No Joke: Keith Urban Is Releasing a New Yacht Rock Album
This is so perfect, you almost don’t even want to criticize it, though you know it will be absolutely terrible, even if the inadvertent entertainment value, and validation about Keith Urban’s true motivations and influences are so fulfilling. This move is so on brand for Keith Urban, it’s really a version of pure genius. It’s like drawing a perfect circle where illustrating the harmony of the universe makes you want to openly weep.
Ask yourself country music fans, why would you be consuming Charley Crockett’s new surprise album, or the myriad of other amazing audio selections at your fingertips, when you could listening to Keith Urban covering Seals & Crofts’ “Summer Breeze”?
Country music’s most soft, most malleable, most commercially pandering star who’s constantly molding himself to whatever he believes his public wants from him has confirmed the rumors that yes, his next album will be his self-proclaimed tribute to yacht rock.
“You think I’m kidding? I’m not kidding,” Urban proudly asserts. “It features 10 covers of some of my all-time favorite yacht rock songs, along with incredible collaborations with John Mayer and Little Big Town, PLUS one original track, ‘We Go Back,’ with the legendary Michael McDonald.”
Called Flow State and arriving on June 12th, it will find Keith Urban delving into the era when folk rock flowed into soft rock that gave way to pastel hues set to music delicately groomed to immensely pacify.
Let’s not discount that due to the nostalgia factor, there isn’t a fandom for this type of music. It’s also fair to recognize that it was strong selections from folk rock and country folk artists like Jim Croce, Bread, and America that gave way to the worst excesses of the yacht rock era. It appears one of the songs from the new Urban album is Bread’s “Guitar Man.”
Keith Urban says, “The origins of this kind of music was, in certain ways, a reaction and an antidote to the stresses of the times. Its sole mission (and soul mission) is unchanged…to bring us together and remind us that life is happening NOW- the eternal now- and we have far more in common than not. I hope wherever you hear this album you can feel the exhale, comfort and optimism these songs were originally written by and for.”
And yet for some, they’d rather hear the soundtrack to their own colonoscopy procedure, and listening to yacht rock is apt to send them into a state of narcissistic rage. But again, hate on it all you want. At least Keith Urban is finally being his true authentic self as opposed to larping as a country artist. Post his split from Nicole Kidman, he’s been letting his freak flag fly, and apparently, that flag flies high on the mast of a luxury liner breeezily sailing off the beaches of south Florida.
Whether it’s good for a hate listen or you have a true affinity for the yacht rock era, Keith Urban is here to satisfy your dreamy, synth-laden, soft-toned desires.
TRACK LIST:
1. “Steal Away”
2. “Baby Come Back”
3. “Magnet and Steel” (feat. Little Big Town)
4. “Just the Two of Us”
5. “On and On”
6. “We Go Back” (feat. Michael McDonald)
7. “Help Is On Its Way”
8. “How Much I Feel”
9. “Summer Breeze”
10. “I Just Wanna Stop”
11. “Guitar Man” (feat. John Mayer)
April 29, 2026 @ 11:34 am
Jesus Keith Urban is to country what yacht/light rock was to rock.
Yacht Rock got rehabilitated in the internet ERA with the awesome Yacht Rock YouTube series (which is fucking hilarious and the guy who plays Hollywood Steve is pretty funny character on social media), but oh dear God that music was just the worst in its time.
May 2, 2026 @ 7:19 am
This article lost me at Keith Urban. Really, who gives a rat’s ass what he’s releasing?!? Irrelevant.
May 2, 2026 @ 10:30 am
Who gives a rat’s ass what you think?
Scroll on
April 29, 2026 @ 11:36 am
Of course he did ……..bedazzled mom jeans yaught rock country…new album frosted tips coming soon
April 29, 2026 @ 11:44 am
I didn’t like We Go Back, though I’ve never been a fan of McDonald, however, I did find his cover of Summer Breeze to be pleasantly surprising. I have no doubt this will be a weird album, but it’s Urban, so when are they not.
