocalist Alex Ligertwood's smooth, R&B style vocals provide a new direction for Santana, as tracks like "You Know That I Love You" and "All I Ever Wanted" provided huge commercial success. Of course, the album is far from short on guitar mastery, with "Lightning in the Sky" featuring a signature Santana solo.

Add To Your Collection

Taylor Swift: 1989 (Taylor's Version) [2 LP]

Bob Marley: Legend [Reissue]

Michael Jackson: Thriller

Taylor Swift: Speak Now (Taylor's Version)

Taylor Swift: Red (Taylor's Version)

AC/DC: Back in Black

Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department [Ghosted White 2 LP]

Amy Winehouse: Back to Black

Chris Stapleton: Traveller

Zach Bryan: Zach Bryan

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The 20 greatest yacht rock songs ever, ranked

27 July 2022, 17:50

By Tom Eames

We can picture it now: lounging on a swish boat as it bobs along the water, sipping cocktails and improving our tan. Oh, and it's the 1980s.

There's only one style of music that goes with this image: Yacht rock.

What is Yacht Rock?

Also known as the West Coast Sound or adult-oriented rock, it's a style of soft rock from between the late 1970s and early 1980s that featured elements of smooth soul, smooth jazz, R&B, funk, rock and disco.

The 40 greatest disco songs ever, ranked
The 10 greatest and smoothest ever sax solos, ranked

Although its name has been used in a negative way, to us it's an amazing genre that makes us feel like we're in an episode of Miami Vice wearing shoulder pads and massive sunglasses.

Here are the very best songs that could be placed in this genre:

Player - 'Baby Come Back'

Player - Baby Come Back

Not the reggae classic of the same name, this 1977 track was Player's biggest hit.

After Player disbanded, singer Peter Beckett joined Australia's Little River Band, and he also wrote 'Twist of Fate' for Olivia Newton-John and 'After All This Time' for Kenny Rogers.

Steely Dan - 'FM'

It's tough just choosing one Steely Dan song for this list, but we've gone for this banger.

Used as the theme tune for the 1978 movie of the same name, the song is jazz-rock track, though its lyrics took a disapproving look at the genre as a whole, which was in total contrast to the film's celebration of it. Still, sounds great guys!

Bobby Goldsboro - 'Summer (The First Time)'

Bobby Goldsboro - Summer (The First Time)

A bit of a questionable subject matter, this ballad was about a 17-year-old boy’s first sexual experience with a 31-year-old woman at the beach.

But using a repeating piano riff, 12-string guitar, and an orchestral string arrangement, this song just screams yacht rock and all that is great about it.

Kenny Loggins - 'Heart to Heart'

Kenny Loggins - Heart To Heart (Official Music Video)

If Michael McDonald is the king of yacht rock, then Kenny Loggins is his trusted advisor and heir to the throne.

This track was co-written with Michael, and also features him on backing vocals. The song is about how most relationships do not stand the test of time, yet some are able to do so.

Airplay - 'Nothing You Can Do About It'

Nothin' You Can Do About It

You might not remember US band Airplay, but they did have their moment on the yacht.

Consisting of David Foster (who also co-wrote the Kenny Loggins song above), Jay Graydon and the brilliantly-named Tommy Funderburk, this tune was a cover of a Manhattan Transfer song, and was a minor hit in 1981.

Boz Scaggs - 'Lowdown'

Boz Scaggs - Lowdown (Official Audio)

We've moved slightly into smooth jazz territory with this track, which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

The song was co-written by David Paich, who would go on to form Toto along with the song's keyboardist David Paich, session bassist David Hungate, and drummer Jeff Porcaro.

Steve Winwood - 'Valerie'

Steve Winwood - Valerie (Official Video)

This song is probably as far as you can get into pop rock without totally leaving the yacht rock dock.

Legendary singer-songwriter Winwood recorded this gong about a man reminiscing about a lost love he hopes to find again someday.

Eric Prydz later sampled it in 2004 for the house number one track ‘Call on Me’, and presented it to Winwood, who was so impressed he re-recorded the vocals to better fit the track.

Toto - 'Rosanna'

Toto - Rosanna (Official HD Video)

We almost picked 'Africa' , but we reckon this tune just about pips it in the yacht rock game.

Written by David Paich, he has said that the song is based on numerous girls he had known.

As a joke, the band members initially played along with the common assumption that the song was based on actress Rosanna Arquette, who was dating Toto keyboard player Steve Porcaro at the time and coincidentally had the same name.

Chicago - 'Hard to Say I'm Sorry'

Chicago - Hard To Say I'm Sorry (Official Music Video)

Chicago began moving away from their horn-driven soft rock sound with their early 1980s output, including this synthesizer-filled power ballad.

The 10 greatest Chicago songs, ranked

The album version segued into a more traditional Chicago upbeat track titled ‘Get Away’, but most radio stations at the time opted to fade out the song before it kicked in. Three members of Toto played on the track. Those guys are yacht rock kings!

Michael Jackson - 'Human Nature'

Michael Jackson - Human Nature (Audio)

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.

The Doobie Brothers - 'What a Fool Believes'

The Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes (Official Music Video)

Possibly THE ultimate yacht rock song on the rock end of the spectrum, and it's that man Michael McDonald.

Written by McDonald and Kenny Loggins, this was one of the few non-disco hits in America in the first eight months of 1979.

The song tells the story of a man who is reunited with an old love interest and attempts to rekindle a romantic relationship with her before discovering that one never really existed.

Michael Jackson once claimed he contributed at least one backing track to the original recording, but was not credited for having done so. This was later denied by the band.

Christopher Cross - 'Sailing'

Christopher Cross - Sailing (Official Audio)

We're not putting this in here just because it's called 'Sailing', it's also one of the ultimate examples of the genre.

Christopher Cross reached number one in the US in 1980, and VH1 later named it the most "softsational soft rock" song of all time.

Don Henley - 'The Boys of Summer'

The Boys Of Summer DON HENLEY(1984) OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

Mike Campbell wrote the music to this track while working on Tom Petty’s Southern Accents album, but later gave it to Eagles singer Don Henley, who wrote the lyrics.

The song is about the passing of youth and entering middle age, and of a past relationship. It was covered twice in the early 2000s: as a trance track by DJ Sammy in 2002, and as a pop punk hit by The Ataris in 2003.

England Dan and John Cord Foley - 'I'd Really Love to See You Tonight'

England Dan & John Ford Coley - I'd Really Love To See You Tonight.avi

A big hit for this duo in 1976, it showcases the very best of the sock rock/AOR/yacht rock sound that the 1970s could offer.

Dan Seals is the younger brother of Jim Seals of Seals and Crofts fame. Which leads to...

Seals & Crofts - 'Summer Breeze'

Summer Breeze - Seals & Croft #1 Hit(1972)

Before The Isley Brothers recorded a slick cover, 'Summer Breeze' was an irresistible folk pop song by Seals & Crofts.

While mostly a folk song, its summer vibes and gorgeous melody make for a perfect yacht rock number.

Christopher Cross - 'Ride Like the Wind'

Ride Like The Wind Promo Video 1980 Christopher Cross

If Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins are in charge of the yacht rock ship, then Christopher Cross has to be captain, right? Cabin boy? Something anyway.

The singer was arguably the biggest success story of the relatively short-lived yacht rock era, and this one still sounds incredible.

Eagles - 'I Can't Tell You Why'

The eagles - I can't tell you why (AUDIO VINYL)

Many Eagles tunes could be classed as yacht rock, but we reckon their finest example comes from this track from their The Long Run album in 1979.

Don Henley described the song as "straight Al Green", and that Glenn Frey, an R&B fan, was responsible for the R&B feel of the song. Frey said to co-writer Timothy B Schmit: "You could sing like Smokey Robinson . Let’s not do a Richie Furay, Poco-sounding song. Let’s do an R&B song."

Gerry Rafferty - 'Baker Street'

Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street (Official Video)

Gerry Rafferty probably didn't realise he was creating one of the greatest yacht rock songs of all time when he wrote this, but boy did he.

The Story of... 'Baker Street'

With the right blend of rock and pop and the use of the iconic saxophone solo, you can't not call this yacht rock at its finest.

Michael McDonald - 'Sweet Freedom'

Michael McDonald - Sweet Freedom (1986)

If you wanted to name the king of yacht rock, you'd have to pick Michael McDonald . He could sing the phone book and it would sound silky smooth.

