Brian Wilson’s 1966 masterpiece is now considered a crowning achievement of music. The album’s reputation grew over time.

Wilson, who died June 11 at age 82, gave some of the studio world's guitar greats their shining moments on the Beach Boys' hit records

Despite singing about surfing and being endlessly labelled as a surf band, the Beach Boys didn't actually sound anything like other surf rockers like Dick Dale or the Ventures. Pet Sounds ' instrumental title track is the exception, with its twangy electric guitar and exotica rhythms apparently having been intended for a James Bond film.

Two "Pet Sounds" highlights, the former featuring envelope-pushing instrumentation and production and the latter, a deceptively complex harmonic structure as well as lyrics that were, at that point, taboo for a pop song because of the repeated references to God. The Beatles' Paul McCartney named "God Only Knows" his favorite song of all time.

Brian Wilson, the driving force behind the Beach Boys whose sprawling compositional prowess influenced rock musicians from the Beatles to Radiohead and points between, has died, his family announced Wednesday.

Tiring of making frothy pop, the late Brian Wilson threw away his Beach Boys’ template, assembled a battalion of top session players, and began recording an all-time classic

The Beach Boys are known for their catchy tunes, but one of their most popular songs continues to baffle fans who are still trying to make sense of its meaning