(Credits: Far Out / Caribou Records / Public Domain)
Thu 8 January 2026 22:00, UK
As we steadily settle into 2026, we leave behind a year that took away far too many musical legends, one of whom was the iconic Brian Wilson.
“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” wrote his family in a statement that seemingly stopped the world in its tracks. “We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realise that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”
As you would expect, love from around the musical world poured in as people adjusted to the idea of a planet without Brian Wilson on it, and one of his biggest fans (and rivals) was The Beatles’ Paul McCartney, someone who credited Wilson as being one of the best songwriters of all time with McCartney often citing Wilson as an inspiration, saying his ability as a musician pushed him to constantly bring his A game.
“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,” said McCartney. “How we will continue without Brian Wilson, ‘God Only Knows’.”
Brian Wilson was, to put it plainly, one of the greatest songwriters to ever walk the Earth. While he might not have loved life on the road, the time he spent not on tour was used effectively in the studio.
He mastered not only the craft of songwriting, but also how he could effectively record those songs so that they had a sound which was completely unique when compared to anything else being written at the time. Even now, you struggle to find music that can hold a candle to those Brian Wilson tunes.
His entire discography is laced with great examples of his musicianship, but one of his best is the song ‘Good Vibrations’. That isn’t just a fantastic song that you can dance to, it’s a masterclass in how dedication to the recording process can result in something truly otherworldly. It’s a track that Wilson referred to as a “pocket symphony”, and something that he spent 17 recording sessions and $50,000 to make. This means that 90 hours of studio time were used, 70 hours worth of tape was brandished, and at least 12 musicians helped to bring everything together.
Wilson was an unstoppable force when it came to songwriting, and perhaps one of the only regrets that we as fans might have when looking back at his career is the fact that he didn’t collaborate with as many musicians as we’d have liked. Can you imagine what some top-quality artists would sound like were they to work a little bit with a mind like Brian Wilson? It begs the question, who would the Beach Boy have worked with were it up to him? Well, when asked, he said he loved Celine Dion, mainly for her outstanding vocal ability, but his mind was also in other places…
“Celine Dion. She has nice legs,” he concluded. “And she’s a great singer. And yes, there’s plenty of stuff in the vault. Let’s just say that we’re well stocked.”
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