yacht rock art

Yacht rock art: prehistoric carvings found in Norway may be oldest nautical images in the world

Two life-size outlines of boats are thought to have been etched into the grey rock face 10,000 years ago—and more could still await discovery.

A digital tracing of the first boat carving at Valle shows it was probably a life-size image like others found at the site Tracing: Jan Magne Gjerde

Carvings of boats found at Valle, Norway, may be the oldest known examples in Europe, and are perhaps among the earliest in the world, according to a new study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology . The two images are thought to have been made around 10,000-11,000 years ago, 3,000 years before other boat carvings in northern Europe.

First identified in 2017, the boats appear as white outlines carved into the grey rock surface, and can only be seen clearly under the right light and weather conditions. One boat originally measured around 4.3 metres in length, though only one end now remains due to erosion. It was probably a life-size representation, like nearby carvings of animals, which include seals, reindeer, a possible porpoise, and perhaps even a polar bear. A second boat image is less well-preserved, with only around three metres still visible.

The boats appear as white outlines carved into the grey rock surface, and only be seen clearly under the right weather and light conditions Photo: Jan Magne Gjerde

In the research paper, Jan Magne Gjerde , an archaeologist with the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research, suggests that the boat carvings may represent Arctic skin boats, a type of vessel often made from seal hides that helped early Scandinavians to settle the area. These boats were light enough to be carried, could hold multiple people and items, and were fast when hunting on water. “Such a vehicle would be ideal for colonizing the seascapes in northern Norway during the Early Mesolithic,” Gjerde writes in the paper.

Hunters using an umiak, an Arctic skin boat, while on whale patrol in Alaska © S.R. Bernardi Photographs (UAF‐1959‐875‐13), Photographic archives at Elmer E Rasmussen Library at the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections and Archives in Fairbanks, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Gjerde argues that similar large examples of rock art at other sites may have acted like “signposts imbued with information” or “reference points” visible from a great distance. “Socializing the seascape by making highly visible rock art would be an important means of communication for the pioneer people in this area,” he writes.

Other carvings may still await discovery at Valle. “Considering the critical impact of the weather and light (sun) on the visibility of the rock art, it is very likely that there are more figures at Valle and more sites with rock art in the Ofoten area in northern Norway,” Gjerde writes.

If the Yacht Is a Rockin': Riding the Yacht Rock Nostalgia Wave

By maggie serota | jun 12, 2020.

It’s not often that an entire genre of music gets retconned into existence after being parodied by a web series, but that’s exactly what happened after writer, director, and producer J.D. Ryznar and producers David B. Lyons and Hunter D. Stair launched the Channel 101 web series Yacht Rock in 2005. Hosted by former AllMusic editor “Hollywood” Steve Huey, the series was a loving sendup of the late '70s/early '80s smooth jams to which many Millennials and late period Gen-Xers were likely conceived.

The yacht rock aesthetic was innovated by a core group of musicians and producers including, but not limited to, Christopher Cross, Steely Dan, Robbie Dupree, Kenny Loggins, Toto, David Foster, and hirsute soft rock titan Michael McDonald, along with scores of veteran session musicians from the Southern California studio scene.

The Yacht Rock web series was perfectly timed to coincide with a contemporary renaissance of smooth music from the late '70s, the kind that was previously considered a guilty pleasure because it fell out of fashion in the mid-'80s and was soon thereafter regarded as dated and square compared to other burgeoning genres, like punk rock and hip-hop.

Yacht Rock's Early Years

The yacht rock era began roughly around 1976, when yacht rock pillar Kenny Loggins split up with songwriting partner Jim Messina to strike out on his own. That same year, fellow yacht rock mainstay Michael McDonald joined The Doobie Brothers. The two titans of the genre joined forces when Loggins co-wrote the definitive yacht rock hit “What a Fool Believes” with McDonald for the Doobies. They collaborated several times during this era, which was par for the course with such an incestuous music scene that was largely comprised of buddies playing on each other’s albums.

"Look at who performed on the album and if they didn’t perform with any other yacht rock hit guys then chances are [it's] ‘nyacht’ rock,” Ryznar said on the  Beyond Yacht Rock podcast, referencing the pejorative term frequently used to describe soft rock songs that just miss the boat.

"The basic things to ask yourself if you want to know if a track is yacht rock are: Was it released from approximately 1976 to 1984? Did musicians on the track play with Steely Dan? Or Toto?," Ryznar said. "Is it a top 40 radio hit or is it on an album meant to feature hits?" And, of course, does the song celebrate a certain breezy, SoCal aesthetic?

Building the Boat

There are certain key ingredients necessary for a track to be considered yacht rock. For starters, it helps (though is not necessary) to have album art or lyrics that specifically reference boating, as with Christopher Cross's landmark 1980 hit “Sailing.” The music itself is usually slickly produced with clean vocals and a focus on melody over beat. But above all else, the sound has to be smooth . That’s what sets yacht rock apart from "nyacht" rock.

"Its base is R&B, yet it’s totally whitewashed," Ryznar explained on  Beyond Yacht Rock . "There [are] jazz elements. There can be complex, challenging melodies; the solos are all cutting-edge and really interesting. There’s always something interesting about a true yacht rock song. It goes left when you expect it to go right."

Yacht rock’s complex musicianship can be attributed, in part, to the session players on each track. Musicians like percussionist Steve Gadd, guitarist and Toto founding member Steve Lukather, and Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro don’t have much in the way of name recognition among casual soft rock listeners, but they’re the nails that hold the boat together. Steely Dan, “the primordial ooze from which yacht rock emerged,” according to Ryznar, famously cycled through dozens of session musicians while recording their 1980 seminal yacht rock album Gaucho .

"These musicians were not only these slick, polished professionals, but they were highly trained and able to hop from style to style with ease,” Huey explained on  Beyond Yacht Rock . “Very versatile.”

In Greg Prato’s 2018 tome, The Yacht Rock Book : An Oral History of the Soft, Smooth Sounds of the 70s and 80s , Huey broke down “the three main defining elements of yacht rock,” explaining that it requires “Fusing softer rock with jazz and R&B, very polished production, and kind of being centered around the studio musician culture in southern California … It’s not just soft rock, it’s a specific subset of soft rock that ideally has those elements."

Soft rock untethered

Whereas the music of the late 1970s and early ‘80s is often associated with the anti-establishment music of punk pioneers like the Dead Kennedys and the socially conscious songs being written by early hip-hop innovators like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, yacht rock is the antithesis of the counterculture.

Yacht rock occupies a world that is completely apolitical and untethered to current events. Between the oil crisis, a global recession, and inflation—not to mention the fact that the U.S. was still licking its wounds from the loss of the Vietnam War and the disgrace of Watergate—the late '70s were a dark time for Americans. Yet yacht rock, at its heart, is a tequila sunrise for the soul, whisking the listener away to a world where they have the time, and the means, to idle away the hours sipping piña coladas at sea while decked out in flowy Hawaiian shirts and boat shoes.

Yacht rock was never edgy, nor did it ever feel dangerous. Yacht rock didn’t piss off anyone’s parents and no one ever threatened to send their kid to boot camp for getting caught listening to Kenny Loggins's “This Is It.” Yacht rock tracks are more of a siren song that invite your parents to join in on the chorus anytime they hear Toto’s "Rosanna."

Yacht rock songs are meant to set the soundtrack to a life where the days are always sunny, but as Ryznar pointed out on Beyond Yacht Rock , there’s “an underlying darkness”—just not the kind that’s going to derail a day of sailing to Catalina Island. No, yacht rock has elements of low-stakes heartbreak with sensitive male protagonists lamenting their own foolishness in trying to get back together with exes or hitting on women half their age.

The aspirational aspect of the genre dovetailed nicely with the overarching materialism defining the Reagan era. “Yacht rock was an escape from blunt truths, into the melodic, no-calorie lies of ‘buy now, pay never,’ in which any discord could be neutralized with a Moog beat,” Dan O’Sullivan wrote in Jacobin .

Some Like it Yacht

Although the cult comedy series Yacht Rock ceased production in 2010, the soft rock music revival it launched into the zeitgeist is still going strong. For the past few years, SiriusXM has been running a yacht rock station during prime boating season, or what those of us without bottomless checking accounts refer to as the spring and summer months. Yacht rock tribute acts like Yacht Rock Revue are profitable business endeavors as much as they are fun party bands. There’s also a glut of yacht rock-themed song compilations for sale and a proliferation of questionably curated genre playlists on Spotify.

Whether you believe yacht rock is an exalted art form or the insidious soundtrack to complacency, any music lover would probably agree that even a momentary escape from the blunt truths of life is something we could all use every now and then.

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Yacht or Not?: Sailing the Seas of Yacht Rock

Louis Armstrong said, “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” Duke Ellington said, “There are simply two kinds of music: good music and the other kind.” Christopher Cross said, “If you get caught between the moon and New York City, the best that you can do is fall in love.”

What do these pieces of wisdom add up to? Music, like love, doesn’t follow rules. Musicians as diverse as Armstrong, Ellington and Cross don’t want to be boxed in by genre. They want to write, record and perform and not spend time deciding if they play bebop or hard bop, blues or Southern rock, funk or disco.

But as temperatures heat up and people think of sailing away to find serenity, yacht rock playlists start to float in on the breeze. And that means drawing boundaries with enough latitude that artists don’t object to being boxed in and  still foster playlists with a sense of meaning, a sense of continuity and depth. Peaks and valleys must be smartly balanced against the total annihilation of a common aesthetic. (Yes, despite a fascination with sailing and pina coladas, yacht rock can be taken seriously!)

And so, much to Armstrong’s chagrin, we have to ask, “What is yacht rock?” If it seems obvious, take a look at Spotify’s recent “Yacht Rock” playlist . Spotify is a global streaming leader with some 350 million monthly users, an army of music experts and cutting edge artificial intelligence, and yet the company filled its playlist with songs such as Tears for Fears ’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” Van Morrison ’s “Brown Eyed Girl” and Bruce Hornsby ’s “The Way It Is.”

If somebody wants to create and enjoy a stack of songs that runs from tunes by the J. Geils Band , to the  Police , to Bad Company , to Talking Heads (yup, the company has all these artists on its playlist and even included Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters”), they should do that with gusto! It sounds like an evening full of classic jams and fun left turns so cheers to the endeavor. But if a major player in the music business wants to do that and call it yacht rock, we need to take a step back and consider what is and isn’t yacht.

We know breezes, islands, keys, capes, cool nights, crazy love and reminiscing help define the yacht aesthetic (see works by Seals & Crofts , Jay Fergeson, Bertie Higgins, Rupert Holmes, Paul Davis, Poco , and Little River Band ). But let’s get beyond the captain’s caps and map the waters of this perfect-for-summer style.

Watch Bertie Higgins' Video for 'Key Largo' 

Yacht Rock Sets Sail With Help From a 2005 Web Series

Before 2005, people generally placed Toto ’s “ Africa ” and Holmes’ “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” in the soft rock genre. Maybe if they were getting fancy, they’d call them AM Gold. But in 2005, the online video series Yacht Rock debuted. It fictionalized the careers of soft rock artists of the late ’70s and early ’80s. The cheeky show capitalized on the building renaissance of artists such as Steely Dan and Michael McDonald , who embraced the silliness of the series.

“When it came on I remember watching it pretty avidly,” McDonald admitted in 2018 . “My kids got a huge kick out of it. We would laugh about the characterizations of the people involved. At this point it’s a genre of its own. You’re either yacht or you're not.”

He might be right that you’re either yacht or you’re not. But calling it a genre doesn’t quite work (more on that in a minute).

Listen to the Doobie Brothers' 'Minute By Minute'

Riding the Waters From the Radical ’60s to the Sincere ’70s

By the late ’60s, rock ‘n’ roll had become “art.” The Beatles started as simple teen heartthrobs covering early rock ‘n’ roll, but graduated to the supreme weirdness of the  White Album . Chuck Berry gave birth to the Rolling Stones who gave birth to Led Zeppelin and the gonzo bombast of “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.” And all sorts of acts went wild from the Grateful Dead , to Pink Floyd , to Frank Zappa  and beyond. The sunshine of ’70s AM Gold came as a reaction to these wonderful excesses. Singer-songwriters aimed to take rock and pop back to the simple pleasures of tight, light tunes such as Beach Boys ’ classics, Motown hits and Brill Building-crafted songs.

