Soft Rock's Unlikely Journey: How a Maligned Genre Found Redemption Through Cultural Memory

The story of soft rock reads like a narrative arc designed for television: a musical movement that ruled the airways in the 1970s, became the subject of ridicule throughout the 1980s, and eventually experienced one of pop music’s most unexpected revivals. Paramount+ has now documented this full trajectory through a three-part documentary series, Sometimes When We Touch, which examines not just the music itself, but the cultural forces that shaped its perception and resurgence.

The Origins and Hidden Stories Behind Soft Rock Classics

At the heart of this exploration lies the title track, a ballad composed in 1973 by Canadian musician Dan Hill in collaboration with Barry Mann. Hill, then just 19 years old, originally penned the song with a personal motivation: to win back a romantic interest. The plan ultimately failed—the woman in question moved to the United States with another man—yet the song became one of the era’s defining tracks, a poignant reminder that the most universal musical expressions often stem from deeply personal narratives.

The documentary series brings these origin stories to life through conversations with the architects of the soft rock sound. Featuring rarely seen archival materials and interviews with legends who shaped the genre, Sometimes When We Touch assembles perspectives from Air Supply (“All Out of Love”), Kenny Loggins (“This Is It”), Ray Parker Jr. (“A Woman Needs Love”), Rupert Holmes (“Escape: The Piña Colada Song”), and Toni Tennille (“Love Will Keep Us Together”). Contemporary voices including Susanna Hoffs, LA Reid, Richard Marx, Sheryl Crow, and Stewart Copeland add modern context to these classic compositions.

From Dominance to Decline: The Genre’s Complex Evolution

The rise, fall, and eventual restoration of soft rock forms the documentary’s three-episode framework, titled “Reign,” “Ruin,” and “Resurrection.” During the 1970s, soft rock dominated global pop charts, establishing itself as the decade’s defining sound. The shift came dramatically in the 1980s, when the genre’s emotional sincerity became a liability rather than an asset, transforming it into a cultural punchline and source of derision among critics and music industry tastemakers.

The series examines specific chapters in this transformation, including the complicated dynamics between Captain & Tennille, the overlooked contributions of Ray Parker Jr. beyond his association with the Ghostbusters theme, and how the collaborative efforts of Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald elevated the singer-songwriter movement. Air Supply emerges as perhaps the most emblematic act of the era, having benefited enormously from the power ballad’s commercial viability during soft rock’s peak years.

The Unexpected Revival: Why Soft Rock Returned

What transformed the perception of soft rock from embarrassment to nostalgia to genuine artistic appreciation? The documentary traces this reversal to multiple cultural convergences: the emotional reckoning following 9/11, a renewed interest in theatrical expression through Broadway, and perhaps surprisingly, the emergence of hip-hop as a dominant cultural force. These seemingly contradictory trends created conditions where soft rock’s emphasis on connection, vulnerability, and emotional authenticity found new audiences.

The viral internet phenomenon known as “Yacht Rock” played a crucial role in this resurgence. What began as an online meme celebrating a specific aesthetic has evolved into a genuine cultural movement, spawning touring bands dedicated to performing the era’s hits and introducing these songs to younger demographics who discovered them through digital means rather than radio.

Interestingly, the documentary reveals connections between soft rock and hip-hop that few listeners recognize. Daryl “DMC” Daniels of Run-DMC discusses the foundational influence of jazz keyboardist and producer Bob James on hip-hop’s development, illustrating how musical genealogies often cross genre boundaries in ways the general public doesn’t immediately perceive.

Why This Story Matters: Cultural Impact and Legacy

The ultimate message of Sometimes When We Touch extends beyond mere nostalgia. The series argues persuasively that soft rock, despite years of dismissal, has maintained a profound influence on American popular culture. The music wasn’t about pining or emotional weakness, as critics often suggested, but rather celebrated human connection, love, and emotional honesty—values that evidently transcend temporal trends.

Among the documentary’s intriguing discoveries is the identification of the soft rock song that has been covered most frequently—a fact likely to surprise even devoted followers of the genre. These details enrich viewers’ understanding of how and why certain compositions endure while others fade into obscurity.

SERIES TITLE: Sometimes When We Touch
EPISODES: 3
CATEGORY: Documentary
STREAMING PLATFORM: Paramount+
FEATURED ARTISTS: Air Supply, Ambrosia, Captain & Tennille, The Carpenters, Christopher Cross, Hall & Oates, Kenny Loggins, Lionel Richie, Michael McDonald, and others