My Top Ten Beach Boys Albums

[@scottmelton8414]

The main weakness with "Surf's Up" is that Dennis did NOT contribute; his songs were dropped. Toss out Mike's "Student Demonstration Time" and put in Dennis' "4th of July," and you have almost a perfect record.

[@squirrelguy2195]

Don't forget about Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again

[@scottmelton8414]

@@squirrelguy2195 You are right. I was thinking of a politically-themed song; one that was more thoughtful and sincere.

[@visionman61]

Student Dem seems out of place yet because it’s raunchy@ edgy it fits in better changing the mood from the other more melancholy Songs.

[@markplank5929]

Since picking up & listening to Feel Flows box set, I rapidly rediscovered The Beach Boys by increasing my Beach Boys library. Especially the early & mid-70’s period. It was cool to rediscover this video, to learn more & enhance my appreciation of their work.

[@wezlo8733]

I dunno man I love student demonstration time

[@davidgoulden5956]

Sunflower is number one for me. Still sounds astonishing 50 years on - and yet at the same time it is SO evocative of the year 1970. All I Wanna Do - what a rich and celestial sound. Such a DEEP band.

[@andrewashdown3541]

Mine: 1. Good Timing 2. God Only Knows 3. I Can Hear Music 4. Don’t Worry Baby 5. Do You Wanna Dance? 6. Surfer Girl 7. Cottonfields 8. Break Away 9. Sloop John B 10. In My Room

[@AlmightyBruce]

10: Love You 9: Friends 8: 20/20 7: Summer Days (And Summer Nights) 6: Surfs Up 5: Wild Honey 4: Sunflower 3: Today! 2: Pet Sounds 1: The Smile Sessions

[@rileyswedelius-smith6360]

1. Sunflower 2. Pet Sounds 3. Today! 4. Holland 5. Wild Honey 6. 20/20 7. Friends 8. Surf’s Up 9. Carl and the Passions 10. Beach Boys In Concert 1973

[@stevelang6727]

Great top 10 Mine would be: 10. Smiley Smile 9. Summer Days and Summer Nights 8. Holland 7. Wild Honey 6. Smile Sessions 5. Surf's Up 4. Beach Boys Today 3. Friends 2. Sunflower 1. Pet Sounds

[@wesleyrwennerstrom]

Seeing that " Friends" is only 25 minutes long you must have heard it about 100 times on your trip up north. Like your list a lot. I love the Smile album Brian finally completed around 2004. A sonic delight. Still listen to that endlessly to this day. My top three BB albums are 1. Pet Sounds 2. Beach Boys Love You 3. Friends. Whenever I get a chance to see Brian in concert I always hope he will sing Solar System from Love You. Still waiting. A personal favorite Beach Boys song of mine is "All This Is That" from Carl And The Passions : So Tough. It was great to hear them do it live on their 50th anniversary tour.

[@haroldbailey9011]

He’s referring to The Beach Boys smile album. The actual smile. Not Brian’s version 40 years later

[@Logan912]

@@haroldbailey9011There is no actual released Beach Boys SMiLE album. There’s The SMiLE Sessions which is structured after Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE’s track order on the first disc, but it’s still a collection of half-finished songs. BWPS most likely doesn’t represent what the actual Beach Boys album would’ve been in 1967, but Brian himself likely didn’t even know how it would’ve gone even back in 67 due to everything he was dealing with and his erratic behavior in the process of making it anyway. So, really, BWPS is the only truly finished version of SMiLE we could ever get even if it’s from the perspective of 40 years later.

[@mickyholland1281]

The Sunflower album is actually my favorite Beach Boys album of all time, with Pet Sounds at number 2. Call me crazy I guess, lol. I just think that the production of the album is kinda just okay. The tracks all have a lot of treble and distortion sometimes on vocals. It does have a very unique sound that had never been replicated before that I do kinda like, just not the overdose of treble. Also, listen to any song that Bruce sings. Not just on Sunflower, but on any Beach Boys album that Bruce sings. Even on Bruce's solo album, Bruce always some sort of effect on his vocals. He never has just clean vocals. There's always some sort of heavy phasing that make the vocals sound like they're sunk into the mix or the vocals just go left and right due to phasing. Any song Bruce sings on. Tell me you hear it. It helps to wear headphones too.

