Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

yacht rock

American  
[yot rok] / ˈjɒt ˌrɒk /

noun

  1. a loosely defined style of smooth music influenced by jazz and rhythm and blues, and associated with the American soft rock of the 1970s and 1980s: perceived as having a natural affinity with sailing or relaxing on a boat.


Etymology

Origin of yacht rock

Coined in 2005 by U.S. writer and filmmaker J. D. Ryznar

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“Going to Babble On” has a quicker pulse with guitars that chug, and its vibe has the melodic ease of the early-’80s pop style sometimes called yacht rock.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 28, 2026

The band were musically tight, mixing the digital textures of modern pop with chunky rock riffs and a healthy dose of 80s yacht rock - but the set often felt a little too safe.

From BBC Jun. 27, 2025

The music I love the most for a party environment is ’80s R&B and funk, maybe Italo disco and yacht rock.

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 20, 2024

It’s not Billy Joel or yacht rock or even East Coast hip-hop.

From Seattle Times Feb. 19, 2024

Tea has been over for some time, the wind is blowing softly over the deep blue and green patches of water, and makes the yacht rock gently from side to side.

From Zoe; Or, Some Day A Novel by Leonard, May

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training