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	{{Infobox album		{{Infobox album
	| Name = Pet Sounds		| name = Pet Sounds
	| Type = Studio		| type = studio
	| Artist = ]		| artist = ]
	| Cover = PetSoundsCover.jpg		| cover = PetSoundsCover.jpg
	| Border = yes		| border = yes
	| Alt = The Beach Boys at the zoo feeding various goats. The header displays "The Beach Boys Pet Sounds" followed by the album's track list.		| alt = The Beach Boys at the zoo feeding apples to goats. The header displays "The Beach Boys Pet Sounds" followed by the album's track list.
	| Released = {{Start date|1966|05|16|mf=yes}}		| released = {{Start date|1966|05|16|mf=yes}}
	| Recorded = {{Start date|1965|7|12|mf=yes}} – {{End date|1966|4|13|mf=yes}}		| recorded = July 12, 1965 – April 13, 1966
	| Studio = ], ], ], and ], Hollywood		| studio = {{Hlist|]|]|]|] (Hollywood)}}
	| Genre = {{flatlist|<!------Please discuss on talk page before changing.------>		| genre = <!--Please discuss on talk page before changing.-->
			{{hlist|]|]|]|]}}
	*]
			| length = {{Duration|m=35|s=57}}
	*]
			| label = ]
	*]
			| producer = ]
	*]
			| chronology = ]
			| prev_title = ]
			| prev_year = 1965
			| next_title = ]
			| next_year = 1966
			| misc = {{Singles
			| name = Pet Sounds
			| type = studio
			| single1 = ]
			| single1date = March 7, 1966
			| single2 = ]
			| single2date = March 21, 1966
			| single3 = ]" / {{nowrap|"]}}
			| single3date = July 18, 1966
	}}		}}
	| Length = {{Duration|m=35|s=57}}<!--This is the length of the album in its original format, excluding the bonus track.-->
	| Label = ]
	| Producer = ]
	| Last album = '']''<br />(1965) |
	| This album = '''''Pet Sounds'''''<br />(1966) |
	| Next album = '']''<br />(1966)|
	| Misc = {{Singles
	| Name = Pet Sounds
	| Type = studio
	| single 1 = ]
	| single 1 date = March 21, 1966
	| single 2 = ]"/"]
	| single 2 date = July 18, 1966
	}}
	}}		}}
	'''''Pet Sounds''''' is the 11th ] by the American ] band ], released on May 16, 1966. It met a lukewarm critical and commercial reception in the United States, but received immediate success abroad, where British publications declared it "the most progressive pop album ever". It ] at number two in the UK but number ten in the US, a significantly lower placement than the band's preceding albums. In later years, ''Pet Sounds'' garnered enormous worldwide acclaim by critics and musicians alike, and is considered one of the most influential albums in the history of ].		'''''Pet Sounds''''' is the eleventh studio album by the American ] band ], released on May 16, 1966, by ]. It was initially met with a lukewarm critical response in the United States, although it peaked at number 10 on the ] chart. In the United Kingdom, however, the album was lauded by critics and reached number 2 on the '']'' chart, remaining in the top ten for six months. Promoted there as "the most progressive pop album ever", ''Pet Sounds'' was recognized for its ambitious production, sophisticated music, and emotional lyrics. It is now considered to be among the greatest and most influential albums in music history.{{sfn|Abjorensen|2017|p=40}}
			The album was produced, arranged, and almost entirely composed by ] with guest lyricist ]. It was recorded largely between January and April 1966, a year after Wilson had quit ] with his bandmates and debuted a more ] sound with '']'' (1965). Wilson viewed ''Pet Sounds'' as effectively a solo album and credited part of its inspiration to ] and a newfound spiritual enlightenment. Galvanized by the work of his idol ] and rival group ], his goal was to create "the greatest rock album ever made", one without ]. An early ], it consists mainly of introspective and semi-autobiographical songs like "]", about a lover's unwavering loyalty; "]", a critique of ] users; and "]", about social alienation.
	The album was produced and ] by ], who also wrote and composed almost all of its music. ] were conducted several months after he had quit ] with the Beach Boys in order to focus his attention on writing and recording. Collaborating with lyricist ], Wilson's ] arrangements wove elaborate layers of ], coupled with ]s and unconventional instruments such as ]s, buzzing ], ]s, ]s, ], ]s, ]s, Hawaiian-sounding ]s, ] cans, and barking ]s, along with the more usual keyboards and guitars. Together with ] techniques learned from the productions of ], they comprised Wilson's "pet sounds". Its unprecedented production costs totaled over $70,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|70000|1966|r=-4}}}} today).
			Incorporating elements of ], ], ], ], and the ], Wilson's ]–based orchestrations mixed conventional rock set-ups with elaborate layers of ], ]s, and instruments rarely if ever associated with rock, such as ]s, ], ]s, ], ]s, and ]s. It marked the most complex instrumental and vocal parts of any Beach Boys album, and the first in which ]s (such as ]) replaced the band on most of the instrumental tracks. The album could not be reproduced live and was the first time that any group had departed from their usual ] format for a whole LP. Its unprecedented total production cost exceeded $70,000 (equivalent to ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|70000|1966|r=-4}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}}). Lead single "]" was issued as Wilson's official solo debut. It was followed by two singles credited to the group: "]" and "]" (backed with "]"). A planned successor album, '']'', was ].
	Due to its personal, artistic nature, ''Pet Sounds'' is sometimes considered a Brian Wilson solo album in all but name, repeating the themes and ideas he had introduced with '']'' one year earlier. ''Pet Sounds''{{'}} release was led by the singles "]" (backed with "]"), "]", and "]", the last of which was credited solely to Wilson. A follow-up album, '']'', was recorded between 1966 and 1967, but left unfinished. In 1997, a "]" version of ''Pet Sounds'' was supervised by Wilson and released as '']'', containing the album's first ].
			''Pet Sounds'' revolutionized ] and the role of professional record producers, especially through Wilson's pioneering ] ]. The record contributed to the ], a greater ], the popularity of ]s, and the development of ] and ]/]. It also introduced novel approaches to orchestration, ]s, and ], such as its avoidance of definite ] signatures. Although it had been widely revered by industry insiders, the album was obscure to mass audiences before being reissued in the 1990s, after which it topped several critics' and musicians' polls for the best album of all time, including those published by '']'', '']'', '']'', and '']''. The album has also been consistently ranked number 2 in all editions of '']''<nowiki/>'s "]" list. As a solo artist, Wilson embarked on a string of ''Pet Sounds'' concert tours in the early 2000s and late 2010s. In 2004, the album was inducted into the ] by the ] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". ''Pet Sounds'' is certified ] by the ] (RIAA), indicating over one million units sold in the U.S. An expanded reissue, '']'', was released in 1997, featuring the album's first ].
	''Pet Sounds'' is regarded by musicologists as an early ] that advanced the field of ] through its introduction of non-standard harmonies and ]s, incorporating elements of ], ], ], and the ]. A heralding work of ], the album signaled an aesthetic trend within rock by transforming it from ] into music that was made for listening to, elevating itself to the level of ]. Author ] said that within ''Pet Sounds'', " brought expansions in ], ] (and therefore timbre), ], ], and the use of ]. Of these elements, the first and last were the most important in clearing a pathway toward the development of ]."{{sfn|Martin|1998|p=40}} In 2004, ''Pet Sounds'' was preserved in the ] by the ] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."<ref name="Congress">{{cite web|title=The National Recording Registry 2004|url=http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/nrpb-2004reg.html|publisher=The National Recording Registry}}</ref> One year earlier, '']'' ranked it second on its list of the "]".<ref name="rollingstone.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-19691231 |title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time: The Beach Boys, 'Pet Sounds' |work=Rolling Stone }}</ref>
			{{toclimit|3}}
	== Background ==
	]" on '']'' in September 1964, three months before Wilson's resignation from touring]]
			==Background==
	The July 1964 release of the Beach Boys' sixth ] '']'' marked an end to the group's beach-themed period. From there on, their recorded material took a significantly different stylistic and lyrical path.{{sfn|Bogdanov|Woodstra|Erlewine|2002|pp=72–73}} While on a December 23 flight from Los Angeles to Houston, the band's songwriter and producer ] suffered a ] only hours after performing with the group on the ] '']'' {{sfn|Sanchez|2014|pp=63–64}} The 22-year-old Wilson had already skipped several ]s by then, but the airplane episode proved devastating to his psyche.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=53}} In order to focus his efforts on writing and recording, Wilson indefinitely resigned from live performances.{{sfn|Sanchez|2014|pp=63–64}}{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=59}} Freed from the burden, he immediately showcased great artistic leaps in his musical development evident within the albums '']'' and '']'', released in the spring and summer of 1965.{{sfn|Schinder|Schwartz|2007|pp=111–112}} With the July 1965 single "]", Wilson began experimenting with song composition while under the influence of ]s,{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=65}} a factor that yielded a great effect on the group's musical conceptions.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Griffiths|first1=David|title=Dennis Wilson: "I Live With 17 Girls"|journal=Record Mirror|date=December 21, 1968}}</ref>{{sfn|Howard|2004|p=58}}{{refn|group=nb|During the spring of 1965, Brian had what he considered to be "a very religious experience" after consuming a full dose of ]. He stated, "I learned a lot of things, like patience, understanding. I can't teach you, or tell you what I learned from taking it."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=136}} A week after his first LSD trip, he began suffering from ]s, which have persisted throughout his life.<ref name="Ability">{{cite journal|title=Brian Wilson – A Powerful Interview|journal=Ability|year=2006|url=http://abilitymagazine.com/past/brianW/brianw.html|accessdate=February 10, 2014}}</ref>}}
			] performing "]" on '']'' in September 1964, four months before Wilson's resignation from touring]]
			The July 1964 release of the Beach Boys' sixth ] '']'' marked an end to the group's beach-themed period. From then, their recorded material took a significantly different stylistic and lyrical path.{{sfn|Bogdanov|Woodstra|Erlewine|2002|pp=72–73}} In January 1965, to focus his efforts on writing and recording, 22-year-old ] declared to his bandmates that he would not accompany them on concert tours.{{sfn|Sanchez|2014|pp=63–64}}{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=59}} The rest of the group – Brian's brothers ] and ], their cousin ], and their friend ] – continued to tour without Wilson, who was replaced on the road first by session player ] and later by ] of ] and ].{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=89}}
	At the suggestion of bandmate ], Wilson began working on a track, "]", which was originally a traditional ] folk song.<ref name="Jardine1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=|last=|authorlink=|chapter=Comments by Al Jardine|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Comments_by_Al_Jardine.html}}</ref> Wilson recorded a backing track on July 12, 1965, but after laying down a rough lead vocal, he set the song aside for some time, concentrating on the recording of what became their next LP, the informal studio jam '']'', in response to their record company's request for a Beach Boys album for the Christmas 1965 market.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=66–67}} Wilson devoted the last three months of 1965 to polishing the vocals of "Sloop John B" and recording six new original compositions.{{refn|group=nb|"]", "]", "]", "]", "Trombone Dixie", and "Three Blind Mice".<ref name="GIGS">{{cite web|last=Doe|first=Andrew G.|title=GIGS65|url=http://esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs65.html|publisher=Endless Summer Quarterly|website=Bellagio 10452}} {{cite web|last=Doe|first=Andrew G.|title=GIGS66|url=http://esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs66.html|publisher=Endless Summer Quarterly|website=Bellagio 10452}}</ref> "Run, James, Run" was the working title for the instrumental "]", the suggestion being that it would be offered for use in a ] movie.<ref name=BrianWilson1997 />}} In November 1965, "]" was released as a non-album single. A section of the song features total silence, leading to poor airplay where radio stations preferred not to have moments of dead air in the middle of a song. It would be the last original Beach Boys song issued before any ''Pet Sounds'' tracks.<ref name="LeafTodaySummerDays">{{cite AV media notes| title = Today/Summer Days | others= ]| year = 1990| first = David| last = Leaf|authorlink=David Leaf|publisher=]|type=CD Liner|url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Today_Summer_Days.html}}</ref>
			Wilson immediately showcased great advances in his musical development with the 1965 albums '']'' and '']''.{{sfn|Schinder|2007|pp=111–112}}{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=59–61, 66–67}} Released in March, ''Today!'' signaled a departure from the Beach Boys' previous records with its orchestral approach, intimate subject matter, and abandonment of themes related to surfing, cars, or superficial expressions of love.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=60–61}} Wilson also directed his new lyrical approach toward the autobiographical, with his songs written from the perspective of vulnerable, neurotic, and insecure narrators.{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=13}} ''Summer Days'' followed three months later and represented a bridge between Wilson's progressive musical conceptions and the group's traditional pre-1965 approach.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=65}}
	==Collaboration and inspiration==
	In 1965, Wilson met ] working at a recording studio in Los Angeles.<ref name="Tony Asher interview"/>{{refn|group=nb|Asher was at the time a 26 year old lyricist and copywriter who had been working on ]s. He was also a Beach Boys fan who felt that the group was distinct from most artists, releasing a string of hits where "you wouldn't even know, necessarily, that it was gonna be a Beach Boys record from the first bar or something."<ref name="Tony Asher interview"/> He also confessed: "I didn't own any of their albums. I had ] albums."{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=76}} While in the studio, Asher explains: "I think we were recording some music, or voice-overs for a commercial and I had heard that the Beach Boys were in another studio. During a break, we kind of hung out in the hallway and eventually, sort of snuck into the booth and Brian was in the studio . ... eventually, we met."<ref name="Tony Asher interview"/>}} The two exchanged ideas for songs, and soon after, Wilson heard of Asher's writing abilities from mutual friends.<ref name="Tony Asher interview"/> In December 1965, he proceeded to contact Asher about a possible lyric collaboration, wanting to do something "completely different" with someone he had never written with before.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=76}} Asher accepted the offer, and within ten days, they were writing together.<ref name="Tony Asher interview"/> Wilson played him some of the music he had been recording and gave him a cassette of the backing track for a piece with the working title "In My Childhood". Although it had lyrics, Wilson refused to show them to Asher. The result of Asher's tryout was eventually retitled "]", and the success of the piece convinced Wilson that Asher was the wordsmith he had been looking for.<ref name="Tony Asher interview">{{cite AV media notes|first=|last=|authorlink=|chapter=Interview with Tony Asher|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Tony_Asher_Interview.html}}</ref> When asked why he felt Asher was the right collaborator: "Oh, a lot of reasons. One, I thought he was a cool person. Two, anybody that hung out with Loren Schwartz was a very brainy guy, a real verbal type person. I just felt that there was something there that had to be, you know, that really had to be."<ref name="BrianWilson1997" />{{refn|group=nb|Loren Schwartz (now Lorren Daro) was an assistant at the ].{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=87}} Daro introduced Wilson to LSD, recounting that his dosage was "one hundred and twenty-five mics of pure ]," and that "he had the full-on ]. It was a beautiful thing."{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=174–175}}}}
			On July 12, Wilson recorded a backing track for "]", but after laying down a rough lead vocal, he set the song aside for some time, concentrating on the recording of what became their next LP, the informal studio jam '']'', in response to their record company ]'s request for a Beach Boys album for the Christmas 1965 market.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=66–67}} In October, Wilson and his wife, 17-year-old singer ], moved from a rented apartment in ] to a home on Laurel Way in ],{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=101}} where he said he spent the subsequent months contemplating "the new direction of the group".{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=72–73}}
			Wilson devoted the last three months of 1965 to polishing the vocals of "Sloop John B" and recording six new original compositions.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=101–105}}{{refn|group=nb|"]", "]", "]", "]", "Trombone Dixie", and "Three Blind Mice".{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=101–105}}}} "]", released as a standalone single in November, was the last original Beach Boys song issued before any ''Pet Sounds'' tracks.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=104}} In December, Capitol issued the ''Party!'' track "]" as a single without the group's knowledge or approval. Brian expressed to reporters that the song was not a "produced" record and should not be considered indicative of the group's upcoming music.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=105}} From January 7 to 29, the rest of the band went away on a concert tour of Japan and Hawaii.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=108, 111}}
			==Writing sessions==
			] as seen from ], where ] took residence in October 1965 and wrote ''Pet Sounds'']]
			While at a recording studio in ] in 1965, Wilson met ], a 26-year-old lyricist and copywriter working in jingles for an advertising agency.<ref name="Tony Asher interview" />{{refn|group=nb|1965 is the date given by most sources. Others state that Wilson had met Asher during a social gathering at Schwartz's house. Carlin dates the initial meeting between Asher and Wilson to early 1963.{{sfn|Lambert|2016|p=188}} }} The two exchanged ideas for songs, and soon after, Wilson heard of Asher's writing abilities from mutual friend ].<ref name="Tony Asher interview">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Interview with Tony Asher |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Tony_Asher_Interview.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427192653/http://albumlinernotes.com/Tony_Asher_Interview.html |archive-date=April 27, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> In December, Wilson contacted Asher about a possible lyric collaboration, wanting to do something "completely different" with someone he had never written with before.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=76}}{{refn|group=nb|December 1965 is the date given by Carlin.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=76}} Asher recalled that Wilson called him when the rest of the band were out of the country.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=77}}}} Asher accepted the offer, and within ten days, they were writing together, starting with "]".<ref name="Tony Asher interview" />
			Wilson and Asher wrote together over a two-to-three week period at Wilson's home, likely between January and February 1966.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=81}}{{refn|group=nb|This is Charles Granata's rough estimation. As of 2003, most of the documentation that could have provided a more definitive chronology of the album's writing had been lost.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=81}} Carlin dates the start of the writing sessions to December 1965.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=81}} In 2009, Wilson himself recalled that he may have been writing with Asher as early as November 1965.<ref name="rubber09"/>}} A typical writing session started either with Wilson playing a melody or chord patterns that he was working on, by discussing a recent record that Wilson liked the feel of, or by discussing a subject that Wilson had always wanted to write a song about.<ref name="Tony Asher interview" /> They referred to their rough musical sketches as "feels", per the vernacular of the time.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=84}} To inspire creativity, they sometimes smoked marijuana together.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=91}} The lyrics to their songs were finished before the recording of any backing tracks (except for "You Still Believe in Me") and recording started virtually as soon as the compositions were written.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=81}}{{refn|group=nb|Asher recalled that Wilson "never planned ahead" his studio booking times.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=93}} At another time, he said that they wrote melodies and lyrics for multiple songs that Wilson had already recorded instrumental tracks for.{{sfn|Leaf|1978|p=78}} }}
			{{quote box|align=left|width=25%|quote=
			It felt like we were writing an autobiography, but oddly enough, I wouldn't limit it to Brian's autobiography&nbsp;... We were working in a somewhat intimate relationship, and I didn't know him at all, so he was finding out who I was, and I was finding out who he was.
			|source=—Tony Asher<ref name="Tony Asher interview" />}}
			Asher maintained that he served mainly as a source of second opinion for Wilson as he worked out possible melodies and chord progressions, although the two did trade ideas as the songs evolved.<ref name="Tony Asher interview" /> On his role as co-lyricist, he said, "The general tenor of the lyrics was always his&nbsp;... and the actual choice of words was usually mine. I was really just his interpreter."{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=16}} Asher later stated that he made some significant musical contributions to "]", "]", and "]".{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=145}}{{refn|group=nb|Also, Asher said that he conceived the title and subject matter of three of their eight songs.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=88}} On the publishing royalties, Asher agreed to a 25% cut, an arrangement that he felt was not necessarily commensurate with his contributions.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=79}}}}
			In Marilyn's recollection, Brian worked on ''Pet Sounds'' virtually nonstop, and that when he was home, "he was either at the piano, arranging, or eating."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=75}} Asher differed, "I wish I could say Brian was totally committed . Let's say he was{{nbsp}}... um, very ''concerned''."{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=19}} After their songs were completed, Asher visited a few of the recording sessions, most of which were string overdub dates.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=114}}
			Wilson wrote two more songs with other collaborators. "]", which predated the collaboration with Asher, was co-written by Wilson with the Beach Boys' road manager ].{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=114}} In 1994, Mike Love was awarded co-writing credits on "]" and "I Know There's an Answer",{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|pp=22, 25}} but with the exception of his co-credit on "]", his songwriting contributions are thought to have been minimal.<ref name="tracks">{{cite web |last=Elliott |first=Brad |date=August 31, 1999 |title=Pet Sounds Track Notes |url=http://www.bradelliott.com/writings/ps2.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124175327/http://www.bradelliott.com/writings/ps2.html |archive-date=January 24, 2009 |access-date=March 3, 2009 |publisher=beachboysfanclub.com}}</ref>
			==Concept and inspiration==
			===Phil Spector and ''Rubber Soul''===
			] (center) at ], where he developed his ] methods, 1965]]
			Commentators and historians frequently cite ''Pet Sounds'' as a ].{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=249}}{{refn|group=nb|Even further, it is sometimes advanced as the first concept album in the history of rock music.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=249}}}} Academic Carys Wyn Jones attributes this to the album's "uniform excellence" rather than a lyrical theme or musical motif.{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=44}} Wilson described ''Pet Sounds'' as an "interpretation" of ]'s ] production technique.<ref>{{cite web |title=INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN WILSON OF THE BEACH BOYS IN EARLY 1980'S |publisher=Global Image Works |url=http://www.globalimageworks.com/clip-brian-wilson-interview-beach-boys-1874_023?id=45092 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726074318/http://www.globalimageworks.com/clip-brian-wilson-interview-beach-boys-1874_023?id=45092 |archive-date=July 26, 2014 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 18, 2014}}</ref> He stated: "If you take the ''Pet Sounds'' album as a collection of art pieces, each designed to stand alone, yet which belong together, you'll see what I was aiming at.&nbsp;... It wasn't really a ''song'' concept album, or ''lyrically'' a concept album; it was really a ''production'' concept album."{{sfn|Tunbridge|2010|pp=173–174}}
			With ''Pet Sounds'', Wilson desired to make "a complete statement", similar to what he believed ] had done with their newest album '']'', released in December 1965.{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=44}} The version of the album that he heard was the alternate American edition, whose track listing had been configured by Capitol to have a cohesive ] sound.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=72}} Wilson was impressed that the album appeared to lack ], a feature that was mostly unheard of at a time when more attention was afforded to 45&nbsp;rpm singles than to full-length ].{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=80}}{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}} Most albums up until the mid-1960s were largely used to sell singles at a higher price point.{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=80}}{{refn|group=nb|The lack of a hit single on the North American version of ''Rubber Soul'' added to the album's identity there as a self-contained artistic statement.<ref name="LeafPerspective" />}} Wilson found that ''Rubber Soul'' subverted this by having a wholly consistent thread of music.{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=80}}{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}}{{refn|group=nb|Wilson's previous habits, evident in ''Today!'' and ''Summer Days,'' were to sacrifice portions of an album with lesser, superficial material.{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=80}} ''Today!'' also contained five songs with a unified theme located on the album's second side, similar to Wilson's endeavor for the whole of ''Pet Sounds''.<ref name="Guriel2016">{{cite magazine |last1=Guriel |first1=Jason |title=How Pet Sounds Invented the Modern Pop Album |magazine=] |date=May 16, 2016 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/05/how-pet-sounds-invented-the-modern-pop-album/482940/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520165843/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/05/how-pet-sounds-invented-the-modern-pop-album/482940/ |archive-date=May 20, 2022}}</ref>}} Inspired, he rushed to his wife and proclaimed, "Marilyn, I'm gonna make the greatest album! The greatest rock album ever made!"{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=75}}
			Comparing ''Pet Sounds'' to ''Rubber Soul'', author ] wrote that ''Pet Sounds'' has more in common with Spector's productions, and that the album recycles many of Spector's Wall of Sound production watermarks.{{sfn|Zager|2012|p=218}}{{refn|group=nb|Carl supported that Brian had been a greater fan of Spector than the Beatles.<ref name=HimesSurf/> Brian frequently discussed Spector's influence on his work, having learned how to produce records through attending his sessions.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=225}}}} Wilson said that he was especially fascinated by the process of combining sounds "to make another", and for ''Pet Sounds'', sought to emulate those aspects of Spector's productions.{{sfn|Moorefield|2010|pp=16–17}} In a 1988 interview, Wilson said that his goal for the album was to "extend" Spector's music, as he believed that, "in one sense of the word", the Beach Boys were Spector's "messengers".{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=225}}{{refn|group=nb|According to Wilson, ] taught him "a lot about arranging",{{sfn|Toop|1999 |p=134}} and Stebbins felt that the album's Riddle influence was more apparent than its Spector influence.{{sfn|Stebbins|2011|pp=74–75}}}}
			On another occasion, Wilson credited ''Rubber Soul'' as his "main motivator" for ''Pet Sounds''.{{sfn|Cunningham|1998|p=76}}{{refn|group=nb|In a 2002 foreword for ''Mojo'', Wilson wrote that although he had already begun working on some of the songs, the urge to express his feelings after hearing ''Rubber Soul'' led to his decision to seek out a new lyricist.{{sfn|Wilson|2002 |pp=4–5}} Conversely, he told David Leaf in 1996 that he believed he was introduced to the LP by Asher.<ref name="BrianWilson1997" /> In 2009, he said he wrote "God Only Knows" with Asher the morning after listening to the album for the first time.<ref name="rubber09"/> Asher recalled that Wilson played him ''Rubber Soul'' and said that he wanted "to do something that is better than this album."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=104}} Bruce Johnston remembered listening to the album at around Christmastime 1965 with Wilson and other friends. "Brian said he thought that ''Rubber Soul'' was a great thematic pop album."<ref>{{cite web |title=Exclusive – Bruce Johnston on the Making of Pet Sounds |url=http://www.udiscovermusic.com/exclusive-bruce-johnston-on-the-making-of-pet-sounds |website=uDiscover Music |date=May 16, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620124210/https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/exclusive-bruce-johnston-on-the-making-of-pet-sounds/ |archive-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>}} He explained that he had wanted to create music "on the same level" as ''Rubber Soul'', but was not interested in copying the Beatles' sound.<ref name=HimesSurf>{{cite web|last1=Himes|first1=Geoffrey|author-link=Geoffrey Himes|title=Surf Music |work=Rock and Roll: An American History |publisher=teachrock.org |url=http://teachrock.org/media/essays/surf_himes_with_maia_edits_2.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125223127/http://teachrock.org/media/essays/surf_himes_with_maia_edits_2.pdf |archive-date=November 25, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In a 1966 interview, he said that the scale of the arrangements was the "main difference" between their musical styles, noting that if he had arranged the ''Rubber Soul'' track "]", he would have "orchestrated it, put in background voices, done a thousand things".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=72}} In 2009, he said that although "''Rubber Soul'' didn't clarify my ideas for ''Pet Sounds''", the Beatles' use of ] had inspired his choice of instrumentation for the album.<ref name="rubber09">{{cite news |last=Carlin|first=Peter Ames |author-link=Peter Ames Carlin |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/beatles/article6818698.ece |work=] |date=September 12, 2009 |title=Brian Wilson on the Beatles' Rubber Soul}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
			===Spirituality, drugs, and personal issues===
	{{quote box		{{quote box
	|align=right		| align =
	|width=25%		| width = 25%
			| quote = Carl and I used to hold a series of prayer sessions for the world. I got into ] and it opened some doors for me and I got a little more committed to{{nbsp}}... the making of music for people on a spiritual level.{{nbsp}}... Carl said, "What if we make an album after these prayer sessions, an album for people? A special album." I said, "That's a good idea."
	|quote=It's like none of us looked back. Tony and I did not look back to Spector]]. We went forward, kind of like on our own little wavelength. It wasn't like we were thinking, 'Okay, let's beat Spector,' let's out-do ].' It was more what I would call exclusive collaboration not to specifically try to kick somebody's butt, but just to do it the way you really want it to be. That's what I thought we did.
	|source=—Brian Wilson, 1996<ref name="BrianWilson1997" />		| source = —Brian Wilson, 1977{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=102}}
	}}		}}
			Spirituality was another core inspiration for the album.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Beets |first1=Greg |title=Pet Sounds Fifteen Minutes With Brian Wilson |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-07-21/77984/ |website=Austin Chronicle |date=July 21, 2000}}</ref> Asked about ''Pet Sounds'' in various interviews, Wilson frequently emphasized the album's spiritual qualities, saying that he had held prayer sessions with his brother Carl and "kind of made a religious ceremony."{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=244}} In a 1995 interview, he stated, "We prayed for an album that would be a rival to ''Rubber Soul''. It was like a prayer, but there was some ego there... and it worked."<ref name="IJWMFTT">{{cite AV media notes|title=]|year=1995|last=Was|first=Don|author-link=Don Was|type=Documentary film}}</ref>
	Wilson recalls that Asher played him ]' newest album, '']'' (1965),<ref name="BrianWilson1997" /> it being the alternate US version that was configured by Capitol Records to have a cohesive ] sound.{{cn|date=February 2016}} Wilson was immediately enamored with the album, given the impression that it had no ], a feature that was mostly unheard of at a time when ] were considered more noteworthy than full-length ].{{refn|group=nb|Many albums up until the late-1960s lacked a cohesive artistic goal and were largely used to sell singles at a higher price point. Wilson's previous habits, evident in ''Today!'' and ''Summer Days,'' were to sacrifice portions of an album with lesser, superficial material.{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=80}} Wilson found that ''Rubber Soul'' subverted this by having a wholly consistent thread of music.{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=80}}{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}}}} Inspired, he rushed to his wife and proclaimed, "], I'm gonna make the greatest album! The greatest rock album ever made!"{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=75}} He would say of his reaction to ''Rubber Soul'': "I liked the way it all went together, the way it was all one thing. It was a challenge to me&nbsp;... It didn't make me want to copy them but to be as good as them. I didn't want to do the same kind of music, but on the same level."<ref name=HimesSurf>{{cite web|last1=Himes|first1=Geoffrey|title=Surf Music|url=http://teachrock.org/media/essays/surf_himes_with_maia_edits_2.pdf|website=teachrock.org|publisher=Rock and Roll: An American History}}</ref> Later, he clarified: "The Beatles ''inspired'' me. They didn't influence me."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mettler|first1=Mike|title=Brian Wilson Feels No Pressure When Creating His Sonically Beautiful Pocket Symphonies|journal=Sound Bard|date=May 13, 2015|url=http://www.soundbard.com/soundbard/brian-wilson-feels-no-pressure-when-creating-his-sonically-beautiful-pocket-symphonies/}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Wilson has said that the main difference between him and the Beatles is that the Beatles "will simplify to its skeletal form an arrangement," whereas Wilson would be "impelled to make it more complex," and that if he had arranged "]", he would have "orchestrated it, put in background voices, done a thousand things".{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=80}} Musicologist Philip Lambert called the Beatles' general sound and style "vastly different" from ''Pet Sounds''.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=225}} In 1969, Love denied that they musically influenced Wilson: "He was in his own little world. If he were influenced by the Beatles, there'd be more ] and a few ]s on our records, but there never have been, really."<ref name=pc37>{{Gilliland |url=http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19796/m1/ |title=Show 37 – The Rubberization of Soul: The great pop music renaissance. }}</ref>}}
			During his first ] trip in April 1965, Wilson had what he considered to be "a very religious experience" and claimed to have seen ].{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=87, 136}} He soon began suffering from ]s<ref name="Ability">{{cite magazine |year=2006 |title=Brian Wilson – A Powerful Interview |url=http://abilitymagazine.com/past/brianW/brianw.html |url-status=live |magazine=Ability |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218082138/https://abilitymagazine.com/past/brianW/brianw.html |archive-date=December 18, 2013 |access-date=February 10, 2014}}</ref> and, for the remainder of the year, experienced considerable paranoia.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=48}} Wilson believed that LSD influenced the writing of ''Pet Sounds'' because it "brought out some of the insecurities in me, which I think went into the music."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=58}} He also attributed his greater sense of creative freedom to his use of marijuana.<ref name="Varga2016">{{cite news |last1=Varga |first1=George |title=Brian Wilson talks 'Pet Sounds,' 50 years later |url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/jun/26/brian-wilson-and-al-jardine-disucss-pet-sounds |work=] |date=June 26, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627135815/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/jun/26/brian-wilson-and-al-jardine-disucss-pet-sounds/ |archive-date=June 27, 2016}}</ref>
	Author Michael Zager wrote that ''Pet Sounds'' is more reminiscent of the productions of ], recycling many of his ] production watermarks.{{sfn|Zager|2012|p=218}}{{refn|group=nb|Mark Dillon believes that the album "channels" ] more than it does Spector.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=152}}}} Wilson talked of Spector's influence on his work, having learned how to produce records through attending his sessions, and in a 1988 interview, Wilson asserted that the album aspired to "extend" Spector's music, that "in one sense of the word, we were his messengers."{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=225}} Shortly before the album's release, Wilson spoke of recent popular music trends, saying " helped the Beach Boys evolve. We listen to what's happening and it affects what we do too. The trends have influenced my work, but so has my own scene."<ref name="MelodyMakerBlast" />{{refn|group=nb|Other artists who influenced specific content on the album included ] (on "Let's Go Away for Awhile"),<ref name="SongBySong"/> ] (on "Sloop John B"),<ref name=Jardine1997 /> and ] (on "Caroline, No").<ref name="SongBySong"/>}}
			Much of the album's pessimistic and dejected lyric content was inspired by Wilson's marital struggles,{{sfn|White|1996|p=251}} which had been exacerbated by his drug habits in particular.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=48, 53, 56–57}} Marilyn felt that their relationship was a central reference within the album's lyrics, namely on "You Still Believe in Me" and "Caroline, No".{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=84}} According to Asher, he and Wilson had many lengthy, intimate discussions centered around their "experiences and feelings about women and the various stages of relationships and so forth" in order to inspire subject matter for their songs.<ref name="Tony Asher interview" /> This included Wilson's doubts about his marriage, " sexual fantasies", and "his apparent need to get with Diane."{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=144}}{{refn|group=nb|Asher stated that during the writing sessions, Wilson did not explicitly state that the songs were based on his own personal experiences. Asher explained that while he was aware that certain songs were certainly written from Wilson's perspective, their conversations were limited "to the theoretical", for example, "What if we write a song about a kid somewhere who doesn't fit in?"{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=107}}}}
	==Group infighting==
	''Pet Sounds'' is sometimes considered a Brian Wilson solo album in all but name.{{sfn|Hoskyns|2009|p=106}}{{sfn|Bogdanov|Woodstra|Erlewine|2002|p=72}}{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=20}} He explained: "''Pet Sounds'' was something that was absolutely different. Something I personally felt. That one album that was really more me than ] and the surf records and all that, and ']'. That's all their kind of stuff, you know?"<ref name=BrianWilson1997 /> When the other Beach Boys returned from a three-week tour of ] and ], they were presented with a substantial portion of a new album, with music that was in many ways a jarring departure from their earlier style.{{sfn|Gaines|2009|p=149}} According to various reports, the group fought over the new direction.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tony Asher Interview|url=http://www.surfermoon.com/interviews/asher.html|date=April 4, 1996}}</ref>{{sfn|Kent|2009|pp=21–23}}
			===Pre-rock 'n' roll pop and other influences===
	One of the issues was the album's complexity and how the touring Beach Boys would be able to perform its music live.<ref name=danny>{{youtube|id=eNYqyYCHqAo|Three Dog Night's Danny Hutton on Brian Wilson}}</ref>{{better source|date=February 2016}} Wilson said that the band "didn't like the idea of growing musically ... They wanted to keep making ]s and I said 'No, we’ve gotta grow, guys'."<ref name="Collins2016"/> Marilyn said: "When Brian was writing ''Pet Sounds'', it was difficult for the guys to understand what he was going through emotionally and what he wanted to create. ... they didn't feel what he was going through and what direction he was trying to go in."<ref name=Marilyn1997/> Tony Asher remembered: "All those guys in the band, certainly Al, ], and Mike, were constantly saying, 'What the fuck do these words mean?' or 'This isn't our kind of shit!' Brian had comebacks, though. He'd say, 'Oh, you guys can't hack this.' ... But I remember thinking that those were tense sessions."{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=83}} Wilson believed the band were worried about him separating from the group, elaborating that "it was generally considered that the Beach Boys were the main thing ... with ''Pet Sounds'', there was a resistance in that I was doing most of the artistic work on it vocally". The conflicts were resolved, accordingly, " they figured that it was a showcase for Brian Wilson, but it's still the Beach Boys. In other words, they gave in. They let me have my little stint."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Cromelin|first1=Richard|title=Surf's Up! Brian Wilson Comes Back From Lunch|journal=Creem|date=October 1976}}</ref>
			] and Wilson had the craftsmanship of ] writers in mind when composing the songs on ''Pet Sounds'' (pictured in 1948; ] with ])]]
			Asher disputed the notion that he and Wilson were following the models that had been set by Beatles or ] in general. Asher remembered, "Brian had defined it as wanting to write something closer to classical American love songs, like ] or ]."{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=77}} During the writing sessions, Asher and Wilson regularly introduced different albums and types of music to each other. In particular, Asher said that Wilson "was blown away" after being played ] records including ]'s "]" and ]'s rendition of "]".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=139}} He remembered that Wilson had minimal awareness of ] songs and "hadn't given much thought to the structure or instrumentation of orchestral jazz compositions."{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=93}} Having had experience with recording orchestras, Asher encouraged Wilson to employ instruments such as violins, cellos, and bass flutes.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=93}}
			In a March 1966 article, Wilson acknowledged that the popular music trends of the era had also influenced his work and the group's evolution.<ref name="MelodyMakerBlast" /> Conversely, Marilyn recalled that Brian was only consumed by thoughts of creating the greatest rock album ever and "did not think about what music was there on the market, or what was happening in the industry."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=70}} In a 1996 interview, he said that he and Asher were "kind of like on our own little wavelength" and were not concerned with overtaking Phil Spector or ], "It was more what I would call exclusive collaboration not to specifically try to kick somebody's butt, but just to do it the way you really want it to be. That's what I thought we did."<ref name="BrianWilson1997" />
	In later years, rumors of group infighting were denied by Dennis Wilson.<ref>{{YouTube|cVItbEJBkJM|Dennis Wilson – Pete Fornatale Interview 1976}}</ref> Mike Love dismissed claims which say he disliked the album, calling them "a bunch of bullshit",<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.phawker.com/2015/05/27/incoming-mike-love-not-war/ |title= MIKE LOVE NOT WAR: Q&A With A Beach Boy, 2012. |publisher= Phawker.com}}</ref> but is quoted to have said "some of the were so offensive that I wouldn't even sing ".{{sfn|Irvin|2007|p=64}} Love was reported to have found Asher's lyrics "nauseating", declaring the album "Brian's ego music", and urging him not to "fuck with the formula".{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=84}} Jardine corroborated: "Mike was very confused by it ... Mike's a formula hound – if it doesn't have a hook in it, if he can't hear a hook in it, he doesn't want to know about it."<ref name=Goldmine2000/> ] said, "I loved every minute of it. He could do no wrong. He could play me anything, and I would love it."<ref name="Carl1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=|last=|authorlink=|chapter=Comments by Carl Wilson|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Comments_by_Carl_Wilson.html}}</ref> Authors Andrew Doe and John Tobler wrote that Dennis and Johnston loved the album, but that Jardine admitted, "It sure doesn't sound like the old stuff."{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=19}} In 2009, Jardine explained: "I wasn't exactly thrilled with the change, but I grew to really appreciate it as soon as we started to work on it. It wasn't like anything we'd heard before."<ref name=Goldmine2000>{{cite journal|last1=Sharp|first1=Ken|title=Alan Jardine: A Beach Boy still riding the waves|journal=]|date=July 28, 2000|url=http://www.brianwilsonfans.com/page11.php}}</ref>
			==Genre==
	==Music and lyrics==
			===Stylistic blend and debate===
	{{listen|pos=left
			''Pet Sounds'' incorporates elements of ], ], ], ], and ].{{sfn|Stebbins|2011|pp=151–152}} Genres that have been attributed to the album as a whole include ],<ref name="progpopguide"/><ref>{{multiref2
	|filename=Beach Boys-wouldn t it be nice.ogg|title=The very beginning of ''Pet Sounds'': "Wouldn't It Be Nice"|description= "]" introduces the album with a sound described by ] as "limpid harps imitating a teenage heartstrings in a tug of love" with it followed by "growling horns&nbsp;... harmonies so complex they seemed to have more in common with a ] than any cocktail lounge acappella ]."{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=17}}}}
			|1={{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Troy L. |date=October 2, 2019 |title=100 greatest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame albums |work=] |url=https://www.cleveland.com/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/10/293367e4b1/100_best_albums_by_rock_roll_h.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321024341/https://www.cleveland.com/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/10/293367e4b1/100_best_albums_by_rock_roll_h.html |archive-date=March 21, 2021 |ref=none}}
			|2={{cite web |last1=Rolli |first1=Bryan |date=June 26, 2015 |title=The 10 Most Disappointing Follow-Up Albums |url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/06/most-disappointing-follow-up-albums.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603053609/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/most-disappointing-follow-up-albums/ |archive-date=June 3, 2021 |magazine=] |ref=none}}
			|3={{cite news |last1=Mattei |first1=Matt |date=April 29, 2017 |title=Genius behind Beach Boys Brian Wilson to perform at F.M. Kirby Center |work=] |url=https://timesleader.com/features/655153/genius-behind-beach-boys-brian-wilson-to-perform-at-f-m-kirby-center |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506065536/https://www.timesleader.com/features/655153/genius-behind-beach-boys-brian-wilson-to-perform-at-f-m-kirby-center |archive-date=May 6, 2021 |ref=none}}
			|4={{cite web |last1=Moore |first1=Sam |date=August 5, 2019 |title=The 12 greatest albums about Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.nme.com/features/the-best-albums-about-la-2529685 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310101044/https://www.nme.com/features/the-best-albums-about-la-2529685 |archive-date=March 10, 2021 |website=] |ref=none}}
			|5={{cite magazine |last1=McStarkey |first1=Mick |date=August 17, 2021 |title=The Beach Boys battle: Why does Brian Wilson hate Mike Love? |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/why-does-brian-wilson-hate-mike-love-the-beach-boys/ |url-status=live |magazine=Far Out |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125162028/https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/why-does-brian-wilson-hate-mike-love-the-beach-boys/ |archive-date=November 25, 2021 |ref=none}}
			|6={{harvnb|Leaf|1978|pp=87–88}}.
			|7={{harvnb|Sanchez|2014|p=81}}.}}</ref> ],<ref>{{multiref2
			|1={{cite magazine |last1=Lynch |first1=Joe |date=June 13, 2016 |title=Following Tragedy, Brian Wilson Provides Some Peace With 'Pet Sounds' Concert at Northside Fest |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7401413/brian-wilson-pet-sounds-northside-festival |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321024728/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7401413/brian-wilson-pet-sounds-northside-festival |archive-date=March 21, 2021}}
			|2={{cite web |last1=DeVille |first1=Chris |date=September 26, 2016 |title=Ex Reyes – "Only You" Video |url=http://www.stereogum.com/1899931/ex-reyes-only-you-video/mp3s/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321024707/https://www.stereogum.com/1899931/ex-reyes-only-you-video/premiere/ |archive-date=March 21, 2021 |website=Stereogum |ref=none}}
			|3={{cite news |last1=King |first1=Kevin |date=April 12, 2017 |title=Masterpieces set to be performed |work=Winnipeg-Sun |url=http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/04/12/masterpieces-set-to-be-performed |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321024728/https://winnipegsun.com/2017/04/12/masterpieces-set-to-be-performed |archive-date=March 21, 2021 |ref=none}}
			|4={{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Fred |title=Review: Bécs – Fennesz |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/bécs-mw0002630319 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424032204/https://www.allmusic.com/album/b%C3%A9cs-mw0002630319 |archive-date=April 24, 2017 |access-date=April 25, 2017 |website=] |ref=none}}}}</ref> ],<ref>{{multiref2
			|1={{cite web |last1=Sacher |first1=Andrew |title=Beach Boys Albums Ranked Best to Worst |url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/beach-boys-albu/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612175459/https://www.brooklynvegan.com/beach-boys-albu/ |archive-date=June 12, 2017 |access-date=April 21, 2017 |website=]|date=February 9, 2016 }}
			|2={{cite web |last1=Staff |title=The Nine Best Concerts in Phoenix Next Weekend |url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/the-nine-best-concerts-in-phoenix-this-weekend-8439415 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421092811/http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/the-nine-best-concerts-in-phoenix-this-weekend-8439415 |archive-date=April 21, 2017 |access-date=April 21, 2017 |website=The New Phoenix Times |ref=none}}
