Brian Wilson – the co-founder of The Beach Boys – has died at the age of 82.
In a statement, published on his website, his family said: “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 realise that we are sharing our grief with the world.”
Wilson is believed to have suffered ill health in recent years, with court documents filed in 2024 saying he had “major neurocognitive disorder (such as dementia)”.
He cofounded The Beach Boys in the early 1960s with his brothers, Dennis and Carl, their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine.
Wilson – the eldest and last surviving of the three brothers – was their visionary leader and songwriter, penning hits including Surfin’ USA, Good Vibrations and God Only Knows.
‘What a legacy he leaves’
Famous faces have paid tribute to Wilson, with Rolling Stone’s Ronnie Wood saying his “world is in mourning” following the deaths of The Beach Boys co-founder and fellow musician Sly Stone. “So sad,” he added.
“A complex man but a musical genius and showbusiness icon,” Piers Morgan wrote. “What a legacy he leaves.”
Brian Wilson performing at Glastonbury in 2005. Pic: PA
Radio 2 DJ Tony Robinson said on X: “So sorry to hear that Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys has passed away. So many hits and to me it was the sound of summer. RIP Brian and thanks for the music.”
Electronic music duo Disclosure said Wilson was their “favourite producer and composer of all time”.
“Pushed the boundaries further than anyone had before,” they wrote in a comment on Instagram. “Lost for words. We love you Brian. Rest in peace to the greatest.”
Their 1966 album Pet Sounds, penned and produced by Wilson, was voted No.2 in a 2003 Rolling Stone list of the best 500 albums – losing only to the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club.
Without you even knowing it, The Beach Boys have impacted you too
To say Brian Wilson loomed large in my life would be an understatement.
My musician father was a major fan of The Beach Boys, naming one of my brothers after one of them and playing us their tracks so often that I can’t separate their back catalogue from nostalgic memories of childhood.
When challenged by others for choosing America’s Beach Boys over our home-grown the Beatles, Dad would wax lyrical about their harmonies and the creative genius of Wilson.
But it wasn’t just me who felt the influence of the not-really surfer boys (it was only Brian’s brother Dennis who actually surfed, despite the songs about the sea and the photos of them posing with boards).
The album Pet Sounds is widely credited with being one of the most influential records ever, using those famous harmonies and production techniques that were so innovative at the time, which then became widely drawn on, even the norm.
They were one of the first American rock bands to play their own instruments and write their own songs.
And it was Brian – not the record execs – who had creative control, paving the way for the musicians who came after him to do the same.
So while I know the impact that Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys had on my life, I also know that because of their influence, the inspiration they were and the legacy they left, that without you even knowing it, they will have impacted your life too.
The Beach Boys have inspired acts on both sides of the Atlantic, with the likes of Sir Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and Carole King lauding their work.
Paul McCartney has cited Pet Sounds as a direct inspiration for the Beatles, naming ballad Gold Only Knows as one of his favourite songs and saying it often brings him to tears.
The Beach Boys after being inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Pic: AP
The band’s innocent appeal survived despite the group’s increasingly troubled backstory.
Brian, suffering from stress and exhaustion, had a breakdown in 1964 and retired from touring, choosing to instead focus on writing and recording, though he later returned to the stage.
Dennis, who struggled with substance abuse and alcoholism, drowned in 1983. Carl died of lung cancer in 1998.
