An unprecedented musical and cultural phenomenon has occurred in America over the last few years, and that is the new found love for “Yacht Rock.” A very particular form of soft rock, the phrase was coined by a hilarious Internet TV show with the same name. Since the premier of the show on Channel101.com, this musical punch line has seemingly been ubiquitous in hipster culture. Jimmy Fallon hosted a Yacht Rock Party on his show, inviting Christopher Cross to perform his anthem “Sailing.” And the recent indie film “500 Days of Summer” featured a dance sequence set to Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams.” And now Bellingham gets to join in on the fun, with its very own Yacht Rock party coming to the Nightlight on Saturday, Jan. 16.

Yacht Rock is the term commonly used to identify the light AM pop that dominated the pop charts in the early 70′s and 80′s. With musicians and groups like Kenny Loggins, Steely Dan, Toto, and the Doobie Brothers all collaborating and taking various songwriting credits, the scene was quite incestuous. To further the embarrassment, many of the laid back grooves were matched lyrically with terrible nautical metaphors.

Like many other fans of the music, the event’s organizer and host, a Seattle comedian by name of Mark Siano, loves to insist on his sincere passion for the music. “The music is just plain awesome, and so good to dance to,” he said via e-mail. “Our show will have bad-ass sing-along’s, hilarious sketch comedy, killer dance moves, and a special side of Patrick Swayze.”

I have to admit to sharing some of Siano’s passion myself. Songs like the Doobie’s “What a Fool Believes” and Kenny Loggins’ “This Is It” are pitch perfect pop, and the musicianship of Steely Dan is astounding. But these factors could not stop Yacht Rock from being a target in the past. Despite displaying a knack for intense studio work and an emphasis on technically skilled musicianship and arrangements, Yacht Rock was vilified by critics and the American underground alike. It suffered the double-whammy of being laughed at not just for its aesthetics, but for generally being considered “uncool.”

Music history will tell you that Yacht Rock has not always been uncool. Besides the obvious funk, jazz, and soul cuts, many hip-hop artists have found Yacht Rock to be a sampling goldmine. From Warren G’s faithful use of Michael MacDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin” for his classic “Regulate,” to any number of beats on Mf Doom’s Special Herbs records, DJs have been digging through those discarded record dollar bins and have came up with gems.

Although they saw its worth first, modern enjoyment of Yacht Rock has not been limited to hip-hop artists. Hall & Oates have opened themselves up to collaborations with contemporary acts like Gym Class Heroes and Chromeo. And Yacht rock’s main captain, Michael MacDonald, has participated on tracks with the likes of hipster darlings Grizzly Bear. It becomes obvious that this trend is not done as some sort of inside joke, but rather the result of a younger generation’s sincere appreciation for these artists’ music. It also proves that a song becomes instantly better when Michael MacDonald sings on it. Just listen to Steely Dan’s classic album Aja.

But this is where the line gets blurred. Is this new found love of Yacht Rock completely sincere, especially if it was spurred on by a viral show making fun of it? Irony and sincerity these days are quickly becoming interchangeable, and it often seems that my generation has developed a problem differentiating between the two. Even when asked earnestly about his love for Yacht Rock and his plans for the show, Siano couldn’t avoid making prepared quips like “I was born to rock you softly” and “Love cannot be whispered, it has to be sung.” One minute we are gushing about our heartfelt adoration for Yacht Rock, and the next we are donning fake mustaches, sun glasses, and nautical hats, spouting off tired lines about smooth music as if playing a part on the show.

I work at record store, and the number of 20-somethings that buy Hall & Oates and Doobie Brothers records is staggering. The party does sound like a blast, and yet I can’t stop thinking that somewhere there are people who would love to attend this kind of party that features the soft music that they thought was cool and grew up with. So be careful, because music and comedy trends are nearly impossible to predict, and all of that MGMT and Animal Collective vinyl might just become the butt of some future joke.