			|3={{cite news |last=Levy |first=Piete |date=October 24, 2013 |title=Brian Wilson; Chris Tomlin; Blue October; Kate Nash; Limousines; Jacuzzi Boys; City and Colour |newspaper=] |location=Milwaukee |url=http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/brian-wilson-chris-tomlin-blue-october-kate-nash-limousines-jacuzzi-boys-city-and-colour-cohe-b99122-229107771.html |url-status=live |access-date=May 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119003603/https://archive.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/brian-wilson-chris-tomlin-blue-october-kate-nash-limousines-jacuzzi-boys-city-and-colour-cohe-b99122-229107771.html/ |archive-date=November 19, 2018 |ref=none}}}}</ref><ref name="GoldminePsyche">{{cite news |last1=Marcus |first1=Jeff |date=September 18, 2012 |title=Psychedelic era yielded great music, but fewer picture sleeves |url=http://www.goldminemag.com/article/psychedelic-era-yielded-great-music-but-fewer-picture-sleeves |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417092358/https://www.goldminemag.com/articles/psychedelic-era-yielded-great-music-but-fewer-picture-sleeves |archive-date=April 17, 2021 |work=]}}</ref> and ].{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=49}}{{sfn|Leaf|1978|p=74}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Foster |first1=Patrick |last2=Lenaham |first2=Jim |date=May 20, 2016 |title=Dad Rock still believes in 'Pet Sounds' at 50 |work=] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2016/05/20/dad-rock-pet-sounds/84681028/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622000730/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2016/05/20/dad-rock-pet-sounds/84681028/ |archive-date=June 22, 2021}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Other attributed genres are ],<ref name="SixDegrees" />{{sfn|Edmondson|2013|p=104}}{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003|p=xi}} ],<ref name="avclub">{{cite web |last1=Semley |first1=John |title=Where to dive into Frank Zappa's weird, unwieldy discography |url=http://www.avclub.com/article/where-to-dive-into-frank-zappas-weird-unwieldy-dis-83545 |website=] |date=August 9, 2012 |access-date=August 14, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923005933/https://music.avclub.com/where-to-dive-into-frank-zappa-s-weird-unwieldy-discog-1798232804 |archive-date=September 23, 2018}}</ref><ref name="APviaHuffPost">{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio_n_1569368.html |title=Beach Boys 'That's Why God Made the Radio' Review: Brian Wilson Writes 50th Anniversary Album |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=October 22, 2013 |first=John|last=Carucci|date=June 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310074307/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio_n_1569368.html |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ],{{sfn|Lowe|2007|p=219}}<ref name="Fordham2016">{{cite web |last1=Fordham |first1=Ann |title=Review: Brian Wilson at Riverside Theatre, 7 April 2016 |url=http://www.musicinsight.com.au/reviews/review-brian-wilson-at-riverside-theatre-7-april-2016/ |website=Music Insight |date=April 8, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329064602/http://www.musicinsight.com.au/reviews/review-brian-wilson-at-riverside-theatre-7-april-2016/ |archive-date=March 29, 2019}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carlin |first1=Peter Ames |author-link1=Peter Ames Carlin |date=September 7, 2010 |title=Brian Wilson discusses his inner Gershwin, the Beatles and UFOs |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/carlin/index.ssf/2010/09/brian_wilson_discusses_his_inner_gershwin_the_beatles_and_ufos.html |work=] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308215527/https://www.oregonlive.com/carlin/2010/09/brian_wilson_discusses_his_inner_gershwin_the_beatles_and_ufos.html |archive-date=March 8, 2022}}</ref><ref name="br">{{cite web |last1=Grimstad |first1=Paul |title=What is Avant-Pop? |url=http://www.brooklynrail.org/2007/9/music/what-is-avant-pop |website=] |date=September 4, 2007 |access-date=October 1, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011225010/https://brooklynrail.org/2007/9/music/what-is-avant-pop |archive-date=October 11, 2016}}</ref> ],<ref name="Collins2016">{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Simon |date=February 5, 2016 |title=Brian Wilson revisits his Pet project |url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/30735864/beach-boys-legend-brian-wilson-surfs-back-to-good-vibrations/ |work=] |access-date=February 27, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216204659/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/30735864/beach-boys-legend-brian-wilson-surfs-back-to-good-vibrations/ |archive-date=February 16, 2016}}</ref> ],{{sfn|Priore|2005|p=31}} and ].<ref name=Sommer2015 />}} Wilson himself thought of the album as "chapel rock&nbsp;... commercial choir music. I wanted to make an album that would stand up in ten years."{{sfn|Irvin|2007|p=64}}
			According to biographer ], "Brian defies any notion of genre safety{{nbsp}}... There isn't much rocking here, and even less rolling. ''Pet Sounds'' is at times futuristic, progressive, and experimental.&nbsp;... there's ], and the only ] are in the themes and in Brian's voice."{{sfn|Stebbins|2011|pp=151–152}} Johnston identified "a tremendous amount" of noticeable ] and ] influences.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=35}} Journalist D. Strauss challenged the notion of whether ''Pet Sounds'' should be regarded as rock music. He argued that the album's quality and subversion of rock traditions is "what created its special place in rock history; there was no category for its fans to place it in{{nbsp}}... But placed within the ] genre-i.e., ]-it becomes a historically grounded, if incredibly ambitious, release."<ref name="Strauss1997">{{cite news |last1=Strauss |first1=D. |date=December 8, 1997 |title=Pet Sounds : It's Not Rock 'n' Roll, But We Like It |newspaper=] |url=http://observer.com/1997/12/pet-sounds-its-not-rock-n-roll-but-we-like-it/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224165903/https://observer.com/1997/12/pet-sounds-its-not-rock-n-roll-but-we-like-it/ |archive-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref>
	According to various writers, ''Pet Sounds'' is a ] album,{{sfn|Edmonson|2013|p=104}}<ref name="SixDegrees">{{cite web|last1=Maddux|first1=Rachael|title=Six Degrees of The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds|url=http://www.wonderingsound.com/connections/six-degrees-of-the-beach-boys-pet-sounds/|publisher=]|date=May 16, 2011}}</ref>{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003|p=xi}} whereas '']'' and the '']'' called its music ],<ref name=GoldminePsyche>{{cite web|last1=Marcus|first1=Jeff|title=Psychedelic era yielded great music, but fewer picture sleeves|url=http://www.goldminemag.com/article/psychedelic-era-yielded-great-music-but-fewer-picture-sleeves|publisher='']''|date=September 18, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Levy|first=Piete|newspaper=]|location=Milwaukee|url=http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/brian-wilson-chris-tomlin-blue-october-kate-nash-limousines-jacuzzi-boys-city-and-colour-cohe-b99122-229107771.html|title=Brian Wilson; Chris Tomlin; Blue October; Kate Nash; Limousines; Jacuzzi Boys; City and Colour|date=October 24, 2013|accessdate=May 4, 2014}}</ref> and writer Vernon Joyson observed flirtations with ].{{sfn|Joyson|1984|p=8}} The ] said that the album is a ] work,<ref name="APviaHuffPost">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio_n_1569368.html|title= Beach Boys "That's Why God Made the Radio"|publisher= Huff Post|accessdate=October 22, 2013|date=June 4, 2012}}</ref> while author ] referred to it as ].{{sfn|Priore|2005}} Professor Kelly Fisher Lowe cited ''Pet Sounds'' among ] records,{{sfn|Lowe|2007|p=219}} while '']'' called it Wilson's "] opus".<ref name="Collins2016">{{cite web|last1=Collins|first1=Simon|title=Brian Wilson revisits his Pet project|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/30735864/beach-boys-legend-brian-wilson-surfs-back-to-good-vibrations/|publisher='']''|date=February 5, 2016}}</ref> '']'' wrote that the album sculpted "]-rooted progressive folk rock".<ref name=Sommer2015/> According to biographer ], "Brian defies any notion of genre safety".{{sfn|Stebbins|2011|p=152}} The album's innovative ] incorporates elements of ], ], ], and ], as Stebbins adds, "There isn't much rocking here, and even less rolling. ''Pet Sounds'' is at times futuristic, progressive, and experimental.&nbsp;... there's ], and the only ] are in the themes and in Brian's voice."{{sfn|Stebbins|2011|pp=151–152}} Brian himself thought of the album as "chapel rock&nbsp;... commercial choir music. I wanted to make an album that would stand up in ten years."{{sfn|Irvin|2007|p=64}}
			Although it has been called "]", the often-specious term was not used in critical discussions about ''Pet Sounds'' until rock critics in the 1990s began adopting the phrase in reference to artists that the album had influenced.{{sfn|Howland|2021|pp=210–217}} No contemporary press material referred to ''Pet Sounds'' as "baroque", and instead, commentators used "progressive" as their descriptor of choice.{{sfn|Howland|2021|p=217}} Writing in 2021, academic John Howland argued that the album's baroque-pop aesthetic was limited to "]".{{sfn|Howland|2021|p=358}}
	The instrumentation is stylistically appropriated from a wide variety of cultures, with some relating it to ] and associated producers ],{{sfn|Unterberger|Hicks|1999|p=469}}{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=232}}{{sfn|Stebbins|2011|p=152}} ],{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=232}} and ].<ref name="Pitchfork2006">{{cite web|authorlink=Dominique Leone|last=Leone|first=Dominique|title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9371-pet-sounds-40th-anniversary/|publisher=Pitchfork|accessdate=July 22, 2014|date=September 8, 2006}}</ref> In ''Pet Sounds'', Wilson conceived of experimental arrangements{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=29}} which combine conventional rock set-ups with various exotic instruments, producing new sounds with a rich texture reminiscent of symphonic works layered underneath meticulous vocal harmonics.{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}} Exemplifying the album's instrumentation are various stringed instruments, ], ]s, ], ]s, beverage bottles, and the barking of Brian's dogs.{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}}<ref>{{cite web |url =http://www.allmusic.com/album/pet-sounds-r485904| title =Richie Unterberger review of Pet Sounds| publisher = AllMusic}}</ref>
			===Psychedelia===
	{{listen|pos=right
			{{listen
	|filename=God Only Knows choral fantasy.ogg|title=The bridge of "God Only Knows"|description=Musicologist Philip Lambert cites the "choral fantasy" section in "]" to contain complex key changes that elude the listener "for the entire experience — that in fact, the idea of 'key' has itself been challenged and subverted".{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=245}} For the basic rhythmic feel, ], piano with ], ]s, and ] ] into each other to create a rich blanket of sound.{{sfn|Zak|2001|p=88}}
			| filename = I Know There's an Answer.ogg
			| title = "I Know There's an Answer" sections
			| description = '']'''s Zach Ruskin expressed: "while ''Pet Sounds'' offers an intimacy unlike other psychedelic pop of the time, soundscapes of whispers and reverb and sudden departures in structure and form do lend the record a somewhat trippy effect."<ref name="Ruskin2016">{{cite web |last1=Ruskin |first1=Zach |title=You Still Believe in Me: An Interview with Brian Wilson |url=https://consequence.net/2016/05/you-still-believe-in-me-an-interview-with-brian-wilson/ |website=] |date=May 19, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521163716/https://consequence.net/2016/05/you-still-believe-in-me-an-interview-with-brian-wilson/ |archive-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
	}}		}}
			''Pet Sounds'' is often considered to be ],<ref name="SixDegrees">{{cite web |last1=Maddux |first1=Rachael |title=Six Degrees of The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds |url=http://www.wonderingsound.com/connections/six-degrees-of-the-beach-boys-pet-sounds/ |publisher=] |date=May 16, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304124623/http://www.wonderingsound.com/connections/six-degrees-of-the-beach-boys-pet-sounds/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> but many commentators hesitate to name the Beach Boys in discussions of ].<ref name=GoldminePsyche /> For example, in his book ''The Acid Trip: A Complete Guide to Psychedelic Music'', Vernon Joyson agreed that ''Pet Sounds'' contained psychedelic gestures, but chose not to devote significant coverage to the album because he felt that the Beach Boys had "essentially predated the ]".{{sfn|Joyson|1984|p=8}} Stebbins writes that the album is "slightly psychedelic—or at least impressionistic."{{sfn|Stebbins|2011|p=152}} Wilson himself felt that while psychedelic features are present in a number of the songs, the overall tone was "mostly not psychedelic".<ref name="Ruskin2016" />
	As author James Perone writes, Wilson's compositions include tempo changes, metrical ambiguity, and unusual tone colors that, culturally speaking, remove the music from "just about anything else that was going on in 1966 pop music."{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=28}} He specifically touches upon the album's closer "]" and its use of wide ] changes, wide melodic intervals, and instrumentation which contribute to his belief; also Brian's compositions and orchestral arrangements which experiment with ] and ]s.{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=30}} Referring to the opening track "]", Perone recalls that the track sounds "significantly less like a rock band supplemented with auxiliary instrumentation&nbsp;... than a rock band integrated into an eclectic mix of studio instrumentation." On the second track "]", "One of the high points of the composition and Brian's vocal performance," he writes, "is the snaky, though generally descending melodic line on the line 'I want to cry,' his response to the realization that his girlfriend still believes in him despite his past failures." He describes the "stepwise falloff of the interval of a third at the end of each verse" to be a typically "Wilsonian" feature. The feature recurs alongside a "madrigal sigh ]" in "]", where the motif concludes each line of the verses. This sighing motif then appears in the next track, "]", a piece inspired by classical music, and once again in "Caroline, No".{{sfn|Perone|2012|pp=28, 30}}
			According to academics ] and Martin Halliwell, ''Pet Sounds'' has a "personal intimacy" that sets it apart from the Beach Boys' contemporaries in ] and the ], but still retains a "trippy feel" that resulted from Wilson's LSD use.{{sfn|Hegarty|Halliwell|2011|p=23}}{{refn|group=nb|DeRogatis wrote that the introspective bent of the album contrasted the Beatles, who after taking LSD began addressing problems in the world around them.{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003|p=34}} }} They attribute this to Wilson's "eclectic mixture of instruments, echo, reverb, and innovative mixing techniques learnt from Phil Spector to create a complex soundscape in which voice and music interweave tightly".{{sfn|Hegarty|Halliwell|2011|p=23}} In the belief of cultural historian Dale Carter, the album's psychedelic qualities are proven through rich "sonic textures", "greater fluidity, elaboration, and formal complexity", "the introduction of new (combinations of) instruments, multiple keys, and/or floating tonal centers", and the occasional use of "slower, more hypnotic tempos".{{sfn|Lambert|2016|p=178}}
	The album included two sophisticated ] tracks composed solely by Brian.{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=28}} One of them: the wistful "]", had the working parenthetical title of "And Then We'll Have World Peace".<ref name="tracks"/>{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2004|p=49}} It was a catchphrase from one of Brian's favorite comedy recordings, John Brent and ]'s '']'' (1959).<ref name=tracks /> the other instrumental is the title track, "]". Both titles had been recorded as backing tracks for existing songs, but by the time the album neared completion Brian had decided that the tracks worked better without vocals.<ref name="BrianPopGenius"/> Of "Let's Go Away for Awhile", Perone observes, "There are melodic features but no tune to speak of. As an instrumental composition, this gives the piece an atmospheric feel; however, the exact mood is difficult to define."{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=28}} Of "Pet Sounds", the piece represents the Beach Boys' surf heritage more than any other track on the album with its emphasis on lead guitar, although Perone maintains that it is not really a surf composition, citing its elaborate arrangement involving countless auxiliary percussion parts, abruptly changing textures, and de-emphasis of a traditional rock band drum set.{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=29}}
			Among other reasons given for the album's perceived psychedelic quality, ], author of a book about psychedelic music, writes that the repeated listening value is similar to a heightened psychedelic awareness, elaborating that its melodies "continue to reveal themselves after dozens of listens, just as previously unnoticed corners of the world reveal themselves during the psychedelic experience".{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003|p=36}} Musician ] opined that "psychedelic music is a term that pretty much refers to these sort of epic, ambitious long-form records", and that listening to ''Pet Sounds'' in its entirety can feel like "entering another world" temporarily, much like an LSD trip.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Masley |first1=Ed |date=May 12, 2014 |title=Interview: Sean Lennon on Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger |url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2014/05/04/interview-sean-lennon-ghost-saber-tooth-tiger/8708967 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150205142857/http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2014/05/04/interview-sean-lennon-ghost-saber-tooth-tiger/8708967/ |archive-date=February 5, 2015 |work=]}}</ref>
	===Differences from previous work===
			==Music and lyrics==
			===Orchestrations and composition===
	{{listen|pos=right		{{listen|pos=right
	|filename=Here Today Pet Sounds.ogg|title=The instrumental break from "Here Today" (stereo version)|description="]" has been described by ] as one of Brian's most ambitious arrangements, featuring "swooping harmonies duel and soar in and around a ] backing track full of blaring saxophones and percolating keyboards" along with "jazzy drumming" that blends the "complexity of an orchestral piece with the immediacy of a good pop tune".<ref>{{cite web|last=Guarisco|first=Donald A.|title=Here Today|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/here-today-t2827570|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=May 18, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205053544/http://www.allmusic.com/song/here-today-t2827570|archivedate=December 5, 2010}}</ref>		|filename=Here Today Pet Sounds.ogg|title=Instrumental break from "Here Today" (1996 stereo version)|description="]" has been described by ] as one of Wilson's most ambitious arrangements, blending the "complexity of an orchestral piece with the immediacy of a good pop tune".<ref>{{cite web |last=Guarisco |first=Donald A. |title=Here Today |url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/here-today-t2827570 |website=AllMusic |access-date=May 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205053544/http://www.allmusic.com/song/here-today-t2827570 |archive-date=December 5, 2010}}</ref>
	}}		}}
			''Pet Sounds'' refined the themes and complex arranging style Wilson had introduced with ''The Beach Boys Today!''{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=61–63}}{{sfn|Smith|2009|p=37}} Writing in ''The Journal on the Art of Record Production'', Marshall Heiser observed that the album's music distinguished itself from previous Beach Boys releases in several ways:
	Alice Bolin wrote that ''Pet Sounds'' "repeated and perfected" the themes and ideas introduced in the Beach Boys' album ''Today!'', released one year earlier.<ref name=Bolin2012>{{cite web|last1=Bolin|first1=Alice|title=The Beach Boys Are Still Looking at an Impossible Future|url=http://www.popmatters.com/feature/160169-when-i-grow-up-to-be-a-man/P1/|publisher='']''|date=July 8, 2012}}</ref> Marshall Heiser expressed for ''The Journal on the Art of Record Production'': "''Pet Sounds'' diverges from previous Beach Boys' efforts in several ways: its sound field has a greater sense of depth and 'warmth;' the songs employ even more inventive use of harmony and chord voicings; the prominent use of percussion is a key feature (as opposed to driving drum backbeats); whilst the orchestrations, at times, echo the quirkiness of 'exotica' bandleader Les Baxter, or the 'cool' of ], moreso than Spector's teen fanfares."<ref name="ARP">{{cite journal|last1=Heiser|first1=Marshall|title=SMiLE: Brian Wilson's Musical Mosaic|journal=The Journal on the Art of Record Production|date=November 2012|issue=7|url=http://arpjournal.com/smile-brian-wilson%E2%80%99s-musical-mosaic/}}</ref>
			* "a greater sense of depth and 'warmth'"
			* "more inventive use of harmony and chord voicings"
			* "the prominent use of percussion a key feature (as opposed to driving drum backbeats)"
			* "the orchestrations, at times, echo the quirkiness of 'exotica' bandleader ], or the 'cool' of ], more so than Spector's teen fanfares."<ref name="ARP">{{cite journal |last1=Heiser |first1=Marshall |title=SMiLE: Brian Wilson's Musical Mosaic |journal=The Journal on the Art of Record Production |date=November 2012 |issue=7 |url=http://arpjournal.com/smile-brian-wilson%E2%80%99s-musical-mosaic/ |access-date=April 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415032648/http://arpjournal.com/smile-brian-wilson%E2%80%99s-musical-mosaic/ |archive-date=April 15, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
	In contrast, musicologist ] has written: "In terms of the structure of the songs themselves, there is comparatively little advance from what Brian had already accomplished or shown himself capable of accomplishing. Most of the songs use unusual ]s and unexpected disruptions of ], both features that were met in ']' and '].'"{{sfn|Covach|Boone|1997|p=3}} Journalist ] felt similarly for lyrics of ''Pet Sounds'', considering "]" to be "teen angst dialogue" that Brian had already achieved with "]" the year before. However: "This time Brian Wilson was out to eclipse these previous sonic soap operas, to transform the subject's sappy sentiments with a God-like grace so that the song would become a veritable pocket symphony."{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=17}}		By contrast, musicologist ] contends that Wilson's advancement as a composer and arranger was marginal in relation to his past work. He wrote that ''Pet Sounds'' shows "comparatively little advance from what Brian had already accomplished or shown himself capable of accomplishing. Most of the songs use unusual ] and unexpected disruptions of ], both features that were met in ']' and '].'"{{sfn|Harrison|1997|p=39}} Author Charles L. Granata referred to ''Pet Sounds'' as the culmination of Wilson's songwriting artistry, although his "transition from writing car and surf songs to writing studious ones" had already "exploded in 1965".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=59}}
			''Pet Sounds'' includes tempo changes, metrical ambiguity, and unusual ]s that, in the opinion of author James Perone, remove the album from "just about anything else that was going on in 1966 pop music".{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=28}} He cites the album's closer "]" and its use of wide ] changes, wide melodic intervals, and instrumentation which contribute to this belief; also Wilson's compositions and orchestral arrangements which experiment with form and tone colors.{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=30}} Wilson's arrangements combined traditional rock set-ups with unconventional selections of instruments and complex layers of vocal harmonies.{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}} His orchestrations, in terms of the choices of instruments themselves and the stylistic appropriation of foreign cultures, were similar to those by exotica producers such as ], Les Baxter, and ].<ref name="Pitchfork2006">{{cite web |last=Leone |first=Dominique |author-link=Dominique Leone |date=September 8, 2006 |title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9371-pet-sounds-40th-anniversary/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702120341/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9371-pet-sounds-40th-anniversary/ |archive-date=July 2, 2014 |access-date=July 22, 2014 |website=Pitchfork}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|''Pet Sounds'' percussionist ] was a former member of Martin Denny's band.<ref name="denny">{{cite news |last1=Long |first1=Kyle |title=Brian Wilson talks Pet Sounds, Chuck Berry, Four Freshmen, exotica and more |url=https://www.nuvo.net/music/brian-wilson-talks-pet-sounds-chuck-berry-four-freshmen-exotica/article_2091ec4c-25ca-11e7-9845-373be8b5185e.html |work=Nuvo |date=April 20, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308140626/https://nuvo.newsnirvana.com/music/brian-wilson-talks-pet-sounds-chuck-berry-four-freshmen-exotica/article_2091ec4c-25ca-11e7-9845-373be8b5185e.html |archive-date=March 8, 2021}}</ref>}} Many of the instruments were alien to rock music, including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] bottles, and other odd sounds such as bicycle bells.{{sfn|Smith|2009|p=38}}
	Fussili observed that Brian's nuance to "wander far from the logic of his composition only to return triumphantly to confirm the emotional intent of his work" is repeated numerous times in ''Pet Sounds'', but never to "evoke a sense of unbridled joy" as Brian recently had with the single "The Little Girl I Once Knew".{{sfn|Fusilli|2005}}{{page needed|date=June 2014}} Such occurs within "God Only Knows", which contains an ambivalent ] and ]s.{{sfn|Covach|Boone|1997|p=3}}<ref name="Ewer"></ref>
			The number of unique instruments for each track average to about a dozen.<ref name="PS2016"/>{{refn|group=nb|The most minimal track on the album, "That's Not Me", employs 6-string guitar, 12-string guitar, electric bass, organ, a drum kit, and additional percussion. The most expansive track on the album, "God Only Knows", employs string bass, electric bass, guitar, tack piano, harpsichord, accordion, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, violin, viola, cello, a drum kit, sleigh bells, tambourine and additional percussion.<ref name="PS2016"/>}} Electric and acoustic basses were frequently doubled, as was typical for the era's pop music, and played with a plectrum.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=160, 162}} Drums were not arranged in a traditional manner of keeping time, but instead, to provide "rhythmic texture and color".{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|p=130}} Two tracks are instrumentals: "]" and "]". They were originally recorded as backing tracks for existing songs, but by the time the album neared completion, Wilson decided that the tracks worked better without vocals.<ref name="BrianPopGenius">{{cite magazine |date=May 21, 1966 |title=Brian Pop Genius! |url=http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd420/kwan_dk/MMMay211966.jpg |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224133015/http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd420/kwan_dk/MMMay211966.jpg |archive-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref> Arranger Paul Mertens, who collaborated with Wilson on live performances of the album, believed that although there are string sections on ''Pet Sounds'', "what's special about that is not that Brian was trying to introduce classical music into rock & roll. Rather, he was trying to get classical musicians to play like rock musicians. He's using these things to make music in the way that he understood, rather than trying to appropriate the orchestra."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Appelstein |first1=Mike |date=July 20, 2016 |title=Brian Wilson's Latest Tour May Be Your Last Chance to Hear Him Perform Pet Sounds Live |work=] |url=http://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/brian-wilsons-musical-director-paul-mertens-talks-about-pet-sounds/Content?oid=3086082 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207020047/https://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/brian-wilsons-musical-director-paul-mertens-talks-about-pet-sounds/Content?oid=3086082 |archive-date=February 7, 2017}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Referring to "Wouldn't It Be Nice", Perone opined that the track sounded "significantly less like a rock band supplemented with auxiliary instrumentation&nbsp;... than a rock band integrated into an eclectic mix of studio instrumentation."{{sfn|Perone|2012|pp=28, 30}}}}
	===Writing sessions===
	According to Brian, his writing process involved going to the piano and finding "feels", which he described as "brief note sequences, fragments of ideas", and that "once they're out of my head and into the open air, I can see them and touch them firmly. They're not 'feels' anymore."<ref name="BrianPopGenius">{{cite journal|title=Brian Pop Genius!|journal=Melody Maker|date=May 21, 1966|url=http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd420/kwan_dk/MMMay211966.jpg}}</ref> With ''Pet Sounds'', Wilson began changing his methods. Rather than going to the studio with a completed song, he would record an instrumental track containing a series of chord changes he liked, take an ] home, and then write the song's melody and lyrics.{{sfn|Harrison|1997|p=42}}
			=== Structures and vocal harmonies ===
	Asher maintains that his contribution to the music itself was minimal, serving mainly as a source of second opinion for Brian as he worked out possible melodies and chord progressions, although the two did trade ideas as the songs evolved.<ref name="Tony Asher interview" />{{refn|group=nb|While it is often said that Brian composed all of the music to ''Pet Sounds'', it has been claimed that Asher made significant musical contributions to "]", "]", and "That's Not Me".{{sfn|Gaines|2009|p=145}}}} On his role as co-lyricist, Asher clarified, "The general tenor of the lyrics was always his&nbsp;... and the actual choice of words was usually mine. I was really just his interpreter."{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=16}} On Brian's creative process, Asher remembers that "one of the things that I really enjoyed, was that first time I'd hear him hunting for a chord change and I'd think 'Man, he's just gone right off the edge because he's not ever gonna get close. He's way out there in some area that's just—he'll never get back. And if he's successful, gets out of there, people are going to say, I've lost my ], don't know where the hell I am and stuff. And then, eventually, he'd figure out what it was he wanted to do. A lot of it was just hunting and pecking, the way some of us type."<ref name="Tony Asher interview" />
			] ambiguity.{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=115–116}} Pictured is a visual representation of the ]s present in the verse and chorus of "]".]]
			Musicologist ] estimates that the album's "overall unity" is strengthened by "strong musical relationships among songs", for example, the use of 4–3–2–1 stepwise descents and the reverse.{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=115, 117–118}} Perone concurred that the album contains musical continuity. On "You Still Believe in Me", he references a "stepwise falloff of the interval of a third at the end of each verse" as a typically "Wilsonian" feature that recurs throughout the album, along with a "madrigal sigh ]" that can be heard in "That's Not Me", where the motif concludes each line of the verses.{{sfn|Perone|2012|pp=28, 30}}{{refn|group=nb|This sighing motif reappears in "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)" and "Caroline, No".{{sfn|Perone|2012|pp=28, 30}}}}
	While most songs were composed with Tony Asher, "]" was co-written by another new associate, the Beach Boys' road manager Terry Sachen.<ref name="tracks">{{cite web | last =Elliott | first =Brad | url =http://www.beachboysfanclub.com/ps-tracks.html | title = Pet Sounds Track Notes | publisher =beachboysfanclub.com | date=August 31, 1999 | accessdate = March 3, 2009}}</ref>{{sfn|Ryan|1984|p=139}}{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2004|p=50}} Mike Love is co-credited on the album's opening track, "]", and on "I Know There's an Answer" but with the exception of his co-credit on "]", a song which had been written some two years earlier,<ref name="tracks"/> his songwriting contributions are thought to have been minimal. The exact degree of Love's contribution to "Wouldn't It Be Nice" was never fully determined, but under oath in a court of law, Asher stated it consisted of the tag "''Good night my baby/Sleep tight, my baby''" and possible minor vocal arrangement.<ref name="tracks"/>
			Wilson tended to write vertically, in ]s, rather than in the horizontal manner of classical composition.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=141}} An overwhelming majority of the chords are ], ], ], ], ], ], or ].{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|pp=193–194, 314}}{{refn|group=nb|Augmented and ninth chords appear less than the others listed.{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|p=314}}}} Simple (major or minor triad) chords are invoked minimally.{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|pp=193–194, 314}}{{refn|group=nb|All of the Beach Boys' prior records were mostly reliant on major or minor triads.{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|pp=193–194}} }} The bass lines were written melodically and tend to play parts that avoid focusing on tonic notes.{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|p=185}} According to Lambert, one of the album's few recurring compositional features that did not reflect a recent trend in Wilson's songwriting were bass lines that descend from 1 to 5.{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=118–120}}{{refn|group=nb|He speculated that Wilson's rekindled interest in this device, which he had used on '']'' and '']'', may have been inspired by "]" from '']'' (the American version of '']'').{{sfn|Lambert|2008|p=120}}}}
	====Concept====
	{{quote box|align=right|width=25%|quote=
	It felt like we were writing an autobiography, but oddly enough, I wouldn't limit it to Brian's autobiography&nbsp;... We were working in a somewhat intimate relationship, and I didn't know him at all, so he was finding out who I was, and I was finding out who he was.
	|source=—Tony Asher<ref name="Tony Asher interview" />}}
			Only four tracks feature a single strongly established key.{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=115–116}}{{refn|group=nb|"You Still Believe in Me" (B), "I'm Waiting for the Day" (E), "Sloop John B" (A{{music|flat}}), and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" (B{{music|flat}}).{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=115–116}}}} The rest feature a primary and secondary key or a weak tonal center.{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=115–116}} ] key modulations feature throughout the album and many of the choices of key signatures in themselves were unusual.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=141–142, 179}}{{refn|group=nb|Two examples of its tertian shifts: "Wouldn't It Be Nice" shifts from A to F to D, while "That's Not Me" shifts from F{{music|sharp}} to A and back to F{{music|sharp}}.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=141–142}}}} For example, "You Still Believe in Me" is in B, which keyboardists avoid due to the number of sharps/flats, while "That's Not Me" is in F{{music|sharp}}, the most distant key from C.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=141}} ]s, major or minor, are invoked in a manner that Lambert calls "an important source of overall unity". With the exception of "God Only Knows", every composition on the album that shifts keys or has an ambiguous tonal center "uses essentially the same tonic–submediant relation."{{sfn|Lambert|2008|p=116}} ], author of the ] book on the album, offered that Wilson's tendency to "wander far from the logic of his composition only to return triumphantly to confirm the emotional intent of his work" is repeated numerous times in ''Pet Sounds'', but never to "evoke a sense of unbridled joy" as Wilson recently had with "The Little Girl I Once Knew".{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=75}}
	The ] form returned to popularity in the late 1960s among pop artists, when many rock releases including ''Pet Sounds'' presented a set of thematically-linked songs. Other rock music artists, such as ] and ], the Beatles and ] subsequently released concept albums. ''Pet Sounds'' was a musical portrayal of Brian Wilson's private/public state of mind at the time.{{sfn|Zager|2012}}{{page needed|date=March 2016}}
			]
	Even though ''Pet Sounds'' has a somewhat unified theme in its emotional content, Wilson and Asher said repeatedly that it was not necessarily intended to be a narrative. Asher explained that they had "truly spontaneously generated a lot of those songs" from lengthy, intimate discussions centered around their "experiences and feelings about women and the various stages of relationships and so forth".<ref name="Tony Asher interview" /> Wilson stated: "If you take the ''Pet Sounds'' album as a collection of art pieces, each designed to stand alone, yet which belong together, you'll see what I was aiming at."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=134}} He considered ''Pet Sounds'' to be an "interpretation" of Phil Spector's ] method,<ref>{{cite web|title=INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN WILSON OF THE BEACH BOYS IN EARLY 1980'S|url=http://www.globalimageworks.com/clip-brian-wilson-interview-beach-boys-1874_023?id=45092|publisher=Global Image Works|accessdate=July 18, 2014|date=1976}}</ref> something Wilson further clarified by saying: "It wasn't really a ''song'' concept album, or ''lyrically'' a concept album; it was really a ''production'' concept album."{{sfn|Tunbridge|2010|p=173}}
			Compared to previous Beach Boys albums, ''Pet Sounds'' contains fewer vocal harmonies, but the types of vocal harmonies themselves are more complex and varied.{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|p=281}} Instead of simple "oo" harmonies, the band showed an increasing engagement in multiple vocal counterpoints.{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|p=315}} There is also a greater occurrence of doo-wop style nonsense syllables, appearing more times here than on any of their previous albums.{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|pp=277–278, 315}} Wilson invokes his signature ] seven times on the album. With the exception of ''Today!'', this was the most he had on a Beach Boys album since 1963's '']''.{{sfn|Lambert|2016|p=157}} His voice is also the most prominent on the album. Of the 11 songs, he sang lead on five, shares lead on two, and appears on the choruses of two more. Of the album's 36-minute runtime, his voice is heard for 16 minutes, three more than the rest of the band members.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=189}}
	===Lyrical themes===
	]
			=== Introspective, coming-of-age themes ===
	Critics ] and ] noted incongruity between the music and lyrics, where the latter suggested the album to be composed of sad songs about happiness while also celebrating loneliness and heartache.{{sfn|Gaines|2009|p=146}} Carl maintained: "The disappointment and the loss of innocence that everyone had to go through when they grow up and find everything's not Hollywood are the recurrent themes on that album."<ref name=HimesSurf /> Elsewhere within ''Pet Sounds'' lyrical content, Brian turned inward and probed his deep-seated self-doubts and emotional longings; ''Pet Sounds'' did not address the problems in the world around them, unlike other groups.{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003}} Marilyn believed that her relationship with Brian was a central reference within the album's lyrics; namely on "You Still Believe in Me" and "]".{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=84}} "You Still Believe in Me" features the first expression of introspective themes which would pervade the rest of the album.{{sfn|Perone|2012|pp=28, 30}} In a review by Jim Esch, he profiles the song: "fragile lovers buckling under the pressure of external forces they can't control, self-imposed romantic expectations and personal limitations, while simultaneously trying to maintain faith in one other. It is a theme that keeps reverberating sweetly, and hauntingly, throughout ''Pet Sounds''."<ref name=YSBiMAllMusic>{{cite web|last1=Esch|first1=Jim|title=You Still Believe in Me|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/you-still-believe-in-me-t2827562|publisher=]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509154652/http://www.allmusic.com/song/you-still-believe-in-me-t2827562|archivedate=May 9, 2012}}</ref>
			{{quote box|align=|width=25%|quote=People always thought Brian was a good-time guy until he started releasing those heavy, searching songs on ''Pet Sounds''. But that stuff was closer to his personality and perceptions.
			|source=—Dennis Wilson{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=62}}}}
			Asher stated that Wilson aspired to create a collection of songs that were relatable to adolescents. "Even though he was dealing in the most advanced score-charts and arrangements, he was still incredibly conscious of this commercial thing. This absolute need to relate."{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=17}} Carl Wilson offered: "The disappointment and the loss of innocence that everyone had to go through when they grow up and find everything's not ] are the recurrent themes on that album."<ref name=HimesSurf />
	Responding to the songwriters' denials of a conscious lyric theme, Nick Kent observed: " album documents the male participant's attempts at coming to terms with himself and the world about him. Each song pinpoints a crisis of faith in love and life: confusion ('That's Not Me'), disorientation (the staggeringly beautiful ']'), recognition of love's capricious impermanence (']') and finally, the grand betrayal of innocence featured in ']'."{{sfn|Kent|2009|pp=23–24}} From another viewpoint, author Scott Schinder has written that Wilson and Asher crafted an "emotion-charge song cycle that surveyed the emotional challenges accompanying the transition from youth to adulthood."{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114–115}} Schinder continues:
			According to ] reviewer Jim Esch, the opening track "Wouldn't It Be Nice" inaugurates the album's pervasive theme of "fragile lovers" who struggle with "self-imposed romantic expectations and personal limitations, while simultaneously trying to maintain faith in one other."<ref name=YSBiMAllMusic>{{cite web |last1=Esch |first1=Jim |title=You Still Believe in Me |url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/you-still-believe-in-me-t2827562 |website=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509154652/http://www.allmusic.com/song/you-still-believe-in-me-t2827562 |archive-date=May 9, 2012}}</ref> Comparing the group's past celebrations of adolescence and teenage romance, journalist Seth Rogovoy felt that ''Pet Sounds'' "upends and overturns every Beach Boys cliché, exposing the hollowness at their core."<ref name="WBUR2016"/> Rogovoy points to "Wouldn't It Be Nice", which "starts right out with a 180-degree turn – 'Wouldn't it be nice if we were ''older''.'"<ref name="WBUR2016">{{cite web |last1=Rogovoy |first1=Seth |title='Pet Sounds' On The Road: Revisiting The Sad Genius Of Brian Wilson |url=http://www.wbur.org/artery/2016/06/14/pet-sounds-brian-wilson |publisher=] |date=June 14, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521163247/https://www.wbur.org/news/2016/06/14/pet-sounds-brian-wilson |archive-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
	{{quote|Lyrically, ''Pet Sounds'' encompassed the loss of innocent idealism ("Caroline, No"), the transient nature of love ("Here Today"), faith in the face of heartbreak ("I'm Waiting for the Day"), the demands and disappointments of independence ("That's Not Me"), the feeling of being out of step with the modern world ("I Just Wasn't Made for These Times"), and the longing for a happy, loving future ("Wouldn't It Be Nice"). The album also featured a series of intimate, ]like love songs, "You Still Believe in Me", "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)", and "God Only Knows".}}
			Critics ] and ] found that the album's melancholic lyrics sometimes jarred with the overall tone of the music.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=146}} Cohn suggested that ''Pet Sounds'' comprised "sad songs about loneliness and heartache; sad songs even about happiness."{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=146}}<ref name="ABoysOwnStory" /> '']'' editor ] wrote that the lyrics were "intelligent and moving, but{{nbsp}}... not pretentious", much like the songs of Tin Pan Alley.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=90}}
	Kent admits: "Then again, bearing in mind this conceptual bent, there are certain incongruous factors about the album's construction. The main one is the inclusion of the hit single 'Sloop John B', as well as of two instrumental pieces."{{sfn|Kent|2009|pp=23–24}} James Perone argues, "To the extent that the listener hears 'Let's Go Away for Awhile' as an incomplete piece, it is possible to understand it as a reflection of the alienation – the sense of not quite fitting in – of the bulk of Tony Asher's lyrics in the songs on ''Pet Sounds''."{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=28}} Noting that a sense of self-doubt, concern for the future of a relationship, and melancholy pervades ''Pet Sounds'', Perone claims in reference to "Sloop John B" that the song successfully portrays a sailor who feels "completely out of place in his situation is fully in keeping with the general feeling of disorientation that runs through so many of the songs."{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=28}}
			==== Perceived storyline ====
	In Perone's interpretation, he also suggests a visceral continuity, writing that the high-pitched electric bass guitar part in "Here Today" bring to mind similar parts in "God Only Knows", culminating in what sounds like the vocal protagonist of "Here Today" warning the protagonist of "God Only Knows" that what he sings stands no chance at longevity. The protagonist's relationship then concludes shortly after "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", while "Caroline, No" is a rumination in broken love.{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=29}}
			It is sometimes suggested that ''Pet Sounds'' tells a story about the unraveling of a romantic relationship.{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=21}} Author Scott Schinder argued that Wilson and Asher crafted a ] about "the emotional challenges accompanying the transition from youth to adulthood", supplemented with "a series of intimate, hymn-like love songs".{{sfn|Schinder|2007|pp=114–115}} Even though ''Pet Sounds'' has a virtually unified theme in its emotional content, there was no intended narrative.{{sfn|Tunbridge|2010|p=173}} Asher said that there were no conversations between him and Wilson that pertained to any specific album "concept"; however, "that's not to say that didn't have the capacity to steer it in that direction, even unconsciously."<ref name="Tony Asher interview" /> Lambert argued that Wilson must have intended the album to have a narrative framework due to the likelihood of his familiarity with similar "theme albums" by ] and ].{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=116–117}}
			Responding to the songwriters' denials of a conscious lyric theme, journalist ] observed that the album's lyrics show "the male participant's attempts at coming to terms with himself and the world about him" and that every song "pinpoints a crisis of faith in love and life" with the exception of "Sloop John B" and the two instrumental pieces.{{sfn|Kent|2009|pp=23–24}} Granata referenced "Sloop John B" and "Pet Sounds" as the tracks that undermine the album's "thematic thread" and supposed lyrical narrative, yet "contribute to the marvelous pacing".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=89}}
	===Psychedelia===
	Mike Love's influence on "I Know There's an Answer" is reputed to have stemmed from his opposition to the song's original title "]", and his desire that it be partially rewritten and retitled. The original lyrics created a stir within the group. "I was aware that Brian was beginning to experiment with ] and other ]," explained Love. "The prevailing drug jargon at the time had it that doses of LSD would shatter your ], as if that were a positive thing&nbsp;... I wasn't interested in taking acid or getting rid of my ego." Jardine recalled that the decision to change the lyrics was ultimately Brian's. "Brian was very concerned. He wanted to know what we thought about it. To be honest, I don't think we even knew what an ego was&nbsp;... Finally Brian decided, 'Forget it. I'm changing the lyrics. There's too much controversy.'"<ref name=tracks /> Although some of it was rewritten, the lyric directly referencing psychedelia ("they trip through the day and waste all their thoughts at night") was kept in the song.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=237}}
			==Group infighting==
	Brian's response when asked about LSD and "Hang On to Your Ego" was: "I had taken a few drugs, and I had gotten into that kind of thing. I guess it just came up naturally."<ref name="Out-Of-Sight! SMiLE Timeline">{{cite web| url=http://www.goodhumorsmile.com/page205.htm| title=The Out-Of-Sight! SMiLE Site| publisher=goodhumorsmile.com| accessdate=March 21, 2013}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Throughout the latter half of the 1960s, Brian was repeatedly shown to have become interested in Eastern philosophy and the psychedelic experience, often pointing to ] as the key to a better way of living.<ref name="Out-Of-Sight! SMiLE Timeline"/>{{sfn|Koestler|1989|p=38}}{{Verify source|date=May 2014}} }} For "]", Brian's lyric change from "this is the worst trip ''since I've been born''" to "this is the worst trip ''I've ever been on''" has been suggested by some to be another subtle nod to acid culture.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/the-beach-boys-sloop-john-b-20110526|title=Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/lsd-70th-anniversary_n_3092536.html|title=LSD's 70th Anniversary: 10 Rock Lyrics From The 1960s That Pay Homage To Acid| work=Huffington Post|first=Jacobs|last=Matthew|date=April 16, 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003}}
			''Pet Sounds'' is sometimes considered a Brian Wilson solo album,{{sfn|Hoskyns|2009|p=106}}{{sfn|Bogdanov|Woodstra|Erlewine|2002|p=72}}{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=20}} including by Wilson himself, who later referred to it as his "first solo album" and "a chance to step outside the group and shine".{{sfn|Umphred|1997|p=31}} With the exception of Love, who had been previewed tracks over the phone by Wilson, the other members were not consulted on any aspect of the record.{{sfn|White|1996|p=254}}{{refn|group=nb|Brian had also played Dennis and Carl excerpts of the new music over the phone while they were in Japan.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=111}}}} When they returned to the studio on February 9,{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=111}} they were presented with a substantial portion of the album, with music that was in many ways a jarring departure from their earlier style.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=149}}
	Bret Marcus of ''Goldmine'' noted that he believes that the album is psychedelic pop, even though most people hesitate to name the Beach Boys in discussions of psychedelic music.<ref name=GoldminePsyche/> Stebbins writes that the album is "slighty psychedelic – or at least impressionistic."{{sfn|Stebbins|2011|p=152}} According to academics ] and Martin Halliwell, ''Pet Sounds'' has a "personal intimacy" that sets it apart from the Beach Boys' contemporaries in ] and the ], but still retains a "trippy feel" that resulted from Brian's experimental use of LSD. They attribute this to Brian's "eclectic mixture of instruments, echo, reverb, and innovative mixing techniques learnt from Phil Spector to create a complex soundscape in which voice and music interweave tightly".{{sfn|Hegarty|Halliwell|2011|p=23}} On the subject of psychedelic records in the 1960s, ] stated that "psychedelic music is a term that pretty much refers to these sort of epic, ambitious long-form records&nbsp;... the reason ''Pet Sounds'' is considered a psychedelic journey or whatever is because it's like opening a door and stepping through and entering another world and you're in that other world for a period of time and then you come back."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Masley|first1=Ed|title=Interview: Sean Lennon on Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2014/05/04/interview-sean-lennon-ghost-saber-tooth-tiger/8708967/|publisher=]|date=May 12, 2014}}</ref>
