By Eva Baron on June 12, 2025

Brian Wilson in Santa Monica, Calif., in 1990, photographed by Ithaka Darin Pappas. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons, CC 4.0)

“The world mourns a genius today. The melodies he dreamed up and the emotions he poured into every note changed the course of music forever.”

Brian Wilson, the cofounder, singer-songwriter, and creative genius behind the legendary pop and rock band The Beach Boys, has died at 82 years old. His family announced his death on June 11 with a statement shared on Instagram.

“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” they write. “We are at a loss for words right now.”

That same day, Wilson’s bandmates from the Beach Boys also paid tribute to the “soul of our sound,” writing: “The world mourns a genius today. The melodies he dreamed up and the emotions he poured into every note changed the course of music forever. Together, we gave the world the American dream of optimism, joy, and a sense of freedom—music that made people feel good, made them believe in summer and endless possibilities.”

Born in Inglewood, Calif., in 1942, Wilson had always been precocious when it came to music. When he was a baby, he could deftly imitate melodies sung to him and, by ages 7 and 8, he began singing solos at church, prompting his choir director to declare that he had perfect pitch. Later, in 1961, Wilson, his younger brothers Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardin formed what would eventually become one of the world’s most enduring and illustrious bands: The Beach Boys.

The Beach Boys in September 1965. (Photo: Capitol Records via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

As the de facto leader of The Beach Boys, Wilson wrote and produced dozens of the band’s chart-topping songs, including Good Vibrations; I Get Around; Help Me, Rhonda; California Girls; and their first major hit, Surfin’ U.S.A., which was originally released in 1963. From there, The Beach Boys quickly gained recognition for their carefree and breezy lyrics, psychedelic sound, and layered vocals, each of which embodied the optimism, youth, grandeur, and, at times, melancholy of mid-century California. Much of this success can be traced back to Wilson, whose distinct vision and talent for studio production, musical arrangement, and vocal harmonization further propelled The Beach Boys into pop stardom. […]

Source: RIP Brian Wilson: The Beach Boys Cofounder Dies at 82