Hippies looking for revolution and Gen X-ers on the hunt for rage, irony and sharp edges bristled at the genuine lyrics of tenderness and heartbreak neatly packaged in finely-crafted Top 40. Where the stars and fans of '60s and ’90s rock wanted arty and experimental music, anger and angst, yacht took listeners on a voyage powered by pure earnestness: think of the sincere and intense conviction of Dave Mason’s “We Just Disagree,” Captain & Tennille's "Love Will Keep Us Together," and “Love is the Answer” by England Dan & John Ford Coley.

(Which is why placing the Police or Talking Heads on any yacht mix doesn’t work.)

Yacht rock embodies the final charge of unbridled, heartfelt pop.

“I think these songs remain so popular because they are unabashedly pop,” Nicholas Niespodziani, leader of the hugely successful tribute band  Yacht Rock Revue , explains to UCR. “They’re not self conscious. You couldn’t write a song like ‘Africa’ now. What are they even singing about? Who knows? But it’s fun to sing.”

Watch Captain & Tennille's Video for 'Love Will Keep Us Together'

Music That’s Jazzy, But Sure Isn’t Jazz

Yacht rock doesn’t just have an earnestness to its lyrics, the sax solos come with the same level of sincerity.

If the style was the last gasp of unadulterated pop, it was also the dying breath of jazz’s influence on rock. Jazz rock started in the ’60s with Zappa, Chicago , Santana and Blood, Sweat & Tears , but slowly simple drums and growling guitars stomped horn lines and rhythmic shifts into the ground. However, yacht rock features echoes of swingin’ saxophones, big band horns and Miles Davis ’ fusion projects.

Yacht rock is very pop, but legitimate musical talents made those hooks. Chuck Mangione logged time in jazz giant Art Blakey’s band then took what he learned and crushed complex harmonic ideas into the pop nugget “Feels So Good,” which is basically a Latin-bebop-disco-classical suite. (If you dig “Feels So Good,” dig deeper and groove to smooth jazz mini-symphony “Give It All You Got.”)

Nearly every classic from the style features either an epic sax solo or dazzling guitar part. For horn glory, go spin Little River Band’s “Reminiscing,” Gino Vannelli’s “I Just Wanna Stop” or Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers ’ “Just the Two of Us." For six-string wizardry as astounding as anything Jimmy Page came up with (and much more economical), try Atlantic Rhythm Section’s “So Into You,” Pablo Cruise’s “Love Will Find a Way” and pretty much every Steely Dan cut.

(Which is why placing Tears for Fears’ “ Everybody Wants to Rule the World ” and Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” on any yacht mix doesn’t work).

Watch the Little River Band's Video for 'Reminiscing' 

A Vibe, Not a Genre or Gender or Demographic of Any Kind

Being a style, a feeling, an aesthetic, a vibe means that yacht rock can pull a song from a wide variety of genres into its orbit. It also means that it’s not just a catalog of hits from bearded white dudes. Yes, Kenny Loggins , McDonald and both Seals and Crofts helped define yacht rock. But quintessential songs from the style came from the women and artists of color, soul singers, folk heroes and Nashville aces.

For every Loggins' tune in a captain’s hat, there’s a Carly Simon track dressed up as your cruise director. Yes, there's Steely Dan's jazz influence, but also  Crosby, Stills & Nash 's folk legacy (“Southern Cross” remains definitively of the style). Yacht rock playlists should also be littered with appropriate R&B gems, such as the Raydio’s “You Can’t Change That” (which features Ray Parker Jr.!), Hall & Oates ’ “Sara Smile” and Kool & the Gang’s “Too Hot.” Likewise, country acts of the era tried to go Top 40 while attempting to retain some twang and managed to make Love Boat music (see Juice Newton’s “Angel of the Morning,” Eddie Rabbit’s “I Love a Rainy Night,” Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers ’ “Islands in the Stream”).

It’s hard to tell if the Commodores’ “Sail On” is pop or R&B, harder still to know if George Benson’s “Give Me the Night” is pop, R&B or jazz. But they both feel yacht.

(Which is why Santana can do psychedelic Latin music and can do yacht on “Hold On,” and why the Pointer Sisters can do new wave disco with “Neutron Dance” and yacht with “Slow Hand.")

Wishing You a Bon Voyage on the Seas of Yacht

Spotify was right to think about diversity when making its playlist, though the company got the type of diversity wrong. Yacht has some pretty specific sonic parameters, but has no demographic restrictions when it comes to the kind of artists contributing to the style’s catalog. That means when you hit the high seas of yacht, you don’t need to be afraid to fight for your favorites to be included, just please don’t have one of those favorites be “Ghostbusters.”

We began talking about drawing boundaries with enough latitude that artists don’t object to being boxed in. The wide latitude yacht rock affords matters because music comes to define eras and outlines cultural trends (remember that yacht came in reaction to art rock and that says a lot about the swing from the late '60s to the early '80s). Calling Christopher Cross soft rock might feel right, but it doesn't tell us much about where he was coming from and what he was trying to accomplish. Calling Cross yacht rock, now that we know it's not a pejorative, illuminates his aesthetic.

Cross came out of the Texas rock scene that produced blues aces the Vaughan Brothers and guitar shredder Eric Johnson (who plays on a lot of his albums). He loves Joni Mitchell and that shows in his craft. He's jazzy but not jazz (see those horns and guitar on "Ride Like the Wind") with a vibe that's completely yacht -- developed from the scene that took '60s pop, updated it and sheltered it from the trends of punk, metal, new wave and hip hop. The same can be said for Loggins, McDonald, Simon, Lionel Ritchie and so many others.

Spotify needs to tweak its algorithm so it gets this right. Or, better yet, connect with the genre-crossing vibe that makes yacht so unique.

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The Bizarre History Of Yacht Rock Music

Popular music has always been complex. Different musical styles break up into infinite sub-genres — what started off as rock 'n' roll has splintered into dozens of sub-genres, and even the considerably younger musical genre of rap has splintered into several distinct styles. And each of those sub-genres then splinters as musicians innovate and reinvent the form.

None of this is science, though, so it's easy to get lost down rabbit holes when discussing what bands or songs belong in what genre or sub-genre. Yacht rock is a perfect example: None of the artists currently considered to be yacht rockers called themselves that at the time or were even aware that they were carving out a distinct sub-genre of rock music. The whole idea of yacht rock is a modern invention — and yet it perfectly describes a specific type of music that ruled pop culture roughly between 1975 and 1985.

What was yacht rock? It's a soft rock musical style, sometimes called the California sound, exemplified by smoothness and melody — these weren't exactly bangers, but that doesn't mean they were bad. Yacht rock could be very musically complex, incorporating elements of jazz into their compositions. The songs were usually introspective and did not engage with politics or current events at all — they were frictionless. Imagine a wealthy white man sailing on his yacht in 1980, and the music he's listening to in your imagination is what we're talking about. Here's the bizarre history of yacht rock.

The term was coined in 2005

Although the roots of yacht rock arguably go back to the 1960s, the history of yacht rock begins in 2005. That's because prior to that year, the term and concept of yacht rock simply didn't exist.

According to Rolling Stone , it all began on June 26, 2005, when the 12-episode web series "Yacht Rock" was released by Channel 101. As explained by Mental Floss , the series was a lovingly mocking look back at the smooth music of the late 1970s and early 1980s, written and directed by J.D. Ryznar, produced David B. Lyons and Hunter D. Stair, and hosted by Steve Huey, a former editor at AllMusic. MasterClass notes that the series was fictional — it depicted rockers like Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald as a bunch of goofy friends hanging out and composing the smoothest rock music possible.

Ryznar and company were making gentle fun of those soft rock musicians, but the concept of yacht rock was so obviously appropriate it became viral. They defined it as perfectly produced, with a high level of musicianship and harmonic sophistication (in fact, far from being bad music, many yacht rock songs have been sampled numerous times by modern artists ), and imbued with the vibe and sound of 1970s Los Angeles. Although many yacht rock songs do have nautical references, it's not necessary to be considered yacht rock. 

The roots of yacht rock go back to the 1960s

Although not all yacht rock songs reference the ocean, yachts, or the beach, the distant roots of the sound and the vibe go back to 1961. That's the year The Beach Boys was formed. As noted by Jacobin Magazine , the cheerful fun in the sun beach aesthetic of The Beach Boys' sound provides the fundamental template for yacht rock's sound. What elevated The Beach Boys was the songwriting craft of Brian Wilson — without his subtle genius, all that was left was the perfect production standards and sunny vibe. As noted by Warm 106.9 , the band's classic song "Sloop John B" is often cited as a clear influence on the sailing-obsessed soft rock that hit the charts a decade later.

In fact, as noted by MeTV , The Beach Boys' 1973 song "Sail On, Sailor" is considered a proto-yacht rock song. Because it was co-written by troubled musical genius Brian Wilson, the song isn't really yacht rock, but it holds many of the seeds, from its perfect production to the jazzy complexity hidden under mellow good-time vibes. And everything came full circle in 1988 when The Beach Boys released their Number One hit, "Kokomo," a song Stereogum describes as "extremely boring and self-satisfied yacht-rock." Singer Mark McGrath cites "Kokomo" as probably the last legitimate yacht rock song to ever be released.

Two foundational groups form

It wasn't just the California vibe and sailing imagery that yacht rock took from The Beach Boys. As noted by The Guardian , in the mid-1960s, a man named Daryl Dragon began playing keyboards with The Beach Boys as a backup musician. Dragon had a habit of wearing a ship captain's hat as part of his on-stage costume, underscoring the nautical theme and earning him the nickname "The Captain." According to Jacobin Magazine , Toni Tennille also toured with The Beach Boys. Dragon and Tennille married and, a few years later, formed the group Captain & Tennille, whose Grammy-winning song "Love Will Keep Us Together" is considered one of the earliest yacht rock hits.

Meanwhile, another foundational yacht rock band formed in 1972: Steely Dan . According to  The Seattle Times , part of what defines yacht rock is the people involved. Members of The Doobie Brothers  – especially Michael McDonald, Toto , and Steely Dan tend to be involved in some capacity (songwriting, background vocals, or performing) on most yacht rock songs. This was the inspiration for the original comedy sketch that birthed the whole concept . Steely Dan came to define the perfect production, jazzy musicality, and smooth melody lines of the genre. And as noted by Mental Floss , Steely Dan shared session musicians with many of their musical genre peers, explaining the somewhat similar sound produced by these different groups.

Loggins and Messina broke up in 1976

Many of the pieces that would form yacht rock existed long before the genre coalesced into a recognizable sound and vibe. Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina formed Loggins & Messina in 1971, and according to The Chicago Tribune , their 1975 album "Full Sail" is part of yacht rock legend. The album's cover art depicts Loggins and Messina on an actual yacht, looking pretty relaxed and very California. The album was held up at the very beginning of the "Yacht Rock" series to demonstrate what the creators of the series were talking about.

Loggins & Messina are crucial to the yacht rock story because they broke up. As noted by The Seattle Times , one of the features of yacht rock is the loose collaborations between a small group of musicians — and Kenny Loggins is a key member of that group. Loggins wrote many yacht rock classics recorded and performed by other artists, and Loggins himself often released his own versions of songs he gave to other artists, increasing his influence over the genre.

Loggins, now a free agent, worked with Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers several times as the core yacht rock musicians collaborated freely, ensuring a certain uniformity of sound and style that resulted in a recognizable sub-genre.

Steely Dan releases Aja

Mention the band Steely Dan in conjunction with the concept of yacht rock, and many people will have a passionate reaction . Yacht rock is often erroneously believed to be bad music and is frequently conflated with soft rock. But the opposite is true: According to MasterClass , part of what defines yacht rock is the harmonic sophistication and jazz influences of the music. In other words, yacht rock was often composed and recorded at a very high level of musical ability.

