xm radio yacht rock station

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Yacht Rock Radio Presents

Thursday, july 18, 2024 at the robins theatre in warren, oh.

Yachtley Crew

Thursday, august 8, 2024 at the robins theatre in warren, oh, little river band, saturday, august 17, 2024 at the paramount theatre in anderson, in.

Fleetwood Mac Tribute 'TUSK'

Thursday, august 1, 2024 at the paramount theatre in anderson, in, friday, august 2, 2024 at the long center in lafayette, in, saturday, august 3, 2024 at the honeywell in wabash, in.

Yacht Rock Radio is available for your terrestrial radio station. This 2 hour weekly show is perfect for Classic Hits, Light Rock, Soft Rock, Oldies, and Variety radio. Contact Yacht Rock Radio program director Captain Adam at [email protected] for more details.

Welcome to Yacht Rock Radio

Climb aboard with your Captain’s Hat and Cold Beverage and get ready to cruise thru the cool sounds of the late 70’s and early 80’s that will make you yearn for that Southern California sound that made the marina rock.

Our Captain

Yacht Rock Radio is captained by Adam Ritz. Adam is a 25 year veteran of radio and tv, and a 40 year fan of what we know now as Yacht Rock! The first song he ever played on Yacht Rock Radio was Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty. These songs, “take me back to a nostalgia that makes me smile remembering the easy life from 1976 to 1983.’ Adam also hosts The Adam Ritz Show, a nationally syndicated Public Affairs radio show, with recent episodes at The Adam Ritz Show .

Contact the Show

© 2024 Yacht Rock Radio

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Yacht Rock Radio Ch. 17 rock

Yacht Rock Radio celebrates the smooth-sailing soft rock from the late '70s and early '80s. You'll hear artists like Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Steely Dan and other titans of smooth music. It's the kind of rock that doesn't rock the boat!

Times Played: 90

Still The One

Times Played: 89

Baby Come Back

Times Played: 86

• Bill Withers  

Times Played: 85

Make It With You

So In To You

• Atlanta Rhythm Section  

Times Played: 84

Laughter In The Rain

• NEIL SEDAKA  

Times Played: 82

I'd Really Love To See You Tonight

• J.F.Coley  

Biggest Part Of Me

Times Played: 81

Shower The People

• James Taylor  

Times Played: 80

• John Stewart  

Make a Little Magic

• Nitty Gritty Dirt Band  
• Nicolette Larson  

• Robbie Dupree  

Times Played: 79

Kiss You All Over

Goodbye Stranger

• Supertramp  

Diamond Girl

You're The Only Woman

• Boz Scaggs  

Times Played: 78

I Just Wanna Stop

• Gino Vanelli  

Times Played: 77

Escape (The Pina Colada Song)

• Rupert Holmes  

Feels So Good

• Chuck Mangione  

• Paul Davis  

Baker Street

• Gerry Rafferty  

Times Played: 76

That Girl Could Sing

• Jackson Browne  

Lido Shuffle

Smooth Operator

Times Played: 75

I Love a Rainy Night

• Eddie Rabbitt  

You’re Only Lonely

• J.D. Souther  

We're In This Love Together

• Al Jarreau  

Times Played: 74

After The Love Has Gone

• Earth, Wind & Fire  

Times Played: 73

Fooled Around And Fell In Love

• Elvin Bishop  

Heart To Heart

• Kenny Loggins  

Times Played: 72

• Kool & The Gang  

Let Your Love Flow

• Bellamy Brothers  

Morning Dance

• Spyro Gyra  

Times Played: 70

Reminiscing

• Little River Band  

Cool Change

Times Played: 69

Turn Your Love Around

• George Benson  

Show and Tell

• Al Wilson  

• Bob Welch  

Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)

• Looking Glass  

• Andrew Gold  

Love Will Find A Way

• Pablo Cruise  

I Believe In Love

Times Played: 68

Fool (If You Think It's Over)

