I confess, I like yacht rock

[cantdrv55]

Am I the only one here in PP who does? Fixin to see a yacht rock tribute band soon.

[masraum]

I've heard the term. I couldn't give you an example of a yacht rock band. Who is in the yacht rock genre,

[HobieMarty]

Originally Posted by masraum

I've heard the term. I couldn't give you an example of a yacht rock band. Who is in the yacht rock genre,

Ummm, Steely Dan?

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[cantdrv55]

From Google Gemini:

Yacht rock, a soft rock subgenre that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is characterized by smooth, polished production, complex arrangements, and breezy, sometimes jazzy, melodies.
Some of the most famous and essential yacht rock bands and artists include:
• The Doobie Brothers (especially their era with Michael McDonald)*
• Steely Dan*
• Toto*
• Christopher Cross*
• Kenny Loggins (both solo and as part of Loggins & Messina)*
• Michael McDonald (solo work and with The Doobie Brothers)*
• Ambrosia*
• Boz Scaggs*
• Daryl Hall & John Oates*
• Little River Band*
• Seals & Crofts*
• Player*
Other artists frequently associated with the genre include Gerry Rafferty, Chicago (later era), Eagles (some songs), and America.

[WPOZZZ]

Guilty as charged. I listen to the Yacht Rock playlist on Amazon.

[Cajundaddy]

I reject the Yacht Rock label but still listen to many of the bands associated with it. As I recall, Donald Fagan HATES the term yacht rock being applied to Steely Dan but… he hates a lot of stuff.

Many of the greatest musicians of the late 70s were part of this music.

If you like complex music from the 70s, catch a Leonid and Friends show as they are on a US tour now. They perform exceptional covers of Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, Tower of Power, Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder, Linda Ronstadt and others. A great 2 hr performance that will bring you back to those college days. Just saw them Monday and they were excellent.

[cantdrv55]

I wanted to see Leonid and Friends when they were in Sacramento but the gig was on a weeknight. I watch their rendition of “25 or 6 to 4” on YouTube often.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

From Google Gemini:

Yacht rock, a soft rock subgenre that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is characterized by smooth, polished production, complex arrangements, and breezy, sometimes jazzy, melodies.
Some of the most famous and essential yacht rock bands and artists include:
• The Doobie Brothers (especially their era with Michael McDonald)*
• Steely Dan*
• Toto*
• Christopher Cross*
• Kenny Loggins (both solo and as part of Loggins & Messina)*
• Michael McDonald (solo work and with The Doobie Brothers)*
• Ambrosia*
• Boz Scaggs*
• Daryl Hall & John Oates*
• Little River Band*
• Seals & Crofts*
• Player*
Other artists frequently associated with the genre include Gerry Rafferty, Chicago (later era), Eagles (some songs), and America.

OK. I do like music from the 70s, and at least some songs by many/most of those bands.

[GH85Carrera]

Our local cable TV provider has music channels. Just music, no videos. They have a channel called Yacht Rock. My wife had it playing the other day as she was reading a book on her iPad.

[berettafan]

Steely Dan, anything Michael McDonald, Toto....these are the divine core of yacht rock.

Maybe the best of yacht rock edges more to jazz.

Thanks to yacht rock we know what a flugelhorn is.

Even Chicago pushes into the genre and kicks some pretty major ass in the process. And Fleetwood Mac, Rafferty....

Yep I like yacht rock. In fact I'd say it is the greatest of all music genres with the most lasting appeal. Hard rock I dig into but then step away for a break. Pure jazz...same thing.

[berettafan]

Oh and since we're talking about Boz Scaggs does anyone else think Miss Riddle is one of the most under appreciated songs ever? Man that thing just smokes.

[javadog]

I think the whole idea is stupid. It was started by some west coast loser who directed a string of TV shows that nobody ever watched.

It's an insult to work done by some of the best musicians of our era.

Screw that guy.

[craigster59]

Exhibit "A"-

[masraum]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Steely Dan, anything Michael McDonald, Toto....these are the divine core of yacht rock.

Maybe the best of yacht rock edges more to jazz.

Thanks to yacht rock we know what a flugelhorn is.

Even Chicago pushes into the genre and kicks some pretty major ass in the process. And Fleetwood Mac, Rafferty....

Yep I like yacht rock. In fact I'd say it is the greatest of all music genres with the most lasting appeal. Hard rock I dig into but then step away for a break. Pure jazz...same thing.

Steely Dan is OK
Doobie Bros is good, but some of the Michael McDonald stuff is just meh
Toto - do love me some Toto
Chicago - used to listen a fair amount when I was younger, but not much now.
Fleetwood Mac - yep, good stuff

What's interesting to me is that when I see the list of YR artists, I find myself thinking (this is a mix of several different types/styles/genres of music.

Air Supply
Journey
Jimmy Buffet
Chicago
Herb Alpert
Chuck Mangione
Chaka Khan
Kool and the Gang
Pointer Sisters
Eagles
Duran Duran
Captain and Tennille

I have a hard time seeing ^those^ as part of the same genre.

list of artists per wikipedia

[craigster59]

It's not so much the artists, it's the songs.

CS&N aren't necessarily a "yacht rock" group but their song "Southern Cross" falls into the YR category.

Yachtley Crew is a popular cover band in California:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yachtley_Crew

[craigster59]

[craigster59]

Think of it as an extension of the Parrothead/Jimmy Buffet phenomenon.

[herr_oberst]

⬆︎

That list is either woefully incomplete or hopelessly bloated. Moody Blues? Cat Stevens?

If a band or an artist has a discography of any size, at some time in their history they've recorded some ballad or cover that could be considered Yacht Rock.

Jerry Jeff Walker has Yacht Rock songs in his catalog, so do the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd and maybe even Judas Priest (Diamonds and Rust) Ozzy has plenty of YR numbers.

It's a catchall phrase for pretty, catchy songs that don't offend. (Okay, Afternoon Delight offends me in ways that are in my DNA). Some bands base their careers on pretty, unoffensive songs. Toto. Pablo Cruise. Others dip their toe in the waters for any number of reasons.

It really is a shame that Steely Dan has become the unofficial gatekeeper of the genre; it's not something they asked for and they can't shed it. Their music is so head and shoulders above, say Duran Duran, that they shouldn't even be listed together.

[vash]

Mental note to myself.

add two more words (to the list) ill never string together and think or say out loud.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

⬆︎

That list is either woefully incomplete or hopelessly bloated. Moody Blues? Cat Stevens?

If a band or an artist has a discography of any size, at some time in their history they've recorded some ballad or cover that could be considered Yacht Rock.

Jerry Jeff Walker has Yacht Rock songs in his catalog, so do the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd and maybe even Judas Priest (Diamonds and Rust) Ozzy has plenty of YR numbers.

It's a catchall phrase for pretty, catchy songs that don't offend. (Okay, Afternoon Delight offends me in ways that are in my DNA). Some bands base their careers on pretty, unoffensive songs. Toto. Pablo Cruise. Others dip their toe in the waters for any number of reasons.

It really is a shame that Steely Dan has become the unofficial gatekeeper of the genre; it's not something they asked for and they can't shed it. Their music is so head and shoulders above, say Duran Duran, that they shouldn't even be listed together.

Yeah, I get it, but I don't like it. It's weird. I feel like it's forcing something. It's like gathering up a bunch of random stuff, squishing it together and calling it a snow ball.

Originally Posted by vash

Mental note to myself.

add two more words (to the list) ill never string together and think or say out loud.

LOL! I'm with you. I think this thread is the second or third time that I heard the phrase. I think the first time was earlier this year on this board.