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Yacht Rock isn’t exactly a genre. It’s more a state of mind. It is the musical equivalent of a mid-afternoon mimosa nap in some nautical location—a cool breeze of lite-FM confection with the substance of a romance novel and the machismo of a Burt Reynolds mustache comb.
Yacht Rock is ‘70s soft schlock about boats, love affairs, and one-night stands.
Typified by artists like Christopher Cross, Rupert Holmes, and Pablo Cruise, Yacht Rock is not only easy to mock, but it’s also deserving of the abuse. There’s a sensitive 70s male brand of chauvinism that permeates this material—like somehow because you could schnarf an 8-ball of cocaine and sail a boat into the sunset, your indulgences and marital infidelity were actually kind of sexy. Cheap pickup lines and beardly come-ons abound.
And yet, this stuff is irresistible on a slow summer day. It reeks of sunshine and laziness, and couldn’t we all use a little of both?
These are the 25 Best Yacht Rock Songs, in order. Zero suspense. (Sorry if that’s less fun for you).
If you would like to learn more about Yacht Rock without getting a sailing license, read on…
So Yacht Rock refers to a type of soft rock, right? But there’s a ton of soft rock out there that doesn’t fit the bill. There’s no room on my boat for Barry Manilow. At the Copa? Sure. But not so much on my boat. So what makes a great yacht rock song exactly?
Ideally, one or more of these themes will be present:
These features pretty much capture everything that’s great about this milieu. But there’s also an important cheese factor at play here. While Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, CSN, and the Doobie Brothers all made songs that might qualify for inclusion here, the artists themselves are–let’s just say it–too good to be considered Yacht Rock.
We’ll make sure to include them in our deluxe playlist at the article’s conclusion.
But in order for a song to be considered for our list, it must be at least slightly embarrassing. Case in point, the top song on our list…
“The Pina Colada Song” is arguably the most perfect embodiment of yacht rock, fulfilling, as it does, all three of the qualifications cited above. Holmes sings about making love in the dunes, attempts to cheat on his wife, then ultimately, rediscovers that his “old lady” is actually the love he’s been searching for all along. That’s the holy trinity of Yacht Rock themes, all wrapped up in a breezy story of casual adultery. And at the turn of a new decade, listeners were feeling it. Released as a single in 1979, “Escape” stood at the top of the charts during the last week of the year. Falling to #2 in the new year, it returned to the top spot in the second week of 1980. This made it the first song to top the charts in two separate, consecutive decades. Fun fact: Rupert Holmes never drank a Pina Colada in his life. He just thought the lyric sounded right. Hard to argue that point.
Formed at Rutgers University in 1969, Looking Glass topped the charts in 1972 with the tale of a lovelorn barmaid in a harbor town haunted by lonely sailors. It would be the band’s only hit. Lead singer Elliot Lurie would go on to a brief solo career before becoming head of the music department for the 20th Century Fox movie studio in the ’80s and ’90s. That means he was the musical supervisor for the soundtrack to Night at the Roxbury . Do with that information what you will. And with respect to “Brandy,” see the film Guardians of the Galaxy 2 for Kurt Russell’s surprisingly detailed treatise on its lyrical genius.
The title track from the soft-rock duo’s breakout 1972 record, “Summer Breeze” is an incurable earworm, a bittersweet twilight dream that captures everything that’s right about Lite FM. From an album inhabited by Wrecking Crew vets and studio aces, “Summer Breeze” curls like smoke drifting lazily through an open window.
Toto singer David Paich had never been to Africa. The melody and refrain for this #1 hit from 1982 came to him fully formed as he watched a late night documentary about the plight of those living on the African continent. The lyrics touch on missionary work and describe the landscape as inspired by images from National Geographic , according to Paich’s own recollection. Putting aside its self-aware inauthenticity, “Africa” is an infectious, 8x platinum AOR monster.
Released in the summer of 1978 and reaching up to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Reminiscing” was guitarist Graeham Goble ‘s nostalgic take on the swing band era. Not only is it the only Australian song ever to reach five million radio plays in the U.S., but rumor is that it was among the late John Lennon’s favorite songs.
Recorded originally by a country-swamp rocker named Jeffrey Kurtz, Dobie’s 1973 cover became his biggest hit, reaching #5 on the charts. Though not explicitly nautical, “Drift Away” captures the distinct sensation of cruising at sunset.
Pablo Cruise may have the most “yachty” of all band names on our list. And “Love Will Find a Way” is sort of the musical equivalent of a ketch skipping along a glassy surface on a crisp summer dawn. Pablo Cruise was formed in San Francisco by expats from various mildly successful bands including Stoneground and It’s a Beautiful Day. And there is a certain slick professionalism to the proceedings here. Of course, Pablo Cruise was never a critic’s darling. Homer Simpson once accurately classified them as wuss rock. Still, they perfectly captured the white-folks-vacationing-in-the-Caribbean energy that was all the rage at the time. Love found a way to reach #6 on the Billboard charts, remaining in constant radio rotation during the red-hot summer of ’78.
