10 Glorious "Dad Rock" Albums
6. Toto IV - Toto
Most of the players in the best dad rock bands knew how to play their asses off. Say what you want to about their ability to write dorky songs from time to time, but there's no disputing that everyone of these guys had expert chops no matter where you went. Even if you find yourself falling into meme-dom, you're going to get there by being an absolute monster behind your instrument.
Granted, anyone who knows Toto just for a song like Africa owes it to themselves to give their fourth outing a try. Especially if you're looking to test yourself on your instrument, each of these songs are perfect pop songs that are sprinkled with virtuoso performances, from Steve Lukather's attention to detail when soloing to the distinctive shuffle rhythm that kicks off on Rosanna.
This is one of those cases where you think the song is simple, but then you peel back the layers and realize all of the subtle nuances that go into making it a masterpiece. It's no surprise that this was the same band that Michael Jackson would call up just a few years later to play on the album Thriller. When your chops are good enough to give the King of Pop a run for his money, you've passed the threshold into legendary status.