• Chris Rea  

Thunder Island

• Jay Ferguson  

Whatcha Gonna Do

Wishing You Were Here

Times Played: 67

Never Too Much

• Luther Vandross  

Times Played: 66

Summer Breeze

• Christopher Cross  

HOLD THE LINE

Devil Woman

• Cliff Richard  

Searchin' So Long

Times Played: 65

Running On Empty

• Kim Carnes  

• Samantha Sang  

How 'Bout Us

• Champaign  

Times Played: 64

Sentimental Lady

Afternoon Delight

• Starland Vocal Band  

Times Played: 63

Leather And Lace

• Stevie Nicks  
• Don Henley  

What You Won't Do For Love

• Bobby Caldwell  

• Dobie Gray  

Moonlight Feels Right

Times Played: 62

Give Me the Night

How Much I Feel

• Bertie Higgins  

Couldn't Get It Right

• Climax Blues Band  

Times Played: 61

Just Remember I Love You

Times Played: 60

Stumblin' In

• Chris Norman, Suzi Quatro  

Show And Tell

Into The Night

• Benny Mardones  

Ride Like The Wind

Times Played: 59

It Never Rains In Southern California

• Albert Hammond  

Nobody Does It Better

• Carly Simon  

Times Played: 58

Times Played: 57

Silly Love Songs (Remastered)

Times Played: 56

• Michael Martin Murphey  

Times Played: 55

Save It For A Rainy Day

• Stephen Bishop  

• Daryl Hall  
• John Oates  

One Of These Nights

Right Down The Line

Times Played: 54

Listen To The Music

• Doobie Brothers  

• Fleetwood Mac  

Times Played: 52

You Are The Woman

You Can Do Magic

Times Played: 51

Heart Of The Night

I Keep Forgettin' (82)

• Michael McDonald  

Times Played: 50

The Things We Do For Love

Love Is The Answer

So Far Away

• Carole King  

Times Played: 49

Let Me Love You Tonight

• Pure Prairie League  

Magnet And Steel

• Walter Egan  

Every Kinda People

• Robert Palmer  

Times Played: 48

Ride Captain Ride

• Blues Image  

Arthur's Theme

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Thurston Howell Band: Your Premier Yacht Rock Spectacular

Set Sail with SiriusXM’s Yacht Rock: Tune to 14 & 311

Embark on a Smooth-Sailing Musical Voyage with Yacht Rock Radio

Welcome aboard the musical cruise of Yacht Rock Radio on Sirius XM! If you’ve been searching for “what channel is yacht rock on Sirius XM?”, you’ve just found your smooth-sailing destination. Yacht Rock Radio, also known as Yacht Rock 311, offers a commercial-free haven where the soft rock songs of the late ’70s and early ’80s come to life.

Your Port of Call for Classic Soft Rock

Yacht Rock Radio celebrates the very best of ’70s/’80s smooth-sailing soft rock. It’s where the iconic voices of Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Hall & Oates, and other titans of this mellow musical era’ll serenade you. This station encapsulates the essence of what was once known as the West-Coast sound or adult-orientated rock (AOR), now lovingly termed ‘Yacht Rock’, thanks to the 2005 online video series that coined this term.

Where to Tune In

Find your musical getaway on Sirius XM Radio 14 during the summer months, and on Sirius XM Radio 311 for the rest of the year. Yacht Rock Radio ensures that your listening experience is always top-notch, whether you’re basking in the summer sun or cozying up during the cooler months.

Why Choose Yacht Rock Radio on Sirius XM?

• Non-Stop Music: Immerse yourself in hours of uninterrupted soft rock classics.
• Expertly Curated: Each song is a handpicked gem, ensuring the finest listening experience.
• Seasonal Variations: Two channels for year-round enjoyment – Channel 14 in summer and 311 otherwise.

Set Sail with Sirius XM’s Yacht Rock Radio

Join the legion of yacht rock enthusiasts who’ve made Sirius XM’s Yacht Rock Radio their go-to station for smooth tunes. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of this genre or exploring it for the first time, channels 14 and 311 are your gateways to an era of music that soothes the soul and lifts the spirits.

Stay Connected with Thurston Howell

Keep in tune with the latest from Yacht Rock Radio and other yacht rock news by staying connected with us here at Thurston Howell. We’re your guide in the world of yacht rock, bringing you closer to the music that makes life a smooth sail.

Yacht Rock Radio

• Edit source

The name of the station comes from the 2005 online video series Yacht Rock , which helped coined the term of the previously called West-Coast sound or adult-orientated rock (AOR) style of soft rock.

Description [ ]

Yacht rock 311 [ ].

"SiriusXM's tribute to Yacht Rock celebrates the smooth-sailing soft rock from the late '70s and early '80s. You'll hear artists like Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Hall & Oates and other titans of smooth music. It's the kind of rock that doesn't rock the boat!"

• Interestingly, this channel is unavailable on the SiriusXM channel lineup .