			According to various reports, the group fought over the new direction.{{sfn|Kent|2009|pp=21–23}} However, Dennis denied that anyone in the group had disliked ''Pet Sounds'', calling the rumors "interesting". He said that there was "not one person in the group that could come close to Brian's talent" and "couldn't imagine who" would have resisted Brian's leadership.<ref>{{cite interview |interviewer=Pete Fornatale |title=WNEW-FM |type=Interview: Audio |location=New York City |date=November 1976 |subject=Wilson, Dennis}}; {{YouTube|cVItbEJBkJM|Dennis Wilson – Pete Fornatale Interview 1976}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|In his 2016 memoir, Brian wrote that Carl was enthused with the album, but Love and Dennis were not.{{sfn|Wilson|Greenman|2016|p=182}}}} Carl supported that such accusations were "bullshit" before adding, "We ''loved'' that record. Everybody loved that record, it was a joy to make."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Robertson |first1=Sandy |date=April 19, 1980 |title=The Beach Boys: The Life of Brian |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-beach-boys-the-life-of-brian |magazine=] |via=] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Carl said in 1996, "We knew this was good music.{{nbsp}}... I loved every minute of it. He could do no wrong. He could play me anything, and I would love it."<ref name="Carl1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Comments by Carl Wilson |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Comments_by_Carl_Wilson.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427191940/http://albumlinernotes.com/Comments_by_Carl_Wilson.html |archive-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref>}} Jardine differed in his recollection, "I wasn't exactly thrilled with the change , but I grew to really appreciate it as soon as we started to work on it. It wasn't like anything we'd heard before."<ref name="Goldmine2000">{{cite magazine |last1=Sharp |first1=Ken |date=July 28, 2000 |title=Alan Jardine: A Beach Boy still riding the waves |url=http://www.brianwilsonfans.com/page11.php |url-status=dead |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130109022135/http://brianwilsonfans.com/page11.php |archive-date=January 9, 2013}}</ref> He explained that "it took us quite a while to adjust to because it wasn't music you could necessarily dance to—it was more like music you could make love to."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=166}}
	== Recording and production ==
			] (pictured 1966) is often accused of disliking the album, but he has rejected such claims.<ref>{{cite web |last=Valania |first=Jonathan |date=May 27, 2015 |title=MIKE LOVE NOT WAR: Q&A With A Beach Boy |url=http://www.phawker.com/2015/05/27/incoming-mike-love-not-war/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301110418/https://phawker.com/2015/05/27/incoming-mike-love-not-war/ |archive-date=March 1, 2021 |publisher=Phawker.com |orig-year=2012}}</ref>]]
	===Process===
	{{see also|Wall of Sound|Musicianship of Brian Wilson}}
			Whatever objections the band members may have had were mostly reserved for the lyrics, not the music itself.{{sfn|Leaf|1978|p=85}} Musically, they were concerned about how they would reproduce the songs in concert.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sky |first=Rick |date=November 2, 2016 |title=Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds – Royal Albert Hall, 28 October 2016 Live Review |url=http://www.contactmusic.com/brian-wilson/music/brian-wilson-presents-pet-sounds-royal-albert-hall-28-october-2016 |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119160423/https://www.contactmusic.com/brian-wilson/music/brian-wilson-presents-pet-sounds-royal-albert-hall-28-october-2016 |archive-date=January 19, 2021}}</ref> Love said that his only disagreement pertained to the original lyrics of "I Know There's an Answer",{{sfn|Love|2016|p=131}} although Jardine remembered that Love was generally "very confused" about the album: "Mike's a formula hound – if it doesn't have a hook in it, if he can't hear a hook in it, he doesn't want to know about it."<ref name="Goldmine2000" /> In defense of Love, Asher said that " never was critical about what ''was'', he was just saying it wasn't right for the Beach Boys."<ref name="BDW">{{cite AV media |title=] |medium=Documentary |year=2004 |people=Leaf, David (Director)}}</ref> Asher said that Jardine had shared this viewpoint.{{sfn|Leaf|1978|p=84}}
	] at Western Studio 3 of ], playing his ] with session guitarist ].]]
			Brian recalled that the group "liked but they said it was too arty. I said, 'No, it is not!"{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=114}} Marilyn said that his bandmates struggled "to understand what he was going through emotionally and what he wanted to create.&nbsp;... they didn't feel what he was going through and what direction he was trying to go in."<ref name="Marilyn1997" /> Asher remembered, "All those guys in the band, certainly Al, Dennis, and Mike, were constantly saying, 'What the fuck do these words mean?' or 'This isn't our kind of shit!' Brian had comebacks, though. He'd say, 'Oh, you guys can't hack this.'&nbsp;... But I remember thinking that those were tense sessions."{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=83}} Notwithstanding such remarks, Asher said that Brian's bandmates never "really challenged Brian" on his direction for the group because they had felt "they weren't talented enough" to make such judgments.{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=22}}
	Brian produced several backing tracks over a period lasting several months, using professional Hollywood recording studios and an ensemble that included the ] ]s nicknamed "]", also known as the musicians frequently employed on Phil Spector's records.{{sfn|Moorefield|2010|p=16}}{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}} Wilson was a great admirer of Spector, and he endeavored to emulate his Wall of Sound production techniques. Wilson was fascinated with the idea of creating unique sounds from combinations of instruments, identifying the tack piano and organ mix in "I Know There's an Answer" as one example of himself applying the method.{{sfn|Moorefield|2010|p=16}} Wilson also doubled the bass (typically using an acoustic upright bass and an electric bass), guitars and keyboard parts,<ref name="Britz1997"/> blending them with reverberation and adding other unusual instruments.<ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999"/>{{failed verification|date=December 2014}} {{citation needed span|text=Thanks to the freedom offered by the recent development of multitrack tape recorders, both producers adopted the practice of taping their backing tracks first, and adding vocals later, and like Spector, Brian was a pioneer of the studio-as-an-instrument concept.|date=November 2014}}
			Another concern among his bandmates, according to Brian, was whether he would leave the group and pursue a solo career. Brian said, "it was generally considered that the Beach Boys were the main thing&nbsp;... with ''Pet Sounds'', there was a resistance in that I was doing most of the artistic work on it vocally".<ref name="Lunch76">{{cite magazine |last1=Cromelin |first1=Richard |date=October 1976 |title=Surf's Up! Brian Wilson Comes Back From Lunch |magazine=]}}</ref> Love wrote in his memoir that he "would have liked to have had a greater hand in some of the songs and been able to incorporate more often my 'lead voice,' which we'd had so much success with."{{sfn|Love|2016|p=135}} Brian acknowledged that he had taken up most of the vocals "because I thought, in a way, I wanted people to know it was more of a Brian Wilson album than a Beach Boys album."{{sfn|Umphred|1997|p=32}} He said the conflicts were resolved when his bandmates "figured that it was a showcase for Brian Wilson, but it's still the Beach Boys. In other words, they gave in. They let me have my little stint."<ref name="Lunch76" />{{sfn|Leaf|1978|pp=85–86}}
	Surviving tapes of his recording sessions show that he was open to his musicians, often taking advice and suggestions from them and even incorporating apparent mistakes if they provided a useful or interesting alternative.{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}} Brian said that he "was sort of a square" with the Wrecking Crew, starting his creative process with how each instrument sounded one-by-one, moving from keyboards, drums, then violins if they were not overdubbed. Although the self-taught Wilson often had entire arrangements worked out in his head, they were usually written in a shorthand form for the other players by one of his session musicians.<ref name="BrianWilson1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=|last=|authorlink=|chapter=Interview with Brian Wilson|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Interview_w_Brian_Wilson.html}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|For his session of "]", ] remembered: "Brian came over to me and sang such and such a thing, and I said 'Well, write it down and I'll play it,' and he said 'Write it down? We don't write anything down—if you want it written down you have to write it down yourself."{{sfn|Brend|2005|p=18}}}} On notation and arranging, Brian clarified: "Sometimes I'd just write out a chord sheet and that would be for piano, organ, or harpsichord or anything.&nbsp;... I wrote out all the horn charts separate from the keyboards. I wrote one basic keyboard chart, violins, horns, and basses, and percussion."<ref name="BrianWilson1997"/>
			{{clear}}
			==Recording==
	According to Jardine, each member was taught their individual vocal lines by Brian at a piano. He explains, "Every night we'd come in for a playback. We'd sit around and listen to what we did the night before. Someone might say, well, that's pretty good but we can do that better&nbsp;... We had somewhat photographic memory as far as the vocal parts were concerned so that never a problem for us."<ref name=Sharp2013>{{cite web|last1=Sharp|first1=Ken|title=Al Jardine of the Beach Boys: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About "SMiLE" (Interview)|url=http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2013/04/02/al-jardine-smile-beach-boys-interview/|website=Rock Cellar Magazine|accessdate=2 July 2014|date=April 2, 2013}}</ref> This process proved to be the most exacting work the group had undertaken yet. During recording, Mike Love often called Brian "]", a nickname referencing a canine's ability to detect sounds far beyond the limits of human hearing.<ref name="Love1997"/> Love later summarized:
			===Backing tracks===
			] on ], 2019]]
			With the exception of three tracks, ''Pet Sounds'' was recorded from January 18 to April 13, 1966, and spanned 27 session dates.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=126}}{{refn|group=nb|Work was already started on "Sloop John B" (in July and December 1965), "You Still Believe in Me", and "Pet Sounds" (both in November 1965).{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=108}}}} Instrumental sessions were conducted at Western Studio 3 of ], except for a few tracks that were recorded at ] and ].<ref name="Stromoff1996">{{cite magazine |last1=Stromoff |first1=Mark |title=Pet Project |magazine=EQ |date=June 1996 |volume=7 |issue=6 |url=http://lukpac.org:8080/~lukpac/public/EQ%20decrypted.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141203195535/http://lukpac.org:8080/~lukpac/public/EQ%20decrypted.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2014}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|At Gold Star, Wilson tracked "Good Vibrations" and the instrumentals of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times";{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=112, 115, 117}} at Sunset Sound, he tracked the instrumental of "Here Today".{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=122}}}} Wilson produced the sessions with his usual engineer, Western's ].{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=130–131}} Although Phil Spector created all of his recordings at Gold Star, Wilson preferred working at Western for the studio's privacy and for the presence of Britz.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=131}}
	{{quote|We worked and worked on the harmonies and, if there was the slightest little hint of a sharp or a flat, it wouldn't go on. We would do it over again until it was right. was going for every subtle nuance that you could conceivably think of. Every voice had to be right, every voice and its resonance and tonality had to be right. The timing had to be right. The timbre of the voices just had to be correct, according to how he felt. And then he might, the next day, completely throw that out and we might have to do it over again.<ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999"/>}}
			For the backing tracks, Wilson used an ensemble that included the classically trained session musicians frequently employed on Spector's records, a group later nicknamed "]".{{sfn|Moorefield|2010|p=16}}{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}}{{refn|group=nb|The regulars were ] (drums), ] and ] (guitar), ] (piano), Steve Douglas (saxophone) ] (Fender bass), ] (Hammond organ), ] (piano), ] (upright bass), ] (bass and guitar), and ] (percussion).{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=136}}}} Wilson had been employing the services of session musicians due to the increasingly complex nature of his arrangements and because his bandmates were often away playing concerts.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=136}} Carl, who had occasionally played guitar alongside these musicians at Brian's sessions, commented that his contributions were not as significant as before and that "It really wasn't appropriate for us to play on those dates—the tracking just got beyond us."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=160}}
	The majority of sessions were conducted at Western Studio 3 of ], with few additional tracking dates at ] and ].<ref name="Stromoff1996">{{cite journal|last1=Stromoff|first1=Mark|title=Pet Project|journal=EQ|date=June 1996|volume=7|issue=6|url=http://lukpac.org:8080/~lukpac/public/EQ%20decrypted.pdf}}</ref> Some of the vocals were recorded at ], because it was the only facility in Los Angeles with an 8-track recorder.<ref name="Linett1997"/><ref name="Stromoff1996"/> The album's final vocal overdubbing session took place on April 13, 1966, concluding a ten-month-long recording period that begun with "Sloop John B" in July 1965.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=66, 84}} The album was mixed three days later in a single nine-hour session.{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=20}}{{refn|group=nb|In 1995, it emerged that this session was originally intended to add vocals to "Let's Go Away for Awhile", but Capitol insisted that the session date be used for the album's mixing.{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=24}} }} Its total cost of production amounted to a then-unheard of $70,000 (today equal to ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|70000|1966|r=-4}}}}).{{sfn|Gaines|2009|p=146}}
			]
	==== Mixing and engineering ====
	{{listen|filename=Beach Boys-Pet Sounds.ogg |title="Pet Sounds"|description=A ] was used to filter lead guitar for the title track "]".<ref name="Waspensky1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=Russ|last=Waspensky|authorlink=|chapter=Pet Sounds Session List|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Pet_Sounds_Session_List.html}}</ref> Other quirks from this recording include ] cans and a ] as percussion.<ref name=tracks />}}		Wilson said that he "was sort of a square" with his musicians, starting his creative process with how each instrument sounded one-by-one, moving from keyboards, drums, then violins if they were not overdubbed.<ref name="BrianWilson1997"/> A backing track session would last for three hours at minimum. Britz remembered how most of the time was spent perfecting individual sounds: " knew basically every instrument he wanted to hear, and how he wanted to hear it. What he would do is call in all the musicians at one time (which was very costly), but still, that's the way he would do it."<ref name="InTheStudio">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=In the Studio |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/In_The_Studio.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427191940/http://albumlinernotes.com/In_The_Studio.html |archive-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref>
			Although Wilson often had entire arrangements worked out in his head, they were usually written in a shorthand form for the other players by one of his session musicians.<ref name="BrianWilson1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Interview with Brian Wilson |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Interview_w_Brian_Wilson.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427191939/http://albumlinernotes.com/Interview_w_Brian_Wilson.html |archive-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|For his session of "]", ] remembered: "Brian came over to me and sang such and such a thing, and I said 'Well, write it down and I'll play it,' and he said 'Write it down? We don't write anything down—if you want it written down you have to write it down yourself."{{sfn|Brend|2005|p=18}}}} He also took advice and suggestions from his musicians and even incorporated apparent mistakes if they provided a useful or interesting alternative.{{sfn|Schinder|2007|p=114}} Session drummer ] stated, "Everyone helped arrange, as far as I'm concerned."{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=82}} On notation and arranging, Wilson explained: "Sometimes I'd just write out a chord sheet and that would be for piano, organ, or harpsichord or anything.&nbsp;... I wrote out all the horn charts separate from the keyboards. I wrote one basic keyboard chart, violins, horns, and basses, and percussion."<ref name="BrianWilson1997" />
	Although Spector's trademark sound was aurally complex, many of the best-known Wall of Sound recordings were recorded on ] 3-track recorders. Spector's backing tracks were recorded live, and usually in a single take. These backing tracks were mixed live, in mono, and taped directly onto one track of the 3-track recorder;<ref name="Buskin2007"/> {{citation needed span|text=instrumental overdubs only rarely added.|date=December 2014}} The lead vocal was then taped, usually (though not always) as an uninterrupted live performance, recorded direct to the second track of the recorder. The master was completed with the addition of backing vocals on the third track before the three tracks were mixed down to create the mono master tape.<ref name="Buskin2007">{{cite web|last1=Buskin|first1=Richard|title=CLASSIC TRACKS: The Ronettes 'Be My Baby'|url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr07/articles/classictracks_0407.htm|website=Sound on Sound|publisher=Sound on Sound|accessdate=August 19, 2014|date=April 2007}}</ref>
			] four-track 280 tape deck, identical to the model used for ''Pet Sounds''{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=108}}]]
	By comparison, Brian produced tracks that were of greater technical complexity by using state-of-the-art 4-track and 8-track recorders.<ref name="Linett1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=Mark|last=Linett|authorlink=Mark Linett|chapter=Notes on Recording and Mixing|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Recording_Mixing_Notes.html}}</ref> Most backing tracks were recorded onto a 4-track recorder before being later dubbed down (in mono) onto one track of an 8-track machine.{{sfn|Moorefield|2005|p=18}} Brian typically divided instruments by three tracks: drums–percussion–keyboard, horns, and bass–additional percussion–guitar. The fourth track usually contained a rough reference mix used during playback at the session,{{clarify|reason=How exactly was this mix used as a reference during playback or after?|date=January 2015}} later to be erased for overdubs such as a string section.<ref name=Linett1997 /> After mixing down the 4-track to mono for overdubbing via an 8-track recorder, six of the remaining seven tracks were usually dedicated to each of the Beach Boys' vocals.<ref name="Linett1997"/> The last track was usually reserved for additional elements such as extra vocals or instrumentation.<ref name=tracks />{{refn|group=nb|The survival of most of these 4-track instrumental masters and 8-track vocal masters, permitted Capitol to create the high-fidelity stereo remixes of the isolated backing tracks and vocal tracks which appear on '']''.<ref name="Linett1997"/>}}
	Vocals were recorded using two ]s, which Dennis, Carl and Jardine would sing on, and a 5–35 used by Brian for his leads.<ref name="Britz1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Musician Comments: Chuck Britz |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=]|type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Chuck_Britz.html |accessdate=May 28, 2015}}</ref> Love sang most of the album's bass vocals, and necessitated an extra microphone due to his low volume range.<ref name=Love1997 />
			Discussing Spector's Wall of Sound technique, Wilson identified the ] and organ mix in "I Know There's an Answer" as one example of himself applying the method.{{sfn|Moorefield|2010|p=16}} Compared to Spector, Brian produced tracks that were of greater technical complexity by using state-of-the-art four-track and eight-track recorders.<ref name="Linett1997">{{cite AV media notes |first=Mark |last=Linett |author-link=Mark Linett |chapter=Notes on Recording and Mixing |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Recording_Mixing_Notes.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427203719/http://albumlinernotes.com/Recording_Mixing_Notes.html |archive-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Although Spector's trademark sound was aurally complex, many of the best-known Wall of Sound recordings were recorded on ] three-track recorders. Spector's backing tracks were recorded live, and usually in a single take. These backing tracks were mixed live, in mono, and taped directly onto one track of the three-track recorder. The lead vocal was then taped, usually (though not always) as an uninterrupted live performance, recorded direct to the second track of the recorder. The master was completed with the addition of backing vocals on the third track before the three tracks were mixed down to create the mono master tape.<ref name="Buskin2007">{{cite web |last1=Buskin |first1=Richard |title=CLASSIC TRACKS: The Ronettes 'Be My Baby' |date=April 2007 |website=Sound on Sound |url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr07/articles/classictracks_0407.htm |access-date=August 19, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160620224552/https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-ronettes-be-my-baby |archive-date=June 20, 2016}}</ref>}} Most backing tracks were recorded onto a ] four-track 288 tape recorder<ref name="Stromoff1996" /> before being later dubbed down (in mono) onto one track of an eight-track machine.{{sfn|Moorefield|2010|p=18}} Wilson typically divided instruments by three tracks: drums–percussion–keyboard, horns, and bass–additional percussion–guitar. The fourth track usually contained a rough reference mix used during playback at the session, later to be erased for overdubs such as a string section.<ref name=Linett1997 /> "Once he had what he wanted," Britz said, "I would give Brian a 7-1/2 IPS copy of the track, and he would take it home."<ref name="Britz1997" />
	]
			===Vocal overdubs===
	''Pet Sounds'' was recorded on Scully 4-track 288 tape decks.<ref name="Stromoff1996"/> The only tape effects used on the album are ] and reverb. Sound engineer ] notes: "to my ears, it sounds more like the ]] rather than ]. It should be mentioned that you get a significantly different sound from a chamber when you record it ‘live’ as opposed to doing it off tape, and one reason these records sound the way they do is that the reverb was being printed as part of the recording – unlike today where we’ll record ‘dry’ and add the effects later."<ref name="Stromoff1996"/>
			] and Brian Wilson, ], and ] (obscured)]]
			Vocal overdubs were tracked at Western and ].{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=123}} The Beach Boys rarely knew their parts before arriving in the studio. Britz: "Most of the time, they were never ready to sing. They would rehearse in the studio. Actually, there was no such thing as rehearsal. They'd get on mike right off the bat, practically, and start singing."<ref name="Britz1997" /> According to Jardine, each member was taught their individual vocal lines by Brian at a piano. He explains, "Every night we'd come in for a playback. We'd sit around and listen to what we did the night before. Someone might say, well, that's pretty good but we can do that better."<ref name="Sharp2013">{{cite web |last1=Sharp |first1=Ken |title=Al Jardine of the Beach Boys: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About "SMiLE" (Interview) |url=http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2013/04/02/al-jardine-smile-beach-boys-interview |website=Rock Cellar Magazine |access-date=July 2, 2014 |date=April 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714111352/http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2013/04/02/al-jardine-smile-beach-boys-interview/ |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
			This process proved to be the most exacting work the group had undertaken yet. During recording, Mike Love often called Brian "dog ears", a nickname referencing a canine's ability to detect sounds far beyond the limits of human hearing.<ref name="Love1997" /> Love later summarized:
	{{citation needed span|text=Over the period leading up to ''Pet Sounds'', Brian pioneered and perfected the now-common studio technique known as "looping" – creating master recordings that consisted of heavily edited assemblages of pre-taped segments. Most of the ''Pet Sounds'' vocal tracks were recorded piece-by-piece, rather than in a single continuous take. Typically, each small phrase or section of a song was recorded separately – sometimes dozens of times over, until Brian was satisfied that he had the best possible performance – and then each of these segments would be physically spliced together to assemble a composite master vocal track, comprising the best possible performances of each segment of the vocal. Brian also frequently used this editing approach to duplicate certain renditions of song sections, and the choruses of many Beach Boys songs from this period (e.g. "California Girls") are in fact duplicated edits of the same single rendition (which was itself often an edited composite).|date=November 2014}} Additionally, by the time of ''Pet Sounds'', Brian was using up to six of the eight tracks on the multitrack master so that he could record the voice of each member separately, allowing him greater control over the vocal balance in the final mix.<ref name="Linett1997"/>
			{{blockquote|We worked and worked on the harmonies and, if there was the slightest little hint of a sharp or a flat, it wouldn't go on. We would do it over again until it was right. was going for every subtle nuance that you could conceivably think of. Every voice had to be right, every voice and its resonance and tonality had to be right. The timing had to be right. The timbre of the voices just had to be correct, according to how he felt. And then he might, the next day, completely throw that out and we might have to do it over again.<ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999" />}}
	A true stereophonic mix of ''Pet Sounds'' was not considered in 1966 largely because of mixing logistics.<ref name="Linett1997"/> In spite of whether a true stereo mix was possible, Brian intentionally mixed the final version of his recordings in mono (as did Spector). He did this because he felt that mono mastering provided more sonic control over the final result, irrespective of the vagaries of speaker placement and sound system quality. In that era radio and TV were broadcast in mono and most domestic and automotive radios and record players were monophonic.<ref name="Linett1997"/> Another and more personal reason for Brian's preference for mono was his almost total deafness in his right ear.{{refn|group=nb|Brian's deafness is rumored to be the result of childhood injury to his ] caused by a blow from his violent father ], although Brian claimed that he was born deaf in one ear.{{sfn|Schinder|2007}}}}
			For microphones, they used two ]s for Dennis, Carl and Jardine and a Shure 545 for Brian's leads.<ref name="Britz1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Musician Comments: Chuck Britz |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Chuck_Britz.html |access-date=May 28, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615095656/http://albumlinernotes.com/Chuck_Britz.html |archive-date=June 15, 2015}}</ref> Love sang most of the album's bass vocals, and necessitated an extra microphone due to his low volume range.<ref name="Love1997" /> By the time of ''Pet Sounds'', Wilson was using up to six of the eight tracks on the multitrack master so that he could record the voice of each member separately, allowing him greater control over the vocal balance in the final mix.<ref name="Linett1997" /> After mixing down the four-track to mono for overdubbing via an eight-track recorder, six of the remaining seven tracks were usually dedicated to each of the Beach Boys' vocals.<ref name="Linett1997" /> The last track was usually reserved for additional elements such as extra vocals or instrumentation.<ref name="tracks" /> The vocals for five of the album's songs were recorded at Columbia because it was the only facility in Los Angeles with an eight-track recorder.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=133–134}}{{refn|group=nb|"God Only Knows", "Here Today", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", and "I'm Waiting for the Day".{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=133–134}}}}
			===Effects and mixdown===
	=== Unreleased material ===
	{{See also|Good Vibrations|Trombone Dixie}}
			Similar to subsequent experimental rock LPs by the Beatles, ], and ], ''Pet Sounds'' featured countertextural aspects that called attention to the very recordedness of the album.{{sfn|Lowe|2007|pp=38, 219}} Tape effects were limited to ] and reverb. Archivist ] notes: "to my ears, it sounds more like the ]] rather than ]. It should be mentioned that you get a significantly different sound from a chamber when you record it 'live' as opposed to doing it off tape, and one reason these records sound the way they do is that the reverb was being printed as part of the recording – unlike today where we'll record 'dry' and add the effects later."<ref name="Stromoff1996" /> One of Wilson's favorite techniques was to apply reverb exclusively to a timpani, as can be heard in "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "You Still Believe in Me", and "Don't Talk".{{sfn|Everett|2008|p=24}}
	On October 15, 1965, Brian went to the studio to record an instrumental piece entitled "Three Blind Mice", which bore no musical connection to the ] ].{{refn|group=nb|It was included as part of the Beach Boys' 2011 release of '']''.{{cn|date=February 2016}}}} Another instrumental, called "]", was recorded. According to Brian, "I was just foolin' around one day, fuckin' around with the musicians, and I took that arrangement out of my briefcase and we did it in 20 minutes. It was nothing, there was really nothing in it."<ref>{{cite journal|first=Jacopo|last=Benci|title=Brian Wilson interview|journal=Record Collector|date=January 1995|issue=185|location=UK}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|remained in the vaults until its inclusion on the album's 1990 remastered CD release.{{cn|date=February 2016}}}}
			{{quote box
	In mid February 1966, Brian was in the studio with his session band laying down the first takes for a new composition, "]".<ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999"/> On February 23, Brian gave Capitol a provisional track listing for the new LP, which included {{citation needed span|text=both "Sloop John B"|date=December 2014}} and "Good Vibrations."{{sfn|Sanchez|2010|p=85}} This contradicts the long held misconception that "Sloop John B" was a forced inclusion as the hit single at Capitol's insistence: in late February, the song was weeks away from release.<ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999"/>{{sfn|Buckley|2003|p=7}}{{verification needed|date=December 2014}} Brian worked through February and into March fine-tuning the backing tracks. To the group's surprise he also dropped "Good Vibrations" from the running order, telling them that he wanted to spend more time on it. Al Jardine remembered: "At the time, we all had assumed that "Good Vibrations" was going to be on the album, but Brian decided to hold it out. It was a judgment call on his part; we felt otherwise but left the ultimate decision up to him."<ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999"/>
			| align = right
			| width = 25%
			| quote = It was full of noise. You could hear him talking in the background. It was real sloppy. He had spent all this time making the album, and zip—dubbed it down in one day or something like that. he took it back and mixed it properly. I think a lot of times, beautiful orchestrated stuff or parts got lost in his mixes.
			| source = —Saxophonist ] recalling the album's draft mix<ref name="Douglas1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Musician Comments: Steve Douglas |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Interview_w_Brian_Wilson.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427191939/http://albumlinernotes.com/Interview_w_Brian_Wilson.html |archive-date=27 April 2022}}</ref>
			}}
			On April 13, 1966, the album's final vocal overdubbing session, for "Here Today", concluded a ten-month-long recording period that had begun with "Sloop John B" in July 1965.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=66, 84}} The album was mixed three days later in a single nine-hour session.{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=20}}{{refn|group=nb|In 1995, it emerged that this session was originally intended to add vocals to "Let's Go Away for Awhile", but Capitol insisted that the session date be used for the album's mixing.{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=24}} }} Most of the session was spent mixing down the vocals to fit with the instrumentals, which had already been locked into one mono track.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=179}} The album's original mono master ultimately featured many technical flaws that contrast the refined arrangements and performances.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=179}} One of the most prominent examples occurs in "Wouldn't It Be Nice", where an audible tape splice is heard between the chorus and Mike Love's vocal entrance in the bridge. A similar anomaly is heard in the instrumental break of "Here Today", where a distant conversation was accidentally captured during a vocal overdub.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=180}} In David Leaf's view, "It's not sloppy recording, it's part of the music."{{sfn|Leaf|1978|p=82}}
	Brian devoted some ''Pet Sounds'' sessions to avant-garde indulgences such as an extended ''a cappella'' run-through of the ] "]" that exploited the song's use of ] via ] and overdubbing. At least half an hour of tape reels exist which involve Brian and friends attempting to create a psychedelic ], foreshadowing much of his work on '']'', which was set to have followed ''Pet Sounds''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Planer|first=Lindsay|title=Unsurpassed Masters, Vol. 14 (1966): The Alternate "Pet Sound" Album, Vol. 2 review|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/unsurpassed-masters-vol-14-1966-the-alternate-pet-sound-album-vol-2-mw0000963894|publisher=]|accessdate=December 4, 2014}}</ref> The only product of these sessions present in ''Pet Sounds'' was an excerpt of Brian's dogs barking accompanied by a recording of passing trains,<ref name=tracks /> which may have been ] from the 1963 sound effects LP ''Mister D's Machine''. Brian may also have briefly considered recording other animal sounds for inclusion, as evidenced by a snippet of surviving studio chatter from the "Dog Barking Session" (included on ''The Pet Sounds Sessions'' box set). This features Brian asking studio engineer ]: "Hey, Chuck, is it possible we can bring a horse in here without&nbsp;... if we don't screw everything up?", to which a clearly startled Britz responds, "I ''beg'' your pardon?", with Brian then pleading, "Honest to God, now, the horse is tame and everything!"{{sfn|Sanchez|2010|p=83}} About a year later Brian had moved on to burning wood in the studio.
			A true stereophonic mix of ''Pet Sounds'' was not considered in 1966 largely because of mixing logistics.<ref name="Linett1997" /> In spite of whether a true stereo mix was possible, Wilson intentionally mixed the final version of his recordings in mono (as did Spector). He did this because he felt that mono mastering provided more sonic control over the final result, irrespective of the vagaries of speaker placement and sound system quality.<ref name="Linett1997" />{{refn|group=nb|In that era, radio and TV were broadcast in mono and most domestic and automotive radios and record players were monophonic.<ref name="Linett1997" />}} Another and more personal reason for Brian's preference for mono was his almost total deafness in his right ear.{{sfn|Wilson|Greenman|2016|p=138}} At the end, the total cost of production amounted to a then-unheard of $70,000 (equivalent to ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|70000|1966|r=-4}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}}).{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=146}}
	==Title and cover art==
	].]]
			==Songs==
	On February 10, 1966, the group traveled to the ] to shoot the photographs for the cover.<ref name=GIGS /> On May 13, an article published by the '']'' wrote that the group "came down from Hollywood to take a cover picture for their forthcoming album ''Our Freaky Friends''. {{sic}} ... Zoo officials were not keen about having their beloved beasts connected with the title of the album, but gave in when the Beach Boys explained that animals are an 'in' thing with teenagers. And that the Beach Boys were rushing to beat the rock and roll group called ]."{{refn|group=nb|The article continues to say that the group mishandled and discomforted many of the animals: "Before they left, said zoo public relations director Bill Seaton, the caged animals were 'about to crack up.' ... The zoo superintendent John Muth, an ex marine sergeant major, said the Beach Boys are not welcome back and never will be."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rhodes|first1=Frank|work=]|date=May 13, 1966}}</ref>}} Asher remembered: " had some proofs of the pictures they'd done at the zoo, and he told me they were thinking of calling the album ''Pet Sounds''. I thought it was a goofy name for an album — I thought it trivialized what we had accomplished."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=82}}
			===Side one===
			===="Wouldn't It Be Nice"====
			{{listen|pos=
			|filename=Beach Boys-wouldn t it be nice.ogg|title=Intro of "Wouldn't It Be Nice"|description="]" introduces the album with a sound described by journalist ] as "limpid harps imitating a teenage heartstrings in a tug of love".{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=17}}}}
			"]" describes a young couple fantasizing about the romantic freedom they would earn as adults.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=90}} Asher said that it was the only song on the album in which he wrote words to a melody that Brian had already finalized.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=91}} The group's vocal performance took longer to record than any other track on the album, as Wilson's bandmates struggled to sing the multiple vocal parts to his satisfaction.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=168, 172}}
	Brian has variously claimed that the title was "a tribute" to Spector by matching his initials{{sfn|Brown|2007|p=152}} or that it was named "after the dogs&nbsp;... That was the whole idea."{{sfn|Preiss|1979|p=54}} At another time, Brian credited the album title to Carl.<ref name="SongBySong">{{cite AV media notes|first=David|last=Leaf|authorlink=David Leaf|chapter=Song by Song Notes|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Song_by_Song_Notes.html}}</ref><ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999"/> Carl added with uncertainty that the title may have came from Brian, and said: "The idea he had was that everybody has these sounds that they love, and this was a collection of his 'pet sounds.' It was hard to think of a name for the album, because you sure couldn't call it '']''&nbsp;.. It was just so much more than a record; it had such a spiritual quality. It wasn't going in and doing another top ten. It had so much more meaning than that."<ref name=Carl1997 />{{refn|group=nb|In Brian's discredited 1991 autobiography '']'', it was written that the title was inspired by Mike Love asking "Who's gonna hear this shit? The ears of a dog?"{{sfn|Harrison|1997|p=54}} In 2016, Love denied that he had ever said the comment.<ref name="BalladofML">{{cite web|last1=Hedegaard|first1=Erik|title=The Ballad of Mike Love|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-ballad-of-mike-love-20160217|publisher='']''|date=February 17, 2016}}</ref>}}
			===="You Still Believe in Me"====
	Love laid claim to the title: "We were standing in the hallway in one of the recording studios, either Western or Columbia, and we didn't have a title," he recounted. "We had taken pictures at the zoo and&nbsp;... there were animal sounds on the record, and we were thinking, well, it's our favorite music of that time, so I said, 'Why don't we call it ''Pet Sounds''?'"<ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999">{{cite AV media notes|first=Brad|last=Elliot|authorlink=|chapter=Pet Sounds Liner Notes|title=Pet Sounds|others=]|year=1999|publisher=]|type=CD Liner|chapter-url=http://www.beachboysfanclub.com/ps-liner.html}}</ref><ref name="Love1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=Mike|last=Love|authorlink=Mike Love|chapter=The Making of Pet Sounds: Preface|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/The_Making_of_Pet_Sounds.html}}</ref> It was documented that the cover photo was taken after the album had already received its title, according to historians Andrew Doe<ref name=GIGS /> and Brad Elliot.<ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999"/>
			"]" contains the first expression of introspective themes that pervade the rest of the album.{{sfn|Perone|2012|pp=28, 30}} The lyric discusses a narrator who, while acknowledging their irresponsible behavior and unfaithfulness, is impressed by the unwavering loyalty of their lover.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=92}} In Wilson's words, the song was about a man who feels free to express his love for people from the perspective of a girl.{{sfn|Lambert|2016|p=156}} Wilson and Asher created the song's ethereal intro by plucking a piano's strings with a ].{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=150}}
			===="That's Not Me"====
	== Promotional films ==
			"]" contains multiple key modulations and mood shifts{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|pp=55–56}} and is the track that most closely resembles a conventional rock song.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mason |first=Stewart |title=Song review |url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/thats-not-me-t6417939 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428155309/https://www.allmusic.com/song/thats-not-me-mt0033359914 |archive-date=April 28, 2022 |website=]}}</ref> The lyric illustrates a young man in his path toward self-discovery, with the realization that he is better living with a lover than pursuing a life of solitude in service to his dream.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=93}} It is the only track on the album where most of the instrumentation was played by the band members themselves.<ref name="PS2016" />
	Two music videos were filmed set to "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows" for the UK's '']'', both directed by newly employed band publicist ]. The first was filmed at Brian's ] home with Dennis acting as cameraman, the second near ]. While the second film, containing footage of the group minus Bruce flailing around in grotesque horror masks and playing ], was intended to be accompanied by excerpts from "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Here Today," and "God Only Knows," slight edits were made by the BBC to reduce the film's length.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=130–31}}
			===="Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)"====
	== Release ==
			"]" is among the most harmonically complex songs that Wilson ever wrote.{{sfn|Lambert|2008|p=123}} The subject matter involves non-verbal communication between lovers. According to Asher, "It's strange to sit down and write a song about not talking{{nbsp}}... but we managed to do it".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=94}}
			===="I'm Waiting for the Day"====
			"]" features ]s, a ], timpani blasts, English horn, flutes, and a string section interlude.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|pp=242–244}} Carl Wilson praised the arrangement, saying, "The intro is very big, then it gets quite small with the vocal in the verse with a little instrumentation and then, in the chorus, it gets very big again, with the background harmonies against the lead. It is perhaps one of the most dynamic moments in the album."{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=92}}
			Lyrically, it is about a boy who falls in love with a broken-hearted girl who is reluctant to commit herself to another relationship.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=94}} The song was copyrighted by Brian as a solo composition in February 1964, indicating that it predated the album's sessions by some years. It was co-credited to Love, who made a minor adjustment to Wilson's lyrics.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|pp=242–244}}
			===="Let's Go Away for Awhile"====
			]" on the work of ] (pictured).{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=96}} ]]
			"]" is an instrumental that features 12 violins, piano, four saxophones, oboe, vibraphones, and a Coca-Cola bottle used as a guitar slide.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=95}} In 1966, Wilson considered the track to be "the finest piece of art" he had made up to that point, and said that every component of its production "worked perfectly".<ref name="BrianPopGenius"/>
			===="Sloop John B"====
			]" is a traditional folk song about a boat from ] (pictured circa 1900) ]]
			At the suggestion of Al Jardine, Wilson arranged a version of "]", a traditional ] folk song that Jardine had learned from listening to ].{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=96–97}} His arrangement blended rock and marching band instrumentation with the use of flutes, ], baritone saxophone, bass, guitar, and drums.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=149}} Jardine likened the result to ].{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=98}} Wilson elected to change the original lyrics from "this is the worst trip <u>since I've been born</u>" to "this is the worst trip <u>I've ever been on</u>". This may have been done as a deliberate reference to ]s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Matthew |first=Jacobs |date=April 16, 2013 |title=LSD's 70th Anniversary: 10 Rock Lyrics From The 1960s That Pay Homage To Acid |work=] |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/lsd-70th-anniversary_n_3092536.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224135246/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lsd-70th-anniversary_n_3092536 |archive-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref>{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003|p=35}}
			Brian included "Sloop John B" on ''Pet Sounds'' to appease Capitol Records, who had expected "Sloop John B" to be a hit single and wanted to capitalize on its success by including the track on ''Pet Sounds''.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=98}} The song is often said to disrupt the album's lyrical flow, as Fusilli explains: "It's anything but a reflective love song, a stark confession or a tentative statement of independence like the other songs on the album. And it's the only song on ''Pet Sounds'' Brian didn't write."{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p={{page needed|date=June 2020}}}}
			Fusilli posits that the track fits musically with the album, citing the track's chiming guitars, ] basses, and ] rhythms.{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p={{page needed|date=June 2020}}}} Noting that a sense of self-doubt, concern for the future of a relationship, and melancholy pervades ''Pet Sounds'', Perone says the song successfully portrays a sailor who feels "completely out of place in his situation", a quality that is "fully in keeping with the general feeling of disorientation that runs through so many of the songs."{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=28}} DeRogatis agreed, citing the key lyric "I want to go home", which reflects other songs themed around an escape to somewhere peaceful — namely, "Let's Go Away for Awhile" and "Caroline, No".{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003|p=35}}
			{{clear}}
			===Side two===
			===="God Only Knows"====
			{{listen|pos=
			|filename=God Only Knows choral fantasy.ogg|title=Bridge of "God Only Knows"|description=For the basic rhythmic feel of "]", ], piano with ], ]s, and ] were all blended together.{{sfn|Zak|2001|p=88}} Lambert describes the song as the album's "musical high point".{{sfn|Lambert|2008|p=127}}
			}}
			"]" is often praised as one of the greatest songs ever written.{{sfn|Downes|2014|pp=36–38}} Wilson reflected: "I think Tony had a musical influence on me somehow. After about ten years, I started thinking about it deeper&nbsp;... because I had never written that kind of song. And I remember him talking about ']' and he had a certain love for classic songs."<ref name="BrianWilson1997" /> The musical structure contains an ambiguous tonal center and ].{{sfn|Harrison|1997|p=39}} According to musicologist Stephen Downes, this quality made the song innovative not just in pop music, but also for the Baroque style it is emulating.{{sfn|Downes|2014|pp=36–38}}
			===="I Know There's an Answer"====
			]" featured a lead vocal from Jardine]]
			"]", originally titled "Hang On to Your Ego", portrays someone who hesitates to tell people the way that they live could be better.{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=90}} The lyrics created a stir within the group due to its references to drug culture.{{sfn|Love|2016|pp=105, 131–132}} Schwartz, who introduced Wilson to LSD, recounted that Wilson had "had the full-on ]. It was a beautiful thing."{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=174–175}} In 1999, Wilson explained that the original chorus line had "an inappropriate lyric.&nbsp;... I just thought that to say 'Hang on to your ego' was an ego statement in and of itself, which I wasn't going for, so I changed it. I gave it a lot of thought."<ref name=Bittersweet1999>{{cite magazine |last1=Valania |first1=Jonathon |title=Bittersweet Symphony |magazine=] |date=August–September 1999 |url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.music.artists.beach-boys/gI4CokP5A7Q}}</ref> The song features a ] solo played by session musician ].{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=150}}
			===="Here Today"====
			"]" is told from the perspective of an ex-boyfriend narrator{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=24}} who warns the listener of the inevitable heartbreak that will result from a newfound love.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=105}} The track was an experiment in basslines, as Brian recalled, "I wanted to conceive the idea of a bass guitar playing an octave higher than regular, and showcase it as the principal instrument on the track."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=163}} Asher said, "'Here Today' contains a little more of me both lyrically and melodically than Brian."{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=16}} Perone noted that the high-pitched electric bass guitar brings to mind similar parts in "God Only Knows", culminating in what sounds like the vocal protagonist of "Here Today" warning the protagonist of "God Only Knows" that what he sings stands no chance at longevity.{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=29}}