That's where Steely Dan comes in. Famed for their complex arrangements and overt jazz influences, the band produced smooth, melodic songs that perfectly captured the late-1970s California vibe. Rolling Stone  considered the band's sixth studio album, "Aja," a pinnacle for the musical genre. The songs are intricate, the production is pristine, and the mood is mellow. Decider  was even more enthusiastic in their praise, establishing the album as essential listening to any fan of yacht rock and notes that by the time Steely Dan (Walter Becker and Donald Fagan) recorded "Aja" they weren't really a band — they were two guys with a lot of session musicians, musicians who often played on other yacht rock bands' recordings, resulting in a similar sound on many of these records. And Michael McDonald of The Doobie Brothers even sings backup on some songs.

U ltimate Classic Rock ranks one of the songs from the "Aja,"  "Peg," as the second-best yacht rock song of all time and describes "Aja" as having "impeccable airtightness that falls somewhere between soft pop and jazz."

The Doobie Brothers release What a Fool Believes

Movements in music and the evolution of sub-genres usually have deep roots that go back invisibly into the past. But they often also have a key moment that clearly marks their beginning. As noted by Mental Floss , for yacht rock, that beginning comes in 1978 with the release of "What a Fool Believes" by The Doobie Brothers.

The song was written by Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald. Not only did this song kick off the habit of collaboration between the artists that came to define this genre —  IGN pegs it as number three on its list of the best yacht rock songs, describing the song as quirky and mellow, while according to  Smooth Radio , the song is the ultimate example of what makes a yacht rock song. The song was a massive hit for The Doobie Brothers, one of the few non-disco hits that year.

The song is considered so "yachty," in fact, that according to Houstonia Magazine , the "Yacht Rock" series that defined the musical genre kicks off with an episode spoofing the writing of the song. The song is, indeed, kind of the platonic ideal of a yacht rock song: It's musically complex, smooth as heck, and lyrically focused on a lovelorn fool, a frequent topic of yacht rock songs. And, of course, it involves Loggins and McDonald.

Rupert Holmes releases Escape (The Piña Colada Song)

M ark McGrath , the lead singer of Sugar Ray, calls "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes the ultimate yacht rock song and an inspiration for all future yacht rock songs to follow. The song's connection to the genre is so clear that ABC News reports it was chosen for inclusion in the "NOW That's What I Call Yacht Rock" compilation album.

It's easy to see why the song (and the album containing it, 1979's "Partners in Crime") is what a computer algorithm would create if tasked with composing a yacht rock song. As noted by Rolling Stone , Holmes displays the musicianship of Steely Dan while singing with the exuberance of Barry Manilow. That combination of mellow, smooth delivery and complex song arrangements, and a distinctly California vibe make this an iconic example of yacht rock. As MasterClass notes, the song's clean production links it to other yacht rock songs because it eliminates mistakes or rough spots and offers the illusion of smooth perfection.

The song is also one of the most enduring and well-known yacht rock songs of all time. If you're trying to explain yacht rock to someone, this is the song to use as an example.

The high point of yacht rock: Christopher Cross releases Sailing

The unquestioned high point of yacht rock came in 1980. Songs from bands associated with this genre of music had been big hits before, but that year a yacht rock album dominated pop culture, ensuring that this style of music would be remembered and defined decades later. We're talking about, of course,  "Sailing" by Christopher Cross .

U ltimate Classic Rock reports the song was a smash hit, earning Cross several Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Arrangement. Its yacht rock cred begins with its title and themes — it's literally about sailing, presumably on some sort of yacht (Cross doesn't seem the type to sail on anything less). The song is smooth as glass but extremely complex, combining strings, open-tuned arpeggios, and what Rolling Stone calls "an elegant pop classicism." And as Jacobin Magazine notes, the song features backing vocals from none other than the artistic glue that holds the genre together, Michael McDonald.

"Sailing," and the album it hailed from, remain the most successful examples of yacht rock, a pinnacle of sales and awards both Cross and the genre never managed again. No one knew they were part of the yacht rock movement at the time or that it was all (slowly) downhill from there.

Toto ties it all together

One of the characteristics of yacht rock, as noted by Mental Floss , is the extremely high level of musicianship on the records — largely due to the use of professional session musicians that were shared by yacht rock groups like Steely Dan. In the late 1970s, some of those session musicians decided to form their own band, and Toto was born. This was a key moment: As noted by the man who helped define yacht rock, J.D. Ryznar, one way to identify a yacht rock song is to ask if members of Toto played on it.

In 1982, Toto released "Toto IV," which Smooth Radio noted contains two all-time yacht rock classics in "Rosanna" and "Africa." Vinyl Me, Please calls "Toto IV" a perfect introduction to the musical genre, which makes sense since the members of Toto were involved in so many recordings we now consider to be yacht rock.

But Toto was involved in another project in 1982, one that proves how the yacht rock sound traveled through session musicians: Michael Jackson's "Thriller." As reported by NOW Magazine , Toto was heavily involved with the album, and Toto keyboardist Steve Porcaro even contributed a classic yacht rock track that became the fifth Top Ten song from the album (per Rolling Stone ): "Human Nature." Porcaro originally wrote it for Toto but accidentally included it on a tape of demos for producer Quincy Jones — who immediately loved it.

Kokomo: Yacht rock's last gasp

The heyday of this musical genre was between roughly 1975 and 1985. By the late 1980s, musical tastes had shifted, and most yacht rockers found themselves fading off the charts. But there was one final gasp of the genre in 1988 when the legendary band The Beach Boys released their No.1 hit  on the Billboard Hot 100, "Kokomo." 

Despite its success, the song is widely hated ( Mel Magazine shared their extreme dislike for the song and even Mike Love), but it's definitely a yacht rock song. According to Sugar Ray lead singer Mark McGrath , it's likely the last yacht rock song to be released. By the time The Beach Boys began working on it, however, they weren't too concerned about quality — as noted by EW.com , the band hadn't been on the charts in years, didn't have a record contract, and had been reduced to playing Oldies tours to pay the bills. The band accepted the invitation to contribute a song to the soundtrack of the Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Shue romantic comedy,  "Cocktail"  largely for the money and actually left the composition of the song to John Phillips, Scott McKenzie, and Terry Melcher, giving the song the traditional session-player touch of all yacht rock songs.

The song's yacht rock bona-fides are pretty clear — in fact, as Stereogum notes,  the original demo makes its yacht rock roots very, very clear. But even The Beach Boys' version with its earworm chorus retains the smooth, slickly-produced sound that marks all yacht rock tunes.

The resurgence of yacht rock

After being established as a distinct genre of music by the " Yacht Rock" web series in 2005 , yacht rock enjoyed a period of viral fame. Everyone who came across the term quickly realized it actually made sense to regard these songs as a specific style of soft rock, and there was a lot of buzz around the topic. But all buzz fades, and after a few years, yacht rock was no longer an exciting new idea — it was an accepted truth.

But in recent years, the genre has made a comeback, infiltrating pop culture for the second time. A seminal moment in this comeback was the release of "The Blue Jean Committee" in 2018. As noted by 100.9 The Eagle , "The Blue Jean Committee" is a "mockumentary" that has actually served as an introduction to yacht rock for a whole new generation of people. Esquire reports that the show (and the "fake yacht rock band" at its center) was created by comedians Fred Armisen and Bill Hader for their TV series "Documentary Now!" But they went as far as actually writing songs for the band — and even made a music video showcasing the very yacht rocky song "Catalina Breeze," eventually releasing an entire EP, according to Wired . Suddenly, yacht rock was on everyone's mind again, more than 15 years after the initial phenomenon and more than 40 years since the actual musical era ended.

Yacht rock is modern again

As noted by The Guardian , yacht rock is experiencing a full-on reappraisal. Long considered to be trite and boring, emblematic of the insincere late 1970s and early 1980s era, a new appreciation for the very things that make these songs yacht rock is developing. One key reason is that clear production noted by MasterClass  — yacht rock songs sound timeless and still slap today because they weren't thrown together. The bands spent a lot of time and money and care to make every song sound amazing, which has helped them pass the test of time. And recent years have seen bands like The Yacht Rock Revue achieve surprising success in the genre, as noted by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution .

As InsideHook notes, the rise of Internet culture has helped people rediscover and appreciate yacht rock. Younger generations have grown up in a world where they can listen to anything, any time they want. The result has been a softening of genre edges, and the adoption of old, outdated musical trends. There's a whole new group of soft rock bands that aren't covering yacht rock songs; they're writing new ones.

And as reported by MTV , yacht rock original gangsters are also releasing new music, proving that the genre has fresh legs. According to NPR , in 2017, Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald collaborated with bassist and singer Thundercat on the song "Show You the Way."  Suffice it to say, this ship (or should we say yacht?) is still sailing. 

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This Is the Definitive Definition of Yacht Rock

By Timothy Malcolm July 12, 2019

Michael McDonald. One might say the smoothest mother in music history.

Image: Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock.com

About 10 years ago , somebody showed me a YouTube video of Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins writing a song that’s smoother and more polished than anything else on the airwaves.

That video—lovingly spoofing the writing of the Doobie Brothers' 1978 hit “What a Fool Believes”— was the first episode of a series called Yacht Rock . Premiering in 2005 on the Los Angeles-based television incubator Channel 101, Yacht Rock struck a chord with a generation of music nerds who attempt to compartmentalize and categorize the songs they heard as children. The term “yacht rock” itself grew out of the video series, permeating our culture today as much as the music had back in the late 1970s and early '80s.

But here’s the thing about terms that permeate our culture today: They get compromised and bastardized to fit other people’s cozy narratives, typically based on their own nostalgia. Google “yacht rock” and you’ll find articles from across the media spectrum attempting to define the term , failing hard because these writers just don’t get it. There’s even a new BBC series about yacht rock , and while it went into great detail providing context on the emergence of the musical style, it still turned out to be one person’s definition that included songs that were—as some of us might say— nyacht rock.

I’m here to set the record straight—or smooth. Yacht rock is music, primarily created between 1976 and ‘84, that can be characterized as smooth and melodic, and typically combines elements of jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock. You’ll hear very little acoustic guitar (get that “Horse With No Name” out of there) but a lot of Fender Rhodes electric piano. Lyrics don’t get in the way of the song’s usually high musicality (some of the finest Los Angeles session players, including members of the band Toto, play on many yacht rock tunes.) The lyrics may, however, speak about fools. The songs are as light and bubbly as champagne on the high seas, yet oddly complex and intellectual.

And just to hammer this home: Fleetwood Mac is not yacht rock. Daryl Hall & John Oates are 98 percent not yacht rock. Those folkie songs from America, Pure Prairie League, and Crosby, Stills & Nash? Nope. Rupert Holmes's "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)"? Too wordy and not musically interesting—not yacht rock. How about "Summer Breeze" by Seals & Crofts? A little too folky, but close.

I’m not affected by personal nostalgia (I was born in 1984, just as the yacht rock era was ending); instead, I’m an objective music lover who just so happens to have been researching yacht rock for the past several years. I know the men who coined the term “yacht rock” ( they have a great podcast and actually rate whether or not a song is yacht rock ), and they can back me up on this. 

So whether you’re docked for the summer or about to set sail on an adventure, allow me to steer you in the right direction. I've crafted for you the definitive yacht rock playlist—below are a few highlights:

“What a Fool Believes,” The Doobie Brothers

I won’t get any nerdier, I’ll just say that this is the song that epitomizes yacht rock. It’s effortlessly melodic, bouncy, and bright, features a prominent Fender Rhodes electric piano, and includes an ultra-smooth vocal from Michael McDonald.

“Heart to Heart,” Kenny Loggins

Loggins never quite knew whether to be a jazzy folkie or a rocker, but in between those two phases were a couple yachty gems, including this cool breeze on a warm summer day, from the 1982 album High Adventure . Just listen to Loggins’s vocal—it’s butter.

“FM,” Steely Dan

Steely Dan brought a New York edge and a habit of wanting the best players on their records to Los Angeles. In time their sound morphed into the whitest smooth jazz on the planet, aka yacht rock. “FM,” from 1978, has both that snarky exterior and smooth center, but look up the band’s classic albums Aja and Gaucho for a number of yachty delights.

“Human Nature,” Michael Jackson

Once you get to know yacht rock, you can begin traveling into yacht soul—smooth songs from top studio players that lean just a little harder on the R&B. This classic song from the 1982 album Thriller was written and performed by Toto. Jackson provides the gorgeously breezy vocal.