Yacht rock; the secret soundtrack to summer

The sound started in the late 1970s and early 1980s and was categorized as adult-oriented rock, dominating the dial in your dad’s old Dodge.

Today, it’s called Yacht Rock and it dominates summer days on the boat and summer nights around the fire pit.

Yacht rock is known by its smooth, mellow sound, often featuring catchy melodies, soft rock instrumentation, and polished production.

What channel is Yacht Rock Radio?

Every summer, SiriusXM offers a dedicated channel for yacht rock enthusiasts. The channel, known as “Yacht Rock Radio,” is available on SiriusXM from Memorial Day through Labor Day, so you still have several weeks of easy listening to enjoy.

This year,  Yacht Rock Radio  is on SiriusXM Channel 17. You can also search the SiriusXM app for Yacht Rock Radio.

Boat music?

Yacht rock  offers an easy soundtrack for a leisurely day on the water, a laid-back summer evening, or chill day at the beach.

Yacht rock — your less hip friends might call it boat music — features a variety of artists and hits from the late ’70s and early ’80s, including some quintessential tracks:

• “Sailing” by Christopher Cross - A classic yacht rock anthem
• “What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers - Featuring Michael McDonald’s signature vocals, this song defines yacht rock.
• “Ride Like the Wind” by Christopher Cross - Another hit by Cross, this song is a yacht rock favorite.
• “Africa” by Toto - This track has become an iconic yacht rock tune.
• “Rosanna” by Toto - Known for its rhythm and harmonies, this song is typical of yacht rock.
• “Steal Away” by Robbie Dupree - This track’s breezy sound and catchy hook make it a yacht rock staple.
• “You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates - Known for its upbeat tempo and infectious chorus, this song is a yacht rock must.

New yacht rock songs; what is nu yacht

Despite the late 20 century nostalgia most yacht rock evokes, new artists are making music inspired by the yacht rock genre, often referred to as "nu yacht" or "yacht rock revival." 

Here’s a few new yacht rock artists to check out:

• Young Gun Silver Fox: This duo marries the  essence of the classic yacht rock sound with modern production  techniques. Check out: "Emilia," "Lenny," "Midnight in Richmond"
• Tuxedo: Tuxedo  blends yacht rock with funk  for a modern twist. Check out: "Do It," "Number One," "Shy"
• Thundercat:  Thundercat's music  gives off yacht rock-inspired vibes. Check out: "Show You the Way" (featuring Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins), "Them Changes," "Dragonball Durag"
• Poolside:  Poolside's music  often gives off the laid-back vibe associated with yacht rock. Check out: "Harvest Moon," "California Sunset," "Feel Alright"

Does SiriusXM have a Halloween channel?

Seriously? We’re just getting into the swing of summer and you’re thinking about doing the Monster Mash?

Yes. SiriusXM does have a  Halloween station .  SCREAM radio  last year aired on SiriusXM Channel 107, though the satellite radio company hasn’t yet announced information on SCREAM 2024, including a start date.

The spooky songs, ghost stories and Halloween antics usually go live in early October and last through mid November.

What channel is SiriusXM Holly?

Christmas, already? Well, we are nearing Christmas in July, so it makes sense.

The annual winter  holiday channel lineup features a selection of stations  for different genres of holiday music.

The mainstay, Holly plays modern Christmas and winter holiday songs. Last year, Holly went live in early November and ended on the day after Christmas.

No announcement has been made yet on what channel Holly will land on this year.

Yacht Rock Radio 17+

Year long summer beach party‪‬, jonathan barash, designed for ipad.

• 4.4 • 11 Ratings

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Description.

Welcome Yacht Rock Radio USA – 60s, 70s, 80s Smooth Sailing Rock…. Yacht Rock Radio’s – All Year Summer Long Beach Party! You’ll hear artists like Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Hall & Oates and other greats of smooth rock music. It’s the kind of rock that doesn’t rock the boat! So sit back in your lounge chair and soak it up!

Version 10.1699283621

Updated to latest Version iOS

Ratings and Reviews

Domain expired. update: app working again.

Cannot listen to my favorite station anymore. Update: I can listen to my favorite station again!!!!

Developer Response ,

We apologize for the inconvenience, its out of our hands, we are experiencing issues with getting our radio app update approved by the Apple Store with our broadcast media licenses which have been in place for years. Please check back later.

My new favorite station!

