Brian Wilson, pioneering musician and founding member of The Beach Boys, has died just shy of his 83rd birthday. He was pivotal to the 1960s sound of pop music and continued performing for decades, defining the recording industry with his full tracks of harmonized music driven by big drums and bass. This youthful sound made The Beach Boys stars- even as the the British Invasion took hold in the US and around the world.
His death was announced June 11, 2025, in an Instagram post on the Brian Wilson Live account by his family. They wrote, “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 realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy”
Born in 1942 in Inglewood, CA, Brian and his two brothers Carl and Dennis, survived turbulent childhoods in their home by singing and playing music together. The trio learned to harmonize together at a young age, with Brian later forming The Beach Boys around their talents in 1961 (along with their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine).
Wilson’s driving motto for creating such hits as “Help Me Rhonda”, I Get Around”, “Surfin’ USA”, “Good Vibrations”, and so many other songs was simple. “I wanted to write joyful music that made other people feel good” he said as part of his induction speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Wilson did this for decades, writing catchy tunes that conjured images of sandy days at the beach in the sun.
Over the course of many decades The Beach Boys released 29 studio albums and 56 compilation albums, with numerous Top Ten hits among them. The iconic 1966 album Pet Sounds set a new trend for musicians globally. The multi-track recordings on Pet Sounds were beloved by The Beatles and became the inspiration for their Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967.
With heartfelt sadness Paul McCartney commented on Wilson’s passing with the following statement: “Brian had that mysterious musical genius that made his songs so achingly special. The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time. I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while. How we will continue without Brian Wilson ‘God Only Knows’.”
Another former Beatle, Ringo Starr, also expressed his grief: “God bless Brian, peace and love to all the family, peace and love Ringo and Barbara.”
Al Jardine said in an interview “He was a humble musical giant, and his huge musical intellect was apparent quite early on. At the same, time, he didn’t need or want attention, was only interested in making the best possible music.”
Musicians from all genres and ages expressed their sadness and condolences this week as words of appreciation and love came pouring in from Carol King, Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, Sean Lennon, Nancy Sinatra, James Hetfield, and many others.
Wilson had been performing and recording into 2022, when it was announced that he was experiencing a “major neurocognitive disorder”. His wife, Melinda, died in 2024, after which Wilson was placed in a conservatorship. His cause of death has not yet been released.
Wilson is survived by 7 children and 6 grandchildren. His brothers (and fellow Beach Boys) Dennis and Carl preceded him in death in 1983 and 1998, respectively.
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