Beach Boys Musical Prodigy Brian Wilson Dies at 82

Brian Wilson, the creative genius behind the Beach Boys, one of the biggest bands in history, has died. He was 82.

Considered a poet laureate of teen heartbreak and a legendary lyricist, Wilson died Wednesday.

His family said in a statement on Wilson's official Instagram account, "We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”

Born June 20, 1942, Wilson co-founded the quintessentially American band — initially called the Pendletones — in Hawthorne, California, with his brothers Carl and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and a schoolmate, Al Jardine, in 1961. The group released nearly 30 studio albums and still tours 64 years later, albeit featuring only one original member — Love. Longtime member Bruce Johnson is also in the mix.

Signed to Capitol in 1962, the Beach Boys created deceptively light, fun, West Coast pop, always with underpinnings of angst. Much like the Beatles, the Beach Boys' tunes were utterly sincere, and they were a fresh sound, capturing the imaginations of listeners all over the world.

Wilson was, at the time, the only pop singer writing and arranging, producing, and performing his work, citing George Gershwin as a key influence.

The band was a sensation nearly out of the gate — their debut single "Surfin'" could only muster a no. 75 peak on the Billboard Hot 100. Immediately thereafter, they quickly dominated the charts with future classics including "Surfin' Safari" (1962), "Surfin' USA" (1963), "Surfer Girl" (1963), "In My Room" (1963), "Fun, Fun, Fun" (1964), "I Get Around" (1964), "Help Me, Rhonda" (1965), "California Girls" (1965), "Barbara Ann" (1965), "Sloop John B" (1966), "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (1966), and perhaps their most famous hit, "Good Vibrations" (1966).

It was all too much for Wilson, who suffered a nervous breakdown in 1964.

In 1966, it was Wilson's fertile mind that produced the band's acclaimed album "Pet Sounds," often cited as one of the best in rock history. He also released his first solo album, "Caroline, No" that year, and abandoned work on the legendarily unreleased "Smile."

As Wilson struggled with his mental health, with overeating, and with substance abuse, the band's fortunes suffered. Their cheery beach sound was less in demand as the '60s ended.

Wilson and the Boys returned with 1977's "The Beach Boys Love You," achieving a Top 10 hit with "Rock and Roll Music" (1976). Wilson continued his solo work with "Brian Wilson" (1988). Being embraced as a solo act led to renewed productivity in the recording studio — he wound up with over a dozen studio albums under his own name — and to Wilson touring through 2022.

Controversially, Wilson did not record on the band's iconic 1988 no. 1 smash "Kokomo" from the Tom Cruise movie "Cocktail." Wilson claimed he was busy and was not told about it until it was too late to participate, but the rest of the band refuted that story.

During his productive, later solo years, Wilson won his first Grammy, for the track "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" from "Brian Wilson Presents Smile," his 2004 effort to finish what he had started 40 years earlier.

Wilson and the Beach Boys have been Rock and Roll Hall of Famers since 1988. Wilson became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2007.

Wilson was preceded in death by his brothers Dennis, who drowned at 39 in 1983, and Carl, who died of cancer at 51 in 1998.

His wife of nearly 30 years, Melinda, died in 2024.

He is survived by their five adopted children and by his adult daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson of the group Wilson Phillips, whom he fathered with his ex-wife Marilyn Rovell.