These 5 Songs Define '70s Yacht Rock

Yacht rock can be tricky to define, yet is instantly identifiable upon hearing it. Characterized by a silky-smooth, slickly produced sound, soulful vocals, and catchy hooks, this particular strain of soft rock became pervasive during the late 1970s. While yacht rock has been much maligned over the years, the passage of time has brought a new appreciation for a seemingly lightweight sound that has left a heavy imprint.

Of course, yacht rock wasn't recognized as such at the time, and has only been known by that imprimatur since the early 2000s, popularized by a comedic web series titled "Yacht Rock." What listeners may not know is that many yacht rock hits feature the same group of musicians — essentially the late-'70s version of the iconic Wrecking Crew of the 1960s, some of whom had worked with Steely Dan and went on to form Toto. Meanwhile, former Steely Dan vocalist Michael McDonald became a ubiquitous presence within the yacht rock ouvre.

When we picked these five songs, five decades after they were released, we chose the handful that have remained so enduringly popular and instantly identifiable that we can only conclude that they define '70s yacht rock. 

When delving into the bizarre history of yacht rock music, it's evident that all roads lead to Steely Dan. In fact, among the details you didn't know about Steely Dan is that the jazz-influenced group formed by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen was unwittingly ground zero for the style of music that would later be described as yacht rock. With an emphasis on studio perfection and musical precision, Steely Dan set the template, and arguably the keenest example of yacht rock within the Steely Dan catalogue is "Peg," from the band's 1977 "Aja" album. 

Smooth sounding yet musically complex, the song seamlessly fuses jazz and rock, boasting slick production, a soulful groove, and the instantly identifiable vocals of Michael McDonald sweetening the chorus. While "Peg" contains all the elements that epitomize the yacht rock sound, being categorized as such has tended to rankle Fagen. When contacted by director Garret Price about contributing his thoughts to Price's film, "Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary," Fagen calmly responded (via People), "I tell you what, why don't you go f*** yourself." 

By the mid-1970s, The Doobie Brothers had racked up an impressive array of rock hits like "China Grove," "Long Train Runnin'" and "Listen to the Music." In 1975, the band brought in former Steely Dan singer Michael McDonald, who delivered a stylistic shift that added a healthy dollop of blue-eyed soul to what had previously been a pretty hard-rocking band. That was evident in the Doobies' 1978 album, "Minute By Minute,"  led by the classic yacht rock single "What a Fool Believes."

Co-written by McDonald and Kenny Loggins, McDonald's rhythmic keyboard line propels the song on its groove-laden journey. There are some who believe that "What a Fool Believes" represents the pinnacle of yacht rock, including the creators of the mockumentary series "Yacht Rock. Of course, not all the band's original fans were thrilled with the Doobies' yacht-rock direction. That criticism, however, would have certainly been blunted when "What a Fool Believes" hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1979.

Singer-songwriter Christopher Cross burst onto the music scene in late 1979 with the release of his self-titled debut album. Alongside the hit single "Sailing," the album's standout track was "Ride Like the Wind." The song's polished production came courtesy of Michael Omartian, who had played keyboards for Steely Dan and brought other musicians who'd worked with the band to the "Christopher Cross" recording sessions. 

Another big factor is the instantly identifiable presence of Michael McDonald, who adds his unmistakable vocals to the chorus, as well as a certain amount of star recognition that Cross has since credited for his success. "We were working on this song, we had the part and we thought, 'Boy, McDonald would sound great doing this,'" Cross recalled in an interview with Rick Beato. As a result, "Ride Like the Wind" combines impeccable musicianship with a heavy jazz influence for what is now considered a yacht rock classic. 

By the latter part of the 1970s, Boz Scaggs had been kicking around the music business for more than a decade. Known for a bluesy sound, Scaggs embraced soft rock for his seventh studio album, 1976's "Silk Degrees." More blue-eyed soul than blues-rock, the album featured a crew of LA studio musicians including David Paich (keyboards), Jeff Porcaro (drums), and David Hungate (bass), who would go on to form legendary yacht rock band Toto. Those musicians brought their precision musicianship to Scaggs' sessions, with Scaggs co-writing the songs with keyboardist David Paich. That sound is on full display in the album's hit single, "Lowdown," which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Working with those musicians, Scaggs once told Melody Maker (via Boz), led him toward a "more polished, sophisticated kind of music," which crystallized in the smooth-flowing "Lowdown," with its disco beat, slap bass, and sleek chord progression. The song remains Scaggs' biggest hit, despite music critics at the time being downright dismissive of Scaggs' new direction.

After experiencing success as half of soft-rock duo Loggins & Messina, Kenny Loggins launched himself as a solo artist in 1977, and it was his third album, 1979's "Keep the Fire," that yielded the hit single "This Is It." Co-written by yacht rocker Michael McDonald (who also lent his distinctive keyboard and soulful, husky vocals to the track), the smooth, mellow sound of yacht rock permeates "This Is It." 

With a high 98.25 ranking on the Yachtski scale, "This Is It" further develops the slick sound achieved on The Doobie Brothers' "What a Fool Believes." Kicking off with a slow, soulful groove, and accompanied by a percussive guitar lick and synthesizer flourishes, Loggins begins by singing, "There've been times in my life/ I've been wondering why." His voice initially a near-whisper, the intensity picks up as the song progresses. Then, McDonald joins in, his unmistakable pipes chiming in with "This is it!" in the chorus.

The song boasts all the yacht rock hallmarks, including a crystal-clear sound, polished production, soulful vocals, and jazz-influenced playing — particularly McDonald's keyboards, which are pretty much the gold standard of yacht rock. "That keyboard style is so unique," Loggins observed during an interview with Rock Cellar.