Album-orientated rock (AOR), soft rock, jazz rock, blue-eyed soul, West-coast rock – call it what you will.
All of these things constitute in one form or other what we now know as Yacht Rock.
The term was coined in the online comedy series of the same name, which fictionalised elements and the lives of some of the soft-rock stars of the 1970s and early 1980s, including key artists such as Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins and Christopher Cross, while at the same time admiring the music that these and many other artists produced at the time.
Key features of the Yacht Rock sound include a smooth, laid-back, jazz and R&B infused style, high-production values that feature some of the era’s greatest producers and recording engineers, and the use of some of the finest LA-based session players. The cross-pollinization of session musicians, vocalists, song-writers and producers working on many of the same recordings is also a key feature.
So, drop anchor in your favourite cove, pour the Martinis and sun yourself on deck to 15 of the greatest albums of the genre.
Greatest yacht rock albums
15. Byrne & Barnes An Eye For An Eye (1981)
Multi-instrumentalist Brandon Barnes and vocalist Robert Byrne released An Eye for an Eye in 1981, exclusively in Japan. Overlooked at the time, it has since gained cult status among Yacht Rock aficionados for its smooth production, melodic hooks, and polished musicianship. Critics and fans note its sophisticated songwriting, some of which appeared on albums by Anne Murray and others, highlighting Byrne’s knack for emotionally resonant pop. Though obscure, it’s now prized as a hidden gem of early ’80s soft rock.
14. Pages Pages (1981)
The third album from US soft rockers Pages is a sublime slice of slick, polished atmospheric pop and R&B infused grooves. Principal members Richard Page and Steve George would morph Pages into Mr. Mister in 1984, going on to have worldwide success with the singles ‘Broken Wings’ and ‘Kyrie’. Page and George would also appear on several albums of the era as either background vocalists lending their distinctive ethereal harmonies, or as song writers (along with their song writing partner John Lang), for artists such as Herb Alpert, Peter Allen, Pointer Sisters, Kenny Loggins and Donna Summer, and others.
13. Steely Dan Gaucho (1980)
Steely Dan's seventh album was famously fraught with challenges – technical glitches, personal tensions, and legal disputes – but Steely Dan’s perfectionism ensured the album remained a masterpiece. Becker and Fagen’s songwriting is as sharp and witty as ever, layered with intricate arrangements and impeccable session work. Tracks like 'Hey Nineteen' epitomize smooth, sophisticated Yacht Rock, while deeper cuts reveal complex harmonies and subtle jazz influences. Despite its troubled creation, Gaucho stands as a testament to Steely Dan’s meticulous craft and enduring musical brilliance.
12. Boz Scaggs Down Two Then Left (1977)
Boz Scaggs’ multi-million-selling Silk Degrees album from 1976 featured a core of young, prodigiously gifted session musicians that would go on to form the band Toto and help define the Yacht Rock genre. The album included Yacht Rock staples such as ‘Lowdown’ and ‘What Can I Say’ alongside songs that display a broader range of styles.
Scaggs’ 1977 follow-up Down Two Then Left is an altogether groovier affair, with tracks such as ‘Still Falling For You’, ‘Hollywood’ and ‘Whatcha Gonna Tell Your Man’ providing an uptempo R&B vibe. Toto’s Jeff Porcaro is the drummer throughout, alongside two legendary session guitarists Jay Graydon and Ray Parker, Jr. Keyboards and arrangements are provided by Michael Omartian, who would go on to produce Christopher Cross’s 1980 debut album.
11. Kenny Loggins High Adventure (1982)
The five studio album Kenny Loggins cut between 1977 and 1985 all feature Yacht Rock classics including ‘This Is It’, ‘Whenever I Call You Friend’ (a duet with Stevie Nicks), ‘Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong’ and his own version of ‘What a Fool Believes’, among many others. Loggins’ songwriting encompasses many styles, including uptempo rock, R&B and ballads, making his albums hard to pin down as purely Yacht Rock. But High Adventure scores highly with two essentials – ‘Heart to Heart’ and ‘I Gotta Try’ – both co-written with Michael McDonald.
10. Toto Toto (1978)
Toto’s debut displayed what everyone who had worked them as session musicians must have already known – they were a force to be reckoned with. Keyboardists David Paich and Steve Porcaro, guitarist Steve Lukather, drummer Jeff Porcaro, and bassist David Hungate would continue to be the go-to session musicians for a diverse array of artists, playing on countless albums, and vocalist Bobby Kimball reveals his impossibly high tenor vocals on tracks such as the worldwide smash ‘Hold The Line’.
9. The Doobie Brothers Livin’ On The Faultline (1977)
The second Doobie Brothers album to feature Michael McDonald sees him having a stronger influence over the musical proceedings. His songs on the album favour a pared-down, keyboard-led sound that became an early definition of what we now know as Yacht Rock. The album features ‘You Belong To Me’, co-written by McDonald and Carly Simon who would go on to have a huge hit with her own recording of the song in 1978.
