emirates7 - Brian Wilson, the legendary co-founder of the Beach Boys who shaped the band's immense popularity and helped define the sound of the California dream, has passed away at the age of 82, his family confirmed.
The cause of death was not disclosed in the announcement posted on Instagram. Wilson had been under a legal conservatorship since last year due to a "major neuro-cognitive disorder."
"We are at a loss for words right now," his family wrote. "We know that our grief is shared by the world."
A musical trailblazer, Wilson was the creative force behind a wave of chart-topping hits in the 1960s that rivaled the Beatles, including classics like Surfin’ USA, I Get Around, Fun, Fun, Fun, and Surfer Girl, all of which cemented the Beach Boys as America’s top-selling band of the era.
Though he never surfed himself, Wilson’s unmatched talent for songwriting and his extraordinary musical instincts allowed him to craft a dreamy, sun-soaked soundscape that defined West Coast pop.
His innovative productions earned admiration from fellow musicians, including Bob Dylan, who once told Newsweek, “That ear — I mean, Jesus, he's got to will that to the Smithsonian!” Dylan also honored Wilson on Wednesday via X, writing about the decades he spent admiring his brilliance and adding, “Rest in peace dear Brian.”
Despite a prolific period of songwriting—creating around 200 tracks celebrating surf, sunshine, and California girls—Wilson later struggled with a severe, drug-induced depression that lasted for decades.
It wasn’t until 35 years later that he made a triumphant return to complete Smile, the long-unfinished Beach Boys album that many consider his greatest work.
The cause of death was not disclosed in the announcement posted on Instagram. Wilson had been under a legal conservatorship since last year due to a "major neuro-cognitive disorder."
"We are at a loss for words right now," his family wrote. "We know that our grief is shared by the world."
A musical trailblazer, Wilson was the creative force behind a wave of chart-topping hits in the 1960s that rivaled the Beatles, including classics like Surfin’ USA, I Get Around, Fun, Fun, Fun, and Surfer Girl, all of which cemented the Beach Boys as America’s top-selling band of the era.
Though he never surfed himself, Wilson’s unmatched talent for songwriting and his extraordinary musical instincts allowed him to craft a dreamy, sun-soaked soundscape that defined West Coast pop.
His innovative productions earned admiration from fellow musicians, including Bob Dylan, who once told Newsweek, “That ear — I mean, Jesus, he's got to will that to the Smithsonian!” Dylan also honored Wilson on Wednesday via X, writing about the decades he spent admiring his brilliance and adding, “Rest in peace dear Brian.”
Despite a prolific period of songwriting—creating around 200 tracks celebrating surf, sunshine, and California girls—Wilson later struggled with a severe, drug-induced depression that lasted for decades.
It wasn’t until 35 years later that he made a triumphant return to complete Smile, the long-unfinished Beach Boys album that many consider his greatest work.