Blues Image emerged from South Florida in the late ’60s and served as the house band for Miami’s vaunted Thee Image music venue upon its inception in 1968. This gave Blues Image the opportunity to open for ascendant headliners like Cream and the Grateful Dead. The association landed them a contract Atco Records. Their sophomore record Open yielded their one and only hit, a #4 in 1970 about a bunch of men who disappear into the mists of the San Francisco Bay in search of a hippie utopia.
This #3 hit from 1982 has nothing to do with sailing. But it’s infectiously smooth production sheen, layered synth, and dreamy vocals make it a perfect Lite FM gem–one cut from the stone that gave us yacht rock. The “Project” was actually a British duo–studio wizard Alan Parsons and singer Eric Woolfson. The title track from their sixth studio album is also their very best recording. It’s also often paired with the instrumental lead-in “Sirius,” a song famous in its own right for blaring over unnumbered sporting arena PA systems. If that tune doesn’t make you think of Michael Jordan, you probably didn’t live through the late 80s.
Marty Balin was a pioneer of the San Francisco scene, founding Jefferson Airplane in 1965 as the house band for his own legendary club–The Matrix. But in 1971, deeply shaken by the death of Janis Joplin, Balin quit his own band. Four years later, he was invited to rejoin his old mates on the already-launched Starship. He immediately contributed what would become the biggest hit by any Jeffersonian vessel. “Miracles” reached #3 in 1975. Gorgeous, elegant, and open, this is a complete anomaly in the Airplane-Starship catalogue. Listen closely for the NSFW lyrics that have often flown under the radar of some adorably innocent censors.
In 1972, Robert John had a #3 hit with his cover of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” And yet, just before recording “Sad Eyes”, the Brooklyn-born singer was employed as a construction worker in Long Branch, New Jersey. By the summer of ’79, he would have a #1 hit. In fact, the charting success of “Sad Eyes” was part of a cultural backlash against the reign of disco. A wave of pop hits swept on to the charts, including this slick soft rock throwback. With his sweet falsetto and doo wop sensibility, Robert John knocked The Knack’s “My Sharona” from its 6-week stand atop the charts.
Before launching headlong into his music career, Walter Egan was one of the very first students to earn a fine arts degree from Georgetown, where he studied sculpture. The subject would figure into his biggest hit, a #8 easy listening smash from 1978. Featured on his second solo record, “Magnet and Steel” enjoys the presence of some heavy friends. Lindsey Buckingham produced, played guitar and sang backup harmonies with Stevie Nicks. By most accounts, Nicks was also a primary source of inspiration for the song.
Of course, not all yacht rock songs are about sailing on boats. Some are about missing boats. Boz Scaggs looks dejected on the cover of 1977’s Silk Degrees , but things turned out pretty well for him. This bouncy #11 hit is a classic rock mainstay today. The band you hear backing Boz–David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, and David Hungate–would go on to form the nucleus of Toto that very same year. Toto, as it happens, is essentially a recurring theme of the genre. Before rising to massive success in their own right, the members of Toto absolutely permeated rock radio in the 70s, laying down studio tracks with Steely Dan, Seals and Crofts, Michael McDonald, and more.
This smooth-as-silk tune reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its 1978 release. It also reached #6 on the Hot Selling Soul Singles Chart. This is significant only because of Caldwell’s complexion. He was a white man signed to TK Records, a label most closely associated with disco acts like KC and the Sunshine Band. Catering to a largely Black audience, the label went to minor lengths to hide their new singer’s identity–dig the silhouetted figure on the cover of his own debut. Suffice it to say, once Caldwell hit the road, audiences discovered he was white. By then, they were already hooked on this perfect groove, which you might also recognize as a sample in 2Pac’s posthumous 1998 release, “Do For Love.”
Technically, Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin’” is an adaptation of an earlier tune by the same name. In fact, the original “I Keep Forgettin” was conceived by the legendary songwriting duo Leiber and Stoller–best known for iconic staples like “Hound Dog”, “Kansas City”, “Poison Ivy” and much much more. The original recording is by Chuck Jackson and dates to 1962. But McDonald’s 1982 take is definitive. If that wasn’t already true upon its release and #4 peak position on the charts, certainly Warren G. and Nate Dogg cemented its status when they sampled McDonald on “Regulate”. Get the whole history on that brilliant 1994 time capsule here .
Oh and by the way, this tune also features most of the guys from Toto. I know, right? These dudes were everywhere.
To the casual listener, Gerry Rafferty’s name may sound vaguely familiar. Indeed, you may remember hearing it uttered in passing in the film Reservoir Dogs . In a key scene, the DJ (deadpan comedian Steven Wright) mentions that Rafferty formed half the duo known as Stealers Wheel, which recorded a “Dylanesque, pop, bubble-gum favorite from April of 1974” called “Stuck in the Middle With You.” In the same scene, Mr. Blonde (portrayed with sadistic glee by Michael Madsen), slices off a policeman’s ear. At any rate, this is a totally different song, and is actually Rafferty’s biggest hit. “Baker Street” is a tune that reeks of late nights, cocaine, and regret. Peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Baker Street” soared on wings of the decade’s most memorable sax riff. Raphael Ravenscroft’s performance would, in fact, lead to a mainstream revitalization of interest in the saxophone writ large.
