Brian Wilson, mastermind of the Beach Boys and creator of Pet Sounds, dies aged 82.
Brian Wilson, the musical genius behind the Beach Boys’ most iconic songs, has died aged 82. His family confirmed the news on Instagram, saying: “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. Love & Mercy.”
As the Beach Boys’ driving creative force, Wilson wrote and produced some of the most beautiful pop music ever made. His work shaped the sound of mid-century California, blending carefree surf anthems with deeper, more reflective compositions. His 1966 masterpiece Pet Sounds remains widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time.
Born in 1942 in Inglewood, southern California, Wilson displayed extraordinary musical talent from an early age. Gifted with perfect pitch, he learned piano as a child while absorbing the sounds of R&B, doo-wop and rock’n’roll. Despite losing hearing in one ear, possibly from a childhood assault, Wilson pressed on, forming early bands with his brothers Carl and Dennis and cousin Mike Love. Along with friend Al Jardine, they eventually became the Beach Boys.
Their first single, Surfin’, released in 1961, launched a wave of hits penned by Wilson, including Surfin’ Safari, Surfer Girl, and Surfin’ USA. With these songs, the Beach Boys captured the youthful energy of surfing, driving and California’s sun-soaked lifestyle.
Wilson soon took over as producer, guiding the band through an astonishing run of 15 albums before the 1960s ended. Determined not to be typecast as mere surf musicians, he pushed the group towards increasingly sophisticated work. Pet Sounds was his crowning achievement, its lush arrangements incorporating everything from orchestras to Coca-Cola bottles, creating a seamless, emotive song cycle.
But Wilson’s soaring creativity came at a cost. Cannabis and LSD use, along with his relentless workload, exacerbated long-standing mental health struggles. Diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and mild manic depression, he battled auditory hallucinations and periods of isolation. “There were times when it was unbearable,” Wilson later admitted, though medication and therapy helped him maintain a productive life.
The follow-up to Pet Sounds, Smile, was shelved amid Wilson’s deteriorating mental health. Though fragments surfaced in later albums, the full project was only officially released decades later. As Wilson withdrew, his bandmates took on more songwriting duties, though his occasional contributions continued to shine.
The 1970s were marked by personal and professional lows. Wilson battled drug addiction, overeating, and the loss of his brother Dennis in 1983. The psychologist Eugene Landy took control of his care, but their controversial relationship ended with legal action and a restraining order in the early 1990s.
Despite these challenges, Wilson returned to music. He released a solo debut in 1988 and, in 2011, reunited with the Beach Boys for a 50th anniversary tour and album. His final tour came in 2022, alongside the band Chicago.
Wilson sold his song catalogue to Universal for $50 million in 2021. The following year, dementia forced him into conservatorship. In January 2024, tragedy struck again when his wife, Melinda, whom he married in 1995, passed away. The couple had adopted five children together.
Wilson’s profound influence inspired tributes from across the music world. John Cusack, who portrayed him in the 2014 biopic Love & Mercy, called him “an open heart with two legs… who heard the angels.” Ronnie Wood wrote: “My world is in mourning.” Mick Fleetwood praised his “genius magical touch.”
Questlove summed up Wilson’s legacy: “If there was a human being who made art out of inexpressible sadness… it was Brian Wilson.” Sean Lennon called him “our American Mozart,” while Nancy Sinatra said his cherished music “will live forever.”
Brian Wilson leaves behind an unmatched legacy—music that captured joy, heartbreak, and everything in between.
