Nothing pairs better with summer than yacht rock . The sub-genre is the sonic equivalent to cracking open a cold one on a sailboat with the sun shining just right. If you need to shake off the wintertime blues, there is no better musical option.
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While the genre has always been recognized for its soothing abilities, it isn’t often considered a high form of art–meaning music aficionados don’t often mull over the complexities of the genre. However, there are a few yacht rock albums that should be revered in that way. Check out three yacht rock albums that took the genre to new heights, below.
[RELATED: If You Love Steely Dan and Toto Give These 3 Modern Yacht Rock Songs a Listen]
Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross is the yacht rock king. “Sailing” is the very essence of the sub-genre bottled up in a quick and efficient dose. In fact, the entire accompanying album, Christopher Cross, is yacht rock perfection.
At times, artists in this genre can fail to earn mammoth hits. It has firmly upheld its sub-genre status, never really eclipsing its parent genre–unlike punk or metal. Christopher Cross is the exception to this rule. This album is packed full of timeless hits that give credence to a genre that is routinely pushed to the side.
London Town – Wings
Paul McCartney has dabbled in many areas of rock. He dipped his toe into yacht rock with Wings’ London Town. Recorded on an actual boat, this album wears its nautical inspirations on its sleeve. You can tell McCartney and his bandmates were reveling in sea spray while penning these songs. They are perfectly blithe and enticing.
Having someone like McCartney get on board with a sub-genre guarantees that more ears will be turned onto the idea. McCartney might be more known for his classic rock past, but it would be a shame to not reminisce on his yacht rock days from time to time.
Aja – Steely Dan
Steely Dan’s legacy is emblematic of the way yacht rock is viewed from much of listening world. They are chalked up to a musical joke, being pigeon-holed and discredited when compared to their peers. But that opinion is mostly resigned to those that have never truly listened to Steely Dan.
You can’t listen to Aja without walking away dumbfounded. Few albums are this excellent from start to finish. Every note on this record is plucked and played perfectly–the duo made sure of it. It’s a fantastic example of what yacht rock can be when given space to be as experimental as an artist wants to be.
(Photo by Frank Carroll/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
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