There are several interesting things about Silver that have almost nothing to do with this song. First, bass guitarist and singer Tom Leadon was both the brother of Bernie Leadon from the Eagles and a member of Tom Petty’s pre-fame band, Mudcrutch. Second, the band’s keyboardist was Brent Mydland, who would go on to become the Grateful Dead’s longest tenured piano guy. Third, Silver put out their only record in 1976, and future Saturday Night Live standout Phil Harman designed the cover art. With all of that said, Arista executives felt that their first album lacked a single so they had country songwriter Rick Giles cook up this ridiculous, gooey concoction that I kind of love. Let’s say this one falls into the “so bad it’s good” category. Anyway, the song peaked at #16 on the charts. The band broke up in ’78, leading Mydland to accept the deadliest job in rock music. He defied the odds by playing with the Grateful Dead until an accidental drug overdose claimed his life in 1990.
I admit, I’m kind of hard-pressed to make Ambrosia interesting. In fact, they were extremely prolific, and earned high regard in early ’70s prog rock circles. And in the 1990s, lead singer David Pack would actually be the musical director for both of Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration concerts. But this Southern California combo is much better known to mainstream audiences for their top-down, hair-blowing-in-the-wind soft rock from the decade in between. Peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980, “Biggest Part of Me” is the group’s best-known tune–a seafoamy bit of blue-eyed soul served over a raw bar of smooth jazz and lite funk.
Player released their self-titled debut album in 1977 and immediately shot up to #1 with “Baby Come Back.” Bandmates Peter Beckett and J.C. Crowley had both recently broken up with their girlfriends. They channeled their shared angst into this composition, a self-sorry guilty pleasure featuring former Steppenwolf member Wayne Cook on keys. Granted, Steppenwolf’s edgy disposition is nowhere to be found on this record, but it is pretty infectious in a late-summer-night, slightly-buzzed, clenched-fist sort of way. Player endured various lineup changes, but never returned to the heights of their first hit.
Remember that scene in National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978) where there’s this dude in a turtleneck singing a super cloying folks song before John Belushi mercifully snatches away his guitar and smashes it to smithereens? That guy was Stephen Bishop, who was actually in the middle of enjoying considerable success with his 1976 debut album, Careless . “On and On” was the album’s biggest hit, a vaguely Caribbean soft-rocker that reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in ’77. The gentle electric riffs you hear there are supplied by guitarist Andrew Gold–who wrote the theme song for the Golden Girls . (I freakin’ know you’re singing it right now).
The classic tale of boy-meets-girls, bangs-her-in-his-van, and brags-to-his-buds, all with backing from the world famous Wrecking Crew studio team. In 1975, a lot of people super related to it. It sold over a million copies and reach #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. I can’t tell you this song is good. But I also can’t tell you I don’t like it.
Firefall’s lead guitarist Jock Bartley perfectly captures this song’s impact, calling the band’s biggest hit “a singing version of [a] Hallmark card.” That feels right. The second single from Firefall’s 1976 self-titled debut was only a regional hit at first. But it was driven all the way to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the strength of radio requests. As Bartley explained, “Every female between the ages of 18 and 24 wanted to be the woman portrayed in the song, and that caused their boyfriends and spouses to call radio stations and subsequently flood the airwaves with dedications of the song and the sentiment.”
Arguably, “Sailing” is the single most emblematic song of the Yacht Rock genre. Its thematic relevance requires no explanation. But it’s worth noting that the song is inspired by true events. During a tough time in his youth, Cross was befriended by Al Glasscock. Serving as something of an older brother to Cross, Glasscock would take him sailing. He recalls in his biggest hit that this was a time of escape from the harsh realities of his real life. In 1979, Cross released his self-titled debut. In early 1980, “Sailing” became a #1 hit, landing Cross a hat-trick of Grammys–including recognition as best new artist. Though Cross and Glasscock would lose touch for more than 20 years, they were reunited during a 1995 episode of The Howard Stern Show . Cross subsequently mailed a copy of his platinum record to Glasscock.
Apparently, this song was perceived as so blatant a ripoff of Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins’ “What a Fool Believes” that legal action was actually threatened. It never formulated. Instead, Robbie Dupree landed a #6 Billboard Hot 100 hit with the lead single from his self-titled 1980 debut. Critics hated it, but it was a dominant presence in the summer of 1980. It even earned Dupree a Grammy nomination for best new artist. He ultimately lost to the man just above–Christopher Cross.
You didn’t think we’d get through this whole list without an actual Kenny Loggins tune. This song has the perfect pedigree, teaming Loggins and Michael McDonald on a 1979 composition that became the lead single off of Kenny Loggins’ Keep the Fire. Coming on the tail end of the ’70s, “This is It” felt positively omnipresent in the ’80s. I may be biased here. I grew up in Philadelphia, where a local television show by the same name adopted “This is It” as its theme song. But then, it did also reach #11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
And in that spirit…this is it, the end of our list.
But as usual, here’s a bonus playlist–an expanded voyage through the breezy, AOR waters of the mid-’70s to early ’80s.
