When musician Brian Wilson passed in 2025, he left a large discography of music, both solo and with The Beach Boys, including most notably the album Pet Sounds. Pet Sounds is widely considered to be one of the most influential modern pop albums, with many artists such as The Beatles, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and Queen citing it as inspiration in one way or another.
It has also gone on to inspire various genres, such as indie pop; Pet Sounds and Brian Wilson are considered the “Godfather” of indie pop. Pet Sounds was also a large component in the progression of psychedelic pop, melding more experimental, dream-like sounds with vulnerable, introspective lyricism.
Featuring 13 songs, Pet Sounds has a varied tracklist, consisting of both solely instrumental work as well as music with vocals. The tracks cover a variety of issues: “I Know There’s an Answer” is about the popularized escapist drug culture of the ‘60s, “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” is about the negative effects of social rejection and “You Still Believe In Me” is a vulnerable piece about personal defects.
One of my favorites on the album is the title track, “Pet Sounds,” although – funnily enough – this song has no lyrics. Wilson’s instrumentals are really beautiful, and the track being simplistic doesn’t take away from its impact or space on the album, whatsoever. The other favorite, a song I really recommend, is “God Only Knows.”
This track is extremely beautiful, both instrumentally and lyrically, and it is my favorite song out of the entire Beach Boys and Wilson discography. It’s a love song, one in which the narrator expresses the fact that they love their lover so deeply that a life without them could only be fathomed by God. At the time, using the word “God” so casually was considered taboo. The harmonies in this song are really beautiful, and it makes Wilson’s musical genius very clear.
I heavily recommend listening to this album when you get the chance, not only to celebrate the life of an extremely talented musician and group, but to appreciate a key album in the history of modern pop and rock.