8. Bobby Caldwell Bobby Caldwell (1978)
Bobby Caldwell grew up in Miami, Florida, but spent several years in LA as a session musician while trying to score a record deal. He found that deal back in Miami where he signed with T.K. Records – home of KC & The Sunshine Band and many other successful soul and disco artists.
The resulting album sets a gold standard of soulful song-writing and vocal performance, so much so that Caldwell’s image was deliberately left off the cover in an attempt to conceal the fact that he was white. The album’s single ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’ is a bona fide classic covered by many R&B as well as pop artists including Go West and Michael Bolton.
7. Bill LaBounty Bill LaBounty (1982)
Produced by Russ Titlelman (Rickie Lee Jones, Randy Newman, Rufus & Chaka Khan) and featuring a who’s who of the LA session elite (including members of Toto), Bill LaBounty’s eponymous fourth album is a real gem. The laid-back two-step grooves of classics such as ‘Look Who’s Lonely Now’ and ‘Livin’ It Up’ became a trademark sound for LaBounty at the time, and several tracks from the album feature highly in Yacht Rock playlists.
6. Donald Fagen The Nightfly (1982)
After Steely Dan disbanded in 1981, Donald Fagen teamed up with the band’s producer Gary Katz to create this platinum-selling album. Featuring largely autobiographical lyrics, The Nightfly was a critical as well as commercial success. The lead single ‘I.G.Y (What a Beautiful World)’ was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
5. Toto IV (1982)
The commercial success of Toto’s masterful debut album in 1978 didn’t follow through to their follow-up albums Hydra (1979) and Turn Back (1981). For their fourth album it was make or break – and they delivered what is arguably their creative high point as a band. IV is topped and tailed by two iconic Eighties pop smashes, not to mention Yacht Rock staples – ‘Rosanna’ and ‘Africa’. With their trademark stellar musicianship, plus the song-writing talents of David Paich, Steve Porcaro and Steve Lukather, there is plenty more to enjoy on this multi-GRAMMY-winning album.
4. The Doobie Brothers Minute by Minute (1978)
The Doobie Brothers’ diverse eighth album, and the third to feature Michael McDonald, would yield one of the era’s most iconic singles: ‘What a Fool Believes’. The track has come to define the Yacht Rock genre and features what is affectionally known as the ‘Doobie bounce’ – the much-copied melodic piano riff that opens that track and permeates the verses. Co-written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, it would go on to win GRAMMY awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
3. Christopher Cross Christopher Cross (1980)
Christopher Cross’s 1980 self-titled debut wasn’t just a hit album: it was a phenomenon. Seamlessly blending smooth production, heartfelt songwriting, and Cross’s pure, soaring vocals, it defined the sound of early 1980s soft rock. The record went on to win an unprecedented five GRAMMY Awards, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year, firmly placing Cross in the spotlight.
Multi-million sales followed, with classics like 'Sailing' and 'Ride Like the Wind' becoming instant radio staples and enduring Yacht Rock touchstones. Yet the album runs deeper than the hits, with tracks such as 'Never Be the Same' capturing the same breezy sophistication. Over 40 years later, it remains one of the genre’s crown jewels.
2. Steely Dan Aja (1977)
Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (aka Steely Dan) released their top-selling album Aja in 1977. Steely Dan’s previous albums had been infused with jazz chord progressions and harmonies, but Aja went further, featuring songs with extended form, showcasing solos from jazz icons such as Wayne Shorter, as featured on the title track. The hits were there too – ‘Peg’, an uptempo Yacht Rock classic, features Michael McDonald singing complex jazz harmonies in the chorus.
1. Michael McDonald If That’s What It Takes (1982)
Speaking of Michael McDonald... when The Doobie Brothers disbanded in 1982, anticipation was sky-high for Michael McDonald’s first solo venture, and If That’s What It Takes didn’t disappoint. The record blends his trademark blue-eyed soul with slick West Coast production, anchored by the irresistible hit 'I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)' – a Billboard Top 5 smash later sampled by Warren G.
With contributions from LA’s finest session musicians, including Jeff Porcaro and Steve Lukather, the album radiates sophistication. Tracks like 'Love Lies' and 'I Gotta Try' (co-written with Kenny Loggins) lean into yearning balladry and sleek pop, while 'That’s Why' carries a funkier edge.
The record balances vulnerability with polish, confirming McDonald as a solo artist with staying power. It also became a template for much of 1980s Adult Contemporary, bridging sincere emotion with pristine production. And McDonald’s husky, soulful voice elevates every track, making If That’s What It Takes a defining Yacht Rock statement.
Performer pics: Getty Images