How does one describe yacht rock? The folks at MasterClass did a pretty good job. Essentially, it's a component of soft rock, adult contemporary, and Album-oriented rock (AOR) all rolled into one. Popular in the late 1970s and into the '80s, there are some notable tunes of the ilk (smooth rhythms, light or "breezy" vocals, well-polished and produced) from earlier in the '70s that fall into this category.
In the spirit of easy listening fare, here is our ranking of 22 great yacht rock tunes.
The Southern Californian's biggest hit, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Yacht rock tracks often tell stories, and "Lonely Boy" is one of the great story songs. Whether it's autobiographical in nature has always been ripe for a casual argument. Though Gold, who passed away in 2011 at age 59, repeatedly claimed this song about a boy who felt left out following the birth of his sister was not depicting his life. The 1970s were ripe for one-hit wonders in the United States, and Gold is not still forgotten.
"I Love You" is a sweet, endearing ballad. The kind of song that probably sounded great via that portable 8-track cassette player on a catamaran during an early '80s' summer. From England, Climax Blues Band scored a top-15 hit with "I Love You." Love was a dependable and generally successful topic for artists within the soft/yacht rock genre. In fact, the song is still quite popular on lite rock and adult contemporary radio stations on your FM dial for those who still like to hear their music that way.
Toto rightfully has a place in the yacht rock world, but the band also broke into the top-40, FM radio, and MTV mainstream with the release of 1982's Toto IV . "Rosanna" was a big reason for the album's success, peaking at No. 2 on Billboard 's Hot 100 and winning the Record of the Year Grammy Award. Sure, it's not typical yacht rock fare, per se. It's certainly heavier than other popular tracks on this list, but it's certainly a product of AOR and still routinely played in dentist offices throughout America.
There are those historians who believe the first true example of yacht rock came with this popular '70s staple from the "Captain" Daryl Dragon and his wife Toni Tennille. Now, Neil Sedaka wrote "Love Will Keep Us Together" and originally recorded the song two years earlier. Still, the duo's version was more poppy, with a carefree vibe that's ideal for FM radio. While Captain & Tennille's cover won a Record of the Year Grammy Award, Sedaka has noted that the Beach Boys were one of the inspirations for the tune. This makes sense since many music critics, professionals, historians, etc.. have credited the yacht rock genre as somewhat of an offshoot from the Beach Boys' collective sound.
This No.1 Billboard Hot 100 hit for England's Rupert Holmes has achieved a steady cult following over the years. Perhaps, because of the unique title and conjured images of some warm, beach-laden paradise. Yacht rock's association with summer, water, and care-free living, as a backdrop to a romantic story, is one of its appealing aspects. This song is about a couple who ultimately patch up a rough relationship through personal ads . Any time somebody of a certain age sips one of these drinks, ideally at some Caribbean resort with the warm winds off the ocean blowing, "The Pina Colada Song" should come to mind.
Formed in Australia, the soft/pop rock and often yacht rock stylings of LRB were a hit in the United States. " Reminiscing " was the band's biggest hit in America, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Like many songs of this genre, "Reminiscing" is paced by the electric piano. Which also happened to be a staple of the Little River Band. Sure, it's not "breezy" like other yacht rock tunes, but Will Ferrell's Det. Allen Gamble is a big fan in The Other Guys (2010).
Yes, more from Toto. If there's one popular Toto hit that whole-heartedly falls under the yacht rock moniker, it's " Africa ." The group's only song to top the Billboard Hot 100, and made a resurgence with Weezer's popular cover in recent years , "Africa," is the proper combination of mellow and poppy. It continues the Toto tradition of shared vocals, while the consistent synthesizer and keyboard presence, though more pronounced than the typical soft rock/adult contemporary vibe.
L.A.'s Ambrosia, co-founded by vocalist/guitarist/songwriter David Pack and bassist Joe Puerta was all about the soft rock sound that surfaced in Southern California during the early 1970s. "How Much I Feel," from the group's third album Life Beyond L.A. , might have more of an adult contemporary vibe but certainly falls into the yacht rock category. It was one of the band's biggest hits, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's remained popular over the years, even being sampled by Kanye West.
Steely Dan was, in its prime, under the direction of celebrated songwriters Donald Fagan and Walter Becker, many things regarding a collective sound. Rock, pop, jazz, blues. Usually melodic, well within the soft-rock category. Songs like "Peg," from the 1977 masterpiece Aja , certainly has a yacht rock vibe, too. Perhaps most notably is that the great Michael McDonald, longtime frontman of the Doobie Brothers and driving singer-songwriter in the soft/yacht rock circles, provides backing vocals on the track.
It really does get more yacht rock than this—smooth , with a flowing rhythm, precise, but not overbearing, harmonies . Not to mention the subtly stellar keyboard work from David C. Lewis. Throw in sessionist Ernie Watts' sax solo, and we have one great soft/yacht offering. It was the second of Ambrosia's two top-5 hits, reaching No. 3 on Billboard 's Hot 100. The version from the 1980s One Eighty album runs about 5 1/2 minutes long. Talk about pure easy-listening joy.