Possibly his greatest solo tune, it was used in the movie Running Scared , and its music video featured actors Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines.

Hall & Oates - 'I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)'

Daryl Hall & John Oates - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) (Official Video)

This duo knew how to make catchy hit after catchy hit. This R&B-tinged pop tune was co-written with Sara Allen (also the influence for their song 'Sara Smile').

Hall and Oates' 10 best songs, ranked

John Oates has said that the song is actually about the music business. "That song is really about not being pushed around by big labels, managers, and agents and being told what to do, and being true to yourself creatively."

Not only was the song sampled in De La Soul's 'Say No Go' and Simply Red 's 'Home', but Michael Jackson also admitted that he lifted the bass line for 'Billie Jean'!

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The 10 Best Yacht Rock Albums To Own On Vinyl

Climb aboard for the smoothest records you'll ever own.

In 2006, a group of buddies produced a series of short videos called “Yacht Rock.” The videos defined yacht rock as a genre of smooth music, born out of Southern California between 1976 and 1984, and featuring exceptional musicianship with roots in R&B, jazz and folk rock. Its stars: Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Toto and Steely Dan.

The last 11 years have tested the genre’s buoyancy. Since 2006, yacht rock has been co-opted by Big Radio, whose yacht playlists include flimsy AM gold like Bertie Higgins and California corporate rock like the Eagles. Luckily the originators of the term, through their podcast Beyond Yacht Rock, have helped to set the parameters of the genre.

Good yacht rock is frequently credited to many of the same names: established players like multi-instrumentalist Jay Graydon, producer David Foster, percussionist Victor Feldman, and hard-working-studio-band-turned-80s-superstars Toto. And it’s heavier on R&B and jazz than folk rock, incorporating the work of Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and others.

With that, here are the 10 best yacht rock albums to start your collection - or, shall I say, to christen your vessel.

Shop Till You Drop

Record reviews.

Toto: Toto IV (1982, Columbia)

The album that shot Toto into superstardom is a perfect primer for the yacht rock sound. “Rosanna,” with drummer Jeff Porcaro’s iconic shuffle technique, makes multiple left turns, a crucial component of most yacht songs. You’ll know this album for “Rosanna” and No. 1 smash “Africa,” but the slow groove of “Waiting For Your Love” shows the band’s ability to dip into soul and R&B, a trait that helped them on cuts like “Human Nature” and “The Lady in My Life” off another yacht rock album, Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Toto could also bring the heat with mid-tempo stunners like “Make Believe” and “Good For You.” A deep listen of Toto IV reveals a group of professionals rarely wasting notes.

Boz Scaggs: Silk Degrees (1976, CBS)

If yacht rock is a marriage of jazz, R&B and singer-songwriter folk rock, Boz Scaggs’ breakout Silk Degrees is one of the earliest attempts at matrimony. Boz employed David Paich, David Hungate and Jeff and Joe Porcaro for the album, and their work here would set a template for the Toto sound (combine “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle” and you get something near “Rosanna”). There’s a few too many strings here, Boz gets a little too lyrical (Yacht Rock isn’t necessarily a lyricist’s genre) and the bass is so up front that it can feel like disco. But if you want to know the roots of yacht rock, Silk Degrees is a good choice.

Michael McDonald: If That’s What it Takes (1982, Warner Bros.)

Two crucial instruments in yacht rock: the Fender Rhodes keyboard and McDonald’s husky, blue-eyed soul tenor. If That’s What it Takes, McDonald’s solo debut after leaving the Doobie Brothers, has plenty of both. “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” is essential yacht, a chill-out anthem featuring half of Toto, who also appear on the ballad “That’s Why” and slightly discofied “No Such Luck.” McDonald’s buddy Loggins co-writes “I Gotta Try,” one of many yacht anthems about fools looking to change their luck. And make no mistake: McDonald is the poster boy for fools constantly searching for small victories.

Kenny Loggins: High Adventure (1982, Columbia)

Loggins isn’t always yacht rock. Sometimes, like on High Adventure, he’s far too tender (“The More We Try”) or he’s far too heavy (“Swear Your Love”). But there’s a lot of yacht rock range on this enormously fun album, from the Latin-tinged “Heartlight” to the gritty “If It’s Not What You’re Looking For.” Then there’s Loggins’ version of “I Gotta Try” and, finally, a quintessential yacht rock hit, “Heart to Heart.” Loggins is a little lighter and slightly more soulful on his 1979 album Keep the Fire, which includes the stunning “This Is It.” He’s certainly an essential artist in the yacht canon, but always step lightly with Loggins. The guy is a chameleon.

Dane Donohue: Dane Donohue (1978, Columbia)

There are countless yacht rock albums either lost in bargain bins or available only as imports, from the 1980 self-titled album by Airplay (listen to the quintessential “Nothin’ You Can Do About It”) to 1978’s Blue Virgin Isles by Swedish singer Ted Gardestad. Dane Donohue’s 1978 self-titled debut is another, featuring Graydon, Feldman, members of Toto and Los Angeles studio professionals like Larry Carlton, Jai Winding and Steve Gadd. “Can’t Be Seen” has a distinct yacht sound, as does the crisp “Woman,” which features backing vocals from J.D. Souther and Stevie Nicks. You’ll tell quickly that Donohue is a third-rate vocal talent for the genre (McDonald or, say, Al Jarreau would elevate these tracks), but the point is the smooth, polished sound. Yacht rock is a player’s genre.

Steely Dan: Aja (1978, ABC)

Steely Dan’s importance to yacht rock can’t be overstated. They introduced the world to McDonald (“Any World [That I’m Welcome To]” off Katy Lied ) and curated an inner circle of studio professionals versed in jazz, R&B and soul, who would later perfect the yacht sound. Arguably the Dan is smoothest on the 1980 smash Gaucho , but Aja finds Walter Becker and Donald Fagen comfortably hitting a middle-ground stride. You’ve probably heard much of the album already, from the slithering journey of “Deacon Blues” to the percolating “Peg,” but what’s amazing about Aja is its ability to position Steely Dan as a mainstream hit factory while remaining expansive and adventurous (the title track, “I Got the News”).

Patti Austin: Every Home Should Have One (1981, Qwest)

Yacht rock is popularly considered a white man’s genre, but its roots are in the R&B and jazz that manifest itself as yacht soul on outstanding albums like Austin’s Every Home Should Have One. Examples? “Do You Love Me?” sounds awfully like Loggins’ “I Gotta Try.” And one could imagine McDonald singing “The Way I Feel.” “Love Me to Death” could have been a Michael Jackson outtake, or it’s just a rewrite of “Off the Wall.” The album’s high point is the slow burn “Baby, Come to Me,” which includes James Ingram’s smooth delivery, plus Toto’s Lukather on guitar and Foster on synthesizer. Check George Benson’s Give Me the Night and the Pointer Sisters’ Special Things for more examples of yacht soul.

Al Jarreau: Breakin’ Away (1981, Warner Bros.)

If there’s an album that showcases the yacht rock sound at its cleanest, Breakin’ Away may take the trophy. All of the pertinent studio personnel is on the album, from Toto to Graydon - who’s on as producer - laying down an adventurous, crisp template for Jarreau ( R.I.P .) to deliver his sharp, joyous tenor, complete with plenty of scatting. “We’re In This Love Together” and the title track (with Earth, Wind & Fire horns, a Graydon specialty) are mid-tempo yacht rock beauties. Elsewhere Jarreau experiments with jazzier flavors, but the musicianship is still top-notch. Check out Jarreau’s Jarreau from 1982 as another prime yacht rock attempt; both are albums you’ll want to spin on a bright summer morning.

Pages: Pages (1981, Capitol)

Before Richard Page and Steve George formed half of mid-1980s MTV stars Mr. Mister, their buttery voices were integral components of the yacht rock sound, contributing backing vocals on countless tracks. Their 1981 self-titled release (they also released a self-titled album in 1978 that’s more funkified) is pure yacht. Graydon produced half of the album, and Jeff Porcaro shows up frequently behind the kit. The flip-side of the album is more adventurous, but side A is pound-for-pound the best example of the genre you’ll find on vinyl, and one of the best finds of the sound (Pages’ previous Future Street is a little more proggy but still a treat). Seize Pages and you’ll soon find yourself on some roof deck singing along with Page and George.

