What genre is Steely Dan?

Submitted by Sniperizer t3_11c9vrk in Music

I recently rediscovering his music but couldn't make up my own mind what genre to fit him in. There is Blues, Jazz and Fusion mixed in his albums or is it just rock?

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TorrenceMightingale t1_ja2f46j wrote

Jazz Rock was correct.

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PoorBoyKajagoogoo t1_ja2qoei wrote

Most people refer to them as Yacht Rock.

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williamsonny t1_ja2zesr wrote

True. Was once a derogatory term. Less so now. These guys and the musicians they enlist are jazz and funk mofos.

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PoorBoyKajagoogoo t1_ja2qm7l wrote

They are their own genre.

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williamsonny t1_ja2zkwy wrote

The fact that no one else sounds like them makes this a valid assertion.

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dcnblues t1_ja5nx3r wrote

"You don't want to be the best at what you do. You want to be the only one who does what you do." -Jerry Garcia

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jayboyguy t1_ja2jibt wrote

Your question perfectly illustrates why genres are useful as a means of discussion of sounds and styles, but useless for actual categorization of artists, bands, albums, songs, etc.

Historically in America, the people responsible for innovating music did so because they didn’t give a crap about fitting within a particular sound. They made the sounds they heard, that grew out of what they knew, and made newer things from them. From Duke and Charlie Parker to D’Angelo and Erykah Badu, people who push music deliberately eschew the constraints of traditional labels. And perhaps Steely Dan isn’t so influential as the people I’ve named, but they pushed the capabilities of their sound for sure.

Ultimately, trying to pigeonhole artists into singular genres is often not only impossible, but harmful. I’ve talked to many a friend who had difficulty properly getting their music out there because they didn’t write it with a specific genre in mind, yet streaming services tried to get them to define their sound under a singular banner.

Which, if you didn’t know, is how many genre distinctions came about in the first place. For the most part, it was not musicians who first labeled genres; it was execs and managers who wanted to slap labels on things to make it more easily marketable.

All that said, you’ve actually answered your own question here. You’ve defined the elements you hear in their stuff, and that’s as far as it’s gotta go.

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Sniperizer OP t1_ja2k1pz wrote

Wow, first thanks for the informative reply. Second, thanks for implying about American musical history. I think its market or trending music forces tend to influence bands or musicians trying to stay relevant to please business execs. That I do understand. So me growing up in 70;,80,90 decades kinda have a messy streaming playlist.

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TorrenceMightingale t1_ja3ecfa wrote

Because being labeled jazz-rock held them back from more mainstream popularity, perhaps? Found Mr. Steely. /s

Love you

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calcteacher t1_ja312nm wrote

I recently saw Donald at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. A M A Z I N G. lots of warm-up jazz, then he riffed into it. One after another. WoW. Just like it was in the studio. 14 musicians/singer accompaniment.

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MasteringTheFlames t1_ja694ok wrote

Saw him the year after Walter Becker died. Steely Dan was touring with the Doobie Brothers. For a bunch of 70-something year olds, they all still know how to rock

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ImpendingSenseOfDoom t1_ja6osnt wrote

Saw a show on that tour too. Really good concert, the doobie brothers were fun and enjoyable but Donald and the band tore the house down.

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rhalf t1_ja3niy9 wrote

Dildo music.

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Splyce123 t1_ja2e6g1 wrote

Him? You there's no single person called Steely Dan? There's a band called Steely Dan.

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Sniperizer OP t1_ja2gr1e wrote

Sorry Steely Dan band is what I meant.

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[deleted] t1_ja2gtvm wrote

[deleted]

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itsagasgasgas t1_ja2hd6j wrote

I beg to differ, “Here is the Magnificent One, the one and only one, Mister… Steely… Dan… and whatever.”

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PoorBoyKajagoogoo t1_ja2quum wrote

Steely Dan named themselves after a vibrating dildo advertisement they saw in the back of a dirty magazine.

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aruexperienced t1_ja2eylf wrote

It often falls under the category of ‘Yacht Rock’. But they’ve won best pop album awards.

Not unfair to call them pop fusion too and you’ll find them under the rock section in reka stowas.

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SparkDBowles t1_ja2xawx wrote

Are they yacht rock? Maybe an early player in that game.

