yacht rock band austin

The smoothest Yacht Rock on the seven seas.

About Yacht Z

Yacht Z is an all-star band of SEAsoned Austin, TX musicians who, between them, have played in more bands than there are fish in the ocean. * Discovering that they all had a mutual love for the smooth, melodic, and sometimes funky genre commonly known as “Yacht Rock,” they decided to band together like a musical Voltron to become a powerhouse yacht rock machine.

As with most genres, exactly what is “Yacht Rock” can be a contentious subject, which ironically feels decidedly not Yacht Rock. How can you feel contentious listening to the smooth grooves? But we digress. The term was coined in 2005 by the makers of an online comedy video series called “Yacht Rock” which features actors portraying musicians like Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Jimmy Messina, Steve Porcaro, and Daryl Hall & John Oates. It generally refers to music from around 1975-1984 which was usually referred to as “Adult-Oriented Rock” or “AOR,” as well as “Soft Rock” and “West Coast Sound.”

The creators of the term have a pretty strict definition of the term and have been critical of the overly expansive definitions that have broadened over time which they refer to as “Nyacht Rock.” The originators set forth these guidelines:

• High production value
• Use of “elite” Los Angeles-based studio musicians and producers associated with yacht rock
• Jazz and R&B influences
• Use of electric piano
• Complex and wry lyrics
• Lyrics about heartbroken, foolish men, particularly involving the word “fool”
• An upbeat rhythm called the “Doobie Bounce”

In 2014, AllMusic’s Matt Collier identified the “key defining rules of the genre” as follows:

• “Keep it smooth, even when it grooves, with more emphasis on the melody than on the beat”
• “Keep the emotions light, even when the sentiment turns sad (as is so often the case in the world of the sensitive yacht-rocksman)”
• “Always keep it catchy, no matter how modest or deeply buried in the tracklist the tune happens to be.”

Yacht Z does tend to lean toward a more lenient definition, as it allows us to bring more great music possibilities on deck. Some of the crew are fans of Yacht Rock Radio on SiriusXM radio, and use that as a source as well. In the end, we use our nautical, musical hearts. Does it “feel” appropriate to us? Does it fit in? Does it groove, but oh so smoothly?

As a bunch of music nerds, we love and invite discussions, suggestions, and opinions, but just as with the music, always keep it smooth, and the emotions light.

* Accuracy of actual numerical value not guaranteed.

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Heavy Mellow   70s Band from Austin, TX

Will travel up to 25 miles

• Member Since 2019
• Starting at $ 50 per event

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Song List  

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• Africa | Toto
• Baby Come Back | Player
• Biggest Part of Me | Ambrosia
• Brandy | Looking Glass
• Couldn't Get It Right | Climax Blues Band
• Dreams | Fleetwood Mac
• Fantasy | Earth Wind & Fire
• Hey Nineteen | Steely Dan
• How Long | Ace
• I Can't Go For That | Hall & Oates
• I Can't Tell You Why | Eagles
• Just the Two of Us | Bill Withers
• Lady | Little River Band
• Love Will Find A Way | Pablo Cruise
• Lovely Day | Bill Withers
• Lowdown | Boz Scaggs
• Reminiscing | Little River Band
• Rich Girl | Hall & Oates
• Right Down the Line | Gerry Rafferty
• Rosanna | Toto
• Sailing | Christopher Cross
• Sara Smile | Hall & Oates
• Silly Love Songs | Wings
• Take the Long Way Home | Supertramp
• Tempted | Squeeze
• The Things We Do For Love | 10cc
• What a Fool Believes | Doobie Brothers
• What You Won't Do For Love | Bobby Caldwell

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When the Christopher Cross Classic ‘Yacht-Rock’ Debut Went Sailing to the Top

Answer: They are the only artists who have won the four major Grammy Awards (Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist) in the same year. They achieved this feat in 1981 and 2020, respectively: Eilish is 50 years younger than the man born Christopher Charles Geppert in San Antonio, Tex. Only time will tell if she endures the kind of backlash that, after a spectacular start with hits “Ride Like the Wind” and “Sailing,” cast Cross into music business purgatory and back to fame again. Good luck to her.

Christopher Cross was originally the name of a band, not a person. In the early ’70s, Geppert had graduated from wailing “Wipe Out” as drummer with his junior high group the Psychos to local stardom as a hot guitar-slinger with a quartet called Flash, which featured his buddies Rob Meurer on keyboards and bass player Andy Salmon. (Meurer once quipped, “Anyone who thinks all Chris can play is ‘Sailing’ doesn’t know he started out with a Flying V and a Marshall stack and hair out to here.”)

As a frequent opening act at San Antonio’s hotspot the JAM Factory, Geppert was also called upon as a gofer for the club’s owner Joe Miller, picking up the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac from the airport (never imagining he would tour with them a decade later), and once subbing for Ritchie Blackmore during a Deep Purple concert.

As Cross recalled in a 2012 interview with the Austin Chronicle ’s Margaret Moser, “Blackmore had a reaction to the flu shot, and he got sick. The show was sold out, and Joe Miller suggested to Jon Lord he use me to sub, and Joe would issue refunds to anyone who wanted. Ian Gillan was not for it, but Jon Lord made the call, and they said okay. Eric Johnson was opening, so I used his Marshall amp. I played the Deep Purple tunes I knew and some blues and got through it. I drove them to the airport, and when they left, I met Ritchie. He gave me his pick and was very nice.”

Cross in a recent photo

After a move to Austin, drummer Tommy Taylor was recruited to transform Flash into Christopher Cross the group, which eventually became Geppert’s stage name when he was signed, ostensibly as a solo artist, to Warner Bros. Records in 1979. In a town where freaky country-rock dominated, Cross says he never went to music meccas Antone’s or Armadillo World Headquarters, where Jerry Jeff Walker, Rusty Weir and Willis Alan Ramsey ruled. Still, he was influenced by fellow Texans Buddy Holly, Doug Sahm and San Antonio big band leader Sunny Ozuna, from whom Cross admits he borrowed a Latin-American rhythmic tinge for the new songs, all solo compositions, gestating in Austin.

“We did feel slighted by Austin,” Cross told Moser after he’d become a resident in the city once again, “but we never related to the songwriting or music being celebrated here and always looked to a more West Coast star. My attitude was to do the cover music. It paid the bills better. But keep your own music under your hat and shop it to the labels. That took us out of the mainstream.” Those demos, done at Austin’s Pecan Street Studios, got him a recording contract.