Christopher Cross: Christopher Cross (1979, Warner Bros.)

Critics may scoff at Cross’ self-titled debut, a massive success that won five Grammys and scored four top-20 hits, but the album is impeccably performed and produced. Nearly everyone involved on the album is a yacht rock mainstay, from producer Michael Omartian down to the usual suspects, Graydon, Feldman and McDonald, who contributes those iconic backing vocals in “Ride Like the Wind.” “Never Be the Same” and “Say You’ll Be Mine” are both solid mid-tempo hits for the era. And then there’s “Sailing.” It’s actually a sonic outlier for the yacht rock genre, heavy on acoustic guitar and strings. But its message fits the genre (a fool searching for inner peace), and yeah, it’s still undeniably smooth.

the 10 best

Timothy Malcolm can be found in a variety of publications across the New York metropolitan area. His writing can also be found there. He enjoys guessing No. 1 hits of the 1980s, visiting breweries, trying any beverage once, watching baseball and hiking for long distances across the Hudson Valley and Catskills of New York.

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The Best Yacht Rock Songs (That Don't Suck)

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.

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Featured artists, the doobie brothers, gerry rafferty, daryl hall & john oates, blues image, donald fagen, africa, middle east, and india.

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Congo, Republic of
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Sierra Leone
South Africa
Tanzania, United Republic Of
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates

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Indonesia (English)
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Malaysia (English)
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Philippines
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John Robinson

Top 100 Greatest Yacht Rock Songs of All Time

Yacht Rock, a term that has steadily grown in popularity, refers to the smooth, groovy rock music of the '70s and '80s that has been popularized over the recent years. Initially categorized as soft rock or adult contemporary, Yacht Rock places a stronger emphasis on the groove rather than the lyrics, making it some of the easiest and catchiest easy listening music for many rock fans. Interestingly, nearly all Yacht Rock songs were created 35-40 years before the genre was officially recognized as its own distinct style, leaving room for interpretation about what exactly qualifies as Yacht Rock. For our criteria, we analyzed the entire catalog of Sirius XM Yacht Rock Radio alongside Spotify and Apple Music’s Yacht Rock playlists and ranked the songs accordingly. Each song included has been deemed Yacht Rock by at least one of these sources and was scored against all other entries. Some songs may rank higher in a broader rock or soft rock sphere, but here are what we have deemed to be the 100 Greatest Yacht Rock Songs of All Time complete with a playlist of all 100 Songs . For a broader list across at songs across the rock realm, be sure to check out the Top 200 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time .

1. What a Fool Believes - The Doobie Brothers

Deemed almost unanimously as the quintessential Yacht Rock tune by the few publications that have taken the time to dive into this same endeavor , What a Fool Believes stands out as one of the grooviest rock tunes to ever achieve mainstream success. Featuring the quintessential Yacht Rock vocalist, Michael McDonald, the song topped charts across North America and became one of the most recognizable and frequently played songs of the '70s. Michael McDonald, who joined The Doobie Brothers in 1975, had become the band's primary vocalist by the release of Minute by Minute in 1978, which houses What a Fool Believes . With this album marking a new sound for the band, especially following the temporary health-related departure of Tom Johnston, the band's new sound was polished to perfection, a dramatic shift from the Toulouse Street sound of the early part of the decade. Nevertheless, What a Fool Believes is a serious earworm, a critically "perfect" pop-rock song, if you will, and a song that reinvented The Doobie Brothers.

2. Peg - Steely Dan

One of the most talented groups on our list, if not the most talented, Steely Dan transcended the typical confines of Yacht Rock during their initial ten-year run. Covering genres from Yacht Rock to jazz rock, progressive rock, and funk rock, Steely Dan captivated audiences uniquely throughout the '70s and early '80s. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen consistently collaborated with the world's finest studio musicians, producing albums of perfectionist caliber. Within the realm of Yacht Rock, Peg takes their top spot, ranking just behind What a Fool Believes in the genre. Once again, Michael McDonald provides backing vocals, harmonizing behind Donald Fagen and Paul Griffin. The silky smooth vocals paired with top-notch instrumentals make Peg a standout track. 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. As one of the smoothest and catchiest songs of the ‘70s, Brandy consistently appears on nearly every Yacht Rock, adult contemporary, or easy listening playlist available. The song tells a melancholic tale that is open to interpretation, though it is generally understood to describe an attractive bartender based in Northern New Jersey. Featuring catchy harmonies, clean soft guitar, and subtle horn use, what's not to love about this song?

4. Sailing - Christopher Cross

If it were up to us at Melophobe, the "Yacht Rock Crown" would go to San Antonio’s own Christopher Cross. Although Cross really shined with just his first two studio albums before his later releases (post-1983) fell into obscurity, his early work still grabs all the attention. From his self-titled debut album, Sailing stands out as a top ten hit that's the epitome of Yacht Rock. Interestingly, the term "yacht rock" itself is often linked right back to this song. His debut album is loaded with iconic tunes in this style, with Sailing rightfully taking its place at the forefront.

5. Escape (The Pi ñ a Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes

The second tune in our top ten that found its way onto one of the three Guardians of the Galaxy soundtracks—as well as its original LP release—comes from yacht rock icon Rupert Holmes. Escape (The Piña Colada Song) tells a story that feels more comical today than it might have in the ‘70s, describing a personal ad in search of a like-minded, carefree, fun-loving companion. Beyond the quirky lyrics, the sounds of crashing waves and clean guitars have turned the tune into a timeless earworm, cementing its status as a yacht rock masterpiece long before the term even existed. Guardians of the Galaxy wasn't just a great series for action lovers; who would've guessed its soundtrack would become almost as iconic as the movies themselves?

6. Lowdown - Boz Scaggs

Part of the same studio musician collective that worked with Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs hit major commercial success in 1976 with the release of his richly decorated album Silk Degrees . Boz Scaggs found success as one of the few artists to achieve substantial mainstream success in the jazz rock world aside from Steely Dan, with both artists utilizing many of the same studio musicians. Released from Silk Degrees , the standout yacht rock tune is Lowdown , a tightly produced masterpiece. Similar to Christopher Cross, Boz's peak in the mainstream was relatively brief, with his fame primarily anchored to Silk Degrees and sporadic airplay of his other songs over about a decade.

7. Come and Get Your Love - Redbone

Yet another tune from the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtracks to make our top ten is Come and Get Your Love , released in 1975 by the swamp rock band Redbone. While often labeled as a one-hit-wonder, Redbone actually scored another American top 40 hit in 1971 and enjoyed scattered success in the R&B scene throughout the '70s. Come and Get Your Love has since been celebrated as one of the greatest pop songs of the '70s and also managed to somewhat subtly tap into the disco craze of the era.

8. Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett

The question of whether Jimmy Buffett fits into the yacht rock category has stirred some debate lately, with the answer remaining somewhat unclear since the term itself is still relatively new. Most agree that Buffett's music is in a category of its own, but there are still those who argue that his unique sound has a place within yacht rock. Regardless, Margaritaville and a few other Buffett tunes are staples on yacht rock radio stations, so we've deemed them eligible. Buffett's music embodies a carefree lifestyle that mirrors the feel and attitude of yacht rock. His iconic song Margaritaville instantly puts listeners in a vacation mindset, a unique characteristic that has garnered it extensive praise and airplay over the years. The passing of Jimmy Buffett, an American legend, touched the hearts of many.

9. Africa - Toto

The first track from the 1980s to make our top ten is Africa from Toto's fourth album, aptly named Toto IV , released in 1982. Africa topped the charts across North America and performed exceptionally well worldwide with its powerful chorus, extensive keyboard usage, and subtle guitar playing. Alongside Rosanna , also from Toto IV , Africa has become a yacht rock staple, but it didn’t stop there—it transcended the genre to become one of the most iconic songs of the '80s. Today, it's still adored, nearing two billion streams on Spotify. The song has also become a favorite for covers, from bar bands to top-notch acts like Weezer.

