Since their formation in 1961, The Beach Boys rose to popularity with songs that embodied the bright youth culture of California in the United States.
After the release of the historic masterpiece Pet Sounds, which fully showcased the artistic talents of their central figure Brian Wilson, their musical style evolved, and the band became a towering influence on generations to come.
On June 11, 2025, news of Brian’s passing at age 82 was widely reported by media in Japan, and surely introduced many younger listeners to the extent of his impact.
In this article, especially for beginners, we’ll introduce a selection of must-hear tracks—from their early hits to songs from the 1970s and beyond, after Brian stepped back from the spotlight.
- The Beach Boys Popular Song Rankings [2025]
- Iconic and popular songs by the Beastie Boys
- Beginner’s Guide to the Beach Boys: Best and Most Popular Songs
- The Beatles’ famous and popular songs
- Hidden gems of Western music. Lesser-known songs.
- The lineage of garage rock: the footprints left by the mavericks from abroad
- If fans were to name works that best capture the appeal of The Beatles, what would they be?
- Famous and Popular Songs by the Bee Gees
- Great Western rock classics and hit songs of the '60s
- [For Beginners] A Collection of Iconic and Classic Motown Songs That Resonate with the Heart
- The Brilliance of Youth: A collection of the Carpenters’ signature and popular songs
- [50s–60s] A Collection of Rock ’n’ Roll Classics
- Signature and popular hit songs by the American group Backstreet Boys
Beach Boys Masterpieces and Popular Songs Summary [For Beginners] (1–10)
Wouldn’t It Be NiceThe Beach Boys
The opening track of Pet Sounds, known in Japanese translation as “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” It begins with a dreamy, cute guitar intro and features Mike Love’s powerful vocals.
Though short, this love song brims with the Beach Boys’ charm—its refreshing vibe and straightforward lyrics—and continues to be cherished around the world today.
Good VibrationsThe Beach Boys
A 1966 single brimming with the Beach Boys’ experimental flair.
True to their image, it’s a song sung to a cute girl.
The efficient incorporation of cello and the electronic instrument theremin—both uncommon in basic rock instrumentation—into a rock band sound astonished listeners at the time.
It’s a hit number often credited with shaping the history of modern pop songs.
God Only KnowsThe Beach Boys
A track from the classic album Pet Sounds that begins with a beautiful intro featuring a striking bell rhythm and horn timbre.
As the literal title “God Only Knows” suggests, it’s a song about how fate is unknowable to anyone.
With percussion sounds created by adding effects to tongue clicks and various inventive, experimental touches throughout, it’s a piece that even impressed Paul McCartney at the time.
Surf’s UpThe Beach Boys
A symphonic masterpiece where The Beach Boys’ artistry reaches its zenith.
Originally composed for the once-mythic album Smile and then shelved, it carries a dramatic backstory.
Brian Wilson’s delicate piano lines and the grand, kaleidoscopic melody that unfolds with dazzling turns seem to quietly permeate the listener’s innermost heart.
You might feel a bit perplexed at first by the philosophical lyrics—such as the notion that “children raise adults.” Yet as you listen again and again, you’ll surely be captivated by its profound beauty.
Why not linger and immerse yourself in the boundless possibilities of music as an art form?
Please Let Me WonderThe Beach Boys
Please Let Me Wonder, included on the Beach Boys’ 1965 album The Beach Boys Today!, is a gem of a ballad that marked a turning point in the band’s deepening musicality.
Brian Wilson’s delicate melodies and the group’s beautifully layered harmonies create a profoundly moving song that resonates to the core.
The lyrics—about not knowing a lover’s feelings and being afraid to hear the answer—are unadorned and simple, free of any affectation.
That simplicity makes the wistful plea seep deeply into the listener’s heart, imbuing the song with a poignant, melancholic atmosphere.
Let yourself drift on its sweet yet aching melody and bask in a wave of nostalgia.
Fun, Fun, FunThe Beach Boys
A quintessential rock ’n’ roll Beach Boys classic that makes the American West Coast spring to mind—light, breezy, and irresistibly danceable.
Their signature weapon, those gorgeous harmonies, rides atop a rock band sound, making this a track that could be called the very emblem of the ’60s Beach Boys style.
This particular recording is the stereo version remastered in 2001, so it’s great to pop in your earphones and enjoy the spacious left-right spread.
Caroline, NoThe Beach Boys
A track with an experimental sound, where metallic tones from an instrument you can’t even imagine and heavily effected percussion create an exotic mood.
The falsetto vocals are so beautiful that you can listen in a daze—it’s a masterpiece—but in the latter half, the field recordings of a passing train and a dog barking add a strangely unique atmosphere, making it a song that leaves you with a curious feeling after just one listen.