Yacht Rock

Yacht rock (originally dubbed the West Coast sound) is a form of Soft Rock popular from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. While soft rock was prevalent in the early 1970s, yacht rock generally eschewed sentimental lyrics and embraced smoother R&B and Jazz sensibilities in combination with layered vocal harmonies and state-of-the-art production. The term "yacht rock" was coined in 2005 for a Mockumentary web series of the same name. Groups such as The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan laid the blueprints of the style, particularly through the use of session musicians, one such being Michael McDonald who later became the lead singer of the former group. Often derided for its ultra-commercial sound, yacht rock evolved through the 1970s. Although emerging from the West Coast of the United States, international artists such as Little River Band had success with the laid back, "cozy" application of the style. Other artists associated with yacht rock are Pages, Toto, a group comprised entirely of session musicians, Christopher Cross, who specifically modeled his Grammy-winning debut album after Steely Dan's sound, and Kenny Loggins, a frequent collaborator with McDonald.