10. Baby Come Back - Player

Player carved out a slice of mainstream success in the late '70s, as soft rock began to resonate with those not taken by styles like punk rock and disco. Their biggest hit by far was the North American chart-topper Baby Come Back . Aside from being a soft rock staple, the song has also gained a new life as a meme across the internet. While yacht rock songs typically shy away from overly heartfelt or emotional lyrics, focusing more on the groove, Baby Come Back manages to do both masterfully. The song blends notable emotional depth with an undeniably groovy beat, making it incredibly memorable—so much so that it's recognized by just about every American

11. Just the Two of Us - Grover Washington Jr, Bill Withers

12. Southern Cross - Crosby, Stills & Nash

13. Take it Easy - Eagles

14. Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) - Christopher Cross

15. Year of the Cat - Al Stewart

16. Hey Nineteen - Steely Dan

17. Still the One - Orleans

18. Sharing the Night Together - Dr. Hook

19. Sister Golden Hair - America

20. Dreams - Fleetwood Mac

21. Summer Breeze - Seals & Croft

22. Guitar Man - Bread

23. Thunder Island - Jay Ferguson

24. Lido Shuffle - Boz Scaggs

25. Give Me the Night - George Benson

26. How Much I Feel - Ambrosia

27. Reminiscing - Little River Band

28. Doctor My Eyes - Jackson Browne

29. Sara Smile - Hall & Oates

30. Rosanna - Toto

31. All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie

32. I.G.Y. - Donald Fagan

33. Minute By Minute - The Doobie Brothers

34. If You Leave Me Now - Chicago

35. Time Out of Mind - Steely Dan

36. Kokomo - The Beach Boys

37. Eye in the Sky - Alan Parsons Project

38. Sentimental Lady - Bob Welch

39. Rich Girl - Hall & Oates

40. What You Won't Do for Love - Bobby Caldwell

41. Ride Like the Wind - Christopher Cross

42. I'd Really Love to See You Tonight - England Dan & John Ford Coley

43. Lovely Day - Bill Withers

44. Graceland - Paul Simon

45. Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes - Jimmy Buffett

46. Time Passages - Al Stewart

47. One of These Nights - Eagles

48. She's Gone - Hall & Oates

49. Silly Love Songs - Wings

50. Hold On - Santana

51. Steal Away - Robbie Dupree

52. Dance With Me - Orleans

53. Listen to the Music - The Doobie Brothers

54. How Long - Ace

55. So Into You - Atlanta Rhythm Section

56. Diamond Girl - Seals & Croft

57. Lotta Love - Nicolette Larson

58. We Just Disagree - Dave Mason

59. Mexico - James Taylor

60. Keep on Loving You - REO Speedwagon

61. Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty

62. Tender is the Night - Jackson Browne

63. Love Will Find a Way - Pablo Cruise

64. You Can Do Magic - America

65. Key Largo - Bertie Higgins

66. When You're In Love With a Beautiful Woman - Dr. Hook

67. Dirty Work - Steely Dan

68. All Out of Love - Air Supply

69. I Saw the Light - Todd Rundgren

70. Let Me Love You Tonight - Pure Prairie League

71. I Love You - Climax Blues Band

72. I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) - Michael McDonald

73. This is It - Kenny Loggins

74. The Things We Do For Love - 10cc

75. Say You Love Me - Fleetwood Mac

76. Biggest Part of Me - Ambrosia

77. You're the Inspiration - Chicago

78. Dream Weaver - Gary Wright

79. Longer - Dan Fogelberg

80. You Are - Lionel Richie

81. Just a Song Before I Go - Crosby, Stills & Nash

82. Right Down the Line - Gerry Rafferty

83. New Frontier - Donald Fagan

84. I Love a Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt

85. Cool Night - Paul Davis

86. Get Down On It - Kool & The Gang

87. It's Raining Again - Supertramp

88. Vincent - Don McLean

89. Crazy Love - Poco

90. Spooky - Atlanta Rhythm Section

91. Vienna - Billy Joel

92. Cool Cat - Queen

93. Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You - George Benson

94. Hypnotized - Bob Welch (Also Released by Fleetwood Mac)

95. Casablanca - Bertie Higgins

96. Think of Laura - Christopher Cross

97. Fooled Around and Fell in Love - Elvin Bishop

98. Private Eyes - Hall & Oates

99. Lonesome Loser - Little River Band

100. Moonlight Feels Right - Starbuck

All of the picks from this list have been compiled into a streamable Spotify Playlist below entitled Yacht Rock Top 100 .

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Imagine Dragons Take a Lighter Approach to Heavy Life Stuff on ‘Loom’

By Jon Dolan

Imagine Dragons never got the memo that this is supposed to be an era of diminishing returns for big, ambitious, overbearing, oversharing pop-rock bands. It’s been more than a decade since they released their career-making hits “Demons” and “Radioactive,” yet they remain staples of modern rock radio as well as any high school football weight room where the coach won’t allow swear-y rap. This summer, as a number of major acts have had to scale back their tours, the Dragons are out supporting Loom, their sixth album, with shows in 20,000 seat sheds. The LP continues the mix of heavy emotions and musical elasticity that’s made them arena mainstays. “Been gone, I’m facing horrors that should never be said,” frontman Dan Reynolds informs us early on, piloting a torrent of personal apocalypse on a life raft built from hip-hop, alt-rock, and EDM.

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The 20 best albums of 2024 so far

If you're one of those people who gets to the end of the year and kicks yourself for not adhering to your New Year's Resolution to listen to more new music, you are not alone.

People are creating and releasing more music than ever these days, and it feels like fans and pundits are as quick moving on from their latest obsession as they are to adopt it.

So, it can be helpful to take stock halfway through the year. What's been released? What slipped under our radar? What deserves a second chance?

The team here at Double J listen to a lot of music and have strong opinions about it. After much deliberation, we've put together a list of 20 records released this year worth your time and attention.

Of course there's only so much we can cover, and we weren't able to hear certain records in time for deadline, but thankfully we'll be back in a few months with a much broader list .

For now, try out a few of the albums below. We promise there's something for almost everybody.

Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter

Beyoncé rides white horse in red/white/blue rodeo suit, cowboy hat, bearing a red/white flag & sash reading COWBOY CARTER

Cowboy Carter is not just one of the greatest albums of the year, but perhaps one of the greatest albums ever. Beyoncé uses this album to reclaim space for Black artists and to highlight the often-overlooked contributions of Black musicians to country music.

Its political, cultural and historical notations are fused within a kaleidoscope of genres — Americana, roots music, contemporary soul, rock and hip hop.

There are samples from The Beatles, Linda Martell, The Beach Boys while she also shines a light on emerging Black artists like Shaboozey, Tanner Adell and Rhiannon Giddens.

Each song is delivered with such deeply considered intention, yet again proving why Beyoncé is the undisputed and illuminating leader of the modern zeitgeist.

Cowboy Carter sees her dare to venture into the unknown and potentially polarise audiences in pursuit of change. It's a potential communion for the masses, should they wish to let their preconceptions down and jive to a different sound. — Kath Devaney

Crowded House – Gravity Stairs

Gravity Stairs — Neil Finn's eighth record with the world-conquering Crowded House — is testament to the timeless quality of his songwriting.

It's also a clear indication that the newest incarnation of this iconic band is gelling beautifully. They're a great advertisement for nepotism, as the frontman's sons Liam and Elroy continue to prove their musical and creative value across the new album.

Finn's songs remain the hero, though. When you hear him lightly channel Bowie on 'Some Greater Plan (for Claire)', deliver vintage melodies on 'All That I Can Ever Own', and lock in with his family and friends on the breezy chorus to 'Oh Hi', you'll be so glad that the man has never chosen to rest on his laurels.

Tempting as it may be to load up your playlist with vintage Crowded House classics, a few spins of Gravity Stairs will give you an even deeper appreciation for one of the all-time great bands. — Dan Condon

Grace Cummings – Ramona

Brunette woman stands in tan cloth-gown by hedge & low-fenced garden fence with text: RAMONA

This album needs a warning so that listeners don't drown in Grace Cummings's intoxicating voice. Her control of her instrument on this, her third album, is staggering, especially in her powerful lower register.

She can sound as smooth as heavy silk one minute, then when she takes it up to the next level, she sounds like someone who's lived a thousand lives, including perhaps Janis Joplin, Johnny Cash and Renee Geyer's lives, and also perhaps the life of a well-loved cello.

Ramona allows Cummings to shine throughout every single track. It's an intense journey, and I love it. I love hearing someone who is the music. Grace is the music.

