Lasting Legacy of Brian Wilson: A Look at the Influence on History
A closer look at the lasting mark left by Brian Wilson—a timeline of influence.
Brian Wilson is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the co-founder of the Beach Boys. He is celebrated for his innovative approach to pop composition, musical talent, and mastery of recording. Wilson's work is characterized by high production values, complex harmonies, layered vocals, and introspective themes. His vocal range and struggles with mental illness are also notable aspects of his life and career.
1966: Rising Influence and Recognition
By the end of 1964, Brian Wilson had become an influential musician in Los Angeles. However, it wasn't until 1966 that a broader public recognition of his talents was achieved.
1967: Bernstein Describes Wilson as Important Pop Musician
In 1967, the CBS documentary Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution, hosted by Leonard Bernstein, described Brian Wilson as "one of today's most important pop musicians."
1969: Cohn Recognizes Wilson as Pop Art Progenitor
In his 1969 book Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock, Nik Cohn recognizes Brian Wilson as a progenitor of authentic pop art, elevating high school-themed music "to completely new levels" and transforming it into a mythic narrative.
1978: Leaf Identifies Wilson as Influence on Bands
Writing in 1978, David Leaf identified Brian Wilson's 1960s productions as a chief influence on bands such as Queen, Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), 10cc, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, among others.
1995: Wilson recalls 'Caroline, No' as best he's ever written
In 1995, Wilson reflects on the song Caroline, No as 'probably the best I've ever written'.
1997: O'Hagan on Rock Music Stifling Pop Composers
Speaking in a 1997 interview, musician Sean O'Hagan felt that rock music's domination of mass culture following the mid-1960s had the effect of artistically stifling contemporary pop composers who, until then, had been guided by Brian Wilson's increasingly ambitious creative advancements.
2000: Reflections on Solo Tours
In 2000, Brian Wilson expressed his satisfaction with his solo tours, stating that he felt more comfortable on stage and had a better band than the Beach Boys.
2000: Caroline Now! Tribute Album Released
In 2000, Marina Records released Caroline Now!, an album of Brian Wilson's songs recorded by artists including Alex Chilton, Kim Fowley, the Aluminum Group, Eric Matthews, Saint Etienne, Peter Thomas, the High Llamas, and Jad Fair of Half Japanese.
2003: Wilson reconfigured sound techniques.
The 2003 book Temples of Sound states that Wilson distinguished himself from Spector through the usage of certain instruments, such as banjo, and by possessing a "clean muscle" missing in Spector's work.
2007: Panda Bear's Person Pitch Album
Thanks to acts such as Panda Bear and his 2007 album Person Pitch, Brian Wilson began to be recognized for his continued impact on the indie music vanguard since the late 2000s.
2008: Comparison in Dark Mirror
In his 2008 book Dark Mirror: The Pathology of the Singer-Songwriter, Donald Brackett identifies Wilson as "the Carl Sandburg and Robert Frost of popular music.
2009: Pitchfork on Indie Music and Wilson's Themes
In 2009, Pitchfork ran an editorial feature that traced the development of nascent indie music scenes, and chillwave in particular, to the themes of Brian Wilson's songs and his reputation for being an "emotionally fragile dude with mental health problems who coped by taking drugs."
2010: Moorefield Acknowledges Wilson as a Brilliant Producer
Virgil Moorefield's 2010 book The Producer as Composer: Shaping the Sounds of Popular Music acknowledges Brian Wilson as a "brilliant producer" who significantly expanded the field of music production.
2011: Dillon on Tributes to Wilson
Writing in his 2011 book on the Beach Boys, Mark Dillon stated that tributes to Brian Wilson remained "common among musicians young enough to be his children".
2015: Doggett on Wilson and Pop Battles
In his 2015 book Electric Shock, Peter Doggett identifies Brian Wilson as the quintessential figure of an era marked by "some of the most notorious pop battles" between "idealistic musicians" and the executives funding their ambitious projects.
2016: Lambert on Wilson's Harmonic Ingenuity
In 2016, musicologist Philip Lambert stated that Brian Wilson's harmonic approach demonstrated an exceptional mastery and significantly expanded upon the British-American pop idiom of the 1960s, leaving a lasting imprint on popular music since.
2016: Guriel Credits Pet Sounds with Inventing Modern Pop Album
Writing in 2016, The Atlantic's Jason Guriel credits Pet Sounds with inventing the modern pop album, stating that Brian Wilson "paved the way for auteurs [and] anticipated the rise of the producer [and] the modern pop-centric era, which privileges producer over artist and blurs the line between entertainment and art."
2022: She & Him Embark on Tribute Tour
In 2022, She & Him, accompanied by the release of Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson, embarked on a concert tour dedicated to renditions of Brian Wilson's songs.
