American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California in 1961. Original lineup: brothers Brian Wilson (bass/vocals, 1961-1998, 1999-present), Dennis Wilson (drums, died 1983), and Carl Wilson (guitar/vocals, died 1998), cousin Mike Love (vocals), and friend Al Jardine (guitar/vocals). Among the most commercially successful and influential bands of the 1960s.
Twenty-nine studio albums between Surfin' Safari (1962) and That's Why God Made the Radio (2012). Critical peak: Pet Sounds (1966), produced by Brian Wilson and frequently cited as one of the greatest albums ever made. The band's complex internal politics — particularly between Brian Wilson and Mike Love — have shaped its long history. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