Grace needs to sing the next Bond theme. Grace needs to play the part of Wonder Woman in the next film, and sing these songs in it. This wondrous woman is the real deal. This album is proof of that. — Dylan Lewis

Emma Donovan – Til My Song Is Done

From the old-school flavour of the record sleeve through to the mix of vintage sounds within, Emma Donovan's first proper solo album feels like discovering a gem from your parents' record collection.

Fittingly, the powerhouse vocalist has described Til My Song Is Done as an ode to her family, reconnecting with the country, gospel, and bluegrass sounds of her youth after a decade-long, award-winning run with The Putbacks .

There's some of that familiar soul-funk fire here, particularly on strutting protest song 'Blak Nation', but Donovan's aching, expressive voice also works a treat among twangy Americana, boot-scootin' rock, and delicate, soulful ballads.

Liz Stringer shows up to match her vocal muscle on 'Change Is Coming', and Paul Kelly plays support on the swaying country lullaby 'Sing You Over' (dedicated to Donovan's late mother and Uncle Archie Roach).

Til My Song Is Done is a moving dedication to Country, community, and what this proud Gumbayngirr, Dhungutti and Tamatji woman has always excelled at: showing up and singing up. — Al Newstead

Mia Dyson – Tender Heart

different shades of pink squares frame a photo of topless redhaed rising to the surface of water with floating flowers & text

The story behind this album is mind-blowing. A minor earthquake in Mia Dyson's adopted home of L.A. triggered an undiagnosed heart arrhythmia. Her heart stopped and, for a moment, she was gone. Thankfully, her husband was able to resuscitate her before Dyson was rushed to hospital. It was a terrifyingly close call that elicited a renewed appreciation for life.

Tender Heart gets into the real guts of it all — depression, death, grief, pain, gratitude, hope and love — all wrapped up in shimmering guitars, propulsive drums, and Dyson's rich vocals.

There are so many stand-outs; 'Dare' sounds like a direct response to Dyson's near-death experience, but was actually written before the incident. 'Golden Light' has gorgeous strings, and on 'Thank You', Dyson totally nails it, singing, ' Thank you. I love you. Forgive me. I forgive you '.

A beautiful reminder that time is short and none of us know what's around the corner. — Gab Burke

Sierra Ferrell – Trail Of Flowers

Art deco style illustration of woman as a griffin with elaborate frame and drawings & text: Trail of Flowers Sierra Ferrell

Sierra Ferrell is a West Virginian mountain-folk mastermind who approaches the Americana genre with a wild boldness and confidence that stretches its boundaries.

Trail of Flowers has all the sonic comfort of the ol'-timey Americana sound, without any of its conservatism. She is an epic performer with a cinematic drama to everything she touches: her incredible sense of the visual, full of scattered flowers and bold costuming, translates into the sound.

The record is embedded deep in the world of twangy tones, but the journey jumps from the wide-eyed ballad of 'American Dreaming' to the driving pulse of 'Fox Hunt', through moments of smoky jazz to Western swing. The Trail of Flowers might be the best road trip you've ever taken. — Henry Wagons

Four Tet – Three

Collage of 10x8 coloured squares with textured images, shadows and drawings.

The comfort zone. You don't ever want to get stuck there, but boy is it a nice spot to visit — especially when you really need it. A person who loves you, a friend that understands. A hug from family, a dog that sits on your feet. A food that settles your nerves, an old sitcom under a familiar blanket.

I've been listening to Four Tet's music for over 25 years, it has soundtracked moments in my life both menial and cosmic. I do the dishes listening to Four Tet. I hang out the washing. I watch the stars listening to Four Tet. I watch my daughters' faces grow, their minds and hearts too.

What timing to have this new album just when I need it, as one chapter closes and a new one starts. It's all about the sound of course, so full of wonder and warmth, but the wistful song titles also help: 'Loved'. 'Gliding Through Everything'. 'Daydream Repeat'. 'I'll Miss The System Here' (from the expanded edition, Three+).

I put on Three+ and I feel love. I feel loved. I'll miss the system here. — Tim Shiel

Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown

four blurry portrait images of red-headed woman against black background.

We rarely get to hear from the Portishead vocalist, but Beth Gibbons' long-awaited solo album proves, once again, she's always worth the wait.

Lives Outgrown showcases her singular voice — mysterious, devastatingly poignant and strangely comforting all at once — in spellbinding, meticulously crafted arrangements.

There are echoes of her previous achievements (the brassy 'Reaching Out') but also witchy folk ('Beyond The Sun'), sinister, sweltering missives ('Rewind') and pastoral beauty ('Whispering Love').

A decade in the making, these 10 songs are fixated with the passage of time, mortality and "lots of goodbyes".

That perspective manifests in shapeshifting music that is occasionally challenging but often beautiful, as it charts the extremes of grief and ecstasy. Sometimes, in the case of stand-out 'Floating on a Moment', within the one song.

Children's voices join Gibbons, transforming existential melancholy into a life-affirming reminder that ' All we have is here and now '.

It's a cliché, but one that bears repeating coming from a one-of-a-kind artist like Gibbons: Life is precious. So is this album. — Al Newstead

Justice – Hyperdrama

Glass cross with interior of orange nerve paths laced over a metal skeleton with pink brain and bio-organic matter

This album is a wild ride.

Some songs, like 'Neverender', featuring Kevin Parker of Tame Impala fame , feel like they should be enjoyed while splayed out on a super yacht, icy beverage with tiny umbrella in hand. Then it's dark, dank and sweaty — like I'm moving through the hallways of a seedy nightclub, each room more thumping than the last.

It's an album made for a sweaty summer and everything you need from a Justice record. It's simultaneously playful and fun, while also being full of some very serious and seriously great instrumentation and cleverly using production techniques to create and ease tension.

'Neverender' has this bouncy push and pull, shifting the beats through your body, then, in 'Muscle Memory', the moments of complete silence feel like a sharp breath.

The collaborations really lift the album up to another level; Thundercat and Miguel's vocals fit just so perfectly into this beat-heavy album without feeling like add-on features. But it's the silky voice of Australia's own Parker that really seals the deal on this very fun, very addictive record. — Liza Perkovic

KAYTRANADA — TIMELESS

Black and white photo of Haitian-Canadian producer KAYTRANADA sat on a black leather couch with intense white light overhead

KAYTRANADA's long-awaited third album plays out like a seamless hour-long soundtrack to the best night of your life.

Some of the best voices in the business have leapt at the chance to jump on the Canadian producer's new project, resulting in an enviably cool collection of soulful electro and R&B that builds beautifully on his already impressive catalogue.

Childish Gambino adds a little star power on 'Witchy', Tinashe's syncopated vocal works brilliantly with the various sonic treats KAYTRA slips into the mix on 'More Than a Little Bit', while the steely-yet-alluring PinkPantheress brings the whole affair into the current day on 'Snap My Finger'. There are shades of P-Funk in 'Weird', slinky neo-soul in 'Still', and early-00s-aping R&B on 'Video'.

There's value in just about every individual song on TIMELESS, but the record is altogether more exciting when heard in its entirety. KAYTRANADA is a master of mood and flow, and this record is the best example of his particular style of craftsmanship yet. — Dan Condon

Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future

Out-of-focus portrait of woman wearing white cowboy hat with fingerless leather glove to her right temple

It's an incredible gift to be able to transport a listener so wholly, while connecting them to a tangible world you can see, smell, touch, and feel. Adrianne Lenker does this with every album, and her latest solo work is no different.

Recorded straight to tape, it captures that exact moment, while reminding us of her extraordinary vocal talent and ability to corral a beautiful bunch of collaborators.

That authenticity is also tied to specificity, and if she isn't destroying you in the opening song where she sings of a fateful vet trip then I ask, have you even a pulse?

Her ability to walk the tightrope of raw, minimal songcraft and songs that feel like a family band jam is what sustains her warmth and heart as a songwriter. And the way she can slay with a slight chord change has me gasping.

We are so lucky to be living in the time of Adrianne Lenker. — Zan Rowe

Logic1000 – Mother

Woman stands in dark robe inside a stone mausoleum surrounded by an explosion of white daisies and petals

Not all dance music is made for the dance floor. We're not all equipped with the time, able bodies, energy, or the desire to lose ourselves in a sea of sweaty bodies and pounding beats.

On the debut album from Logic1000 — real name Samantha Poulter — the Sydney-born, Berlin-based producer and DJ has served up an album bursting with influences: from 90s house, to reggaeton, UK garage, pop, soul and the sound of folks like Caribou and Four Tet.

