One of rock’s most easygoing, gleefully teased and retrospectively celebrated subgenres will receive the feature-length treatment in HBO’s upcoming Music Box: Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary.
Directed by Garret Price (HBO’s Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage) and executive produced by the Ringer’s Bill Simmons (HBO’s Andre the Giant, Showbiz Kids), Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary will debut on HBO on Nov. 29 at 9 p.m. ET and be available to stream on Max.
You can watch the trailer for Music Box: Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary below.
READ MORE: Top 50 Yacht Rock Songs
‘Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary’ Is Packed With ’70s and ’80s Soft Rock Stars
The documentary will chronicle the rise of the breezy West Coast sound that dominated the airwaves in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, minting stars such as Christopher Cross, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Steely Dan and Toto. Many of these artists were veteran session musicians who took their cues from jazz, funk and R&B, funneling those styles into a new strain of slick, assiduously crafted pop-rock.
Although these artists scored numerous hits during their heyday, many struggled to survive in the age of MTV. “The ‘video killed the radio star’ thing, it was just absolutely true in my case,” Cross laments in the trailer, while McDonald adds: “I expected to be totally forgotten by the end of the ‘80s.”
These artists’ critical and commercial fortunes took a turn in the 21st century, when a 2005 web series called Yacht Rock led to a widespread reappraisal of the genre. While there’s a light ribbing inherent in the “yacht rock” designation, the genre’s biggest stars and songs are beloved by millions, and they remain the soundtrack to many fans’ lives.
Top 100 Classic Rock Artists
Click through to find out how they stack up, as we count down the Top 100 classic rock artists.
Gallery Credit: UCR Staff
