yacht rock

noun

: soft rock

especially : a style of soft rock music originating in the 1970s and 1980s

For those unfamiliar, yacht rock is the smooth, feel-good sound of the '70s and '80s soft rock era. Think artists like Toto, Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, and Kenny Loggins.

—Tatum Ratzlaff

—often used before another noun

yacht rock artists/bands/songs

Examples of yacht rock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Expect to see neighbors of all ages swaying to yacht rock, belting along with John Denver and Fleetwood Mac cover bands, or dancing to beach tunes from the Band of Oz. — Brennan Long, Southern Living, 7 July 2026

Celebrate Christmas in your flip-flops at this midsummer holiday bash featuring a yacht rock tribute band. — Lesly Gregory, AJC.com, 1 July 2026

This year, country music — or at least a few of its leading men — is moving up from fishing rigs and pontoons to the easy listening waters of yacht rock. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2026

Keith Urban hath returned — and now, the four-time Grammy Award winning country music superstar is into yacht rock. — ABC News, 5 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Note: The label yacht rock was introduced by J. D. Ryznar, Hunter D. Stair, and Lane Farnham, the creators of the online comedy video series Yacht Rock (2005-10). The name apparently alludes to the song "Sailing" by Christopher Cross, taken as emblematic of the music, and to the Southern California milieu of the show.

First Known Use

2005, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for yacht rock

• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock
• boardwalk
• catwalk
• cornstalk
• crosswalk
• deadlock
• feedstock
• fetlock
• flintlock
• goshawk