Brian Wilson, visionary force behind the Beach Boys, dies at 82

WBUR | By Robin Young

Published June 12, 2025 at 11:03 AM CDT

Musician Brian Wilson poses for a portrait in Los Angeles on June 2, 2015. (Casey Curry/Invision/AP)

Brian Wilson, the primary songwriter and producer for the Beach Boys, influenced generations of musicians with his innovative approach to studio production, complex vocal harmonizations and genre-bending compositions, fusing elements of jazz and classical music with pop and rock in ways that were unprecedented at the time.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young reflects on Brian Wilson’s music, life and career.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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Robin Young

Robin Young is the award-winning host of Here & Now. Under her leadership, Here & Now has established itself as public radio's indispensable midday news magazine: hard-hitting, up-to-the-moment and always culturally relevant.

See stories by Robin Young