Christopher Cross in a Warner Bros. Records publicity photo

In July 1979, hunkered down at WB’s Amigo Studios in North Hollywood, the four band members were supplemented by a raft of top session players and singers, under the direction of producers Michael Omartian and Michael Ostin. Recording on the new 3M Digital Recording System, the eponymous Christopher Cross LP took shape quickly. Released on Dec. 20 of that year, it began throwing off hit singles immediately, moving toward sales of five million copies in the U.S. alone and still counting.

“Say You’ll Be Mine” kicks off the album with a Latin rhythm, Lenny Castro’s percussion, and more than a hint of Brian Wilson in Cross’ lead and the background vocal arrangement. Nicolette Larson is on hand to harmonize, and Jay Graydon brings some of his work with Steely Dan to his mercurial guitar solo. Unfortunately, as a lead-off track it’s fairly pedestrian, and the lyrics don’t exactly signal the words are going to matter on the album: “Say you’ll be mine/Say you’ll be mine until the sun shines/Say you’ll be mine/And bring me the dream of a lifetime.”

“I Really Don’t Know Anymore” has more energy, and gets considerable help from Michael McDonald, who joins Cross for a soaring chorus after two verses, and carries some nice counter-lines throughout. Unfortunately, the lyrics are once again bland, replying to the question “What do you think about love?” with “I really don’t know anymore/I really can’t say/I really don’t know anymore/I’m just that way.” A five-piece horn section, made up of studio aces including trumpeter Chuck Findley and saxophonist Jim Horn, provides a Chicago-type drive, and the guitar solo, full of audacious twists, turns and effects, is by another Steely Dan go-to, Larry Carlton.

“Spinning” has a lovely instrumental intro with a hint of “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.” The first voice heard is that of Valerie Carter, whose work as songwriter, solo artist and harmonizer-to-the stars should be better known. She pairs very well with Cross, and Findley’s flugelhorn work midway is perfection. Victor Feldman provides a subtle vibraphone part, and concertmaster Assa Drori blends a string section with Meurer’s synth. This is the album’s first truly impressive track.

“Never Be the Same” was tapped to be the set’s third single release, and deserved to make it higher than #15 in Billboard . Cross’ vocal is confident and perfectly mixed into an impressive arrangement. The background vocals for the peppy choruses and under another excellent Graydon solo are spot on, and with the light Latin rhythm the combo of Castro, Feldman, Taylor and Salmon pays dividends.

“Poor Shirley” borrows a bit of the string quartet of “Eleanor Rigby” and piano-driven rhythm of the Beach Boys’ “Sail On, Sailor,” but it goes way beyond mere imitation. Cross makes a creditable stab at poetry in the lyrics: “Dearly held are the friends/Left in the years and lost in the war/Dearly held are the loves/Save for the ones you lose on your own.” Cross’ Brian Wilson-infused lead vocal, complete with falsetto passages, might be his best on the album. (He also handles the multiple backing vocals.) If anyone needs evidence that Cross can really sing with emotion and great attention to detail, here it is. He handles the guitar solo himself too, ending the side with a flourish.

“Ride Like the Wind,” with its infectious rhythm and gliding melodies, is a group effort par excellence , as Castro’s congas, Omartian’s acoustic piano, McDonald’s echo-vocal, the horn section and a fantastic blend of synth, strings and wordless chorus all do their parts. Kudos to engineers Chet Himes and Stuart Gitlin for keeping it all sparkling, and to Cross, who is on fire for his lead vocal and concluding, quite gnarly, guitar solo. Released as a slightly edited single Feb. 15, 1980, “Ride Like the Wind” hung in at #2 on Billboard ’s Hot 100 for a month, stymied by Blondie’s “Call Me” in the top spot.

Don Henley and J.D. Souther help Cross sing “The Light Is On,” which is full of little percussion touches from Feldman and Castro, and contains a pair of Carlton’s thrilling solos, each with a character of its own. The future #1, Song of the Year and perennial radio staple “Sailing” follows, and deserves the accolades. It casts a spell from the opening bars, and Cross finds a restrained, sensitive timbre in his voice that fits his dreamy lyrics perfectly: “Well, it’s not far down to paradise/At least it’s not for me/And if the wind is right you can sail away/And find tranquility.”

Watch Cross perform it on  The Midnight Special on Sept. 12, 1980

The LP’s longest track, “Minstrel Gigolo,” is placed last in the sequence. Cross’ Austin pal Eric Johnson gets a lengthy solo in the middle, and saxophonist Thomas Ramirez has a spotlight in the final minute, snaking in beautifully after Johnson’s second terrific solo. Cross might have been thinking of some Austin lothario when he wrote “All the young and lonely girls wait for you/There by the backstage door/And they’re hoping to be the one,” but if it was wishful thinking it worked, as he became a heartthrob for audiences as the success of Christopher Cross grew and he graduated to huge venues himself after serving as opening act on Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk tour.

Related: See where the album ranked among the top-selling LPs of 1980

His second album, Another Page, couldn’t match his debut, and Cross’ last major hit occurred in 1981 with “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do),” an Oscar-winner and #1 pop hit he wrote with Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. For whatever reason, even as he continued to issue high-quality recordings, he quickly went out of fashion, until his rediscovery as an icon of so-called “yacht rock.” The term was coined by a cult comedy web series of that name in 2005, which imagined the likes of Kenny Loggins, the Doobie Brothers, Hall and Oates, and Christopher Cross hanging out together in L.A.’s Marina del Rey. “Sailing” took on a new, albeit fictional, meaning.

Cross “and Friends” in Oct. 1981

Defending yacht rock in a 2016 article in The Guardian , cultural historian Jennifer Otter Bickerdike asked, “Why be ashamed of appreciating a carefully crafted, meticulously produced song, which, technically speaking, most tracks in the yacht category are? The very care and attention to detail that had gone out of style is now being embraced and appreciated. A decade after Spin magazine touted the cover headline ‘Why Hall and Oates are the New Velvet Underground,’ its presence is still strong.”