[@BrianBringelson]

MickyHolland I do agree with you on the heavy hand with the treble. I think they were trying to compensate for crappy stereo equipment of the day, but obviously that back fired. It’s such a unique album in terms of sound. And yes I know exactly what you mean when it comes to Bruce’s lead vocals. It’s like a phaser or something. Very odd. He must not have liked his voice or something.

[@MIKELIN8]

I've always thought of "Sunflower" as the next step after "Pet Sounds". I think that Sunflower voice-wise is equal to Pet Sounds instrumental-wise. Sunflower has the added ingredient of being pretty much a group album, with all members contrbuting with either lead vocals or writing. Dennis's songs are very strong on Sunflower.

[@kevinlewis1017]

If they used the 2 Sunflower sessions "Good Time" and "Loop de Loop" and scrapped bruces "tears in the morning" and Dennis's filler "got to know the woman" can you imagine?!

[@kevinlewis1017]

Mix is great but it has no midrangey guts. Too much smiley face equalizer no pun intended

[@davidgoulden5956]

@@kevinlewis1017 good call. tears in the morning is an embarrassing drag. Always skip it.

[@bobf.5538]

I think its ironic the Beach Boys recorded a song called Dont go near the water ..i believe its on their Surf's up album

[@shea086]

Agree. "Friends" is a classic album. One of my favourites. I feel the Beachboys at their height were in a different league to most other bands of those times and today.

[@markplank5929]

I still have so much to learn about The Beach Boys. It is a joy to hear & learn more & more about their catalog. Thus far, Surfs Up & Friends are my personal favorites.

[@tariqguellil3777]

My top 10 would be : 10. Carl and the Passions 9. 20/20 8. Today 7. Wild Honey 6. SMiLE 5. Surf's up 4. Friends 3. Love You 2. Sunflower 1. Pet Sounds

[@halloweenjack95]

Great Band! One of my favourites

[@thecoda506]

1. The Smile Sessions 2. Pet Sounds 3. Friends 4. Love You 5. Sunflower 6. Smiley Smile 7. Wild Honey 8. Holland 9. Surf's Up 10. Today

[@jackwezesa1081]

20/20 & Surfs Up . Funky Pretty from Holland also.

[@toquecentralmusic9212]

1. Pet Sounds 2. Smiley Smile 3. Surf's Up 4. The Beach Boys Today! 5. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) 6. All Summer Long 7. Sunflower 8. Wild Honey 9. Friends 10. Surfer Girl

[@ronmartin4212]

Summer Means True Love...can't forget THAT one!!!Your Summer Dream(Surfer Girl)and Girls On The Beach(Shut Down vol.2)..Beautiful!!!!

[@LJT1724]

1. Pet Sounds 2. Today 3. Sunflower 4. Holland 5. Surf's Up 6. Smile 7. All Summer Long 8. Summer Days and Summer Nights 9. Wild Honey 10. Surfer Girl

[@Paul-dw2cl]

no Friends?

[@LJT1724]

@@Paul-dw2cl I love it but would sit just outside the top 10 for me personally

[@WilG082]

Wild honey is one of the most underrated albums ever Here comes the night!

[@danicaberard]

Totally agree!!

[@paulcasey6759]

HCTN is the best track - possibly even better than Darlin '. Those chiming guitars!

[@kookadams85]

Fuckyeah - their last great 60s l.p-

[@kevinlewis1017]

It's almost perfect! Amazing thing is that 99% of music fans and casual beach Boys fans never heard of it.

[@MegaStud77]

Don’t forget David Lee Marks! He was a beach boy from 1962 to 1963.

[@joebloggs8636]

And returned them years later with the deaths of Dennis AND Carl...

[@BrianBringelson]

Very true. Totally forgot to mention him. Granted the albums he played on didn’t make my top ten, but I do agree that he was a special part of the early line up.

[@quinnspears3135]

Hi Brian.! I’m late to your channel, I became a Beach Boys fan about 4 years ago, Pet Sounds and SMiLE sessions were my first two introductions, life changed then, there music has helped me out and still is, through all kinds of good and bad times. The Beatles are my number one of all time too, but The Beach Boys are now in my top 5 all time favorites artists, it’s been a journey discovering all there albums, for me, my top 5 are, as of this moment. Pet Sounds SMiLE Sessions Sunflower Friends Wild Honey

[@seinfeld4077]

I love your passion for the beach boys, I have a growing beach boys collection, over 150 pieces, I used to make vinyl videos but can't find the time anymore..the 20/20 album eye chart was a play on words...20/20 as in 20/20 vision, that was their 20th album...