April 29, 2026 @ 11:47 am
Guy hasn’t been good since Golden Road
April 29, 2026 @ 11:53 am
Everything since Defying Gravity has been utter trash, and that album was on the precipice of it because he stopped showcasing his incredible abilities on stringed instruments.
April 29, 2026 @ 11:54 am
Jason aldean has a new album out. I need to get a burner for my spotify so i can speed run through it without fucking my algorithm up.
April 29, 2026 @ 1:55 pm
why do that to yourself?
April 29, 2026 @ 2:12 pm
IDK. I grew up in a pop country town and I managed to follow it until about 2006. I live in that town again and as I get older I just feel like I need to know what’s happening in the pop country world. With that said, I listened to about 20 seconds of three different songs from the the album and decided I didn’t need to know that bad.
April 29, 2026 @ 8:38 pm
His new album is actually a nice return to form after all these years.
April 29, 2026 @ 12:00 pm
What’s hilarious about this is of the 10 covers, only “Steal Away” is higher than 75 on the “Yacht or Nyacht” podcast index of Yacht Rock songs. Only “Just the Two of Us” is the other above 60, and there are actually four (“On and On”, “Magnet and Steel”, “Summer Breeze”, and “Guitar Man”) that are below 50, which the podcast defines as “Nyacht”. Where are the heavy hitters of the genre – Steely Dan, McDonald-era Doobies, Toto, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins?
This dude even sucks at sucking.
April 29, 2026 @ 3:47 pm
Remarkable that he’s covering songs that many serious music fans make fun of and cringe at the first notes? Commenting on bro country, Dale Watson commented ” there’s a audience for that.” I agree but wonder if there’s a audience for dentist office music ?
April 29, 2026 @ 12:37 pm
The colonoscopy paragraph made me LOL. My response is both ‘good for him doing what he wants to do’ and also ‘tell me you’re going through a midlife crisis without telling me’. Maybe he’s doing exactly what he wants to do and fulfilling a ‘X number of albums’ requirement under a label. Also, of all the songs to choose from in the yacht rock category – this is the list?! I probably would have pushed play to hear him sing these yacht songs:
1. Give Me the Night
2. Private Eyes (or) I Can’t Go for That
3. Ride Like the Wind (how he didn’t choose this one is really disappointing)
4. Foolish Heart (or) Lights (with an extended guitar solo)
5. Reminiscing
6. I’d Really Love to See You Tonight
7. Sweet Talkin’ Woman
8. I’m Alright
9. I’m Not in Love
10. Brandy You’re a Fine Girl
11. How Long
April 29, 2026 @ 3:04 pm
How Long is great. So’s Sweet Talkin’ Woman, but is it really yacht rock?
How about Dave Mason’s (RIP) We Just Disagree? I just heard Billy Dean’s cover of that song on Sirius XM Prime Country today and would definitely give an Urban version a listen.
April 30, 2026 @ 7:15 am
I just did a quick scan of Spotify’s yacht rock playlists. I was going to list ‘We Just Disagree’ but didn’t since Billy Dean had already covered it. Love that song though.
April 30, 2026 @ 4:06 pm
Love all those songs goo kieth urban
April 29, 2026 @ 3:23 pm
Not to mention “Whatca Gonna Do When She Says Goodbye”.
What, too soon?
April 30, 2026 @ 7:17 am
Ride Like the wind would give him a chance to shred at the end of the song. The solo at the end of the original isn’t far up enough in the mix. It’s a natural choice, but he didn’t see it.
April 29, 2026 @ 1:31 pm
“Guitar Man,” the original, is a good song. I like some bread. Keith Urban music, not so much.
April 30, 2026 @ 5:09 am
CAKE did an excellent cover of “Guitar Man” on Pressure Chief.