			===="I Just Wasn't Made for These Times"====
			"]" features lyrics about feeling alienated by society.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=106–107}} Brian said: "It's about a guy who was crying because he thought he was too advanced, and that he'd eventually have to leave people behind. All my friends thought I was crazy to do ''Pet Sounds''."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=108}} For the track, he employed harpsichord, tack piano, flutes, temple blocks, timpani, banjo, harmonica, Fender bass, and most unusually, an Electro-Theremin performed by the instrument's inventor ].{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=151–152}} According to Lambert, the strongest musical indication of Wilson's progressive vision for the album is heard in the cumulative vocal layering in the chorus, with each line sung by Wilson via overdubs.{{sfn|Lambert|2008|p=130}}
			===="Pet Sounds"====
			{{stack|{{listen|filename=Beach Boys-Pet Sounds.ogg|title=Intro of "Pet Sounds"
			|description=A ] was used to filter lead guitar for the title track "]".<ref name="Waspensky1997">{{cite AV media notes |first=Russ |last=Waspensky |chapter=Pet Sounds Session List |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Pet_Sounds_Session_List.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022223319/http://albumlinernotes.com/Pet_Sounds_Session_List.html |archive-date=October 22, 2021}}</ref> Other quirks from this recording include ] cans and a ] as percussion.<ref name=tracks />}}}}
			"Run, James, Run" was the working title for the instrumental "]", the suggestion being that it would be offered for use in a ] movie.<ref name=BrianWilson1997 /> According to Perone, the track represents the Beach Boys' surf heritage more than any other track on the album with its emphasis on lead guitar, however, it is not truly a surf composition due to the elaborate arrangement involving countless auxiliary percussion parts, abruptly changing textures, and de-emphasis of a traditional rock band drum set.{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=29}} Lambert describes the track as a "musical synopsis" of the album's "primary musical themes" that functions as a respite for the narrator following the realizations of "Here Today".{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=114–115, 131}}
			===="Caroline, No"====
			]
			"]" is about the loss of innocence.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=110}} Asher conceived the title as "Carol, I Know". When spoken, however, Brian heard this as "Caroline, No", which Asher thought was "a much stronger and more interesting line than the one I had in mind."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=111}} Brian considered the song "probably the best I've ever written", summarizing, "It's a pretty love song about how this guy and this girl lost it and there's no way to get it back. I just felt sad, so I wrote a sad song."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=112}} The track is introduced by the sound of a plastic Sparkletts water cooler jug being hit with a hard percussion mallet.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=149}} As the song fades, it segues into a recorded excerpt of Brian's dogs barking accompanied by a sample of passing trains taken from the 1963 sound effects LP ''Mister D's Machine''.<ref name="Runtagh2016">{{cite magazine |last1=Runtagh |first1=Jordan |date=May 16, 2016 |title=Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds': 15 Things You Didn't Know |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/beach-boys-pet-sounds-15-things-you-didnt-know-186297/ |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028112353/https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/beach-boys-pet-sounds-15-things-you-didnt-know-186297/ |archive-date=October 28, 2021}}</ref>
			===Leftover material===
			===="The Little Girl I Once Knew"====
			"The Little Girl I Once Knew", which may be considered part of the ''Pet Sounds'' sessions, was not included on the album. Writer Neal Umphred speculated that the song might have been considered for the LP and would have probably been included had the single been more commercially successful.{{sfn|Umphred|1997|p=36}}
			====Instrumentals====
			On October 15, 1965, Wilson went to the studio with a 43-piece orchestra to record an instrumental piece entitled "Three Blind Mice", which bore no musical connection to the ] ].<ref name="Runtagh2016" />{{refn|group=nb|It was included as part of the Beach Boys' 2011 release of '']''.<ref name="Runtagh2016" />}} On the same day, he recorded instrumental versions of the standards "]" and "]".{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=102}} According to Leaf, it was a coincidence that the latter turned out to be a favorite of Asher's.<ref name="LeafPerspective">{{cite AV media notes |first=David |last=Leaf |author-link=David Leaf |chapter=''Pet Sounds'' – Perspective |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Pet_Sounds_-_Perspective.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026083526/http://albumlinernotes.com/Pet_Sounds_-_Perspective.html |archive-date=October 26, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Biographer Mark Dillon surmised that these recordings were never meant for release, and that they were merely experimental exercises in recording orchestras, possibly in anticipation for the string ensemble required for "Don't Talk".{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=71}}
			Another instrumental, "]", was recorded on November 1.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=103}} According to Wilson, "I was just foolin' around one day, fuckin' around with the musicians, and I took that arrangement out of my briefcase and we did it in 20 minutes. It was nothing, there was really nothing in it."<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Jacopo |last=Benci |title=Brian Wilson interview |magazine=Record Collector |date=January 1995 |issue=185 |location=UK}}</ref> It was released as a bonus track on the album's 1990 CD reissue.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=103}}
			===="Good Vibrations"====
			In February and March 1966, Wilson began recording an unfinished song he wrote with Asher, "]", between sessions for "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" and "God Only Knows".{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=112, 205}} Asher recalled that the song was conceived in response to Capitol's demand for a new single.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=112}} Brian ultimately delivered "Sloop John B" to the label instead, and to the band's disappointment, chose not to include "Good Vibrations" on the album.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=98, 112}} The track was replaced by "Pet Sounds" as indicated by a Capitol Records memo dated March 3.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=118, 120}} Johnston and Jardine later expressed regrets with Wilson's decision, as they felt that including "Good Vibrations" would have bolstered the sales of ''Pet Sounds''.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=112–113}} However, the song was not released until October, albeit in a drastically different form.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=148}} Wilson's bandmates prevailed against him to include "Good Vibrations" on their next album, ''],'' (1967),{{sfn|Priore|2005|p=226}} after it had been previously slated for their unfinished album, ''].''
			====Other recordings====
			In late 1965, Wilson devoted some ''Pet Sounds'' sessions to experimental indulgences such as an extended ''a cappella'' run-through of the children's song "]" that exploited the song's use of ].<ref name="Runtagh2016"/> Granata called the piece "very low-key and relatively simple", but an "effectively lavish layer of recorded vocal harmonies".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=102}} Humorous skits and sound effects were also recorded in an attempt to create a psychedelic comedy album.<ref name="Runtagh2016"/> At least two sketches survive, "Dick" and "Fuzz", which feature Brian, a woman named Carol, and ], a girl group that included Marilyn. These recordings remain unreleased.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=102}}
			"Dick" involves an exchange between Brian and Carol: "What's long and thin and full of skin and heaven knows how many holes it's been in?" "Dick?" "No, a worm."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=102}} The participants then burst into forced laughter. According to documentarian Keith Badman, "Just as with his music, Brian insists on perfection for 'Dick' and further takes are made by Carol to tell the joke."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=102}} "Fuzz" involves a similar joke: "What's black and white and has fuzz inside?" "A lorry?" "A police car."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=102}} Carol then asks Wilson if he has hemorrhoids: "No." "Well let me shake your hand." "Why?" "It's really great knowing a perfect asshole."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=102}}
			==Sleeve design==
			]]]
			The front sleeve depicts a snapshot of the band – from left, they are Carl, Brian, and Dennis Wilson; Mike Love; and Al Jardine – feeding pieces of apples to seven goats at the ] while dressed in coats and sweaters.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=85}} A green band header announces the titles of the artist, album, and each track on the LP,{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=85}} partly written in the ] typeface.<ref>{{cite web |author=Ellie Violet Bramley |date=April 10, 2017 |title=Just my type: how Cooper Black became 2017's most fashionable font |url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2017/apr/10/just-my-type-how-cooper-black-became-2017s-most-fashionable-font |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812173820/https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2017/apr/10/just-my-type-how-cooper-black-became-2017s-most-fashionable-font |archive-date=August 12, 2017 |access-date=August 12, 2017 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Eisinger |first=Dale |date=August 28, 2013 |title=9. Entry into Music – The Complete History of the Cooper Black Font in Hip-Hop |url=http://www.complex.com/style/2013/08/cooper-black-font-hip-hop-album-covers/entry-into-music |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812174403/https://www.complex.com/style/2013/08/cooper-black-font-hip-hop-album-covers/ |archive-date=August 12, 2017 |access-date=August 12, 2017 |work=]}}</ref> Bruce Johnston, who joined the band as an unofficial member one year earlier, does not appear on the front cover due to contractual restraints from ].{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=93, 116–117}} On the reverse side, the sleeve contained a montage of monochrome photos depicting the touring band on-stage and posing in samurai outfits during their tour of Japan, as well as two photos of Brian.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=85}}
			Jardine expressed disappointment with the zoo photo and said he had "wanted a more sensitive and enlightening cover."<ref name="legends">{{cite news |last1=Luling |first1=Todd Van |date=May 16, 2016 |title=The Beach Boys Finally Confirm Those Legends About 'Pet Sounds' |work=] |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/beach-boys-pet-sounds_us_5730fcd5e4b096e9f09258e4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314171105/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/beach-boys-pet-sounds_n_5730fcd5e4b096e9f09258e4 |archive-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> Johnston referred to it as the "worst cover in the history of the record business",<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sharp |first1=Ken |title=Bruce Johnston On the Beach Boys' Enduring Legacy (Interview) |url=https://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2013/09/04/bruce-johnston-interview-beach-boys/ |website=Rock Cellar Magazine |date=September 4, 2013 |access-date=September 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919063506/http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2013/09/04/bruce-johnston-interview-beach-boys/ |archive-date=September 19, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> while author and biographer ] opined that the backside of the LP was "perhaps an even worse design idea than the goat shot".{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=85}} Author ] writes that the design was at odds with the increasingly sophisticated cover portraits used on releases by artists such as the Beatles, ] and ] over 1965–67.{{sfn|Doggett|2015|p=393}} He highlights it as "a warning of what could happen when music and image parted company: songs of high romanticism, an album cover of stark banality."{{sfn|Doggett|2015|p=393}}
			==Title and cover photo==
			Writing in his memoir, Love said that Capitol planned the cover shoot after the company had conceived the would-be album title ''Our Freaky Friends'', with the animals representing the group's "freaky friends".{{sfn|Love|2016|p=133}}{{refn|group=nb|According to historian Brad Elliot, ''Pet Sounds'' was chosen as the album's title before its cover photo was taken.<ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999">{{cite AV media notes |first=Brad |last=Elliot |chapter=Pet Sounds Liner Notes |title=Pet Sounds |others=] |year=1999 |publisher=] |type=CD Liner |chapter-url=http://www.beachboysfanclub.com/ps-liner.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210144947/http://beachboysfanclub.com/ps-liner.html |archive-date=February 10, 2017}}</ref>}} When questioned about the cover in 2016, Wilson could not recall who thought of going to the zoo.<ref name="Goats2016">{{cite web |last1=Gilstrap |first1=Peter |date=June 16, 2016 |title=The epic tale of the Beach Boys and the 'Pet Sounds' goats |url=http://curious.kcrw.com/2016/06/the-epic-tale-of-the-beach-boys-and-the-pet-sounds-goats |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711071124/https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/press-play-with-madeleine-brand/the-epic-tale-of-the-beach-boys-and-the-pet-sounds-goats |archive-date=July 11, 2021 |website=]}}</ref> Jardine remembered that the ''Pet Sounds'' title had already been decided, and that until arriving to the photo shoot, he thought that "pet" referred to slang for making out ("petting"). He credited Capitol's art department with the idea.<ref name="legends"/> Some sources claim that ''Remember the Zoo'' was another working title,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Varga |first1=George |date=June 26, 2016 |title=Who got the Beach Boys' goat at the San Diego Zoo? |work=] |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/sdut-beach-boys-did-not-enjoy-pet-sounds-zoo-photo-2016jun26-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918202302/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/sdut-beach-boys-did-not-enjoy-pet-sounds-zoo-photo-2016jun26-story.html |archive-date=September 18, 2021}}</ref> but the name was actually part of a hoax that had originated from a Beach Boys fanzine in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Doe |first1=Andrew G. |date=n.d. |title=Unreleased albums |url=http://bellagio10452.com/unreleased.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918202254/http://bellagio10452.com/unreleased.html |archive-date=September 18, 2021 |access-date=September 18, 2021 |website=Bellagio 10452}}</ref>
			{{external media
			| float = right
			| video1 = {{YouTube|id=DCM3i-nykp0|The Beach Boys Pet Sounds Shoot at San Diego Zoo 1966}}
			}}
			The cover photo was taken on February 10, 1966, by photographer George Jerman.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=115–116}} Local reporters from ] filmed the shoot.<ref name="diego2021"/>{{refn|group=nb|The crew's footage was lost, but later rediscovered in 2021.<ref name="diego2021">{{cite news |last1=Zevely |first1=Jeff |title=Discovered: Lost footage of Beach Boys at the San Diego Zoo in 1966 |url=https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/zevely-zone/lost-footage-beach-boys-san-diego-zoo/509-2a90313f-8b22-425a-80f5-a12c381deceb |access-date=March 31, 2021 |date=February 9, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418060555/https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/zevely-zone/lost-footage-beach-boys-san-diego-zoo/509-2a90313f-8b22-425a-80f5-a12c381deceb |archive-date=April 18, 2021}}</ref>}} According to a contemporary report by the '']'', the group "came down from Hollywood to take a cover picture for their forthcoming album ''Our Freaky Friends''.&nbsp;... Zoo officials were not keen about having their beloved beasts connected with the title of the album, but gave in when the Beach Boys explained that animals are an 'in' thing with teenagers. And that the Beach Boys were rushing to beat the rock and roll group called ]."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=117}}{{refn|group=nb|During the previous September, the Animals had released an album called '']''.<ref>{{cite web |website=] |title=Animal Tracks |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000120672 |first=Bruce |last=Eder |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308073550/https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000120672 |archive-date=March 8, 2021}}</ref>}} The group was subsequently banned from the zoo, as the staff had accused them of mishandling the animals.<ref name="Varga2016" /> Johnston said, "The goats were horrible!&nbsp;... The zoo said we were torturing the animals but they should have seen what we had to go through. We were doing all the suffering."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=117}}
			A taped conversation from the March 1966 dog barking session for "Caroline, No" reveals that Brian considered photographing a horse belonging to Carl in Western Studio 3 for the album cover.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=165}}{{refn|group=nb|Brian asked Britz: "Hey, Chuck, is it possible we can bring a horse in here without&nbsp;... if we don't screw everything up?", to which a clearly startled Britz responds, "I ''beg'' your pardon?", with Brian then pleading, "Honest to God, now, the horse is tame and everything!"{{sfn|Sanchez|2014|p=83}}}} Wilson told biographer ] that the album was named "after the dogs&nbsp;... That was the whole idea".{{sfn|Preiss|1979|p=54}} Love credited himself with titling the album ''Pet Sounds'',{{sfn|Love|2016|p=133}} a claim supported by Wilson and Jardine in a 2016 interview.<ref name="Goats2016" /> In 1996, Love recalled that he came up with the name while he and his bandmates were standing in the hallway of Western or Columbia studio. He said, "we didn't have a title.&nbsp;... We had taken pictures at the zoo and&nbsp;... there were animal sounds on the record, and we were thinking, well, it's our favorite music of that time, so I said, 'Why don't we call it ''Pet Sounds''?'"<ref name="Love1997">{{cite AV media notes |first=Mike |last=Love |author-link=Mike Love |chapter=The Making of Pet Sounds: Preface |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/The_Making_of_Pet_Sounds.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026092427/http://albumlinernotes.com/The_Making_of_Pet_Sounds.html |archive-date=October 26, 2021}}</ref> Wilson subsequently consulted Asher, who did not have a favorable reaction to the album's title, thinking that the name had "trivialized what we had accomplished".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=82}}
			In the 1990s, Brian credited Carl with the title.<ref name="SongBySong">{{cite AV media notes |first=David |last=Leaf |author-link=David Leaf |chapter=Song by Song Notes |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Song_by_Song_Notes.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427193319/http://albumlinernotes.com/Song_by_Song_Notes.html |archive-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref><ref name="ElliotLinerNotes1999" /> Carl said with uncertainty that the name might have come from Brian: "The idea he had was that everybody has these sounds that they love, and this was a collection of his 'pet sounds.' It was hard to think of a name for the album, because you sure couldn't call it '']''."<ref name=Carl1997 /> Brian commented that the title was a "tribute" to Spector by matching his initials (PS).<ref name="ABoysOwnStory">{{cite news |last1=O'Hagan |first1=Sean |author-link1=Sean O'Hagan (journalist) |date=January 5, 2002 |title=A Boy's Own Story |work=] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2002/jan/06/features.review87 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314004011/https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2002/jan/06/features.review87 |archive-date=March 14, 2021}}</ref> Wilson's 1991 memoir, '']'', writes that the title was inspired by Love asking "Who's gonna hear this shit? The ears of a dog?"{{sfn|Harrison|1997|p=54}} Asked about this quote in a 2016 interview, Love denied having said it.<ref name="BalladofML">{{cite magazine |last1=Hedegaard |first1=Erik |date=February 17, 2016 |title=The Ballad of Mike Love |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-ballad-of-mike-love-20160217 |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222021009/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-ballad-of-mike-love-170168/ |archive-date=February 22, 2022}}</ref>
			==Release==
			===Rebranded image===
	{{quote box|		{{quote box|
	|quote=Personally, I think the group has evolved another 800 per cent in the last year. We have a more conscious, arty production now that’s more polished. It’s all been like an explosion for us. ... it's like I'm in the golden age of what it's all about.		|quote=Personally, I think the group has evolved another 800 per cent in the last year. We have a more conscious, arty production now that's more polished. It's all been like an explosion for us.&nbsp;... it's like I'm in the golden age of what it's all about.
	|source=—Brian Wilson to '']'', March 1966<ref name="MelodyMakerBlast">{{cite journal|last=Grevatt|first=Ron|title=Beach Boys' Blast|journal=]|date=March 19, 1966|url=http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd420/kwan_dk/MMMarch191966.jpg}}</ref>		|source=—Brian Wilson to '']'', March 1966<ref name="MelodyMakerBlast">{{cite magazine |last=Grevatt |first=Ren |title=Beach Boys' Blast |magazine=] |date=March 19, 1966|page=3}}</ref>
	|width = 25%		|width = 25%
	|salign = right		|salign = right
Line 196:		Line 360:
	}}		}}
			In March 1966, the Beach Boys hired ] as their personal manager following a move from Cummins & Currant to Julius Lefkowitz & Company.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=120}} The band also recruited ], former press officer for the Beatles, as their publicist.{{sfn|Butler|2012|p=231}} According to Carl Wilson, although the band were aware that trends and the music industry were shifting, "Capitol had a very set picture" of the group that remained incongruous with how they wished to present themselves.<ref name="Carl1997"/>
	After the album was assembled, Brian brought a complete acetate to Marilyn, who remembers, "It was so beautiful, one of the most spiritual times of my whole life. We both cried. Right after we listened to it, he said he was scared that nobody was going to like it. That it was too intricate."<ref name="Marilyn1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=|last=|authorlink=|chapter=The Observers: Marilyn Wilson|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Marilyn_Wilson_Comments.html}}</ref> ''Pet Sounds'' was released on May 16, debuting on the '']'' charts at 106.<ref name=BillboardMay1966 /> Compared to their previous albums in the US, ''Pet Sounds'' found dramatically less commercial success, but eventually broke into top 10 record charts. US sales numbered approximately 500,000 units, a significant drop-off from the chain of million-selling albums which immediately preceded it.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=85}} ''Pet Sounds''' initial release was not awarded ] certification by the ] (RIAA) despite eligibility beginning in mid–1967.<ref>{{cite web |title=RIAA |first=Andrew G. |last=Doe |authorlink=Andrew Grayham Doe |year=2013 |accessdate=April 22, 2013 |url=http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/Riaa.html}}</ref> Eventually, ''Pet Sounds'' was presented with gold and platinum awards in 2000.<ref name="riaagold">{{cite web | url = http://www.riaa.com/ | title = Gold & Platinum | publisher = ] | accessdate =March 3, 2009}}</ref>
			For updating the band's image with firsthand accounts of their latest activities, Taylor's prestige was crucial in offering a credible perspective to those outside Wilson's inner circle.{{sfn|Sanchez|2014|pp=91–93}} Taylor said he was hired to take the band to "a new plateau", and to that end, he invented the tagline "]".{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=120, 142}}
	Brian was "heartsick" that ''Pet Sounds'' didn't sell as highly as he expected, and interpreted the response as a rejection to his creative ideals.<ref name=BrianWilson1997 /> Some blamed Capitol Records for the album's underwhelming sales. Allegedly, they did not promote the album as heavily as previous releases.<ref name="Carl1997"/><ref name="Johnston1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=|last=|authorlink=|chapter=Comments by Bruce Johnston|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Comments_Bruce_Johnston.html}}</ref> Carl stated that Capitol did not feel a need to promote the Beach Boys since they were getting so much airplay, and that they had a "set image" for the group which even ''Pet Sounds'' could not alter.<ref name="Carl1997"/> Others assumed that the label considered the album a risk, appealing more to an older demographic than the younger, female audience the Beach Boys built their commercial standing on.{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=47}} To Brian's dismay, within two months, Capitol assembled the group's first ] compilation, '']'', which was quickly certified gold by the RIAA.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=85–86}} Capitol executive ] later speculated: "This is just conjecture on my part because it was so long ago&nbsp;... because the marketing people didn't believe that ''Pet Sounds'' was going to do that well, they were probably looking for some additional volume in that quarter. There's a good possibility that's what happened. Anyway, my real forte was dealing with artists and producers and making them feel comfortable so they could achieve their ends. And sometimes, particularly when the label wanted something that the artist didn't, it wasn't easy.<ref>*{{cite AV media notes|first=|last=|authorlink=|chapter=The Observers: Karl Engemann|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Karl_Engemann_Comments.html}}</ref>
			===United States Capitol release===
	Before ''Pet Sounds'' was released, "]" was issued as a single; it was credited to Brian alone, leading to speculation that he was considering leaving the band.{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=23}} The single reached number 32 in the US.<ref name="billboardsingles">{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1420|pure_url=yes}}|title=Beach Boys Singles Chart History|accessdate=March 3, 2009|work=]}}</ref> It was followed by "]", credited to the Beach Boys. The single reached number three in the US<ref name="billboardsingles"/> and number two in Great Britain.<ref name=everyhit>{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/|title=UK Top 40 Singles Chart|accessdate=March 3, 2009|publisher=Everyhit.com}}</ref> It had a four weeks' stay at number one in the Netherlands, making it the 'Hit of the Year'.<ref>]. The 'Top 40-jaarlijst' is the annual hit chart based on the week charts of the concerning year, resulting in the 'Hit van het Jaar'(Hit of the Year). It has been recorded ever since 1965. Access date November 1, 2015</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2016}} Two months after the album's release, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" was released, later reaching number eight in the US, where it was treated as the A-side.<ref name="billboardsingles"/> Its flip side, "God Only Knows," was featured as the A-side in Europe, peaking at number two in Britain.<ref name="everyhit"/> As a B-side in the US, it reached number 39.<ref name="billboardsingles"/>
			{{Missing information|section|audits revealing that Capitol had significantly under-reported the sales of Beach Boys albums, including ''Pet Sounds'', which prevented it from being certified gold until decades after the fact.|date=May 2022}}
			On March 7, the single "Caroline No" (B-side "]"), was released as Wilson's solo debut,{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=124}} leading to speculation that he was considering leaving the band.{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=23}} The single peaked at number 32 during a seven-week stay.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=124}} On March 21, "Sloop John B" (B-side "]") was released as a single, credited to the Beach Boys, and reached number 3. {{sfn|Badman|2004|p=122}} After ''Pet Sounds'' was assembled, Brian brought a complete acetate to Marilyn, who remembered, "It was so beautiful, one of the most spiritual times of my whole life. We both cried. Right after we listened to it, he said he was scared that nobody was going to like it. That it was too intricate."<ref name="Marilyn1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=The Observers: Marilyn Wilson |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Marilyn_Wilson_Comments.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427203720/http://albumlinernotes.com/Marilyn_Wilson_Comments.html |archive-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref> Capitol executives were less impressed and discussed plans to scrap the album when they heard it. Following several meetings – the last of which had Brian appearing with a tape recorder and responding to their questions with eight pre-recorded responses – Capitol accepted the album as the Beach Boys' next LP.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=131}}
	===United Kingdom release===
			] magazine in May 1966. ], ], ], Asher and ] can also be seen.]]
	The album's greatest success was in the UK, where it reached number two<ref name="everyhit"/> and stayed in the British Top 10 for six months.{{sfn|Gillett|1984|p=329}} It was aided by support from the British music industry, who embraced the record; ] spoke often about the album's influence on the Beatles. Bruce Johnston stated that while he flew to London in May 1966, a number of musicians and other guests gathered in his hotel suite to listen to repeated playbacks of the album. This included McCartney, ], and ]. Moon himself involved Johnston by helping him gain coverage in British television circuits, and connecting him with Lennon and McCartney. Johnston claimed that ''Pet Sounds'' got so much publicity, "it forced ] to put the album out sooner."<ref name=Johnston1997 /> Although it has been claimed that ] manager ] helped ] publicize unsolicited advertisements lauding the album in British music papers, a search of the UK pop press for 1966 fails to uncover any such advertisement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/cqhj|title= BBC's Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds Live In London (DVD) Review}}</ref>{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=111}}
			''Pet Sounds'' was released on May 16 and debuted on the '']'' charts at 106.<ref name=BillboardMay1966 /> It sold 200,000 copies shortly thereafter.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=134}} Compared to their previous albums in the US, ''Pet Sounds'' achieved somewhat less commercial success, peaking at number 10 on the ''Billboard'' LP chart, on July 2, during a ten-month stay.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=184}} Although total sales were estimated at 500,000 units,{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=85}} ''Pet Sounds'' was not initially awarded ] certification by the ] (RIAA) – a first for the group since 1963.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=134}}
			For the album's promotion in the US, Capitol ran full-page advertisements in ''Billboard'' that did not distinguish the record from earlier Beach Boys offerings and relied on the group's familiar public image instead of rebranding.{{sfn|Butler|2012|p=231}} This was also true for the promotional spots that were recorded by the Beach Boys themselves and disseminated to radio stations. Like they had done for previous spots, the members performed a comedy skit without any indication of what the record they were promoting sounded like. Instead, they relied on their name recognition.{{sfn|Butler|2012|pp=231–232}} Johnston blamed Capitol for the album's underwhelming sales and alleged that the label did not promote the album as heavily as previous releases.<ref name="Johnston1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Comments by Bruce Johnston |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Comments_Bruce_Johnston.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513220440/http://albumlinernotes.com/Comments_Bruce_Johnston.html |archive-date=May 13, 2022}}</ref> Carl shared this view and said that Capitol did not feel a need to promote the band since they were getting so much airplay.<ref name="Carl1997" /> Others assumed that the label considered the album a risk, appealing more to an older demographic than the younger, female audience the Beach Boys built their commercial standing on.{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=47}}
	== Critical reception ==
			Within two months, Capitol assembled the group's first ] compilation, '']'', which was quickly certified gold by the RIAA.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=85–86}} Capitol A&R director ] theorized that because the marketing department "didn't believe that ''Pet Sounds'' was going to do that well, they were probably looking for some additional volume in that quarter."<ref>{{cite AV media notes |chapter=The Observers: Karl Engemann |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=] |year=1997 |publisher=] |type=Booklet |chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Karl_Engemann_Comments.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008112204/http://albumlinernotes.com/Karl_Engemann_Comments.html |archive-date=October 8, 2021}}</ref> There were reports that when record shops ordered copies of ''Pet Sounds'', they instead received ''Best Of''.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=141}} On July 18, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (B-side "God Only Knows") was released as a single, peaking at number 8 on September 2.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=142}} ''Billboard'' ultimately ranked the album at number 43 on its "Top Pop Albums of 1966" list.{{sfn|Rosenberg|2009|p=230}}
	Early reviews for the album in the US ranged from negative to tentatively positive.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=85}} Upon release, a review in '']'' called it an "exciting, well-produced LP strong single potential".<ref name="BillboardMay1966">{{cite journal|last1=''Billboard'''s Review Panel|title=Album Reviews|journal=]|date=May 28, 1966|volume=78|issue=21|page=68|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6xAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PT1}}</ref> Elsewhere, it was named by many British publications as the most ] album of all time.{{sfn|Leaf|1985|pp=76, 87–88.}}<ref name=pc37/> According to ], British critics lauded the Beach Boys as "years ahead" of the Beatles, pronouncing Wilson a "genius".<ref name=pc37/> UK newspaper '']'' ran a feature which interviewed many pop musicians on whether they believed that the album was truly revolutionary. They concluded that "the record's impact on artists and the men behind the artists has been considerable."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} Andrew Oldham stated "I think that ''Pet Sounds'' is the most progressive album of the year in as much as ]'s '']'' was. It's the pop equivalent of that, a complete exercise in pop music."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} ] of ] praised the album saying "Brian Wilson is a great record producer. I haven't spent much time listening to the Beach Boys before, but I'm a fan now and I just want to listen to this LP again and again."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} ]'s ] reported that everyone in the band loved the album.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}}
			===United Kingdom EMI release===
	]'s ] was apprehensive of the album, believing "the Beach Boys new material is too remote and way out. It's written for a feminine audience."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}}{{refn|group=nb|Townshend later stated "'God Only Knows' is simple and elegant and was stunning when it first appeared; it still sounds perfect".<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.brianwilson.com/brian/musicians.html | title = Musicians on Brian: Pete Townshend | publisher =Brian Wilson.com | accessdate = March 3, 2009}}{{deadlink|date=March 2016}}</ref> In May 1966, Bruce Johnston flew to London with copies of ''Pet Sounds'' and recalls ] loving the album.{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=111}} Keith later stated "''Pet Sounds'' was too far removed from the style he loved".<ref>Richard Bogovich, Cheryl Posner, The Who: a who's who, (McFarland, 2003), ISBN 0-7864-1569-X, p.24.</ref>}} Similarly, journalist and television presenter ] preferred the group's ''Beach Boys Today!'' and stated that ''Pet Sounds'' " probably revolutionary, but I'm not sure that everything that's revolutionary is necessarily good."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} In Gene Sculatti's 1968 editorial "In Defense of the Beach Boys", he commented that Wilson was "one of the all-time great composers of melody in rock" along with ], ], and ], yet, "''Pet Sounds'' was by no means a revolutionary work in that it inspired or influenced the rock scene in a big way. It was revolutionary only within the confines of the Beach Boys' music." However, later in the piece he conceded: "''Pet Sounds'' was a final statement of an era and a prophecy that sweeping changes lay ahead."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Scullati|first1=Gene|url=http://www.teachrock.org/resources/article/villains-and-heroes-in-defense-of-the-beach-boys/|title=Villains and Heroes: In Defense of the Beach Boys|journal=Jazz & Pop|date=September 1968|accessdate=10 July 2014}}</ref>
			]
			In the UK, the band had little commercial success until March 1966, when "Barbara Ann" and ''Beach Boys Party!'' rose to number 2 on the nation's respective '']'' charts.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=122}} In April, two singles were released: "Caroline, No" (no chart showing) and "Sloop John B" (number 2).{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=122, 124}} In response to the band's growing popularity among the British, two music videos were filmed set to "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows" for the UK's '']'', both directed by Taylor.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=130–131}}{{refn|group=nb|The first was filmed at Brian's Laurel Way home with Dennis acting as cameraman, the second near ]. While the second film, containing footage of the group minus Bruce flailing around in grotesque horror masks and playing ], was intended to be accompanied by excerpts from "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Here Today" and "God Only Knows", slight edits were made by the BBC to reduce the film's length.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=130–131}}}} The "Sloop John B" video premiered on April 28.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=130–131}}
	==Retrospection and legacy==
	{{See also|Cultural impact of the Beach Boys}}
			] planned to release the record in November to coincide with the band's tour of Britain.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}}{{refn|group=nb|According to a late May 1966 report, there were initially no plans for the company to issue ''Pet Sounds'' in the UK.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=136}}}} From May 16 to 21, Johnston and Taylor holidayed at central London's ] with the intention of promoting the album around local music scenes.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=134}} Thanks to the connections of London-based producer ], a number of musicians, journalists, and other guests (including ], ] and ]) gathered in their hotel suite to listen to repeated playbacks of the album.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=134–135}} Fowley said that they had arranged "a horde of press, so it looked like the Beatles had just arrived at ] airport in 1964. Bruce Johnston was like Jesus Christ in tennis shoes, and ''Pet Sounds'' represented the Ten Commandments."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=191}} Moon himself involved Johnston by helping him gain coverage in British television circuits, and connecting him with Lennon and McCartney.<ref name="Johnston1997"/>
	{{Album reviews
	| subtitle =
			Due to popular demand, EMI rush-released ''Pet Sounds'' on June 27.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} It peaked at number 2, and remained in the top-ten positions for six months.{{sfn|Gillett|1984|p=329}} Taylor is widely recognized as having been instrumental in this success, due to his longstanding connections with the Beatles and other industry figures in the UK.{{sfn|Gaines|1986|p=152}} The music press there carried advertisements saying that ''Pet Sounds'' was "The Most Progressive Pop Album Ever!"{{sfn|Sanchez|2014|p=81}}{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=207}} According to Carlin, Rolling Stones manager ], who was also the Beach Boys' publisher in England,{{sfn|Leaf|1978|p=87}} took out a full-page advertisement in '']'' in which he lauded ''Pet Sounds'' as "the greatest album ever made".{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=88}} On July 22, "God Only Knows" (B-side "Wouldn't It Be Nice") was released as the third UK single, peaking at number 2.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=142}}
	| rev1 = ]
	| rev1Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref></ref>
			''Pet Sounds'' was one of the five bestselling UK albums of 1966.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} In response to the success of the Beach Boys' singles "Barbara Ann", "Sloop John B." and "God Only Knows", EMI flooded the market with other albums by the band, including ''Party!'', ''Today!'' and ''Summer Days''.{{sfn|Savage|2015|p=476}} In addition, ''Best of the Beach Boys'' was number 2 there for five weeks through to the end of the year.<ref name="Mawer/OCC">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217020406/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/album_chart_history_1966.php|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/album_chart_history_1966.php|first=Sharon|last=Mawer|title=Album Chart History: 1966|publisher=]|date=May 2007|archive-date=December 17, 2007|access-date=October 8, 2019}}</ref> The Beach Boys became the strongest selling album act in the UK for the final quarter of 1966, dethroning the three-year reign of native bands such as the Beatles.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Andrews |first1=Grame |date=March 4, 1967 |title=Americans Regain Rule in England |magazine=Billboard Magazine |volume=79 |issue=9 |pages=1, 10 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=CykEAAAAMBAJ |page=1}} |access-date=April 27, 2013}}</ref>
	| rev2 = '']''
	| rev2Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref> {{wayback|url=http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/52789/pet-sounds.html |date=20100113103011 }}</ref>
			==Contemporary reviews==
	| rev3 = '']''
			Early reviews for the album in the U.S. ranged from negative to tentatively positive.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=85}} '']''{{'}}s terse review, published uncharacteristically late,{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=134}} called it an "exciting, well-produced LP" with "two superb instrumental cuts" and highlighted the "strong single potential" of "Wouldn't It Be Nice".<ref name="BillboardMay1966">{{cite magazine |last1=''Billboard''{{'}}s Review Panel|title=Album Reviews|magazine=]|date=May 28, 1966|volume=78|issue=21|page=68|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6xAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PT1|access-date=April 19, 2016}}</ref> Biographer David Leaf wrote in 1978 that the album received "scattered" instances of praise from American reviewers; the group's fans initially considered ''Pet Sounds'' too challenging and "quickly passed the word to 'stay away from the new Beach Boys album, it's weird.{{'"}}{{sfn|Leaf|1978|pp=86–87}}
	| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref name="Kot">{{cite news|last=Kot|first=Greg|authorlink=Greg Kot|date=May 17, 1990|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-05-17/features/9002090716_1_star-smiley-smile-brian-wilson|title=Beach Boys Pet Sounds|newspaper=]|accessdate=October 21, 2012}}</ref>
	| rev4 = '']''
			By contrast, the reception from music journalists in the UK was highly favorable{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=201–202}}{{sfn|Leaf|1978|pp=76, 87–88}} due in part to the promotional efforts of Taylor, Johnston, and Fowley.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=201–202}} '']'' founding editor ] later recalled that fans in the UK identified the Beach Boys as being "years ahead" of the Beatles and declared Wilson a "genius"<ref name="Gilliand" /> ] of '']'' admired ''Pet Sounds'' as "Thirteen tracks of Brian Wilson genius&nbsp;... The whole LP is far more romantic than the usual Beach Boys jollity: sad little wistful songs about lost love and found love and all-around love."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=202}} Writing in '']'', Norman Jopling reported that the LP had been "widely praised" and subjected to "no criticism". He prefaced his review as "unbiased" and wrote that his only "real complaint" with the album was the "terribly complicated and cluttered" arrangements.<ref name="Jopling">{{cite magazine |last1=Jopling |first1=Norman |title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (Capitol) |magazine=] |date=July 2, 1966 |url=http://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-capitol}}</ref> Jopling predicted: "It will probably make their present fans like them even more, but it's doubtful whether it will make them any new ones."{{sfn|Morgan|2015|p=109}} A reviewer in ''Disc and Music Echo'' disagreed: "this should gain them thousands of new fans. Instrumentally ambitious, if vocally over-pretty, ''Pet Sounds'' has brilliantly tapped the pulse of the musical times.{{nbsp}}... A superb, important and really exciting collection from the group whose recording career so far has been a bit of a hotchpotch."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}}
	| rev4Score = A+<ref>{{cite journal|last=Sinclair|first=Tom|authorlink=Tom Sinclair|date=December 12, 1997|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,290682,00.html|title=Box Populi|journal=]|location=New York|issue=409|accessdate=October 20, 2012}}</ref>
	| rev5 = '']''
			''Melody Maker'' ran a feature in which many pop musicians were asked whether they believed that the album was truly revolutionary and progressive or "as sickly as peanut butter".{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} The author concluded that "the record's impact on artists and the men behind the artists has been considerable."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} Among the musicians contributing to the 1966 ''Melody Maker'' survey: ] of ] said: "Brian Wilson is a great record producer. I haven't spent much time listening to the Beach Boys before, but I'm a fan now and I just want to listen to this LP again and again."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} Then a member of ], ] reported that everyone in his band loved the album, adding that Wilson was "without doubt a pop genius".{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}} Andrew Loog Oldham told the magazine: "I think that ''Pet Sounds'' is the most progressive album of the year in as much as ]'s '']'' was. It's the pop equivalent of that, a complete exercise in pop music."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}}
	| rev5Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Qmag">{{cite journal|title=Review: Pet Sounds|journal=]|location=London|page=133|date=July 1996}}</ref>
	| rev6 = '']''
			Three of the nine people who are quoted in the ''Melody Maker'' survey (Keith Moon, ]'s ], and ]' ]) did not agree that the album was revolutionary. D'Abo and Walker favored the Beach Boys' earlier work, as did journalist and television presenter ], who expressed a preference for ''Beach Boys' Today!'' and stated that ''Pet Sounds'' was "probably revolutionary, but I'm not sure that everything that's revolutionary is necessarily good".<ref name="MelodyMakerProgPop">{{cite magazine |magazine=] |title=Pet Sounds, the Most Progressive Pop Album ever OR as sickly as Peanut Butter |date=July 30, 1966}}</ref> ] of the Who opined that "the Beach Boys new material is too remote and way out. It's written for a feminine audience."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=139}}{{refn|group=nb|Townshend later stated: "'God Only Knows' is simple and elegant and was stunning when it first appeared; it still sounds perfect".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brianwilson.com/brian/musicians.html |title=Musicians on Brian: Pete Townshend |publisher=Brian Wilson.com |access-date=March 3, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222124723/http://brianwilson.com/brian/musicians.html |archive-date=February 22, 2009}}</ref>}}
	| rev6Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|year=2004|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/the-beach-boys/albumguide|title=The Beach Boys: Album Guide|journal=Rolling Stone|accessdate=October 20, 2012}}</ref>
	| rev7 = ]
			In other issues of ''Melody Maker'', Rolling Stones member ] stated that he disliked the songs but enjoyed the record and its harmonies, while John Lennon said that Wilson was "doing some very great things".<ref>{{cite magazine|asin=B01AD99JMW|title=The History of Rock 1966|url=https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfRock1966/|date=2015|magazine=]|pages=52, 141}}</ref> At the end of 1966, the magazine crowned ''Pet Sounds'' and the Beatles' '']'' as the joint "Pop Album of the Year". The paper's spokesman wrote, "We argued, argued and argued and still the ''MM'' pop panel couldn't agree which was the Pop Album of the Year. The voting was evenly divided{{nbsp}}... Cups of coffee were drunk and sheets of paper were torn up before we finally agreed to compromise and vote for both The Beatles and Beach Boys on top."{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=168}}
	| rev7Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=435 |title=Slant Magazine review |publisher=Slantmagazine.com }}</ref>
	| rev8 = ]
			==Aftermath and spiritual successors==
	| rev8Score = 5/5<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1380 |title=Sputnikmusic review |publisher=Sputnikmusic.com }}</ref>
			]
	}}
			Wilson later said that despite the positive reception afforded to the album in Britain, he felt deeply hurt when ''Pet Sounds'' did not sell as highly as he expected and interpreted the poor sales as the public's rejection of his artistry.<ref name=BrianWilson1997 /> Marilyn supported that the lackluster response "really destroyed Brian" before adding: "He just lost a lot of faith in people and music.{{nbsp}}... then when people would talk about it later, tell him how great it was, even if it was just a year later, he didn't want to hear about it. It reminded him of failing. And then he was more tortured."<ref name="Marilyn1997" /> Carl remembered Brian's disappointment and said that the album was "so much more than a record{{nbsp}}... it was like going to church and a labor of love."<ref name="Carl1997" />{{refn|group=nb|He lamented that Brian did not join the group on their November 1966 tour of Britain "to experience how much excitement the records were causing, because all his hard work was being rewarded in full measure and he didn't get to enjoy the full impact of the success first hand."<ref name="Carl1997" />}}
			Asher had a different recollection, saying that neither he nor Brian had valued ''Pet Sounds'' as a "masterpiece" at the time. He explained, "I was more impressed by the production really. To me it was just a great album, and{{nbsp}}... a chance to show some people like my parents, and the guys at the advertising company, that rock music could be{{nbsp}}... a mature medium."{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=26}} Taylor recalled in 1975 that Wilson was unperturbed by the album's poor sales and had been more preoccupied with besting his rivals – namely, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones – on an artistic front.{{sfn|Kent|2009|p=28}}
			]" at the ], late 1966.]]
