RL
Sounds

Fred Astaire was the embodiment of elegance, a man whose signature style move—wearing a tie as a belt—has appeared in many a Polo campaign. And while date nights are off-limits right now, the romantics among us can achieve something like one by turning down the lights and putting on his version of “Night and Day.”

Another album that reinterprets the Great American Songbook through a new lens, “It Had to Be You” is the first in Rod the Mod’s five-volume set of classics, each of which has earned a Grammy nomination. Stewart’s soulful British rasp will have you hearing timeless tunes like the title track in a new way.

Two of the most important figures in American song star on this 1956 set, which embodies the mid-century sophistication at the heart of so much in the World of Ralph Lauren. Across 35 tracks, including “Begin the Beguine” and “It’s De-Lovely,” Ella Fitzgerald interprets Cole Porter originals as only she can. This album was the first of her eight “American Songbook” releases on Verve, and each one radiates a much-needed warmth and joy during this time.

As creative spirits, Ralph Lauren and Bruce Springsteen are linked by a fascination with America, and a passion for the country’s deepest hopes and dreams. This album is the ultimate expression of the Boss’ exploration of the country’s themes, with a cover (shot by Annie Leibovitz) that embodies all-American style and attitude.

This isn’t Bob Dylan’s first album, but it’s the album where he became Bob Dylan—his first record of nearly all-original songs, including enduring anthems like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.” As he would in the half-century since, Dylan found success by pairing original lyrics to traditional folk melodies, an all-American blending of old and new that is, in its way, very RL.

Ralph has long been a fan of George Michael’s voice, particularly on ballads, so it makes sense that his jazz-leaning collection of covers has a special place in Mr. Lauren’s collection. This album is a great way to rediscover Michael’s natural talent, which was occasionally overshadowed by the slick production of his more pop-oriented songs.

The romance between England and New York is a story Ralph has told in countless collections, and one that Sting chronicles on this album’s hit single, “Englishman in New York” (a staple of Ralph Lauren fashion shows). Indeed, the two also share both an obsession with detail and a love of home and family life that stands out in their particular lines of work.

Decades into their respective careers, Ralph Lauren and Sir Paul remain consummate innovators and family men. Mr. Lauren is a particular fan of this compilation, which includes many of McCartney’s timeless celebrations of marriage and home.

Just as Ralph Lauren has kept the cowboy spirit alive through various Western-inspired collections over the years, Michael Martin Murphey, who has spent time with the Laurens on their ranch in Colorado, has done the same throughout a career devoted to cowboy songs old and new. This 1975 set is a great place to start—the opening track “Wildfire” includes a plea to “get these hard times right out of my mind,” which feels especially apropos right now.

The cover of this 1999 album of standards could almost be from a Polo campaign, with the former Roxy Music front man wearing a soft-shouldered tailored coat in front of a mural of ’30s-era swells. The music matches the image, with the elegant Ferry wedding his inimitable croon to the likes of “September Song” and the title track.

Ralph Lauren is an American designer, but his vision and reach have always been global, with influences spanning far and wide. This sophisticated, seductive 1988 album from Nigerian-born Sade, which features some of her best-loved songs, including the atmospheric “Paradise,” has long been an RL favorite.

An incomparable double-threat, a gifted trumpeter and a gentle vocalist, Chet Baker was never better than he is here. A pure jazz album from start to finish, with a style and grace that’s very much core to the World of Ralph Lauren. We might not be able to enjoy a softly lit dinner at an elegantly casual bistro, but this record will help you set that mood (or something like it) at home.

“The American popular song goes on,” Neil Diamond sings on the opening track of this album, and it’s as true today as when he belted it back in 1978. This album is a tribute to that music, the American jazz and rock that has meant so much to Ralph Lauren, performed by one of his favorite singers. The album’s signature single is “Forever in Blue Jeans,” with lyrics that read like an encapsulation of the Ralph Lauren philosophy. “And long as I can have you / Here with me, I'd much rather be / Forever in blue jeans…”