Now I can enjoy yacht rock every day of the year! Best song list. Incredible variety! Has Sirius XM beat by miles! My new fave station.

Won’t play music

Would love to listen in but unfortunately it will never play music. I’ve tried deleting the app and reinstalling. But alas it still won’t work.

App Privacy

The developer, Jonathan Barash , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

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The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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Press Releases

Siriusxm sets sail with yacht rock performances from kenny loggins and christopher cross.

Invite-only concert on a yacht on New York’s Hudson River on June 13 

NEW YORK – May 31, 2022 – SiriusXM announced today that yacht rock vanguards Kenny Loggins and Christopher Cross will celebrate the summer season with a special invitation-only concert cruise for SiriusXM listeners on Monday, June 13.

SiriusXM Presents Yacht Rock the Boat with Kenny Loggins and Christopher Cross will feature Loggins and Cross performing their smoothest hits for Yacht Rock Radio listeners and fans as they set sail around New York City on the Horizon’s Edge yacht. The performances will also be heard on SiriusXM’s Yacht Rock Radio on Friday, June 17 at 8:00 pm ET. 

“At the time we were creating this new kind of music that was happening organically – we had no idea it would turn into what is now known as Yacht Rock. I’m excited to bring it all full circle and perform some of those same songs on a yacht for the first time in my career,” said Kenny Loggins.

SiriusXM’s Yacht Rock Radio features smooth-sailing soft rock from the late 70s and early 80s from artists like Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Steely Dan, Christopher Cross, Toto, America, Ambrosia and more. It’s the kind of rock that doesn’t rock the boat. Yacht Rock Radio will be available all summer long from Wednesday, June 1 through Monday, September 5 on SiriusXM radios (ch. 14) and on the SXM App. The channel is also available year-round on SiriusXM channel 311.

For information on how to attend SiriusXM Presents Yacht Rock the Boat with Kenny Loggins and Christopher Cross, please visit: www.siriusxm.com/YachtRockNewYork

SiriusXM’s Yacht Rock Radio is available to subscribers nationwide on SiriusXM radios, the SXM App, and with Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant or however they stream at home. Streaming access is included with all of SiriusXM’s trials and most popular plans.

About SiriusXM

Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the leading audio entertainment company in North America, and the premier programmer and platform for subscription and digital advertising-supported audio products. SiriusXM’s platforms collectively reach approximately 150 million listeners, the largest digital audio audience across paid and free tiers in North America, and deliver music, sports, talk, news, comedy, entertainment and podcasts. Pandora, a subsidiary of SiriusXM, is the largest ad-supported audio entertainment streaming service in the U.S. SiriusXM's subsidiaries Stitcher, Simplecast and AdsWizz make it a leader in podcast hosting, production, distribution, analytics and monetization. The Company’s advertising sales arm, SXM Media, leverages its scale, cross-platform sales organization, and ad tech capabilities to deliver results for audio creators and advertisers. SiriusXM, through Sirius XM Canada Holdings, Inc., also offers satellite radio and audio entertainment in Canada. In addition to its audio entertainment businesses, SiriusXM offers connected vehicle services to automakers. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com .

Source: SiriusXM

Media contacts for SiriusXM:

Angela Burke

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Carolina Dubon

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Released May 31, 2022

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By that time, it was already understood that “Yacht Rock” as the industry defined it was a little broader than how the creators of the creators of the Yacht Rock web series regarded the genre. Their definition focused tightly on the late ‘70s/early ‘80s intersection of disco, jazz, and soft rock. Many programmers were willing to choose from the non-overlapping parts of the Venn diagram as well. Part of that was because there were so many songs that listeners were enjoying hearing again and they all sounded pretty good together.

Besides the obligatory “Lowdown” and “What a Fool Believes,” my 2015 list included a lot of things that do not pass muster with the Yacht Rock team. I played “Margaritaville” twice. They give it one of their lowest ratings, and they don’t include “Thunder Island” either, just because it’s nautically themed. My list had a lot of the era’s soft pop (“You Can Do Magic,” “Emotion,” “We Just Disagree,” “Moonlight Feels Right”) that they don’t include.

Interestingly, a lot of the same titles were part of the subsequent discussion around 2018-19 when the Soft AC format exploded. Many of them were judged too old for the mostly ‘80s-based stations, but they’re now the centerpiece of successful ‘60s/’70s-based stations like KDRI (The Drive) Tucson, Ariz. (Fans of KDRI will also enjoy the relaunched KDZA Pueblo, Colo., which has a similar playlist and a similar emphasis on localism).