“Rosanna,” Toto

Speaking of Toto, these guys were and still are awesome musicians. The 1982 hit “Rosanna” proves this in spades—the drum shuffle is iconic, the twists are remarkable, and the sound is smoother than a well-sanded skiff.

“Nothin’ You Can Do About It,” Airplay

Who is Airplay? A one-album band created by mega-producer David Foster and session guitarist Jay Graydon. These guys wrote Earth, Wind & Fire’s “After the Love Has Gone,” then this absolute stunner from 1980, a bouncy, giddy, and gentle pop classic.

“I Really Don’t Know Anymore,” Christopher Cross

Emerging out of nowhere with a Grammy-winning album in 1979, Cross is the perfect yacht rock figure, a normal-looking white dude who just so happens to sing like the wind on a summer’s evening. This song, from that debut album, is essential yacht rock with a noticeable background singer—of course, Michael McDonald.

If you want to catch McDonald and sing along to some of his yacht rock classics, he’s performing Friday night at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands. Chaka Khan—who also has a few yacht rock tunes in her catalog—will open. Tickets start at $39.50; prepare accordingly with this  summer yacht rock playlist on Spotify . You’re welcome.

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Yacht Rock: Album Guide

By David Browne

David Browne

Summer’s here and time is right for dancing … on the deck of a large nautical vessel. During the late Seventies and early Eighties, the radio was dominated by silver-tongued white-dude crooners with names like Rupert and Gerry, emoting over balmy R&B beats, swaying saxes, and dishwasher-clean arrangements. Though it didn’t have a name, the genre — soft rock you could dance to — was dismissed by serious rock fans as fluffy and lame. But thanks to a web series in the mid-2000s, the style — belatedly named “ yacht rock ” — has since spawned a satellite-radio channel, tribute bands, and a Weezer cover of Toto’s “Africa.” Is the modern love of the music ironic or sincere? Hard to say, yet there’s no denying yacht rock is a legit sound with a vibe all its own that produced a surprising amount of enduring music perfectly at home in summer. (John Mayer even tips his own sailor’s hat to the genre on his new “Last Train Home” single, and even the aqua-blue cover of his upcoming Sob Rock album.) The resumption of the Doobie Brothers’ 50th anniversary tour, postponed last year due to COVID-19 but scheduled to restart in August, is the cherry atop the Pina colada.

Boz Scaggs, Silk Degrees (1976)

Before yacht rock was an identifiable genre, Scaggs (no fan of the term, as he told Rolling Stone in 2018) set the standard for what was to come: sharp-dressed white soul, burnished ballads that evoked wine with a quiet dinner, and splashes of Me Decade decadence (the narrator of the pumped “Lido Shuffle” is setting up one more score before leaving the country). Add in the Philly Soul homage “What Can I Say,” the burbling life-on-the-streets homage “Lowdown,” and the lush sway of “Georgia,” and Silk Degrees , internationally or not, set a new high bar for Seventies smoothness.

Steely Dan, Aja (1977)

The sophisticated high-water mark of yacht, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker’s masterpiece is the midway point between jazz and pop, with tricky tempo shifts, interlocking horn and keyboard parts, and pristine solos. Not settling for easygoing period clichés, these love songs, so to speak, are populated by a sleazy movie director (the gorgeous rush of “Peg”), a loser who still hopes to be a jazzman even if the odds are against him (the heart-tugging “Deacon Blues”), and a guy whose nodding-out girlfriend is probably a junkie (“Black Cow”). The most subversive cruise you’ll ever take.

The Doobie Brothers, Minute by Minute (1978)

The Doobies got their start as a biker-y boogie band, but they smoothed things out for Minute by Minute . Highlighted by “What a Fool Believes,” the unstoppable Michael McDonald-Kenny Loggins co-write, the LP piles on romantic turmoil, falsetto harmonies, and plenty of spongy electric piano. But it also proves how much personality and muscle the Doobies could bring to what could be a generic sound. McDonald’s husky, sensitive-guy delivery shrouds the unexpectedly bitter title song (“You will stay just to watch me, darlin’/Wilt away on lies from you”)  and honoring their biker roots, “Don’t Stop to Watch the Wheels” is about taking a lady friend for a ride on your hog.

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Further Listening

Seals & crofts, get closer (1976).

The Dylan-goes-electric moment of yacht, “Get Closer” validated the idea that folkie singer-songwriters could put aside their guitars (and mandolin), tap into their R&B side and cross over in ways they never imagined. In addition to the surprising seductiveness of the title hit, Get Closer has plenty of yacht-rock pleasures. In “Goodbye Old Buddies,” the narrator informs his pals that he can’t hang out anymore now that he’s met “a certain young lady,” but in the next song, “Baby Blue,” another woman is told, “There’s an old friend in me/Tellin’ me I gotta be free.” A good captain follows the tide where it takes him.

Christopher Cross, Christopher Cross  (1979)

Cross’ debut swept the 1981 Grammys for a reason: It’s that rare yacht-rock album that’s graceful, earnest, and utterly lacking in smarm. Songs like the politely seductive “Say You’ll Be Mine” and the forlorn “Never Be the Same” have an elegant pop classicism, and the yacht anthem “Sailing” could be called a powered-down ballad. Fueled by a McDonald cameo expertly parodied on SCTV , the propulsive “Ride Like the Wind” sneaks raw outlaw lyrics (“Lived nine lives/Gunned down ten”) into its breezy groove, perfecting the short-lived gangster-yacht subgenre.

Rupert Holmes, Partners in Crime (1979)

The album that made Holmes a soft-rock star is known for “Escape (The Piña Colada Song),” which sports a made-for-karaoke chorus and a plot twist worthy of a wide-collar O. Henry. But what distinguishes the album is the Steely Dan-level musicianship and Holmes’ ambitious story songs, each sung with Manilow-esque exuberance. The title track equates a hooker and her john to co-workers at a department store, “Lunch Hour” ventures into afternoon-delight territory, and “Answering Machine” finds a conflicted couple trading messages but continually being cut off by those old-school devices.

Steely Dan, Gaucho (1980)

The Dan’s last studio album before a lengthy hiatus doesn’t have the consistency of Aja, but Gaucho cleverly matches their most vacuum-sealed music with their most sordid and pathetic cast of characters. A seedy older guy tries to pick up younger women in “Hey Nineteen,” another loser goes in search of a ménage à trois in “Babylon Sisters,” a coke dealer delivers to a basketball star in “Glamour Profession,” and the narrator of “Time Out of Mind” just wants another heroin high. It’s the dark side of the yacht.

Going Deeper

Michael mcdonald, if that’s what it takes  (1982).

Imagine a Doobie Brothers album entirely comprised of McDonald songs and shorn of pesky guitar solos or Patrick Simmons rockers, and you have a sense of McDonald’s first and best post-Doobs album. If That’s What it Takes builds on the approach he nailed on “What a Fool Believes” but amps up the sullen-R&B side of Mac’s music. His brooding remake of Lieber and Stoller’s “I Keep Forgettin’” is peak McDonald and the title track approaches the propulsion of Christopher Cross’ “Ride Like the Wind.” With his sad-sack intensity, McDonald sounds like guy at a seaside resort chewing over his mistakes and regrets – with, naturally, the aid of an electric piano.

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Kenny Loggins, Keep the Fire (1979)

Loggins’ journey from granola folk rocker to pleasure-boat captain embodies the way rock grew more polished as the Seventies wore on. Anchored by the percolating-coffeemaker rhythms and modestly aggro delivery of “This Is It,” another McDonald collaboration, Keep the Fire sets Loggins’ feathery voice to smooth-jazz saxes and R&B beats, and Michael Jackson harmonies beef up the soul quotient in “Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong.” The secret highlight is “Will It Last,” one of the sneakiest yacht tracks ever, fading to a finish after four minutes, then revving back up with some sweet George Harrison-style slide guitar.

Dr. Hook, Sometimes You Win  (1979)

Earlier in the Seventies, these jokesters established themselves with novelty hits like “The Cover of ‘Rolling Stone,’’ but they soon paddled over to unabashed disco-yacht. Sometimes You Win features three of their oiliest ear worms: “Sexy Eyes,” “When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman” and “Better Love Next Time,” all oozing suburban pickup bars and the somewhat desperate dudes who hang out there. The album, alas, does not include “Sharing the Night Together,” recently reborn by way of its sardonic use in last year’s Breaking Bad spinoff El Camino .

Carly Simon, Boys in the Trees  (1978)

As a trailblazing female singer-songwriter, Simon was already a star by the time yacht launched. Boys in the Trees features her beguiling contribution to the genre, “You Belong to Me,” a collaboration with the ubiquitous Michael McDonald. The Doobies cut it first, but Simon’s version adds an air of yearning and hushed desperation that makes it definitive. The album also packs in a yacht-soul cover of James Taylor’s “One Man Woman” and a “lullaby for a wide-eyed guy” called “Tranquillo (Melt My Heart),” all proving that men didn’t have a stranglehold on this style.

Anchors Aweigh

More smooth hits for your next high-seas adventure.

“BREEZIN’”

George Benson, 1976

The guitarist and Jehovah’s Witness made the leap from midlevel jazz act to crossover pop star with a windswept instrumental that conveys the yacht spirit as much as any vocal performance.

“WHATCHA GONNA DO?”

Pablo Cruise, 1976

Carefree bounce from a San Francisco band with the best name ever for a soft-rock act — named, fittingly, after a chill Colorado buddy.

“BAKER STREET”

Gerry Rafferty, 1978

Rafferty brought a deep sense of lonely-walk-by-the-bay melancholy to this epic retelling of a night on the town, in which Raphael Ravenscroft’s immortal sax awakens Rafferty from his morning-after hangover.

“REMINISCING”

Little River Band, 1978

The Aussie soft rockers delivered a slurpy valentine sung in the voice of an old man looking back on his “lifetime plan” with his wife. Innovative twist: flugelhorn solo instead of sax.

“WHENEVER I CALL YOU ‘FRIEND’ ”

Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks, 1978

After its ethereal intro, this rare genre duet grows friskier with each verse, with both Loggins and Nicks getting more audibly caught up in the groove — and the idea of “sweet love showing us a heavenly light.”

“LOTTA LOVE”

Nicolette Larson, 1978

Neil Young’s sad-boy shuffle is transformed into a luscious slice of lounge pop by the late Larson. Adding an extra layer of poignancy, she was in a relationship with Young around that time.

“STEAL AWAY”

Robbie Dupree, 1980

Is it real, or is it McDonald? Actually, it’s the best Doobies knockoff — a rinky-dink (but ingratiating) distant cousin to “What a Fool Believes” that almost inspired McDonald to take legal action.

“TAKE IT EASY”

Archie James Cavanaugh, 1980

Cult rarity by the late Alaskan singer-songwriter that crams in everything you’d want in a yacht song: disco-leaning bass, smooth-jazz guitar, sax, and a lyric that lives up to its title even more than the same-titled Eagles song.

“BIGGEST PART OF ME”

Ambrosia, 1980

Ditching the prog-classical leanings of earlier albums, this trio headed straight for the middle of the waterway with this Doobies-lite smash. Bonus points for lyrics that reference a “lazy river.”

“I CAN’T GO FOR THAT (NO CAN DO)”

Daryl Hall and John Oates, 1981

The once unstoppable blue-eyed soul duo were never pure yacht, but the easy-rolling beats and shiny sax in this Number One hit got close. Hall adds sexual tension by never specifying exactly what he can’t go for.

“COOL NIGHT”

Paul Davis, 1981

The Mississippi crooner-songwriter gives a master class on how to heat up a stalled romance: Pick a brisk evening, invite a female acquaintance over, and suggest . . . lighting a fire.

“KEY LARGO”

Bertie Higgins, 1981

Yacht’s very own novelty hit is corny but deserves props for quoting from not one but two Humphrey Bogart films ( Key Largo and Casablanca ).

“AFRICA”

The same year that members of Toto did session work on Michael Jackson’s Thriller, they released the Mount Kilimanjaro of late-yacht hits.

