Yacht rock is not just a genre; it’s a feeling.
There’s nothing quite like rolling your windows down on a beautiful, sunny, summer day, feeling the wind through your hair and imagining that you weren’t born in the early 2000s but rather, you’re alive in the peak of the 1960/70s, driving a Volkswagen van on your way to surf at a beach in California.
For readers who haven’t dipped their toes into this wondrous genre of music, I have some recommendations. Bands and songs to add to your “summer beach drive” playlist that will completely enhance your driving experience… just make sure to keep your eyes open while you listen.
AMERICA
America is arguably one of the best yacht rock bands to ever exist. While not all their songs fall into the classic yacht rock sound, the ones that do should be on every road trip and beach playlist.
The band was founded in 1970 by the sons of U.S. Air Force personnel stationed in London, and the rest is history as they climbed the charts for years to come.
So what America songs are worth your time if you’re looking for that perfect beachy sound?
Here’s a couple to listen to.
“Ventura Highway” is about as good as it gets when it comes to yacht rock and is probably the first song that comes to your head when you think of the genre. I won’t spoil it, just know that if I could listen to this song for the first time again, I would wipe it from my memory every day.
“Sister Golden Hair.” Again, another classic, if you totally ignore the meaning behind the lyrics, this song is upbeat, fun and overall, just an easy listen with the windows down. Don’t listen to the lyrics too hard, and it’s a happy song.
“Tin Man.” A core component to any good yacht rock song is the beat, and “Tin Man’s” is nice, light and airy, leaving room to do a little sway in the driver’s seat while the feeling of salty air is closer than you think.
STEELY DAN
Steely Dan is a core component of the yacht rock genre. If you’ve never heard a Steely Dan song, either you’re lying or you just didn’t know it was Steely Dan.
Steely Dan was formed in 1971 by two friends who met in college. If you’d like to know why they named the band Steely Dan… well, I’ll let you look that up.
So, which Steely Dan songs should make it to your playlist that you save until the weather goes above 60 degrees?
Here are three.
“Reelin’ In The Years.” My personal favorite. This song is exactly what you’re looking for in a beach trip song. It’s fun, easy to sing and it has an upbeat tune that makes the song an easy listen even if you don’t know it.
“Do It Again.” This is their No. 1 song on Spotify, and it’s no mystery why. The moment you press play, the song kicks off with a groovy beat that’s hard not to get behind. This song is less upbeat than “Reelin’ In The Years” but nonetheless has that charm that transports you back in time.
“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” – Arguably the hardest song to get into on the list. The song starts off with a strange mix of percussion instruments before falling into a bass-heavy groove. It really takes about a minute of listening to get rolling, but once you’re at the chorus, it’s no doubt why this would be a summer classic by the coastline.
MIX IT UP
Now, six songs don’t exactly make a playlist, especially from only two artists. Here are some other songs to beef up your playlist while you drive by the shore.
“Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” – This song by Looking Glass is quite literally about a woman who works at a port and yearns for a sailor. Accompanied by a fun beat and chorus, this song is a perfect addition to this playlist.
“Dance with Me” – Orleans did a beautiful job with this song; it is the epitome of summer love. It’s the perfect song for the beach at night, driving, sharing time with your person with no reservations other than wanting to pull over and dance in the headlights.
“Right Down the Line” – To wrap up the list, this song by Gerry Rafferty is yacht rock. It’s just the whole genre, and I will not elaborate. This is another song like “Ventura Highway” that, if you haven’t listened to it, I won’t spoil it.
PRESS PLAY
As far as yacht rock goes, this is a solid start. I could write for miles about every song I love and why it’s essential to have on your playlist, but, quite frankly, no one has time for that.
So, this summer, press pause on your everyday life and press play on this playlist and discover the wonderful world of music outside the past 20 years. Feel the summer breeze and soak up every moment with your new favorite genre.