			In mid-1966, Brian began writing songs with lyricist ] for a new album, ''Smile'', that was ] but would have included "Good Vibrations".{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=131, 167}} Wilson touted the album as a "teenage symphony to God" that would have surpassed ''Pet Sounds''.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=204}} During the project's sessions, Wilson revisited the idea of a psychedelic comedy album, previously explored with the "Dick" and "Fuzz" outtakes from ''Pet Sounds''.<ref name="Runtagh2016"/> In October, "Good Vibrations" was issued as a single and became an immediate worldwide hit.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=150}}{{refn|group=nb|Noel Murray of '']'' theorized that the success of "Good Vibrations" helped convert detractors of ''Pet Sounds'' who were confused by the album's "un-hip orchestrations and pervasive sadness didn't immediately get what Wilson was trying to do."<ref name=AVPrimer>{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Noel |title=A beginner's guide to the sweet, stinging nostalgia of The Beach Boys |url=http://www.avclub.com/article/beginners-guide-sweet-stinging-nostalgia-beach-boy-210390 |newspaper=] |date=October 16, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620010325/https://www.avclub.com/a-beginner-s-guide-to-the-sweet-stinging-nostalgia-of-1798273533 |archive-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>}}
			As Wilson's mental health deteriorated, his involvement with the Beach Boys reduced, and the group instead released follow-up records that were less ambitious and largely ignored by critics.{{sfn|Harrison|1997|pp=49, 53}} Wilson referred to the band's 1968 release '']'' as his second "solo album", following ''Pet Sounds''.<ref name="Oui76">{{cite magazine |last1=Rensin |first1=David |title=A Conversation With Brian Wilson |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/a-conversation-with-brian-wilson |magazine=] |date=December 1976 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> It was a commercial failure and, in the words of a '']'' writer, caused the band's fanbase to lose "any hope that Brian Wilson would deliver a true successor to ".{{sfn|Mojo|2007|p=132}}
			The 1977 album '']'' saw Wilson's brief reemergence as the group's principal songwriter and singer.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=213}} Wilson regarded ''Love You'' as a spiritual successor to ''Pet Sounds'', namely because of the autobiographical lyrics.{{sfn|Wilson|Greenman|2016|p=197}}{{refn|group=nb|Upon release, Wilson stated that ''Love You'' was "the first time since ''Pet Sounds'' that I've felt this thoroughly satisfied with an album."{{sfn|Tobler|1978|p=93}}}} In 1988, Wilson released his first solo album, '']'', which was an attempt to recapture the sensibilities of ''Pet Sounds'', such that co-producer ] touted the album as ''Pet Sounds '88''.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=259}} It included "Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long", a sequel to "Caroline, No".{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=98}}
	In his 1969 '']'' series, ] stated that the album was initially overshadowed by the Beatles' '']'', released two months later, which contained many of the same musical innovations.<ref name=pc37/> By 1984, music critic ] would write that the album was now considered a "classic", elaborating: "''Pet Sounds'' wasn't a commercial flop, but it did signal that the group was losing contact with its listeners (a charge that could not be leveled against the Beatles during the same period)".{{sfn|Marsh|1985|p=114}} '']'' theorized that the later success of "Good Vibrations" was what helped turn around the perception of ''Pet Sounds''; that the "un-hip orchestrations and pervasive sadness baffled some longtime fans, who didn't immediately get what Wilson was trying to do."<ref name=AVPrimer>{{cite web|last1=Murray|first1=Noel|title=A beginner's guide to the sweet, stinging nostalgia of The Beach Boys|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/beginners-guide-sweet-stinging-nostalgia-beach-boy-210390|publisher=]|date=October 16, 2014}}</ref>
			The Beach Boys, accompanied by ], re-recorded "Caroline, No" with a new multi-part vocal arrangement for the 1996 album '']''.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=100}} Shortly after that album, there were tentative plans for what biographer Mark Dillon nicknamed "''Pet Sounds, Vol. 2''", an album that would have involved the band teaming with ], leader of the avant-pop band ].{{sfn|Dillon|2012|pp=102, 104}} Although many record companies expressed interest in the project, it never progressed past the planning stages.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|pp=107}} In the late 1990s, Wilson and Asher rekindled their writing partnership and wrote at least four songs together. Only two were released: "This Isn't Love" and "Everything I Need".{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=324}}
	By the 1990s, three British critics' polls would feature ''Pet Sounds'' at or near the top of their lists.{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=19}} Those who have deemed it "the greatest album of all time" include '']'',<ref name="NME1">{{cite web | url =http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_writers.htm#100_93 | title =New Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums |work=NME | date=October 2, 1993 | accessdate = March 3, 2009}}</ref> '']'',<ref name="TheTimes1">{{cite web | url =http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/times100.htm | title =The Times All Time Top 100 Albums |work=The Times | accessdate = March 3, 2009}}</ref> '']'',<ref name="Mojo1">{{cite web | url =http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo.html | title =The 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made | publisher =] | accessdate = March 3, 2009}}</ref> and '']''.<ref name=UncutGreatest2016>{{cite journal|title=200 Greatest Albums of All Time|journal=]|date=February 2016|issue=225}}</ref> In 1998, the ] inducted the album into the ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame#l | title=The Grammy Hall of Fame Award | accessdate=August 18, 2007 | publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences}}</ref> In 2004, ''Pet Sounds'' was preserved in the ] by the ] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."<ref name="Congress"/> As of 2006, more than 100 domestic and international publications and journalists have lauded ''Pet Sounds'' as one of the greatest albums ever recorded.<ref name="EMIssions" />
			==Retrospective assessments==
			===Descent into obscurity===
	{{quote box|		{{quote box|
			|quote= was a genius who never received his just acclaim, and it's possible that he never will. The main reason for this is absurdly simple:{{nbsp}}... Just as it was settling nicely into its position as the world's number one popular music record, the far more fashionable Beatles released '']'', and ''Pet Sounds'' was forgotten, just like that.
	|quote=...&nbsp;by God if this little record didn't change only the course of popular music, but the course of a few lives in the bargain&nbsp;... nobody was prepared for anything so soulful, so lovely, something one had to think about so much.
	|source=—] in '']'', June 1972<ref name="Davis1972"/>		|source=—''Melody Maker'' journalist ], 1971<ref name="Williams71"/>
	|quoted =
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	|fontsize = 89%
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			''Pet Sounds'' was not nominated for the ].{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=184}}{{refn|group=nb|At the same ceremony, ] won Best Performance by a Vocal Group for an album that included a rendition of "Good Vibrations".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=184}}}} In his 1969 '']'' series, ] stated that the album was almost overshadowed by ''Revolver'', released August 1966, and that "a lot people failed to realize that Brian Wilson's production was as unique in its own way as the Beatles'".<ref name="Gilliand">{{cite journal |author-link=John Gilliland |last=Gilliland |first=John |title=Show 20 – Forty Miles of Bad Road: Some of the best from rock 'n' roll's dark ages. |journal=UNT Digital Library |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19770/m1/#track/5 |date=July 28, 2017 |publisher=]}}</ref> In his 1971 reappraisal of the Beach Boys for ''Melody Maker'', ] wrote that although ''Pet Sounds'' had "defied criticism" and "dwarfed all the rest of pop music put together", whatever continued recognition Wilson would have received was immediately diverted to the Beatles' '']'', released 12 months after ''Pet Sounds''.<ref name="Williams71">{{cite magazine |last1=Williams |first1=Richard |author-link1=Richard Williams (journalist) |title=Beach Boys: A Reappraisal |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/beach-boys-a-reappraisal |magazine=] |date=May 22, 1971 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
	In ]'s 1972 '']'' review, Davis called it "by far" Brian Wilson's best album and said that its "trenchant cycle of love songs has the emotional impact of a shatteringly evocative novel".<ref name="Davis1972">{{cite web|first=Stephen|last=Davis |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/pet-sounds-19720622 |title=Pet Sounds |work=Rolling Stone |date=June 22, 1972 }}</ref> ]'s Bill Holdship called it "a beautiful reflection of romanticism in the modern world".<ref name="Holdship"/> In ''Music USA: The Rough Guide'', Richie Unterberger and Samb Hicks wrote the album to be a "quantum leap" from the Beach Boys earlier material, and "the most gorgeous arrangements ever to grace a rock record."{{sfn|Unterberger|Hicks|1999|p=382}} In 2006, ] wrote a 9.4 review of its ''40th Anniversary'' edition for ] stating: "Certainly, regardless of what I write here, the impact and 'influence' of the record will have been in turn hardly influenced at all. I can't even get my dad to talk about ''Pet Sounds'' anymore.&nbsp;... The hymnal aspect of many of these songs seems no less pronounced, and the general air of deeply heartfelt love, graciousness and the uncertainty that any of it will be returned are still affecting to the point of distraction."<ref name="Pitchfork2006"/> Author Luis Sanchez views the album as "the score to a film about what rock music doesn't have to be. For all of its inward-looking sentimentalism, it lays out in a masterful way the kind of glow and ''sui generis'' vision that Brian aimed to expand."{{sfn|Sanchez|2014|p=83}} Music journalist ] felt that ''Pet Sounds'' was a good record, but believed it had become looked upon as a ].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Christgau|first=Robert|authorlink=Robert Christgau|date=October 14, 2004|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cdrev/wilson-rs.php|title=Get Happy: Brian Wilson: "SMiLE"|journal=]|location=New York|accessdate=March 29, 2013}}</ref>
			] wrote in his late 1967 column for '']'' that the group were "lesser than the Beatles" chiefly due to a lack of "emotional range; all their ballads, in evidence especially on ''Pet Sounds'', are juvenile or specious. And none of their albums makes a collective statement."<ref name="Listener"/>{{refn|group=nb|Cannon's negative remarks about the Beach Boys were withheld from publication by the magazine's editor.<ref name="Listener">{{cite magazine |last1=Cannon |first1=Geoffrey |author-link1=Geoffrey Cannon |title=California! |magazine=] |date=November 22, 1967 |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/california- |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Williams similarly cited Wilson's narrow range of influences as a reason the album was not as celebrated as the Beatles' work.<ref name="Williams71"/>}} Writing in '']'' magazine in 1968, ] recognized the album's debt to ''Rubber Soul'', saying that ''Pet Sounds'' was "revolutionary only within the confines of the Beach Boys' music", although later in the piece he commented: "''Pet Sounds'' was a final statement of an era and a prophecy that sweeping changes lay ahead."<ref name="Sculatti">{{cite web |last=Sculatti |first=Gene |author-link=Gene Sculatti |url=http://www.teachrock.org/resources/article/villains-and-heroes-in-defense-of-the-beach-boys/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714191639/http://teachrock.org/resources/article/villains-and-heroes-in-defense-of-the-beach-boys/ |title=Villains and Heroes: In Defense of the Beach Boys |magazine=] |date=September 1968 |via=Rock and Roll: An American History |publisher=teachrock.org |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |access-date=June 20, 2017}}</ref>
	After being asked where somebody should begin with the Beach Boys discography, Wilson said, "They should listen to ''Pet Sounds'' first, and then listen to '']''."<ref>{{cite web|last=Bocanegra|first=Henry|title=Rock N' Roll Dream: A Conversation with Brian Wilson|url=http://www.houseofshred.com/features/rocknroll101/brian_wilson/rnr101_brianwilson.htm|work=House of Shred|publisher=houseofshred.com|accessdate=29 July 2013|archivedate=July 25, 2001|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20010725225717/http://www.houseofshred.com/features/rocknroll101/brian_wilson/rnr101_brianwilson.htm}}</ref>
			According to author Johnny Morgan, a "process of reevaluation" of ''Pet Sounds'' was underway from the late 1960s onward, with a 1976 ''NME'' feature proving especially influential.{{sfn|Morgan|2015|p=109}} Ben Edmonds of '']'' wrote in 1971 that the "beauty" of ''Pet Sounds'' had aged well against "the turbulence of the past few years", adding that "many consider it not only the Beach Boys' finest achievement, but a milestone in the progression of contemporary rock as well."<ref name="Edmonds">{{cite magazine |last1=Edmonds |first1=Ben |title=The Beach Boys: A Group For All Seasons |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-beach-boys-a-group-for-all-seasons |magazine=Circus |date=June 1971 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In a 1972 review for ''Rolling Stone'', ] called ''Pet Sounds'' "by far" Brian Wilson's best album and said that its "trenchant cycle of love songs has the emotional impact of a shatteringly evocative novel".<ref name="Davis1972">{{cite magazine |last=Davis |first=Stephen |date=June 22, 1972 |title=Pet Sounds |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/pet-sounds-19720622 |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319170026/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/pet-sounds-249007/ |archive-date=March 19, 2022}}</ref> He argued that the album had changed "the course of popular music" and "a few lives in the bargain{{nbsp}}... nobody was prepared for anything so soulful, so lovely, something one had to think about so much."<ref name="Davis1972" /> ''Melody Maker''{{'}}s Josh Ingham said in 1973 that the album was "ignored by the public" but inspired many critics to label Wilson a genius, "not least for being a year ahead of ''Sgt Pepper'' in thinking." Ingham concluded that, "With hindsight, of course, ''Pet Sounds'' has become ''the'' classic album."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Ingham |first1=Josh |title=The Beach Boys #2: The Exiles Return |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-beach-boys-2-the-exiles-return |magazine=] |date=March 31, 1973 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
	===Influence and distinctions===
	{{quote box|
			After 1974, ''Pet Sounds'' went out-of-print. In Granata's description, the album subsequently "fell into obscurity" and was "relegated to the cutout bins" for decades.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=216, 235}} Sociomusicologist ] wrote in 1981 that ''Pet Sounds'' continued to be largely regarded by "the music world" as a "'weird' record".<ref name="Frith/HistoryOfRock">{{cite magazine|first=Simon|last=Frith|title=1967: The Year It All Came Together |magazine=]|year=1981|url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/1967-the-year-it-all-came-together|url-access=subscription|author-link=Simon Frith}}</ref> Writing in the first edition of '']'' (1979), ] gave the album four stars (out of a possible five) and described it as a "powerful, but spotty" collection on which the least experimental songs proved to be the best.{{sfn|Marsh|Swenson|1983|p=30}} In 1985, he wrote that the album was now considered a "classic", elaborating: "''Pet Sounds'' wasn't a commercial flop, but it did signal that the group was losing contact with its listeners (a charge that could not be leveled against the Beatles during the same period)".{{sfn|Marsh|1985|p=114}} Granata offered that, by the time the album reappeared on compact disc in 1990, it was "embraced by hard-core fanatics" yet "still considered an insider's record—a quasi-cult classic".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=216}}
	|quote= It's been said that, although hardly anyone bought ]'s records, those who did ended up being inspired to start their own bands. In the case of the Beach Boys' 1966 opus ''Pet Sounds'', it's likely that each of its 13 songs inspired its own subset of pop offspring,
	|source=—Jeff Straton, '']'', October 2000<ref>{{cite news|last=Stratton|first=Jeff|title=Bandwidth|url=http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2000-10-26/music/bandwidth/|newspaper=]|date=October 26, 2000}}</ref>
			===Ascendance to universal acclaim===
	|quoted =
			{{Music ratings
	|bgcolor =
			| title = Professional ratings <br /> (1990s–2000s)
	|width = 25%
			| rev1 = ]
	|salign = right
			| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Unterberger |first=Richie |author-link=Richie Unterberger |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/pet-sounds-mw0000398074 |title=Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys |website=] |access-date=October 21, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105061230/https://www.allmusic.com/album/pet-sounds-mw0000398074 |archive-date=November 5, 2012}}</ref>
	|align = right
			| rev2 = '']''
	|border = 1px
			| rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Wolk |first=Douglas |author-link=Douglas Wolk |date=October 2003 |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/52789/pet-sounds.html |title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds |magazine=] |location=New York |issue=20 |access-date=October 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113103011/http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/52789/pet-sounds.html |archive-date=January 13, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
	|fontsize = 89%
			| rev3 = '']''
			| rev3score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref>{{cite news |last=McLeese |first=Don |date=May 18, 1990 |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3999021.html |title=Capitol releases a wave of Beach Boys classics |newspaper=] |access-date=October 21, 2012 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001031335/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3999021.html |archive-date=October 1, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
			| rev4 = '']''
			| rev4score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref name="Kot">{{cite news |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot |date=May 17, 1990 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1990/05/17/beach-boyspet-sounds-capitol-starstarstarstarthis-cd-reissue/ |title=Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (Capitol) |newspaper=] |access-date=October 21, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224064526/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1990-05-17-9002090716-story.html |archive-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref>
			| rev5 = '']''
			| rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{sfn|Larkin|2007|loc="Beach Boys"}}
			| rev6 = '']''
			| rev6score = A+<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sinclair |first=Tom |date=December 12, 1997 |url=https://ew.com/article/1997/12/12/we-take-look-holiday-boxsets/ |title=Box Populi |magazine=] |location=New York |issue=409 |access-date=October 8, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013205408/https://ew.com/article/1997/12/12/we-take-look-holiday-boxsets/ |archive-date=October 13, 2020}}</ref>
			| rev7 = '']''
			| rev7score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Qmag">{{cite magazine |title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds |magazine=] |location=London |issue=118 |date=July 1996 |page=133}}</ref>
			| rev8 = '']''
			| rev8score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Davis |first=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Davis (music journalist) |date=January 21, 1997 |orig-date=June 22, 1972 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thebeachboys/albums/album/112386/review/6068244/pet_sounds |title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds |magazine=] |location=New York |access-date=October 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205235433/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thebeachboys/albums/album/112386/review/6068244/pet_sounds |archive-date=December 5, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
			| rev9 = '']''
			| rev9score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{sfn|Fine|2004|pp=}}
			| rev10 = '']''
			| rev10score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Walsh |first=Barry |date=April 19, 2004 |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds |title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds |website=] |access-date=October 20, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823203837/https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds/ |archive-date=August 23, 2019}}</ref>
	}}		}}
			''Pet Sounds'' has since appeared in many "greatest records of all time" lists and has provoked extensive discourse regarding its musicianship and production.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=235}} By the 1990s, three British critics' polls had featured the LP at or near the top of their lists.{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=19}} Those who deemed it "the greatest album of all time" included the writing staffs of ''NME'',<ref name="NME1">{{cite web |date=October 2, 1993 |title=New Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_writers.htm#100_93 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228100140/https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_writers.htm |archive-date=February 28, 2009 |access-date=March 3, 2009 |work=]}}</ref> '']'',<ref name="TheTimes1">{{cite web |title=The Times All Time Top 100 Albums |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/times100.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304183205/https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/times100.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2009 |access-date=March 3, 2009 |work=]}}</ref> and '']''.<ref name=UncutGreatest2016>{{cite magazine |title=200 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=] |date=February 2016 |issue=225}}</ref> In 1994, ''Pet Sounds'' was voted number 3 in ]'s '']'', a book which surveyed the general public alongside hundreds of critics, musicians, record producers, songwriters, radio broadcasters, and music enthusiasts.{{sfn|Larkin|1994|pp=4–6, 8, 365}}{{refn|group=nb|The third edition of Larkin's book, published in 2000, ranked the album at number 18.{{sfn|Larkin|2000|p=42}}}}
	Although not originally a big seller, ''Pet Sounds'' has been influential since it was released.<ref name=pc37/>{{Failed verification|date=March 2016}} Writer Rachael Maddux discussed the album's impact in 2011: "These days, the legacy of ''Pet Sounds'' looms so large that you can't always be sure if what you're hearing takes a direct line from the album itself or if it pulls from a second tier one of the hundreds of thousands of its beneficiaries now trickling down their own influence."<ref name="SixDegrees" /> In 1995, a panel of top musicians, songwriters and producers assembled by ''MOJO'' voted ''Pet Sounds'' as the greatest album among them.<ref></ref>
			In 1998, the ] inducted ''Pet Sounds'' into the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame#l |title=The Grammy Hall of Fame Award |access-date=August 18, 2007 |publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122042616/http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame |archive-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref> ], writing in 1998, declared that the record was now universally regarded as a 20th-century "classic" comparable to ]'s ], ]'s '']'', and ]'s '']''.{{sfn|Williams|Hartwell|2000|p=75}} Historian Michael Roberts states that "the album's induction into the canon of popular music" had arguably followed the release of its 1997 expanded reissue, '']''.{{sfn|Roberts|2019|p=65}} In ''Music USA: The Rough Guide'' (1999), ] and Samb Hicks deemed the album a "quantum leap" from the Beach Boys' earlier material, and "the most gorgeous arrangements ever to grace a rock record".{{sfn|Unterberger|Hicks|1999|p=382}}
			In 2004, ''Pet Sounds'' was preserved in the ] by the ] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."<ref name="Congress">{{cite web |title=The National Recording Registry 2004 |url=https://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/nrpb-2004reg.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100627212235/https://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/nrpb-2004reg.html |archive-date=June 27, 2010 |website= |publisher=]}}</ref> By 2006, more than 100 domestic and international publications and journalists had lauded ''Pet Sounds'' as one of the greatest albums ever recorded.<ref name="EMIssions" /> In Chris Smith's 2009 book '']'', ''Pet Sounds'' is evaluated as "one of the most innovative recordings in rock" and as the work that "elevated Brian Wilson from talented bandleader to studio genius".{{sfn|Smith|2009|p=38}}
			Music historian Luis Sanchez viewed the album as "the score to a film about what rock music doesn't have to be. For all of its inward-looking sentimentalism, it lays out in a masterful way the kind of glow and ''sui generis'' vision that Brian aimed to expand in a radical way with ''Smile''."{{sfn|Sanchez|2014|p=83}} Music critic ], referencing other albums that are often labeled "masterpieces", such as '']'' (1972), '']'' (1973), and '']'' (1997), commented that "only ''Pet Sounds'' is written from the teen or adolescent point of view."<ref name="Sommer2016" /> It has been viewed by some writers as the best ] album of all time,<ref>{{cite news |last=Katz |first=Larry |date=January 25, 1998 |url=http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/19980125/News/301259893 |title=A 'Pet Sounds' Apotheosis |newspaper=] |access-date=April 29, 2017}}</ref> including Sommer, who deemed it "the greatest album of all time, probably by about 20 or 30 lengths".<ref name="Sommer2016" />
			===Totemic status===
			In 2000, '']'' founder ] gave ''Pet Sounds''{{'}} then-latest reissue a 7.5 (out of 10) and decreed that while ''Pet Sounds'' had been "groundbreaking enough to {{sic|perma|nantly}} alter the course of music", its "straight-forward pop music" had become "passe and cliched", especially when compared to ]'s ''The Dark Side of the Moon'', ]'s '']'', and ]'s ''OK Computer''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/b/beach-boys/pet-sounds.shtml|title=Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (Remastered) |work=]|date=October 10, 2000|access-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001010180925/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/b/beach-boys/pet-sounds.shtml|last=Schreiber|first=Ryan|authorlink=Ryan Schreiber|archive-date=October 10, 2000}}</ref> For the album's ''40th Anniversary'' edition, ''Pitchfork'' ran another review, this time written by ], who awarded the album a 9.4 score. Leone opined that the work had aged well and deserved its continued praise, although he preferred the band's post-''Pet Sounds'' recordings. He wrote:
			{{blockquote|style=overflow:inherit;|wo or three generations of music fans will secretly believe you have no soul if you don't announce your allegiance to it{{nbsp}}... "Influence" is a loaded concept here{{nbsp}}... Certainly, regardless of what I write here, the impact and "influence" of the record will have been in turn hardly influenced at all. I can't even get my dad to talk about ''Pet Sounds'' anymore.&nbsp;... Very famous people waste no time in offering testimonials to ''Pet Sounds''{{'}} greatness{{nbsp}}... The hymnal aspect of many of these songs seems no less pronounced, and the general air of deeply heartfelt love, graciousness and the uncertainty that any of it will be returned are still affecting to the point of distraction.<ref name="Pitchfork2006" />}}
			Music journalist ], writing in 2004, felt that ''Pet Sounds'' was a good record, but believed it had become looked upon as a ].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |date=October 14, 2004 |title=Get Happy: Brian Wilson: "SMiLE" |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cdrev/wilson-rs.php |url-status=live |magazine=] |location=New York |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406225801/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cdrev/wilson-rs.php |archive-date=April 6, 2013 |access-date=March 29, 2013}}</ref> In the 2004 book ''Kill Your Idols'', which reevaluates so-called "classic" rock albums, Jeff Nordstedt writes that the commentary surrounding ''Pet Sounds'' had "rarely" discussed specifics about the album, only its impact and influence. He wrote "The fact is, even the hits are disjointed, and the rest of the songs are downright insane."{{sfn|Nordstedt|2004|pp=22, 24}} Nordstedt lamented the negative aspects of its influence – namely, the "]" exemplified in the music of the 1980s – as well as the record's inoffensive aesthetics, the lack of "visceral charge", and the fact that it had been co-written by a jingle writer ("it offends every notion of truth that I hold dear about rock 'n' roll").{{sfn|Nordstedt|2004|pp=25–27}}
			Musician ], who composed the ], referred to "an element of cliché that's grown around" the album, exemplified in a comedy sketch from the television show '']'' in which "your classic hipster musicians&nbsp;... are building a studio and everything is like 'this is the mike they used in ''Pet Sounds''.' This is exactly the same as ''Pet Sounds''.'"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Jeff |date=June 3, 2015 |title=Atticus Ross talks Brian Wilson, 'Pet Sounds,' 'Portlandia' and his Beach Boys mash-up |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2015/06/atticus_ross_talks_brian_wilso.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416095920/https://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2015/06/atticus_ross_talks_brian_wilso.html |archive-date=April 16, 2019 |publisher=]}}</ref>
			Wilson himself was bemused by the album's continued acclaim. In a 2002 documentary about the album, he commented, "It keeps going back to ''Pet Sounds'' here in my life, and I'm going, 'What about this ''Pet Sounds''? Is it really that good an album?' It's stood the test of time, of course, but is it really that ''great'' an album to listen to? I don't know."<ref>{{cite episode|last=Aspinall|first=Sarah|series=Art That Shook the World|network=]|date=July 20, 2002|title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds |time=49:00}}</ref>
			==Influence and legacy==
			===Innovations===
			''Pet Sounds'' is recognized as an ambitious and sophisticated work that advanced the field of music production in addition to setting a higher standard in music composition and numerous precedents in its recording.{{sfn|Moorefield|2010|p=16}}{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=54}} Lambert, who was a professor of music at the ] ] in New York, wrote that the album was "an extraordinary achievement – for any musician, but especially for the 23-year-old Wilson".{{sfn|Lambert|2008|p=110}} Singer-songwriter ] described it as "a musician's album", "an engineer's album", and "a songwriter's album".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=238}} Paul McCartney declared that "no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album."{{sfn|Zak|2001|p=209}}{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=74}} To explain why the album "was one of the defining moments of its time", composer ] referred to "its willingness to abandon formula in favor of structural innovation, the introduction of classical elements in the arrangements, production concepts in terms of overall sound which were novel at the time".<ref>{{cite web |date=September 2007 |title=Brian Wilson |url=https://www.kennedy-center.org/Artist/A18317 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109112733/https://www.kennedy-center.org/Artist/A18317 |archive-date=November 9, 2018 |publisher=]}}</ref> Edmonds believed that the album's "most impressive" feature was "the fully integrated use of orchestration, an area glossed over all too lightly in those days."<ref name="Edmonds"/>
			{{quote box
			| align = left
			| width = 25%
			| quote = It's been said that, although hardly anyone bought ]'s records, those who did ended up being inspired to start their own bands. In the case of the Beach Boys' 1966 opus ''Pet Sounds'', it's likely that each of its 13 songs inspired its own subset of pop offspring{{nbsp}}...
			| source = —Music critic Jeff Straton, 2000<ref>{{cite news |last=Stratton |first=Jeff |title=Bandwidth |url=http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2000-10-26/music/bandwidth/ |newspaper=] |date=October 26, 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105120357/http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2000-10-26/music/bandwidth/ |archive-date=5 November 2013}}</ref>
			}}
			Although not originally a big seller, ''Pet Sounds'' was "enormously" influential from the moment of its release.{{sfn|Smith|2009|p=38}} No other artist of Wilson's stature had written, arranged, and produced an album on the scale of ''Pet Sounds'', and Granata writes that Wilson's "authoritative approach affected his contemporaries" and thus "redefined" the role of the producer.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=115}} Producer ], who later became president of ], supported that ''Pet Sounds'' likely contributed to a higher emphasis on studio artistry among West Coast artists. "Creative record-making took a giant step and it affected everybody who was caught up in it. It was a landmark record".<ref name="HereToday96">{{cite magazine |last1=Morris |first1=Chris |author-link1=Chris Morris (music writer) |title=Here Today|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_zQkEAAAAMBAJ/page/n45/ |magazine=] |date=October 12, 1996 |url-access=registration}}</ref> Similarly in Britain, many groups responded to the album by increasing the studio experimentation on their records.{{sfn|Gillett|1984|p=329}} In 1971, publication ''Beat Instrumental & International Recording'' wrote: "''Pet Sounds'' took everyone by surprise. In terms of musical conception, lyric content, production and performance, it stood as a landmark in a music genre whose development was about to begin snowballing."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VmdLAAAAYAAJ |title=Pet Sounds |magazine=Beat Instrumental & International Recording |date=1971 |issue=93}}</ref>
			In rock music, ''Pet Sounds'' marked the first occasion in which doubling was used for virtually every instrument, a technique previously limited to classical composers and orchestrators.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=158}} It was also the first time that a group departed from the usual small-ensemble electric rock band format for an entire album.<ref name="Sommer2016">{{cite web |last1=Sommer |first1=Tim |author-link=Tim Sommer |date=May 16, 2016 |title=This Is Your Brain on 'Pet Sounds' |url=http://observer.com/2016/05/this-is-your-brain-on-pet-sounds/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510021842/https://observer.com/2016/05/this-is-your-brain-on-pet-sounds/ |archive-date=May 10, 2021 |website=]}}</ref> "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" was the first piece in popular music to incorporate the Electro-Theremin as well as the first in rock music to feature a theremin-like instrument.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=240}} According to D. Strauss, the Beach Boys were also the first major rock group to openly challenge contemporary music trends "and declare that rock really didn't matter."<ref name="Strauss1997" /> '']'' magazine reflected in 1971 that ''Pet Sounds'' made "the Beach Boys among the vanguard" and anticipated trends that were not widespread in rock music "until 1969–1970".<ref>{{cite journal |title=Pet Sounds |journal=Cue |date=1971 |volume=40 |issue=27 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EwgwAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> The album is also frequently credited for being "partially responsible for the invention of synthesizers", according to Norstedt, who explains that the doubled and tripled instrumental parts "fueled the drive toward the synthesizer—a single electronic instrument which fuses the tones of multiple organic instruments to create an entirely new sound. Wilson maniacally synthesized sounds on ''Pet Sounds'' before such a device was available."{{sfn|Nordstedt|2004|p=27}}
			Cultural historian ] stated that "God Only Knows" remade the ideal of the popular love song, while "Sloop John B" and "Pet Sounds" broke new ground and took rock music away from its casual lyrics and melodic structures into what was then uncharted territory.{{sfn|Greene|2010|p=155}} He also credited ''Pet Sounds'' (as well as ''Rubber Soul'', ''Revolver'', and the 1960s folk movement) with spawning the majority of trends in post-1965 rock music.{{sfn|Greene|2010|p=155}} Many Los Angeles record producers imitated the album's orchestral style, which became a component to the ] acts that followed.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=Noel |date=April 7, 2011 |title=Gateways to Geekery: Sunshine Pop |url=http://www.avclub.com/article/sunshine-pop-54224 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106213429/https://music.avclub.com/sunshine-pop-1798225095 |archive-date=November 6, 2018 |access-date=November 27, 2015 |work=] |publisher=Onion Inc.}}</ref> Discussing the ] genre, '']''{{'s}} Noah Berlatsky argued that the Beach Boys helped bridge a gap between the polished pop harmonizing of ] and the experimentation of ], particularly with "Sloop John B", whose "fussy" arrangements, "pure" harmonies, and "childish vulnerability" he says "come out of a tradition of pop R&B".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Berlatsky |first1=Noah |date=July 1, 2016 |title=Brian Wilson, Pet Sounds, and the categorical denial of the sensitive black genius |work=] |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/pitchfork-festival-2016-brian-wilson-pet-sounds-sufjan-twigs/Content?oid=22681115 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126230232/https://chicagoreader.com/music/brian-wilson-pet-sounds-and-the-categorical-denial-of-the-sensitive-black-genius/ |archive-date=November 26, 2021}}</ref> "Wouldn't It Be Nice" was similarly influential to ] with respect to its "happy"-sounding music underpinned by a sense of yearning and longing.<ref name="Chabon">{{cite web |last=Chabon|first=Michael |title=Tragic Magic: Reflections on Power Pop |url=http://michaelchabon.com/uncollected/musical/tragic-magic/|access-date=March 30, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 11, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411092844/http://michaelchabon.com/uncollected/musical/tragic-magic/}}</ref>
			''Pet Sounds'' is often cited as one of the earliest entries in the canon of psychedelic rock.<ref name="SixDegrees" /> Scholar Philip Auslander writes that even though psychedelic music is not normally associated with the Beach Boys, the "odd directions" and experiments in ''Pet Sounds'' "put it all on the map.&nbsp;... basically that sort of opened the door—not for groups to be formed or to start to make music, but certainly to become as visible as say ] or somebody like that."<ref name="Longman2016">{{cite web |last1=Longman |first1=Molly |date=May 20, 2016 |title=Had LSD Never Been Discovered Over 75 Years Ago, Music History Would Be Entirely Different |url=https://mic.com/articles/143256/had-lsd-never-been-discovered-over-75-years-ago-music-history-would-be-entirely-different#.1lXG1R2k1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414204604/https://www.mic.com/articles/143256/had-lsd-never-been-discovered-over-75-years-ago-music-history-would-be-entirely-different |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |website=Music.mic}}</ref> DeRogatis said that it was one of the first psychedelic rock masterpieces, along with '']'' (1966) and ''Revolver''.{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003|p=xi}}
			===Recognition of progressive and art rock===
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			| quote = While many may struggle to see the direct link between the bright, bouncy tones of ''Pet Sounds'' and bands like the Beatles, ] and countless prog-rock bands, there was simply no precedent for the way that notes moved and vibrated across the record.
			| source = —Journalist Joel Freimark, 2016<ref>{{cite web |last1=Freimark |first1=Joel |title=Brian Wilson tours to celebrate 50th anniversary of 'Pet Sounds' |url=http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/278325/brian-wilson-pet-sounds-50th-anniversary-tour/ |website=Death and Taxes Mag |date=January 26, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117090620/http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/278325/brian-wilson-pet-sounds-50th-anniversary-tour/ |archive-date=17 November 2017}}</ref>
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			''Pet Sounds'' marked the origins of progressive pop, a genre that gave way to ]. ''Tidal'' contributor Ryan Breed cited the album's "non-rock instrumentation (strings, brass, Theremin, harpsichord, tack piano), dizzying key changes and complex vocal harmonies" as features that informed progressive pop.<ref name="progpopguide">{{cite web |last1=Reed |first1=Ryan |date=November 20, 2019 |title=A Guide to Progressive Pop |url=https://tidal.com/magazine/article/a-guide-to-progressive-pop/1-57187 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308120247/https://tidal.com/magazine/article/a-guide-to-progressive-pop/1-57187 |archive-date=March 8, 2022 |website=Tidal}}</ref> Journalist Troy Smith similarly cited "Wouldn't It Be Nice" as "the first taste of progressive pop" subsequently elaborated upon by bands such as the Beatles, ], and ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Troy L. |date=February 28, 2018 |title=250 greatest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Songs: Part 3 (#150–101) |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2018/02/250_greatest_songs_by_rock_rol_3.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110091655/https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2018/02/250_greatest_songs_by_rock_rol_3.html |archive-date=November 10, 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2020 |website=]}}</ref>
	''Pet Sounds'' is credited for advancing the field of music production.{{sfn|Moorefield|2005|p=16}}{{sfn|Martin|1998|pp=39–42}}{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=54}}{{sfn|Zager|2012|p=181}} In 1971, publication ''Beat Instrumental & International Recording'' wrote: "''Pet Sounds'' took everyone by surprise. In terms of musical conception, lyric content, production and performance, it stood as a landmark in a music genre whose development was about to begin snowballing."<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VmdLAAAAYAAJ|title=Pet Sounds|journal=Beat Instrumental & International Recording|date=1971|issue=93}}</ref> The album's historical distinctions include being the first piece in popular music to incorporate the ], an easier-to-play version of the ], as well as the first in rock music to feature a theremin-like instrument.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=240}} The Electro-Theremin's inventor ] performs the instrument on the song "]".<ref name=tracks />{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=26}}
			The album also furthered the "rock as art" concept heralded by ''Rubber Soul''.<ref name="Sculatti" /> In the belief of music journalist ], "If the Beatles' ''Rubber Soul'' was the first album to make a case for pop music as a maturing art form, 1966's ''Pet Sounds'' was a quantum leap into the unknown".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hoskyns |first1=Barney |author-link1=Barney Hoskyns |title=Hang On To Your Egos: The Beach Boys at 50 |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/hang-on-to-your-egos-the-beach-boys-at-50 |website=] |date=June 2012 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> According to ], ''Pet Sounds'' "can be seen as a launch pad for the ]", alongside Dylan's '']'' (1965) and '']'' (1966).<ref>{{cite news|last=Graff|first=Gary|author-link=Gary Graff|title=Brian Wilson Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Landmark 'Pet Sounds'|date=September 22, 2016|newspaper=]}}</ref>
	Author Geoffrey Himes believes: "The challenge for the pop songwriter is to mirror real life's conflicts in the song and still deliver the satisfying resolution pop music requires. Bob Dylan did it by introducing irony into rock'n'roll lyrics, and Brian's introduction of non-standard harmonies and timbres proved just as revolutionary", adding, "Most pop music unifies its lyric, melodic, harmonic and rhythmic devices so it can communicate one simple emotion as powerfully as possible.&nbsp;... This unified approach can be quite satisfying, but it can't reflect the complications of adult emotions in real life."<ref name=HimesSurf /> Professor of American history ] stated that "God Only Knows" remade the ideal of the popular love song, while "Sloop John B" and "Pet Sounds" broke new ground and took rock music away from its casual lyrics and melodic structures into what was then uncharted territory. He furthermore called it one factor which spawned the majority of trends in post-1965 rock music, the only others being the Beatles' ''Rubber Soul'' (1965) and ''Revolver'' (1966), and the 1960s folk movement.{{sfn|Greene|2010|p=155}} Similar to subsequent experimental rock LPs by ], the Beatles, and the Who, ''Pet Sounds'' featured countertextural aspects that called attention to the very recordedness of the album.{{sfn|Lowe|2007|pp=38, 219}} Many British groups responded by making more experimental use of recording studio techniques.{{sfn|Gillett|1984|p=329}}
			Composer and journalist ] recognized ''Pet Sounds'' as a "clear precedent" to the birth of ] and progressive rock.<ref name="Oteri2011">{{cite web |last1=Oteri |first1=Frank J. |date=December 8, 2011 |title=SOUNDS HEARD: THE BEACH BOYS—THE SMILE SESSIONS |url=http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/sounds-heard-the-beach-boys-the-smile-sessions |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521192216/https://newmusicusa.org/nmbx/sounds-heard-the-beach-boys-the-smile-sessions/ |archive-date=May 21, 2022 |access-date=March 14, 2016 |website=New Music Box}}</ref> ], an author of books about prog-rock, felt that the album represented a turning point for prog as the Beach Boys and the Beatles transformed rock music from ] into music that was made for listening to, bringing "expansions in harmony, instrumentation (and therefore ]), duration, rhythm, and the use of recording technology".{{sfn|Martin|1998|pp=39–42}} Asked in a 1968 interview about the Beatles' role in rock's "progress toward an art form", ] founder ] responded, "I think the Beach Boys tried to do it first. I think there were lots of Beach Boy things on the ''Revolver'' album. Especially, the vocal harmony. Wilson really said a lot in his ''Pet Sounds'' album."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Delehant |first1=Jim |title=Jimmy Page's New Yardbirds |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/jimmy-pages-new-yardbirds |website=] |date=December 1968 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> ] ] argued that "so many rock bands took as a green light to get clever—to start playing with the time signatures, to go prog. You know, 'Let's put a french horn in there!' Before you know it, you've got Queen."<ref name="CoSJune2016">{{cite web |last1=Brennan |first1=Colin |last2=Corcoran |first2=Nina |date=June 18, 2016 |title=The Genius of Pet Sounds: Artists Reveal Their Favorite Aspects of The Beach Boys' Classic |url=https://consequence.net/2016/06/the-genius-of-pet-sounds-artists-reveal-their-favorite-aspects-of-the-beach-boys-classic/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417034534/https://consequence.net/2016/06/the-genius-of-pet-sounds-artists-reveal-their-favorite-aspects-of-the-beach-boys-classic/ |archive-date=April 17, 2021 |website=]}}</ref>
	The album is often cited as one of the earliest entries in the canon of psychedelic rock.<ref name="SixDegrees" /> Vernon Joyson omitted the Beach Boys and ''Pet Sounds'' from his book ''The Acid Trip: A Complete Guide to Psychedelic Music'' on the basis that they "essentially predated the ]."{{sfn|Joyson|1984|p=8}} Music journalist ] said that it was one of the first psychedelic rock masterpieces, along with '']'' (1966) and ''Revolver''.{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003|p=xi}}
			In the wake of ''Pet Sounds'', Wilson was heralded as the leading figure of the "art-rock" movement.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nolan |first1=Tom |title=How Goes It Underground? |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/how-goes-it-underground |website=] |date=February 18, 1968 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> ''Pet Sounds'' is viewed as the first work of art rock by Leaf,{{sfn|Leaf|1978|p=74}} Jones,{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=49}} and Frith.<ref name="Frith/HistoryOfRock"/> ''Rolling Stone'' writers described the album as heralding the art rock of the 1970s.<ref name="flopped">{{cite magazine |date=May 16, 2016 |title=14 Classic Albums That Flopped When They Were Released |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/14-classic-albums-that-flopped-when-they-were-released-20160516 |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130061741/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/14-classic-albums-that-flopped-when-they-were-released-67275/ |archive-date=January 30, 2022}}</ref> Sommer writes that "''Pet Sounds'' proved that a pop group could make an album-length piece comparable with the greatest long-form works of ], ], ], and ]."<ref name="Sommer2015">{{cite news |last1=Sommer |first1=Tim |date=July 21, 2015 |title=Beyond the Life of Brian: The Myth of the 'Lesser' Beach Boys |work=] |url=http://observer.com/2015/07/beyond-the-life-of-brian-the-myth-of-the-lesser-beach-boys/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319050605/https://observer.com/2015/07/beyond-the-life-of-brian-the-myth-of-the-lesser-beach-boys/ |archive-date=March 19, 2022}}</ref> Bill Holdship said that it was "perhaps rock's first example of self-conscious art".<ref name="Holdship">{{cite web |last=Holdship |first=Bill |url=http://music.uk.launch.yahoo.com/read/review/12038027 |title=Album Review: Pet Sounds |publisher=] |access-date=March 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130329201536/http://music.uk.launch.yahoo.com/read/review/12038027 |archive-date=March 29, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to Fusilli, it raised itself to "the level of art through its musical sophistication and the precision of its statement",{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|pp=116–119}} while academic Michael Johnson said that the album was one of the first documented moments of ascension in rock music.{{sfn|Johnson|2009|p=197}} In 2010, ''Pet Sounds'' was listed in ]'s "50 Albums That Built Prog Rock".<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=]|title=The 50 Albums That Built Prog Rock|date=July 2010|issue=146}}</ref><ref name="ProgRockRoots">{{cite web |last=Bjervamoen |first=Harald |title=RockStory – Progressive Rock Roots |url=http://www.rockprog.com/04_RockStory/RootsProgressive.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203021551/http://www.rockprog.com/04_RockStory/RootsProgressive.aspx |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |access-date=May 6, 2014 |work=RockProg}}</ref>
	====Rock as art====
	{{Further|Art rock|Progressive rock|Album Era}}
			===Connections to contemporary works===
	''The New York Observer'' wrote that "''Pet Sounds'' proved that a pop group could make an album-length piece comparable with the greatest long-form works of ], ], ], and ]."<ref name=Sommer2015>{{cite news|last1=Sommer|first1=Tim|title=Beyond the Life of Brian: The Myth of the 'Lesser' Beach Boys|url=http://observer.com/2015/07/beyond-the-life-of-brian-the-myth-of-the-lesser-beach-boys/|work=]|date=July 21, 2015}}</ref> According to music journalists Stephen Davis and Nick Kent, ''Pet Sounds'' was the first rock concept album.{{sfn|Kent|2009|pp=23–4}}<ref name="Davis1972"/> Bill Holdship said that it was "perhaps rock's first example of self-conscious art".<ref name="Holdship">{{cite web|last=Holdship|first=Bill|url=http://music.uk.launch.yahoo.com/read/review/12038027|title=Album Review: Pet Sounds|publisher=]|accessdate=March 29, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6FUL2DP0m|archivedate=March 29, 2013|deadurl=no}}</ref> According to Jim Fusilli, author of the ] book on the album, it " to the level of art through its musical sophistication and the precision of its statement",{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|pp=116–19}} while academic Michael Johnson said that the album was one of the first documented moments of ascension in rock music.{{sfn|Johnson|2009|p=197}} It is viewed by writer ] as a herald of ] genre,{{sfn|Leaf|1985|p=74}} while author Carys Wyn Jones locates it to the genre's beginning.{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=49}}
