Beach Boys Cofounder Brian Wilson Dies At 82

One of music's most inventive and heartfelt voices has been lost. Brian Wilson, a founding member of the Beach Boys and one of pop music's most famous figures, has died at 82 after a long struggle with a neurocognitive disorder.

Writing such canonical classics as "I Get Around" and "Good Vibrations," producing chart-topping "Hit," and singing lead for the world's favorite surf group, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson was more than a founding part of the Beach Boys. With his brothers Dennis and Carl Wilson, cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine, Wilson co-founded the iconic band in 1961, shaping American music forever. From bright harmonies to elaborate symphonic scores, his vision defined an age and raised pop into an art.

Wilson's family shared the devastating news on social media on June 11 in a statement: "We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now." While fans and critics alike have admired Wilson for his musical genius for decades, his life was also plagued by significant personal struggles. With his meteoric rise to fame in the 1960s and battles with mental health and withdrawal, Brian Wilson was a tale of resilience, exposure, and relentless creativity.

In recent years, he had become increasingly open about his struggles with a neurocognitive disease, but he continued to be active in music and touring until 2022. Despite his battles with health, Wilson never failed to inspire generations of musicians and listeners and teach us that beauty is often born out of chaos.

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Outside of the realm of music, Brian was a doting family man. He is survived by seven children, Carnie and Wendy, from his marriage with singer Marilyn Wilson, and five adopted children, Dakota, Daria, Delanie, Dylan, and Dash, with his late wife, Melinda Ledbetter, who died in 2024. His family's public tribute recognized the great community that loved and adored him, too: "Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving, We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world."

The impact of Brian Wilson is impossible to overstate. From chart-toppers including "Good Vibrations" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice" to his groundbreaking 1988 solo hit "Love and Mercy," Wilson's discography is a testimonial to adventurism, lyrical candor, and the timeless magic of harmony. The Beach Boys were architects of an emotional landscape that touched people across decades and continents. And Brian was their heart.

He received widespread praise for this work, including Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But Wilson could express joy, sorrow, and everything in between, which clinched his legacy. Wilson's family wrote "Love & Mercy," ending their tribute."

It's a message that encapsulates the man and the gift he gave the world, a reminder that music, at its finest, heals and unites. As fans light candles, turn the record, and sing along with the timeless harmonies, by the time Brian Wilson has left this world, his music will never leave.