After releasing a mostly instrumental album, Take Me As I Am, in 2017, Cross helped form Freedonia, a new band (named for a nation in the Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup) which issued its debut CD in 2018. During 2019, Cross was part of an all-star tour in celebration of the White Album, doing five Beatles songs, including “Martha My Dear” and “Mother Nature’s Son,” and by popular demand performed “Sailing” and “Ride Like The Wind” every night. As of this writing, he’s been suffering from the lingering effects of Covid, but according to his website he hopes to get back on the road for his 40th Anniversary Tour as soon as possible.

Watch Cross perform “Ride Like the Wind” in 1998 with Michael McDonald

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ROCKtheYACHT ®

Awesome yacht rock band for private parties & events, - where the music temperature is always in the smooth upper 70's to low 80's, rock the yacht ®   band is a 5 to 11 piece high-energy & fun super-awesome live band for classy private parties & luxury events with people who love "yacht rock" - the smooth & classy soulful soft rock music & amazing vocals  of the late 1970's & early 1980's for listening and dancing. artists like michael mcdonald, kenny loggins, steely dan, boz scaggs, toto, hall & oates , huey lewis & more -  exquisitely performed to perfection ., not a "bar band" - no band drinking, drugs, or lewdness. (not our thing)  just the best  music &  fun  🥳.

Featuring the award-winning vocalist & Skipper John Parker, who performed on TV's StarSearch & is a lifelong music business professional and industry recognized entertainer vocalist & musician with an unsurpassed reputation for excellence, talent and FUN along with the highest level of professionalism & customer service.  People who hire John don't worry - he just "makes it happen" From Fortune 500 companies to US Congressional retreats, to owners & coaches of MLB & NFL franchises - JP has performed for those who enjoy the very best vocals & music.

there's only 1 ROCKtheYACHT® band! there's only 1 ROCKtheYACHT® band!

Rocktheyacht®.

Ride Like The Wind

Deacon Blues

All Night Long

Heart To Heart

What A Fool Believes

Lido Shuffle

I.G.Y. (What A Beautiful World)

Kiss On My List

Watch & listen.

No, we don't bring the sign... unless you ask us to!  🥳

more listening:

ROCKtheYACHT® band is the perfect choice for your special event.  ONE band (NOT a franchise) consisting of top quality professional musicians who are dedicated to providing the highest quality vocals and music specializing in the Yacht Rock genre performed to perfection. We guarantee a night of smooth sailing with phenomenal music that's perfect for any occasion.

• Motorsports

Yacht Rock Revue performing at Emo's Austin in Austin, Texas

Amazing show! OMG! What a great show. Those guys are so talented! I’ll see them every time they are in town. Awesome as always. The smoothest! Freaking amazing show as always. Brought four newbies, and their fan base will grow exponentially just from my family. Keep doing what you do boys! Loved every moment especially when they sang their new tune Bad Tequila that we got turned on to on Sail Across the Sun. YRR really did everything needed to make this a great evening. The band was really strong, the set list was a sampling of 4 decades of smooth music, including their new songs, and the mood of the crowd was very joyous. It was a great party all night long! Best night out in a long time, I had so much fun. The crowd was great, singing along to every song. The band was excellent as usual. I just love them, I want to see every show. Simply put, if I could go to this concert every night of my life, I would. Loved every single moment from start to finish. Amazing performance by Yacht Rock Revue even showcasing some of the songs on their album. A concert not to be missed!

Ralph Arvesen

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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)

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Gallery Credit: UCR Staff

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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'!

More Song Lists

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A-ha's 10 best songs ever, ranked, shania twain's 10 best songs ever, ranked, the 100 greatest movie songs of all time, ranked, the greatest oscars music performances of all time, ranked, more features.

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TV & Film

Smooth Playlists

Smooth's all time top 500, smooth soul, smooth country hot hits, smooth chill concentration, smooth podcast picks, they don't teach this at school with myleene klass, take that: this life, runpod with jenni falconer, the news agents.

Booking now for 2024 and beyond!

281-515-7976 (Alan)

New Name, Same Smooth Sound.

We are excited to bring our same signature sound to you under a new name, Yacht Rock USA! 

December 9 - Lights in the Heights

Sign up for yacht rock usa news, promo video.

Check us out at a recent show!

Yacht Rock USA hails from all over the Houston area and beyond. Formerly GooRoos Yacht Rock (established in 2019), the band hit the stage with five of the original members of the variety band the 7GooRoos.

The band has been privileged to perform at several wineries, restaurants, yacht clubs, private gatherings, and large-scale community events. The challenges of the global pandemic forced the band to endure multiple event cancellations and personnel shifts, but Yacht Rock USA is primed for new opportunities with a new name!

Yacht Rock USA's current set lists pay tribute to popular artists such as Kenny Loggins, Hall & Oates, The Doobie Brothers, and Steely Dan, while highlighting other favorites like Ace, Christopher Cross, and Ambrosia. Multiple vocalists and instrumental styles add a unique depth to each song we recreate.

With drums, guitars, and electric keys combined with two saxophones, the seven-member band brings to the stage a unique musicality that blends intricate harmonies, smooth jazz/funk riffs, and unforgettable melodies.

We deliver high-energy entertainment or low-key background music, depending on your venue and needs. Yacht Rock USA is always family-friendly, and you will enjoy reminiscing to the nostalgic tunes we provide, whether for a wedding, a community or organizational event, a class reunion, or any other occasion in need of music. While weathering the storm of the current COVID-19 pandemic, Yacht Rock USA is eager to bring live music safely to any location or event. Let us take you down memory lane!

Lone Pint Brewery - Magnolia, TX

Queen mary parish festival dance - friendswood, tx, be winery - conroe, tx, new year's eve disco night at tikila's in the heights, sunday lawn concert at bernhardt winery, white linen party at tikila's in the heights, live music at breakwater grille, toddy oaks event center, haak winery, yepez vineyard, the yard at barge 295, bernhardt winery, christmas...on a yacht.

Check out our original song!

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in Entertainment & Pop Culture

• Chicago, IL
• 259 friends
• 516 reviews

I'll admit, Marla C. and I have become obsessed with Yacht Rock over the past few days. She's gone as far as to put together a mega-yacht-rock mix with 49 songs! If you're not familiar with Yacht Rock, check out these links: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ya… yachtrock.com What are some of your top Yacht Rock favorites? I confess I love all things Michael McDonald...

