Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys’ visionary and fragile leader whose genius for melody, arrangements and wide-eyed self-expression inspired “Good Vibrations,” “California Girls” and other summertime anthems and made him one of the world’s most influential recording artists, has died at 82.
Brian Wilson, the creative force behind the Beach Boys and one of popular music’s greatest innovators, has died at the age of 82. His talent for crafting unforgettable melodies, intricate arrangements, and sincere lyrics gave us classics like “Good Vibrations” and “California Girls.” His family shared the news on his official website and social media. Since May 2024, Wilson had been under a court conservatorship for his personal and medical affairs, managed by longtime associates Jean Sievers and LeeAnn Hard.
The eldest and last surviving of three musical brothers — Brian played bass, Carl lead guitar and Dennis drums — he and his fellow Beach Boys rose in the 1960s from local California band to national hitmakers to international ambassadors of surf and sun. Wilson himself was celebrated for his gifts and pitied for his demons. He was one of rock’s great Romantics, a tormented man who in his peak years embarked on an ever-steeper path to aural perfection, the one true sound.
Brian was the oldest and last surviving of the Wilson brothers—he on bass, Carl on lead guitar, and Dennis on drums. Together with cousins Mike Love and Al Jardine, they transformed from a small local surf band into global stars in the 1960s. Wilson’s immense musical gift was admired worldwide, but his struggles with mental health and personal demons were well known. He was a romantic figure in rock music, a man devoted to perfecting his sound, yet haunted by inner turmoil.
The Beach Boys rank among the most popular groups of the rock era, with more than 30 singles in the Top 40 and worldwide sales of more than 100 million. The 1966 album “Pet Sounds” was voted No. 2 in a 2003 Rolling Stone list of the best 500 albums, losing out, as Wilson had done before, to the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The Beach Boys, who also featured Wilson cousin Mike Love and childhood friend Al Jardine, were voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
The Beach Boys are one of the best-selling and most influential bands of their era, with over 30 Top 40 hits and more than 100 million records sold globally. Their 1966 album “Pet Sounds” is widely regarded as a masterpiece, ranking second on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums, just behind the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The group included Wilson’s cousin Mike Love and longtime friend Al Jardine and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Wilson feuded with Love over songwriting credits, but peers otherwise adored him beyond envy, from Elton John and Bruce Springsteen to Katy Perry and Carole King. The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon, fantasized about joining the Beach Boys. Paul McCartney cited “Pet Sounds” as a direct inspiration on the Beatles and the ballad “God Only Knows” as among his favorite songs, often bringing him to tears.
Despite a long-running dispute with Mike Love over songwriting royalties, many fellow musicians held Wilson in high esteem. Artists like Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Katy Perry, and Carole King praised his work. Keith Moon of The Who once dreamed of joining the Beach Boys. Paul McCartney openly acknowledged “Pet Sounds” as a key influence on the Beatles and called “God Only Knows” one of his favorite songs, often moved to tears by it.
Wilson moved and fascinated fans and musicians long after he stopped having hits. In his later years, Wilson and a devoted entourage of younger musicians performed “Pet Sounds” and his restored opus, “Smile,” before worshipful crowds in concert halls. Meanwhile, The Go-Go’s, Lindsey Buckingham, Animal Collective and Janelle Monáe were among a wide range of artists who emulated him, whether as a master of crafting pop music or as a pioneer of pulling it apart.
Long after his peak commercial success, Wilson continued to inspire both fans and musicians. In his later years, he toured with younger musicians, performing “Pet Sounds” and the finally completed “Smile” to enthusiastic audiences. Artists across genres—from The Go-Go’s and Lindsey Buckingham to Animal Collective and Janelle Monáe—have cited Wilson as a major influence, admiring him either as a pop genius or an experimental trailblazer.
An endless summer
Though Wilson himself was a shy and partly deaf man, possibly from childhood abuse by his father, he created music that captured the feeling of endless summer days. While he rarely surfed, his songs vividly evoked California’s beaches, cars, and youth culture. Tracks like “Surfin’ USA,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” and “Good Vibrations” remain timeless anthems, bridging generations and technology—from old radios to modern smartphones.
From the suburbs to the national stage
Born on June 20, 1942, just two days after Paul McCartney, Wilson showed musical promise early on. He taught his brothers harmony and piano in their home in Hawthorne, California, where the band formed. Dennis, the only real surfer, suggested they try surf music, which led to their first minor hit, “Surfin’.” They initially called themselves the Pendletones but became the Beach Boys after their label named their first record. Their father Murry managed them early on but was eventually replaced by Brian, who became their creative leader and in-house producer.
The Beach Boys vs. The Beatles
With the Beatles’ 1965 album “Rubber Soul” pushing the boundaries of pop, Wilson responded by creating “Pet Sounds” and the hit single “Good Vibrations.” He used innovative studio techniques, assembling a wide range of instruments and musicians to produce an album that was more introspective and elaborate. Though “Pet Sounds” didn’t match the commercial success of earlier hits, it deeply influenced the Beatles. The Beatles in turn incorporated Beach Boys-inspired harmonies and sound effects in albums like “Revolver” and “Sgt. Pepper.” Wilson’s ambitious project “Smile,” intended as a “teenage symphony to God,” was never completed amid band tensions and personal struggles.
Years of struggle, and late life validation
Wilson’s life was marked by addiction and mental illness, causing him to retreat from the spotlight for long stretches. His controversial relationship with therapist Eugene Landy ended with a family lawsuit. Wilson’s personal life included two marriages, estrangement and later reconciliation with his daughters, and a second marriage that ended with his wife’s death in 2024. Despite legal battles over songwriting royalties and band disputes, Wilson released solo albums and continued influencing music. His honors include Grammy Awards, lifetime achievement recognitions, and a symbolic change of a failing high school music grade to an “A.”
Brian Wilson’s death marks the loss of a deeply influential and complex figure whose music defined a generation and continues to resonate as an emblem of American culture and creativity.
