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25 Essential Soft Rock Albums

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Call it what you will -- folk-pop, blue-eyed soul, lite/jazz/yacht rock, whatever -- but soft rock was the ruler of the airwaves during the 1970s. Scaling back the endless guitar solos and putting the song front-and-center, this oft-maligned genre came from noble roots: Dylan, the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, soul and L.A.'s country rock scene. Sometimes soft rock was just escapist fun but the best music often contained '70s confusion, emotional grit and (at times) bitter lyrics -- Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon and Elton John describe the decade as well as any author or filmmaker. Lasting art aside, you can just dip into soft rock as if it was the condo Jacuzzi from the singles community of your dreams.Click here to listen to a soft rock sampler playlist!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 1. Van Morrison, MoondanceAstral Weeks wowed the critics, but it was this upbeat album that captured the public's attention and made Van a high charting man. It features the perennial radio hit "Moon Dance," but every song on the album, from "And It Stoned Me" to "Glad Tidings," rank among Van's best. A jazz, folk and soul-strewn celebration of life's gifts, this is perfect "feel good" music that doesn't insult your intelligence. – Nick DedinaClick here to listen to Van Morrison's Moondance!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 2. Elton John, Honky ChateauHonky Chateau delivered Elton John from singer-songwriter status to pop star, thanks to songs such as "Honky Cat" and "Rocket Man." This is one of Elton's best albums; both he and Bernie Taupin have hit their stride. Casual listeners may opt for any of his Greatest Hits albums, but Honky Chateau should be in every fan's music collection. – Linda RyanClick here to listen to Elton John's Honky Chateau!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 3. Joni Mitchell, Court and SparkThere's rock music, pop music, etc. Then there's Joni Mitchell's flat-out incredible vision, which has ties to the Beat generation, folkies and hippies, but goes so much further than any of them. Her elastic vocal phrasing and even more elastic sense of song structure, not to mention her bizarro yet brilliant guitar playing, really come together on this 1974 release. – Mike McGuirkClick here to listen to Joni Mitchell's Court and Spark!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 4. Paul Simon, There Goes Rhymin' SimonAny LP that opens with "Kodachrome" and closes with "Loves Me Like a Rock" (two of the best hits of the '70s) is aces with us. Laidback and confident, Paul Simon isn't in any rush as he happily gets low-key assistance from the Dixie Hummingbirds and Quincy Jones (who pens charts for the army of jazz and R&B guest stars). A personal triumph on a blockbuster budget. – Nick DedinaRelated Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 5. David Bowie, Hunky DoryBowie brought twisted futurism, the English music hall and the Velvet Underground to the touchy-feely Singer-Songwriter genre on his first truly great album. Ignored on its initial 1972 release, "Changes" became a hit single years later, while "Life on Mars," "Queen Bitch," "Pretty Things" and others deserved the same fate. – Nick DedinaClick here to listen to David Bowie's Hunky Dory!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 6. Hall & Oates, Abandoned LuncheonetteThe duo's second album from 1973 is a blue-eyed soul delight with fragments of genius. The LP fuses together laid-back folk, analog synths and Philly-style soul harmonies. The big hit here is "She's Gone," but check out the knockout opening track, "When The Morning Comes," as well as "Had I Known You Better Then." - Jon PruettClick here to listen to Hall & Oates' Abandoned Luncheonette!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 7. Carole King, TapestryTapestry has at least four songs that you know by heart. A streamlined, fully-packed showcase of King's genre-defining gift for pop songwriting and a benchmark for '70s AM radio, Tapestry has withstood the test of time far better than Frampton Comes Alive -- the other record everybody and their brother bought in the '70s. – Mike McGuirkClick here to listen to Carole King's Tapestry!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 8. Steely Dan, AjaOne of the defining albums of the late 1970s, Aja combines jazz fusion sophistication with sadly cynical observations on modern life. "Peg" was the hit single but "Deacon Blue" gave aging disco hustlers and suburban burnouts "a name when they lose." – Nick DedinaClick here to listen to Steely Dan's Aja! 9. Crosby, Stills & Nash, Crosby, Stills & NashWith their stunning harmonies, Crosby Stills & Nash's self-titled effort is an impressive debut for this trio, whose collective resumes include the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and the Hollies. The socially conscious lyrics may date Crosby Stills & Nash a bit, but elegantly crafted songs such as "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" and "Wooden Ships" are timeless, potent gems. – Linda RyanClick here to listen to Crosby, Stills & Nash's Crosby, Stills & Nash!