April 30, 2026 @ 2:15 pm
Bread’s song is “The Guitar Man”. “Guitar Man” is, of course, Jerry Reed/ Elvis. (A minor point, I know, but still…)
April 29, 2026 @ 1:53 pm
Probability that I’m going to listen to this, laugh the entire time, and end up enjoying it is damn near 100%.
Mayer ripping lead on “Guitar Man” is going to rule too.
April 29, 2026 @ 1:56 pm
If you guys are interested in an actual country sounding take on beach cliches (and a funny one), check out Scott Southworth’s honky tonk beach album Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow.
He’s a weirdly underrated songwriter and a great honkytonker and it does justice to the silly beach themes without going into yacht soft rock territory.
April 29, 2026 @ 2:24 pm
I like that. I went through a gulf and western phase last summer. brett burns was my main takeaway.
April 30, 2026 @ 7:31 am
His name is Brent Burns. I’ll let him know he’s got a new fan.
April 29, 2026 @ 2:25 pm
He played with Yacht Rock Revue in Atlanta a few nights ago.
April 29, 2026 @ 2:46 pm
Keith looks like the sort of handsome chap you’d expect to be on a yacht.
April 30, 2026 @ 2:17 pm
But where’s the “Skipper” cap?
April 29, 2026 @ 2:49 pm
I loved it can’t wait to hear the rest!
April 29, 2026 @ 2:59 pm
OK, Guitar Man is legitimately good, and How Much I Feel and Baby Come Back are longtime guilty pleasures of mine, but I can think of a couple of dozen other songs from the nebulous Yacht Rock repertoire I’d rather hear covered. I hope Keith at least gets to play guitar on Guitar Man.
April 29, 2026 @ 3:03 pm
Well…gotta say a pretty faithful re-creation on Summer Breeze. Now why we need a Keith Urban cover of that classic is dubious. But…if you listen to the end he does put a few simple guitar leads that give the ending a different vibe. Kinda like those guitar leads, simple as they are. I dunno. Worse crimes than this out there, so ehhh. 🤷♂️
April 29, 2026 @ 3:08 pm
The jasmine in his mind ain’t the only thing this song is blowing.
April 29, 2026 @ 6:51 pm
Hahahahhaha
April 29, 2026 @ 3:20 pm
Wow what a disappointing selection of songs. How in the world did he manage to pick such a bland selection when there are so many better songs that fall under the label of ‘Yacht Rock’?
Sailin’
One Of These Nights
Operator
What a Fool Believes
So Into You
Ventura Highway
(Literally anything from Steely Dan)
April 29, 2026 @ 3:59 pm
So Into You! Love Atlanta Rhythym Section. Great underrated band that still exists today. Those cats were tasteful and in the groove.
April 29, 2026 @ 8:03 pm
Doug Jernigan did So Into You on an instrumental album
April 30, 2026 @ 6:17 am
Blackberry Smoke, AKA the best band in the land, also covers ‘So Into You’.
April 30, 2026 @ 9:22 am
I dont mind hearing the original songs from the 1970s. I was a kid at the time and the songs bring back memories from my youth and AM rado. But covers of these songs from him is ridiculous. Not surprised. His collaboration and video of a song with Pink was one of the most cringeworthy moments ever. So not surprised.
April 29, 2026 @ 4:40 pm
I don’t really think of Steely Dan as Yacht Rock. The jazz influences and some of the edgy lyrics don’t lend itself to yacht rock.
Your song list is actually better than Keith’s. Throw in Biggest Part of Me, I Keep Forgetting or a Boz Scaggs track for good measure.
April 29, 2026 @ 8:02 pm
The guy who did the Yacht Rock documentary called Don Fagen to interview him and Fagen told him to Fuck off.
April 30, 2026 @ 5:15 am
That doc was great, and Fagen’s soundbite was the perfect ending.
April 30, 2026 @ 2:49 pm
I always thought The Doobie Brothers started Yacht Rock. There’s a song on the “Takin’ It To The Street” album called “Rio”.