Mother is stunning in its softness. Opener 'From Within' draws you in with a hypnotic beat and dirty bassline, there's the pop hooks of 'Promises' and 'Self To Blame' and the sass of 'Saint Rex', all tinted with nostalgia and melancholy.

Knowing Poulter made this record after becoming a mother for the first time has drawn me in deeper as I've navigated my own way through new motherhood.

In stolen moments alone, I've put my headphones on, cranked the volume, and disappeared into a dancefloor daydream, remembering a person I used to be and finding a new rhythm. — Caitlin Nienaber

Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well

Brunette woman offers up a crimson clover as she stands in a green field with text: DEEPER WELL

On 2021's Star-Crossed, Kacey Musgraves delivered a post-divorce album under the influence of magic mushrooms.

On her sixth LP, Deeper Well, the country crossover star is off the mushies — and the weed too, for that matter — and searching for a more sustainable source of joy. She finds this in sober self-care and new-age mysticism, sprinkling this sparkling, stripped-back set with references to moon bathing, jade crystals, and tarot readings.

Across 14 tracks, the Nashville star ponders new love, the afterlife, free will and intelligent design, big-picture topics brought down to size by delicate, unfussy arrangements that throwback to classic Laurel Canyon folk-pop, setting Musgraves' crystalline vocals against twinkling keys, gentle guitars and plucked banjos.

But don't mistake these cosmic meditations on life and death for skin-deep woo-woo: in grounding Deeper Well in relatable real-world experience, Kacey Musgraves' Saturn return is as earthed as anything in her catalogue. — Sam Wicks

Jordan Rakei – The Loop

Man in all-white coveralls stands in the distance on a country road with rolling brown green hills and lone tree

Waikato bred, Meanjin/Brisbane fed Jordan Rakei has long been one of the premiere voices to come out of this part of the world. Many projects deep, Jordan just now feels like he is really kicking into gear on his fifth album, The Loop, which is a scary thought.

Maybe it's age and experience that has allowed Jordan to really exert just the right amount of energy and pinpoint exactly what he wants to say? Maybe it's the planets aligning?

We knew the type of journey we were about to embark on when he released first single 'Flowers'; snappy drums, soul-touching pianos, and, of course, those harmonies. Once he followed up with the anthemic 'Freedom', we knew this album was going to be one of the best for 2024.

If you're after melancholy vibrations, 'State of Mind' and 'Hopes and Dreams' is for you. If you're looking to get the blood flowing, then give 'Friend or Foe' and 'Cages' a spin. Regardless of the mood you're in, you'll find something that'll suit it on The Loop. Just like the title suggests, play it over and over and over. — Hau Latukefu

Regurgitator – Invader

Thirty years into Regurgitator's career, it's fair to say most fans like their old stuff better than their new stuff. But the Brisbane trio's 10th album stands shoulder-to-shoulder with their earlier, highly regarded work.

Invader finds a renewed Regurgitator back to doing what they do best: fun, genre-hopping tunes with subversive edges.

'Cocaine Runaway' is pitch-perfect 80s kitsch, Peaches punches up 'This Is Not A Pop Song', while 'Wrong People' (essentially the Ramones re-imagining Pulp's 'Common People') returns to the band's punk rock roots.

They also tap into contemporary hip hop: Bundjalung rapper JK-47 shines on 'Dirty Old Men' while Quan Yeomans himself spits bars over the bombastic title track and symphony-sampling trap joint 'Epic'.

Invader excels when dancing on the fine dividing line between satire and sincerity. Who'd think to put an oddball titled 'Pee Pee Man' next to a pop-rap protest against colonialism? The Gurge, that's who! And we love them for it. — Al Newstead

The Smile – Wall Of Eyes

abstract painting of blue/orange/tan waves, stalagmites, eyes and text: WALL OF EYES THE SMILE

Each song on The Smile's second album Wall of Eyes is packed with ideas, constantly surprising us with cinematic orchestration, woozy synths, and Tom Skinner's endlessly creative and disciplined drumming gluing everything together. A change in producer and a shift to Abbey Road Studios has yielded a more focused and organic flow within the songs and across the record.

'Teleharmonic' and 'Under our Pillows' have unquenchable grooves and unsettling atmospheres. The title track and the widescreen car-crash epic 'Bending Hectic' start evenly enough, before their strings create a sense of vertigo.

Even the album's undeniable highlight, the Beatles-esque pandemic lament to cronyism 'Friend of a Friend', is torn apart by radio transmissions, lopsided horns, and intrusive echoes. It sounds fully sick, in every sense of the phrase.

Radiohead's DNA remains strong, but this fascinating trio are moving forward at rapid pace. — Ryan Egan

Vince Staples – Dark Times

All black tile with hard-to-read dark text reading: DARK TIMES

Vince Staples understands his place in the current music scene. "I'm obviously not an A-tier artist… no one's coming to me for a party record, so I don't feel those pressures," he recently told Apple Music's Zane Lowe. Dark Times sees him improving upon the macabre introspection that fans expect from his decade-long career.

On 'Government Cheese,' he raps, ' Everybody gotta die, only question is it hell or in the sky? ' before the lead synth from 'Blue Suede,' his debut 2014 single, kicks in. 'Little Homies' sounds like an homage to the dancier cuts from one of Staples' closest collaborators, the late great Mac Miller. 'Radio' reflects on his youth, listening to California radio DJs and the music of his childhood.

The album feels like a state of the union, with Vince taking stock of where he's been and hinting at where he's going. Given his consistency thus far, we can no doubt expect another decade of great albums from one of music's strongest pens. — James Brennan

Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us

Photo of defunct new york subway cart with man floating sideways and man reading Daily News paper with ONLY GOD WAS ABOVE US

Frankly, it's almost rude to other bands how good Vampire Weekend still sound after nearly 20 years. If this was cycling, someone would accuse them of doping. But no, their fifth album, Only God Was Above Us, is just that good.

It's everything you love about them: sunshiny Afropop, preppy little guitar lines and classy chamber pop colliding to create one of indie rock's most recognisable sounds. But it's more than that. It's grittier, more honest and more self-reflective than we've heard from them before.

There's clarity in hindsight and, on Only God Was Above Us, Vampire Weekend use it to show us who they are and how they've grown. — Stephen Goodhew

Waxahatchee – Tiger's Blood

brunette stands in blue jeans, open flannel shirt, red bra and 'KC' trucker cap in field beneath neon sign with red pickup truck

Katie Crutchfield again proves she is one of modern Americana's most endearing figures on Tiger's Blood, her sixth album as Waxahatchee , as her distinct voice cuts through her band's stunning instrumentation in a way that puts her evocative storytelling front and centre.

While the band makes a racket on songs like 'Bored', most songs here have an abundance of space. Crutchfield says a lot with few words on songs like 'Ice Cold' and 'Right Back To It', a collaboration with fledgling indie star MJ Lenderman and the album's highlight, and there's a general restraint to these songs that makes them feel often wistful and always considered.

If you're too busy luxuriating in those weeping guitars to pay attention to her lyrics, you'll find yourself catching short, beautiful lines of prose here and there, pulling focus from her expansive music to her ultra-personal reflections.

Crutchfield as both singer and songwriter is one of the true treasures of modern music, and to see her thrive album after album is a privilege. — Dan Condon

Yard Act – Where's My Utopia

illustration of burning skeleton holding phone on a beach with crashing airplane, angry sun, and hand reaching out from waves

Yard Act's second album is a riot of ideas, rhythms, samples, witty lyrics, and catchy hooks that sees the Leeds band consciously break away from the 'post punk' tag of their excellent first album The Overload.

It's an infectiously fun, clever record, with hip hop, disco and dance influences and tons of musical confidence to experiment, honed by relentless touring. Frontman James Smith is a singular talent, a self-deprecating, observant and often hilarious storyteller with a dry wit.

On 'We Make Hits', he gives voice to the contradictions of his new-found fame, 'Dream Job' is a 70s-flavoured disco punk anthem for the dance floor, and 'Down by the Stream' is honest and reflective.

Recruiting producer Remi Kabata Jr from Gorillaz was an inspired move in evolving their sound. There's still lots of jagged guitars and elastic basslines, but the additional layered instrumentation suits them. It's a brilliant leap forward from a band with a lot more to give. — Karen Leng

Tune into Double J to keep up with the best new music, as well as all the best songs from your past. Check it out on the ABC listen app right here .