Long considered one of the great "summer songs" ever recorded. And summer-themed tunes from the 1970s tend to lend themselves to the yacht rock moniker. That said, Seals & Crofts were definitely a soft rock outfit, but with elements of folk and pop. "Summer Breeze" peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1970s and, again, is notable for being one of the earliest yacht rock offerings. Several other prominent artists, such as Ray Conniff, the Isley Brothers, and a stellar metal version from Type O Negative.
It's safe to say that Christopher Cross is the king of yacht rock. A brilliant songwriter and above-average guitar player, Cross could rock, but it's his definitive soft rock numbers that made him a star with lite-FM, adult contemporary and yacht rock fans. "Ride Like the Wind" is the first single from Cross' stellar five-time Grammy-Award-winning self-titled debut from 1979. A more upbeat number about an outlaw running from the authorities, the track is less uplifting than other yacht rock tunes, but the vibe is the same. Of note, Michael McDonald provided backing vocals.
From John Friesen's steady drum intro to that durably underlaid bass line via Ron Moss to J.C. Crowley's keyboard presence begins the soft-rock brilliance of "Baby Come Back." With lyrics describing the yearning to reacquire a lost love and full-band harmonies, "Baby Come Back" just might be the quintessential offering of the yacht rock genre. It was the biggest hit for Player , the L.A.-based group that featured vocalist and song co-writer Peter Beckett, who was born in England. The tune topped the Billboard Hot 100 and still has a presence with its inclusion in films such as Transformers and Black Adam. Plus, various versions in popular TV shows like The Simpsons. American Dad and King of the Hill.
The Doobie Brothers were a rather hard-rocking outfit before Michael McDonald joined up in the mid-1970s. The band was in need of an established songwriter, and McDonald delivered. However, with a more mellow, synthesizer/electric piano-driven sound that produced soft-rock gems like this one. Co-written by Kenny Loggins, who put out a version for himself, "What a Fool Believes" hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in April 1979. Several critics have cited this as the best song in the vast Doobie Brothers catalog.
If you're going to be a one-hit wonder, why not make it count? More than 30 years since its release, " Steal Away " can still be heard in elevators and office buildings throughout the United States -- or in the third season of Better Call Saul . Undeniably yacht rock, Dupree, born in Brooklyn, enjoyed success with the song during the summer of 1980 -- always a perfect time to enjoy the smooth, soothing sounds of a piece within this genre that peaked at No. 6 on Billboar d's Hot 100.
Here's a case where middle-aged and baby-boomer music fans probably remember the song but perhaps not the group who performed the track. That's OK. Atlanta's Starbuck is essentially a one-hit wonder thanks to "Moonlight Feels Right," which topped out at No. 3 on Billboard 's Hot 100. For those who remember this track for its lite-flowing beat, with lyrical references to the ocean, "Baltimore," and 'Ole Miss," and band member Bo Wagner marimba solo, it might take them back to a simpler, more laidback time in their lives.
Perhaps more so than the previously mentioned "This Is It," "Heart to Heart" truly has all the requirements of a great yacht rock/soft rock tune. It was co-written by Michael McDonald, who also played the electric piano and provided backing vocals. David Foster, of Chicago songwriting and '80s ballad fame, also helped compose the tune, which features David Sanborn on saxophone. The track is one of Loggins' best-known hits, cracking the top 20 of the Hot 100.
Co-written by David Paich and featuring Jeff Porcaro on drums -- both of whom who go on to form the aforementioned Toto. One of Scaggs most well-known hits, "Lowdown" has a bluesy and almost disco vibe. And a number we can imagine being played at some swanky yacht club party where the dance floor is filled, and more than a few people are sporting captain's hats. The song reached No. 3 on Billboard 's Hot 100 and also topped the Billboard Cash Box chart in the United States.
Yacht rock and one-hit wonders seem to go hand-in-hand. Higgins scored one in the early 1980s with this number that reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Florida native was inspired to write this song about trying to avoid a romantic breakup by the 1948 movie of the same name, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, who are referenced in the tune. Though Higgins never enjoyed the same individual success as a musician, the song has had a solid shelf life and remains a definitive moment in the yacht rock genre.
Sure, "Ride Like the Wind" is a gem, but the undisputed star of Cross' aforementioned debut album is the Hot 100-chart-topper "Sailing." It might be the definitive yacht rock song, capturing what Cross described, at the time, the "West Coast sound," which was long being composed, produced and performed, but maybe didn't have an appropriate moniker. The song won Grammys for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Arrangement of the Year, and was a big reason Cross earned the same award for Best New Artist.
A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for parts of four decades. He was an integral member of award-winning sports sections at The Times of Northwest Indiana (Munster, Ind.) and Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette, where he covered the NFL, PGA, LPGA, NCAA basketball, football and golf, Olympics and high school athletics. Jeff most recently spent 12 years in the editorial department at STATSPerform, where he also oversaw coverage of the English Premier League. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Jeff's work has also appeared on such sites at Yahoo!, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated and NBA.com. However, if Jeff could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High School and Grand Lakes University
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A group of talented musicians with a bunch of tracks among the top of the AOR pops, Toto are among the genre’s big boys - and these are their best albums
As amazing as it may seem, in an age when the playing of their ubiquitous Africa can be the making of any social gathering, Toto weren’t always as universally loved as they are in 2024.
