It happened totally by accident. But I am obsessed with Yacht Rock. And this Yacht Rock Playlist is my favorite thing to listen to all summer long. It’s full of soft-rock songs that make you feel like you should be sipping a mai tai while watching seagulls dive-bombing someone’s french fries on a beach overlooking the ocean.
Updated May, 2019. I only share things I love and think you’ll like too. This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase through one of these links, I am compensated. I will save all the money and put it towards purchasing my own yacht…
So the most amazing thing happened to me. Well, not just to me but all Sirius XM subscribers. They put on a temporary channel that is a tribute to one of my favorite types of music. Yacht Rock Radio on Sirius is amazing. And I’m always sad when it sails away at the end of summer.
Liking yacht rock wasn’t a choice. My dad would play Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers. A lot. I remember being stuck on family vacations, with the tapes playing, and wish I could throw them out the window.
But, as you get older, your tastes change, and I found myself getting really happy when a song of this variety played.
Yacht Rock is a vibe. And for me, it is directly tied to warm summers evenings. And we’re now torturing our own kids on family road trips.
What is Yacht Rock?
If you don’t know what Yacht Rock is, that’s ok. I’m sure you’ve heard it. You just had no idea that song you were hearing was part of a magical musical genre that makes you feel like summer is streaming right into your ear holes.
The best yacht rock songs are from people like Steely Dan! Michael McDonald! Christopher Cross! And a bunch of people you’ve never heard of. Many of the most popular songs are one-hit wonders.
The music instantly transports you to the 70’s and 80’s, on a yacht out in the harbor, with a wine spritzer in your hand. It’s easy listening. It’s jazzy. It’s brilliant.
If there is one word that I can use to really get the point of yacht rock across it would be “unwind”. This is the music you play when you just want to relax with friends and sip something cold. It’s musical Xanax.
What Channel is Yacht Rock on Sirius?
Their website says Yacht Rock Radio is on channel 311. It’s hard to find any really good information about this channel. All I know for sure is that for the last few years, this channel sails into Sirius for a few months during summer.
Yacht Rock Song List
This song list features some of the key songs of this smoothed out, easy-listening pop rock. You can’t help but imagine yourself on a yacht (something modest is fine – no need for a mega yacht) while these songs play. Most of these songs sound like they could have been themes songs to hit sitcoms in the 80’s.
This is my Yacht Rock Radio Playlist that I play in the house or in my husband’s car (who doesn’t have Sirius – an utter travesty).
If you only want to listen to one song to get the feel of what yacht rock is, listen to Somebody’s Baby by Jackson Browne. It’s got the horns, it’s got the salty air vibes, it has the melodies. Then play one more – Brandy by Looking Glass. That’s my jam. The rest are all ear candy.
The yacht rock playlist includes over 30 songs to rock the boat. Here is just a sample of what your ears will be filled with. (You can scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full list or just listen to it!)
- Drift Away | Dobie Gray
- You Make Loving Fun | Fleetwood Mac
- Afternoon Delight | Starland Vocal Band
- Lowdown | Boz Scaggs
- What a Fool Believes | Doobie Brothers
- So Into You | Atlanta Rhythm Section
- Yah-Mo Be There | James Ingram
- Sailing | Christopher Cross
- Peg | Steely Dan
- This is It| Kenny Loggins
- Summer Breeze | Seals and Crofts
- Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) | Looking Glass
- Somebody’s Baby | Jackson Browne
I also included two modern day songs that have the same vibes. I have a tiny playlist of those types of songs going that I add to as I hear something new that makes my heart long for palm trees and a wine spritzer.
- You Never Knew | Haim
- Moon Crystal | M83
Click here to list to this Yacht Rock Playlist over on Spotify
More Playlists to Enjoy
- 80’s Inspired Playlist Inspired by GLOW on Netflix
- Songs to Clean To | the perfect songs to listen to so cleaning the house won’t suck.
- Girl’s Night In Chill Out Playlist
More Vibey Goodness to Get you Into the Yacht Rock Mood
- Long Kaftans to Buy Now
- Wine Soaked Strawberries
- All the Wine Cocktails to Make on a Yacht
Pin this Playlist for Later
So this is my tribute to Sirius XM’s tribute to Yacht Rock. My kids HATE this playlist. But mom rights means I get to play it in the car whenever I want because it makes my heart so happy.
The kids force me to listen to the Kidz Bop station so they can sit through some sexy little sunset tunes. The channel will be over in a few months. But this yacht rock playlist will live on.
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