Yacht rock is having a moment. The genre, which was retroactively applied to the soft rock that was coming out of Los Angeles in the 1970s and 80s, has become a phenomenon online. Artists slapped with the yacht rock label have become cult heroes, and HBO recently released a documentary on the genre, further enshrining its cultural impact.
Yacht rock is, by and large, a singles game. There are tons of playlist dedicated to the one hit wonders and the forgotten acts who managed to bottle the appeal of yacht rock in a single, standout track. We wanted to do something different, though.
As a sort of pairing with Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary, we decided to go through and discuss the yacht rock albums that hold up from start to finish. The ones that engross listeners in the world of the genre, without being too top heavy or clogged up with filler. In other words, the classics.
Aja (1977) - Steely Dan
Steely Dan did not like the yacht rock label. Donald Fagen, the duo's surviving member, was asked to be a part of the HBO documentary, and made it very clear, through the use of four letter words, that he wasn't interested. Nevertheless, Steely Dan are the architects of the clean, polished, and stylish dock from which yacht rock set sail.
Aja is the duo's acknowledged masterpiece, and we're not here to pose any contrarian takes. It's an astoundingly mixed and mastered record, and the songs on it; "Deacon Blues," "Peg," and "Black Cow" are some of the most recognizable in yacht rock history. A lot of the musicians and singers who show up on Aja, Michael McDonald included, would go on to reap the benefits of what Fagen and the late, great Walter Becker did here.
Minute by Minute (1979) - The Doobie Brothers
The HBO DOCKumentary posited that yacht rock is, by and large, the sound of Michael McDonald singing. The Doobie Brothers frontman embodied the smoothness and the broad appeal of the genre and Minute by Minute is 36 minutes of ironclad proof.
It was the band's biggest album to date, and it spawned "What a Fool Believes," which is one of the defining yacht rock singles. McDonald wrote the song alongside Kenny Loggins, and it would go on to win Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the 1980 Grammys. Other standouts on the album are "Dependin' on You," "Open Your Eyes" and the title track.
Christopher Cross (1979) - Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross was another Steely Dan acolyte who utilized the same L.A. sessions musicians to forge a sound that was breezy and undeniably catchy. Cross lacked Fagen's dry wit as a vocalist, but he made up for it with a batch of gorgeous melodies, as evidenced by smash hits like "Never Be the Same," "Ride Like the Wind," and, of course, "Sailing."
"Sailing" is the unofficial yacht rock anthem, given its ocean-based imagery and themes of freedom and bliss. Cross dominated the 1981 Grammy Awards, proving that yacht rock was absolute catnip for voters.
The George Benson Collection (1981) - George Benson
It may seem odd to include a greatest hits package on the list, but we had to make exception for George Benson. Whereas most of the artists on here pivoted to jazz and pop from a rock and roll background, Benson pivoted to rock and pop with a jazz background.
This collection boasts stunners like "Breezin" and "Give Me the Night," but the crown jewel when it comes to yacht rock, is "Turn Your Love Around." The single was co-written by former Steely Dan session player Jay Graydon and Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, and topped the R&B charts in 1981.
High Adventure (1982) - Kenny Loggins
We could have feasibly put a few different Kenny Loggins albums on the list. 1979's Keep the Fire is a yacht rock classic, but we opted to go with High Adventure, which allowed the singer to hone his craft and churn out a batch of songs at the height of the genre's popularity.
"Heart to Heart" is the smash that everybody needs to hear if they haven't already. It was another collab between Loggins and McDonald, but even the solo Loggins material here, like "The More We Try" and "Heartlight," showcase a less jazzy, and pop friendly side of things.
If That's What It Takes (1982) - Michael McDonald
He's back! Michael McDonald was destined to become a solo star, and he realized his potential right away with his debut solo album. "I Keep Forgettin'" was the sound of yacht rock at night, and it shot up the charts, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
The album also boasts "I Gotta Try," another yacht rock staple, and the underrated ballads "Love Lies" and "That's Why." McDonald took things in a moodier direction than his material with the Doobies, and it has aged line fine wine.
Toto IV (1982) - Toto
Toto was the defining yacht rock band. They were made up of the sessions musicians who played on Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers and Christopher Cross albums, so they quite literally helped to make the genre what it was. Toto IV was the culmination of their sound, and arguably, yacht rock as a whole.
"Rosanna" and "Africa" were smash hits, with the latter serving as the band's only number one single. "I Won't Hold You Back" was another top 10 hit, proving that Toto had taken the commerciality of their peers and pushed it to its mainstream zenith. Yacht rock waned in popularity after the release of the iconic Michael Jackson album Thriller, which was also released in '82 and featured playing by several Toto members.
This historical irony further solidifies Toto IV as an essential yacht album.