Even though the term “Yacht Rock” wasn’t coined until 2005, people have been incidentally hearing the iconic sound since the mid-70s. Steely Dan, Toto, The Doobie Brothers, and The Eagles are just a few of the bands to have encompassed this sound. However, it did not die in the ’70s and ’80s, rather, it has had a mass resurgence causing classics to be repopulated and paving the way for some new acts too.
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Yacht rock might currently be fairly popular, although, very few bands pigeon-hole themselves solely to the genre. Instead, they leverage their musical talents and create single spin-offs that reimagine the sound all while staying true to the classics. With all that in mind, here are three modern yacht rock songs doing just that.
“Fragments of Time” by Daft Punk
Daft Punk has had a very long, ever-changing, and diverse career. Hence, their dabbling in yacht rock comes as no surprise. They’ve had a couple of songs similar to the genre, however, their 2013 single “Fragments of Time” is undeniably a tried and true yacht rock song. Featuring Todd Edwards, Punk takes listeners back to the ’70s and ’80s.
Released in 2013, nothing about this single sounds like it was released during the height of the contemporary pop era. For that very reason, the song did incredibly well on the charts for being as unique as it was. Upon its release, the song graced the charts in both the United States and France.
“Show You The Way” by Thundercat
Between the hazy organs and melodic harmonies, Thundercat reminds listeners just how groovy and serene yacht rock can be. Released in 2017 on his album Drunk, Thundercat utilizes his R&B background to create a yacht rock song highly reminiscent of Hall & Oates.
The song did not garner the popularity it deserved following its release. Nonetheless, if you are one for trying out something new in hopes of finding something old, then this is the song for you. In hopes of persuading you even more, Thundercat wholly embodies the funkiness of the Funkadelics and crystal-clear vocals of Steely Dan.
“Last Train Home” by John Mayer
Leave it to John Mayer to chime in on the yacht rock epidemic. Frankly and thanks to his generational guitar skills, John Mayer was seemingly able to transition into the genre seamlessly. And his 2021 single, “Last Train Home” proves that to be far more than true. Matter of fact, it seems he’s already a master of the niche rock ‘n’ roll subgenre.
Upon its release, John Mayer found quite a bit of chart success with the single. Not only did it reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, but also peaked at No. 13 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs.
Daft Punk onstage during the 56th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center per Getty Images
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