• 201 friends
• 151 reviews

The Hall and Oates stuff is golden. Oh, wait. Do you mean the music or the shorts? Oh, hell...Hall and Oates RULES!!!

Hey Jaye, keep the fire! youtube.com/watch?v=vORY… youtube.com/watch?v=CnjE… youtube.com/watch?v=nCAs…

Welcome Jaye....welcome. youtube.com/watch?v=G54l…

• 1103 friends
• 130 reviews

weird... I never heard this term until we booked our show at the Viper Room in LA with a yacht rock band - The Kings Of Monte Carlo. We're playing with them on October 4th.

There needs to be a Yelp Yacht Rock party some time in the near future.....that would be so smoooooth.

• 310 friends
• 226 reviews

Dudes and Ladies: I have created one of the greatest Yacht Rock playlists OF ALL TIME on my iTunes, and it is making me happier than a pig in slop. Seriously: I am in a great mood because of this playlist AND the fact that it's only 74 degrees outside at 4:28 on August the 26th in Austin, Texas. Life is smooth, my friends. Very smooth.

• 355 friends
• 275 reviews

Uhm... I guess I love Yacht Rock and always have... just didn't know it was called YR.  In fact, I have most of the CDs mentioned in the episodes.   So is there an exhaustive list of YR bands or at least a definition so we know the groups?

YR Artists - Michael McDonald George Benson Loggins & Messina Doobie Brothers Hall and Oates Kenny Loggins James Ingram Steely Dan Toto Christoper Cross Captain & Tennille

Basically anything that you can sail the seas of smooth to....

You GUYS! Thank you for the links! I'm Free???? God I love that song.

Also, like Marla, I'm listening to this mix and it's put me in the BEST MOOD EVER.

Don, just think of smooth and the late 70's early 80's Doobie Brothers with McDonald Steely Dan Hall and Oates Captain and Tenelle Pablo Cruise Loggins and Messina Early Loggins solo Christopher Cross Toto Yes I have most of these albums as well....so smooooth

Alan Parsons Project?

Air Supply?

Don, while both of those are GREAT artists, I don't believe they fall in the category of "Yacht Rock" as defined on Wikipedia. "In the musical sense, yacht rock refers to the highly polished brand of soft rock that emanated from Southern California during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In part, the term relates to the stereotype of the yuppie yacht owner, enjoying champagne and smooth music while out for a sail. Additionally, since sailing was a popular leisure activity in Southern California, many "yacht rockers" made nautical references in their lyrics, videos, and album artwork, particularly the anthemic track "Sailing" by Christopher Cross."

• 417 reviews

What about these? youtube.com/watch?v=ULI5… youtube.com/watch?v=kO4I… youtube.com/watch?v=lPT_… youtube.com/watch?v=PMLV… youtube.com/watch?v=2Hej…

I went through a pretty big YR phase about a year ago. I got Running Scared from Netflix, made several mixes that drove my friends batty... Somebody SHOULD have a Yacht Rock party (I'm looking at you, Jarrett).

Cody - Here are the responses to those videos. 1. No, but still a smooth song. 2. No, you should be ashamed of yourself 3. Yes 4. Yes 5. No, and I think you just came out to me.

Oh and these... youtube.com/watch?v=U-2x… youtube.com/watch?v=aWye… youtube.com/watch?v=z9OG… youtube.com/watch?v=KuR9… I could do this all day

Cody, 1) No, but FABULOUS find!!! (I actually own the original Miami Vice TV show soundtrack because yes, I'm cool like that). 2) Again, A for effort! 3) Actually, yes, and on Marla's mix! 4) Yes, and while not on Marla's mix, one of my favorites. 5) No, but I own that as well.

Crap... that's a failing grade Jarrett. FAILING.

• 109 friends
• 116 reviews

Who cares about the music.....I just want to see that effing show.  It sounds hilarious. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ya…

• Rachelle R.
• Barcelona, Spain
• 115 friends
• 117 reviews

we went through a yacht rock thing a few years ago, thanks to this: channel101.com/shows/sho… .

Rachelle, I think I was talking YR at the Buffalo Biliards thing with your manfriend when DJ played some smoooth music.

Cody...you have a keen eye for smooth, but not for Yacht Rock Smooth...Here are some examples youtube.com/watch?v=Wu_D… youtube.com/watch?v=j9Nk… youtube.com/watch?v=d7-e…

Cody - those are all excellent choices...but, with time....Jonathan and I can show you...what do they call it...a new way.  Put your life vest on, it's time to set a course to smoooooth, full sail ahead. youtube.com/watch?v=lrTV…

youtube.com/watch?v=Op9F… youtube.com/watch?v=MWnF… youtube.com/watch?v=zj7p…

Jaye and Cody - I give you my Yacht Rock Crown Jewel - youtube.com/watch?v=EgbG…

Yep, Jarrett: That's on my kick ass mix. Along with his wonderful "Right Down the Line," which is a seriously kick as Yacht Rock anthem.

youtube.com/watch?v=K48L…

justin: holy cow.  i hope ray didn't let on how deep we were in as far as the yacht rock stuff goes.  that was a few years ago, though.  it's time for another round of the yacht rock craze!

the band we're playing with at Viper Room in LA.. aka America's #1 Yacht Rock band: profile.myspace.com/inde…

Okay, I'm seriously wanting to put together a Yacht Rock themed party, but I would need some help putting it together.  My place isn't big enough to have it at so it might be cool to possibly do a Yacht Rock themed pub crawl unless it can be held at someone else's pad.  Thoughts?  Keep the fire!

Oh Jarret, I love Baker Street. I'm using what little power I have left on my computer right now to tell you that and thank you :)

• Junction, TX
• 461 friends
• 139 reviews

I think the best place to have a yacht rach party is on the lake!

"Cody...you have a keen eye for smooth, but not for Yacht Rock Smooth...Here are some examples" There has to be other artists who are rockin' it Yacht style then the 6 we've listed.... my attempt was to find new types of Yacht rock. I guess I failed....

Can I have one more try? youtube.com/watch?v=EgbG…

Cody - I posted Baker Street for you yesterday, but if you didn't see it and chose the song anyhow...then you are on your way to some smooooth waters ahead.

Serious yacht rock question here: Do you think any Fleetwood Mac could be considered yacht rock-esque? And, in general, are there any FEMALE artists that are considered yacht rock-y? Or are they relegated to the smooth background vocal arena? Discuss.

marla - maybe riannon.

