There are almost no corners of the music world that Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson didn’t touch, so since news broke earlier today that he had died at age 82, there have been an outpouring of tributes from friends, fans, and fellow musicians. In many cases it’s all three in one person.
Paul McCartney, who has called “God Only Knows” “greatest song ever written” and who has said that Pet Sounds was the core influence on The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, penned a tribute: “Brian had that mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special. The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time. I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while. How we will continue without Brian Wilson, ‘God Only Knows’.”
“Brian Wilson was my friend and my brother in songwriting,” wrote Carole King. “We shared a similar sensibility, as evidenced by his 4 over 5 chord under ‘Aaaah!’ in ‘Good Vibrations; and mine under ‘I’m Into Something Good.’ We once discussed who used it first, and in the end we decided it didn’t matter. The world will miss Brian, but we are so lucky to have his music.”
Elton John wrote, “Brian Wilson was always so kind to me from the day I met him. He sang ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight’ at a tribute concert in 2003, and it was an extraordinary moment for me. I played on his solo records, he sang on my album, The Union, and even performed for my AIDS Foundation. I grew to love him as a person, and for me, he was the biggest influence on my songwriting ever; he was a musical genius and revolutionary. He changed the goalposts when it came to writing songs and shaped music forever. A true giant.”
“Brian Wilson was the most musically inventive voice in all of pop, with an otherworldly ear for harmony,” Bruce Springsteen writes. “He was also the visionary leader of America’s greatest band, The Beach Boys. If there’d been no Beach Boys, there would have been no ‘Racing In The Street.’ Listen to ‘Summer’s Gone’ from The Beach Boys’ last album That’s Why God Made The Radio and weep. Farewell, Maestro. Nothing but love and a lovely lasting debt from all of us over here on E Street.”
“Anyone with a musical bone in their body must be grateful for Brian Wilson’s genius magical touch,” wrote Mick Fleetwood. “And greatly saddened of this major worldly loss!!”
“To me, Brian Wilson was not merely about surf music, rather a true musical genius toiling away at melding POP into startling sophistication,” wrote Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale. “He will he be missed mightily.”
Sean Ono Lennon wrote, “Anyone who really knows me knows how heart broken I am about Brian Wilson passing. Not many people influenced me as much as he did. I feel very lucky that I was able to meet him and spend some time with him. He was always very kind and generous. He was our American Mozart.”
“When your mind wants to take wing, listen to ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘Surf’s Up.’ Brian was an inspiration to us all,” said Robyn Hitchcock. “The world is losing geniuses faster than it can grow them. Love and a little drop of mercy to us all, in honour of a great man.”
There are also tributes from Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, The High Llamas’ Sean O’Hagan, Kacey Musgraves, Billy Bragg, JPEGMAFIA, John Stamos, Gene Simmons & Paul Stanley of KISS, Questlove, Clairo, David Coverdale of Whitesnake, Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, Alex Skolnick of Testament, Jeff Rosenstock, Hamilton Leithauser of The Walkmen, Drop Nineteens, Alan Sparhawk of Low, The Avalanches, DāM FunK, Primal Scream, Tim Burgess of The Charlatans, Home is Where, Django Django, Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz, Christopher Cross, Ekko Astral, Anamanaguchi, Cherie Currie of The Runaways, No Joy, A Girl Called Eddy, Kelley Stoltz, Matt Pinfield, Justin Strauss, Darren Rademaker, Randy Bachman, David Wrench, Amy Sedaris, Edgar Wright, and more. Read them below.
Tributes have also come in from the official Beach Boys account, Mike Love, and Al Jardine:
Heard the sad news about Brian today and thought about all the years I’ve been listening to him and admiring his genius. Rest in peace dear Brian.
— Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) June
Oh no Brian Wilson and Sly Stone in one week ~ my world is in mourning 🙏🙏so sad ❤️❤️xx pic.twitter.com/NXPfKzy7Ml
— Ronnie Wood (@ronniewood) June
Anyone who really knows me knows how heart broken I am about Brian Wilson passing. Not many people influenced me as much as he did. I feel very lucky that I was able to meet him and spend some time with him. He was always very kind and generous. He was our American Mozart. A one… pic.twitter.com/UODb9NdqOl
— Seán Ono Lennon (@seanonolennon) June 11, 2025
Sorry to hear Brian Wilson has died. The Beach Boys were the soundtrack of my summers, from "Surfin' Safari" on.
— Stephen King (@stephenking.bsky.social) June 11, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Brian Wilson was a musical and spiritual giant. His melodies shaped generations, & his soul resonated in every note.
— Micky Dolenz (@TheMickyDolenz1) June
I was fortunate to know him; we all were blessed by his genius.
Rest peacefully, Brian.#BrianWilson #TheBeachBoys #MickyDolenz #Music pic.twitter.com/zgD6uairm8
To me, Brian Wilson was not merely about surf music, rather a true musical genius toiling away at melding POP into startling sophistication. He will he be missed mightily.
— John Cale (@therealjohncale) June 11, 2025
xx jc https://t.co/UQDhO4dEVD
God Only Knows.God and Brian Wilson. RIPwww.youtube.com/watch?v=M0lj…
— Billy Bragg (@billybragg.bsky.social) 2025-06-11T17:46:51.897Z
RIP Brian Wilson 🕊️
— JPEGMAFIA (@jpegmafia) June
Sadly, Brian Wilson has passed away. Songwriter, visionary. Thank you for a lifetime of wonderful melodies that spanned decades. I’m going to spend the day listening to the Beach Boys and reminiscing.
