From Chart Domination to Cultural Punch Line: How Soft Rock's Resurrection Became Pop's Greatest Comeback

Soft rock’s story reads like a dramatic three-act play written across half a century. Paramount+'s new documentary Sometimes When We Touch dissects this unlikely arc, exploring how a genre that once commanded the charts descended into cultural mockery before staging one of music history’s most unexpected renewals.

The Genre That Once Ruled Everything

The 1970s belonged to soft rock. Artists like Air Supply, Kenny Loggins, and Toni Tennille weren’t just popular—they were inescapable. The genre’s power ballads topped radio playlists worldwide, and names like Rupert Holmes, Ray Parker Jr., and Christopher Cross became household staples. The documentary’s three-episode structure—titled “Reign,” “Ruin,” and “Resurrection”—traces how thoroughly these melancholic melodies saturated pop culture during this golden era.

Even the documentary’s namesake carries musical weight. Dan Hill’s 1973 ballad “Sometimes When We Touch,” co-written with Barry Mann, perfectly encapsulates soft rock’s romantic core. Remarkably, Hill wrote the song hoping to win back his girlfriend—a reminder that these weren’t just commercial products, but deeply personal creations. (The plan didn’t work; she moved to the United States with someone else anyway.)

The Fall and The Pivot

What goes up must come down. By the 1980s, the genre that had reigned supreme became a cultural shorthand for excess and insincerity. Soft rock became the ultimate punch line, dismissed by critics and abandoned by mainstream audiences seeking harder, edgier sounds. The documentary doesn’t shy away from this decline, presenting rare archival footage that documents the genre’s bewildering descent.

Yet dismissal didn’t equal extinction. Hall & Oates, The Carpenters, Ambrosia, and Captain & Tennille maintained devoted audiences even as the broader culture moved on. These artists, alongside performers like Susanna Hoffs (known for both her solo work and her soft rock collaborations), kept the torch burning through the fallow decades.

Why Soft Rock Never Actually Left

The resurrection didn’t happen overnight. According to the documentary, three seemingly disparate cultural forces—9/11, Broadway’s emotional resurgence, and hip hop’s evolution—created unexpected space for soft rock’s return. More directly, a viral YouTube series dubbed the genre “Yacht Rock,” a term that transformed from ironic shorthand into a genuine cultural phenomenon.

This rebranding attracted new listeners and inspired touring bands dedicated entirely to recreating era classics. Notably, the documentary reveals that hip hop pioneers like Daryl “DMC” Daniels credit jazz keyboard legend Bob James as foundational to their genre, establishing an unexpected throughline between soft rock’s musical DNA and contemporary hip hop.

The series features contemporary artists including LA Reid, Richard Marx, Sheryl Crow, and Stewart Copeland discussing the genre’s cultural rehabilitation. Their contributions contextualize soft rock not as sappy sentimentality, but as a genuine expression of connection and vulnerability—qualities that eventually resonated across generations.

What Makes This Documentary Essential

Sometimes When We Touch succeeds because it moves beyond nostalgia. Through interviews with Air Supply (who arguably benefited most from the power ballad’s dominance), Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, and others, the documentary reveals creation stories that add dimension to familiar songs. The chemistry between certain collaborations—particularly Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald’s partnership—demonstrates how soft rock evolved as a sophisticated vehicle for the singer-songwriter movement.

One of the documentary’s most delightful discoveries: it reveals which soft rock song holds the record for most cover versions, a fact that likely surprises even dedicated music historians.

Across three episodes on Paramount+, the documentary celebrates a misunderstood genre while documenting how American popular music works. Soft rock’s trajectory—from dominance to disgrace to renewed appreciation—mirrors larger cultural conversations about authenticity, emotional expression, and the enduring power of melody.

The genre that once inspired ridicule has reclaimed its cultural legitimacy, proving that great songwriting and genuine emotion never truly go out of style.