Damn you Cody... I've had Air Supply in my head all day. Got dirty looks at CostCo for singing "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" under my breath

Alon: What do you think about "Gold Dust Woman"?

Marla - I think its a possible maybe.  I have to agree that Riannon might be...but its still on the classic rock tip.  I think Sade has became the later 80s - 90s smooooooth vocalist.

Damn Don, you were going for some smoooooth music in BULK.

• 325 friends
• 312 reviews

Oooh, now you speakin' my language.  Sade is super smoooooth, melt you smooooooth.

Lorena - THIS is the definition of smoooooooooth youtube.com/watch?v=nYA6…

WHO is this SAY DEE character?

I ain't gonna lie, that song has been on many an 'after dark' playlist.  Ha!  Maybe that belongs on the confessional thread.

Oh DUDES! Check it: youtube.com/watch?v=P5RD… Ah...smooth.

youtube.com/watch?v=A5Xb… Holmes. Table for SMOOTH. 3:00.

The water's a bit choppier than most, but I'm on my 4th straight listen... can't get enough youtube.com/watch?v=axdB…

Lorena, what else is on your "after Dark" play list? Wicked Game New World Syphony (yes, it's true)

This ones on me youtube.com/watch?v=8aFm…

I think its time for some 80's smooooooth youtube.com/watch?v=z9OG… don't get swept away when the waves come crashing in on your quest.

My crew, cupcakes and deck hands... You know that it's time for a cool change.   youtube.com/watch?v=xslO… Enjoy Your Captain

The albatross and the whales they ARE my brothers.

Who named you capain, Don?

Thanks for the reminder, Don. I just added this gem to THE GREATEST YACHT ROCK MIX OF ALL FREAKIN' TIME!! Song count: 51, and climbin'...smoothly.

Lorena:  My high school marching band.  Damn straight, I was "Capt'n Don" to the 300 strong Beaumont Westbrook "Sound Power"

I'm out sick right now, so I can't log into Marla's Yacht Rock Mix on iTunes. This thread is making it all better. Thanks guys!

my little popeyes, I don't know if this song's in a smooth rock class by itself, but it sure don't take long to call roll youtube.com/watch?v=4eJb… Your Captain

Here's a straight shot to the veins with an injection of smooooooth youtube.com/watch?v=PDZc…

PS  Lorena, the previous song probably belongs on your 'after hours' mix

Lorena - When you truly understand smooooth, you are the captain of your own ship.

Damn Don, Bill Withers is pretty damn smoooooth.....

To couple Jarrett's earlier post, while I wouldn't call it Yacht Rock.. I do call it smooth. So, So smooth. youtube.com/watch?v=qOhE…

Beat me to it Jarrett, I totally was gonna suggest Lionel's Hello.  But, I was afraid of getting shot down and failing miserably like Cody.

youtube.com/watch?v=WpPd… No comment necessary.

Don - you need a captain's hat if you are going to be a captain on the seas of smooth.

Lorena - Lionel definitely earned Yacht Rock / Smooth cred, sail on!   youtube.com/watch?v=zg-i…

Triple Shot.... youtube.com/watch?v=65Eo… youtube.com/watch?v=NKAZ… youtube.com/watch?v=YNDH…

Oh damn, the Foreigner has been broughten!  Nice Jonathan.

Oh, there is another Foreigner link on there as well.

This one just came up on my mix, and it's so damn good, I had to share: youtube.com/watch?v=4Ckj… Wrap yourselves in the ethreal smoothness.

I want all of you to know that when I read your comments, the voice of WKRP's very own very smooth Venus Flytrap is my own personal narrator.

I LOVE WKRP, Venus Flytrap and Dr Johnny Fever

Ever see the "Phone Cops" episode or the episode where Dr Johnny Fever reaction time got faster and faster the more alcohol he drank

youtube.com/watch?v=F6UV… My work here is done...smoothly.

Okay folks, the sun is beginning to set upon the ocean's horizon, time to let the wind take us to our destination youtube.com/watch?v=gOls…

Hell yeah Marla.  And now some more aural lax from Mr Al Stewart Smooth move, Al youtube.com/watch?v=VMrf…

Yacht rock B-sides, song one. youtube.com/watch?v=4-jq… I have my ship and all my flags are a-flyin' My love is an anchor tied to you, Your Captain

Oh no you dien't, Jarrett! I think there are tears already forming.

• 338 friends
• 474 reviews

Christopher Cross (former Austinite, I heard...) Roxy Music for "Euro" Yacht Rock - more Speedo than surf shorts....

After a day of Yacht Rock, nothin' clears the aural palette like the best funk ever. youtube.com/watch?v=NxwC…

In answer to Don's question about the ladies... youtube.com/watch?v=-38o… youtube.com/watch?v=-GGC… Don't you dare lose the smooth. Keep the fire.

I don't know if this fits in, but I'm gonna throw it out there anyway, and you'll see why: youtube.com/watch?v=YvJK… It's kinda fantastic.

I'm not hip enough to comment on the irony of Yacht Rock. I will say that soft rock and easy listening suck my ass.

Another legendary YR b-side keep it breezy Your Captain

youtube.com/watch?v=yDpw…

Yep Don...er Colonel.., that's on my mix.

ok.  I'm a Yacht rock novice.  But, these are pretty good, I must say.  Yeah or nea? youtube.com/watch?v=-xny… youtube.com/watch?v=UP7X…

I freakin' love that Dan Hill song.

Marla - I'm inclined to say no. I think the subject matter combined with the general feel of the song makes it decidedly non-yacht rock-ish. The minor-mixolydian (someone correct me because I think I'm wrong) feel of the song makes it a little morose to be yacht-rock, as I understand it.

Thanks for your guidance, Alon. I have removed it from the mix.

I just want you all to know that I am resisting the Yacht Rock. The last time I quit "the Rock", I felt lower than Messina felt after Loggins left him. It Feels So Good (Chuck Mangione, anyone?) flying smoooth, but then you wake up with a grenadine hangover and madras shorts, fresh out of hot tubs. I just can't go through that again.

Yacht rock is the music I like to listen to on Sunday morning when I'm dropped off at the parking lot where I left my car on Saturday night. It makes my hangover hurt less.

