Best Boat Songs: 15 Tracks For Your Yachting Playlist 2025

The Best Boating Playlist

Listening to music with a drink on the deck of your boat, while watching a sunset is a moment to be cherished, and having a playlist ready to go will save you from leaping up and down from your seat to change tracks. A track or an entire album can encapsulate a memory and evoke a strong feeling of nostalgia. Here are YachtWorld's top recommended songs to add to your yachting playlist. There is a wide variety of songs to choose from, including soft rock to quirky shanties to all-time favourites.

Top 15 Tracks

Beach Cowboy by Brian Kelley Kokomo by The Beach Boys Banana Boat (Day O)" by Harry Belafonte Surfin USA by the Beach Boys Sailing Song by S.J.Tucker The Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding The Downeaster' Alexa by Billy Joel A Sailboat In The Moonlight by Billie Holiday Island in the Sun by Weezer Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley & The Wailers Hotel California by the Eagles Ventura Highway by George Marton The Joker Steve Miller Band Wanderer By Mogli The Wellerman by Nathan Evans

"Beach Cowboy" by Brian Kelley

A Florida boating track with plenty of fishing appeal, Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line, also known as 'The Beach Cowboy,' released "Beach Cowboy" in 2021. Proudly owning a custom-built 56-foot Sunny Briggs sportfish, Kelley's song has been a favourite ever since. "Highway On The Water," is also worth adding to your playlist. Listen below: https://open.spotify.com/track/2VW91TBVCqRKfyBg13EZjO?si=wJrG1Wu2RiudkUXHIxsmXg

Above: Millennials kicking back to listen to their favourite playlist. Image via Boatsetter.

2. "Kokomo" by The Beach Boys

The lyrics tell the story of two lovers embarking on a trip to Kokomo, a fictional, idyllic island off the Florida Keys. With Caribbean steel drums and references to tropical islands, the song paints a picture of cruising around paradise on vacation. It's a celebration of life's simple pleasures—getting out on the water, enjoying the sun, and embracing the laid-back vibe of island life. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/5qHYXcVvc9xsFB2uH7GpMN?si=L_8L_opRTOeBeoyUVmoXlA

3. "Banana Boat (Day O)" by Harry Belafonte

Jamaican-American singer Harry Belafonte made this infectious ditty about dock workers working the night shift loading bananas onto ships, a hit in 1956, and now it's impossible to hear it without getting tropical vibes (and "day-o!" stuck in your head). Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/4fHDlIntTsRGSyTg5UYZYC?si=PyXwhrjGRaKN9-7fevTsHg

4. "Surfin USA" by the Beach Boys

A timeless throwback that resonates with every American and their boat, Chuck Berry's "Surfin' U.S.A." has epitomised summer since the Beach Boys released it in 1963. Its upbeat vibe and catchy tune make it the perfect anthem for fun on the water. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/2EPr9Wx7e1cpGEbNAtuN7x?si=6W7knN3RTx6KfCcBxEQnxw

5. "Sailing Song" by S.J.Tucker

Arkansas-born North American female singer-songwriter has the voice of sea lore. The Sailing Song is a playful, catchy song that the whole crew will enjoy singing along to on a voyage at sea. You will catch yourself singing the chorus 'Hey ho little boat, Round about the world we go,' before you know it. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/5DIGsS1vsyodT6njON78U7?si=6eeaa6243fd94649

6. "The Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding

Tune your ears carefully, and you might hear the sound of waves in the background of this classic by Otis Redding. This soulful track celebrates the simple pleasure of watching boats and water drift by from the dock. It's a timeless homage to the tranquil vibe of the water. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/50uGbeaQIxKiSc7jvRTjWx?si=P_QPMERsRKykxy9aV7GS5w

>7. "The Downeaster' Alexa'" by Billy Joel

A timeless track, the music legend takes on the role of a down-and-out Long Island fisherman. Mentions of Montauk and Nantucket make it a favourite in the North East. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/39cFQHfY6tsdMRmSbFse3X?si=310bb2d298904a30

8. "A Sailboat In The Moonlight" by Billie Holiday

It's an ideal song to listen to if you want to dance with your partner on the deck under the stars. Billie's distinctive voice effortlessly serenades you. The lyrics are a reminder that the simple things in life really are the best: 'A sailboat in the moonlight and you. Wouldn't that be heaven, a heaven just for two.' Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/2t7PHgd7g8F27P0rMY2FFO?si=24bc02bb90b842dc

9. "Island in the Sun" by Weezer

This feel-good "Hip-hip" song is welcome at any party with any crowd. It's a song about fantasising about running away with a special someone. Universally welcome; whatever your guests' music tastes, you will struggle not to enjoy this one. Best played on an island. In the sun. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/2MLHyLy5z5l5YRp7momlgw?si=a9d2ba8bd5314e62

10. "Buffalo Soldier" by Bob Marley & The Wailers

The title and lyrics refer to the black US cavalry regiments, known as "Buffalo Soldiers," that fought in the Native American Wars after 1866. The song has a laidback beat and a serious message. It's the kind of song to shuffle around the deck of a boat with an ice-cold drink in your hand. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/7BfW1eoDh27W69nxsmRicb?si=591f9c9b728240da

11. "Hotel California" by the Eagles

Instantly recognisable riffs and relatable lyrics make this a long-time favourite. It's about a weary traveller who is lured into a "lovely place" filled with grotesque characters: it's glamorous and creepy, and it seems he can never escape. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/40riOy7x9W7GXjyGp4pjAv?si=0045200b00ea42fe

12. "Ventura Highway" by George Marton

One to listen to while from behind the helm, with the free wind blowing through your hair, feeling a sense of anticipation for the next destination, but enjoying the journey and slow travel, you know, this song epitomises what drives sailors to sail. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/4IU1RL4BKvFyXtbTwaHAvW?si=1249f2dd43624899

13. "The Joker" Steve Miller Band

Steve Miller is often referred to as the Tarantino of dad-rock. This song captures the hedonistic youth of the seventies. His lyric writing is mused over and usually intentionally playful, ambiguous and biographical. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/1bp2IO61zbQrbWNmKKxg3f?si=72eaf03baeaa403e

14. “Wanderer” By Mogli

Mogli's hauntingly beautiful voice sweeps across the music, and the lyrics speak of travel. This song is an ode to the natural landscape. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/4EXjqEY7O2gJmRU4MZASJx?si=55abd2b0866d46e7

*The Wild Card 15. "The Wellerman" by Nathan Evans

This catchy shanty is wild and captures the essence of boat delirium at sea for a long time. Originally sung by sailors to help coordinate physical tasks while working together, sea shanties have a raw, rhythmic energy that makes them unforgettable. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/7gWfTILPB0GrrOXomMenR2?si=d68d73f354d44dc7 If you want to keep entertained during a long passage, there are hundreds of books to worm through, and if you don't have enough storage, consider getting a Kindle. Reading a good book as the waves lapping beneath your feet is one of life's moments to be cherished. If you want some book inspiration, read our guide The Best Sailing Books: 21 Top Picks. Alternatively, podcasts are another great way to stay entertained and great resources for learning about cruising under sail or power. .Brush up on your seamanship skills, stay up-to-date with breaking news stories or hear awe-inspiring sailing stories and anecdotes. Read our guide, The Best Boating Podcast.