[@impalaman9707]

And we are in the year--2020---so the LP should be celebrated all the more!

[@felipeguatura]

It's no surprise to anyone that Pet Sounds is at the top of the list. I liked your top 10, I love "Friends" too, this album is absolutely enchanting and soft to the ears, like slippers on a cold day. I missed "Beach Boys Today!", from 1965. This album has acquired a surreal importance in my life in recent months, especially with its B-side, as a harbinger of Pet Sounds to come...

[@musclebro144]

I’d say my top ten would be: 1. Pet Sounds 2. Sunflower 3. SMiLE Sessions 4. Today! 5. Smiley Smile 6. Surfs Up 7. Wild Honey 8. Summer Days ( and Summer Nights) 9. Friends 10. 20/20

[@skiddlybop8]

I'm the outlier, because my favorite Beach Boys album is Stack-O-Tracks, the instrumental compilation, which I originally bought on used LP in the esrly Eighties and began playing heavily after seeing them live made me super sentimental. I have listened to it just to study the bass and percussion parts.

[@lucasoheyze4597]

What an asshole 😆

[@quokka6416]

Great video mate 👍 my top ten are: 10: Surf’s Up 9: 20/20. 8: Adult/Child. 7: Wild Honey. 6: Smile. 5: Beach Boys Love You 4: Sunflower. 3: Beach Boys Today! 2: Pet Sounds. 1: Friends

[@quinnspears3135]

And believe it or not, what got me interested and curious in them, was when I watched the Love and Mercy film, I didn’t know anything about them before I watched that, hence why my first proper introductions to the music was Pet Sounds and SMiLE, since that film focused on those era’s heavily. Say what you want about the film, but I say thank you, without it, I wouldn’t be where I am now with The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson. Thought id share, nice to meet you Brian. I dig your channel.!

[@SeahorsesJay]

You're really lucky to have found what you found in your partner! I'm wishing you both the best and also, huge respect for you standing behind LA Light Album like that! - Jay

[@kevinlewis1017]

If you could pick one more I would choose the first concept album Little Duece Coupe no filler, and songs like "a young man is gone" and "spirit of america" are worth the price of admission

[@rundoetx]

Fantastic video. Brings back a lot of memories. After I get through relistening to my Jayhawks albums, I'll probably do Beach Boys next. (If you don't know The Jayhawks Brian, I highly recommend them.)

[@paudiemaguire1]

1 sunflower 2 pet sounds ( my mind changes between 1st and 2nd) 3 surfs up 4 Smile sessions 5 La light (very underrated) 6 thats why god made the radio 7 beach boys self titled (underrated) 8 holland 9 beach boys today 10 beach boys love you

[@sebastian_reu9220]

Thank you very much for this video. Love the Poster! Keep on doing. By the way, love burning backwards!

[@JJ_5289]

Smile is a beautiful collection of songs. I listened to the live concert of Brian wilson and the newer band playing the album and was blown away

[@paladin1726]

Cool story about your wedding. Very creative !

[@jfeast5469]

Great list! Today and Surfin USA are also high up there for me. Their youthful energy and innocence on tunes like The Lonely Sea, Farmer's Daughter and The Surfer Moon are just too much!

[@Bswinmo1]

Love how Beach Boys have sooo many different era of music. So many great albums. I am going to listen to the “ Love You” album again

[@raymondgill9796]

Interesting video. I will listen to some of these that I maybe have not given enough attention to. I tend to keep with Pet Sounds, Smile and the run from Sunflower to Holland, maybe I should cast my net a bit wider.

[@magictransistorradio4933]

I used to as well. There is at least one brilliant song on most of their albums.

[@swigginstevesbargainbeerre1612]

Interesting selection. Sunflower is a very popular album amongst beach boys fans. Great vid

[@michaeldaley5831]

Lady Lynda was a big hit here in the UK, Reached number 6.

[@angeles_faith]

i love lady lynda

[@allenjones3130]

This is one of my favorites!