Sure, 1982’s Grammy-dominating Toto IV might have supplied the hits and made the band a household name, but while Africa, Rosanna and I Won’t Hold You Back filled up the charts, rock fans who’d been taken with the band’s early records poured scorn on the ballads.
A similar fate was suffered by fellow melodic rock bands like REO Speedwagon , Foreigner and Journey , as record labels realised that radio might play the ballads but weren’t going to play sturdier tracks.
Toto’s cause was further unaided by the fact that many in the media saw them as session musicians – most of the band worked on yacht rocker Boz Scaggs’ 1976 classic Silk Degrees , and would go on to provide much of the backing music on Michael Jackson’s gargantuan Thriller – and took a decidedly dim view of the band’s excellent musicianship and ability to write extremely catchy material.
Debut Toto (1978) and follow-ups Hydra (1979) and Turn Back (1981) mixed hard rock with touches of prog, funk and fusion, while Hold The Line from the debut had given the band a big hit and a radio rock staple. But with IV they went supernova.
It didn’t last long, however. Singer Bobby Kimball was axed for the better-looking/ sounding Fergie Frederiksen for 1985’s classy Isolation , but lasted just that one album. Joseph Williams came in for Fahrenheit (1987) and The Seventh One (1988), but the classy AOR sound didn’t fare well in the age of hair metal.
Drummer and erstwhile band leader Jeff Porcaro died tragically after the release of 1991’s harder-edged Kingdom of Desire , and was replaced by Simon Phillips. Bobby Kimball reunited with the band for 1999’s excellent Mindfields , but lasted two more albums before being replaced again by Joseph Williams, who continues to front the band to this day. Bassist Mike Porcaro succumbed to MND in 2015.
Guitarist Steve Lukather continues to lead Toto from the front – early next year they tour Europe and the UK – but another studio album, who knows? Still, with more than 40 million albums sold, six Grammy Awards under their belt and the band members appearing on some of the most successful albums of all time, one could say their work is pretty much done.
Toto IV (Columbia, 1982)
Understandably Toto’s only album to reach No.1, Toto IV is a triumph of classy musicianship and stellar production values. It also featured three of the band’s biggest and best-known songs in Africa, Rosanna (written about actress Rosanna Arquette, who was dating keyboard player Steve Porcaro at the time) and I Won’t Hold You Back , while deeper cuts such as Good For You, Lovers In The Night and Afraid Of Love added musical muscle.
For the sake of accuracy, regarding the lyrics to monster hit Africa, it should be pointed out that Mount Kilimanjaro cannot even be seen from the Serengeti (200 miles away), let alone rise above it ‘ like Olympus ’.
The Seventh One (Columbia, 1988)
Recorded at a time when the band’s hedonistic streak was running amok, The Seventh One remains one of the finest of AOR albums, with singer Joseph Williams settling into his role with aplomb.
Opening track and first single Pamela hinted at 1984’s Rosanna , and remains one of the band’s greatest songs, head and shoulders above the shameless re-write of Africa that is Mushanga , but cuts such as Stop Loving You (featuring Yes ’s Jon Anderson on backing vocals), the ballsy Stay Away , Only The Children and Home Of The Brave are the kind of killer AOR that most bands would bite your hand off to write.
Fahrenheit (Columbia, 1986)
With Joseph Williams replacing Fergie Frederiksen on vocals, Fahrenheit saw Toto reverting to the polished AOR sound of IV rather than continuing with the driving hard rock of previous album Isolation.
Williams’s sweet vocals were the perfect fit for the sublime pop-rock of Till The End, We Can Make It Tonight and Could This Be Love . The Lukather-written ballad I’ll Be Over You rates as one of his very best, while the funky title track reminded everyone that these were the guys who supplied much of the backing music to the biggest-selling album of all time (that’s Michael Jackson’s Thriller , if you didn't read the introduction).
Isolation (Columbia, 1985)
With singer Bobby Kimball ousted from the band due to drug-related legal issues, former Le Roux vocalist Fergie Frederiksen was brought in for Isolation , a ballsy melodic rock album, big on Steve Lukather’s guitar and light on ballads.
Frederiksen looked better than Kimball, whose portly demeanour and porn-star ‘tache were hardly fitting for a 80s rock band, and sang like a dream on the likes of Carmen, Lion, Stranger In Town and Angel Don’t Cry . Word has it he back-flipped on stage on the short but unsuccessful tour, but didn’t gel when it came to recording a follow-up. A pity.
Toto (Columbia, 1978)
Toto announced themselves as fresh-faced newcomers to the rock scene with this 1978 debut album. In truth, most of the members had been plying their trade as session men on a host of famous albums, something that would not go down well with critics at the time.
Yet what makes Toto’s debut work is the blend of styles – hard rock ( I’ll Supply The Love, Girl Goodbye ), prog ( Child Anthem ), R&B ( Georgy Porgy ) and, in Hold The Line , an evergreen melodic rock blockbuster. Rolling Stone magazine hated the album, which surely makes it a worthwhile addition to anyone’s collection.
