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

The album, which is comprised almost wholly of covers spanning yacht rock mainstays, also includes one original Urban song to round the package out. —Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026

But Arin’s palette stretches further—into ’80s synth textures, yacht rock sensibilities like Christopher Cross, and the layered rhythms of hip-hop and alternative music. —Desjah Altvater, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 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