“When things get stale,
get on a boat and sail
To Rio”
Michael McDonald’s first album with the group, natch.
April 29, 2026 @ 4:19 pm
Great set of songs. I will now head to Spotify to make that playlist with the original singers.
It is possible to fan for Waylon, Jinks and Bread and Seals & Crofts. (But not Urban fan)
April 29, 2026 @ 4:28 pm
OK, I actually like a lot of yacht rock. Whether he’s pandering or not, I think he could actually do a decent job on some good songs and throw in some decent guitar work.
Not that I’ll buy it. But he could do well with it, The songs choices are a little uneven though.
April 29, 2026 @ 4:40 pm
I never understood what people think is so great about this guy. And why does every country music TV special show have to have him and Little Big Town on it.
April 30, 2026 @ 8:36 am
I can deal w LBT…But Keith? Nope
April 29, 2026 @ 4:58 pm
Looking at these titles, I believe the guys from the Songcraft podcast would properly call this “Waterbed Rock.” We can only hope for a cover featuring a shirtless Keith Urban on a waterbed on a yacht, all remaining vestiges of the guy who once wrote and recorded “Clutterbilly” washed away like his marriage, his manhood, and the sand on the beach just visible in the background.
April 29, 2026 @ 5:09 pm
I am so excited for this album. Thanks for thinking of the amazing talent Gino Vannelli.
April 29, 2026 @ 6:00 pm
Guesting Little Big Town is so on brand for this album.
While were on this subject, Americas Horse with No Name has the single dumbest lyric in all of music “The Heat was Hot”. XM seems to love America tho…
April 30, 2026 @ 2:55 pm
I remember a “Doonesbury” comic strip on this very subject, but the part he didn’t like was “There ain’t no one for to give you no pain”.
April 30, 2026 @ 4:01 pm
How about that steaming plate of nonsense “Tin Man”? “Cause never was the reason for the evening or the Tropic of Sir Galahad.” WTF???
April 29, 2026 @ 7:50 pm
Looking at this list and listening to the Summer Breeze cover, I’m thinking this is gonna be much better than you have decided it will be.
April 29, 2026 @ 8:00 pm
Not everyone who reads this comment will fall into the category of lovers of Waylon and Conway, haters of smooth pop, and mockers of Keith Urban, but a great many of them do. All the time, they will be ignoring the inconvenient truth that Waylon covered Steely Dan, and Conway covered the Pointer Sisters, Bette Midler, Bee Gees, and Commodores.
In other words, I think many of you decided you were going to hate this before actually hearing how it sounds, just because of who is doing the snging.
April 30, 2026 @ 1:47 am
I watched the video for Summer Breeze because I loved the original and played the hell out of it in my car for years but was not impressed. Keith didn’t do anything to make the song his own. He could have spiced it up with a couple of killer guitar solos but didn’t. Also, Keith’s looks have been a major part of his appeal for the last 20 years or so but they aren’t aging well.
April 30, 2026 @ 3:14 am
I have enjoyed some of Urban’s music (pleasant background music) but never really thought it was country at all. I am sure why he is within the country genre. I have seen him in concert. He does put on a good show. Not sure this album will go on my list to listen to.
April 30, 2026 @ 9:25 am
He is in the Country genre because he isnt a fit anywhere else
April 30, 2026 @ 4:37 am
No Air Supply? What a slap in the face to fellow Aussies.
April 30, 2026 @ 7:58 am
I don’t understand all the hate. If you don’t like music then don’t listen to it. Here is what KU stated, “I bought a studio in Nashville and all I wanted to do was break it in by doing a song or two,” he shares. “And we thought just for fun, we would do a couple of yacht rock songs. I had no intention of releasing it. It was just something to do that we really loved playing that kind of music.”
Obviously KU has a love of music and loves to play and ‘Yacht Rock’ music has millions upon millions of plays on Spotify. Granted he may not be country but he loves country music and supports it with his time and money. Also granted, whether you want to admit it or not, is that 99% of the people commenting here wish they had half his musical talents.