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) June
Brian Wilson Has Died. "Genius" is a term used too often and too loosely. "Tortured Genius" even more so. Brian's astonishing output of musical brilliance will bring joy while it influences generations to come. Thank you Brian and Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/rAJry3bMnH
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) June
Another Giant Passes…⭐️✨⭐️✨🙏✨⭐️✨⭐️
— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) June
The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson Dies at 82 | Pitchfork https://t.co/8bGE1BbRr7
brian wilson was the great american composer. with one working ear dialed directly to God. beyond this time & beyond this world. “a broken man too tough to cry” love & mercy to his family. brian forever pic.twitter.com/vsv4Ursc73
— Home Is Where (@homeiswhereband) June
https://www.instagram.com/p/DKxLDhdJ2ps/?hl=en&e=f9166b8d-11e3-40a7-808b-afc42e32f7c1&g=5
Sad about Brian Wilson today… pic.twitter.com/f36Jt9sDYO
— Matt Pinfield (@mattpinfield) June
Words can’t express what Brian Wilson meant to me as a songwriter. I was so fortunate to call him a friend. He was a genuine hero who taught me everything I know about music. Rest in peace, my friend. ❤️ https://t.co/A9vzep40t3
— Christopher Cross (@itsMrCross) June 11, 2025
Rest In Peace Brian Wilson!
— Amoeba Music (@amoebamusic) June 11, 2025
The beloved singer, songwriter, producer & co-founder of the Beach Boys, whose creative brilliance pushed the boundaries of what was possible in the studio, has died at age 82.
We were honored to host Brian Wilson for multiple events over the years. pic.twitter.com/a5Xk4DOpOb
🙏😔🙏
— Cherie Currie (@CherieCurrie3) June 11, 2025
Brian Wilson, the musical savant who scripted a defining Southern California soundtrack with a run of hit songs with the Beach Boys, has died. He was 82.
Source: Los Angeles Times https://t.co/NJngKIwvFe
Brian Wilson – he could write about any subject and it would hit you where it counts
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) June 11, 2025
The best at what he did best pic.twitter.com/efNO0DCeed
We are deeply saddened by the loss of the legendary Brian Wilson, founding member of The Beach Boys. A visionary whose songs became the soundtrack of a generation. pic.twitter.com/etULv9gC83
— Beacon Theatre (@BeaconTheatre) June 11, 2025
Oh gee…We say goodbye to Brian Wilson.
I’ve know the Beach boys since the mid 60’s and have done lots of shows with them. They were the American answer to the Beatles. They wowed everyone with the songs, structures, vocals harmonies. The sunshine sound. I remember when Brian… pic.twitter.com/5zmjmGRcmY— Randy Bachman (@RandysVinylTap) June 11, 2025
When ppl ask me what my favorite record is, I've had the same weird answer since I was twenty years old, the vocals-only version of Pet Sounds. I would listen to this in full several times a day for a long time, hits hard when very sad, have you heard it here it is:www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YB_…
— JEERFROSENSTICK (@jeffrosenstock.bsky.social) 2025-06-11T17:42:06.908Z
🕊️ Brian Wilson of @TheBeachBoys •
“His best-known work is distinguished
for its high production values, complex
harmonies, orchestrations & vocal layering.
Widely acknowledged as 1 of the most
innovative & significant songwriters of
the 20th century.”https://t.co/REq6fv8OSc— FunK (@DaMFunK) June 11, 2025
all modern music production can be traced back to Brian Wilson, RIP our true summer king, f u Mike love
— NO JOY 🪲 (@nojoy) June 11, 2025
impossible to overstate the influence brian wilson has had on the way i think about music. without a doubt would not be here without him. thanks man. RIP pic.twitter.com/HZ8nelm5oG
— Anamanaguchi (REAL) (@anamanaguchi) June 11, 2025
there’s no “pink balloons” without The Beach Boys or Brian Wilson. rest in peace our art pop prince
— ekko astral (@ekkoastral.bsky.social) 2025-06-11T17:10:36.636Z
happened to read a cute anecdote this morning about cher meeting brian wilson. “i love you, brain”! from her memoir:
— speedy ortiz ÷ sad13 ÷ sadie dupuis ÷ haunted guy (@sad13.horse) June 11, 2025 at 2:38 PM
God bless Brian, peace and love to all the family, peace and love Ringo and Barbara. 😎✌️🌟❤️🎶👏🏻🌻🎼☮️ pic.twitter.com/wtkL4wMQCL
— #RingoStarr (@ringostarrmusic) June 11, 2025
RIP SLY STONE
— Backxwash (@backxwash) June 11, 2025
RIP BRIAN WILSON
Riot… and Pet Sounds have been anchors to me and we spent many hours in the van absorbing every molecule of sound and vibe.
— LOW (@lowtheband) June 12, 2025
Thank you Sly and thank you Brian. The light still cuts through.
RIP Brian Wilson pic.twitter.com/ozCeGby8eQ
— William Patrick Corgan (@Billy) June 11, 2025