TOP   APC   PEAK   title   YEAR  
  1   396   85   GOOD VIBRATIONS   1966  
  2   691   92   SLOOP JOHN B.   1966  
  3   896   262   GOD ONLY KNOWS   1966  
  4   1636   622   TEARS IN THE MORNING   1970  
  5   2711   500   THEN I KISSED HER   1967  
  6   2749   1185   I CAN HEAR MUSIC   1969  
  7   4718   1539   KOKOMO   1989  
  8   4799   972   DO IT AGAIN   1968  
  9   4943   1965   HEROES AND VILLAINS   1967  
  10   5831   2834   BARBARA ANN   1966  
  11   6487   2466   I GET AROUND   1964  
  12   6817   2640   HELP ME RHONDA   1965  
  13   7504   3138   WOULDN'T IT BE NICE   1966  
  14   10486   3655   COTTON FIELDS   1969  
  15   11586   5187   SURFIN' USA   1963  
  16   12662   5909   SURFER GIRL   1963  
  17   13098   4157   BLUEBIRDS OVER THE MOUNTAIN   1968  
  18   13381   6591   SURFIN' SAFARI   1962  
  19   15190   7689   CALIFORNIA GIRLS   1965  
  20   15381   7374   FUN FUN FUN   1964  
  21   16312   7959   SHUT DOWN   1963  
  22   16353   7528   BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL   1963  
  23   16876   7654   DON'T WORRY BABY   1964  
  24   16827   5659   BREAK AWAY   1969  
  25   17216   8096   LITTLE DEUCE COUPE   1963  
  26   17448   8003   DANCE, DANCE, DANCE   1964  
  27   17793   8202   IN MY ROOM   1963  
  28   18222   6222   STUDENT DEMONSTRATION TIME   1971  
  29   18398   6508  
DARLIN'
  1968  
  30   18610   8418   WHEN I GROW UP (TO BE A MAN)   1964  
                     
                     
  The Beach Boys were founded in the early 1960s and grew into one of the most influential bands in the history of pop music. Their music captured the ultimate California vibe, featuring sunny harmonies and energetic melodies that embraced the youth culture of surfing and freedom. Behind their cheerful image, however, lay a complex story of rivalry, experimentation, and personal struggle.

Brian Wilson, the visionary force behind the group, proved to be a musical genius, achieving new heights with his innovative production techniques. From a young age, he showed exceptional musical talent. Despite a hearing problem in one ear, he developed a keen ear for harmonies and arrangements. His father, Murry Wilson, played a crucial but often tense role in his musical development. Together with his brothers Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love, and childhood friend Al Jardine, he founded the band, which quickly became known for its fresh sound.

Their first successes came with songs like Surfin’ Safari and Surfin’ USA, establishing them as a staple in the pop world and making their music the soundtrack of a generation. But Brian Wilson had greater ambitions. He wanted to deepen his compositions, move away from simple surf songs, and integrate emotional depth into his work. This was already noticeable in In My Room, a song in which he expressed his fears and insecurities. With Don’t Worry Baby, he demonstrated his masterful ability to combine melancholy and hope.

His artistic aspirations truly came to fruition with the album Today! in 1965, which introduced advanced arrangements and deeper lyrics. This album served as a springboard for his masterpiece Pet Sounds, released in 1966 and considered one of the most revolutionary and influential albums in music history. With songs like Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Sloop John B, and the poignant God Only Knows, Brian Wilson elevated pop music to an artistic level previously unimaginable.

What made Pet Sounds unique was Brian's experimental approach in the studio. He treated the studio as an instrument in itself and created complex soundscapes through layered vocals, innovative recording techniques, and the use of exotic instruments. His work was recognized worldwide. Paul McCartney called God Only Knows the most beautiful song ever written, and The Beatles were inspired by Pet Sounds when creating their own masterpiece, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Despite The Beach Boys' enormous success and Brian Wilson's artistic genius, internal struggles strained the band's dynamic. One of the most infamous conflicts was the rivalry between Brian Wilson and Mike Love. While Brian increasingly focused on artistic and experimental music, Mike Love wanted to preserve the band's commercial appeal. When Brian began working on the ambitious Smile project, which was intended to be even more psychedelic and experimental than Pet Sounds, he encountered resistance within the group, with Mike Love being skeptical of the new direction.

Additionally, there were conflicts between the Wilson brothers and their father, Murry Wilson, who was originally the band's manager. His strict and authoritarian leadership caused tensions, and he was eventually dismissed in 1964. In the late 1960s, Dennis Wilson formed an unusual friendship with cult leader Charles Manson. Dennis briefly housed Manson and his followers and was fascinated by his musical ideas, but later severed ties when he realized how dangerous Manson was. This created additional stress within the band and intensified the uncertainty and chaos in their personal lives.

In 1966, Brian released Good Vibrations, a song that set a new standard for pop music. Using a modular recording method, where he recorded different musical sections separately and later combined them, he created one of the most dynamic and innovative songs in pop history. Encouraged by the success of Good Vibrations, Brian wanted to continue this with Smile, an album that would be even more ambitious and experimental. However, perfectionism, internal band conflicts, and psychological struggles ultimately prevented the project's completion, leaving Smile as a legendary unfinished album for years.

The pressure of the music industry and Brian's increasing psychological struggles led him to withdraw more and more from the spotlight. He battled depression and addiction, threatening to dim his musical brilliance. Meanwhile, the band continued to achieve success with songs like Heroes and Villains and Do It Again, but Brian's influence gradually waned. Yet, true artistry never fades. In the early 2000s, Brian made a remarkable comeback and finally completed Smile. The album was received as a masterpiece and proved that his creative power remained intact.

Brian Wilson remained an influential figure in the music world well into the 21st century. Despite his mental and physical challenges, he continued to perform and released his final solo album, At My Piano, in 2021, in which he reinterpreted Beach Boys classics in an intimate piano style. However, his health deteriorated in the following years. In May 2024, he was placed under conservatorship due to dementia, rendering him unable to function independently. His wife, Melinda Ledbetter, who had supported him for years, passed away in January 2024, a devastating loss for him. On June 11, 2025, Brian Wilson passed away at the age of 82. His passing marks the end of an era in pop music, but his legacy will endure.

Wilson is remembered as one of the greatest musical geniuses of the 20th century. His work on Pet Sounds and Smile continues to inspire generations of musicians. His music will always live on, and his innovative approach to pop music remains a benchmark for artistic creativity.