Justin, you're describing "The Lifestyle" perfectly. I know that someday, I will have to face up to the fact that I have a problem, but for now? It's time for a Cool Change. Awww...yeah.

It's 3:28 PM on a Fine Saturday afternoon. Do you know where your yacht is? youtube.com/watch?v=N-tR… youtube.com/watch?v=hMc8… youtube.com/watch?v=HVzR…

Pioneers... youtube.com/watch?v=nYUl… youtube.com/watch?v=k2IW…

Justin - If you are turning your back on the smooth, then you're out of touch youtube.com/watch?v=4UDm…

• 123 friends

There is a lot more harmonic sophistication and inner voice movement in the best work of Steely Dan and some of these other groups than most any other rock bands, be they Cock Roc, Jock Rock, or [gag] Emo Rock. If Yacht Rock signifies that the best of this music is akin to an ocean-worthy vessel outfitted with all the finest luxuries as opposed to a shitty little dingy with a life jacket and two paddles (ie most of the rest of rock music, with occasional exceptions), this genre is well-named. Hendrix, Zep, Floyd and some of the other real Rock Rockers, plus the best of this genre, add up to 90% of the good rock music extant. One opinion.

Jarrett, I don't know which is better.  That song or that video.  I'll have that stuck in my head all day.

Jarrett: you've got me thinking about going smooth again. You could say I'm "reminiscing" : youtube.com/watch?v=P5RD…

I just want you to remember one thing...even the king of pop went smooth with the help of Toto... youtube.com/watch?v=o6Ny…

Aw, crap. Now I'm listening to my Smoooth Music mix. I'm back! But that was a "Lowdown" trick:   youtube.com/watch?v=65Eo… When's the freaking Yacht Rock Karaoke and Pina Colada Party?

Pina Coladas are smooth. youtube.com/watch?v=A5Xb…

Ahoy Austin Yacht Rockers - greetings from Chicago! I've been building my own YouTube Yacht Rock playlist based on some songs from the series, but many thanks to folks here for contributing suggestions that are both mellow and smooth. For your listening and viewing pleasure, I present my work in progress: youtube.com/view_play_li… My personal favorite and what I consider among the more overlooked jewels in the yacht rock cannon: youtube.com/watch?v=pdfy…

Holy crap, Amanda M.! Thunder Island? That YouTube clip is priceless for the hair and shirt alone! Thanks, lady.

Oh!  And his dance moves!  Sweet jesus.

When was the last time you spent some time with Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall"? I think you should take a trip back to the land of Smooth Jackson: youtube.com/watch?v=3Swv… youtube.com/watch?v=_az3… and of course of the greatest videos of all time: youtube.com/watch?v=7hK3…

This conversation is older than 2 months and has been closed to new posts.

Neko Case, the Urban Cultural Fest, and More Crucial Concerts

Live sounds for the week ahead, by rachel rascoe , carys anderson , derek udensi , miranda garza , raoul hernandez , and madeline duncan , fri., march 29, 2024.

Madison Baker

Thursday 28, Stubb’s

After Chelsea Cutler’s headline, keep the feelings-fueled melodies going with Austin act Madison Baker’s indoor aftershow. One-third of new self-proclaimed “cult country” trio Next of Kin, Baker strikes the perfect balance between danceable pop beats and soul-baring lyrics. The wordsmith delves into all corners of coming-of-age anxieties, like debilitating uncertainty (“Get It Wrong”) and growing pains (“Day Job”) that’ll leave you teary-eyed on the dance floor. Entrance is free with the wristband from Cutler’s outdoor show. With new songs and a special guest, Baker’s set won’t be one to miss.   – Miranda Garza

Urban Cultural Fest

Friday 29 - Saturday 30, Vic Mathias Shores

Last year, the 2005-founded, family-friendly Urban Music Fest updated its name to loop in all “Afrocentric aspects of culture.” Living up to the rebrand, the event kicks off with a Friday remembrance of Sixth Street bastion Catfish Station (in addition to food and vendors). The Chronicle once wrote that the venue, run by fest co-founder Homer Hill, “held down the heart of Old Pecan with an insider’s range of African-American music, food, and culture.” Houston jazz saxophonist Kyle Turner, Don Diego, Toni Redd, DJ Casanova, and more tribute the hub. Beyond Barbados-born beatbox standard Doug E. Fresh, founder of the Eighties’ Get Fresh Crew, Saturday celebrates the “renewal of R&B” with October London, J. Brown, Bigg Robb, and more. Find tickets at urbanmusicfest.com .   – Rachel Rascoe

Texas Hold ’Em Beyoncé Mini-Ball/Listening Party

Friday 29, Cheer Up Charlies

Rife with references to house, disco, and ballroom, Renaissance was Beyoncé’s ode to Black queer culture. Long-awaited Act II , officially titled Cowboy Carter , changes course from dance to country, but local House of Lepore still plots a mini-ball on release day. Emceed by Mother Natalie Lepore, the competition features live performances by queens Diamond Dior Davenport and Lucy Fur and beats by Amarji and ScamLikely – plus a full run-through of the new album. Categories: Performance, Runway, Face, Best Dressed, Sex Siren, and Shake that A$$. Lay your cards down, down, down, down.   – Carys Anderson

Brutus, Ghostwoman

Friday 29, Parish

“Rehearsing, failing, trying, rehearse more, losing my voice, asking myself why I kept losing my voice.” So Stefanie Mannaerts described the process of learning to drum and sing at the same time as she does in rousing Belgian post-punks Brutus. Returning here for the first time since that pre-pandemic Levitation preview, the trio spins third LP and mid-lockdown boon Unison Life . Stijn Vanhoegaerden’s crystal-sliver solos slice ’n’ dice with delicious brutality, while bassist Peter Mulders’ muscled low end balances up against Mannaerts’ piercing intonations. Her sweet but fierce delivery raises hairs both honeyed and harrowing – Tanya Donelly taking over Sleater-Kinney. Albertan Evan Uschenko opens as Ghostwoman.   – Raoul Hernandez

Laetitia Sadier

Saturday 30, Parish

2019 blew Stereolab fans’ minds with the Anglo-French pop synthesists’ first tour in over a decade; 2022 landed their exploratory ACL Live return; and now, it’s time for just Laetitia. Originator of the band’s subculture-sensation-making sound alongside Tim Gane, the singer’s airy, inviting vocals and sharp sociopolitical lyrics have extended to solo work for over two decades. Beyond “The Groop,” her February album Rooting for Love pulls together new influences from minimalist composers like Terry Riley and Steve Reich for a sharp-as-ever encapsulation of her deeply developed lounge and Sixties pop perspective. French-American artist Sofia Bolt opens.   – Rachel Rascoe