May 1, 2026 @ 2:46 pm
I don’t deny Keith is talented as a vocalist and a songwriter. Where we might disagree is that this, or much of what he’s done in the past two decades, is “pure country.” It’s just adult contemporary songs that won’t get played on AC radio because they’re not going through CHR radio first. We’ve already had Kenny Chesney doing yacht rock songs and calling them country.
In any case, better this than a new Sam Hunt album. At least Keith can sing.
April 30, 2026 @ 8:07 am
Ugh, I loved Keith “But for the Grace of God” from ’99. Now, we are here. There were better song choices. I will secretly listen to this in my car & nobody will know. I’ll probably like this album better than all the recent KU.
May 18, 2026 @ 2:39 pm
I will listen to his album at full volume, and I don’t care what others think. He is paying homage to some of the best music of the ’70s and early 80s.
April 30, 2026 @ 10:59 am
Keith Urban could probably afford to buy a yacht and go Sailing with Christopher Kross. With the way gas prices are going I can’t even afford a used Jon boat. Hell, I can’t even afford sittin on dock on the bay. This style of music should be called C-suite Rock. Ain’t nobody but rich folks got time for that.
April 30, 2026 @ 9:34 pm
Someone needs to confiscate Waylon’s guitar that he owns. I can’t think of of a bigger miscarriage of justice.
May 1, 2026 @ 6:25 am
There is no Yacht Rock. That music was West Coast Pop, and it was, more often than not, smart, well-played, and well-recorded. Not my thing, but credit where credit’s due.
Similarly, Keith Urban makes Southern Pop. Same deal. Smart, great player, recorded by the best. I listen to whatever he’s done that connects with people, and there’s a fair amount.
Performers in the business have to figure out how to stay viable. Young Boomers and Old Xers are fully in their peak earning years, and youngsters are digging in old catalogs for gems. In West Coast Pop, there are some. Good on Keith for tapping into it.
Personally, I’ll be listening to DAC’s back catalog, but y’all do y’all.
May 1, 2026 @ 6:31 am
Someone opined that Keith would get angry if his hair weren’t frosted.Th life of a handsome cowboy with a hot wife.
May 1, 2026 @ 2:39 pm
I figured Kenny Chesney would be the first to do a yacht rock album. But Keith’s music has pretty much been solidly adult contemporary for a while, so this isn’t too much of a surprise.
May 1, 2026 @ 9:37 pm
Can he please be sent back to Australia so we can be done with him already?
May 5, 2026 @ 11:52 pm
There are some US singers I would deport to Botany Bay (or worse if I could).
May 3, 2026 @ 9:41 am
My first thought when reading this was if William Shatner can add to his legend by doing an album of half-spoken-half-sung “interpretations” of “Space Oddity” and “She Blinded Me With Science, then dammit, Keith should be able to help us sail into the comforting folds of sopoforic cruises down a memory hole many don’t wish to revisit.
I’d rather hear Shatner do “Space Truckin’
May 3, 2026 @ 10:48 am
I’m a big fan of 70s easy listening–some of which was country crossover hits and some of which is now called yacht rock. Keith Urban’s cover of “Summer Breeze” doesn’t offend me at all, but it’s very faithful to the original, and doesn’t really take it anywhere new, so I guess it’s main value is in perhaps introducing the song to younger generations who perhaps don’t know the original.
May 9, 2026 @ 6:03 pm
Nasty article. Take a hike. You are not amusing. Keith reigns, and I love these songs.
May 18, 2026 @ 2:36 pm
Why the hate for his new album? I have heard three songs from it so far, and they’re all wonderful! I don’t care what genre we classify them under. He is an elite-level artist who is performing what he’s passionate about. I, for one, will download the entire album when it comes out. If you don’t like his offering, then move on and listen to someone else.