The Best Boat Music (Playlists for Any Boater)

You’re cruising on the boat and all of a sudden, your radio loses signal.  That alone can kill the vibe, but behold the power of Bluetooth technology.  You’re equipped with the latest smartphone and have every music app possible downloaded.

Now it’s up to you to bring the party back to life and become the DJ for the remainder of the cruise.  Pro-tip, as the captain you’re allowed to bestow this task upon someone else on board.  If you go that route, make sure you trust that person’s taste in music.

The last thing you need is a slew of slow, sappy songs or worse, an entire playlist dedicated to Nickelback.  Kidding, but seriously choose wisely, it will make or break the rest of your on-water outing.  

To stay ahead of this off-putting situation, curate a playlist and have it ready to roll every time you jump on board.  This way, there’s no chance the vibe will be ruined if you lose signal and you’ll be sure to have some great music queued up if you want to avoid the radio altogether.

I’m going to run through a list of favorites from the boat experts here at Barletta.  Here’s your disclaimer, there may be explicit lyrics in some of these songs so if you need the edited version, please seek that out.  

What Makes the Perfect Boating Playlist?

First, you need to understand that genres matter when it comes to this playlist.  Cruising the shoreline, bobbing on the sandbar, parked at the beach, whatever your day on the water looks like, not all music fits in.

The boating lifestyle typically calls for music that has a chill vibe or something that gets the party going.  From my experience, you want to stay away from genres such as slow jams, death metal, and obvious choices like classical or opera music.  

Think country, old-school rock, today’s hits, and anything with a good beat that has rhythm.  What genres will help you relax during a sunset cruise?  Which ones will get you pumped up to do a 360 while wake surfing?  Maybe most important, what will keep the party going at the sandbar?

The music you choose will set the tone for any boating activities you’re doing.  That’s why it’s so important to have your playlist dialed in ahead of pushing off from the dock.  Aside from the genres that pair well with what type of boat outing you’re going for, there are lots of songs that are specifically about boating.  

Boat Songs

Boating and music go hand-in-hand, that’s why you can find songs about being on the water that date back years and years.  There’s something so joyous about cruising on the boat, sitting lakeside, or burying your toes in the sand while the right tunes are playing.  

There are a plethora of songs out there that will add to the boat experience, but what about songs that are about the nautical lifestyle itself?  Here’s a list of the most popular songs about boating and being on the water that you can add to your new playlist.

1. Pontoon - Little Big Town
2. Buy Me a Boat - Chris Janson
3. (Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding 
4. Redneck Yacht Club - Craig Morgan
5. Knee Deep - Zac Brown Band
6. No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems - Kenny Chesney
7. Boats - Kenney Chesney
8. Soak Up the Sun - Sheryl Crow
9. Son of a Son of a Sailor - Jimmy Buffett
10. Toes - Zac Brown Band
11. All Summer Long - Kid Rock
12. Water - Brad Paisley 
13. Cruise - Florida Georgia Line
14. Boat Drinks - Jimmy Buffett 
15. I’m on a Boat - The Lonely Planet and T-Pain
16. Where the Boat Leaves From - Zac Brown Band
17. For a Boat - Luke Bryan
18. I Was on a Boat That Day - Old Dominion 
19. Come Sail Away - Styx

Yacht Rock 

Another segment of great boat music is the laid-back sounds of soft rock.  If you’ve got the Pandora app, you can find an entire station dedicated to this called Yacht Rock.  If you’re up for relaxation on the water, here’s a go-to list straight from the source.

Although most of these songs are dated, they’re classics and pair perfectly with a warm summer evening on the water.  Put this on during a sunset cruise and you’re sure to please.

1. I Can’t Go for That - Hall & Oates
2. Drift Away - Dobie Gray
3. Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
4. Reminiscing - Little River Band
5. Rich Girl - Hall & Oates
6. Tequila Sunrise - Eagles
7. Brandy - Looking Glass
8. Jackie Blue - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils 
9. Right Down the Line - Gerry Rafferty
10. One of These Nights - Eagles
11. Ventura Highway - America
12. Listen to the Music - The Doobie Brothers
13. A Horse with No Name - America
14. Hello It’s Me - Todd Rundgren
15. Still the One - Orleans
16. I Can See Clearly - Johnny Nash
17. Lovely Day - Bill Withers
18. Dirty Work - Steely Dan
19. Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac
20. Time of the Season - Zombies 
21. Life’s Been Good - Joe Walsh 
    
    

Watersports Music

There’s no doubt that music sets the vibe when doing any sort of watersport.  Whether you’re wakeboarding, surfing, skiing, tubing, kneeboarding, or wake foiling, having the right jams on is key.

This is especially true if you’re being pulled with a tow boat that’s equipped with speakers on the tower.  I’ve listed some of our in-house wakeboarder’s favorites below.  Another solid Pandora playlist that’s great for this type of activity is called Girl Talk Radio.  It’s a fun mashup of DJ-mixed tracks and upbeat music.

1. Joypunks – Big Wild
2. Walking on a Dream – Empire of the Sun
3. Good Times Roll – Big Gigantic
4. Big Love – Louis The Child
5. Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
6. Doses and Mimosas – Cherub
7. Good Life -Kanye
8. Knock Knock – Mac Miller
9. Purple Hat – Sofi Tukker 
10. Cold Heart - Elton John & Dua Lipa
11. All Night - Big Boi
12. Dance Monkey - Tones and I
13. This Girl - Kungs & Cookin’ On 3 Burners
14. Levels - Avicii
15. Your Woman - White Town
16. Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    
    

Press Play

Music is personal and plays a big role in the boating lifestyle.  There is an endless list of songs that I could add to this blog but these are my top recommendations for recreational boating.  Of course, you can mix and match, but each list is good to go as is.    

You should be able to curate a playlist for most of your outings based on these songs and stations.  The radios that you find in newer boats have come a long way, so most have the option for Bluetooth connectivity.

That’s a great feature to have as it makes connecting a phone and playing your favorite playlists and stations easy.  If you own a classic boat with a tape or CD player, you might think about making a mixtape or CD to bring along for the ride.