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The 50 best albums of 2023

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Arts, Culture and Entertainment
Music (Arts and Entertainment)

Fresh LPs to match the many moods of summer

Things To Do

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. (Photo Rob DeMartin)

“Good Together,” Lake Street Dive

Yacht rock is made by earnest artists who can do sophisticated, jazzy rock but would rather make sunny, summery, buoyant pop in the vein of Motown, the Brill Building, and the pre-1966 Beatles. Lake Street Dive isn’t yacht rock, but the band plays with those same elements: sincere songwriting made by musicians with jazz chops and a delicious pop bounce.

The difference — and you can hear this all over new album “Good Together” — is that Lake Street Dive aren’t falsely sunny. The quintet’s sunshine is earned by climbing over pain, chaos, and our maddening modern moment.

The ex-Boston band hasn’t lost a step since lineup shuffles brought singer-songwriter-keyboardist Akie Bermiss in 2017 and guitarist James Cornelison into the fold. In many ways, the group is tighter: see a title track that could be the Jackson 5 at its “I Want You Back” best. Actually, the whole first side bumps with soulful, funky, stomping Top 40, even when the lyrics are more introspective than triumphant.

The flip side bumps too, but Lake Street Dive shows its depth as it slows down. In “Seats at the Bar,” the band has written the world’s first great love song about skipping sitting at a two top. “Twenty Five” presents a lost relationship not as tragedy but as happy memory.

The album closes with its one grand song, maybe just to prove this band can do it all: “Set Sail (Prometheus & Eros)” is an epic duet like something that could end an arty blockbuster musical, or end any dark and bright summer.

“Born in the USA,” Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen crashed the summer of ’84 40 years ago with an album that split the difference between America’s deep anxieties and its simple pleasures. Like Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life” and Bob Marley’s “Exodus” before it, “Born in the USA” runs through a staggering range of electric emotions and big ideas that, when totaled, document a time and place.

The recently reissued LP is bookended by the chronically misunderstood title track about Vietnam vets abandoned by their country and “My Hometown,” about a town with a legacy of racial violence and a future of dying economic prospects. Between the anger and gloom, Springsteen presents narrators burning for love — one desperate to reclaim a relationship that ain’t coming back (“Downbound Train”), another looking for a respite from pain through sexual salvation (“I’m on Fire”).

But along with disappointment and desperation, these small-town (and so often, small-time) men often come with gleeful-if-misplaced optimism. In the goofy, hooky, endless fun of “Darlington County,” there’s “me and Wayne on the Fourth of July” looking to use $200 and promises that their dad owns the World Trade Center to score dates. No song has lyrics that scream middle-aged angst with music that shouts louder that life is a blast like “Glory Days.” And “Dancing in the Dark” is such a perfect pop song it put a 35-year-old into the charts next to 20-somethings like Madonna and Prince.

“Born in the USA” is the sound of the summer for those who can dance even as they admit their lives and their country is a mess.

Lake Street Dive (Photo by Shervin Lainez)

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Sabrina, Charli and Chappell are suddenly stars. Why now?

Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX and Chappell Roan

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There were lime-green tube tops, lime-green beanies, lime-green hoodies and cowboy hats and sunglasses and at least one lime-green mesh vest like something an especially with-it street paver might wear. But even those not dressed in the glaring color of Charli XCX’s glaring new album, “Brat,” were showing their devotion to the English pop singer this month, shouting along with every word as she performed all 15 of the album’s tracks for a capacity crowd vibrating with excitement at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

“I don’t want to sing this one — I just want to hear you sing it,” she said before the beat of “ B2B ” kicked in at a pulverizing volume, and nearly every person in the room seemed overjoyed to oblige her.

With tickets going for hundreds of dollars over face value on the secondary market, this recent sold-out concert was a convocation of the ultra-loyal Charli XCX fans — Charli’s Angels, many call themselves — who’ve helped maintain her cult-fave status over the decade and change since she emerged in the early 2010s with appearances on hits like Icona Pop’s “ I Love It ,” which she co-wrote, and her own solo debut, “True Romance.” For almost Charli’s entire career, her tuneful yet edgy brand of electronic pop has held a distinct connoisseur’s appeal — a kind of if-you-know-you-know energy that’s endeared her only more deeply to her core following.

Yet signs keep mounting that the wider world is starting to pay attention.

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“Brat,” Charli’s sixth studio LP, debuted last week at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, a career high for the 31-year-old musician. Reviews of “Brat” have been almost uniformly positive, including raves from the likes of Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and the Guardian.

Lorde, about whom Charli is broadly thought to have written the song “Girl, So Confusing,” offered her take on Instagram, writing that “there is NO ONE like this b—”; the New Zealander then jumped on a remix of “Girl, So Confusing” that immediately racked up more than 5 million plays on Spotify after it dropped on Friday. And this fall, Charli will play arenas on a co-headlining tour with Troye Sivan.

For all her swagger at the Shrine, Charli on “Brat” anticipates the isolating experience of stardom; in the song “ Rewind, ” she’s already longing for the days “when I didn’t overanalyze my face shape” and when she “used to never think about Billboard.”

In fact, she’s not alone: Charli’s sudden ascent is just one of several we’re seeing this summer, including Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, both of whom are putting up huge numbers after years of work in the trenches of pop music.

This week, Carpenter’s song “Please Please Please” — a slinky yacht-rock jam about a famous woman’s anxieties regarding a public relationship — topped the Hot 100 in just its second week on the chart, followed closely at No. 4 by her frothy neo-disco smash “Espresso”; a few days before, San Francisco’s Outside Lands festival announced that it had tapped Carpenter, 25, as a last-minute headliner to replace Tyler, the Creator after he dropped out for unspecified reasons.

Roan, meanwhile, just entered the top 10 of Billboard’s album chart for the first time with her grandly theatrical 2023 LP, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” powered in large part by the 26-year-old’s much-discussed appearances at Coachella and New York’s Governors Ball festival. Asked by Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show” the other day what it felt like to finally break through, Roan smiled and said , “It feels like I was right all along.”

So why now for these women — and in a year crowded with activity, no less, by veteran A-listers like Taylor Swift , Beyoncé and Billie Eilish ? One top pop songwriter, granted anonymity in order to speak candidly, points out that part of what’s happening is merely a course correction for a music industry that’s been starved for new superstars.

“The last one was Olivia Rodrigo, and that was almost four years ago — that’s not normal,” this person says. “There used to be at least one massive breakout every year, if not two.”

COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns deprived record labels access “to the traditional levers they used to be able to pull” to elevate young acts, the songwriter adds; TikTok filled the vacuum with short-lived hits by “random people in their bedroom — which is beautiful, but then you realize they’ve never played a show before and there’s nothing to fall in love with. It’s just a song, and you have no clue who’s singing it.”

Yet something connects Carpenter, Roan and Charli XCX in particular that’s clearly resonating with listeners. According to Michelle Jubelirer, the former Capitol Music Group chief executive who helped orchestrate the rise of Ice Spice , “They’re all incredibly strong, independent women who are a little brash and who build worlds and remain authentically themselves.” Jubelirer laughs. “It’s like, ‘We’re done with the bulls—,’” she says. “‘Accept us for who we are, or f— you.’”

That brashness doesn’t just manifest in the winking aggression of a song like Charli’s “ 360 ,” in which she promises to “shock you like defibrillators,” or “Please Please Please,” which has Carpenter warning her actor boyfriend not to embarrass her. It’s also in the forthright depiction of queer sex in Roan’s “Casual” and in the naked vulnerability of Charli’s “ I Think About It All the Time ,” a staticky ballad about how motherhood fits (or maybe doesn’t) into the life of an artist.

“I was walking around in Stockholm / Seriously thinking ’bout my future for the first time,” she sings, going on to recount a visit to friends with a new baby. “She’s a radiant mother and he’s a beautiful father / And now they both know these things that I don’t.”

Sturdily crafted yet rough around the edges, “I Think About It All the Time” reflects the frankly confessional nature of social media, which may be a reason Charli’s music is stirring up more passion than Dua Lipa’s comparatively streamlined “ Radical Optimism ,” to name one recent album by a far more famous pop singer that’s failed to connect with a mass audience this year.