“SOUTHERN CROSS”

Crosby, Stills, and Nash, 1982

The combustible trio’s gusty contribution to the genre has choppy-water rhythms and enough nautical terminology for a sailing manual.

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Defining 'yacht rock' once and for all with the genre's creators

Jd ryznar and dave lyons coined the joke genre while making the mid-2000s comedic web-series of the same name.

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JD Ryznar and Dave Lyons are the co-creators of the mid-2000s comedic web-series Yacht Rock.  

While the joke genre they coined led to a legitimate smooth-music renaissance in pop culture, it has also led to a distorted definition of what yacht rock is all about.

The pair join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about setting the record straight with this week's launch of their podcast Yacht or Nyacht , where they'll adjudicate which songs belong to the yacht rock canon using a scientific scoring system.

WATCH | Yacht Rock Episode 1 :

You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts .

Interview with JD Ryznar and Dave Lyons produced by Stuart Berman.

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I can go for that: five essential yacht rock classics

Katie Puckrick’s new TV doc reappraises the smooth, sad and seedy side of the maligned genre. Here she reveals the best tracks

• Modern Toss on yacht rock

Christopher Cross: Ride Like the Wind (1979)

With its urgent pace and aim to “make it to the border of Mexico”, Cross sums up the exhilaration of escape so essential to yacht. The power of the genre lies in the longing, so it’s most effective when heard in a landlocked location a million miles away from the nearest marina. Since aspiration crosses class, it doesn’t matter whether one’s home turf is the country club or a trailer park: listening to this song has the same effect – it nurses that ache for freedom.

The Doobie Brothers: What a Fool Believes (1979)

A YR hallmark is “upbeat-downbeat”: an approach that folds life’s bittersweet complexities within happy-snappy musical flourishes. A great example of upbeat-downbeat is this Doobie Brothers classic, showcasing the misplaced optimism of a wounded romantic. Singer Michael McDonald is in full fuzzy-throated throttle. Those are his BVs on Ride Like the Wind, and on any number of Steely Dan tracks, including …

Steely Dan: Hey Nineteen (1980)

The frisson of yacht rock derives from its blend of bourgie feelgood bounce crossed with a shiver of thwarted desire. Steely Dan self-deprecatingly called their work “funked-up muzak” but, lyrically, there are none more acidic than these egghead jazzbos with tales of grown-up screw-ups. Thanks to LA’s session musician elite, Hey Nineteen is polished to a sheen, but the narrator’s regretful realisation that he is too old to mack on teenage girls makes for uneasy listening.

Joni Mitchell: The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975)

Generally, female musicians didn’t focus their talents on the yacht genre: its palette was too limiting for the era’s sophisticated female artists beyond a song or two. In 1975, Mitchell made what’s considered “accidental yacht rock”. This chilly saga of tarnished love concerns a woman trapped in a big house and a loveless marriage. Mitchell made the misery of rich people seem glamorous, creating “dark yacht” in the process.

Toto: Africa (1982)

By the time the 1980s rolled around, black musicians had reclaimed the surging soul and quiet storm of yacht that was rightfully theirs. Artists such as George Benson, Lionel Richie and Raydio raised the bar by turning this “funked-up muzak” into a dance party. Ironically, an anthem called Africa turned out to be helmed by a clump of the whitest dudes going. With its questing lyrics and triumphant chorus, it became a blockbuster smash for the ages, proving that yacht rock is for ever.

I Can Go for That: The Smooth World of Yacht Rock begins Friday 14 June, 9pm, BBC Four

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That '70s Week: Yacht Rock

Talia Schlanger

Donald Fagen (left) and Walter Becker of Steely Dan. Danny Clinch/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Donald Fagen (left) and Walter Becker of Steely Dan.

• The Doobie Brothers, "What A Fool Believes"
• Christopher Cross, "Sailing"
• Sade, "Smooth Operator"
• Nielsen/Pearson, "If You Should Sail"
• Ned Doheny, "Get It Up For Love"
• Iron & Wine, "Desert Babbler"
• Young Gun Silver Fox, "You Can Feel It"

What's the best way to become the unchallenged expert on a particular genre of music? Invent it. Enter JD Ryznar, Hunter Stair, David B. Lyons and Steve Huey: coiners of the description "yacht rock," creators of a hilarious web series of the same name and now de facto captains of the genre. Broadly speaking, yacht rock is an ocean of smooth, soft-listening music made in the late '70s and early '80s by artists like Toto, Hall & Oates and Kenny Loggins — music you can sail to. But as David and Talia learn in this conversation with the arbiters of Yacht Rock , the waters are much murkier than that.

For example, according to Ryznar, "There's also a common misconception that just because it's about a boat, or the ocean, or sailing, that it's yacht rock. That is most definitely nyacht true." Thankfully, on their Beyond Yacht Rock podcast, our guests have developed a sound system of logical criteria to define what is "Yacht" and what is "Nyacht." They employ their patented "Yachtzee scale" to examine a song's "Yachtness" based on a number of factors, including its personnel (is there a Doobie Brother in there?), amount of jazz and R&B influence, geographic origin (Southern California is a plus) and lyrical obtuseness.

Listen as Ryznar and Lyons steer us towards the musical marina with a buoyant "Yacht or Nyacht" debate that includes Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Sade and the most serious discussion you can have about the proper soundtrack for standing shirtless on a deck wearing boat shoes and a sailor cap. Dive on in --the water's great.

Listen: JD Ryznar's Yacht Rock Primer

Episode playlist.

• Michael McDonald
• Hall & Oates

Yachty by Nature

Yacht rock outfits, yacht rock outfits 101.

Whether you just discovered the art of smooth or been digging smooth soft rock for a while now, the subject of Yacht Rock Outfits is on your mind. Let me just say, for those about to dock, we salute you. There is an unmistakable moment when Yacht Rock is revealed to you. For me, it happened at a fancy industry party in LA. This fab girl came up and mic dropped it so smoothly to my then 80’s band, Neon Nation , saying “you guys play any yacht rock”? Holy crap, I pretty much spit out my drink and fell to the floor wondering what I was in for.

“You walked in to the party, like you were walking onto a yacht.”

Yachty Attire

The rest is history and I’m now well into 7 years of playing keyboards in a nationally successful yacht rock band, Yachty by Nature . No doubt, I’m living that dream and it goes without saying, I’m deep in the yacht myself. With weekly yacht party after monthly yacht wedding and more, I’m becoming a Yacht Attire expert in thought and practice and already guiding the band and others in this area of fashion.

Truly, if you get the clothing right, enough people with that common goal, just add yacht music and the fun ensues. Truth be told, I’ve watched as a room full of punk rockers that committed to the groovy, eclectic yacht rock dress code transformed like you wouldn’t believe.  They turned a simple celebration with a yacht rock band into a full scale 1978 throwback LOVE FEST and the clothes were off the hook. The energy, the vibe, the clothes, the music became something so magical all its own. Build the yacht and they will sail to it.

So, next time you are having a yacht party or watching your favorite yacht rock band indulge yourself with an epic outfit that will make all it happen. It’s not just the music, the band, the vibe, the look, the energy. It’s the sum of its parts and those smooth outfits have the mighty power to transfix your situation.

The Captain’s Hat…

Yep, you guessed it, the fastest coronation to yacht rock royalty is the Captain’s Hat.  Buy one, make one, bedazzle one or borrow one. In fact, the sky is the limit here so let your creativity reign if you are gonna go for it.  But, just get one somehow, some way and you are on the yacht. In fact, Broner makes a very comfortable, quality, straightforward and good looking hat that fits well.  Additionally, it avoids the cheap fit and look of those basic hats on Amazon. Do yourself a favor, get a hat or dig deep in the vault and find a classic, vintage, or authentic captain’s hat online. Additionally, we’ve seen some pretty cool and unique creations out there, but for simplicity, fit, and value, Broner is the answer.  Lastly, remember what Hefner did for the captains hat!

Yacht Rock Stripes get it done…

No matter what color, stripes will be the 2nd easiest way to begin your yacht fashion transformation. Put on a red and white striped shirt (or blue or black mainly) and you’ll be sailing in no time. In fact, stripes are probably the #1 most sighted outfit at a yacht rock party. Just know that it’s only the start. When you accessorize over the stripes with a complementary pant color or scarf, ascot, belt, and obviously the captain’s hat or more, you’ve earned your captain’s bars quicker than you can say Ship Shape! Don’t forget to keep it simple, too much or conflicting stripes will sink that ship just as fast.

That 70’s look…

Gettin’ Yachty @ Costello’s in Mission Viejo

Due to the strong connection between the silly, the goofy, the fun and the yacht party, going retro will set a course for adventure. Call it the Ron Burgundy effect or just throwing back to the 1977 duds they wore on Midnight Special , this look is uber sexy and may attract the opposite sex faster than any other yacht look. In fact, you don’t have to look too far to find polyester or denim clad jean meat at many yacht rock concerts. Additionally, the fake mustache works wonders whether you go 70’s vintage or any different yachty outfit.  More importantly, get bonus points on your yacht rock outfits if you can get the feathered hair going!  Polyester, print shirts, and for the ladies, buy that disco dress and some fabulous glasses and you’re ready to yacht!

The Yacht Club, Tennis Club, Golf Club…

Think Caddyshack, Marina del Rey, golfing, the harbor, and tennis. Moreso, put a tennis sweater over that polo or even better go up the ladder and put on that navy blue blazer with an ascot and some yellow glasses. Actually, that’s the calling card for us in Yachty by Nature! Pretend that you’re christening the Flying Wasp or dropping anchor with Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack and you’ll be flying indeed. Or even better, watch Caddyshack to get in the mood for your party and let inspiration take hold…and even a few classic movie lines. In fact, if you look around the golf club or yacht club scenes, your creativity is sparked immediately.  The outfits jump right off the screen and wreak of Yacht Club greatness.  Speaking of movies, we’ve even seen a die hard Yachty arrive in the Goldie Hawn outfit from the movie Overboard. Keep your yacht rock outfits classy San Diaaaaaago!

Go Hawaiian on your Yacht Rock outfits…

Get Nauti !

Lastly, this category is a catch all for everything nautical, yachty, and seaworthy.  Use your imagination or stick to the basics.  You can don the captain’s outfit with shoulder bars easily for the Love Boat vibe.  Or, you can just look like Charlie’s Angels coming off a yacht in 1978.  Literally any type of ocean, beach, seaside, or otherwise yachty type of clothing will do.  The scarf around the neck, the boat shorts and the Nantucket red pants and plaid shirt all qualify as supremely yachty fashion.  When in doubt, check yourself by asking, “would I wear this outfit in the summer in Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard?”  Most importantly, if the answer is yes, you are yacht rock camera ready.  In fact, let’s not forget the boat shoes, deck shoes, or Sperry Top Siders all together.

Yacht Rock Outfits Wildcard…

Never forget that there’s really no authority on this subject so you can always just go for it.  Sometimes, the more uniform, standard, and strict we get on the yacht, the more mundane we become.  Therefore, don’t be afraid to dive into the vanity t-shirt, go stripes and ascot, and generally mix it up.  There are no hard and fast rules behind the Yacht Rock outfit, just your creativity and passion for the music.  From experience, we’ll go captain’s outfit one day and crazy boat shirt the next.  Ultimately, we’ve seen it all from the stage and relish the moments when people go wild with it.  In fact, there’s probably even a yacht rock adjacent area for the Pirate Party as well.  Captain Crunch sightings aside, those parties can really bring together the nauti, yachty, knotty by nature and then some.  In the end, go for it and see what happens.  It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eyepatch.  Honestly, it’s all about the fun so get Kraken!!!

As always, let the vibe be your guide.  Thus, for your next yacht rock themed party, concert, or just a Yachty night on the town, get your ensemble going.  Whether you are new to the yacht or an old deck hand, that outfit will crank up the experience.  So, commit to making that statement with your yacht clothing or up your game and improve on the garb you already have.  As we well know, you can never have enough options to mix it up for a fun night with Yachty by Nature or some other occasion.