[@stefano.b65stef77]

i'm going to vote before watching your videos 1) sunflower 2) Friends 3) Surf's Up 4) Pet Sounds 5) wild honey. just the top 5

[@unclesteve1950]

Brian Wilson didn't really have much to do with the "Holland" album itself. But my copy, bought in 1973, included a 7-inch EP which is almost all Brian. It's a 12-minute suite, called "Mount Vernon and Fairway (A Fairy Tale)", about a magic transistor radio (ask your grandparents, kids). Just wondering if you have it or have heard of it, since you didn't mention it in your countdown.

[@magictransistorradio4933]

I love Magic Transistor Radio! Lol!

[@magictransistorradio4933]

Magic Transistor Radio!

[@tobiaspagura9736]

Hi, I really enjoyed the video and all the personal mentions about the albums. My favorite albums of them would probably be Pet Sounds, Sunflower, Smile Sessions and Wild Honey, which although it is very short is very very good in my opinion (the same I think of Friends). I always thought The Beach Boys had made Pet Sounds and then back to their classic style, but recently I heard Wild Honey, which was surprisingly good, and after that Sunflower, which I like to call "The Beach Boys' Abbey Road. ". It's my favorite after Pet Sounds for its hippie and mature sound, and Dennis's Forever is ... Incredible. Right now I started listening to their 70's albums, and one that interested me was Holland, because I already knew their first song, Sail On Sailor. It is an excellent album in my opinion, very different from all their previous works and the California Saga of Mike and Al surprised me. Sorry for the long comment, it is that I was very pleased to find a channel that spoke of one of my favorite bands, and not just Pet Sounds or the surf-rock stage.

[@magictransistorradio4933]

You mentioned Sunflower twice. I think the 2nd time you meant 20/20? That is often thought of as their white album because it is disjointed. Each Beach Boys brings their own style.

[@kevinlewis1017]

i remember growing up in the northeastern u.s. early 80s I would mention I really liked pet sounds and no one even heard of it unless they were real die hard music fans. Now it's like sgt pepper. I think a lot of non beach boy fans jumped on the pet sounds train only when it was getting recognition in the last 30 years.

[@sundries264]

Good interesting list. About "This Whole World"; a great song but I always felt like it seems incomplete, like it needs another chorus at its regular tempo. I believe if that was added it may have been considered as a single and maybe a hit. 20/20 is very much worth a listen and is a fun album. I had one of those Brother/Reprise 2-LP editions with Wild Honey. Pet Sounds is probably one of the greatest albums of all time because you can listen to it multiple times and hear different musical things. Yeah, it's that good. The standard mono version of this album is the way to go here but I'm also one of those rare fans who also enjoys the Duophonic version of this album.

[@davidschecter5247]

You might think it needs another chorus, but I think what makes it special is that it doesn't have another chorus. It has a unique Brian Wilson structure that just unfolds before you rather than adheres to more common song structures. Another great song in that vein is The Turtles' "You Know What I Mean." That could almost be a Brian Wilson song in terms of its daring (lack of) structure.

[@hootenhtn]

If you checked out my Ritual Saturday Listening list today on my Facebook page, you would have noticed that "Sunflower" was one of my picks for today. I posted most of the songs from it a bit later. Yes, I always wondered why the album sounds so unusually different and good. Thanks for the explanation. "The Beatles Second Album" was also on today's Saturday Ritual list, in addition to The Anchor + Bear "Raindrops and Gold" (which I also later posted in its entirety.) I noticed that's a Stereo pressing of "Pet Sounds" you have there, which obviously is not a Capitol pressing, but perhaps from Analogue Productions? Do you now prefer "Pet Sounds" in Stereo? I was working in a Record Store when "Love You" came out. Man, what a hard sell that one was. A year and a half later we couldn't even give away cut out copies marked $1.99. Agreed, it certainly is a weird one, and deserves to be more recognized.

[@larsdybvad4789]

1 Pet Sounds sessions - 2. Smiley Smile stereo - 3. Surf´s Up - 4. Holland - 5. Sunflower - 6 .20/20 - 7. Friends - 8. Carl & the Passions. ❤

[@larsdybvad4789]

thanks a lot!

[@funnyguise]

L.A. and Keepin' the Summer Alive are my top 2!

[@tariqguellil3777]

What do you think about "Carl and the Passions - So Tough" ? It's one of my favorite

[@themagnanimous1246]

It was a slow burn for me but I love it!

[@joebloggs8636]

Really good album..