Last week, while highlighting Memorial Day Weekend special programming, I mentioned a Facebook dialogue between Connoisseur Communications’ Keith Dakin and talent consultant Steve Reynolds, known for his condemnations of some of the outlier titles on the SiriusXM channel (e.g., “Answering Machine” by Rupert Holmes.) “ WEBE [Bridgeport, Conn.] is 24/7 yacht rock, just to upset Steve Reynolds who will think some are ‘nyacht rock.’” “I’ll be listening with a fine-tooth comb,” Reynolds replied.

One either has patience for this discussion or nyacht. That Facebook exchange made a friend grimace to think that anybody would spend so much time on the minute classification of records he didn’t like anyway. Regular readers also know my dismay that most of 1981 CHR found a place for the Little River Band and not the Gap Band. My favorite song from Quincy Jones’ The Dude is “Bet’cha Wouldn’t Hurt Me,” a smooth-but-propulsive Stevie Wonder jam that would have fit on Off the Wall. R&B radio played it as an album cut, but “One Hundred Ways” was what could cross to Top 40 during the doldrums.

But I also understand that these are songs that a lot of people grew up with and loved. In general, writing about The Lost Factor of songs from that era is a reminder that the “Steal Away”-level songs didn’t get to be hits without a lot of people liking them. (The second tier is another matter, and those songs are chief among those that weren’t brought back, even when “yacht rock” gave radio the impetus to play Hall & Oates again.) Also, the yacht/nyacht discussion is the only place where the inevitable disagreement among radio people on how to properly stylistically code the songs on their playlist can ever be in any way interesting to civilians.

To some extent, the “Yacht Rock” disagreement exists because the term did not in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. In fall 1977, listeners experienced “You Make Lovin’ Fun,” “Just Remember I Love You,” “We Just Disagree,” “Thunder Island,” and “Sometimes When We Touch” as roughly of a piece, despite the very different rock cred and durability they came to exhibit later. WEBE also calls them “Smooth Songs from the ‘70s and ‘80s.” That gives you more room to maneuver. I always liked PD Dave Denver’s characterization of mid-’00s WOLL West Palm Beach, Fla., as “songs you’d hear at the tiki bar.” Phrased that way, most of these fit as well.

Here’s Magic 103.1 just before 2 p.m. on May 28:

• Orleans, “Dance with Me”
• Firefall, “Just Remember I Love You”
• 10cc, “The Things We Do for Love”
• Tina Turner, “One of the Living”—preceded by a produced salute to Turner
• Mr. Mister, “Broken Wings”
• Pablo Cruise, “Love Will Find a Way”
• Blues Image , “Ride Captain Ride”
• Johnny Nash, “I Can See Clearly Now”
• Steely Dan, “Reelin’ in the Years”
• Tina Turner, “Better Be Good to Me”
• Daryl Hall & John Oates, “She’s Gone”
• Fleetwood Mac, “Gypsy”
• James Taylor, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)”
• Stephen Bishop, “On and On”

• Fleetwood Mac, “Rhiannon”
• Seals & Crofts, “Summer Breeze”
• Doobie Brothers, “Real Love”
• Jay Ferguson, “Thunder Island”
• Eagles, “Life in the Fast Lane”
• Lionel Richie, “All Night Long (All Night)”
• REO Speedwagon, “Can’t Fight This Feeling”
• Michael Jackson, “Human Nature”
• Crosby, Stills & Nash, “Southern Cross”
• Ambrosia, “Biggest Part of Me”
• Chicago, “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day”
• Paul Davis, “I Go Crazy”
• Nicolette Larson, “Lotta Love”
• America, “Sister Golden Hair”

Finally, here’s 45 minutes or so of Yacht Rock Radio, starting just before 2 p.m.:

• Fleetwood Mac, “You Make Lovin’ Fun”
• Atlanta Rhythm Section, “So Into You”
• Todd Rundgren, “I Saw the Light”
• Doobie Brothers, “What a Fool Believes”—part of a Michael McDonald special weekend, preceded with audio about McDonald and Kenny Loggins writing the song
• Steve Carlisle, “Theme from ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’”
• Chicago, “Baby What a Big Surprise”
• Ambrosia, “How Much I Feel”
• Chuck Mangione, “Feels So Good”
• Christopher Cross, “All Right”
• Michael McDonald, “Sweet Freedom”
• Kenny Loggins, “I Believe in Love”
• Olivia Newton-John, “Magic”
• Bobby Caldwell, “What You Won’t Do for Love”
• Steely Dan, “Peg—preceded by McDonald talking about coming to L.A. for the first time and being a Steely Dan sideman
• Robbie Dupree, “Steal Away”
• Al Stewart, “Year of the Cat”

