Brian Wilson Beach Boys founder and musical genius Brian Wilson has passed away at the age of 82. Wilson is widely recognized as an epochal figure in orchestral pop, surf music, and shaping the California sound. The Beach Boys, formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961, went on to global success with 37 songs in the top 40 and over 100 million records sold. Wilson, who had many publicized mental health struggles, moved to Malibu in the 1980s, seeking solitude near the beach he often wrote about.
After years away from the spotlight, the eldest and last surviving of the Wilson brothers, started a solo career in the late 80s. Wilson’s health deteriorated after his wife Melinda passed away in 2024. He reportedly suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.