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 10. The Carpenters, Carpenters"Rainy Days and Mondays" and "Superstar" are two of the worthiest hits from the 1970s, and each shows the Carpenters' knack for painting dark clouds into blue suburban skies. The other tracks on the album are just as good, such as the trippy "Druscilla Penny" and the Merv-worthy Bacharach melody. – Nick DedinaClick here to listen to the Carpenters Carpenters!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 11. Boz Scaggs, Silk DegreesBoz Scaggs augmented his solid blues rock credentials and smoky blue-eyed croon with mellow Philly soul strings on his biggest seller. Silk Degrees contains the brilliant, strutting hipster taunt "Lowdown," the disco-rocking "It's Over" and the megahit "Lido Shuffle," making it the soundtrack to mid-'70s condo life, pool parties and bay cruises. Newly remastered, album cuts like "What Can I Say," "Georgia" and "Harbor Lights" (holy smokes, this guy can sing) sound better than ever, while three live bonus cuts show off Boz's energetic concert persona from the period. – Nick DedinaClick here to listen to Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 12. Jim Croce, You Don't Mess Around With JimJim Croce had been knocking about for years, doing a stint in the army and working a series of hardscrabble jobs while trying to make it as a folk singer. He deservedly broke through with this delightful folk-rocker that displayed both his original strengths as a singer-songwriter and his charming, often good-humored delivery (which made his ballads even sadder). It took Croce's tragic 1974 death to take this to No. 1, but with brilliant numbers such as "Operator," "New York's Not My Home," "Time in a Bottle" and the funky title track it was clear that he was already a major artist. – Nick DedinaClick here to listen to Jim Croce's You Don't Mess Around With Jim!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 13. Fleetwood Mac, RumoursRumours catapulted Fleetwood Mac to the top of the charts throughout all of 1977, with songs such as "Go Your Own Way," "You Make Loving Fun," "Dreams" and "Don't Stop," providing the band with a handful of stunning, career-defining moments. Without a doubt, Rumours is the must-have Fleetwood Mac album for fans and novices alike. – Linda RyanClick here to listen to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 14. James Taylor, Sweet Baby JamesJames Taylor's sophomore LP was an epic singer-songwriter's album in much the same way that Carole King's Tapestry was. The understated twangy folk textures of Sweet Baby James connected with the broken hearts of 1960s idealists as the decade came to an end. It also yielded a classic radio hit in "Fire and Rain." – Eric SheaClick here to listen to James Taylor's Sweet Baby James!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 15. Linda Ronstadt, Simple DreamsRonstadt was in the midst of really hitting her stride when Simple Dreams came out in 1977. Highlighted by country rocking interpretations of "It's So Easy," "Tumblin' Dice" and especially Warren Zevon's classic "Poor Poor Pitiful Me," the album is an excellent starting point for newcomers. Fans already know this one is essential. Don't miss "Carmelita." – Mike McGuirkClick here to listen to Linda Ronstadt's Simple Dreams!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 16. Supertramp, Breakfast In AmericaSupertramp's biggest record came out in that period in-between the excesses of the 1970s and the Reagan era, when all music started to sound like it was actually made out of cocaine. "The Logical Song" and "Take the Long Way Home" ensured perpetual classic rock rotation, but everybody knows Supertramp's real contribution was the beautiful "Goodbye Stranger." - Mike McGuirkClick here to listen to Supertramp's Breakfast in America!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 17. Carly Simon, No SecretsPopularized by the No. 1 hit "You're So Vain," Carly Simon's third album is a career highlight. Simon matches her confessional singer-songwriter vibe with bright soft rock underpinned by girl-group pop. While "You're So Vain" contains plenty of bile, the majority of this set is more upbeat than her previous material. Still, Simon excels at turning torturous emotions into melodic sing-alongs, and her gift for melody carries her thin voice through. Beyond the era-defining music, the coltish cover shot was cherished by schoolboys, and Simon's style was copied by girls for the rest of the '70s. - Nick DedinaClick here to listen to Carly Simon's No Secrets!