• Toto, “Rosanna”
• Sade,  “Smooth Operator”
• Gerry Rafferty,  “Baker Street”
• Grover Washington, Jr. & Bill Withers,  “Just the Two of Us”
• Daryl Hall & John Oates,  “You Make My Dreams”
• Wham!,  “Careless Whisper”
• Commodores,  “Night Shift”
• Christopher Cross,  “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”
• Fleetwood Mac,  “Everywhere”
• Champaign,  “How About Us”
• Doobie Brothers,  “What a Fool Believes”

I did my own take on the late ’70s/early ’80s, emphasizing the hotter side of the acts discussed here, and ending up with soft rock and Yacht Rock that Really Rocks.

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Comments 10

A suggestion from one of your younger readers, which might be very difficult to accomplish but which would be such an interesting topic.

I’d love for you to analyze rock radio (Alt and maybe Active?)’s 2000s “gold” tracks and see what percentage of them fit into what I like to call the “Seven Pillars” of 2000s rock: 1. Post-grunge (Nickelback, Creed, 3 Doors Down, etc.) 2. Nu-metal (Linkin Park, Disturbed, Korn, etc.) 3. Pop punk (Green Day, Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, etc.) 4. Adult alternative (Coldplay, Matchbox 20, Train, etc.) 5. Garage rock revival (White Stripes, Strokes, Jet, etc.) 6. Post-punk revival (Killers, Kings of Leon, Franz Ferdinand, etc.) 7. Indie rock/p4kcore (Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, etc.)

It would be interesting because these “pillars” had such big yet disparate fanbases – well, maybe Pillars 1 & 2 overlap a bit and 5 & 6 overlap a bit more – and thus there was no consensus about what the prevailing sound of 2000s rock was. What has radio determined the lasting sound of 2000s rock to be?

That’s an interesting idea. Thanks.

Just for fun, and to show you how maddening these exercises can be, I’m already going through the list and dividing the piles slightly differently because:

* I put Puddle of Mudd and Papa Roach and even Trapt with Linkin Park. I put Disturbed with Avenged Sevenfold!

* I’d probably put Franz Ferdinand in the garage rock pile because they kept their rock cred. Killers really go in the garage rock pile too but their profile as a band is more like KOL these days.

* Coldplay feels like a different pile from Matchbox 20/Train. I put them with Snow Patrol/Keane/etc., But modern AC 90s and modern AC 00s are perhaps just different because one has had more time to be adopted by Lite-FM AC.

Really, you could put a lot of 5/6/7 in one bucket called “True.Alt,” although some are truer than others. The Active stuff–music mostly abandoned by Alt now except for Linkin Park–is another set. Pop/punk, the unifier, is in the middle. My sense is that’s the music that has best endured on Alt radio.

Curious what your take is on iHeart’s dedicated Yacht Rock station? How does it compare?

Making a note to listen, thanks!

Listening right now. Like the others, it’s a mix of things that the creators count as “Yacht Rock” (“Jojo” by Boz Scaggs), things they don’t (“Hotel California” gets one of their lowest ratings, too), and some things that seem to count but on which no judgment has been issued (“Sara Smile”). Again, most listeners would regard them as of a piece, and the slug line “’70s and ’80s smooth soft rock” explains it all well enough.

Not only are there enough songs for a weekend, there are enough for a format- if you are willing to expand to about a 25 year range from 1968-1993. We’ve run like that on KTSO Tulsa for the last two and a half years and were #2 W35+ in March. Not bad for a Class A signal in an over-saturated market. Soft and Smooth, centered on 1978-1983 but with concentric circles out 10 years either side makes for a really fun station that all ages enjoy. It may not be the first choice for a Class C if a “regular” format hole is there, but for a small over-achiever station- it’s been a home-run.

Hi, Bob! Due for another listen!

I read with interest your recent observations of the Yacht Rock format. I’ve found that there many variations of it available from Sirius Xm, Pandora. Spotify, AccuRadio, Internet Stations, etc. Most have a 1970‘s – 80‘s set of titles.

