Brian Wilson, visionary co-founder of The Beach Boys dies aged 82

Brian Wilson, the visionary co-founder and primary songwriter of The Beach Boys, has passed away aged 82.

While the cause of death has not been disclosed, it was revealed last year that Wilson had been diagnosed with a neurocognitive disorder resembling dementia. The diagnosis came after the passing of his wife, Melinda Ledbetter, in January 2024.

Wilson’s musical journey began in the early 1960s when he formed The Beach Boys with his brothers Dennis and Carl, cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. With Brian serving as the band’s songwriter, producer, co-lead vocalist, bassist, keyboardist, and de facto leader, the group achieved early success with hits like Surfin’ U.S.A., I Get Around and Good Vibrations.

Wilson’s innovative approach to music production, particularly his work on the 1966 album Pet Sounds, revolutionised the recording industry and influenced countless artists. Paul McCartney hailed one of its standout tracks, God Only Knows, as “the greatest song ever written” and credited Pet Sounds as a key influence on The Beatles’ own landmark album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Despite Wilson’s undeniable standing as one of pop music’s greats, his personal life was chequered with challenges. He was abused by his father as a child, and mental health struggles, including audio hallucinations (later diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder), led him into isolation at the height of The Beach Boys’ success. A panic attack in 1964 prompted Wilson to retire from touring and instead focus his efforts on writing and producing.

This shift gave rise to Pet Sounds, but it was a dynamic that proved difficult to sustain. The highly anticipated follow-up, Smile, faced delays and spiralling costs, ultimately being shelved. A more modest version, Smiley Smile, was released in 1967 in its place, and Wilson finally released the full Smile album in 2004, featuring new recordings of the original material.

By the early 70s, Wilson had sunk into a morass of drug use and depression, reportedly spending weeks to months at a time in bed. His therapist, Eugene Landy, took on multiple roles as his producer, therapist, and business manager but was accused of exploiting Wilson, with his professional licence later revoked due to allegations of misconduct and patient abuse. Misfortune would further shape Wilson’s life in the years to come, with the tragic death of his brother Dennis, who drowned in 1983, and Carl, who died of lung cancer in 1998.

Despite all this, Wilson continued to impact the music world. Returning to touring in 1999, Wilson visited Perth as part of the Beach Boys’ 50th Anniversary Tour in 2012 and then for the 50th Anniversary of Pet Sounds at Riverside Theatre in 2016. More recently, Wilson released At My Piano in 2022, showcasing new instrumental interpretations of his classic songs. His final release was the soundtrack to the documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road in 2024.

Tributes have poured in from across the music world. Carole King, Keith Richards, and Mick Fleetwood have honoured his legacy, while Elton John described Wilson as a “musical genius” and one of his “biggest influences.” Actor John Cusack, who portrayed Wilson in the 2014 biopic Love & Mercy, expressed his sorrow, stating, “The maestro has passed—the man was an open heart with two legs—with an ear that heard the angels.”

RIP Brian Wilson (1942-2025)