Happy to be your guide here.  Feel free to comment and add some great ideas on this post or on social media. #yachtrock #yachtrockoutfits #yachtybynature #yachtattire #yachtrockfashion

About Author

Thanks for giving props to Tiki Caliente! I would like to point out that the most proper Hawaiian shirt to wear to a Yacht Rock concert is one that would have been for sale between 1978 and 1983! Think to yourself, would Magnum PI or Pablo Cruise wear this? And if so, bring it on! Most Magnum PI kind of Hawaiian shirts go great with a white jacket and white shorts. Vintage late ‘70s and early ‘80’s Hawaiian shirts can be found Online in Etsy yacht rock shops, and on eBay. Not expensive, and so ”vintage smooth”. Look like a pro, and be “era appropriate”. Girls can find vintage 70’s nautical dresses on Etsy, too!

THIS is everything!!! I love it Carl!!!

Ahoy Jenny! THanks so much for the kind compliment 🙂 As you know, we’re super inspired and love switching up the outfits, attire, clothing, and costumes. Yacht Rock rules!

Awesome show this past weekend at Circa Caliente glad the rain stopped so the show could go on.

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Yacht Rock Revue

Embark on a nostalgic voyage through the shimmering seas of music with Yacht Rock Revue, the ultimate purveyors of the smooth, yacht rock sound and who many reverently consider the godfathers of Yacht Rock. Hailing from Atlanta, GA this sensational band has captivated audiences worldwide with their immaculate renditions of classic hits from the late '70s and early '80s. Inspired by the golden era of soft rock, Yacht Rock Revue has mastered the art of recreating the breezy and laid-back tunes that defined a generation. From the sun-kissed melodies of Steely Dan and Michael McDonald to the velvety harmonies of Hall & Oates, their repertoire spans an ocean of beloved hits that evoke memories of palm trees, ocean breezes, and carefree summers. Since their formation in 2007, Yacht Rock Revue has amassed a devoted following, drawing fans from all walks of life to their extraordinary live performances. Their attention to detail and devotion to authenticity are unrivaled, transporting audiences to a time when yacht parties and smooth sailing were the order of the day. Yacht Rock Revue's infectious energy extends to their fans, creating a community that celebrates the joy of music and the timeless appeal of yacht rock. Their concerts are not just shows; they're immersive experiences that leave audiences craving more. YACHT ROCK REVUE is. Nicholas Niespodziani - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Percussion Peter Olson - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Percussion Greg Lee - Bass, Vocals Mark Dannells - Guitars, Vocals Mark Bencuya - Keyboards, Vocals David B. Freeman - Saxophones, Keyboards, Flute, Piccolo, Percussion, Vocals Keisha Jackson - Vocals, Percussion Kourtney Jackson - Vocals, Percussion Jason Nackers - Drums Ganesh Giri Jaya - Drummer

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Yacht Rock: A tribute to the greatest soft rock songs and bands of the 70s/80s

December 28, 2019 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm.

Yacht Rock pays tribute to the greatest soft rock bands and hit songs of the late 70s/early 80’s. From “Hall & Oates” to “Seals & Crofts” to “America” to “Gerry Raftery,” you will hear songs you love, authentically and passionately reproduced by seven accomplished professional musicians and vocalists. You will know every word and will be singing along to classic one-hit-wonders like “Brandy,” “Baby Come Back,” and “The Pina Colada Song.” Feel free to wear your best polyester suit, bell-bottom jeans and captain’s hats as you enjoy a fun evening with the Yacht Rock crew. Powerful 4-part vocal harmonies, excellent musicianship, saxophone, flute and songs that make you feel good…..that’s YACHT ROCK!

Band Members: Fred Ferrese – Vocals, acoustic & Electric Guitar Fred Moore – Vocals Valerie White – Vocals, Keys, Sax, Flute John Beers – Vocals, Keys Lou Piccinetti – Guitar Tom Porter – Bass Eddie Mejia – Drums

Performer Bio: Yacht Rock formed in early 2019 in response to the growing popularity of the genre/music by a group of accomplished musicians, dedicated to re-creating Yacht (Soft) Rock in a musically authentic way.

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How to Host a Yacht Rock Themed Party

Table of Contents

Getting the Basics for Your Yacht Rock Party

To get the basics sorted for your yacht rock party, you need to know how to select the right venue, determine the appropriate size of the party, create invitations and manage the guest list, and pick out the ideal party decorations. In this section, we’ll walk you through each of these sub-sections to ensure that your yacht rock themed party is a memorable success.

Selecting Your Venue

Searching for the ideal spot to hold your yacht rock party? You’re in the right place! Think about these things when deciding where to go:

Ready to choose? Take into account music policy and alcohol/catering restrictions . Ask about docking fees too!

For a unique twist on your yacht rock gathering, host aboard a vessel that suits your party’s theme – like a model ship museum for a pirate-themed occasion!

In Spain, they have themed boat parties such as “Pirates Adventure” from Magaluf marina daily.

Go search for the ideal venue for your smooth sailing shindig! Remember, the size of your yacht rock party should not be determined by the size of your yacht – unless you want a boat-full of unhappy guests.

Size of the Party

Throw a yacht rock party to remember! Size matters – consider:

• How many can fit in your space?
• What’s your budget for food, drinks and decorations? Smaller groups may allow for more splurges.
• What kind of experience do you want? Intimate or larger?

Don’t forget the unique details. Theme photo booth? Signature cocktail? Safety first – consider limiting guests if needed for social distancing.

Nielsen Music’s 2019 report saw a 43% increase in Yacht Rock streaming services.

Make sure your guest list includes people who are comfortable acting like they own the yacht – or at least know someone who does!

Invitations and Guest List

To rock your yacht party, guest list and invites are key. Here’s how to do it:

• Consider the theme and how many people you can comfortably fit. Not everyone likes 70s and 80s music.
• Set the tone with creative invites. Use retro graphics, fonts, attire recos and fun quotes from classic yacht rock songs.
• Track RSVPs carefully. Have a backup list in case of cancellations or no-shows.

Pro Tip: Ask guests to bring their fave bottle of wine or beer. Takes pressure off you and adds camaraderie.

Go for seashell garlands but don’t forget sunscreen for your furniture.

Decorations for the Party

Getting ready for a yacht rock party requires many elements, including decorations to make it special. Let’s look at the basics for party decorations!

• Incorporate nautical things like ropes, anchors and lifebuoys .
• Opt for blue and white color schemes to give an ocean feel.
• Set up a cocktail bar with fresh drinks and cute marine-themed stirrers.
• Drape twinkle lights along deck railings or tie them to an overhead canopy .
• Fill glass jars with shells and put them on tables around the venue.
• Go all out with classic upscale furniture; like leather sofas .

Be creative! Get an oversized photo booth cardboard cutout with Captain Jack Sparrow or night sky canvas prints .

Check with your vendors ahead of time for any items or supplies they need to avoid last-minute stresses.

Lastly, make sure your yacht rock playlist will make Kenny G jealous.

Choosing the Right Music for Your Yacht Rock Party

To create the perfect musical experience for your Yacht Rock party, you need to understand the Yacht Rock genre and create a playlist that resonates with your guests. This can help to engage your guests with the interactive music choices, creating a fun and memorable party atmosphere.

Understanding Yacht Rock Genre

Yacht rock music is the go-to genre for those looking to have a good time on a boat. This genre was born in the late ’70s and early ’80s and has a smooth and mellow sound. To create the perfect yacht rock party, understanding the essentials is key.

To pick the right music, know what makes yacht rock unique. It has a slow but upbeat tempo, with guitar riffs that don’t overpower. Balance cheesy classics and lesser-known gems.

Christopher Cross’s “ Sailing ” was a number one hit in 1980. However, he called his work soft rock . Hall & Oates were not seen as part of this genre until DJs picked up their songs like “ I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) “.

Make your yacht party rock with the perfect playlist!

Creating Your Party Playlist

Creating the perfect playlist for your yacht rock party can be a challenge. But don’t worry! Here are 5 tips to make sure your guests get up and dance:

• Start with the classics – Steely Dan and Hall & Oates have some great yacht rock tunes.
• Mix in some deep cuts – Surprise your guests with some lesser-known songs.
• Organize into themed sets – Group songs into categories like “sailing songs” or “summer jams”.
• Include modern artists – Who have been influenced by yacht rock legends, such as Tame Impala or Blood Orange .
• End with an upbeat banger – Leave guests wanting more with a high-energy song.

To really stand out, consider songs with sailing or boating lyrics. Or choose tracks that match the color scheme of your decor . Attention to detail is key.

And don’t worry too much if things don’t go as planned. Even Michael McDonald once accidentally played Phil Collins’ “Sussudio” instead of his own hit song! So have fun and get your guests up and dancing.

Engaging Guests with Interactive Music

Music is key for a yacht rock party. It sets the mood and tone of your event. Consider your guests’ age group, musical taste, and occasion when selecting music. Have a playlist ready for any requested songs.

To keep your guests entertained, opt for interactive music. Try karaoke hour before dinner or host a game show. Music trivia games can add fun too.

Yacht rock gets its name from cruising yachts that played soft rock in the ’70s. This genre blends R&B with mellow pop sounds, creating a relaxing atmosphere.

To sum up, interactive music is essential for yacht rock parties. Select music that fits your guests’ age group, taste, and occasion. Incorporate classic hits into games like karaoke and music trivia. Maintain a balance between lively engagement and relaxation for memorable moments. Drinks and food complete the perfect party, like Lionel Richie & Michael McDonald !

Planning Drinks and Food for Your Yacht Rock Party

To plan a successful Yacht Rock themed party with recommended drinks, appetizer ideas, main course options, desserts, and refreshments, this section with the title “Planning Drinks and Food for Your Yacht Rock Party” provides the perfect solution. Whether you’re hosting a small intimate gathering or a large yacht party, this section will guide you through all the essential food and drink preparations needed to make your party a hit.

Recommended Drinks

Hosting a yacht rock party? Not sure what drinks to serve? Look no further! Here are some recommended beverages to set the mood and make your guests feel like they’re on a luxury boat.

• Start with Rum-based Cocktails: Mojitos or Daiquiris . These tropical drinks add flavor and color.
• Serve Wine: White wines like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay . For red wine lovers, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.
• Don’t Forget the Beer: Lagers, pilsners or anything light and refreshing .
• Cater to Non-Alcoholic Drinks: Mocktails or fruit juices. Virgin Pina Colada, lemonade or Iced Tea.

Garnish the drinks with ocean-themed decorations . Extra ice cubes are a must to keep drinks cold. And don’t forget the appetizers!

Appetizer Ideas

Ready to set sail? Serve up some appetizers for your Yacht Rock party! Try these three:

• Shrimp Cocktail – Classic and delicious!
• Charcuterie Board – Meat & cheese lovers, this one’s for you!
• Cold Dip Platter – Pairs perfectly with warm weather.

For extra fun, serve on nautical plates & trays. Pair appetizers with cocktails for a special touch.

Here’s a true story to share: Friends once had a Yacht Rock party and served mini lobster rolls! Such a hit, everyone talked about it for days! Who needs a captain when you have yummy appetizers?

Main Course Options

When throwing a yacht rock party, it’s important to choose the main course wisely! Seafood is a classic option that goes perfectly with the nautical theme. Freshly caught fish and shrimp can be grilled or baked with sides like rice pilaf or roasted vegetables.

These are other main course options:

Don’t forget to include vegetarian & vegan options, like quinoa salad with mixed greens & avocado dressing, or grilled portobello mushroom burgers . At a yacht rock party I attended, the host surprised us with a sushi bar for the main course – it was definitely a highlight of the evening! Lastly, don’t forget dessert – it’s the only way to make your yacht rock party smoother than the waves!

Desserts and Refreshments

Hosting a yacht rock party can be great fun. Get creative with the menu. Offer light summery options like fruit skewers or sorbet. Create a DIY ice cream sundae bar. Serve classic desserts with a nautical twist, like blueberry cobbler or sea salt caramel brownies. Provide non-alcoholic refreshments, like lemonade, infused water or iced tea. Add an adult touch with boozy frozen cocktails or spritzers.

As an extra touch, get nautical-themed plates or napkins. Display drinks in glass jars or beach pails . Accommodate any dietary restrictions and preferences of your guests. Have plenty of options on hand. Get inventive with desserts. It may become the highlight of the party! Don’t forget games and activities – like yacht rock Jenga !