			], ] and ] each championed ''Pet Sounds'' when it was released.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=135}} ]]
			Discussions of the greatest albums of all time frequently mention ''Pet Sounds'' with ''Revolver'' and ''Blonde on Blonde'', which were all released within four months of each other.<ref name="Leas2016"/> Journalist ] called ''Pet Sounds'' and ''Blonde on Blonde'' "two strands in the same conversation, the one that turned American popular music, for one fleeting moment of one year in the middle 1960s, into a religious movement".<ref name="Lebo2016">{{cite web |last1=Leibovitz |first1=Liel |author-link1=Liel Leibovitz |date=May 20, 2016 |title=Fifty Years Ago This Week, Two of Rock's Greatest Albums Were Released on the Same Day |url=http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/203086/bob-dylan-beach-boys-albums |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118015422/http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/203086/bob-dylan-beach-boys-albums |archive-date=January 18, 2018 |website=]}}</ref> Author ] said that "Brian's introduction of non-standard harmonies and timbres proved as revolutionary" as Dylan's introduction of "irony into rock'n'roll lyrics".<ref name=HimesSurf />
			Rock historians also frequently link ''Pet Sounds'' to the Beatles' ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'';{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=57}} McCartney later credited ''Pet Sounds'' as an influence on his increasingly melodic bass-playing style and cited "God Only Knows" as "the greatest song ever written".{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=197–199, 227}} He said that the album was the primary impetus for ''Sgt. Pepper''{{sfn|Jones|2008|p=57}} and influenced his ''Revolver'' composition "]".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=194}} Dennis Wilson said, "''Pet Sounds'' had a lot to do with ''Sgt. Pepper''. I remember talking to Paul McCartney and a couple guys and they were saying, 'Sorry we ripped you off.'"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gross |first1=Michael |author-link=Michael Gross (American writer)| title=The Beach Boys Are Back in Town |work=Swank |date=1977 |url-access=subscription |via=]|url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-beach-boys-are-back-in-town}}</ref>
	Frank Oteri called it a "clear precedent" to the birth of ] and ].<ref name=Oteri2011>{{cite web|last1=Oteri|first1=Frank J.|title=SOUNDS HEARD: THE BEACH BOYS—THE SMILE SESSIONS|url=http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/sounds-heard-the-beach-boys-the-smile-sessions/|website=New Music Box|accessdate=March 14, 2016|date=December 8, 2011}}</ref> Writer Bill Martin felt that it aided in the development of progressive rock at a time when the Beach Boys "brought expansions in ], ] (and therefore ]), ], ], and the use of ]".{{sfn|Martin|1998|pp=39–42}} In 2010, ''Pet Sounds'' was listed in '']'''s "50 Albums That Built Prog Rock".<ref>''Classic Rock magazine'', July 2010, Issue 146.</ref><ref name="ProgRockRoots">{{cite web|last=Bjervamoen|first=Harald|title=RockStory – Progressive Rock Roots|url=http://www.rockprog.com/04_RockStory/RootsProgressive.aspx|work=RockProg|accessdate=May 6, 2014}}</ref>
			Among the distinguishing musical features of ''Pet Sounds'' that the Beatles adopted throughout ''Sgt. Pepper'' were the upper-register bass lines, a larger emphasis on floor toms, and more eclectic and unorthodox combinations of instruments (including bass harmonica).{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=197–199}}{{refn|group=nb|According to musician Lenie Colacino, McCartney "didn't start using the upper register on his Rickenbacker bass until after he heard ''Pet Sounds''. The bass parts for 'Here Today' directly influenced the way Paul played on ']' and ']'."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=199}} Granata writes that, by the time the Beatles recorded '']'' (November 1967), "it was clear they'd fully assimilated the essence of Brian's eclectic arranging style."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=201}}}} Lambert writes that "the overall key relations" on ''Pet Sounds'' resemble the patterns found on ''Sgt. Pepper'', particularly with the invocation of B{{music|flat}} as a tonic.{{sfn|Lambert|2008|p=116}}
	===Other artists===
			===Alternative music===
	{{Specific-section|date=February 2016}}
			During the 1990s, ''Pet Sounds'' was influential to ] musicians<ref name="flopped"/> as Wilson became "godfather" to an era of ]ians who were inspired by his melodic sensibilities, studio experimentation, and ] orchestrations.<ref name="Leas2016">{{cite journal |last1=Leas |first1=Ryan |date=August 5, 2016 |title=Tomorrow Never Knows: How 1966's Trilogy Of Pet Sounds, Blonde On Blonde, And Revolver Changed Everything |url=http://www.stereogum.com/1892600/tomorrow-never-knows-how-1966s-trilogy-of-pet-sounds-blonde-on-blonde-and-revolver-changed-everything/franchises/sounding-board/ |url-status=live |journal=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415211345/https://www.stereogum.com/1892600/tomorrow-never-knows-how-1966s-trilogy-of-pet-sounds-blonde-on-blonde-and-revolver-changed-everything/columns/sounding-board/ |archive-date=April 15, 2022}}</ref> Chamber pop itself became a genre that was based on the musical template of ''Pet Sounds''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mervis |first1=Scott |date=August 26, 2016 |title=Concert review: Brian Wilson and company re-create the magic of 'Pet Sounds' |work=] |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2016/08/26/Brian-Wilson-and-Company-expertly-re-create-the-classic-Pet-Sounds-pittsburgh/stories/201608260188 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118061459/https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2016/08/26/Brian-Wilson-and-Company-expertly-re-create-the-classic-Pet-Sounds-pittsburgh/stories/201608260188 |archive-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref> In the mid-1990s, ] of ] and ] of ] founded ], which served as the venue for many ] projects such as ]'s '']'',<ref name="encyclopedia.com">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Apples in Stereo |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/apples-stereo |encyclopedia=] |publisher=Gale. ] |access-date=July 29, 2017}}</ref> and ]'s '']''<ref>{{cite web |last=Clair |first=Adam |date=September 21, 2016 |title=Elephant 6 & Friends Reflect on the Legacy of the Olivia Tremor Control's ''Dusk at Cubist Castle'' |url=http://www.stereogum.com/1895598/elephant-6-friends-reflect-on-the-legacy-of-the-olivia-tremor-controls-dusk-at-the-cubist-castle/franchises/sounding-board |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127141230/https://www.stereogum.com/1895598/elephant-6-friends-reflect-on-the-legacy-of-the-olivia-tremor-controls-dusk-at-the-cubist-castle/interviews/ |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |access-date=July 29, 2017 |work=]}}</ref> and '']''.<ref name="encyclopedia.com" />
			The album's influence on ] music, according to writer Sean Cureton, is evident on ]'s '']'' (1996) and ]'s '']'' (2003).<ref name="Cureton">{{cite web |last1=Cureton |first1=Sean K. |date=May 16, 2016 |title=Brian Wilson Alone: The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds 50 Years Later |url=http://www.audienceseverywhere.net/brian-wilson-alone-pet-sounds-50-years-later/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227012932/http://www.audienceseverywhere.net/brian-wilson-alone-pet-sounds-50-years-later/ |archive-date=February 27, 2021 |website=Audiences Everywhere}}</ref> ''Treblezine''{{'}}s Ernest Simpson and ]'s Jack Tatum additionally characterize ''Pet Sounds'' as the first emo album.<ref name="Pitchfork50" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Simpson |first1=Ernest |date=September 20, 2004 |title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds |url=http://www.treblezine.com/reviews/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509103454/https://www.treblezine.com/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds/ |archive-date=May 9, 2021 |website=Treblezine}}</ref> According to music writer Luke Britton, such assertions are perhaps stated "wryly", and wrote that "it’s generally accepted that the genre's pioneers" came later in the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Britton |first=Luke Morgan |date=May 30, 2018 |title=Emo never dies: How the genre influenced an entire new generation |work=] |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1tM7yZdRsNn2qZth0WMCRBs/emo-never-dies-how-the-genre-influenced-an-entire-new-generation |access-date=August 9, 2018 |archive-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813010046/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1tM7yZdRsNn2qZth0WMCRBs/emo-never-dies-how-the-genre-influenced-an-entire-new-generation |url-status=live }}</ref>
	]'s ] stated that ''Pet Sounds'' changed everything about records for him.<ref>{{citation |title= Roger Waters Interview|work=Rolling Stone |date= March 12, 2003}}</ref> In the 2005 documentary '']'', it was reported that singer/songwriter ] was enraptured with ''Pet Sounds'' and it immediately led him to buy the rest of the Beach Boys discography. He later recorded his own version of "God Only Knows",<ref>{{cite web|title=Do It Again: A Tribute to Pet Sounds|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/do-it-again-a-tribute-to-pet-sounds-mw0001217624|work=AllMusic|publisher=Allmusic.com|accessdate=July 29, 2013}}</ref> a song which also inspired songwriter ] to re-evaluate her career, saying "I thought it was just gorgeous. I bought the record and played it a million times, then sat down and wrote 'Think of Rain.' That's really how I started writing that way. I just decided it was better than what was happening in jazz."<ref>{{cite web|last=Broome|first=Eric|title=Margo Guryan|url=http://home.earthlink.net/~elbroome/articles/guryan.html|work=Mean Street magazine|accessdate=July 26, 2013|date=September 2001}}</ref> Seattle-based folk band, the ] have often been seen paying tribute to the album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thecultureshow/2009/03/fleet-foxes-musical-genius-or.html |title=The Culture Show "Fleet Foxes – musical genius or just too sappy?"}}</ref> ] of ] — who has covered both "]" and "]" from the album — has commented: "I would look at the cover of ''Pet Sounds'' and think&nbsp;... these guys with these sheep. I mean, what's going on here?"{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=85}} ] of ] said it's "so obviously brilliant that it's almost beyond even talking about".<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Seymour|first1=Corey|title=Love & Mercy Does Justice to the Brilliance of Brian Wilson|journal=]|date=June 5, 2015|url=http://www.vogue.com/13266664/love-and-mercy-brian-wilson/}}</ref> When ] heard the album for the first time, he proceeded to play it at least once a day for the next six months.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Terence Tret D'Arby|journal=]|date=October 1989|volume=5|issue=7|page=113|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O5KWH9rNuE4C&pg=PA113|publisher=SPIN Media LLC|issn=0886-3032}}</ref>
			===Continued impact===
	Paul McCartney has frequently stated his affinity with the album, citing "]" as his favorite song of all-time, and crediting his uniquely melodic bass-playing style to the album.<ref name="McCartney1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=David|last=Leaf|authorlink=David Leaf|chapter=The Observers: Paul McCartney|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/George_Martin_Comments.html}}</ref><ref name="Martin1997">{{cite AV media notes|first=|last=|authorlink=|chapter=The Observers: George Martin|title=The Pet Sounds Sessions|others=]|year=1997|publisher=]|type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Paul_McCartney_Comments.html}}</ref> He acknowledged that it was the primary impetus for ]' 1967 album '']''.<ref name="McCartney1997"/> The album also influenced their ''Revolver'' album.<ref>{{cite web|title=25 – 'Here, There and Everywhere'|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-beatles-songs-20110919/here-there-and-everywhere-19691231|work=100 Greatest Beatles Songs|publisher=Rolling Stone}}</ref> Arranger ] claims that English singer-songwriter ] intended the instrumentals on his 1970 album '']'' to evoke ''Pet Sounds''.<ref>{{cite web|title=An interview with Robert Kirby|url=http://www.nickdrake.com/Robert_Kirby_Q__A.html|accessdate=March 22, 2014}}</ref> ] of the Irish ] group ] referenced ''Pet Sounds'' as an example toward why their 1991 album '']'' was recorded in mono.{{sfn|McGonigal|2007|p=57}} ]'s song "]" from their 1998 album '']'' was written as a "gift" from ] to his bandmates fond of ''Pet Sounds''.<ref>Sakamoto, John. "Michael Stipe Talks Shop". ''Jam! Magazine''. October 18, 1998.</ref> According to ], portions of the album '']'' were based on the atmosphere of ''Pet Sounds''.<ref name="LAUNCH">{{cite web| first = Dave| last = DiMartino| title = Give Radiohead Your Computer| publisher = ]| date = May 2, 1997| url = http://music.yahoo.com/read/interview/12048024| accessdate =June 2, 2009| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070814183856/http://music.yahoo.com/read/interview/12048024| archivedate = August 14, 2007}}</ref> When ] co-founder ] was asked about critics comparing his 2007 solo album '']'' to ''Pet Sounds'', Lennox responded: "For me, ''Pet Sounds'' wouldn't be the first thing I would compare my album with&nbsp;... first, because it would be kind of arrogant."<ref>{{cite web|last=Green|first=Ross|title=Interview: Panda Bear Talks Influences, Expectations and Synthesizers|url=http://www.nbcnewyork.com/blogs/nonstop-sound/Interview-Panda-Bear-Talks-Influences-Expectations-and-Synthesizers-124783889.html|accessdate=March 22, 2014|date=July 5, 2011}}</ref>
			In the decades since its release, ''Pet Sounds'' has influenced artists from a wide span of genres, including rock, pop, ], jazz, ], ], and ].<ref name="Pitchfork50">{{cite web |last1=Hart |first1=Ron |date=April 12, 2016 |title=The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds Celebrates its 50th Anniversary: Artists Pay Tribute to the Eternal Teenage Symphony |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/article/9870-the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-celebrates-its-50th-anniversary-artists-pay-tribute-to-the-eternal-teenage-symphony/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309091718/https://pitchfork.com/features/article/9870-the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-celebrates-its-50th-anniversary-artists-pay-tribute-to-the-eternal-teenage-symphony/ |archive-date=March 9, 2022 |website=]}}</ref> Wilson also originated the trope of the "reclusive genius" among studio-oriented musical artists.<ref name="Guriel2016" /> Jason Guriel of '']'', writing about the record in 2016, drew comparisons with the albums of ], ], and ], and said that Wilson "certainly anticipated the modern pop-centric era, which privileges producer over artist and blurs the line between entertainment and art".<ref name="Guriel2016" /> In 1995, a panel of musicians, songwriters and producers, surveyed by ''Mojo'', ranked ''Pet Sounds'' as the "greatest record" of all time.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=] |issue=21 |date=August 1995 |title=The 100 Greatest Records Ever Made}}</ref> Referencing the album's newfound popularity in 1998, journalist ] reported that "today's most interesting acts – The High Llamas, ], ], ], ], ] – are using the Brian Wilson songbook as a resource for their forays into the realms of electronic pop."<ref name="Lester98">{{cite magazine |last1=Lester |first1=Paul |author-link1=Paul Lester |title=Brain Wilson: Endless Bummer |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/brain-wilson-endless-bummer |magazine=] |date=June 1998 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> ]' 1997 release '']'' was created as an explicit homage to ''Pet Sounds'' and contains numerous references to the album.{{sfn|Roberts|2019|pp=66–67}}
			]s include '']'' (2005), '']'' (2006), '']'' (2012), and '']'' (2016).<ref>{{cite web |title=Tribute Albums |url=http://www.beachboys.com/tribute.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819092539/http://www.beachboys.com/tribute.html |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2014 |website=Beach Boys: The Complete Guide}}</ref> In 2007, producer ] created a ] mashup of the album, '']''.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Chris |date=November 13, 2007 |title=J Dilla vs. The Beach Boys |url=http://www.gorillavsbear.net/j-dilla-vs-beach-boys/?trackback=tsmclip |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215121120/https://www.gorillavsbear.net/j-dilla-vs-beach-boys/?trackback=tsmclip |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |publisher=]}}</ref> Hip-hop producer ] recalled that for "black teenagers coming of age in the 1980s", the Beach Boys were out of fashion, and that in the late 1990s, he was ridiculed by "J Dilla, ], ], and a whole bunch of east-side ] cats" for enjoying ''Pet Sounds''. Later, "Dilla was like, 'Yeah, you're right man, they had some shit on there.'"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ross |first1=Danny |date=November 1, 2018 |title=Questlove Talks Beach Boys, Podcasting And His 19 Jobs |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/dannyross1/2018/11/01/questlove-talks-beach-boys-podcasting-and-his-19-jobs/#4746566a482c |website=] |access-date=November 3, 2018}}</ref>
	Novelist ] was played ''Pet Sounds'' by journalist ] shortly after the album's release; at the time, Pynchon was unaware why the journalist had been interested in covering the group. After listening, Pynchon was reportedly in a "stunned pleasure," sighing softly before saying, "Ohhhhh, now I understand."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Siegel|first1=Jules|authorlink=Jules Siegel|title=Who Is Thomas Pynchon&nbsp;... And Why Did He Take Off With My Wife?|journal=Playboy|date=March 1977|url=http://www.thomaspynchon.com/gravitys-rainbow/extra/siegel.html|accessdate=July 24, 2014}}</ref> The album motivated film producer ] to direct the 2014 biopic on Brian's life, '']'', which includes a substantial depiction of the album's making with actor ] playing Brian.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tapley|first1=Kristopher|title=Bill Pohlad wants 'Love & Mercy' to take you inside the genius of Beach Boy Brian Wilson|url=http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/bill-pohlad-wants-love-mercy-to-take-you-inside-the-genius-of-beach-boy-brian-wilson|publisher=]|date=May 21, 2015}}</ref>
			In 1990, the political cartoon strip '']'' ran a controversial story arc involving the character ] and his terminal battle with ]. It concludes with Lippincott expressing his admiration for ''Pet Sounds'', and in the last panels, depicts the character's death while listening to "Wouldn't It Be Nice", as well as his last written words, the line "Brian Wilson is God" scrawled on a notebook (a wry reference to the line "]"). According to cultural theorist Kirk Curnett in 2012, the panel "remains one of the most iconic in ''Doonesbury''{{'}}s forty-three year history, often credit with helping humanize AIDS victims when both gay and straight sufferers were severely stigmatized."{{sfn|Lambert|2016|pp=20–21}}
	===Tributes===
	''Pet Sounds'' inspired ]s such as ''Do It Again: A Tribute To Pet Sounds'', '']'' and '']''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tribute Albums|url=http://www.beachboys.com/tribute.html|website=Beach Boys: The Complete Guide|accessdate=August 17, 2014}}</ref> Many songs from ''Pet Sounds'' have also appeared on general-themed Beach Boy and Brian Wilson tribute albums like '']'' and '']'', which feature cover versions by various artists including ] and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brainwashed.com/weddle/reviews/smiling.html|title=Smiling Pets review|accessdate=December 16, 2010}}</ref>{{better source|date=February 2016}}
			In 2000, the album was presented with gold and platinum awards based on sales that could be documented, although Capitol estimated it may have sold over two million copies.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Boehlert |first=Eric |date=March 10, 2000 |title=Lost Paperwork to Blame for 'Pet Sounds' Meager Sales Numbers |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lost-paperwork-to-blame-for-pet-sounds-meager-sales-numbers-20000310 |url-status=live |magazine=Rolling Stone |location=New York, New York |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104050820/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lost-paperwork-to-blame-for-pet-sounds-meager-sales-numbers-187200/ |archive-date=November 4, 2018 |access-date=December 21, 2016}}</ref> By 2007, there had been at least three books dedicated to ''Pet Sounds''.{{sfn|Dillon|2012|p=95}}{{sfn|Lambert|2007|pp=223, 391–392}} In Japan, Fusilli's book was translated to Japanese by the novelist ].{{sfn|Roberts|2019|p=66}} Writing in his 2012 book ''Music Producer: for Producers, Composers, Arrangers, and Students'', Michael Zager stated that the album's production techniques remained in use forty-six years later.{{sfn|Zager|2012|p=181}} The album motivated film producer ] to direct the 2014 biopic on Brian Wilson, '']'', a film which includes a substantial depiction of the album's making, with actor ] portraying Wilson.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tapley |first1=Kristopher |date=May 21, 2015 |title=Bill Pohlad wants 'Love & Mercy' to take you inside the genius of Beach Boy Brian Wilson |url=http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/bill-pohlad-wants-love-mercy-to-take-you-inside-the-genius-of-beach-boy-brian-wilson |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601214434/http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/bill-pohlad-wants-love-mercy-to-take-you-inside-the-genius-of-beach-boy-brian-wilson |archive-date=June 1, 2016 |work=]}}</ref>
	'']'' (2007) is a mashup of the album with ], by record producer Bullion.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Chris|title=J DILLA VS. THE BEACH BOYS|url=http://www.gorillavsbear.net/j-dilla-vs-beach-boys/?trackback=tsmclip|publisher=]|date=November 13, 2007}}</ref> '']'' (2006) is a track-for-track mashup of ''Pet Sounds'' with ''Sgt. Pepper'' released under the pseudonym "The Beachles".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://claytoncounts.com/blog/the-beachles/|title=The Beachles|accessdate=March 2, 2011}}</ref>{{better source|date=February 2016}}
			In 2016, to honor the album's 50th anniversary, 26 artists contributed to a ''Pitchfork'' retrospective on its influence, which included comments from members of ], ], ], and ]. The editor noted that the "wide swath of artists assembled for this feature represent but a modicum of the album's vast measure of influence. Its scope transcends just about all lines of age, race, and gender. Its impact continues to broaden with each passing generation."<ref name="Pitchfork50"/>
	In the mid-1990s, ] of ] and ] of ] founded ], which served as the venue for many ] projects such as ]'s '']'', and ]'s '']'' and '']''.{{cn|date=February 2016}}
	== Live performances ==		==Live performances==
	{{See also|Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds Live|Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour}}		{{See also|Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds Live|Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour}}
	After its release, several selections from ''Pet Sounds'' became staples for the group's live performances, including "]", "]" and "]". Other songs were performed, albeit sporadically and infrequently through the years, and the album was never performed in its entirety with every original group member.<ref name="The Beach Boys Tour Statistics">{{cite web|url=http://www.setlist.fm/stats/the-beach-boys-3d6c17b.html|title=The Beach Boys Tour Statistics |publisher=setlist.fm |accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> In the late 1990s, Carl Wilson vetoed an offer for the Beach Boys to perform ''Pet Sounds'' in full for ten shows, reasoning that the studio arrangements were too complex for the stage, and that Brian could not possibly sing his original parts.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=286}}
			], 2016]]
	As a solo artist, Brian performed the entire album live in 2000 with a different orchestra in each venue, and on three occasions without orchestra on his 2002 tour.<ref>{{cite web|date=May 10, 2000|last=Comerford|title=Brian Wilson To Perform Pet Sounds With Symphony Orchestra|first=Will|publisher=]|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/871917/brian-wilson-to-perform-pet-sounds-with-symphony-orchestra/}}</ref> Recordings from Wilson's 2002 concert tour were released as '']''.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=378}} In 2013, he performed the album at two shows, unannounced, also with Jardine as well as original Beach Boys guitarist ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/brian-wilson-pulls-off-a-surprise-pet-sounds-show-in-new-york-20131016|title=Brian Wilson Pulls Off a Surprise 'Pet Sounds' Show In New York|publisher=Rolling Stone |accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.setlist.fm/stats/brian-wilson-bd6c16a.html|title=Brian Wilson Tour Statistics |publisher=setlist.fm |accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> In 2016, Wilson will perform the album at several events in Australia, Japan, Europe, and the United States. It is set to be his final performances of the album.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Reed|first1=Ryan|title=Brian Wilson Plots World Tour, Final 'Pet Sounds' Performances|journal=]|date=January 25, 2016|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/brian-wilson-plots-world-tour-final-pet-sounds-performances-20160125}}</ref>
			After its release, several selections from ''Pet Sounds'' became staples for the group's live performances, including "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows". Other songs were performed, albeit sporadically and infrequently through the years, and the album was never performed in its entirety with every original group member.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} In the late 1990s, Carl Wilson vetoed an offer for the Beach Boys to perform ''Pet Sounds'' in full for ten shows, reasoning that the studio arrangements were too complex for the stage, and that Brian could not possibly sing his original parts.{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=286}}
	==Release history==
	{{See also|The Pet Sounds Sessions}}
			As a solo artist, Brian performed the entire album live in 2000 with a different orchestra in each venue, and on three occasions without orchestra on his 2002 tour.<ref>{{cite web |last=Comerford |first=Will |date=May 10, 2000 |title=Brian Wilson To Perform Pet Sounds With Symphony Orchestra |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/871917/brian-wilson-to-perform-pet-sounds-with-symphony-orchestra/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326214150/http://www.mtv.com/news/871917/brian-wilson-to-perform-pet-sounds-with-symphony-orchestra/ |archive-date=March 26, 2022 |publisher=]}}</ref> The concerts received favorable reviews, however, critics focused on Wilson's "trancelike" demeanor and odd interview responses.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=231–233}} Recordings from Wilson's 2002 concert tour were released as '']''.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=378}} ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s Dorian Lynskey says that the shows helped establish the now-ubiquitous practice of artists playing "classic albums" in their entirety.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Lynskey |first1=Dorian |date=May 16, 2016 |title=Brian Wilson Entrances Bristol on Eve of 'Pet Sounds' 50th Anniversary |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/live-reviews/brian-wilson-entrances-bristol-on-eve-of-pet-sounds-50th-anniversary-20160516 |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228222030/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/brian-wilson-entrances-bristol-on-eve-of-pet-sounds-50th-anniversary-203568/ |archive-date=December 28, 2021}}</ref>
	''Pet Sounds'' has had many different reissues since its release in 1966, including remastered mono and stereo versions. Its first reissue was in 1972, when it was packaged as a bonus LP with the Beach Boys' latest album '']''. The first release of the album on CD came in 1990, when it was released with the addition of three bonus tracks: "Unreleased Backgrounds"{{refn|group=nb|An ] demo section of "]" sung by Brian Wilson.}}, "Hang On to Your Ego" and "Trombone Dixie" all of which were described as unreleased.<ref name="LAtimes2">{{cite news | last =Hilburn | first =Robert | url =http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60052630.xml?dids=60052630:60052630&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+11%2C+1990&author=ROBERT+HILBURN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=%60Pet+Sounds%27+Finally+Reissued&pqatl=google | title = 'Pet Sounds' Finally Reissued |work=Los Angeles Times | date=May 11, 1990 | accessdate = March 3, 2009}}</ref>
			In 2013, Wilson performed the album at two shows, unannounced, also with Jardine as well as original Beach Boys guitarist ].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Greene |first=Andy |date=October 16, 2013 |title=Brian Wilson Pulls Off a Surprise 'Pet Sounds' Show in New York |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/brian-wilson-pulls-off-a-surprise-pet-sounds-show-in-new-york-20131016 |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215122205/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/brian-wilson-pulls-off-a-surprise-pet-sounds-show-in-new-york-62599/ |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |access-date=October 28, 2013}}</ref> In 2016, Wilson performed the album at several events in Australia, Japan, Europe, Canada and the United States. The tour was planned as his final performances of the album,<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Reed |first1=Ryan |date=January 25, 2016 |title=Brian Wilson Plots World Tour, Final 'Pet Sounds' Performances |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/brian-wilson-plots-world-tour-final-pet-sounds-performances-20160125 |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615141301/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/brian-wilson-plots-world-tour-final-pet-sounds-performances-165354/ |archive-date=June 15, 2021}}</ref> but occasional shows were performed through 2020.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} A concert reviewer noted that Wilson received a standing ovation every time he performed a track from the album.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Peck |first1=Chad |date=November 2, 2016 |title=Writing About Brian Wilson in 2016 |url=https://www.talkhouse.com/writing-brian-wilson-2016/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421203446/https://www.talkhouse.com/writing-brian-wilson-2016/ |archive-date=April 21, 2021 |website=Talkhouse}}</ref>
			==Reissues and expanded editions==
			{{See also|The Pet Sounds Sessions}}
			''Pet Sounds'' has had many different reissues since its release in 1966, including remastered mono and remixed stereo versions.
	In 1997, '']'' box set was released. It included the original mono release of ''Pet Sounds'', the very first stereo release (created by ]), and three discs of unreleased material.<ref name="LAtimes">{{cite news | last =Crowe | first =Jerry | url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/21696821.html?dids=21696821:21696821&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+01%2C+1997&author=JERRY+CROWE&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=%27Pet+Sounds+Sessions%27%3A+Body+of+Influence+Put+in+a+Box%3B+Pop+Beat%3A+A+four-CD+compilation+of+the+Beach+Boys%27+1966+album+regarded+as+an+artistic+masterpiece+is+being+released+for+fans+new+and+old.&pqatl=google | title = 'Pet Sounds Sessions': Body of Influence Put in a Box |work=Los Angeles Times | date=November 1, 1997 | accessdate = March 3, 2009}}</ref> In 2001, ''Pet Sounds'' was re-released with the mono and improved stereo versions, plus "Hang on to Your Ego" as a bonus track, all on one disc.<ref name="LAtimes"/><ref>{{cite web | url =http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;1;-1;-1;-1&sku=653891| title =Pet Sounds: Complete Album| publisher =HMV| accessdate = May 7, 2011}}</ref> On August 29, 2006, Capitol released a 40th Anniversary edition, containing a new 2006 remaster of the original mono mix, DVD mixes (stereo and Surround Sound), and a "making of" documentary.<ref name="EMIssions">{{cite web|url=http://www.emission-online.com/issues/2006-06-23/news2.asp|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205191445/http://www.emission-online.com/issues/2006-06-23/news2.asp|archivedate=December 5, 2008|title=The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and "Good Vibrations 40 Anniversaries Feted by Capitol/EMI|publisher=EMIssion-online.com|date=June 23, 2006|accessdate=October 14, 2012}}</ref> The discs were released in a regular jewel box and a deluxe edition was released in a green fuzzy box. A two disk colored gatefold vinyl set was released with green (stereo) and yellow (mono) disks.{{cn|date=February 2016}} On September 2, 2008, Capitol reissued a single LP version replicating the original artwork and the inner sleeve with the original mono mix on 180&nbsp;gram vinyl.<ref name="RSvinyl">{{cite web | last =Kreps | first =Daniel | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/06/12/emicapitol-catch-vinyl-fever-with-radiohead-pet-sounds-reissues/ | title = EMI/Capitol Catch Vinyl Fever with Radiohead, "Pet Sounds" Reissues |work=Rolling Stone | date=June 12, 2008 | accessdate = March 3, 2009}}</ref>
			* In 1966, Capitol issued a ] (fake stereo) version of the album that was created through equalization and phasing.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=216}}
			* In 1967, Capitol issued ''Pet Sounds'' as part of a three-LP set with ''Today!'' and ''Summer Days'', called "The Beach Boys Deluxe Set".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=216}}
			* In 1972, ] packaged ''Pet Sounds'' as a bonus LP with the Beach Boys' latest album '']''.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=216}}
			* In 1974, Reprise issued ''Pet Sounds'' as a single disc, which became the album's last reissue until 1990.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=216}}
			* In 1990, ''Pet Sounds'' debuted on CD with the addition of three previously unreleased bonus tracks: "Unreleased Backgrounds" (an '']'' demo section of "Don't Talk" sung by Wilson), "Hang On to Your Ego", and "Trombone Dixie".<ref name="LAtimes2">{{cite news |last=Hilburn |first=Robert |date=May 11, 1990 |title='Pet Sounds' Finally Reissued |work=] |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60052630.xml?dids=60052630:60052630&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+11%2C+1990&author=ROBERT+HILBURN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=%60Pet+Sounds%27+Finally+Reissued&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |access-date=March 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729132256/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/281054785.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May%2011,%201990&author=ROBERT%20HILBURN&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times%20(pre-1997%20Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=&desc=%60Pet%20Sounds%27%20Finally%20Reissued |archive-date=July 29, 2017}}</ref> The edition was prepared from the original 1966 mono master, by Mark Linett, who used Sonic Solutions' No Noise processing to mitigate damage that the physical master had accrued.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=218}} It became one of the first CDs to sell more than a million copies.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brooks |first1=Michael |author-link1=Michael Brooks (music historian) |date=June 24, 2017 |title=CLASSIC VINYL: Pet Sounds, one of the greatest albums ever made |work=] |url=http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/15356097.CLASSIC_VINYL__Pet_Sounds__one_of_the_greatest_albums_ever_made/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512200134/https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/15356097.classic-vinyl-pet-sounds-one-of-the-greatest-albums-ever-made/ |archive-date=May 12, 2021}}</ref>
			* In 1995, ] issued a 20-bit ] version that was mastered by engineer ]. It was created from a safety copy of the original master.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=219}} According to Granata, this version "garnered numerous accolades, and some feel it comes closest to capturing the spirit and punch of Brian's original 1966 mix."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=220}}
			* In 1997, '']'' was released as a four-disc box set. It included the original mono release of ''Pet Sounds'', the album's first stereo mix (created by Linett and Wilson), backing tracks, isolated vocals, and session highlights. It was received with controversy among audiophiles who felt that a stereo mix of ''Pet Sounds'' was sacrilege against the original mono recording.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=220–221}}
			* In 2001, ''Pet Sounds'' was issued with mono and "improved" stereo versions, plus "Hang On to Your Ego" as a bonus track, all on one disc.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pet Sounds: Complete Album |url=http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;1;-1;-1;-1&sku=653891 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929112157/http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;1;-1;-1;-1&sku=653891 |archive-date=September 29, 2012 |access-date=May 7, 2011 |publisher=]}}</ref>
			* On August 29, 2006, Capitol released a 40th Anniversary edition, containing a new 2006 remaster of the original mono mix, DVD mixes (stereo and Surround Sound), and a "making of" documentary.<ref name="EMIssions">{{cite web |url=http://www.emission-online.com/issues/2006-06-23/news2.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205191445/http://www.emission-online.com/issues/2006-06-23/news2.asp |archive-date=December 5, 2008 |title=The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and "Good Vibrations 40 Anniversaries Feted by Capitol/EMI |publisher=EMIssion-online.com |date=June 23, 2006 |access-date=October 14, 2012}}</ref> The discs were released in a regular jewel box and a deluxe edition was released in a green fuzzy box. A two-disc colored gatefold vinyl set was released with green (stereo) and yellow (mono) discs.<ref name="EMIssions" />
			* In 2016, a 50th anniversary edition box set presented the remastered album in both stereo and mono forms alongside studio sessions outtakes, alternate mixes, and live recordings. Of the 104 tracks, only 14 were previously unreleased.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gallucci |first1=Michael |date=June 8, 2016 |title=The Beach Boys, 'Pet Sounds (50th Anniversary Edition)': Album Review |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/beach-boys-pet-sounds-50th/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707010459/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/beach-boys-pet-sounds-50th/ |archive-date=July 7, 2021 |website=]}}</ref>
			* In 2023, a ] remix was created by ], who closely followed Linett's 1996 stereo mix.<ref>{{cite web |title=Masterful Remixer Giles Martin On The Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds,' The Beatles, Paul McCartney |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-dolby-atmos-remixed-by-giles-martin |website=Grammy |date=June 2, 2023}}</ref>
	==Track listing==		==Track listing==
			<!--- Formatting this template with an "all_writing" parameter will be reverted. The percentage of Wilson/Asher songs is not enough to justify the change. --->
	{{Track listing		{{Track listing
	| headline = Side one		| headline = Side one
	| all_writing = ] and ] except where noted
	| extra_column = Lead vocal(s)		| extra_column = Lead vocal(s)
	| title1 = ]		| title1 = ]
	| note1 = Brian Wilson/Tony Asher/]		| writer1 = ], ], ]
	| extra1 = Brian Wilson and Mike Love		| extra1 = Brian Wilson and Mike Love
	| length1 = 2:25		| length1 = 2:25
	| title2 = ]		| title2 = ]
			| writer2 = Wilson, Asher
	| extra2 = B. Wilson		| extra2 = B. Wilson
	| length2 = 2:31		| length2 = 2:31
	| title3 = ]		| title3 = ]
			| writer3 = Wilson, Asher
	| extra3 = Love with B. Wilson		| extra3 = Love with B. Wilson
	| length3 = 2:28		| length3 = 2:28
	| title4 = ]		| title4 = ]
			| writer4 = Wilson, Asher
	| extra4 = B. Wilson		| extra4 = B. Wilson
	| length4 = 2:53		| length4 = 2:53
	| title5 = ]		| title5 = ]
	| note5 = B. Wilson/Love		| writer5 = Wilson, Love
	| extra5 = B. Wilson		| extra5 = B. Wilson
	| length5 = 3:05		| length5 = 3:05
	| title6 = ]		| title6 = ]
	| note6 = B. Wilson		| writer6 = Wilson
	| extra6 = instrumental		| extra6 = instrumental
	| length6 = 2:18		| length6 = 2:18
	| title7 = ]		| title7 = ]
	| note7 = traditional, arranged by B. Wilson		| writer7 = traditional, ] Wilson
	| extra7 = B. Wilson and Love		| extra7 = B. Wilson and Love
	| length7 = 2:58		| length7 = 2:58
			| total_length = 18:38
	}}		}}
	{{Track listing		{{Track listing
	| headline = Side two		| headline = Side two
	| extra_column = Lead vocal(s)		| extra_column = Lead vocal(s)
	| title1 = ]		| title1 = ]
			| writer1 = Wilson, Asher
	| extra1 = ]
			| extra1 = ] with B. Wilson and ]
	| length1 = 2:51
			| length1 = 2:51
	| title2 = ]
			| title2 = ]
	| note2 = B. Wilson/Terry Sachen/Love
			| writer2 = Wilson, Terry Sachen, Love
	| extra2 = Love and ] with B. Wilson
			| extra2 = Love and ] with B. Wilson
	| length2 = 3:09
			| length2 = 3:09
	| title3 = ]
			| title3 = ]
	| extra3 = Love
			| writer3 = Wilson, Asher
	| length3 = 2:54
			| extra3 = Love
	| title4 = ]
			| length3 = 2:54
	| extra4 = B. Wilson
			| title4 = ]
	| length4 = 3:12
			| writer4 = Wilson, Asher
	| title5 = ]
	| note5 = B. Wilson		| extra4 = B. Wilson
			| length4 = 3:12
	| extra5 = instrumental
			| title5 = ]
	| length5 = 2:22
			| writer5 = Wilson
	| title6 = ]
			| extra5 = instrumental
	| extra6 = B. Wilson
	| length6 = 2:51		| length5 = 2:22
			| title6 = ]
	| total_length = 35:57
			| writer6 = Wilson, Asher
			| extra6 = B. Wilson
			| length6 = 2:51
			| total_length = 17:19 35:57
	}}		}}
	Track list information according to Brad Elliot.<ref name="tracks"/> Mike Love's credits for "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "I Know There's an Answer" were awarded after a ].{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|pp=22, 25}}
			'''Notes'''
	;Reissues
			* Mike Love was not originally credited for "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "I Know There's an Answer". His credits were awarded after a ].{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|pp=22, 25}}
	{{Track listing
			* Al Jardine's contribution to the arrangement of "Sloop John B" remains uncredited.{{sfn|Love|2016|pp=366–367}}
	| headline = 1990 CD bonus tracks
			* Vocal credits sourced from ] and Craig Slowinski.<ref name="PS2016" />
	| collapsed = yes
	| extra_column = Lead vocal(s)
	| title14 = ]
	| note14 = B. Wilson
	| extra14 = The Beach Boys
	| length14 = 0:50
	| title15 = ]
	| note15 = B. Wilson/Sachen/Love
	| extra15 = B. Wilson
	| length15 = 3:18
	| title16 = ]
	| note16 = B. Wilson
	| extra16 =
	| length16 = 2:53
	}}
	{{Track listing
	| headline = 2001 CD bonus track
	| collapsed = yes
	| extra_column = Lead vocals
	| title14 = Hang On to Your Ego
	| note14 = B. Wilson/Sachen/Love
	| extra14 = B. Wilson
	| length14 = 3:20
	}}
	==Personnel==		==Personnel==
			Per band archivist Craig Slowinski.<ref name="PS2016">{{cite web |last1=Slowinski |first1=Craig |title=Pet Sounds LP |url=http://www.beachboysarchives.com/page10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924070923/http://www.beachboysarchives.com/page10 |archive-date=September 24, 2018 |access-date=September 24, 2018 |website=beachboysarchives.com |publisher=Endless Summer Quarterly}}</ref>
	The following credits are sourced from liner notes included with the 1999 mono/stereo reissue of ''Pet Sounds'',<ref name="PS1999">{{cite AV media notes|chapter=Pet Sounds Musicians|title=Pet Sounds|others=]|year=1999|first=|last=|authorlink=|publisher=]|type=CD Liner|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Pet_Sounds_Musicians.html}}</ref> except where otherwise noted.
	;The Beach Boys		'''The Beach Boys'''
	*]&nbsp;– lead, ] and backing vocals, ] (uncertain)		* ]&nbsp;– vocals
	*]&nbsp;– harmony and backing vocals		* ]&nbsp;– vocals
	*]&nbsp;– lead, harmony and backing vocals		* ]&nbsp;– vocals
			* ]&nbsp;– vocals; plucked piano strings on "You Still Believe in Me"; bass guitar, ] bass, and organ on "That's Not Me"; piano on "Pet Sounds"; overdubbed organ or ] on "I Know There's an Answer"
	*]&nbsp;– lead, harmony and backing vocals, ], ], ],{{sfn|Tunbridge|2010|p=173}} ]{{sfn|Tunbridge|2010|p=173}}<ref name=tracks />
	*]&nbsp;– lead, harmony and backing vocals, ], ]		* ]&nbsp;– vocals; ] and overdubbed ] on "That's Not Me"; 12-string electric guitar on "God Only Knows"
	*]&nbsp;– harmony and backing vocals, ]		* ]&nbsp;– vocals; drums on "That's Not Me"
			'''Guests'''
	;Production staff
			* ]&nbsp;– plucked piano strings on "You Still Believe in Me"
	*] – engineer
			* Steve Korthof – tambourine on "That's Not Me"
	*] – engineer
			* ] – tambourine on "That's Not Me" and "God Only Knows"
	*] – engineer
			* ] – additional vocals on "You Still Believe in Me" introduction (uncertain)
	*] – engineer
			* Tony (surname unknown) – tambourine on "Sloop John B"
			'''Session musicians''' (also known as "]")
	;Guests
			{{div col|colwidth=27em}}
	*] – plucked piano strings on "You Still Believe in Me"<ref name=tracks />
			* ]&nbsp;– string bass
	*] – tambourine on "That's Not Me" (uncertain) and "Here Today"
			* ]&nbsp;– ], drums, percussion, ]s, ]
			* ]&nbsp;– ], guitar
			* ]&nbsp;– ]s, beverage cup, timpani, ], tambourine, ]s, ]
			* ]&nbsp;– guitar
			* ]&nbsp;– trumpet
			* ]&nbsp;– electric guitar, guitar
			* Gary L. Coleman&nbsp;– ], timpani
			* ]&nbsp;– guitar
			* ]&nbsp;– ], organ, piano, ]
			* ]&nbsp;– alto saxophone, clarinet, flute, piano, temple blocks, tenor saxophone
			* Carl Fortina&nbsp;– ]
			* Ritchie Frost&nbsp;– drums, bongos, Coca-Cola cans
			* ]&nbsp;– drums, orange juice cups
			* Bill Green&nbsp;– alto saxophone, clarinet, flute, ], tambourine
			* Leonard Hartman&nbsp;– ], clarinet, ]
			* ]&nbsp;– alto saxophone, clarinet, baritone saxophone, flute
			* ]&nbsp;– flute
			* Jules Jacob&nbsp;– flute
			* ]&nbsp;– clarinet, güiro, flute, ], tambourine, tenor saxophone
			* ]&nbsp;– electric bass, guitar
			* ]&nbsp;– guitar
			* Bobby Klein&nbsp;– clarinet
			* ]&nbsp;– harpsichord, organ, tack piano
			* ]&nbsp;– accordion
			* Gail Martin&nbsp;– bass trombone
			* Nick Martinis&nbsp;– drums
			* ]&nbsp;– harpsichord
			* ]&nbsp;– baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, bass saxophone, clarinet, flute
			* ]&nbsp;– bass harmonica
			* ]&nbsp;– baritone saxophone, bass saxophone
			* ]&nbsp;– guitar
			* ]&nbsp;– electric bass
			* ]&nbsp;– tack piano
			* Alan Robinson&nbsp;– ]
			* ]&nbsp;– string bass, ]
			* ]&nbsp;– electric guitar, guitar, 12-string electric guitar
			* Ernie Tack&nbsp;– bass trombone
			* ]&nbsp;– ]
			* ]&nbsp;– acoustic guitar
			* Jerry Williams&nbsp;– timpani
			* ]&nbsp;– ], tambourine, timpani, vibraphone
			{{div col end}}
			'''The Sid Sharp Strings'''
	;Session musicians
	{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|		{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
	*] – ]		* Arnold Belnick&nbsp;– violin
			* Norman Botnick&nbsp;– viola
	*] – ]
			* Joseph DiFiore&nbsp;– viola
	*] – ], drums, ]
			* Justin DiTullio&nbsp;– cello
	*] – ]
			* Jesse Erlich&nbsp;– cello
	*] – guitar, twelve-string electric guitar
			* James Getzoff&nbsp;– violin
	*] – ], ], ], ], timpani, ]
			* Harry Hyams&nbsp;– viola
	*] – guitar
			* William Kurasch&nbsp;– violin
	*] – ]
			* Leonard Malarsky&nbsp;– violin
	*] – electric guitar, guitar, ]
			* Jerome Reisler&nbsp;– violin
	*Gary Coleman – bongos, timpani
	*] – guitar		* ]&nbsp;– cello
			* Ralph Schaeffer&nbsp;– violin
	*] – ], organ, piano, ]
			* Sid Sharp&nbsp;– violin
	*] – viola
			* Darrel Terwilliger&nbsp;– viola
	*] – ]
			* Tibor Zelig&nbsp;– violin
	*] – ], ], percussion, ], ]
			{{div col end}}
	*] – cello
	*] – ]
			'''Engineers'''
	*] – drums, empty ] cans,<ref name=tracks /> percussion
			* ]
	*] – violin
			* ]
	*] – drums, percussion
			* H. Bowen David
	*] – flute, percussion, saxophone, tenor saxophone
			* ]
	*] – ], clarinet, english horn
			* Other engineers may have included Jerry Hochman, Phil Kaye, Jim Lockert, and Ralph Valentine.
	*] – ], flute, tenor saxophone, saxophone
	*] – tenor saxophone
	*] – viola
	*] – flute
	*] – flute, percussion, saxophone, tenor saxophone
	*] – electric bass
	*] – guitar, mandolin
	*] – tenor saxophone
	*] – organ
	*] – violin
	*] – violin
	*] – accordion
	*] – ]
	*] – drums
	*] – harpsichord
	*] – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, clarinet, flute, saxophone
	*] – ]
	*] – baritone saxophone
	*] – guitar
	*] – ] bass, electric bass, mandolin, guitar
	*] – piano
	*Alan Robinson – ]
	*] – violin
	*] – string bass, ]
	*] – cello
	*] – violin
	*] – violin
	*] – electric guitar, guitar, twelve-string electric guitar
	*] – tambourine (uncertain)
	*] – bass trombone
	*] – ]
	*] – ]
	*] – viola
	*"Tony" – ]{{sfn|Dillon|2012}}{{refn|group=nb|Speculated by Mark Dillon to be ].{{sfn|Dillon|2012}} }}
	*] – percussion
	*] – timpani, latin percussion, percussion, vibraphone
	*] – violin
	}}
	==Charts==		==Charts==
	{{Update|section|date=February 2016}}
	Chart information courtesy of AllMusic and other music databases.<ref name="Pet Sounds Billboard charts">{{cite web |url =http://www.allmusic.com/album/pet-sounds-japan-2007-r1420/charts-awards/billboard-album| title =Pet Sounds Billboard charts| publisher = AllMusic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url =http://www.everyhit.com| title =UK Top 40 Hit Database| publisher = EveryHit}}</ref>
	{{col-begin}}		{{col-begin}}
	{{col-2}}		{{col-2}}
			{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
	;Albums
			|+ 1966 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
	{|class="wikitable"
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |UK ]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Official Albums Chart Top 30: 17 July 1966 – 23 July 1966|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/19660717/7502/|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=]|language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719155740/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/19660717/7502/ |archive-date=July 19, 2021}}</ref>
	!Year
			|2
	!Chart
	!Position
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |US ]{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=134}}
	| 1966
			|10
	| US ''Billboard'' 200 Albums
	| style="text-align:center;"|10
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |West German ]<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Discografie von The Beach Boys|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artistId=the-beach-boys|access-date=July 18, 2021|website=Offizielle Deutsche Charts|language=German |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719040250/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artistId=the-beach-boys |archive-date=July 19, 2021}}</ref>
	| 1966
			|16
	| UK Top 40 Album Chart
			|}
	| style="text-align:center;"|2
			{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
			|+ 1972 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |Australian ]{{sfn|Kent|2005|loc={{verify source|date=November 2021|reason=Book list charts thru 1969}}}}
	| 1972
			|42
	| US ''Billboard'' 200 Albums
	| style="text-align:center;"|50
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |Canadian '']'' 100 Albums<ref name=":4">{{Cite magazine|date=August 18, 1972|title=Top Albums/CDs|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=4526&|magazine=RPM|volume=17|issue=26|access-date=July 19, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730205134/https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.7652&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.7652.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.7652 |archive-date=July 30, 2021}}</ref>
	| 1990
			|40
