Brian Wilson, the brilliant but troubled co-founder of the Beach Boys whose innovations reshaped pop music in the 1960s and beyond, died Tuesday at age 82. His family confirmed his passing in a statement, calling the loss “heartbreaking” and asking for privacy as they grieve.
Wilson was born on June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California, and raised in nearby Hawthorne. With his brothers Dennis and Carl, cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine, he formed the Beach Boys in 1961. Their harmonies and sunny California sound—on songs like “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “God Only Knows,” and magnum opus “Good Vibrations”—catapulted them into international stardom.
Behind the scenes, Wilson was the band’s creative force and an obsessive studio innovator. He pushed the boundaries of what pop music could be, culminating in 1966’s Pet Sounds, widely considered one of the most influential albums ever made. Paul McCartney called it his favorite album of all time, and it inspired the Beatles to make Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Wilson’s success was shadowed by lifelong struggles with mental illness and addiction. Diagnosed later in life with schizoaffective and bipolar disorders, he withdrew from touring in 1965 and spent much of the following decades in seclusion or under the controversial care of therapist Eugene Landy.
Despite personal setbacks, Wilson returned to music in the 2000s, finally completing his long-shelved masterpiece Smile in 2004 to critical acclaim. He earned two Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 with the Beach Boys.
In 2024, following the death of his wife and longtime caregiver Melinda Ledbetter, Wilson was placed under conservatorship due to worsening cognitive issues.
Brian Wilson’s legacy is vast. His melodies defined an era, and his restless creativity influenced generations of artists across genres. He leaves behind seven children and millions of fans worldwide.
