Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder, Dies at 82
Brian Wilson, the man behind the Beach Boys’ sound, passed away on June 11, 2025, at 82. His family wrote, “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. … Love & Mercy.”
Wilson helped launch the Beach Boys in 1961. The group’s early songs focused on youth and surf culture, but Wilson was more than a songwriter. He brought complex arrangements and emotional layers to pop music.
“Pet Sounds,” released in 1966, remains one of the most influential albums in history. Paul McCartney once called it his top pick. Wilson also created “Good Vibrations,” which broke new ground in sound and style.
By the mid-1960s, Wilson left the road. He struggled with his mental health and was diagnosed with schizoaffective and bipolar disorders. In 2024, after the loss of his wife, Melinda, Wilson was diagnosed with a major neurocognitive disorder and placed under a conservatorship.
He continued to influence music long after the Beach Boys’ peak. The band was added to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.
Quick facts:
- Formed the Beach Boys at age 19
- Wrote/co-wrote more than 24 Top 40 tracks
- Pioneered modern studio work
- Battled serious health conditions for decades
- Adopted five children with Melinda Ledbetter
‘His Music Will Live Forever’’
Tributes followed the announcement. Nancy Sinatra said, “He was generous and kind. His cherished music will live forever.” Paul McCartney praised him, saying, “Brian is a genius. I just love him.”
Brian Wilson turned the studio into an instrument. His music was personal, layered, and lasting.
More…
- https://pitchfork.com/news/the-beach-boys-brian-wilson-dies-at-82
- https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/11/entertainment/video/brian-wilson-obit-digvid
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2025/06/11/brian-wilson-beach-boys-songs-death/84151833007/
- https://www.overherehouston.com/sly-stone-leader-of-sly-and-the-family-stone-dies-at-82/