Saturday 30, Hole in the Wall

In the ever-popular world of dancey indie-pop, scene newcomers Melotheory took a more subdued approach with debut single “Breathe.” Though light flourishes of funky electric guitar punctuate Austin Pedersen’s acoustic strums, Patrick Insull’s melancholy vocals dominate. At the track’s end, even building percussion drops off in a climactic fakeout, fading out when you’d expect a dynamic explosion. Still, Instagram clips of “A World Away” preview an upbeat follow-up. Saturday’s show acts as a release party for the single, rounded out by the pop-punk stylings of Houston quintet East of Eado and the introspective compositions of singer-songwriter Avery Bruce.   – Carys Anderson

Sunday 31, Stubb’s

Season one fan favorite on The Voice and a “Local Legends” title-holder according to Matthew McConaughey, Nakia’s lore is on par with his electric bluesy arrangements. The metallic, nostalgia-charged shreds of “Go on to School” and “Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby” transport audiences back in time in rockabilly retrograde. His fiery instrumentals stay grounded with throaty croons (“Somebody’s Sleeping in My Bed”) and warbling vocals (“Gimme Some of Yours”). Doubling as the unveiling of Nakia’s music video for upbeat classic rock crescendo “Thrill-O-Matic,” the night also features support from synth slinger Pelvis Wrestley and folk dreamscaper Junerise.   – Miranda Garza

Tuesday 2, Paramount Theatre

For three decades, Neko Case has spent her time outside indie rock collective the New Pornographers writing brooding Americana (“I Wish I Was the Moon”) and, occasionally, boisterous rock (“Man”). 2022 compilation Wild Creatures charts that trajectory across 23 tracks, bolstered in the physical release by commentary from David Byrne, Katie Crutchfield, Shirley Manson, Julien Baker, and more. On Tuesday, the singer-songwriter brings her career retrospective to the Paramount Theatre alongside Imaad Wasif, who imbues folk music with his own take on psychedelia.   – Carys Anderson

The Lonesome Heroes

Thursday 4, Far Out Lounge

Reignite your Texas twang with the Lonesome Heroes, stirrers of an Americana- and country-infused psychedelic melting pot. The band’s latest, Seasons Change , takes the scenic route to Western Swing (“Black Coffee & 3 Cigarettes”), serene strums (“Everything’s Been Looking Up”), and honky-tonk ballads (Warm Tears & Honey”). Bandleader Rich Russell brings seering optimism to the album’s raspy, textured vocals. In 10 tracks, the group explores jaunty electric peaks (“Prayer and Gasoline”) and mellow, violin-laden valleys (“Footsteps”). The lap steel strings of Slow Motion Cowboys and the folk rock radiance of Sarah Burton join the night.   – Miranda Garza

Justin Bieber Night

Friday 29, Emo’s Austin

Is it too early to feel nostalgia for Justin Bieber? If it is, I and other Austinite Beliebers don’t care. Though the teen and his iconic swooping bowl cut rose to fame in 2010s, Club 90s is hosting a night full of Bieber fever at Emo’s Austin. Whether you’ve been a fan since “Baby” or prefer his Kid LAROI collab “Stay,” the L.A.-based traveling dance party group promises a night to fulfill the fangirl within. At the same time, Beliebers across North America will be partying in Memphis and Edmonton “like it’s 3012.” Don’t see yourself spending Friday night with the Biebs? Never say never.   – Madeline Duncan

Rock ’n Blaze

Monday 1, Blazer Tag

In the land of Heavy Meddo, vocals are but an ornamental add-on to the quartet’s fuzzy instrumental focal point. On latest EP Atonal Choir File , “Yacht Ribbon Snob” chops Bill Baird’s lyrics into incomprehensible syllables. The bandleader opts for a more traditional hum on the title track, but sludge guitar still supersedes. On April Fools’ Day, the noise rockers play for free at South Austin arcade Blazer Tag alongside shoegazers Prehuman and the inscrutable Luxury Television – who forgo recorded material for an unpredictable, genre-shifting live set.   – Carys Anderson

Music Notes

Alejandro escovedo.

Friday 29, Antone’s

Escovedo celebrates new album Echo Dancing on its release date before going on tour. James Mastro opens.

Friday 29, Mohawk

The London-based rock band quickly returns to town after stopping by earlier in the month for the Monster Children showcase during South by Southwest.

Kardinal Bloo

Sunday 31, the Ballroom

Local MC performs his debut album, Birds Rap Too , with support from collaborators YoursTruuly and Chucky Blk.

Margaret Slovak & Chris Maresh

Sunday 31, the Gallery at Chez Zee

Though Chez Zee took a break from hosting live music this month, frequent Friday residency performer Margaret Slovak offers a special Easter duo set with bassist Chris Maresh in the restaurant’s adjoining gallery.

Daymé Arocena

Tuesday 2, Music Recital Hall Room 2.636

The Afro-Cuban singer brings jazz and Latin pop to UT-Austin for the latest edition in the Small Batch series. She released her first album since 2019, Alkemi , last month. Tickets are $15.

Cimarrona La Original Domingueña

Thursday 4, the Ballroom

On what’s billed as a “total pre-eclipse” to next week’s HONK!TX festival, the Costa Rican brass band stars on a lineup also featuring Seattle’s TMB Brass.

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Longhorn Pep Band ‘Brings the Energy’

It may be off-season for football, but members of the Longhorn Band are busy energizing fans during March Madness, volleyball season and more as part of Longhorn Pep Band. This group of almost 200 highly spirited students perform at all men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball home games, as well as Big XII and NCAA tournaments and other community events.

Marc Sosnowchik, director of the Longhorn Pep Band, fuels his musicians’ excitement from the moment they express interest in joining. “When students audition, we tell them they are auditioning for the most electrifying pep band in the country,” he says.

