yacht rock

What does yacht rock mean?

Yacht rock refers to a style of polished rock music that emerged primarily from Southern California studios in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is characterized by sophisticated jazz-influenced harmonies, high production quality, and a mellow sound.

Examples of yacht rock

You know yacht rock when you hear it. Michael McDonald is yacht rock; Fleetwood Mac is yacht rock; Christopher Cross is the epitome of yacht rock; Kenny Loggins used to be yacht rock before he took the highway to the "Danger Zone." 
—The Miami New Times, 5 Feb. 2020

At its core, yacht rock is marked by soulful, sweeping harmonies and rich vocals. 
—The Daily Orange, 22 Oct. 2025

While such studio wizardry can end up a tad yacht rock, so slick it becomes all surface, it is addictively listenable for the exact same reason.
—The London Standard, 16 Oct. 2025

Where does yacht rock come from?

The term was coined in 2005 by comedy writers J.D. Ryznar, Hunter Stair, and Lane Farnham for their satirical web series Yacht Rock, featuring fictionalized stories about musicians such as Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. Though initially conceived as a joke to describe music that had fallen out of critical favor, yacht rock gained traction and eventually became the widely used name for what had previously been known by labels like "the West Coast sound" or "adult-oriented rock."

How is yacht rock used?

Yacht rock is used descriptively and affectionately (and on occasion, dismissively) to refer to this specific era and style of music. There is no firm consensus on which artists and songs qualify as true yacht rock, and which are merely soft rock.