Lindsay Curtis was a student in Jason Akst's Spring '25 Journalism 401 class at Northern Illinois University. You can find more student essays at https://www.northernpublicradio.org/tags/j401
Picture yourself in a Tommy Bahama shirt, margarita in hand, lounging on a beach chair while breathing in the salty breeze of the ocean that lies ahead of you.
There’s only one way to experience this without having to spend money, and that’s by listening to yacht rock.
It’s your dad’s favorite music genre – it might even be his dad’s favorite genre - but this offshoot of soft rock is a timeless music style that draws inspiration from R&B, jazz and disco.
Popularized in the 70s and 80s, the genre is known for its polished sound production, smooth rhythm and catchy melodies.
Some of the biggest names of the genre might sound familiar like Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, Christopher Cross, Toto, Little River Band and Kenny Loggins.
While it’s highly debated between yacht rock lovers on what qualifies as a “true” yacht rock song, it’s the love for the genre that allows it to played at your local grocery stores decades later.
For me, yacht rock is sitting in a rental car for hours with my dad as we road trip across the country. For others, yacht rock is another equally special experience like mine… or maybe it’s sitting on a beach in a Tommy Bahama shirt.
So, don’t let anyone tell you that yacht rock isn’t great because only a fool would say that.
My name is Lindsay Curtis, and this is my perspective.