Hydra (Columbia, 1979)
Prog purists usually turn their noses up when Toto talk about their love of the genre, but on Hydra , their second album, the influence is there for all to hear, not least in the lengthy opening title track and St. George And The Dragon . “We tried something a little different,” Steve Lukather explained of the album at the time, as once again the critics beat down on the band.
The record’s big single, the decidedly funky 99 , is somewhat at odds with the rest of the music on the album, but hidden away on side two the emphatic White Sister remains a gem of a Toto deep cut.
Turn Back (Columbia, 1981)
After the proggy inclinations of Hydra failed to replicate the success of predecessor Toto , the band changed tack for their third release, opting for driving hard rock, their sound aided by co-producer Geoff Workman, who’d worked with Foreigner, Journey and Queen .
That the album was bereft of a major US hit ( Goodbye Eleanor was big in Japan) means that it’s often overlooked in the band’s body of work, but it’s a great hard rock album. The lack of hits led to their label Columbia telling the band that if they didn’t come up with one on the next album they were going to get dropped. And we all know what happened next.
Kingdom Of Desire (Columbia, 1991)
After the misstep with South African singer Jean-Michel Bryon in 1990, Toto went into the studio with guitarist Lukather mainly stepping up to the mic for Kingdom Of Desire . Unsurprisingly, the album rocks harder than any Toto album since 1981’s Turn Back , as the guitarist cuts loose on a set of bluesy rockers such as opener Gypsy Train and lends a David Gilmour-esque feel to the epic title track.
Unchain My Heart was a surprisingly rocky single, although with grunge holding court, that, nor the album, really bothered the charts. (Drummer Jeff Porcaro died of a heart attack a month before the album’s release.)
Mindfields (Legacy, 1999)
Toto reunited with vocalist Bobby Kimball for 1999’s Mindfields , which began a decade of some stability for the band. The reunion was welcomed by their fan base, even if it hardly set the world’s media alight at the time.
The album is certainly the band’s strongest of their latter career. As a new millennium dawned, Toto were more intent on a selection of strong material that touched on their love of heavy rock, prog and melodic rock, all aided by an excellent vocal performance from returning vocalist Bobby Kimball, although the Lukather-sung Melanie hinted at former ballad glory
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Past To Present 1977-1990 (Columbia, 1990)
Admittedly a compilation album, Past To Present fills this unwanted category thanks to the inclusion of four new songs with vocals by South African Jean-Michel Byron, who was foisted upon the band by their label as a replacement for Joseph Williams. But the soul vibes of the new songs just weren’t what anyone wanted to hear.
The resultant tour, witnessed by this writer, was a car crash. “In rehearsal, Byron was just sitting there, but now he’s out doing this Michael Jackson-on-crack shit, with a golf glove on one hand, and my jaw was on the floor,” offered the ever forthright Lukather.
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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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If you’re in the mood for some rock album trilogies that can’t be beaten, these five sets of albums are worth exploring in depth. Keep in mind that some of these musicians may not have intended for the following albums to be seen as trilogies, but fans often refer to them as such. And they’re definitely well-loved by those fans decades after they were released!
1. ‘mccartney’ (1970), ‘mccartney ii’ (1980), and ‘mccartney iii’ (2020) by paul mccartney.
Few rock album trilogies have as much time between them as Paul McCartney’s trio of solo records. The latter album came out 40 years after the second. In a way, that’s part of why these albums are so good as a trilogy. He released plenty of albums between each of them, but his self-titled works seem like they are meant to be enjoyed as a trilogy. Some of his best songwriting is on all three of these records, and they all seem to come from the perspective of a calmed-down man looking inward.
These three albums from Bob Dylan are the opposite of McCartney’s trio, in a way. Where decades padded each self-titled album from McCartney, Bob Dylan released his “trilogy” in full within 14 months. These three albums are some of his most electric and very best. One could say he released three albums that changed the world of music in little more than a year. That’s quite a feat, and we wouldn’t expect less from Dylan.
The Berlin Trilogy of albums was named after David Bowie and Iggy Pop’s move to the capital of Germany, where both artists found a whole new well of creativity. The move seemed to affect Bowie on a spiritual level, resulting in three now-legendary albums that are some of the most experimental and unique works of his career.
For those who aren’t exactly megafans of Fleetwood Mac, Rumours might stand out as their only noteworthy album. However, despite the lack of success with Tusk and the relative unknown of their second (yes, second) self-titled album, the whole of this trilogy is brilliant folk-rock work. Again, we’re speaking for those who aren’t big Fleetwood Mac fans. For those that are, it’s wild to think of these three albums as anything other than a genre-breaking, genius trilogy.
Leonard Cohen was a poet before he was a musician, and we’re glad he made the right move. These three albums are amazing, likely due in part to the fact that Cohen probably had a massive catalog of words to put into song. They sound natural, potent, and brutal. Each of these individual albums stands strong on their own, but they are also a real treat to hear together.
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Highest Rated Yacht Rock Albums of All Time. 1. Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees. 2. Donald Fagen - Morph the Cat. 3. Al Jarreau - Breakin' Away. 4.