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 18. America, America's Greatest Hits - HistoryMany people remember America as the band who wanted to be CSN&Y, but their mustached melodies and harmonies treaded more fearlessly into the kind of soft rock explored by Bread. This compilation boasts hits like "Horse With No Name," "Ventura Highway," "Muskrat Love" (dig the Moog solo on this one), and the epic "Tin Man." - Eric SheaClick here to listen to America's America's Greatest Hits!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 19. Billy Joel, The StrangerThis blockbuster housed the piano-rocking "Only the Good Die Young" (just try to resist this hand-clapper), the awesome "Movin' Out" and the fine ballads "She's Always a Woman" and "Just the Way You Are." Like these songs, "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" shows that Joel's undeniable pop gifts and his sweet side are matched by a thorny, sometimes grim, view of the working class and more than a touch of Broadway theatricality. The bonus concert disc on this remastered set proves that Joel cut this live in the studio -- he and his band completely rock the house. – Nick DedinaRelated Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 20. Gerry Rafferty, City to CityOn this key late-'70s AOR record, Gerry Rafferty weaves his folk-rock roots into a colorful, artful, laid-back tapestry that would dazzle even Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac or Supertramp. The addictive single "Baker Street" became a smash hit and took the rest of the album to the top of the American pop charts. The reggae-etched, country-rocking "Right Down the Line" also lives on in FM rock heaven, yet every cut on City to City is strong enough to have been a hit. But Rafferty, a music veteran, refused to tour, losing new audiences, label support and lots of exposure in the process. - Nick DedinaClick here to listen to Gerry Rafferty's City to City!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 21. Bread, Anthology of BreadBread were the iconic soft rock band of the early 1970s, finding a winning formula with soaring folk-pop melodies, country rock guitars and sweet sunset vibes. Songwriter and vocalist David Gates scored many Top 5 hits, even as tunes like "It Don't Matter to Me," "Make It with You," "If" and "Baby I'm-A Want You" slipped mellow carnal passion into the kind of family-friendly songs that John Denver also delivered. Bread split acrimoniously and were often ostracized throughout the 1980s, but today their songs are heralded by indie pop musicians like Josh Rouse and Ken Stringfellow. - Nick DedinaClick here to listen to Bread's Anthology of Bread!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 22. Cat Stevens, Tea for the TillermanWhen Cat Stevens sings, a case can be made that he was the major influence on grunge vocal styles, most notably the "Hey-ay-ay-ay"-ing Eddie Vedder. Just listen to "Where Do the Children Play," if you don't believe it. Aside from that, this album has "Wild World," one of Stevens' signature tunes and great non-hit songs like "Hard-Headed Woman" and "Father and Son." - Mike McGuirkClick here to listen to Cat Stevens' Tea for the Tillerman!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 23. Jackson Browne, Late for the SkyBrowne found his voice on his third album as he explores the thin line between fantasy and reality following the sad trajectory of a love affair in its final days. Almost a song suite about romantic illusion and delusion, his sheer, perfect poetry doesn't soften the blow, but sometimes you just have to purge the pain with tears. The quintessential break-up album. – Jaan UlhelszkiClick here to listen to Jackson Browne's Late for the Sky!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums 24. Dennis Wilson, Pacific Ocean BlueThe Beach Boys' Dennis Wilson released Pacific Ocean Blue in 1977 to strong sales and positive reviews before it sank from view. An aptly named theme album, it contrasts the majesty of the sea with the confusion and turmoil of Wilson's life. The frazzled vibes are matched by music that wraps a slick '70s L.A. studio sheen around the euphoric freakiness of psych-era Beach Boys. The results are kind of like Michael McDonald snorkeling through Bowie's submerged Berlin. The bonus cuts from the unreleased follow-up LP are almost as revelatory. It grows deeper with each listen. - Nick DedinaClick here to listen to Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the top 25 albums of the '80s! 25. The Doobie Brothers, Minute By MinuteThe album cover may feature more Frito Bandito mustaches than the Mexican Revolution, but the Doobies' only No. 1 album completes their transition from boogie rock band to sleek yacht rockers. Michael McDonald's funky keyboard and mush-mouthed tenor take the spotlight and helped get the band plenty of play on radio. Songs like the title track, "What a Fool Believes" and "How Do the Fools Survive" fit into hedonist pool parties as well as child-friendly roller-rinks. And even though the Doobs often go down smooth, they find room for some boogie rocking on "Don't Stop to Watch the Wheels." - Nick DedinaClick here to listen to the Doobie Brothers' Minute by Minute!Related Photo Galleries:Check out the 25 greatest '80s rock albums