[@wcassady]

Dennis alone makes that album great

[@kookadams85]

@@wcassady ?? So tough was NOT Dennis's best c'mon. W/o mess of help & marcella the lp is crap-

[@wcassady]

@@kookadams85 I must've missed the part where I said it was Dennis's best work.

[@kidsplan]

I enjoyed watching this video. Most of fans hate or Ignore L.A.(Light Album). But you save it. My Top 10 (Nobody agrees, but I seriously choose) #1 Party #2 All Summer Long #3 Love You #4 Sunflower #5 Still Cruisin' #6 15 Big Ones #7 Today #8 Shut Down Volume 2 #9 Keepin' The Summer Alive #10 M.I.U. Album

[@paladin1726]

😂 pretty cool that nobody in this world shares your taste. Beach boys fan taste is all over the place. I love it! Three of yours are in my top 10

[@jorgemansilla9043]

It’s so weird to hear that people ‘don’t get’ the album Smile. I remember hearing the smile sessions when I was 15 (back in the 90’s). I was in love right away ……. When it came out officially a few years ago, I bought the album and was so excited to hear the album the way brian wanted it. MASTERPIECE …..

[@Trifixion22]

Great video! I'm trying to get into the Beach Boys more, since they're so important to the history of music and audio production.

[@isaacsmusic88]

surfer girl is one of my favorites.

[@YXXXXNN]

honestly surprised how many people in the comments are putting Smile (relatively speaking) low, imo Pet Sounds and Smile reign supreme, towering over even their number 3 (either Friends or Love You imo)

[@leopoldopetrieska6564]

this whole world chords are all over the place, crazy stuff indeed

[@tomrobinson5776]

My top 5: (5) Sunflower (4) Smile (3) Holland (2) Surf’s Up (1) Pet Sounds

[@theokidokis]

I knew what was coming next every time spot on!

[@jeffclement2468]

I would have to include Endless Summer or another compilation of the early hits...and the Today album ❤✌

[@impalaman9707]

How come the pre-1966 albums get no love from you? Look, I'm no fan of their 1962-63 concept albums dedicated to cars and surfing, either---but I think you should at least give a listen to the creative spark Brian had in the 1964-65 period,, with "Today", "Summer Days and Summer Nights", and the single "Little Girl I Once Knew". I still think that 1965 was when Brian's brain really turned on and he was at his most creative stride because he was trying to fight off the British Invasion alone and i think he did a brilliant job even before he got to "Pet Sounds" and "Smile"---and you can thank the Beatles for making him competitive

[@magictransistorradio4933]

I agree with you. David Crosby mentioned that In My Room blew him away when it came out in 1963. The Surfer Girl album is probably one of the best albums released in 1963. In my opinion, the Beach Boys songs before 1964 were better than the Beatles. And I would argue that artistically the productions were ahead of the Beatles until 1967. If Smile came out, then it would have been 1968.

[@zackamania6534]

Surfer Girl might be the second best Beach Boys LP … sometimes people try to act “hip” by ignoring their early stuff

[@Matasky2010]

I find it hard to take anything pre-1966 very seriously to be honest, that was just the 'beginning' and doesn't even compare to what came soon after..

[@Matasky2010]

@@zackamania6534 Or they just don't dig it because it's so primitive compared to what came after.

[@impalaman9707]

@@Matasky2010 All I am asking is that you at least open your mind to 1965

[@coffeetablevinyl7955]

Great video. Some interesting choices here

[@jorgemansilla9043]

1. Pet sounds 2. Smile 3. Today 4. Summer days 5. All summer Long 6. Surfs up 7. Sunflower 8. Wild honey 9. Holland 10. Smiley smile.

[@Jeffrywith1e]

Agreed. Surfs Up (the song) is one of the greatest things i have ever heard! and a rather recent discovery for me.

[@67Blondies]

Very cool reviews. Appreciate the fun opinions. So much musical wonder to choose from.

[@davidschecter5247]

Not a big fan of LOVE YOU, but it's a great list. I'd add TODAY to the list, and maybe jettison LIGHT ALBUM and put on THAT"S WHY GOT MADE THE RADIO, if only for the last three BW songs on the record as well as a couple of others. The other amazing thing about "This Whole World" is the song's structure. Incredibly complex song in terms of that. Can't pick a favorite song on SUNFLOWER. Too many, like "Add Some Music," "Cool Cool Water," "Forever," "At My Window," Dennis' rockers, etc. Nice that you mentioned Desper's engineering. It's one of the warmest records you will ever hear. Wish others had recorded records that way.