The greatest Yacht Rock albums of all time, as voted by RYM/Sonemic users. sign in. RYM. new music genres. charts. lists. Close. Search: Music Film for: ... Top Yacht Rock albums of all time. All time 2024 2023 2022 2020s 2010s 2000s 1990s 1980s 1970s 1960s 1950s. Weekly: 3 September Daily: 9 September.
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 50 Worst Decisions in Movie History Further Listening ... It's that rare yacht-rock album that's graceful, earnest, and utterly lacking in smarm. Songs ...
America - Your Move. 24. America - View from the Ground. 25. TOTO - The Seventh One. NOTE: This is not a year end list. This list is ordered by the ratings awarded albums throughout all. Rolling Stone's Best Yacht Rock Albums of All Time. View reviews, ratings, news & more regarding your favorite band.
Quality guarantee. 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 ...
A beginner's guide to yacht rock in five essential albums. By Jerry Ewing. ( Classic Rock ) published 1 July 2023. 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. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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 ...
The War on Drugs - I Don't Live Here Anymore. 5. Steely Dan - Two Against Nature. 6. Slow Dancer - In A Mood. 7. The Donkeys - Living On The Other Side. The Best Yacht Rock Albums of All Time. View reviews, ratings, news & more regarding your favorite band.
Playlist · Yacht Rock - 100 Best Ever - Top Yacht Rock Songs · 114 items · 2.4K likes.
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.
8 Essential Yacht Rock Albums. Written by Chuck Eddy | January 1, 2009 - 5:00 am. Boz Scaggs Silk Degrees COLUMBIA, 1976 Leisure-suited hot-tub funk from the former Steve Miller Band guitarist and ...
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.
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.
A landmark album in Jazz Rock and one that would subsequently influence the rise of Yacht Rock in the late '70s to early '80s, 'Aja' is the magnum opus of the mad creative genius of Donald Fagan and Walter Becker. ... Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. Open Menu Close Menu. 500-451 450-401 400-351 350-301 300-251 250-201 200 ...
5. Bobby Caldwell - Bobby Caldwell. 6. The War on Drugs - I Don't Live Here Anymore. 7. Steely Dan - Two Against Nature. Create an account to have a say in this list. A look at the The Best Yacht Rock Albums of All Time by User Score. Rate your favorite albums to have your say in this list of the top user rated albums.
Officially, to be considered Yacht Rock, the song must have been released between 1976 and 1984, and I adhere to this rule for the 101. That means no songs that are proto-Yacht Rock, such as Seals ...
Gino Vannelli. 3.41 230 5. 1974. Jazz Pop Soft Rock Yacht Rock. Jazz Fusion Progressive Pop Blue-Eyed Soul Smooth Soul Soft Rock. melodic calm sentimental nocturnal longing dark mellow introspective. Prev. 1 2 ... 27 Next. The most popular Yacht Rock albums of all time, as voted by RYM/Sonemic users.
The greatest Yacht Rock albums of all time, as voted by RYM/Sonemic users ... chart. Saved charts. Top albums of all time 2024 2023 2022 2020s 2010s 2000s 1990s 1980s 1970s 1960s 1950s. Share. Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Send on Whatsapp. Post on Reddit. More. Link to this page outside of RYM Copied! Top Yacht Rock albums of all time ...
In 1978, Dane Donohue made a debut album that should have propelled him to stardom. Working with members of the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Toto, and backed by many of the same musicians who had just recorded Steely Dan's Aja album, Donohue's self-titled debut was released by Columbia the same week as Toto's debut album.For reasons that are still open to discussion, the record did not ...
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.
4. "Heart to Heart" (1982), Kenny Loggins. YouTube. Perhaps more so than the previously mentioned "This Is It," "Heart to Heart" truly has all the requirements of a great yacht rock/soft rock tune ...
The Best Yacht Rock Albums of All Time. View reviews, ratings, news & more regarding your favorite band.
Here is the story behind this yacht rock classic and the artist who put it together. ... Rafferty worked hard on crafting what would be his masterpiece album, City to City. By the time he was ...
Andy Platts and Shawn Lee of Young Gun Silver Fox shouldn't dismiss the term yacht rock when describing their new album AM Waves and its brand of of 70's SoCal-infused pop rock that recalls Ambrosia, Doobie Brothers and to a modern day extent Mayer Hawthorne and Chromeo. Recorded at The Shop in London and Roffey Hall in the English countryside, the U.S/British duo's second LP.
A similar fate was suffered by fellow melodic rock bands like REO Speedwagon, Foreigner and Journey, as record labels realised that radio might play the ballads but weren't going to play sturdier tracks.. Toto's cause was further unaided by the fact that many in the media saw them as session musicians - most of the band worked on yacht rocker Boz Scaggs' 1976 classic Silk Degrees, and ...
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Bobby Caldwell - Bobby Caldwell. 6. The War on Drugs - I Don't Live Here Anymore. 7. Steely Dan - Two Against Nature. Create an account to have a say in this list. A look at the The Best Yacht Rock LPs of All Time by User Score. Rate your favorite albums to have your say in this list of the top user rated albums.