Fun Yacht Rock Party Games and Activities

To amp up the excitement level at your Yacht Rock Themed Party, you need Fun Yacht Rock Party Games and Activities. Karaoke or Lip Sync Battles, Yacht Rock Trivia and Quizzes, Name that Tune Game, Nautical Relay Race or Scavenger Hunt could be your perfect solutions to this. Enjoy these sub-sections and make your party a hit!

Karaoke or Lip Sync Battle

Want to make your next yacht rock party a night to remember? Think about karaoke or lip sync battle! It’s a classic and easy to set up. Here are some ideas to get the party going:

• Choose classic yacht rock songs like ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song)’ or ‘Sailing’
• Encourage guests to dress up in 70s/80s fashion
• Create teams for a group challenge
• Add a surprise element – put song titles on slips of paper
• If you’re short on time, pick from an existing playlist

Take it one step further with disco balls, fog machines and a makeshift stage . Get everyone involved and try Karaoke or Lip Sync Battle at your Yacht Rock Party! Plus, why not add some trivia and quiz games to test yacht rock knowledge?

Yacht Rock Trivia and Quizzes

Yacht Rock Trivia questions can be both easy and tricky. Ask about the artist’s name or the title of a song . Plus, add some fun facts about the artists or songs.

Engage people with audio quizzes . Create short sound clips from yacht rock songs and ask to guess the name.

Picture quizzes where participants need to identify the artists based on pictures related to yacht rock songs.

Design custom-made Yacht Rock Bingo cards with logos and titles of bands/musicians related to this genre.

A unique feature : Players collaborate and have fun conversations about their favorite bands/artists while dancing to toe-tapping beats. Plus, it offers opportunities for socialization and making new friendships.

Pro Tip : Have practical prizes ready for winners.

Test your music knowledge with Name that Tune . Turn your yacht party into a smooth-sailing adventure.

Name that Tune Game

Test your guests’ knowledge of classic yacht rock hits with a ‘Name that Tune’ game at your next yacht party! Guests will hear snippets of popular tracks and need to guess both the name and artist. Compete in teams or individually, and the team with the most points wins. Include some unfamiliar tunes for an extra challenge – and maybe even offer prizes!

Did you know that ‘Name That Tune’ first aired on TV in 1952? It was a hit and ran for decades in America and abroad. Spice up the party with a nautical relay race or scavenger hunt – just don’t forget the compass (or Dramamine)!

Nautical Relay Race or Scavenger Hunt

Organizing an entertaining yacht rock party may seem daunting, but adding marine activities like the Nautical Relay Race or Scavenger Hunt will keep your guests engaged.

Split guests into teams of four to six. Set a course with challenges for each team. Focus on nautical tasks like running a sailor’s obstacle course, swimming with anchors and rowing inflatable boats.

Set up a scavenger hunt for various ocean-related items like shells, whistles and flags. Guests will have fun competing and exploring the sea’s delights. Sea Star Base Galveston provides educational marine science and ecology programs for kids.

To make the yacht rock party even better, select captains for each team and create logos or badges. Provide game manuals with rules and safety instructions. Have prizes ready for first through third place and participation rewards.

Time to dress up in your best Captain Stubing and Gopher costume!

Dress Code and Costume Ideas for Your Yacht Rock Party

To complement the music and ambiance of your yacht rock party, dressing up in the appropriate attire is a must. With the help of yacht rock fashion trends and ideas for creating a themed costume or outfit, your guests can fully immerse themselves in the experience. Encourage your guests to dress up and make it a part of the party with the right dress code and costume ideas.

Yacht Rock Fashion Trends

Yacht rock fashion is a classic trend from the ’70s that’s still popular today. A go-to look is a polo shirt paired with pastel-colored shorts or pants . An iconic look is a nautical striped shirt with white trousers and boat shoes . Add extra style with sunglasses, loafers, and sports coats . Spice it up with vintage elements like retro bathing suits or wide-legged pants. For women, try flowy dresses in tropical prints or elegant maxi dresses in neutral colors.

Choose a theme for your party to inspire creativity and add more fun. Encourage guests to dress their best nautical or honor yacht rock icons like Lionel Richie or Christopher Cross. Someone once attended a yacht rock party where everyone wore sailor hats and oversized sunglasses. Those pictures are still shared today!

Dress up for a yacht rock party to embrace smooth tunes and laid-back vibes. Get deck shoes and a captain’s hat. Be a captain of cool and dress to impress!

Ideas for Creating a Themed Costume or Outfit

Hosting a themed party is now super exciting! The latest trend is the ‘Yacht Rock Party.’ Get imaginative and dress up like you’re on an actual yacht cruise. Here are some ideas for costumes and outfits:

• Throwback clothes – go vintage and classic from 70s – 90s.
• Sailor-themed attire – stripes, navy blazers, white skirts or shorts.
• Accessories – shades, watches, bracelets, hats, beanies.
• Shoes – yacht shoes, retro sports sneakers or flip flops.
• Patterns – paisley, flowers, geometric prints.
• Hair & Makeup – blow-dried hairdos, afro styled wigs, bold eyeliner, bright lip colors.

For an extra authentic touch, choose cotton blends with either nautical inspired or tropical prints.

Our expert tip for standing out – an all-white suit , just like Captain Stubing’s Love Boat uniforms!

A group of friends once rocked it as The Village People at a Yacht Party. Have fun creating a unique outfit that fits your style while still honoring the theme.

Remember, a bad outfit choice can seriously affect your reputation!

Encouraging Your Guests to Dress Up

Your Yacht Rock party isn’t just about the music. Dress code is important too! Encourage guests to dress up by clearly mentioning it on the invitation – give them time to plan their costumes. Here are some ideas:

• Nautical-wear and accessories
• 70s and 80s-style outfits
• Vintage sunglasses and hats
• Bold colors, patterns and prints

It’s all in good fun – no pressure! Offer a prize for the best dressed guest, for extra creativity. Get style cues from classic yacht rockers like Hall & Oates, Michael McDonald and Steely Dan . If all else fails, share a funny story of a previous party. That will loosen up the mood and make everyone enjoy their attire. Anchor your yacht and wrap up the party. The only thing sinking tonight are the disco balls!

Wrapping Up Your Yacht Rock Party

To wrap up your yacht rock party with a bang, explore the sub-sections of party favors and souvenirs, thank you notes and feedback, tips for hosting a successful yacht rock party. This is the ultimate guide to make sure your guests leave happy and satisfied with their experience at your party.

Party Favors and Souvenirs

Customized Koozies – Keep drinks cold! Choose from designs or create one that fits your party.

Goodie Bags – Filled with candy, snacks, and music-themed accessories.

Vinyl Records – Gift vinyl records for a sense of authenticity.

Plus, party hats, tees, muslin curtains can be personalized for guests to remember the event.

Party favors date back to ancient European traditions. Nowadays, they express gratitude to guests. Lastly, thank you notes give closure to your party.

Thank You Notes and Feedback

After a successful Yacht Rock Party, expressing gratitude and collecting feedback is key. Send handwritten thank you notes to show appreciation. Ask guests for constructive criticism using surveys or interviews. Promote the event on social media with images, videos, and highlights.

Reach a broader audience by acknowledging comments on social media. Encourage RSVPs early via email lists or social media to prepare for future parties. With these tips, you’ll have all the tools needed for success! Hosting a yacht rock party? Steer clear of rocky playlists!

Tips for Hosting a Successful Yacht Rock Party.

Yacht Rock Party success? It’s easy! Follow these five tips.

• Get a yacht-like ambiance , indoors or outdoors.
• Set up a top-notch sound system .
• Serve light finger foods – no need for cutlery.
• Ask guests to dress in 70s-80s yacht style .
• Plan a fun activity- like yacht music trivia.

Plus, add tunes that speak of love, life on a boat and easy living. Then let folks relax on open decks with sun umbrellas, sipping cocktails with mint leaves or lemon slices.

I did this for my birthday and it was amazing! Everyone was dancing in their silk scarves and blouses, singing along to Michael McDonald and other legendary yacht rock artists.

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White Rock Lake water activities suspended after 1.5M gallons of sewage spilled from Plano

D allas officials temporarily suspended water-related activities at White Rock Lake after 1.5 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into water from Plano.

To protect public health, Park and Recreation officials are advising park visitors not to fish in or enter the water due to elevated bacterial levels found in the creek and lake water.

Recreational boaters, rowing and yacht clubs will also discontinue their activities and water operations during the suspension, according to a notice from the Dallas Park and Recreation Department.

Environmental officials have been monitoring the lake after the spill, which started about 2:40 p.m. on March 14 when the valve at a water lift station in Plano failed, flooding the station and shuttering mechanical equipment. Sewage overflowed from three manholes near 5510 West Plano Parkway.

Plano officials estimated that about 500 gallons of sewage per minute flowed into White Rock Creek , which feeds into White Rock Lake. About 38 hours after the spill began, it ended just before 5 a.m. Saturday.

It is not clear how much sewage made its way from Plano to Dallas. To dilute the wastewater, Plano added dechlorination tablets and flushed the creek with water, said Victoria Cann, a spokesperson with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The TCEQ, which is responsible for overseeing such incidents, said Tuesday it is investigating the spill. It is not yet clear whether any fines will be levied.

The spill already had one group revise its plans prior to the notice from Dallas officials, with the Corinthian Sailing Club moving its annual sailboat regatta from White Rock Lake to Lake Ray Hubbard over the weekend after it was notified of the spill.

“I would not want to fall in that water,” the club’s commodore Ralph Jones told The Dallas Morning News on Monday .

Untreated sewage has flowed from Plano into White Rock Creek in previous incidents. More than 320,000 gallons of sewage spilled into the creek after a severe storm in November 2021 downed a tree, which fell on an aerial sewage line.

In June 2018, a burst wastewater pipe in Plano sent 1 million gallons of raw sewage into the creek, prompting Dallas to suspend recreational activities at White Rock Lake.

With the most recent spill, Dallas’ park department said it would work with the city’s water utilities department to monitor water conditions and any treatments.

The department said Wednesday it will post updates about when the water-related activities can resume at DallasParks.org and on department social media accounts.

©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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262 national museum wildlife art stock photos, vectors, and illustrations are available royalty-free for download., jackson, wyoming - circa august 2012. bart walter bronze sculpture "wapiti trail" in national museum of wildlife art.

JACKSON HOLE, WY –1 AUG 2020- View of the National Museum of Wildlife Art located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, United States.

JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING - JUNE 27, 2017: National Museum of Wildlife Art. Statue at the entrance to the museum dedicate to wildlife art.

Jackson, WY, USA - July 4th, 2023: The figure of a polar bear against the backdrop of the majestic landscape of Wyoming. National Museum of Wildlife Art collection element

Jackson, Wyoming, USA - July 4th, 2023: Building of the National Museum of Wildlife Art

tokyo, japan - january 07 2020: Real size bronze scupture of whale at the entrance of National Museum of Nature and sciences of Tokyo at night in Japan.

Oxford, UK – June 25, 2019 - Interior view of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History with animal skeletons on display in Oxford, England

KALASIN, THAILAND - Dec 21 : Sirindhorn Museum Kalasin is Dinosaur School on Dec 21, 2016 in Kalasin,Thailand

Jackson, Wyoming, USA - July 4th, 2023: The signboard of the National Museum of Wildlife Art on the beautiful landscape background

Nizwa, Oman - May 6 2023: Oman through the time museum

Mandrill monkey with wide open mouth at the National Museum of Scotland "Monkey Business, Edinburgh, Scotland.

KHON KAEN, THAILAND – DECEMBER 25, 2018: DINOSAUR figure at NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM, in KHON KAEN province THAILAND.

Edinburgh / UK - February 21 2018: The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The museum once more hosted the travelling Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition in early 2018.

unicorn seal harappa of Indus valley civilization. vector illustration

Nizwa, Oman - May 6 2023: Oman across ages museum

Golden Gate Bridge Recreation Area, California

KALASIN, THAILAND - May 29 : Sirindhorn Museum Kalasin is Dinosaur School on May 29, 2016 in Kalasin, Thailand

Seahorses on the Grattan bridge in Dublin Ireland

Kalasin, THAILAND - May 29 : Sirindhorn Museum Kalasin is Dinosaur School on May 29, 2016 in Kalasin, Thailand

Paradise Lost Caves is a cave system located in Kiambu County, Kenya. They were discovered officially by Joseph Mbai and some of his farmhands on his property in 1996. A National Museums of Kenya exp

Jakarta, Indonesia - April 20, 2022: Elephant statue in front of the Indonesian National Museum building. The elephant statue was a gift from the King of Siam (now Thailand), Chulalongkorn or Rama V.