[@haroldbailey9011]

Hot take….the self titled album from 85 has more standouts than the light album and keepin the summer alive. BUT I will say that “Goin’ On” is one of the greatest beach boys songs of all time

[@haroldbailey9011]

And btw, GREAT review! Thank you so much for this!

[@sloopfan3706]

1. Pet Sounds 2. Today! 3. Sunflower 4. Summer Days 5. Love You 6. Friends 7. Surfs Up 8. All Summer Long 9. Surfer Girl 10. Wild Honey

[@20thCenturyManTrad]

Lady Lynda is a gorgeous songs, the harmonies on the final part of the song is gorgeous.

[@garyroberts1560]

The train horn in background - echoes of Pet Sounds

[@kookadams85]

Pet Sounds was above& beyond any Beatles album. All summer long-Today-Summer Days too....3/4 of Sunflower-Surfs up-Holland pretty close.

[@kookadams85]

*PET SOUNDS, SUMMER DAYS, TODAY, ALL SUMMER LONG, WILD HONEY, SUNFLOWER, SURFS UP, HOLLAND, LOVE YOU & SMILEY SMILE. Period.*

[@BrianBringelson]

@@kookadams85 don’t know Period but I’ll look it up.

[@TomCwimpRock]

Nice video! Very thoughtful picks.. I’m so glad that you picked “L.A.(Light Album) in your top ten - I thought that I was the only person in the world that liked it, and I am going to put it on my personal list as runner up at number eleven - my picks are.. 10. “Surfin’ USA 9.) “All Summer Long” 8.) “Summer Days” (And Summer Nights) 7.) “The Beach Boys Christmas Album” 6.) “Surf’s Up” 5.) “Friends” 4.) “Smiley Smile” 3.) “The Beach Boys Today!” 2.) “The Beach Boys Love You” 1.) “Pet Sounds”

[@paladin1726]

Why do you put Love You so high on your list? I share your taste except for that selection. I wouldn’t put it in my top 15.

[@TomCwimpRock]

@@paladin1726 Well, these things are so subjective.. My list is based on the albums that I play the most - I can certainly understand why anyone would not love “Love You”. But I think it’s a truly unique one-of-a-kind record that’s weird and ravaged and child-like and innocent at the same time. And the songs (I feel) are really catchy and well arranged… I don’t know - I just like it.. Did you take your name from “Have Gun Will Travel?” That’s one of my favorite TV westerns..

[@paladin1726]

@@TomCwimpRock correct. And I like the radio show even better. 😄

[@littledre6648]

Happy to see you do Beach Boys stuff, keep up with your great content

[@FranklinHillVentures]

Friends is my absolute favorite album by The Beach Boys! Wish it was a little longer though.

[@mikeymutual5489]

Any reviewer that doesn't include any albums from 1963, 1964 or 1965 in his top-10 list is not really a Beach Boys fan. Sure, you like some Beach Boys songs, but you are not a true fan if you practically ignore Brian Wilson's most enduring music. Also, "Smile" is not an actual Beach Boys album, and the sessions that were released do not count as an album either. So try again.

[@ronmartin4212]

Again,agreed!!!!The '60's MADE them!!Best period,PERIOD!!except for Smiley Smile,don't care for that one.Their '70's period is a bit overdone to me.

[@mikeymutual5489]

@@ronmartin4212 Thank you, Ron!

[@jamesjohnson5646]

No "Beach Boys Today!"? 😩

[@sethallison5682]

Friends is a beauty, probably my #2 after Pet Sounds. I also actually really like all their early surf shit too.

[@visionman61]

Great Choice ! Though I would put Surfer Girl In Place of ‘ Love You ‘ I love the raw emotional singing and upbeat songs on that Album ,Les instruments which helps you listen to the beautiful voices more clearly.Your Summer Dream ‘ a great example

[@almada1113]

Beach Boys trivia: everyone stresses the first word when they say PET Sounds, when in fact you should stress the second-Pet SOUNDS. Brian Wilson would say that the sounds he created in the studio were his pets, and that’s what the title of the album refers to. Pet SOUNDS. Like his pet dogs or his pet turtles. His pet sounds.

