I think either Classic Hits or Oldies would be a better descriptor than Soft AC. KZOT is a subscriber. They show in the last book as Sports (previous format). We'll have to see what they fall under in the next one.
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Three flip format to 'Yacht Rock'
- Thread starter KilowattKat
- Start date
Even SiriusXM's imaging for its Yacht Rock channel treats it as a campy joke, using a voiceover talent with an irritating mock-rich "yuppie" accent in liners for the channel, which is nothing more than a randomized, jockless playlist. The whole "genre" will be dead and buried within a couple of years, I'm willing to wager.
So be it. Many, if not all of the records in the so-called "genre" exist as parts of other, more established formats, so it's not like we'll suddenly stop hearing them.
There's no need to make it into a joke, but ironic jokes are something Gen Z seems to do (and this seems rather like a Gen Z thing, to me), so I don't know....
It could be the Next Big Thing for all we know.
c
And that is not a Nielsen format descriptor.
Wikipedia describes Yacht Rock as "a broad music style and aesthetic commonly associated with soft rock ... Drawing on sources such as smooth soul, smooth jazz, R&B, and disco, common stylistic traits include high-quality production, clean vocals, and a focus on light, catchy melodies."
iHeartRadio simply describes their Yacht Rock channel as "70s & 80s Smooth Soft Rock".
iHeartRadio simply describes their Yacht Rock channel as "70s & 80s Smooth Soft Rock".
Yacht Rock is more of a mood/vibe than a genre, ranging from jazzy instrumentals like Chuck Mangione and George Benson, right up to the edge of hard rock, like Toto's "Hold the Line", as well as plenty of R&B/Soul (Earth, Wind & Fire; Pointer Sisters; James Ingram; Brenda Russell, etc.). Surprisingly, even a few Paul Anka songs rate pretty highly:
To me, Yacht Rock has always meant those earworm late '70s/early '80s hits that seemed to stay on the pop chart forever -- "Baby Come Back," "I Go Crazy," "How Much I Feel," all those interchangeable Christopher Cross and Hall and Oates songs, etc. For whatever reason, classic hits programmers 30+ years later found that rock-oriented artists and songs from that era were more durable and appealed to some folks who weren't around when they were current, so those mellow, smooth songs were dropped from classic hits radio. Now, it seems some listeners in the geezer and near-geezer demo miss those tunes, so Yacht Rock has been created. So how does exhuming Player and Ambrosia and Paul Davis in the 2020s attract anything but the old-timers that advertisers shun?
In a nutshell, that's why I have such a negative bordering on cynical view of the format. Not only doesn't it have a future, its core is a musical past that most listeners don't want to be reminded of.
In a nutshell, that's why I have such a negative bordering on cynical view of the format. Not only doesn't it have a future, its core is a musical past that most listeners don't want to be reminded of.
Advertisers are so shortsighted, it seems to me.
What if it turns out that there's a solid showing with Gen X/early Millennials? They're still comfortably within advertisers' favorite demos, so it could be successful for awhile.
Of course, @CTListener is most likely correct, sooo.... *shrug*
c
What if it turns out that there's a solid showing with Gen X/early Millennials? They're still comfortably within advertisers' favorite demos, so it could be successful for awhile.
Of course, @CTListener is most likely correct, sooo.... *shrug*
c
I'm younger than 4/5ths of the Backstreet Boys, and I like Yacht Rock.
Is that so....
The Hottest Format Trend of 2026 Is…
It’s nearly 45 years since Michael McDonald and his many duet partners ruled the radio, not such a great moment for pop music as it turned out. It’s been nearly 20 years since the mix of disco, jazz, and soft rock that defined many of the hits of 1980-82 was retroactively dubbed “Yacht Rock” by...
radioinsight.com
A great read, really sums up what is currently radio's trending format.
One of the weekly Yacht Rock shows is also experiencing growth, adding more affiliates.
radioinsight.com
The Yacht Club Adds New Markets
The weekly syndicated "The Yacht Club with Meredith Marx" has added multiple new affiliates. Recent additions to the Yacht Club
radioinsight.com
We now have a fourth setting sail. This time in Norfolk VA. I believe this is the largest market yet...
Yacht Rock Crashes Into Norfolk On 92.9 The Wave
Yacht Rock Crashes Into Norfolk On 92.9 The Wave
No one mentioned KQCR Parkersburg IA? 99 the Wave, mostly Yacht Rock.
And of course, the many affiliates for Capt. Adam's Yacht Rock Radio weekend program. Including my local KARY 100.9 Grandview/Yakima (6-8PM Sundays...I am a regular listener and have thought about sending him a Five Fave).
And of course, the many affiliates for Capt. Adam's Yacht Rock Radio weekend program. Including my local KARY 100.9 Grandview/Yakima (6-8PM Sundays...I am a regular listener and have thought about sending him a Five Fave).
Those and many others like them were staple evergreens on 1980s KOST under Jhani Kaye. It must be more than coincidence that they're identified today with leisure yachting after previously being the signature sound you heard "along the coast."
Based on their Wikipedias, I'm within a year of you, and also like yacht rock. I wonder if this is because our age group's parents thought disco was ending music as humanity knew it, and exposed us to all their preferences while we were still impressionable.
CTListener mentioned Player. They probably figured if it's good enough for music on hold, it's good enough for antique moldulation.
There's an R&B/urban AM station in Alabama that doesn't have a translator AND is on a graveyard frequency. 1240 WMGJ in Gadsden. Recently found a new link to their stream and it's still a very wide playlist from Motown to current R&B hits, and a lot of 'oh wow's.'
Meanwhile, WABG 960 in Greenwood MS still puts out 1KW of blues (500 watts nights) 24/7 without a translator either. Not many AM music stations left without a translator!
Meanwhile, WABG 960 in Greenwood MS still puts out 1KW of blues (500 watts nights) 24/7 without a translator either. Not many AM music stations left without a translator!
I haven't heard Yacht Rock radio yet, although I'm sure I've heard every song on the radio stations involved.
I may be wrong, but I'm thinking 'Rite-Aid Radio', or what's called 'lighter than Lite'.
Bee Gees? Marmalade? Abba? Nick Gilder? Billy Joel? Vandross? Firefall?
Styx 'Come Sail Away'? Sloop John B? Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald? Ferry 'Cross the Mere ......
help
they're conficating my keybo
I may be wrong, but I'm thinking 'Rite-Aid Radio', or what's called 'lighter than Lite'.
Bee Gees? Marmalade? Abba? Nick Gilder? Billy Joel? Vandross? Firefall?
Styx 'Come Sail Away'? Sloop John B? Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald? Ferry 'Cross the Mere ......help
they're conficating my keybo
That’s deep!