Brian Wilson, the brilliant mind behind The Beach Boys’ unmistakable sound and one of the most influential composers in American music history, has died at the age of 82.
Wilson passed away peacefully, his family confirmed in a statement shared early this morning. He had battled decades of mental health issues and physical decline, but his legacy remains one of the most enduring in the history of pop and rock music.
Born and raised in Hawthorne, California, Wilson formed The Beach Boys with his brothers Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. While the band began with surf anthems and California sunshine, it was Brian’s deepening ambition and innovative mind that transformed them into something far more profound.
He wrote, produced, and arranged some of the most iconic and emotionally resonant music of the 20th century — from “God Only Knows” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” to the groundbreaking Pet Sounds album and the haunting masterpiece “Good Vibrations.”
But behind the harmonies and layered arrangements was a man often plagued by inner turmoil. Wilson spent years in and out of treatment for mental illness, becoming a near-mythical figure for his reclusive tendencies and troubled genius. Despite these struggles, he continued to create and perform well into his later years, earning the admiration of generations of musicians and fans.
In 1988, Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Beach Boys. Paul McCartney once called Pet Sounds “the greatest album ever made,” and Rolling Stone ranked it second only to The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's.
Tributes are pouring in from across the music world, many calling Wilson the Mozart of modern music. He was a dreamer, a perfectionist, a broken soul — and a once-in-a-lifetime artist.
Brian Wilson is survived by his children and countless fans around the world who will never forget the man who made the world sound a little more beautiful.
"Brian Wilson (7314673472) (tall)" by Takahiro Kyono from Tokyo, Japan is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
