Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys fame dead at 82

One of music’s true geniuses, and leader of the world’s most iconic bands, has died.

Brian Wilson’s family announced in a social media statement this morning that the legendary producer, composer and performer with The Beach Boys passed away.

He was 82 years old, days short of his 83rd birthday on June 20.

“We are at a loss for words right now,” the statement said. “Please respect our privacy at this time as our family (is) grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”

We are heartbroken to announced 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 grieving.

We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.

Love & Mercy pic.twitter.com/sIe7TUUdOm

— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilsonLive) June 11, 2025

Widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative and significant songwriters of all time, Wilson’s musical talent and devotion to the art became apparent at a young age.

He was just 19 when he formed The Beach Boys alongside his brothers Dennis and Carl, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine.

It was a quick rise to fame for the band, which was launched into the spotlight with their first top-10 single “Surfin’ U.S.A.” in early 1963.

They went three straight years with number-one hits between 1964-66 in “I Get Around,” “Help Me, Rhonda” and “Good Vibrations.”

In between the latter two, The Beach Boys released the revolutionary album Pet Sounds, now considered to be one of the greatest records ever made.

Pet Sounds was not a commercial hit at first, but its influence, critical acclaim and sales numbers grew significantly over the years to solidify its place as a landmark album in music history.

The 1960s were wildly successful for The Beach Boys, but they did not see the same overall commercial success through the 1970s and 1980s.

That changed a bit in 1988 with the release of “Kokomo,” the band’s fourth and final number-one hit, which led to the successful 1989 album Still Cruisin’.

With brothers Dennis and Carl passing away in 1983 and 1998, Wilson’s attention shifted largely from The Beach Boys to his solo career in the late 1990s.

He spent much of the 2000s releasing solo albums and continuing to tour, with the exception of a brief reunion with The Beach Boys for the 2012 album That's Why God Made the Radio.

In February 2024, it was revealed that Wilson was suffering from dementia and no longer able to care for himself.