	| US ''Billboard'' 200 Albums
			|-
			! scope="row" |US ]<ref name=":5">{{Cite magazine|title=Billboard 200: Week of July 22, 1972|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1972-07-22|access-date=July 19, 2021|magazine=] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604224641/https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1972-07-22/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref>
			|50
			|}
			{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
			|+ 1990 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
			|-
			! scope="row" |US ''Billboard'' 200<ref name="Pet Sounds Billboard charts">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/pet-sounds-japan-2007-r1420/charts-awards/billboard-album |title=Pet Sounds Billboard charts |website=AllMusic}}</ref>
	| style="text-align:center;"|162		| style="text-align:center;"|162
			|}
			{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
			|+ 1995 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |UK Albums Chart<ref name="UKTop40">{{cite web |title=Pet Sounds |publisher=] |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/pet%20sounds/ |access-date=October 20, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718131018/https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/pet%20sounds/ |archive-date=July 18, 2016}}</ref>
	| 2001
			| style="text-align:center;"|17
	| Top Internet Albums
			|}
	| style="text-align:center;"|24
			{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
			|+ 2001 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
			|-
			! scope="row" |US ''Billboard'' ]<ref name="Cat1">{{cite web |last1=Doe |first1=Andrew G. |title=Catalog Chart June 14th 1997 to October 27th 2007 |url=http://www.bellagio10452.com/Catalog.html |website=Bellagio 10452 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515020339/http://www.bellagio10452.com/Catalog.html |archive-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|41
			|}
			{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
			|+ 2006 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
			|-
			! scope="row" |Japanese ]<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=ペット・サウンズ 40thアニヴァーサリー・エディション(カラー・レコード2枚組) ビーチ・ボーイズ|trans-title=Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary Edition (2 Color Records) Beach Boys|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/132226/products/665206/1/|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Oricon|language=Japanese |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719193907/https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/132226/products/665206/1/ |archive-date=July 19, 2021}}</ref>
			|95
	|}		|}
	{{col-2}}		{{col-2}}
			{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
	;US Singles
			|+2008 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
	{|class="wikitable"
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |US ]<ref name="US Catalog">{{Cite magazine|title=The Beach Boys Chart History: Catalog Albums|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-beach-boys/chart-history/tlc/|access-date=July 19, 2021|magazine=] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521222854/https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-beach-boys/chart-history/tlc/ |archive-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
	!Year
			|8
	!Single
			|}
	!Chart
			{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
	!Position
			|+2015 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |US ''Billboard'' 200<ref name="ChartsBellagio">{{cite web |last1=Doe |first1=Andrew G. |title=4 – June 28th 1986 to date |url=http://www.bellagio10452.com/charts4.html |website=Bellagio 10452 |access-date=November 7, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811100345/http://www.bellagio10452.com/charts4.html |archive-date=August 11, 2021}}</ref>
	| 1966
			| style="text-align:center;"|182
	| "Caroline, No"
			|}
	| US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Singles
	| style="text-align:center;"|32		{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
			|+2016 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |Belgian Albums (] Flanders)<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/album/2620/The-Beach-Boys-Pet-Sounds|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Ultratop Flanders|language=Dutch |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521222318/https://www.ultratop.be/nl/album/2620/The-Beach-Boys-Pet-Sounds |archive-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
	| 1966
			|50
	| "God Only Knows"
	| US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Singles
	| style="text-align:center;"|39
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |Belgian Albums (] Wallonia)<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/album/2620/The-Beach-Boys-Pet-Sounds|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Ultratop Wallonia|language=French |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521223253/https://www.ultratop.be/fr/album/2620/The-Beach-Boys-Pet-Sounds |archive-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
	| 1966
			|100
	| "Sloop John B"
	| US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Singles
	| style="text-align:center;"|3
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |Dutch Albums (])<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|title=The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=The+Beach+Boys&titel=Pet+Sounds&cat=a|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Dutch Charts|language=Dutch |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521223605/https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=The+Beach+Boys&titel=Pet+Sounds&cat=a |archive-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
	| 1966
			|72
	| "Wouldn't It Be Nice"
	| US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Singles
	| style="text-align:center;"|8
	|}
	;UK Singles
	{|class="wikitable"
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |French Albums (])<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|title=The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds|url=https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=The+Beach+Boys&titel=Pet+Sounds&cat=a|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Les Charts|language=French |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521223951/https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=The+Beach+Boys&titel=Pet+Sounds&cat=a |archive-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
	!Year
			|185
	!Single
	!Chart
	!Position
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |German Albums (])<ref name=":11">{{cite web|title=The Beach Boys Pet Sounds|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/album-details-9760|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Offizielle Deutsche Charts|language=German |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024165912/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/album-details-9760 |archive-date=October 24, 2021}}</ref>
	| 1966
			|58
	| "God Only Knows"
	| UK Top 40 Singles
	| style="text-align:center;"|2
	|-		|-
			! scope="row" |Japanese Albums (])<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|title=ペット・サウンズ＜50周年記念スーパー・デラックス・エディション＞ ビーチ・ボーイズ|trans-title=Pet Sounds <50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition> Beach Boys|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/132226/products/1177212/1/|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Oricon|language=Japanese |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719155741/https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/132226/products/1177212/1/ |archive-date=July 19, 2021}}</ref>
	| 1966
			|56
	| "Sloop John B"
			|-
	| UK Top 40 Singles
			! scope="row" |Scottish Albums (])<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|title=Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100: 17 June 2016 – 23 June 2016|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-albums-chart/20160617/40/|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=]|language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324184457/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-albums-chart/20160617/40/ |archive-date=March 24, 2022}}</ref>
	| style="text-align:center;"|2
			|19
			|-
			! scope="row" |South Korean Albums (])<ref name=":14">{{Cite web|title=2016년 25주차 Album Chart|trans-title=Week 25 of 2016 Album Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?serviceGbn=ALBUM&termGbn=week&hitYear=2016&targetTime=25&nationGbn=T|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Gaon Music Chart|language=Korean |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719155742/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?serviceGbn=ALBUM&termGbn=week&hitYear=2016&targetTime=25&nationGbn=T |archive-date=July 19, 2021}}</ref>
			|96
			|-
			! scope="row" |Swiss Albums (])<ref name=":15">{{Cite web|title=The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds|url=https://hitparade.ch/album/The-Beach-Boys/Pet-Sounds-9760|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=Schweizer Hitparade|language=German |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719155752/https://hitparade.ch/album/The-Beach-Boys/Pet-Sounds-9760 |archive-date=July 19, 2021}}</ref>
			|41
			|-
			! scope="row" |UK Albums (])<ref name=":16">{{Cite web|title=Official Albums Chart Top 100: 17 June 2016 – 23 June 2016|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20160617/7502/|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=]|language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628004246/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20160617/7502/ |archive-date=June 28, 2021}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|The 1995 reissue of ''Pet Sounds'' charted in the UK in 2016.}}
			|26
			|-
			! scope="row" |US ]<ref name="US Catalog"/>
			|49
			|}
			{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
			|+ 2021 weekly chart performance for ''Pet Sounds''
			! scope="col"| Chart
			! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
			|-
			! scope="row" |Greek Albums (])<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=The Beach Boys Chart History: Greece Albums|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-beach-boys/chart-history/gra/|access-date=July 19, 2021|magazine=] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521225716/https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-beach-boys/chart-history/gra/ |archive-date=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
			|5
	|}		|}
	{{col-end}}		{{col-end}}
			==Certifications==
	== Awards and accolades ==
			{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''Pet Sounds''}}
			{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|title=Pet Sounds|artist=The Beach Boys|number=2|award=Platinum|relyear=2000|certyear=2020|id=9370-1917-2}}
			{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|title=Pet Sounds|artist=The Beach Boys|award=Platinum|relyear=1966|certyear=2000}}
			{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true | streaming=true}}
			==Accolades==
	{| class="wikitable"
			{|class="wikitable sortable"
			|+Rankings for ''Pet Sounds''
	|-		|-
	!Year		!Year
Line 576:		Line 873:
	| rowspan="2"|1993		| rowspan="2"|1993
	| '']''		| '']''
			|The 100 Best Albums of All Time<ref name="TheTimes1"/>
	| The 100 Best Albums of All Time<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/times100.htm | title=The Times: The 100 Best Albums of All Time&nbsp;— December 1993| accessdate=February 10, 2009 |work=The Times'}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|1
	| 1
	|-		|-
	| '']''		|'']''
	| New Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_writers.htm#100_93| title=&nbsp;— December 1993| accessdate=February 10, 2009 |work=New Musical Express''}}</ref>		|New Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums<ref name="NME1" />
			| style="text-align:center;"|1
	| 1
	|-		|-
	| 1995		|1995
	| ]		|'']''
	| Mojo's 100 Greatest Albums of All Time<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?c=5| title=Mojo's 100 Greatest Albums of All Time | accessdate=April 27, 2011 |work=Mojo}}</ref>		|Mojo's 100 Greatest Albums of All Time<ref>{{cite web |title=Mojo's 100 Greatest Albums of All Time |url=http://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?c=5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110417044317/https://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?c=5 |archive-date=April 17, 2011 |access-date=April 27, 2011 |work=]}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|1
	| 1
	|-		|-
	| rowspan="2"|1997		|rowspan="2"|1997
	| ]		|'']''
	| 100 Best Albums Ever<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/guardian100.htm| title=The Guardian's 100 Best Albums Ever | accessdate=April 27, 2011 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>		|100 Best Albums Ever<ref>{{cite web |title=The Guardian's 100 Best Albums Ever |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/guardian100.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410200424/https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/guardian100.htm |archive-date=April 10, 2011 |access-date=April 27, 2011 |work=]}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|6
	| 6
	|-		|-
	| ]		|]
	| The 100 Greatest Albums<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-100-greatest-albums/articles/the-results| title="Channel 4" 100 Greatest Albums | accessdate=April 27, 2011 | publisher=C4}}</ref>		|The 100 Greatest Albums<ref>{{cite web |date=February 26, 2009 |title="Channel 4" 100 Greatest Albums |url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-100-greatest-albums/articles/the-results |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306235121/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-100-greatest-albums/articles/the-results |archive-date=March 6, 2012 |access-date=April 27, 2011 |publisher=]}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|33
	| 33
	|-		|-
	| 2000		| 2000
	| ]		| ]
	| The Virgin Top 100 Albums<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/908674.stm| title=The Virgin Top 100 Albums | accessdate=April 27, 2011 |work=BBC | date=September 3, 2000}}</ref>		| The Virgin Top 100 Albums<ref>{{cite news |date=September 3, 2000 |title=The Virgin Top 100 Albums |work=] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/908674.stm |url-status=live |access-date=April 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227053454/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/908674.stm |archive-date=February 27, 2011}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|18
	| 18
	|-		|-
	| 2001		|2001
	| ]		|]
	| VH1's Greatest Albums Ever<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/channels/vh1/chart/greatest-albums-ever| title=VH1's Greatest Albums Ever | accessdate=April 27, 2011 |work=VH1}}</ref>		|VH1's Greatest Albums Ever<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/channels/vh1/chart/greatest-albums-ever |title=VH1's Greatest Albums Ever |access-date=April 27, 2011 |work=VH1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310113440/http://www.mtv.co.uk/channels/vh1/chart/greatest-albums-ever |archive-date=March 10, 2009}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|3
	| 3
	|-		|-
	| 2002		|2002
	| ]		|]
	| BBC 6 Music: Best Albums of All Time<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/uk_radio.htm | title= BBC 6 Music: Best Albums of All Time}}</ref>		|BBC 6 Music: Best Albums of All Time<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC 6 Music: Best Albums of All Time |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/uk_radio.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231123745/https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/uk_radio.htm |archive-date=December 31, 2021 |publisher=]}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|11
	| 11
	|-		|-
	| rowspan="2"|2003		| 2003
	| '']''		|'']''
	| ]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/ | title=The ''Rolling Stone'' 500 Greatest Albums of All Time | accessdate=August 18, 2007 |work=Rolling Stone}}</ref>		|]
			| style="text-align:center;"|2
	| 2
	|-		|-
			|rowspan="2"|2006
	| Jim DeRogatis
			| '']''
	| One Hundred and Ninety Eight Albums You Can't Live Without{{sfn|DeRogatis|2003|p=565}}
			| Q Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums Ever<ref>{{cite web |title=Q Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums Ever |url=http://www.listsofbests.com/list/13644-100-greatest-albums-ever-2006-readers-poll |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110416020849/http://www.listsofbests.com/list/13644-100-greatest-albums-ever-2006-readers-poll |archive-date=April 16, 2011 |access-date=April 27, 2011 |work=]}}</ref>
	| 2
			| style="text-align:center;"|12
	|-		|-
			| '']''
	| rowspan="2"|2006
			| The 50 Albums That Changed Music<ref>{{cite news |date=July 16, 2006 |title=The 50 Albums That Changed Music |work=] |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jul/16/popandrock.shopping |url-status=live |access-date=April 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826054031/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jul/16/popandrock.shopping |archive-date=August 26, 2013}}</ref>
	| ]
			| style="text-align:center;"|10
	| Q Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums Ever<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.listsofbests.com/list/13644-100-greatest-albums-ever-2006-readers-poll|title=Q Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums Ever| accessdate=April 27, 2011|work=Q Magazine}}</ref>
	| 12
	|-		|-
			| 2012
	| ]
			|''Rolling Stone''
	| The 50 Albums That Changed Music<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/jul/16/popandrock.shopping|title=The 50 Albums That Changed Music| accessdate=April 27, 2011|work=The Observer|location=London|date=July 16, 2006}}</ref>
			|The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time<ref>{{cite magazine |year=2012 |title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-54298/ |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929090741/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/ |archive-date=September 29, 2019 |access-date=September 23, 2019}}</ref>
	| 10
			| style="text-align:center;"|2
	|-		|-
	| 2015		| 2015
	| Platendraaier		| Platendraaier
	| Top 30 Albums of the 60s<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.platendraaier.nl/toplijsten/top-30-albums-van-de-jaren-60/| title=Top 30 albums van de jaren 60 | accessdate=October 3, 2015 |work=Platendraaier}}</ref>		| Top 30 Albums of the 60s<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 30 albums van de jaren 60 |url=http://www.platendraaier.nl/toplijsten/top-30-albums-van-de-jaren-60/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911072905/https://www.platendraaier.nl/toplijsten/top-30-albums-van-de-jaren-60/ |archive-date=September 11, 2017 |access-date=October 3, 2015 |work=Platendraaier}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|7
	| 7
	|-		|-
	|2016		|2016
	|]		|'']''
	|200 Greatest Albums of All Time<ref name=UncutGreatest2016/>		|200 Greatest Albums of All Time<ref name=UncutGreatest2016 />
			| style="text-align:center;"|1
	|1
			|-
			| 2017
			|'']''
			|The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s<ref>{{cite web |date= August 22, 2017|title=The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-1960s/?page=10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112030759/https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-1960s/?page=10 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |access-date=November 26, 2020 |website=]}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|2
			|-
			| 2020
			|''Rolling Stone''
			|The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time<ref>{{cite magazine |date=September 22, 2020 |title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-2-1063231/ |url-status=live |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923080827/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-2-1063231/ |archive-date=September 23, 2020 |access-date=September 22, 2020}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|2
			|-
			|2023
			|''Rolling Stone''
			|The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=December 31, 2023 |title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-2-1063231 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106172223/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-2-1063231/ |archive-date=January 6, 2024 |access-date=February 18, 2024 |magazine=]}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|2
			|-
			|2024
			|'']''
			|The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paste Staff |title=The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/greatest-albums/the-300-greatest-albums-of-all-time-2 |website=]|date=June 3, 2024}}</ref>
			| style="text-align:center;"|10
	|}		|}
	==Notes==		==Notes==
	{{reflist|3|group=nb}}		{{reflist|30em|group=nb}}
	==References==		==References==
	{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}		{{Reflist|20em}}
	==Bibliography==		==Bibliography==
	{{Refbegin|30em}}		{{Refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}
	* {{cite book|last=Bacon|first=Tony|title=Fuzz & Feedback: Classic Guitar Music of the '60s|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q1wQKk9eswMC|year=2000|publisher=Miller Freeman|isbn=978-0-87930-612-0|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book|last=Abjorensen|first=Norman|title=Historical Dictionary of Popular Music|year=2017 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|isbn=978-1-5381-0215-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ZyrDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA40}}
	*{{cite book|last=Badman|first=Keith|title=The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band, on Stage and in the Studio|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sLEMdjRhDgQC|year=2004|publisher=Backbeat Books|isbn=978-0-87930-818-6|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last=Badman |first=Keith |title=The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band, on Stage and in the Studio |url=https://archive.org/details/beachboysdefinit0000badm |url-access=registration |year=2004 |publisher=Backbeat Books |isbn=978-0-87930-818-6 }}
			* {{cite book|editor-last1=Bogdanov|editor-first1=Vladimir |editor-link1=Vladimir Bogdanov (editor)|editor-last2=Woodstra|editor-first2=Chris|editor-last3=Erlewine|editor-first3=Stephen Thomas |editor-link3=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=1-pH4i3jXvAC}}|year=2002|publisher=Backbeat Books|isbn=978-0-87930-653-3}}
	* {{cite book|last1=Brend|first1=Mark|title=Strange Sounds: Offbeat Instruments and Sonic Experiments in Pop|date=2005|publisher=Backbeat|location=San Francisco, Calif.|isbn=978-0-87930-855-1|edition=1.|ref=harv}}
	* {{cite book|last=Brown|first=Mick|authorlink=Mick Brown (journalist)|title=]|year=2007|publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-307-26772-6 |ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last1=Brend |first1=Mark |title=Strange Sounds: Offbeat Instruments and Sonic Experiments in Pop |date=2005 |publisher=Backbeat |location=San Francisco, Calif. |isbn=978-0-87930-855-1 |edition=1st}}
			* {{cite book|last=Butler|first=Jan|year=2012|chapter=The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and the Musicology of Record Production|editor-last1=Frith|editor-first1=Simon|editor-last2=Zagorski-Thomas|editor-first2=Simon |title=The Art of Record Production: An Introductory Reader for a New Academic Field|isbn=978-1-4094-0678-5 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KZjVCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA231|publisher=Ashgate Publishing}}
	*{{cite book|first=Peter|last=Buckley|title=The Rough Guide to Rock|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ctjc6UWCm4C|year=2003|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=978-1-84353-105-0 |ref=harv}}
	* {{cite book|first=Peter Ames|last=Carlin|authorlink=Peter Ames Carlin|title=Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eYyovo_AbqAC|year=2006|publisher=Rodale|isbn=978-1-59486-320-2|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |first=Peter Ames |last=Carlin |author-link=Peter Ames Carlin |title=Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eYyovo_AbqAC |year=2006 |publisher=Rodale |isbn=978-1-59486-320-2 }}
	* {{cite book|last1=Covach|first1=John|last2=Boone|first2=Graeme M.|title=Understanding Rock: Essays in Musical Analysis|date=1997|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-988012-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pj3OqpZCQmUC|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book|last=Cunningham|first=Mark|title=Good Vibrations: A History of Record Production|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AeUIAQAAMAAJ|year=1998|publisher=Sanctuary|location=London|isbn=978-1-860742422}}
	* {{cite book|last1=Doe|first1=Andrew|last2=Tobler|first2=John|title=Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=km5OFb6eEYcC|year=2004|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-1-84449-426-2|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |first=Jim |last=DeRogatis |author-link=Jim DeRogatis |title=Turn On Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U7cQmRsLgN8C |year=2003 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-0-634-05548-5}}
	* {{cite book|ref=harv|last1=Doe|first1=Andrew|last2=Tobler|first2=John|editor-first=Chris|editor-last=Charlesworth|chapter=The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds – May 1966|title=25 Albums that Rocked the World|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TGreXZIq1RgC&pg=PT19|year=2009|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-85712-044-1}}		* {{cite book|last=Dillon|first=Mark|title=Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story |url=https://archive.org/details/fiftysidesofbeac0000dill/|year=2012|publisher=ECW Press|isbn=978-1-77090-198-8 |url-access=registration}}
	* {{cite book|last=DeRogatis|first=Jim|authorlink=Jim DeRogatis|title=Milk It!: Collected Musings On the Alternative Music Explosion of the 90s|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LXNUWWuzscMC|date=2003|publisher=Da Capo Press|location=Cambridge, MA|isbn=0-306-81271-1|edition=1st Da Capo Press}}		* {{cite book |last1=Doe |first1=Andrew |last2=Tobler |first2=John|editor-first=Chris|editor-last=Charlesworth |chapter=The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds – May 1966 |title=25 Albums that Rocked the World|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TGreXZIq1RgC&pg=PT19 |year=2009 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-0-85712-044-1}}
	* {{cite book|last=DeRogatis|first=Jim|authorlink=Jim DeRogatis|title=Kaleidoscope Eyes: Psychedelic Rock From the 1960s to the 1990s|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zT8UAQAAIAAJ|date=1996|publisher=Fourth Estate|location=London|isbn=1-85702-599-7}}		* {{cite book |first=Peter |last=Doggett |year=2015 |title=Electric Shock: From the Gramophone to the iPhone: 125 Years of Pop Music |publisher=The Bodley Head |location=London |isbn=978-1-84792-218-2 }}
	* {{cite book|first=Jim |last=DeRogatis|authorlink=Jim DeRogatis|title=Turn on Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U7cQmRsLgN8C|year=2003|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=978-0-634-05548-5 |ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |editor-last=Edmondson |editor-first=Jacqueline |title=Music in American Life: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories that Shaped our Culture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TQPXAQAAQBAJ |year=2013 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-0-313-39348-8}}
	* {{cite book|ref=harv|editor-last=Edmondson |editor-first=Jacqueline|title=Music in American Life: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories that Shaped our Culture|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TQPXAQAAQBAJ|year=2013|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-39348-8}}		* {{cite book|last=Downes|first=Stephen|title=Aesthetics of Music: Musicological Perspectives|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2tbpAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA37|year=2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-48691-3}}
	* {{cite book|last=Fusilli|first=Jim|title=Beach Boys' Pet Sounds|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xVIx8qes4V8C|date=2005|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4411-1266-8|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book|last=Everett |first=Walter |author-link=Walter Everett (musicologist)|title=The Foundations of Rock: From "Blue Suede Shoes" to "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"|year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-531024-5|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=p0p6jL-u3T4C|page=24}}}}
	* {{cite book |ref=harv |last=Harrison |first=Daniel |authorlink=Daniel Harrison (music theorist) |editor1-last=Covach|editor1-first=John|editor2-last=Boone|editor2-first=Graeme M.|title=Understanding Rock: Essays in Musical Analysis|date=1997|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780199880126|chapter-url=http://www.lipscomb.umn.edu/rock/docs/Harrison1997_BeachBoys.pdf|chapter=After Sundown: The Beach Boys' Experimental Music|pages=33–57}}		* {{cite book |last=Fine |first=Jason |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |chapter=The Beach Boys |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |publisher=] |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac}}
	* {{cite book|last1=Hegarty|first1=Paul|last2=Halliwell|first2=Martin|title=Beyond and Before: Progressive Rock Since the 1960s|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=taA2AqdCAJ0C&pg=PT23|date=2011|publisher=Continuum International Publishing|isbn=978-0-8264-4483-7|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last=Fusilli |first=Jim |title=Beach Boys' Pet Sounds |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xVIx8qes4V8C |date=2005 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4411-1266-8 }}
	* {{cite book|last=Howard|first=David N.|title=Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings|date=2004|publisher=Hal Leonard|location=Milwaukee, Wisconsin|isbn=978-0-634-05560-7|edition=1.|ref=harv|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O0VMAgAAQBAJ}}		* {{cite book|last=Gaines|first=Steven|author-link=Steven Gaines|title=Heroes and Villains: The True Story of The Beach Boys|url=https://archive.org/details/heroesvillainsth00gain|year=1986|publisher=Da Capo Press|location=New York|isbn=0306806479|url-access=registration}}
			* {{cite book |last=Gillett |first=Charlie |author-link=Charlie Gillett |title=The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EzmhhXUwyt4C&pg=PA329 |year=1984 |publisher=Perseus Books Group |isbn=978-0-306-80683-4}}
	* {{cite book|last1=Gaines|first1=Steven|authorlink=Steven Gaines|editor-first1=Steven|editor-last1=Gaines|editor-last2=Hajdu|editor-first2=David|title=Heroes and Villains: Essays on Music, Movies, Comics, and Culture|date=2009|publisher=Da Capo Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-7867-5104-4|ref=harv}}
	* {{cite book|ref=harv|last=Gillett|first=Charlie|authorlink=Charlie Gillett|title=The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=EzmhhXUwyt4C&pg=PA329|year=1984|publisher=Perseus Books Group|isbn=978-0-306-80683-4}}		* {{cite book |last=Greene |first=John Robert |author-link=John Robert Greene |title=America in the Sixties |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RY5JKjL7VBEC |year=2010 |publisher=Syracuse University Press |isbn=978-0-8156-5133-8}}
	* {{cite book|ref=harv|last=Greene|first=John Robert|authorlink=John Robert Greene|title=America in the Sixties|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RY5JKjL7VBEC|year=2010|publisher=Syracuse University Press|isbn=978-0-8156-5133-8}}		* {{cite book |last=Granata |first=Charles L. |title=Wouldn't it Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds |date=2003 |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=eduXp1caQ4YC}}|publisher=Chicago Review Press|isbn=978-1-55652-507-0}}
			* {{cite book |last=Harrison |first=Daniel |author-link=Daniel Harrison (music theorist) |editor1-last=Covach|editor1-first=John|editor2-last=Boone|editor2-first=Graeme M. |title=Understanding Rock: Essays in Musical Analysis |date=1997 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-988012-6|chapter-url=http://www.lipscomb.umn.edu/rock/docs/Harrison1997_BeachBoys.pdf |chapter=After Sundown: The Beach Boys' Experimental Music |pages=33–57}}
	* {{cite book|last=Granata|first=Charles L.|title=Wouldn't it Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds|date=2003|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=eduXp1caQ4YC}}|publisher=Chicago Review Press|isbn=978-1-55652-507-0|ref=harv}}
	* {{cite book|last=Irvin|first=Jim|authorlink=Jim Irvin|chapter=1966 – The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds|title=The Mojo Collection: 4th Edition|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AVQbF9lTBwgC&pg=PA64|year=2007|publisher=Canongate Books|isbn=978-1-84767-643-6|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last1=Hegarty |first1=Paul |last2=Halliwell |first2=Martin |title=Beyond and Before: Progressive Rock Since the 1960s |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=taA2AqdCAJ0C&pg=PT23 |date=2011 |publisher=Continuum International Publishing |isbn=978-0-8264-4483-7 }}
	* {{cite book|last=Johnson|first=Michael|title=Pop Music Theory: Harmony, Form, and Composition|date=2009|publisher=Cinemasonique Music|location=Boston, Mass.|isbn=978-0-578-03539-0|ref=harv|edition=2nd}}		* {{cite book |last=Hoskyns |first=Barney |title=Waiting for the Sun: A Rock 'n' Roll History of Los Angeles |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=w7oB2UKVxgQC}}|author-link=Barney Hoskyns|year=2009|publisher=Backbeat Books|isbn=978-0-87930-943-5}}
	* {{cite book|last=Jones|first=Carys Wyn|title=The Rock Canon: Canonical Values in the Reception of Rock Albums|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rdC3n62ArX8C|year=2008|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=978-0-7546-6244-0|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book|last=Howland|first=John|title=Hearing Luxe Pop: Glorification, Glamour, and the Middlebrow in American Popular Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yu0lEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA217|year=2021|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-30010-1}}
	* {{cite book|last=Joyson|first=Vernon|title=The Acid Trip: A Complete Guide to Psychedelic Music|date=1984|publisher=Babylon Books|location=Todmorden, England|isbn=978-0-907188-24-7|ref=harv|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tQc5AQAAIAAJ}}		* {{cite book |last=Irvin |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Irvin |chapter=1966 – The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds |title=The Mojo Collection: 4th Edition|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AVQbF9lTBwgC&pg=PA64 |year=2007 |publisher=Canongate Books |isbn=978-1-84767-643-6 }}
	* {{cite book|last=Kent|first=Nick|title=The Dark Stuff Selected Writings on Rock Music.|date=2009|publisher=Da Capo Press|location=Cambridge, MA|isbn=978-0-7867-3074-2|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Michael |title=Pop Music Theory: Harmony, Form, and Composition |date=2009 |publisher=Cinemasonique Music |location=Boston, Mass. |isbn=978-0-578-03539-0 |edition=2nd}}
	* {{cite book|last=Koestler|first=Arthur|title=The Act of Creation|date=1989|publisher=Arkana |location=London|isbn=978-0-14-019191-2|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last=Jones |first=Carys Wyn |title=The Rock Canon: Canonical Values in the Reception of Rock Albums |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rdC3n62ArX8C |year=2008 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. |isbn=978-0-7546-6244-0 }}
	* {{cite book|last=Lambert|first=Philip|title=Inside the Music of Brian Wilson: The Songs, Sounds, and Influences of the Beach Boys' Founding Genius|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3sGoAwAAQBAJ|date=2007|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4411-0748-0|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last=Joyson |first=Vernon |title=The Acid Trip: A Complete Guide to Psychedelic Music |date=1984 |publisher=Babylon Books |location=Todmorden, England |isbn=978-0-907188-24-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tQc5AQAAIAAJ}}
	* {{cite book|last=Leaf|first=David|title=The Beach Boys|authorlink=David Leaf|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=skYIAQAAMAAJ|year=1985|publisher=Courage Books|isbn=978-0-89471-412-2|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book|last1=Kent|first1=David|title=Australian Chart Book (1940-1969)|date=2005|publisher=Australian Chart Book |isbn=9780646444390}}
	*{{cite book|last=Lowe|first=Kelly Fisher|title=The Words and Music of Frank Zappa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAYfqgGf4yYC&pg=PA219|year=2007|publisher=U of Nebraska Press|isbn=0-8032-6005-9|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book|last=Kent|first=Nick|author-link=Nick Kent|chapter=The Last Beach Movie Revisited: The Life of Brian Wilson|title=The Dark Stuff: Selected Writings on Rock Music|year=2009|publisher=Da Capo Press|isbn=9780786730742}}
	* {{cite book|ref=harv|last=Marsh|first=Dave|authorlink=Dave Marsh|title=Fortunate Son: Criticism and Journalism by America's Best-known Rock Writer|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=l08UAQAAIAAJ|year=1985|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-0-394-72119-4}}		* {{cite book |last=Lambert |first=Philip |author-link=Philip Lambert|title=Inside the Music of Brian Wilson: The Songs, Sounds, and Influences of the Beach Boys' Founding Genius |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3sGoAwAAQBAJ |date=2007 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4411-0748-0 }}
			* {{cite journal |last1=Lambert |first1=Philip |title=Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds |journal=Twentieth-Century Music |date=March 2008 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=109–133 |doi=10.1017/S1478572208000625 |url=https://www.academia.edu/17300178 |publisher=Cambridge University Press|s2cid=162871617 |url-access=registration}}
	* {{citation|last=Martin|first=Bill|authorlink=Bill Martin (philosophy)|title=Listening to the Future: The Time of Progressive Rock|year=1998|publisher=Open Court|location=Chicago|isbn=0-8126-9368-X|ref=harv}}
	* {{cite book|last=McGonigal|first=Mike|title=My Bloody Valentine's Loveless|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mih-MDn-0nkC|year=2007|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4411-5067-7|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book|editor-last=Lambert|editor-first=Philip|title=Good Vibrations: Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys in Critical Perspective|url=https://www.fulcrum.org/concern/monographs/nv935376j|year=2016 |publisher=University of Michigan Press|doi=10.3998/mpub.9275965 |isbn=978-0-472-11995-0 |last1=Lambert |first1=Philip |s2cid=192796203 }}
			* {{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |author1-link=Colin Larkin |title=All Time Top 1000 Albums |date=1994 |publisher=Guinness Pub |location=Enfield, Middlesex, England |isbn=9780851127866 |url=https://archive.org/details/alltimetop1000al0000lark_e9k1/page/8/ |url-access=registration}}
	* {{cite book|last=Moorefield |first=Virgil |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Producer_as_Composer.html?id=PZ0R4_Oxr-4C&pg=PA18|title=The Producer as Composer: Shaping the Sounds of Popular Music – Virgil Moorefield – Google Boeken |publisher=MIT Press |date=2005 |accessdate=March 12, 2014 |isbn=0-262-13457-8|ref=harv}}
			* {{cite book |editor-last=Larkin |editor-first=Colin |editor-link=Colin Larkin |title=] |publisher=] |edition=3rd |year=2000 |isbn=0-7535-0493-6}}
	* {{cite book|first=James E.|last=Perone|title=The Album: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations &#91;4 volumes&#93;: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzl1lBFXKhQC&pg=RA2-PT28|date=2012|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-37907-9|ref=harv}}
			* {{cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin (writer) |title=] |publisher=] |edition=5th |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}
	* {{cite book|last1=Preiss|first1=Byron|authorlink=Byron Preiss|title=The Beach Boys|date=1979|publisher=Ballantine Books|location=New York|isbn=978-0-345-27398-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I0dWoXNvhkoC|ref=harv}}
	* {{cite book|last=Priore|first=Domenic|authorlink=Domenic Priore|title=Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=81YIAQAAMAAJ|year=2005|publisher=Sanctuary|location=London|isbn=1-86074-627-6|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book|last=Leaf|first=David|author-link=David Leaf|title=The Beach Boys and the California Myth|url=https://archive.org/details/beachboyscalifor00leaf|url-access=registration|year=1978|publisher=Grosset & Dunlap|location=New York|isbn=978-0-448-14626-3}}
	* {{cite book|last=Ryan|first=David Stuart|title=John Lennon's Secret|date=1984|publisher=Kozmik Press Centre|location=London|isbn=0-905116-08-9|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last=Love |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Love |title=Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ioG0CwAAQBAJ |year=2016 |publisher=Penguin Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-698-40886-9}}
	* {{cite book|ref=harv|last=Sanchez|first=Luis|title=The Beach Boys' Smile|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FC0_AwAAQBAJ|year=2014|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-62356-956-3}}		* {{cite book |last=Lowe |first=Kelly Fisher |title=The Words and Music of Frank Zappa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAYfqgGf4yYC&pg=PA219 |year=2007 |publisher=U of Nebraska Press |isbn=978-0-8032-6005-4 }}
			* {{cite book |last=Marsh |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Marsh |title=Fortunate Son: Criticism and Journalism by America's Best-known Rock Writer |url=https://archive.org/details/fortunatesoncrit00mars |url-access=registration |year=1985 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-0-394-72119-4}}
	* {{cite book|last=Schinder|first=Scott|chapter=The Beach Boys|editor-last1=Schinder|editor-first1=Scott|editor-last2=Schwartz|editor-first2=Andy|title=Icons of Rock: An Encyclopedia of the Legends Who Changed Music Forever|date=2007|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=Westport, Connecticut|isbn=978-0-313-33845-8|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=chj91X0dWzUC&pg=PT101|ref=harv}}
			* {{cite book |editor-last1=Marsh |editor-first1=Dave |editor-last2=Swenson |editor-first2=John |title=The New Rolling Stone Record Guide |publisher=Random House/Rolling Stone Press |location=New York |date=1983 |isbn=0-394-72107-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstoner00mars}}
	* {{cite book|last=Stebbins|first=Jon|title=The Beach Boys FAQ: All That's Left to Know About America's Band|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8T3ivyKmSQwC|date=2011|publisher=Backbeat Books|isbn=978-1-4584-2914-8|ref=harv}}
	* {{cite book|last=Tunbridge|first=Laura|title=The Song Cycle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DS8VesiqWFcC|year=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-89644-3|ref=harv}}		* {{citation |last=Martin |first=Bill |author-link=Bill Martin (philosophy) |title=Listening to the Future: The Time of Progressive Rock |year=1998 |publisher=Open Court |location=Chicago |isbn=0-8126-9368-X}}
	* {{cite book|last1=Unterberger|first1=Richie|last2=Hicks|first2=Samb|title=Music USA: The Rough Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uwtAx1xP9BMC|year=1999|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=978-1-85828-421-7|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book|title=The Mojo Collection: 4th Edition|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AVQbF9lTBwgC&pg=PA132|year=2007|publisher=Canongate Books|isbn=978-1-84767-643-6|chapter=The Beach Boys: Friends|editor-last=Mojo}}
	* {{cite book|last=White|first=Timothy|authorlink=Timothy White (editor)|title=The Nearest Far Away Place: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the Southern California Experience|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tNUpGwAACAAJ|year=1996|publisher=Henry Holt (P)|isbn=978-0-8050-4702-8|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last=Moorefield |first=Virgil |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZ0R4_Oxr-4C&pg=PA18 |title=The Producer as Composer: Shaping the Sounds of Popular Music – Virgil Moorefield – Google Boeken |publisher=MIT Press |date=2010 |isbn=978-0-262-13457-6}}
	* {{cite book|last=Zager|first=Michael|title=Music Production: for Producers, Composers, Arrangers, and Students|date=2012|publisher=Scarecrow Press|location=Lanham, Md.|isbn=0-8108-8201-9|edition=2nd|ref=harv}}		* {{cite book |last=Morgan |first=Johnny |title=The Beach Boys: America's Band |year=2015 |publisher=Sterling |location=New York |isbn=978-1-4549-1709-0 }}
			* {{cite book |last1=Nordstedt |first1=Jeff |editor1-last=DeRogatis |editor1-first=Jim |editor2-last=Carrillo |editor2-first=Carmél |editor1-link=Jim DeRogatis |title=Kill Your Idols: A New Generation of Rock Writers Reconsiders the Classics |date=2004 |publisher=Barricade Books |location=Fort Lee, N.J. |isbn=9781569802762 |url=https://archive.org/details/killyouridolsnew0000unse |chapter=Pet Sounds|url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/killyouridolsnew0000unse/page/26/|chapter-url-access=registration}}
			* {{cite thesis |last1=O'Regan |first1=Jody |title=When I Grow Up: The Development of the Beach Boys' Sound (1962–1966) |date=2014 |doi=10.25904/1912/2556 |url=https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/367243/O%27Regan_2014_02Thesis.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |publisher=]}}
			* {{cite book |first=James E. |last=Perone |title=The Album: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations &#91;4 volumes&#93;: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzl1lBFXKhQC&pg=RA2-PT28 |date=2012 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-0-313-37907-9 }}
			* {{cite book |last1=Preiss |first1=Byron |author-link=Byron Preiss |title=The Beach Boys |date=1979 |publisher=Ballantine Books |location=New York |isbn=978-0-345-27398-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I0dWoXNvhkoC }}
			* {{cite book |last=Priore |first=Domenic |author-link=Domenic Priore |title=Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=81YIAQAAMAAJ |year=2005 |publisher=Sanctuary |location=London |isbn=1-86074-627-6 }}
			* {{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Martin|title=Cornelius's Fantasma|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-5IyEAAAQBAJ|year=2019|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|isbn=978-1-5013-3017-9}}
			* {{Cite book|last=Rosenberg|first=Stuart|date=September 2009|title=Rock and Roll and the American Landscape: The Birth of an Industry and the Expansion of the Popular Culture, 1955-1969|publisher=iUniverse |isbn=9781440164583 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=736Mu91q_fcC&pg=PA230}}
			* {{cite book |last=Sanchez |first=Luis |title=The Beach Boys' Smile |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FC0_AwAAQBAJ |year=2014 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-62356-956-3}}
			* {{cite book|last=Savage|first=Jon|author-link=Jon Savage|title=1966: The Year the Decade Exploded|publisher=Faber & Faber|location=London|year=2015|isbn=978-0-571-27763-6}}
			* {{cite book |last=Schinder |first=Scott |chapter=The Beach Boys|editor-last1=Schinder|editor-first1=Scott|editor-last2=Schwartz|editor-first2=Andy |title=Icons of Rock: An Encyclopedia of the Legends Who Changed Music Forever |date=2007 |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=Westport, Connecticut |isbn=978-0-313-33845-8|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=chj91X0dWzUC&pg=PT101 }}
			* {{cite book |last=Smith |first=Chris |title=One Hundred and One Albums that Changed Popular Music |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G4mP7u6mPdkC |year=2009 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-537371-4}}
			* {{cite book |last=Stebbins |first=Jon |title=The Beach Boys FAQ: All That's Left to Know About America's Band |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8T3ivyKmSQwC |date=2011 |publisher=Backbeat Books |isbn=978-1-4584-2914-8 }}
			* {{cite book |last1=Tobler |first1=John |author1-link=John Tobler |title=The Beach Boys |date=1978 |publisher=Chartwell Books |isbn=0890091749 |url=https://archive.org/details/beachboys00tobl/|url-access=registration}}
			* {{cite book|last=Toop|first=David|author-link=David Toop|title=Exotica: Fabricated Soundscapes in a Real World: Fabricated Soundscapes in the Real World|date=1999|publisher=Serpent's Tail|location=London|isbn=978-1852425951 |edition=1st}}
			* {{cite book |last=Tunbridge |first=Laura |author-link=Laura Tunbridge |title=The Song Cycle |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DS8VesiqWFcC |year=2010 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-89644-3 }}
			* {{cite book|last=Umphred|first=Neal|chapter=Let's Go Away for Awhile: The Continuing Saga of Brian Wilson's ''Pet Sounds''|editor-last=Abbott|editor-first=Kingsley|title=Back to the Beach: A Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys Reader|year=1997|publisher=Helter Skelter|isbn=978-1-90092-402-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/backtobeachbrian0000unse/|url-access=registration}}
			* {{cite book |last1=Unterberger |first1=Richie |last2=Hicks |first2=Samb |title=Music USA: The Rough Guide |url=https://archive.org/details/musicusaroughgui0000unte |url-access=registration |year=1999 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=978-1-85828-421-7 }}
			* {{cite book |last=White |first=Timothy |author-link=Timothy White (writer) |title=The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the Southern Californian Experience |date=1996 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=0333649370 |url=https://archive.org/details/nearestfarawaypl0000whit/ |url-access=registration}}
			* {{cite book |author-link1=Paul Williams (Crawdaddy)|last1=Williams |first1=Paul |last2=Hartwell |first2=David G. |title=The 20th Century's Greatest Hits: A Top 40 List |date=2000 |publisher=Forge |location=New York |isbn=978-0312873912 |edition=1st |url=https://archive.org/details/20thcenturysgrea00will/page/75/ |url-access=registration}}
			* {{cite book|first=Brian|last=Wilson|chapter=Foreword|year=2002|title=1000 Days That Shook the World (The Psychedelic Beatles – April 1, 1965 to December 26, 1967)|location=London|publisher=]|oclc=155990822}}
			* {{cite book |last1=Wilson |first1=Brian |author-link1=Brian Wilson |last2=Greenman |first2=Ben |author-link2=Ben Greenman |title=I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9CmiBQAAQBAJ |year=2016 |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=978-0-306-82307-7}}
			* {{cite book |last=Zager |first=Michael |title=Music Production: for Producers, Composers, Arrangers, and Students |date=2012 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=Lanham, Md. |isbn=978-0-8108-8201-0 |edition=2nd |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/musicproductionf0000zage }}
			* {{cite book |last=Zak |first=Albin |title=Poetics of Rock: Cutting Tracks, Making Records |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=DJM6FgvlWw0C}}|year=2001|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-92815-2}}
	{{Refend}}		{{Refend}}
			==External links==
	{{Pet Sounds}}
			* {{Discogs master|type=album|17217|name=Pet Sounds}}
			* {{cite web |ref=none |title=Tony Asher Interview |url=https://surfermoon.neocities.org/interviews/asher |date=April 4, 1996}}
			* {{cite news |last=Crowe |first=Jerry |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/21696821.html?dids=21696821:21696821&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+01%2C+1997&author=JERRY+CROWE&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=%27Pet+Sounds+Sessions%27%3A+Body+of+Influence+Put+in+a+Box%3B+Pop+Beat%3A+A+four-CD+compilation+of+the+Beach+Boys%27+1966+album+regarded+as+an+artistic+masterpiece+is+being+released+for+fans+new+and+old.&pqatl=google |title='Pet Sounds Sessions': Body of Influence Put in a Box |work=Los Angeles Times |date=November 1, 1997 |access-date=March 3, 2009 |ref=none |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107231758/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/21696821.html?dids=21696821:21696821&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+01%2C+1997&author=JERRY+CROWE&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=%27Pet+Sounds+Sessions%27%3A+Body+of+Influence+Put+in+a+Box%3B+Pop+Beat%3A+A+four-CD+compilation+of+the+Beach+Boys%27+1966+album+regarded+as+an+artistic+masterpiece+is+being+released+for+fans+new+and+old.&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}
			{{Pet Sounds|state=expanded}}
	{{The Beach Boys main}}		{{The Beach Boys main}}
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For other uses, see Pet Sounds (disambiguation).