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aruexperienced t1_ja39364 wrote

Not entirely but they have several tracks that sit in the genre easily. They’re often listed in compilations and I read the term in a book about recording studios ages ago.

The Wikipedia page even references the journos / docu makers who have them and fleetwood mac as typical examples.

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Kallisti7 t1_ja2jrvb wrote

Dad/yacht rock

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SparkDBowles t1_ja2x3sl wrote

They’re neither of those. Schlock rock, maybe. A&R rock. Lol. Boring rock.

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sorengray t1_ja2plyo wrote

Adult contemporary jazz rock

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JunFerra t1_ja34czp wrote

I think that they, like many other bands, don't play just a single genre. Steely Dan has played jazz, jazz rock, yatch rock, jazz fusion, crossover prog (kinda?), jazz pop, blues rock and many other genres. There's a debate if they're more rock than jazz or viceversa but personally, I find them to be both.

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East-Ad-9078 t1_ja2x04z wrote

The fact you asked the question kind of answers the question. They are a blend of jazz, rock and blues etc. but ultimately Steely Dan had there own blend of sounds and were Steely Dan. I still love Can’t Buy A Thrill top songwriting by top musicians.

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chris622 t1_ja3ly46 wrote

Years ago, I heard "Aja" (the song) on a jazz-themed NPR show.

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TrivialBanal t1_ja42yrx wrote

At the time I think they were grouped as part of the prog-rock movement. I don't think they'd be in that classification now though.

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Eaglejelly t1_ja6dffc wrote

"Steely" Dan is obviously metal

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mrxexon t1_ja32mm0 wrote

Rock. Classic rock if you want to be fussy.

The hardest part of posting here is trying to use a proper genre. Cause there's always somebody out there who doesn't agree.

You can only filet a fish so many times, folks...

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cwells31 t1_ja388dv wrote

Yacht rock!! Love it!!

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Salty_Abbreviations4 t1_ja3qdxk wrote

Jazz Rock, I’d probably say. But to be fair, there isn’t really an easy way to describe their music. It’s so damn innovative.

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houseape69 t1_ja41on9 wrote

I believe they are referring to themselves in the song FM with the line “Give her some funked up muzak”

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TheParisCommune1871 t1_ja42gku wrote

It’s a giant dildo from William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch.

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monkeypincher t1_ja4dsjs wrote

Judging by the name, I'd say metal...

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shaymcquaid t1_ja4gp1v wrote

"Oh, by the way, which one's Pink?"

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irondog326 t1_ja4rsp2 wrote

A mix of tasty music. Just enjoy it!

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MpVpRb t1_ja5kzif wrote

Pop with a whiff of jazz

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dcnblues t1_ja5np1e wrote

Ask Pink. By the way, which one is he?

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loutufillaro4 t1_ja5z118 wrote

Mr. Dan is the very center of the Yacht Rock genre.

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_gneat t1_ja675rj wrote

It's Jazz-Rock fusion primarily. They mix in some R&B just for good measure.

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Every-Self-8399 t1_ja6k8i4 wrote

My radio station grouped them in with Progressive rock in the 80's. My mother was a huge fan. She called it pot rock because it was better when she was stoned.

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methcache t1_ja6nmpl wrote

Their genre is cocaine

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Expert-Hyena6226 t1_ja3omgw wrote

I think it's pointless to categorize them into a neat cubby hole. Artists hate this, btw.

And I don't care for the term "yacht rock". If Steely Dan was playing on the yacht, that would be the only reason for me to get on the yacht. I can't imagine that happening outside a 70's TV show.

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Dudeus-Maximus t1_ja375pp wrote

If there was a genre called “sound check” or “room dial in” it would be based on them.

Edit. I have to laugh that some mouth breather would downvote that. They are literally the number one choice of FoH engineers worldwide for dialing in a PA and making sure a room sounds right.

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MrBrianWeldon t1_ja2dsrp wrote

Bluegrass rock

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katfromjersey t1_ja382bu wrote

Not really. Definitely jazz, not bluegrass.

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MrBrianWeldon t1_ja38q9g wrote

For me its bluegrass

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katfromjersey t1_ja39owx wrote

But it's actually not. Totally different rhythms, and no banjos or fiddles in sight.

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