UT’s unique band program is unlike most of the country’s major college band programs, which participate only during fall football season. The Longhorn Band and Longhorn Pep Band make up one cohesive year-round band program and the largest spirit organization for UT. In the fall, Longhorn Band members perform at all football games; in the spring, they participate in concert band, jazz ensemble, percussion ensemble or indoor color guard. Marc conducts at all Pep Band performances, assisted by doctor of musical art candidates, who share the responsibility.

“We are always focused on making the student experience better and improving the performance,” says Marc. “We welcome the opportunity to perform with and for other great bands across the country.”

Rock Star Students

Some students who possess a deep love of music are willing to commit their time and energy to participate in both the Pep Band and the Longhorn Band.

As a child growing up in Austin, sophomore Tabor Clifton attended UT football games with her father, Mark Clifton (MIS, ’97), a graduate of the McCombs School of Business. She is proud to play the same trombone he played as a member of the Longhorn Band.

In addition to the extraordinary amount of time Tabor devotes to practicing and participating in almost 30 performances each year, she keeps up her academic coursework and works at the Sanger Learning Center, where she teaches financial accounting to struggling students. She is grateful for several scholarships she has received to attend UT.

“I love Pep Band, and I really cherish how special it is to work together and bring the energy,” says Tabor. “The people around me are like my family. I feel so honored to support the athletes.”

Reaching out to future band members is part of that experience. Each year, Longhorn Band members inspire local band students to follow their musical dreams by hosting them at High School Band Day. The event coincides with the spring Orange and White scrimmage game, which will be held this year on Saturday, April 20. High school students can rehearse with the Longhorn Band, share a meal and perform together in the stands at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

Band members also make guest appearances at many popular community events and venues, such as the Austin City Limits festival, the Fiesta Flambeau Parade in San Antonio, SXSW and Circuit of the Americas, and March Around, a mobile pep rally held in the fall on the Drag and at other key spots on campus to spark UT spirit before a big home football game. And while lifting spirits for others, band members can receive a boost of their own.

“Sometimes I feel like a rock star,” says Tabor, “especially in the Longhorn Band. People will take pictures with us and say we look like celebrities. The women’s national championship in 2023 was the most watched volleyball game in the world, and I was on the screen a lot. People kept texting me — ‘Your hair looks so cute!’”

Keep the Band Marching On Since 1900, the Longhorn Band has used the power of music to unite students, faculty and alumni in a shared sense of pride and enthusiasm for the University. This year, the Showband of the Southwest celebrates its 125 th season. The band relies on donor support to keep the music and the magic happening. You can back the Longhorn Band as they move to the Southeastern Conference alongside Texas Athletics and compete on collegiate sports’ biggest stage. Your gifts will ensure the best band on the field will always be wearing burnt orange. With your help, the band’s endowment can grow to provide permanent funding for scholarships, uniforms, instrument purchase and upkeep, travel, equipment and service awards for all eligible band students.

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Maps of the April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

By Jonathan Corum

On April 8, the moon will slip between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow across a swath of North America: a total solar eclipse.

By cosmic coincidence, the moon and the sun appear roughly the same size in the sky. When the moon blocks the glare of the sun, the sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, will be briefly visible.

Below are several maps of the eclipse’s path as well as images of what you might experience during the event.

Where Can I See the Total Eclipse?

The eclipse will begin at sunrise over the Pacific Ocean, then cut through Mexico and cross the United States from Texas to Maine. Most of North America will see a partial eclipse, but viewers within the deepest shadow — a band sliding from Mazatlán, Mexico, to the Newfoundland coast near Gander, Canada — will experience a total solar eclipse.

Percentage of

the sun obscured

during the eclipse

Indianapolis

Little Rock

San Antonio

Viewers inside the path of the total eclipse may notice a drop in temperature , a lull or shift in the wind , the appearance of bright planets in the sky, and the quieting of birds and other wildlife.

Many cities lie inside the path of the total eclipse, as shown below, the width of which varies from 108 miles to 122 miles.

20% partial eclipse

NEWFOUNDLAND

SASKATCHEWAN

Fredericton

Minneapolis

San Francisco

90% partial eclipse

Los Angeles

Mexico City

EL SALVADOR

Explore our interactive cloud outlook for eclipse viewing times and average cloud data at your location.

What Will I See?

A composite image of the 2017 solar eclipse over Madras, Ore.

Aubrey Gemignani/NASA

If the sky is clear, viewers in the path of the total eclipse should see a “diamond ring” effect a few seconds before and after the total eclipse, as the edge of the sun slips in and out of view.

The “diamond ring” effect during the 2017 solar eclipse.

Rami Daud/NASA, Alcyon Technical Services

The sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, is normally hidden by the sun’s glare. These tendrils and sheets of gas, heated to a million degrees Fahrenheit or more, are in constant motion and shaped by the sun’s swirling magnetic field.

The sun’s corona during the 2017 solar eclipse.

The sun is relatively active this year and is nearing the expected peak of its 11-year solar cycle . Researchers at Predictive Science are using data about the sun’s magnetic field to predict and model a dramatic corona for the April eclipse.

A prediction of how the sun’s corona might appear during the April 8 total eclipse.

Predictive Science

What Colors Should I Wear?

As the sky darkens, light-sensitive cells in human eyes become more sensitive to blue and green hues than to reds and oranges. This shift in color perception is known as the Purkinje effect , after a 19th-century Czech scientist, and is typically seen at twilight.

Watching the 2017 total eclipse at Southern Illinois University.

Andrea Morales for The New York Times

To take advantage of the Purkinje effect, wear green clothes or a contrasting combination of greens and reds. Blue-green colors (shorter wavelengths) will appear brighter, while red colors (longer wavelengths) will appear to recede into the darkness.

What If I Miss It?

The next two total solar eclipses in the United States won’t occur until 2044 and 2045 . But eclipse chasers might catch one in 2026 in Greenland, Iceland and Spain; 2027 along the coast of Northern Africa; 2028 in Australia and New Zealand; or 2030 across Southern Africa and Australia.

A Total Solar Eclipse Is Coming. Here’s What You Need to Know.

These are answers to common questions about the April 8 eclipse, and we’re offering you a place to pose more of them.

By Katrina Miller

What’s the Cloud Outlook for Eclipse Day? See if History Is on Your Side.

April 8 could be your best opportunity to see a total solar eclipse for decades. But if clouds fill the sky, your shot at seeing the spectacle could be lost.

By Josh Katz, K.K. Rebecca Lai and William B. Davis

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