I was a regular listener of “The Wow Factor” in Phoenix till it got geo-fenced and was not available anymore. I also liked “The Drive” in Tucson. Both gave you something different to listen to. I tried Yacht Rock, but I thought something was missing.

Before I go any further, let me explain that I left the radio business in 1988. I was part of the business from the 1960‘s through the late 1980‘s. I got to be a jock, music director, program director, sales rep, and finally general manager. I left the business because wasn’t as fun anymore. Corporate radio was just around the corner. I still love radio today, but now it has no excitement. Every station sounds the same only the music format is different.

I have a rather extensive music collection, so I decided to create my own derivation of Yacht Rock which I happen to call “Patio Rock.” Program and Music Directors are going to say “you can’t do that” with the number of titles in my format. How about 2280? (18 – from the 1950‘s. 415 from the 1960‘s, 1305 from the 1970‘s. 532 from the 1980‘s, and 10 from the 1990‘s.)

Why the Patio Rock name? Because all the songs are loaded on my computer’s Winamp Player set up on shuffle and crossfade. I play it through my stereo system with speakers on my patio. The neighbors love it. I aim the music toward a 45+ listener. Good music is still good music even if it’s old. Just make sure it blends right.

I like to have a lot of variety so playlist doesn’t repeat itself for days and days. All the titles reached top 40 for the year it was popular in. I’ve inserted some album versions and extended versions to break things up. I don’t have to worry about quarter hours and cume anymore. I feel good when somebody says “Man I haven’t heard that song in a long time!”

Here’s a sample of a couple hours of music.

Rickie Lee Jones – Chuck E’s In Love Marvin Gaye – Trouble Man Eric Clapton -Tulsa Time Linda Ronstadt – I Knew You When Carpenters – Sing B.J. Thomas – Don’t Worry Baby Spencer Davis Group – Gimme Some Lovin’ Bachman Turner Overdrive – Hey You Randy Van Warmer – Just When I Needed You Most Dolly Parton – Starting Over Again Chicago – Colour My World Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue Jonathan Edwards – Sunshine Vicki Lawrence – The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia Roberta Flack & Donnie Hathaway – Where Is The Love Billy Joel – You May Be Right Paul Mc Cartney and Wings – Jet Barry Manilow – Trying To Get The Feeling Again Duprees – My Own True Love Hall & Oates – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ Johnny Rivers – Help Me Rhonda Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely Giorgio Moroder – Son Of My Father Carly Simon – The Right Thing To Do Elvis Presley – Memories Gunhill Road – Back When My Hair Was Short KC And The Sunshine Band – That’s The Way I Like It Mike And The Mechanics – All I Need Christopher Cross – Ride Like The Wind Jennifer Warnes – I Know A Heartache When I See One Who – Squeeze Box Casinos – The You Can Tell Me Goodbye Beach Boys – Don’t Worry Baby Paul Young – Every Time You Go Away Crests – Sixteen Candles Paul Simon – Slip Slidin’ Away

For what it’s worth, I’m finding Yacht Rock on SiriusXM to be more disappointing than ever this year. Way too many unfamiliar/”deep cuts” to listen to.

Someone first mentioned “Yacht Rock” to me -and I wondered why the title? Not everyone has a yacht, and by definition “rock” denotes a much more strident form of music. Siriux/XM’s Thurston Howell imaging is one reason not to listen unless you’re as snooty as the station wants to be. There was an explosion of “soft” stations (The Breeze, etc.) -but where are they today? Not sure what kind of research has gone into this “format” but the screener must have been interesting.

Many successful AC stations these days are walking the thin line between AC and CHR – a statement that uptempo music isn’t a bad thing. Limiting the tempo of a station worked with Schulke and Marlin Taylor in the 70s but in 2024 the abundance of Classic Hits stations at or near the top of their markets suggests otherwise. You might hear a power ballad (“Iris”) – but you won’t hear “The Greatest Love Of All” by Whitney on KRTH.

Sean, your columns are always very fun to read, but as we’ve learned- a hit is a hit is a hit. Find out what the people want, and give it to ’em.

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Sean Ross is a radio business researcher, programming consultant, conference speaker, and a veteran of radio trade journalism at Billboard, Radio & Records, M Street Journal, and others. For more than a decade, his weekly writings have been collected in the Ross On Radio newsletter; subscribe for free here. https://tinyurl.com/mhcnx4u

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