
Biography
Brian Douglas Wilson (June 20, 1942 — June 11, 2025) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. After signing with Capitol Records in 1962, Wilson wrote or co-wrote more than two dozen Top 40 hits for the group. He originally functioned as the band's songwriter, producer, co-lead vocalist, bassist, keyboardist, and de facto leader. Wilson was considered a major innovator in the field of music production, the principal originator of the California Sound, one of the first music producer auteurs, and the first rock producer to use the studio as its own instrument. The unusual creative control Capitol gave him over his own records effectively set a precedent that allowed other bands and artists to act as their own producers or co-producers. He was a major influence on the retrospectively-termed "sunshine pop" and Flower Power music that proceeded.
Awards & recognition
- Grammy Award — Best Historical Album · 2013
- Grammy Award — Best Rock Instrumental Performance · 2005
- MusiCares Person of the Year · 2005
- Grammy Awards
- Kennedy Center Honors
Show all 13 awards →
- Grammy Award — Best Music Film · 2006 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Pop Vocal Album · 2005 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Historical Album · 1999 · nominated
- Golden Raspberry Award — Worst Original Song · 1988 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Contemporary Song · 1967 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals · 1967 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Performance by a Vocal Group · 1967 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals · 1967 · nominated
Filmography31 titles

The Beach Boys: A Celebration Concert

The Beach Boys: Doin' It Again

The Devil and Daniel Johnston

Classic Albums

The Beach Boys: Making Pet Sounds

Full House

Duck Dodgers

The Wrecking Crew!

Behind the Music

Love & Mercy

Brian Wilson’s Imagination

Saturday Night Live

The Dick Cavett Show

The Ed Sullivan Show

The Beach Boys

Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback

Classic Albums: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys: An American Band

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Tales of the Rat Fink

Beach Blanket Bingo

The Monkey's Uncle

The Day the Music Died/American Pie

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini

Disorderlies

Streetlight Harmonies

I Hope You Dance: The Power and Spirit of Song

Brian Wilson: Songwriter 1962-1969

Mellodrama