Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder and Architect of Pop, Dead at 82

One of America's greatest songwriters and composer of "teenage symphonies to God" invented a massively successful pop sound full of harmonies and sunshine.

by Gavin Edwards

Brian Wilson, who as leader of the Beach Boys and a founder of California rock invented a massively successful pop sound full of harmonies and sunshine, has died at the age of 82.

“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now,” his family wrote in a statement posted on social media. “Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”

Wilson’s family did not provide a cause of death but it was revealed in February 2024 that the Beach Boys legend was battling dementia.

“Brian gave so much to the world through his music, his spirit and his strength. He was a sweet, gentle soul as well as fierce competitor,” Wilson’s longtime manager Jean Sievers said in a statement. “There will never ever be anyone like him again. God truly broke the mold when he created Brian Wilson. Besides being a creative genius, he was one the smartest and funniest people I’ve ever known. His message of love will live on through his music forever.”

Wilson’s legacy includes dozens of hit singles with the Beach Boys, including three Number One singles (“I Get Around,” “Help Me, Rhonda,” and “Good Vibrations”). In the 1960s, the Beach Boys were not only the most successful American band but they also jockeyed for global preeminence with the Beatles. On albums such as Pet Sounds, Wilson’s lavish, orchestral production techniques dramatically expanded the sonic palette of rock & roll and showed how the recording studio could be an instrument by itself.

Born June 20, 1942, Brian Wilson grew up in Hawthorne, California, a modest town next to the Los Angeles Airport. Brian was the eldest of three brothers; his younger brothers were Dennis and Carl. Their father, Murry, was an aspiring songwriter and a tyrant. “Although he saw himself as a loving father who guided his brood with a firm hand, he abused us psychologically and physically, creating wounds that never healed,” Wilson wrote in his 1991 autobiography, Wouldn’t It Be Nice: My Own Story.

In February 2024, just weeks after the death of Brian’s second wife and longtime manager, Melinda, Brian’s family revealed that the singer was suffering from dementia, and a conservatorship was sought to secure his continued care.

“This decision was made to ensure that there will be no extreme changes to the household, and Brian and the children living at home will be taken care of and remain in the home where they are cared for,” the Wilson family statement said at the time. “Brian will be able to enjoy all of his family and friends and continue to work on current projects as well as participate in any activities he chooses.”