1 of THE BEACH BOYS and BRIAN,
+ 2 WILSONesque playlists
of all their imitators!
B E A C H
B O Y S
& BRIAN WILSON
BRIAN WILSON defined THE BEACH BOYS with his writing, singing, playing, vocal arranging, and studio production. Competing with Phil Spector's production and Paul McCartney's inspiration, Brian took the band from Surf and Hot Rod songs to the stunning pop hymnals of the Pet Sounds and Smile albums, considered among the greatest and most influential albums ever made.
Here's that sonic revolution in chronological order, covering the band and solo projects from 1962 to today, with tidal waves of great music that many folks have never heard beyond the early radio hits.
1962-Today
BRIAN WILSON/Beach Boys
W I L S O N e s q u e:
2 Tribute music players!
Here are over 350 artists from every era and genre, lovingly imitating Brian's styles with THE BEACH BOYS.
Note: The songs are arranged in "sonic order": The Beach Boys' originals are included in chronological order, and paired with each song are covers, clones, and cousins of that particular song or sound from across time.
Each of Brian's varied styles are tributed from 1962 to 1978:
• in the 1962-1965-esque Music Player, all of the early Surf hits, the Drag racers, and lush ballads.
• in the 1966-1978-esque Music Player, all of the Baroque Pop of PET SOUNDS, the Acid Americana of SMiLE, the Groovy Folk of the late '60s, and on into the Moog Rock sounds of the mid '70s, followed at the end by a coda of songs about the band.
W I L S O N e s q u e:
1962-1965-esque
BRIAN WILSONesque: 1962-1965-esque
Hear the unlimited Playlist here.)
W I L S O N e s q u e:
1966-1978-esque
BRIAN WILSONesque: 1966-1978-esque
Hear the unlimited Playlist here.)
There are favored guests and many surprises along the way.
You would expect Jan And Dean, The Beatles, The Mamas And Papas, Sagittarius, Chicago, Queen, Electric Light Orchestra, 10cc, XTC, Jellyfish, and The High Llamas.
But how about rabble-rousers like The Who, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Sparks, John Cale, Brian Eno, Ramones, Blondie, Gary Numan, The Clash, Plastic Bertrand, The BusBoys, Sham 69, Descendents, Jesus And Mary Chain, R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Psychic TV, The Flaming Lips, Garbage, Yo Lo Tengo, and The Dirtbombs? Paired with the original songs that inspired them, the unlikely influence becomes clear.
From tough melodic sunshine to symphonic pop to shining hymnals to languid confessionals, Brian has rippled through every kind of band with his waves: Surf, Chamber Pop, Songwriter, Power Pop, Punk, New Wave, Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelic, and more.
Along the way, the Music Players reveal Brian's influence on unsung classics by peers like The Supremes, The Kinks, The Shangri-La's, The Turtles, Buffalo Springfield, Love, The Monkees, The Zombies, Vashti Bunyan, Harpers Bizarre, The Tokens, Laura Nyro, The Association, The Free Design, Sly And The Family Stone, Spirit, Three Dog Night, Genesis, America, Todd Rundgren, Sweet, and War.
And shines light on rare gems by later artists like Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Squeeze, Joan Jett, The dB's, U2, The Dukes Of Stratosphear, The La's, Lush, Bjork, Beck, Ween, Weezer, Wilco, Telekinesis, Chicks On Speed, BC Camplight, and Dirty Projectors.
The music surfs the equator with Los Mabber's (Mexico), Equipe 84 (Italy), Les Nautiques (Canada), Trubrot (Iceland), Ilious & Decuyper (France), Frida of ABBA (Sweden), Klaatu (Canada), Hoodoo Gurus (Australia), Shonen Knife (Japan), Fugu (France), The Luminanas, (France), Preuteleute (Belgium), Sin Fang Bous Of The Loch Ness Mouse (Iceland), Jorn Aleskjaer (Norway), and Zumpano (Canada).
Brian's radical arrangements and angelic harmonies opened new vistas and depths, and contemporary acolytes like Wondermints, Olivia Tremor Control, Goldfrapp, The Heavy Blinkers, The Shins, Grandaddy, The Explorers Club, Best Coast, Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty, Beachwood Sparks, She & Him, The New Pornographers, The Ruby Suns, Pas/Cal, Panda Bear, Maston, Django Django, The Sunchymes, and Jacco Gardner are still riding his tides.
of BEACH BOYS music you've never heard!
Aboard a tidal wave
Come about hard and join
The young and often spring you gave
I heard the word
Wonderful thing
A children's song..."
© Tym Stevens
See Also:
• BEATLE-esque: 450 Albums That Homage Specific BEATLES Albums, with 2 Music Players
• BEATLESQUE Songs: 1966-esque, with Music Player!
• LENNONesque: Artists imitating John Lennon's BEATLES and Solo styles, with 2 Music Players
• McCARTNEYesque: Artists imitating Paul McCartney's BEATLES and Solo styles, with 2 Music Players
• SLICE TONES: Artists imitating Sly Stone's SLY & THE FAMILY STONE styles, with 5 Music Players
• TWIN PEAKS: Its influence on 30 years of Film, TV, and Music, with 5 Music Players
• MORRICONE-esque: The influence of the Spaghetti Western sound on 50 years of Rock and Soul, with 3 Music Players
• The Real History of ROCK AND SOUL!: The Music Player Checklist
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