“Yacht rock” is a somewhat loose term referring to the polished, adult-oriented, soft rock from the mid-‘70s through the early ‘80s. The term didn’t exist during that actual era, only coming about later as a derogatory term of the kind of smooth music one might stereotypically assume yuppie yacht owners are listening to while sailing. All Music Guide’s Matt Colier said the music tends to be catchy, focus more on melody than beat, and keeps the emotions light even if the sentiment turns sad. WK
30 lists were aggregated to create this list. All those songs which made 4 or more lists are included below.
Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.
22 lists:
1. The Doobie Brothers “What a Fool Believes” (1978)
2. Kenny Loggins “This Is It” (1979)
21 lists:
3. Christopher Cross “Sailing” (1979)
4. Christopher Cross “Ride Like the Wind” (1979)
20 lists:
5. Player “Baby Come Back” (1977)
6. Seals & Croft “Summer Breeze” (1972)
19 lists:
7. Gerry Rafferty “Baker Street” (1978)
18 lists:
8. Rupert Holmes “Escape (The Pina Coloda Song)” (1979)
9. Toto “Rosanna” (1982)
17 lists:
10. Boz Scaggs “Lowdown” (1976)
11. Ambrosia “Biggest Part of Me” (1980)
12. Michael McDonald “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” (1982)
13. Steely Dan “Peg” (1977)
16 lists:
14. Toto “Africa” (1982)
15 lists:
15. England Dan & John Ford Coley “I'd Really Love to See You Tonight” (1976)
16. Looking Glass “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” (1972)
17. Steely Dan “Hey Nineteen” (1980)
14 lists:
18. Atlanta Rhythm Section “So Into You” (1977)
19. Robbie Dupree “Steal Away” (1980)
13 lists:
20. Little River Band “Reminiscing” (1978)
21. Ace “How Long” (1974)
22. Jay Ferguson “Thunder Island” (1977)
23. Bobby Caldwell “What You Won’t Do for Love” (1978)
12 lists:
24. Pablo Cruise “Love Will Find a Way” (1978)
11 lists:
25. Little River Band “Cool Change” (1979)
26. Daryl Hall & John Oates “Kiss on My List” (1980)
27. Eagles “I Can’t Tell You Why” (1979)
10 lists:
28. Bertie Higgins “Key Largo” (1981)
29. James Ingram & Michael McDonald “Yah Mo B There” (1983)
30. Starbuck “Moonlight Feels Right” (1976)
9 lists:
31. Lionel Richie “All Night Long (All Night)” (1983)
32. Fleetwood Mac “Dreams” (1977)
33. 10cc “I’m Not in Love” (1975)
34. Al Stewart “Year of the Cat” (1976)
35. Daryl Hall & John Oates “Sara Smile” (1975)
36. Orleans “Still the One” (1976)
37. Firefall “You Are the Woman” (1976)
38. Bob Welch “Sentimental Lady” (1977)
39. Paul Davis “Cool Night” (1981)
40. America “You Can Do Magic” (1982)
41. Kenny Loggins “Heart to Heart” (1982)
42. Boz Scaggs “Lido Shuffle” (1976)
8 lists:
43. Bill Withers & Grover Washington, Jr. “Just the Two of Us” (1981)
44. Daryl Hall & John Oates “Rich Girl” (1976)
45. Al Stewart “Time Passages” (1978)
46. Ambrosia “How Much I Feel” (1978)
47. Nicolette Larson “Lotta Love” (1978)
48. Steely Dan “FM (No Static at All)” (1978)
49. Steely Dan “Deacon Blues” (1977)
50. Orleans “Dance with Me” (1975)
51. Crosby, Stills & Nash “Southern Cross’ (1982)
52. Jackson Browne “Somebody’s Baby” (1982)
53. Michael McDonald “Sweet Freedom” (1986)
7 lists:
54. America “Ventura Highway” (19720
55. The Alan Parsons Project “Eye in the Sky” (1982)
56. Poco “Crazy Love” (1978)
57. Kenny Loggins with Stevie Nicks “Whenever I Call You Friend” (1978)
58. Chicago “Saturday in the Park” (1972)
60. The Doobie Brothers “Minute by Minute” (1978)
61. Dr. Hook “When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman” (1978)
62. George Benson “Give Me the Night” (1980)
63. Ambrosia “You’re the Only Woman” (1980)
64. Climax Blues Band “Couldn’t Get It Right” (1976)
65. George Benson “Breezin’” (1976)
66. The Sanford/Townsend Band “Smoke from a Distant Fire” (1977)
6 lists:
67. Olivia Newton-John “Magic” (1980)
68. Christopher Cross “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (1981)
69. Fleetwood Mac “You Make Loving Fun” (1977)
70. Air Supply “Lost in Love” (1980)
71. Earth, Wind & Fire “After the Love Has Gone” (1979)
72. Michael Jackson “Human Nature” (1982)
73. Gerry Rafferty “Right Down the Line” (1978)
74. Gino Vannelli “I Just Wanna Stop” (1978)
75. Steely Dan “Do It Again” (1972)
76. Blues Image “Ride Captain Ride” (1970)
77. Donald Fagen “I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)” (1982)
78. Chuck Mangione “Feels So Good” (1978)
79. Seals & Croft “Diamond Girl” (1973)
80. Al Jarreau “Mornin’” (1983)
5 lists:
81. America “A Horse with No Name” (1971)
82. Daryl Hall & John Oates “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” (1981)
83. Exile “Kiss You All Over” (1978)
84. Todd Rundgren “I Saw the Light” (1972)
85. Elvis Bishop “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” (1976)
86. Bread “Make It with You” (1970)
87. Dave Mason “We Just Disagree” (1977)
88. Bill Withers “Lovely Day” (1977)
89. Dr. Hook “Sexy Eyes’ (1979)
90. Paul Davis “I Go Crazy” (1977)
91. Firefall “Just Remember I Love You” (1977)
92. Walter Egan “Magnet and Steel” (1978)
93. Christopher Cross “All Right” (1983)
94. Pablo Cruise “Whatcha Gonna Do?” (1977)
95. Andrew Gold “Lonely Boy” (1977)
96. Boz Scaggs “JoJo” (1980)
97. Steely Dan “Dirty Work” (1972)
98. The Beach Boys “Sail on Sailor” (1973)
4 lists:
99. Smokey Robinson “Being with You” (1981)
100. Gary Wright “Dream Weaver” (1975)
101. America “Sister Golden Hair” (1975)
102. Herb Alpert “Rise” (1979)
103. Billy Ocean “Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)” (1984)
104. Toto “Hold the Line” (1978)
105. Benny Mardones “Into the Night” (1980)
106. Gino Vannelli “Living Inside Myself” (1981)
107. George Benson “Turn Your Love Around” (1981)
108. Bread “Baby I’m A Want You” (1971)
109. The Doobie Brothers “It Keeps You Runnin’” (1976)
110. Christopher Cross “Never Be the Same” (1979)
111. Carly Simon “You Belong to Me” (1978)
112. Michael McDonald “I Gotta Try” (1982)
113. Herb Alpert “Route 101” (1982)
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First posted 12/5/2022.
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