[@magictransistorradio4933]

A lot of Beach Boys fans love Sunflower. It makes my top 10, but not top 5. 10. Today 9. Summer Days 8. Sunflower 7. Holland 6. Pet Sounds 5. Love You 4. Wild Honey 3. Surfs Up 2. Friends 1. Smile

[@TheNirvanaConcerts]

based

[@lucianalder8186]

1. Smile 2. Pet Sounds 3. Today 4. Surfs up 5. Sunflower 6. Friends 7. Summer days 8. 20/20 9. Shut down vol.2 10. Smiley Smile

[@daniel.holbrook]

right now my top 10 would go something like 10. Carl and the Passions - So Tough 9. Sunflower (indisputably gorgeous and an excellent showcase for their talent as a group, but as a whole it just feels, I dunno- too... sunny and flowery? for my tastes to make it any higher. It's almost a reverse-concept album for me- where the overall 'vibe' being a little too sugary detracts from the essential beauty of the individual tracks rather than elevating them) 8. Love You 7. Surf's Up (Student Demonstration Time doesn't exist) 6. Holland 5. Wild Honey 4. The SMiLE Sessions (if you wanna count it) 3. Pet Sounds 2. Today 1. Smiley Smile (this was sort of the soundtrack that got me through a rough time in life, and... I dunno, it just sorta takes me to a quiet place, nothing I can explain in more substantial terms) If The SMiLE Sessions don't count, bump everything up and throw The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (yup) at 10 Their earlier stuff sorta bleeds into one another for me, that being said All Summer Long would be my pick of the 'surf/cars/girls' era albums. 20/20 would be one of their absolute bests if you changed the sequencing, dropped the creepfest that is Never Learn Not to Love and threw in a finished version of Can't Wait Too Long. The demos/alternate versions of some of the Friends tracks make it obvious to me that that album was, to an extent, pared down deliberately- whereas on Smiley Smile and Wild Honey it was done out of necessity- and the result's a little less compelling for me. I get it, I just don't dig it as much.

[@retronostalgiafan8635]

Surf’s up came out in 1971

[@richardgurney1844]

Lol I pretty much have the exact opposite opinion on LA: Light Album! The tracks he isn't keen on are the ones I love and vice versa! :) Ultimately, I agree it's the most overlooked Beach Boys album

[@Giggens]

Great video man!

[@raymondgill9796]

You again!

[@cvb94]

Have been a massive Beach Boy fan since 1964. Here is my list of what I "objectively" think are their top LPs, Surf's Up being the one I have personally love the most: 1. Pet Sounds 2. Smile (my 12 song version, though the 2011 version is also terrific) 3. Sunflower 4. Surf's Up (might have been #1 if it had Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again and 4th of July) 5. Holland 6. Today (would have been #5 if it Guess I'm Dumb had replaced Denny's Drums) 7. All Summer Long (would have been better if I Do was included in place of the comedy piece). 8. Summer Days and Summer Nights (would have been better if Sandy had been included). 9. Landlocked - My version of 13 songs recorded from Jan 1969-Aug 1970, 12 outtakes plus one 45 (Lady). Ten are traditionally associated with the LP but it excludes the three Surf's Up songs and adds Games Two Can Play, Back Home (1970 version) and Seasons in the Sun. 10. Reverberation - My version of 13 songs recorded from June 1968-Nov 1969, 10 outtakes + 3 Capitol Singles. As the last two are cheats I will add two more official releases - Friends and then Wild Honey. Though Surfer Girl, Shut Down Vol II and That's Why God Made the Radio could all have replaced Wild Honey for the 10th spot. Love You is the only other one that people usually place in their top 10 but it is not even on my top 20.

[@paladin1726]

Surfin USA is heavily underrated. I don’t know that it’s in anyone’s top 10 except mine. Surfin USA, shut down are hits. Farmers Daughter and Lonely Sea are two of the most enjoyable BB songs of all time IMO. Both songs, along with Lana, do such a great job of showing off Brian’s beautiful vocals. Also love Noble and the surf instrumentals.

[@geof900]

Happy LA made top 10. Thanks

[@jldraw]

Wow Brian, you showed some restraint in putting together a Beach Boys top ten list and not including any pre-1966 albums. Pretty cool! Are you going to be picking up the "Feel Flows" box set when it comes out later this year?

[@magictransistorradio4933]

I hope it comes out! I have heard it may not. Hopefully just a pandemic delay.