Ditto, perhaps, for relatively underperforming LPs by Ariana Grande and Kacey Musgraves , both of which presented portraits of women who’d soul-searched their way to a state of emotional equilibrium — as opposed to people (à la Charli, Sabrina and Chappell) owning their unresolved desires and anxieties.

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 14, 2023: Chappell Roan sits on a barstool at the Big Foot Lodge on August 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, CA. Her new album 'The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess' is coming out in September.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Of course, however happily messy they might appear, each of these ascendant pop stars has honed the ability to express that message through years of practice. Roan signed her first major-label deal almost a decade ago and moved to L.A. from her native Missouri in 2018; Carpenter, who has an album due in August, made her name on a Disney Channel series and released her debut full-length in 2015. As one seasoned insider puts it in regards to former kiddie-TV figures: “Fans grew up with them, so when they break, they’re more than a song because they’re already a part of your life. And the Disney girls are well trained: They can deliver when they need to.”

Indeed, as Jubelirer notes, Roan and Carpenter have consistently gone viral with performance clips that demonstrate their old-school stage talent — talent each of them got to expose to huge audiences on the road this year, Roan as an opening act for Rodrigo (with whom she shares a producer in Dan Nigro) and Carpenter as one of Swift’s openers on the record-breaking Eras tour .

Yet the stage is also where an experienced pro can come face to face with her disorienting new reality. Performing this month in North Carolina, Roan tearfully interrupted her set to tell her audience that she felt “a little off” because “my career is just kind of going really fast and it’s really hard to keep up.” She said she didn’t want to offer up “a lesser show” because of her feelings and added, “This is all I’ve ever wanted — it’s just heavy sometimes.”

The crowd promptly roared.

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The 25 Best Yacht Rock Songs Of All Time

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.

But what exactly is Yacht Rock?

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…

What are the qualifications for inclusion on our list?

Ideally, one or more of these themes will be present:

Finding the love of your life;
Having a memorable one-night stand; or
Doing something nautical.

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…

1. “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes

“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.

2. “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) by The Looking Glass

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.

3. “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts

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.

4. “Africa” by Toto

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.

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. 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.

6. “Drift Away” by Dobie Gray

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.

7. “Love Will Find a Way” by Pablo Cruise

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.

8. “Ride Captain Ride” by Blues Image

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.

9. “Eye in the Sky” by The Alan Parsons Project

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.

10. “Miracles” by Jefferson Starship

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.

11. “Sad Eyes” by Robert John

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.

12. “Magnet and Steel” by Walter Egan

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.

13. “Lido Shuffle” by Boz Scaggs

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.

14. “What You Won’t Do for Love” by Bobby Caldwell

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.”

15. “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” by Michael McDonald

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.

16. “Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty

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.

17. “Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang” by Silver

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.

18. “Biggest Part of Me” by Ambrosia

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.

19. “Baby Come Back” by Player

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.

20. “On and On” by Stephen Bishop

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).

21. “Chevy Van” by Sammy Johns

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.

22. “You Are the Woman” by Firefall

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.”

23. “Sailing” by Christopher Cross

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.

24. “Steal Away” by Robbie Dupree

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.

25. “This is It” by Kenny Loggins

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.

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4 New Audiobook Memoirs for Music Lovers

Recent books by Ghostface Killah, Kathleen Hanna, Michael McDonald and Darius Rucker hit notes both high and low.

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The illustration shows an Elvis-like figure sitting in a chair, reading from a book while he speaks or sings into a microphone.

By Alan Light

Alan Light is the author of “The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of ‘Hallelujah.’”

Nobody said it was easy being a rock star. Actually, people do say that, perhaps most unforgettably Dire Straits in their 1985 hit “Money for Nothing.” But musicians have become much more open about their challenges, as a recent spate of memoirs can attest.

“I’ve never been good at getting in touch with my innermost feelings,” Michael McDonald says in WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES: A Memoir (HarperAudio, 10 hours, 57 minutes) , and yet the best sections in the book see the singer wrestling with his demons. A living link to a lost era of pop, McDonald worked his way up the industry ladder with a series of local ensembles in and around his native St. Louis, moved to Los Angeles in 1970 and got a gig touring with Steely Dan. After the band dissolved in 1974, he joined the Doobie Brothers.

His vocal work with these groups and with the likes of Christopher Cross and Kenny Loggins earned McDonald his status as the godfather of yacht rock. Here he adds new depth to his avuncular public image with a husky, slightly mumbling account of his substance abuse, including nights in jail and some “colossally stupid” attempts at low-level drug dealing.

After he gets sober, so does the audiobook: chronicling his son’s learning difficulties, his wife’s breast cancer, his acid reflux. The book was written with the comedian Paul Reiser, but McDonald’s humor tends toward the dry and the dad joke (one chapter is titled “Doobie or Not Doobie, That Is the Question”). And no, he still does not explain what “Yah Mo B There” means.

‘What a Fool Believes’

Drugs also take center stage in Darius Rucker’s LIFE’S TOO SHORT: A Memoir (HarperAudio, 6 hours, 12 minutes) . During his glory days as the frontman of Hootie & the Blowfish, the band “reigned supreme in two not altogether unrelated areas,” he says: “selling records and doing drugs.”

Rucker is an amiable host, sometimes animated but other times rushing through material. He has a mostly happy coming-of-age, despite an absent father and an addict brother, until Hootie’s 1994 debut album, “Cracked Rear View,” becomes one of the best-selling records of all time. Subjected to constant racism as a Black singer in a Southern rock band, Rucker is forced to “deal with it by hardening myself,” he says: “I hear it, I hear you, I get it, you hate me. But you can’t beat me.”

Before Hootie disbands in 2008 and Rucker goes on to enjoy a second act as a successful country singer, his wife lays down the law: “Stop partying, or I will make your life hell.” Rucker says that he “quit cocaine and Ecstasy that night,” but doesn’t address an arrest on misdemeanor drug charges earlier this year.

‘Life’s Too Short’

For Kathleen Hanna , the lead singer of Bikini Kill, Julie Ruin and Le Tigre and a pioneer of the 1990s riot grrrl movement, the fundamental conflict of success isn’t chemical, but existential. She begins REBEL GIRL: My Life as a Feminist Punk (HarperAudio, 9 hours, 48 minutes) with the intention that “I don’t want this book to be a list of traumas,” and her delivery remains steady through painful incidents of rape and violence.

But she loosens up as the book goes along, leaning into obscenities and even giggling in odd places as she recounts her marriage to the Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz, her struggle with Lyme disease and her creative journey through visual art, zines, political activism and music. If she at times feels herself becoming a character (“Queen Riot Grrrl”) and then a caricature (“Feminist Barney”), Hanna seems at peace with her work and her legacy by the end.

‘Rebel Girl’

Ghostface Killah shares his own inner battles — with depression, panic attacks and diabetes — in RISE OF A KILLAH: My Life in the Wu-Tang (Macmillan Audio, 5 hours, 49 minutes) . Raised in the Staten Island projects, he recalls leaving behind a life of crime (“I wasn’t a New York Scarface or anything,” but he did shoot somebody “over not much at all”) when his fellow Wu-Tang member RZA told him, “You can’t mix pork with beef, man. You gotta do one or the other.” The path he chose landed him in the hip-hop hall of fame.

The Wu-Tang industrial complex has spun off multiple books, and “Rise of a Killah” doesn’t add much to our understanding of the group’s elaborate history. Read by an appropriately amped-up Landon Woodson, the audiobook is also conversational to a fault, and the author’s otherwise admirable spiritual journey can go off the rails.

“Each time somebody is born, a baby got to die, somebody’s got to die,” he opines in a section on karma that devolves into a rant about overpopulation. “To maintain anything more might tilt the Earth or whatever.” Um, OK, Ghost.

Like all of these musicians, Ghostface relies on his work to get him through even the roughest patches. “I know I’m going to be throwing rhymes around until I’m an old man,” he says. “If I got to talk about my cane, my false teeth, health care, grandchildren, I’m ready to do all that.”

‘Rise of a Killah’

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The 10 Best Yacht Rock Albums To Own On Vinyl
The 10 Best Yacht Rock Albums To Own On Vinyl
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The 10 Best Yacht Rock Albums To Own On Vinyl
The 10 Best Yacht Rock Albums To Own On Vinyl
The 10 Best Yacht Rock Albums To Own On Vinyl

COMMENTS

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