Tokyo, Japan - Sept, 2017: Blue Whale Sculpture at National Museum of Nature and Science,wide variety of natural history exhibitions and interactive scientific experiences.Located at Ueno

Jakarta, Indonesia-May 7 2023, kng of the sea coelacanth latimeria menadoensis in Seaworld Ancol

NARA, JAPAN -19th November 2019: The Nara National Museum located in Nara Park, is an art museum which primarily displays Japanese Buddhist art

American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA - November 4, 2014: Taxidermy of groups of antelope and zebra with Gnu at Serengeti National Park

American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA - November 4, 2014: Taxidermy of bold eagles and a hyena on Serengeti National Park

JACKSON, WY - DECEMBER 17, 2019: Located in Jackson, Wyoming, the National Museum of Wildlife Art holds more than 5000 works of art representing wild animals from around the world.

San Jose, San Jose Province / Costa Rica - September 26 2018: National museum facade day view

REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) - CIRCA 1973: A stamp printed in the Taiwan shows Painting of an emperor's Horse- -a collection of traditional Chinese painting of National Palace Museum, series, circa 1973

Nan, Thailand - Jan 17, 2017 - An ancient black ivory carried by the Garuda. One of the important piece of Thailand National Museum, Nan Province.

Phrae Thailand - September 8, 2017 - An ancient ivory in of Thailand National Museum,, Phrae Province.

tokyo, japan - january 07 2020: Entrance of National Museum of Nature and sciences in the Ueno Park of Tokyo at night in Japan.

Qatsrin is archaeological gem in scenic Golan Heights.

BANGKOK, THAILAND - AUGUST 06, 2016: A postage stamp printed in Japan shows Image illustrations of wildlife person caricature, series "2nd National treasure", circa 1976.

The Solomon R.Guggenheim Museum in the New York, United States and silhouettes of a soaring eagles arranged in a circle. Symbols of USA.

Leiden, The Netherlands, March 4, 2022: The contemporary unique interior of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center Museum in Leiden

Nara, Japan - June 12, 2019: Exterior facade of the Nara National Museum, inside the Nara park

Tokyo - May 21, 2019: Lobster sculpture in the Tokyo National Museum in Tokyo, Japan

An ancient black ivory carried by the Garuda. One of the important piece of Thailand National Museum, Nan Province.

Elk City, Oklahoma - September 7, 2020: A bison statue at the National Route 66 and Transportation Museum.

Voronezh, Russia- February 26 2017: International students went to visit historical museum located in Voronezh state, Russia

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About Olga Volna

Olga Volna, professional artist currently living in Yerevan, Armenia. Olga was born in Voronezh in 1986, currently she living in Armenia. She did not come into the art at once: her first education was in economics, from 2004 she worked as an accountant. In 2015, Olga made her first drawings in zentangle technique and since then she has tried a sufficient number of techniques, this path has led her to new solutions in the field of contemporary art. One of the large series of paintings was created in 2018 and included 40 landscapes painted by acrylic in a bright pastose style. During the same period, Olga's attention was attracted by collage technique and she began to actively try existing approaches and develop her own. The author focused on working with used fabrics and paper, taking them as a basis for her artistic method. Olga is currently working on projects devoted to the constant beauty of nature. Most of the time the artist spends in his studio, creating works in the traditional painting technique. She is a regular participant in national and international exhibitions. Olga has founded an online educational project for artists, which has more than 10 thousand participants. The artist spends her leisure time with her family: she is married and raising her daughter. She prefers active rest and mountain hiking.

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2020 - 2020

Collage Workshop

2020 - present

Education Environment

2019 - 2019

Course Elena Tarutina

2018 - 2018

Course Basics of painting

Courses Elena Tarutina

2017 - 2017

Course Marina Trushnikova “Lazy sketcher”,

2016 - 2016

Eastern Art Therapists Association

Drawing Studio for adults Vernissage, Voronezh

2015 - 2015

FIA Certificate of American Coaching Academy

2003 - 2008

Voronezh State Technical University

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• Marina Gisich Gallery

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Gorshkov Ivan

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Ivan Gorshkov (b. 1986, Voronezh, Russia) . Sculptor, painter, graphic artist. Co-founder of the Voronezh Center of Contemporary Art. His semi-abstract objects of wood, toys, cloth, enameled metal resemble monsters, mutated organic and deformed figures of people. These images are reflected in painting in an expressionistic manner. Combines installations with fictional subjects and characters. «Artist of the Year» of the Cosmoscow 2017 fair.

• Nominee for the "Kandinsky Prize 2021"
• Laureate of the "Innovation" award
• Artist of the Year according to Cosmoscow Art Fair
• According to The Art Newspaper Russia, he is placed 20th out of 50 in their rating "The most perspective young artists of Russia" .

Primary solo exhibitions

• "The Veystal of the Purest Creza", Marina Gisich Gallery, St. Petersburg, Russia
• "Traffic accidents", H.L.A.M. Gallery, Voronezh, Russia
• "All all all ... And that's not all", Lil space, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
• "Winter Garden of Delights", Upside Down House, Voronezh, Russia
• "The Life", Gallery H.L.A.M., Voronezh, Russia
• "Fountain of Everything", Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Moscow, Russia
• "Royal Pie Road", Bizon Gallery, Kazan, Russia
• "Creme brulee", New Holland, St. Petersburg, Russia
• "Cave of beautiful eyebrows", H.L.A.M. gallery, Voronezh, Russia
• "Dragons have left their dwellings, only the wind is walking in empty walls", PERMM, Perm, Russia
• "My native lovely places", Gallery of the Chamber Theater, Voronezh, Russia
• "Creme brulee", Yula Art-Yard, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
• "Nocturnal Animals", residence space, Vyksa, Russia
• "Hyperspace and the anteater", Marina Gisich Gallery, St. Petersburg, Russia
• "A mirage of a funny matter", V. Smirnov and K. Sorokin Foundation, Moscow, Russia
• "Field of miracles", Voronezh Contemporary Art Center, Voronezh, Russia
• "Chrystal boots", Marina Gisich Gallery, St. Petersburg, Russia
• "The Swan Lake", Voronezh Contemporary Art Center, Voronezh, Russia
• "Feast of improvements", Zarya Contemporary Art Center, Vladivostok, Russia
• "The way of king’s pie", Diehl Cube, Berlin, Germany
• "Venevia", Venevitinov historical manor, Voronezh regio, Russia
• "Instant bliss", Knoll galerie Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
• "Instant bliss", Knoll galerie Wien, Vienna, Austria
• "Golden Pavilion", H.L.A.M. gallery, Voronezh, Russia
• King of the Forest, Peperworks gallery, Moscow, Russia
• "The meeting of matter", Aa collections, Vienna, Austria
• "The boiling Point", Galerie l’Aleatoire, Paris
• "The Comedy", H.L.A.M. gallery, Voronezh, Russia
• "Parkour", A platform of young art START, Moscow, Russia
• "Ice grounds", H.L.A.M. gallery, Voronezh, Russia
• "That is no country for old men", Marina Gisich Gallery, St. Petersburg, Russia
• 1st Komi Biennale of Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Rep. Komi, Syktyvkar, Russia
• 6th Ural Industrial Biennale of Contemporary Art, Kyshtym, Russia
• 2nd Triennial of Contemporary Art, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
• "Archstoyanie 2020", Nikola-Lenivets, Russia
• "Generation XXI. Gift of V. Smirnov and K. Sorokin", New Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
• "This Laughter Will End in Tears", HSE Gallery, Moscow, Russia
• "New Geometry", NCCA, Moscow, Russia
• "Let the Lucky Star Shine in Heights", Gum-Red-Line, Moscow, Russia
• Main project of the 5th Ural Industrial Biennale, Yekaterinburg, Russia
• "The perfect age", AZ Museum, Moscow, Russia
• "Tragedy in the corner", Museum of Moscow, Moscow, Russia
• "Stories of the Present", Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, Voronezh, Russia
• "Journey to the center of the Earth", St. Petersburg Creative Union of Artists, St. Petersburg, Russia
• "Journey to the Center of the Earth", Artplay, Moscow, Russia
• "Rohkunstbou 2017", Berlin, Germany
• "Hurray ... Sculpture", Central exhibition hall Manege, St. Petersburg, Russia
• "Hurray ... Sculpture", Center for Contemporary Art Winzavod, Moscow, Russia
• "The dog has buried a bone", Gogol’s house, Moscow, Russia
• "In the glorious city of Voronezh", WINZAVOD Centre for contemporary art, Red Hall, Moscow, Russia
• "Provenance", Marina Gisich Gallery, St. Petersburg, Russia
• "Last weekend at the Voronezh Sea", Makaronka, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
• "Gaïa in Russian", UVKE, Tallinn, Estonia
• "Catch up with the tortoise", Krasnodar Institute of Contemporary Art / KISI, Krasnodar, Russia
• "Stone footsteps of a dawn", Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, Voronezh, Russia
• "Space LAB", Leipzig, Germany
• "Heavy metal", WINZAVOD Centre for Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
• "Folk motifs in the works of contemporary artists of Chernozemye", Voronezh, Russia
• "Bestiary", Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, Voronezh, Russia
• "In the gardens", Gallery 21, Moscow, Russia
• "Sopromat", Triumph Gallery, Moscow, Russia
• "Revisiting the Space Voronezh", Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, Voronezh, Russia
• "The state order", Pechersky Gallery, Moscow, Russia
• "The Rest Of Thr World", Ural Vision Gallery, Yekaterinburg, Russia
• "The space of expectations", Gallery 21, Moscow, Russia
• "Art for Fake", K35, Moscow, Russia
• "Counter-illusions", Gallery 21, Moscow, Russia
• "Forms of Mind", H.L.A.M. gallery, Voronezh, Russia
• "Ruins of Utopia", H.L.A.M. gallery, Voronezh, Russia
• "Employment book", The Center For Creativa Industries ( Moscow, Russia
• "From the practical knowledge", GMG gallery, Fourth Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
• "Contra Mater", Fourth Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
• "Art against geography", Cultural Alliance, The Fourth Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
• "Choose by heart", IX Krasnoyarsk Museum Biennale, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
• "Grounds", Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, Voronezh, Russia
• "The only difference", The Center For Creativa Industries ( Moscow, Russia
• "Living museum of performance", Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, Voronezh, Russia
• "We’ll continue to act", Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, Voronezh, Russia
• "Land Art Festival Care", Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, Divnogorie Museum Reserve, Russia
• "Care", Armenian Lane 13, Moscow, Russia
• "Can’t take it anymore", Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, Voronezh, Russia
• "Voronezh plein-air", H.L.A.M. gallery, Voronezh, Russia
• "Nudo", H.L.A.M. gallery, Voronezh, Russia
• "Stop! Who goes there?", Moscow, Russia

Collections

• Tretyakov gallery, Moscow, Russia
• Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Moscow,
• Graduated from the art department at VSPU (Voronezh State Pedagogical University)

GORSHKOV'S GREAT ATTRACTOR. 2022-2023

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SCULPTURES FROM "CRYSTAL OF THE PUREST CREZA" SERIES. 2021 - 2022.

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This small pectoral icon, painted in enamel, portrays St. Mitrofan (Metrophan) of Voronezh, canonized in 1832. An abbot and then bishop of Voronezh, Mitrofan (1632-1703) was a contemporary and friend of Peter the Great. The stylized Crucifixion on his monastic robe is repeated on the back of the icon.

Provenance Provenance (from the French provenir , 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Dr. Waters Field Burrows, New York, 1937, by purchase [bought in Moscow, reported by the store owner to have belonged to White Russians]; Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, 1953, by gift.

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H: 3 15/16 x W: 3 7/16 in. (10 x 8.8 cm)

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Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Waters Field Burrows and daughter, 1953

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Not on view

Accession Number In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

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