[@sheatiller2465]

In no exact order, All Summer Long Surf's Up Carl and the Passions The Beach Boys Love You The Beach Boys Pet Sounds Wild Honey Sunflower Friends Today! Holland I left out the Christmas album because it's hard to rank holiday albums in with stuff that you listen to all year.

[@jeffreybiscoe6]

Good info for a old guy who had them mostly on 45 rpm. May have to look for friends on 8 track my 68 Ford has a factory tape player be a good era fit .

[@andrebruscao6120]

Nice man, your english is very easy to understand, to me that dont speak a perfect english... My top 5 1 Pet sounds 2 Wild honey 3 20-20 4 Smile 5 friends

[@johnlorinc2081]

Nice video. Interesting list. You may be the only person to say something good about the L.A. Album. I would have placed Today! somewhere on my list. Had it not been for the closing track "Bull Session With Big Daddy", I think Today! would almost be as good and (nearly) as important as Pet Sounds.

[@darrellwhitman4756]

My List : 10. Friends 9. Surfer Girl 8. 20/20 7. Summer Days and Summer Nights 6. All Summer Long 5. The Beach Boys Love You 4. Sunflower 3. Wild Honey 2. The Beach Boys Today! 1. Pet Sounds

[@ChromeDestiny]

Light Album I would agree has some excellent tracks. There were good songs they had around at that time that either weren't put out at that time but played live, or wound up on soundtracks and side projects or were released way later and Light Album would have benefited from all of them. I made myself a modified version that dropped the long disco version of Here Comes The Night to make room for those and now I like Light Album a lot more. The other thing I've read about Light Album is that they were considering putting a revamped version of Do You Like Worms from the Smile sessions on it, I wish they'd gone ahead and done that!

[@joebloggs8636]

The Beach Boys during this time period many young fans may not know appealed to "hippies"..they were not just "car songs and girls..sun ect" they did like 4 or 5 albums that were gteat..listen to "Sail on Sailor"...you wouldn't know it was them...these 4 or 5 are my fav by them.

[@impalaman9707]

They were really at a crossroads musically in the early 70s. They were even thinking of changing their name to "Beach" because being called "THE somethings" was now antiquated and hokey. But they had already changed so much in only 7 short years--I mean, "Long Promised Road" was a FAR cry from "Little Deuce Coupe", and people could have been forgiven for listening to "Sail On Sailor" on the radio in 1973 and not mistake it for a new Doobie Brothers song, because it doesn't even sound like "Pet Sounds" Beach Boys, let alone "Shut Down Volume 2" Beach Boys!

[@magictransistorradio4933]

In the United States, their albums flopped pretty much after Pet Sounds. Sunflower was the least sold album. Though I heard it did well in England. But around 1971, the Beach Boys begin to be appreciated by the hippies. They were on the front cover of a magazine (maybe Rolling Stone?) and the headline read 'Beach Boys still fighting their surf image'. Their manager Jack Rieley helped them update their image.

[@joebloggs8636]

@@magictransistorradio4933 yeah ..i said that about a year ago: see comment above yours.

[@joebloggs8636]

@@impalaman9707 yup, i said samething

[@magictransistorradio4933]

@@joebloggs8636 I was responding to that and agreeing with you. :)

[@lancer4020]

My top 10 BB albums: 10 The Beach Boys Love You 9 Summer Days (And Summer Nights!) 8 Friends 7 Smiley Smile 6 Surfs Up 5 Wild Honey 4 Sunflower 3 Today! 2 SMiLE Sessions 1 Pet Sounds

[@JohnNoirSmith]

Love "Sunflower" myself, but "Got To Know The Woman" manages to feel like it goes on and on forever in spite of being less than 3 minutes long, and just gets on my nerves

[@WallaceRoseVincent]

Cool clock!

[@sxnderland]

Really good content

[@davidstorm4015]

Great selection, I agree with many of your choices, except 'Love You'. I could never get into that album, it just sounds extremely dated and never struck any chords with me.

[@gordonovenshine6968]

1. Sunflower. 2. Holland. 3. Surf's Up. 4. Pet Sounds. 5. Friends. 6. Today. 7. Smiley Smile. 8. 20/20. 9. Wild Honey. 10. Summer Nights.

[@JohnNoirSmith]

If "Smile" had been finished, it would've been my number one. Might still be to be honest