1966 studio album by the Beach Boys

Pet Sounds
Studio album by the Beach Boys
Released	May 16, 1966 (1966-05-16)
Recorded	July 12, 1965 – April 13, 1966
Studio	Western Gold Star Columbia Sunset Sound (Hollywood)
Genre	Progressive pop chamber pop psychedelic pop art rock
Length	35:57
Label	Capitol
Producer	Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys chronology
Beach Boys' Party! (1965) Pet Sounds (1966) Best of the Beach Boys (1966)
Singles from Pet Sounds
"Caroline, No" Released: March 7, 1966 "Sloop John B" Released: March 21, 1966 "Wouldn't It Be Nice" / "God Only Knows" Released: July 18, 1966

Pet Sounds is the eleventh studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on May 16, 1966, by Capitol Records. It was initially met with a lukewarm critical response in the United States, although it peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Top LPs chart. In the United Kingdom, however, the album was lauded by critics and reached number 2 on the Record Retailer chart, remaining in the top ten for six months. Promoted there as "the most progressive pop album ever", Pet Sounds was recognized for its ambitious production, sophisticated music, and emotional lyrics. It is now considered to be among the greatest and most influential albums in music history.

The album was produced, arranged, and almost entirely composed by Brian Wilson with guest lyricist Tony Asher. It was recorded largely between January and April 1966, a year after Wilson had quit touring with his bandmates and debuted a more progressive sound with The Beach Boys Today! (1965). Wilson viewed Pet Sounds as effectively a solo album and credited part of its inspiration to marijuana and a newfound spiritual enlightenment. Galvanized by the work of his idol Phil Spector and rival group the Beatles, his goal was to create "the greatest rock album ever made", one without filler. An early concept album, it consists mainly of introspective and semi-autobiographical songs like "You Still Believe in Me", about a lover's unwavering loyalty; "I Know There's an Answer", a critique of LSD users; and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", about social alienation.

Incorporating elements of pop, jazz, exotica, classical, and the avant-garde, Wilson's Wall of Sound–based orchestrations mixed conventional rock set-ups with elaborate layers of vocal harmonies, found sounds, and instruments rarely if ever associated with rock, such as bicycle bells, French horn, flutes, Electro-Theremin, string sections, and soda cans. It marked the most complex instrumental and vocal parts of any Beach Boys album, and the first in which studio musicians (such as the Wrecking Crew) replaced the band on most of the instrumental tracks. The album could not be reproduced live and was the first time that any group had departed from their usual small-ensemble pop/rock band format for a whole LP. Its unprecedented total production cost exceeded $70,000 (equivalent to $660,000 in 2023). Lead single "Caroline, No" was issued as Wilson's official solo debut. It was followed by two singles credited to the group: "Sloop John B" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (backed with "God Only Knows"). A planned successor album, Smile, was never finished.

Pet Sounds revolutionized music production and the role of professional record producers, especially through Wilson's pioneering studio-as-instrument praxis. The record contributed to the cultural legitimization of popular music, a greater public appreciation for albums, the popularity of synthesizers, and the development of psychedelic music and progressive/art rock. It also introduced novel approaches to orchestration, chord voicings, and structural harmonies, such as its avoidance of definite key signatures. Although it had been widely revered by industry insiders, the album was obscure to mass audiences before being reissued in the 1990s, after which it topped several critics' and musicians' polls for the best album of all time, including those published by NME, Mojo, Uncut, and The Times. The album has also been consistently ranked number 2 in all editions of Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list. As a solo artist, Wilson embarked on a string of Pet Sounds concert tours in the early 2000s and late 2010s. In 2004, the album was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Pet Sounds is certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), indicating over one million units sold in the U.S. An expanded reissue, The Pet Sounds Sessions, was released in 1997, featuring the album's first true stereo mix.

Background

The July 1964 release of the Beach Boys' sixth album All Summer Long marked an end to the group's beach-themed period. From then, their recorded material took a significantly different stylistic and lyrical path. In January 1965, to focus his efforts on writing and recording, 22-year-old Brian Wilson declared to his bandmates that he would not accompany them on concert tours. The rest of the group – Brian's brothers Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine – continued to tour without Wilson, who was replaced on the road first by session player Glen Campbell and later by Bruce Johnston of Bruce & Terry and the Rip Chords.

Wilson immediately showcased great advances in his musical development with the 1965 albums The Beach Boys Today! and Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!). Released in March, Today! signaled a departure from the Beach Boys' previous records with its orchestral approach, intimate subject matter, and abandonment of themes related to surfing, cars, or superficial expressions of love. Wilson also directed his new lyrical approach toward the autobiographical, with his songs written from the perspective of vulnerable, neurotic, and insecure narrators. Summer Days followed three months later and represented a bridge between Wilson's progressive musical conceptions and the group's traditional pre-1965 approach.

On July 12, Wilson recorded a backing track for "Sloop John B", but after laying down a rough lead vocal, he set the song aside for some time, concentrating on the recording of what became their next LP, the informal studio jam Beach Boys' Party!, in response to their record company Capitol's request for a Beach Boys album for the Christmas 1965 market. In October, Wilson and his wife, 17-year-old singer Marilyn Rovell, moved from a rented apartment in West Hollywood to a home on Laurel Way in Beverly Hills, where he said he spent the subsequent months contemplating "the new direction of the group".

Wilson devoted the last three months of 1965 to polishing the vocals of "Sloop John B" and recording six new original compositions. "The Little Girl I Once Knew", released as a standalone single in November, was the last original Beach Boys song issued before any Pet Sounds tracks. In December, Capitol issued the Party! track "Barbara Ann" as a single without the group's knowledge or approval. Brian expressed to reporters that the song was not a "produced" record and should not be considered indicative of the group's upcoming music. From January 7 to 29, the rest of the band went away on a concert tour of Japan and Hawaii.

Writing sessions

While at a recording studio in Los Angeles in 1965, Wilson met Tony Asher, a 26-year-old lyricist and copywriter working in jingles for an advertising agency. The two exchanged ideas for songs, and soon after, Wilson heard of Asher's writing abilities from mutual friend Loren Schwartz. In December, Wilson contacted Asher about a possible lyric collaboration, wanting to do something "completely different" with someone he had never written with before. Asher accepted the offer, and within ten days, they were writing together, starting with "You Still Believe in Me".

Wilson and Asher wrote together over a two-to-three week period at Wilson's home, likely between January and February 1966. A typical writing session started either with Wilson playing a melody or chord patterns that he was working on, by discussing a recent record that Wilson liked the feel of, or by discussing a subject that Wilson had always wanted to write a song about. They referred to their rough musical sketches as "feels", per the vernacular of the time. To inspire creativity, they sometimes smoked marijuana together. The lyrics to their songs were finished before the recording of any backing tracks (except for "You Still Believe in Me") and recording started virtually as soon as the compositions were written.

It felt like we were writing an autobiography, but oddly enough, I wouldn't limit it to Brian's autobiography ... We were working in a somewhat intimate relationship, and I didn't know him at all, so he was finding out who I was, and I was finding out who he was.

—Tony Asher

Asher maintained that he served mainly as a source of second opinion for Wilson as he worked out possible melodies and chord progressions, although the two did trade ideas as the songs evolved. On his role as co-lyricist, he said, "The general tenor of the lyrics was always his ... and the actual choice of words was usually mine. I was really just his interpreter." Asher later stated that he made some significant musical contributions to "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Caroline, No", and "That's Not Me".

In Marilyn's recollection, Brian worked on Pet Sounds virtually nonstop, and that when he was home, "he was either at the piano, arranging, or eating." Asher differed, "I wish I could say Brian was totally committed . Let's say he was ... um, very concerned." After their songs were completed, Asher visited a few of the recording sessions, most of which were string overdub dates.

Wilson wrote two more songs with other collaborators. "I Know There's an Answer", which predated the collaboration with Asher, was co-written by Wilson with the Beach Boys' road manager Terry Sachen. In 1994, Mike Love was awarded co-writing credits on "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "I Know There's an Answer", but with the exception of his co-credit on "I'm Waiting for the Day", his songwriting contributions are thought to have been minimal.

Concept and inspiration

Phil Spector and Rubber Soul

Commentators and historians frequently cite Pet Sounds as a concept album. Academic Carys Wyn Jones attributes this to the album's "uniform excellence" rather than a lyrical theme or musical motif. Wilson described Pet Sounds as an "interpretation" of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound production technique. He stated: "If you take the Pet Sounds album as a collection of art pieces, each designed to stand alone, yet which belong together, you'll see what I was aiming at. ... It wasn't really a song concept album, or lyrically a concept album; it was really a production concept album."

With Pet Sounds, Wilson desired to make "a complete statement", similar to what he believed the Beatles had done with their newest album Rubber Soul, released in December 1965. The version of the album that he heard was the alternate American edition, whose track listing had been configured by Capitol to have a cohesive folk rock sound. Wilson was impressed that the album appeared to lack filler, a feature that was mostly unheard of at a time when more attention was afforded to 45 rpm singles than to full-length LPs. Most albums up until the mid-1960s were largely used to sell singles at a higher price point. Wilson found that Rubber Soul subverted this by having a wholly consistent thread of music. Inspired, he rushed to his wife and proclaimed, "Marilyn, I'm gonna make the greatest album! The greatest rock album ever made!"

Comparing Pet Sounds to Rubber Soul, author Michael Zager wrote that Pet Sounds has more in common with Spector's productions, and that the album recycles many of Spector's Wall of Sound production watermarks. Wilson said that he was especially fascinated by the process of combining sounds "to make another", and for Pet Sounds, sought to emulate those aspects of Spector's productions. In a 1988 interview, Wilson said that his goal for the album was to "extend" Spector's music, as he believed that, "in one sense of the word", the Beach Boys were Spector's "messengers".

On another occasion, Wilson credited Rubber Soul as his "main motivator" for Pet Sounds. He explained that he had wanted to create music "on the same level" as Rubber Soul, but was not interested in copying the Beatles' sound. In a 1966 interview, he said that the scale of the arrangements was the "main difference" between their musical styles, noting that if he had arranged the Rubber Soul track "Norwegian Wood", he would have "orchestrated it, put in background voices, done a thousand things". In 2009, he said that although "Rubber Soul didn't clarify my ideas for Pet Sounds", the Beatles' use of sitar had inspired his choice of instrumentation for the album.

Spirituality, drugs, and personal issues

Carl and I used to hold a series of prayer sessions for the world. I got into marijuana and it opened some doors for me and I got a little more committed to ... the making of music for people on a spiritual level. ... Carl said, "What if we make an album after these prayer sessions, an album for people? A special album." I said, "That's a good idea."

—Brian Wilson, 1977

Spirituality was another core inspiration for the album. Asked about Pet Sounds in various interviews, Wilson frequently emphasized the album's spiritual qualities, saying that he had held prayer sessions with his brother Carl and "kind of made a religious ceremony." In a 1995 interview, he stated, "We prayed for an album that would be a rival to Rubber Soul. It was like a prayer, but there was some ego there... and it worked."

During his first LSD trip in April 1965, Wilson had what he considered to be "a very religious experience" and claimed to have seen God. He soon began suffering from auditory hallucinations and, for the remainder of the year, experienced considerable paranoia. Wilson believed that LSD influenced the writing of Pet Sounds because it "brought out some of the insecurities in me, which I think went into the music." He also attributed his greater sense of creative freedom to his use of marijuana.

Much of the album's pessimistic and dejected lyric content was inspired by Wilson's marital struggles, which had been exacerbated by his drug habits in particular. Marilyn felt that their relationship was a central reference within the album's lyrics, namely on "You Still Believe in Me" and "Caroline, No". According to Asher, he and Wilson had many lengthy, intimate discussions centered around their "experiences and feelings about women and the various stages of relationships and so forth" in order to inspire subject matter for their songs. This included Wilson's doubts about his marriage, " sexual fantasies", and "his apparent need to get with Diane."

Pre-rock 'n' roll pop and other influences

Asher disputed the notion that he and Wilson were following the models that had been set by Beatles or rock music in general. Asher remembered, "Brian had defined it as wanting to write something closer to classical American love songs, like Cole Porter or Rodgers and Hammerstein." During the writing sessions, Asher and Wilson regularly introduced different albums and types of music to each other. In particular, Asher said that Wilson "was blown away" after being played jazz records including Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" and Lionel Hampton's rendition of "All the Things You Are". He remembered that Wilson had minimal awareness of Tin Pan Alley songs and "hadn't given much thought to the structure or instrumentation of orchestral jazz compositions." Having had experience with recording orchestras, Asher encouraged Wilson to employ instruments such as violins, cellos, and bass flutes.

In a March 1966 article, Wilson acknowledged that the popular music trends of the era had also influenced his work and the group's evolution. Conversely, Marilyn recalled that Brian was only consumed by thoughts of creating the greatest rock album ever and "did not think about what music was there on the market, or what was happening in the industry." In a 1996 interview, he said that he and Asher were "kind of like on our own little wavelength" and were not concerned with overtaking Phil Spector or Motown, "It was more what I would call exclusive collaboration not to specifically try to kick somebody's butt, but just to do it the way you really want it to be. That's what I thought we did."

Genre

Stylistic blend and debate

Pet Sounds incorporates elements of pop, jazz, classical, exotica, and avant-garde music. Genres that have been attributed to the album as a whole include progressive pop, chamber pop, psychedelic pop, and art rock. Wilson himself thought of the album as "chapel rock ... commercial choir music. I wanted to make an album that would stand up in ten years."

According to biographer Jon Stebbins, "Brian defies any notion of genre safety ... There isn't much rocking here, and even less rolling. Pet Sounds is at times futuristic, progressive, and experimental. ... there's no boogie, no woogie, and the only blues are in the themes and in Brian's voice." Johnston identified "a tremendous amount" of noticeable doo-wop and R&B influences. Journalist D. Strauss challenged the notion of whether Pet Sounds should be regarded as rock music. He argued that the album's quality and subversion of rock traditions is "what created its special place in rock history; there was no category for its fans to place it in ... But placed within the Easy Listening genre-i.e., elevator music-it becomes a historically grounded, if incredibly ambitious, release."

Although it has been called "baroque pop", the often-specious term was not used in critical discussions about Pet Sounds until rock critics in the 1990s began adopting the phrase in reference to artists that the album had influenced. No contemporary press material referred to Pet Sounds as "baroque", and instead, commentators used "progressive" as their descriptor of choice. Writing in 2021, academic John Howland argued that the album's baroque-pop aesthetic was limited to "God Only Knows".

Psychedelia

"I Know There's an Answer" sections Consequence's Zach Ruskin expressed: "while Pet Sounds offers an intimacy unlike other psychedelic pop of the time, soundscapes of whispers and reverb and sudden departures in structure and form do lend the record a somewhat trippy effect."

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Pet Sounds is often considered to be psychedelic rock, but many commentators hesitate to name the Beach Boys in discussions of psychedelic music. For example, in his book The Acid Trip: A Complete Guide to Psychedelic Music, Vernon Joyson agreed that Pet Sounds contained psychedelic gestures, but chose not to devote significant coverage to the album because he felt that the Beach Boys had "essentially predated the psychedelic era". Stebbins writes that the album is "slightly psychedelic—or at least impressionistic." Wilson himself felt that while psychedelic features are present in a number of the songs, the overall tone was "mostly not psychedelic".

According to academics Paul Hegarty and Martin Halliwell, Pet Sounds has a "personal intimacy" that sets it apart from the Beach Boys' contemporaries in psychedelic culture and the San Francisco Sound, but still retains a "trippy feel" that resulted from Wilson's LSD use. They attribute this to Wilson's "eclectic mixture of instruments, echo, reverb, and innovative mixing techniques learnt from Phil Spector to create a complex soundscape in which voice and music interweave tightly". In the belief of cultural historian Dale Carter, the album's psychedelic qualities are proven through rich "sonic textures", "greater fluidity, elaboration, and formal complexity", "the introduction of new (combinations of) instruments, multiple keys, and/or floating tonal centers", and the occasional use of "slower, more hypnotic tempos".

Among other reasons given for the album's perceived psychedelic quality, Jim DeRogatis, author of a book about psychedelic music, writes that the repeated listening value is similar to a heightened psychedelic awareness, elaborating that its melodies "continue to reveal themselves after dozens of listens, just as previously unnoticed corners of the world reveal themselves during the psychedelic experience". Musician Sean Lennon opined that "psychedelic music is a term that pretty much refers to these sort of epic, ambitious long-form records", and that listening to Pet Sounds in its entirety can feel like "entering another world" temporarily, much like an LSD trip.

Music and lyrics

Orchestrations and composition

Instrumental break from "Here Today" (1996 stereo version) "Here Today" has been described by AllMusic as one of Wilson's most ambitious arrangements, blending the "complexity of an orchestral piece with the immediacy of a good pop tune".

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Pet Sounds refined the themes and complex arranging style Wilson had introduced with The Beach Boys Today! Writing in The Journal on the Art of Record Production, Marshall Heiser observed that the album's music distinguished itself from previous Beach Boys releases in several ways:

• "a greater sense of depth and 'warmth'"
• "more inventive use of harmony and chord voicings"
• "the prominent use of percussion a key feature (as opposed to driving drum backbeats)"
• "the orchestrations, at times, echo the quirkiness of 'exotica' bandleader Les Baxter, or the 'cool' of Burt Bacharach, more so than Spector's teen fanfares."

By contrast, musicologist Daniel Harrison contends that Wilson's advancement as a composer and arranger was marginal in relation to his past work. He wrote that Pet Sounds shows "comparatively little advance from what Brian had already accomplished or shown himself capable of accomplishing. Most of the songs use unusual harmonic progressions and unexpected disruptions of hypermeter, both features that were met in 'Warmth of the Sun' and 'Don't Back Down.'" Author Charles L. Granata referred to Pet Sounds as the culmination of Wilson's songwriting artistry, although his "transition from writing car and surf songs to writing studious ones" had already "exploded in 1965".

Pet Sounds includes tempo changes, metrical ambiguity, and unusual tone colors that, in the opinion of author James Perone, remove the album from "just about anything else that was going on in 1966 pop music". He cites the album's closer "Caroline, No" and its use of wide tessitura changes, wide melodic intervals, and instrumentation which contribute to this belief; also Wilson's compositions and orchestral arrangements which experiment with form and tone colors. Wilson's arrangements combined traditional rock set-ups with unconventional selections of instruments and complex layers of vocal harmonies. His orchestrations, in terms of the choices of instruments themselves and the stylistic appropriation of foreign cultures, were similar to those by exotica producers such as Martin Denny, Les Baxter, and Esquivel. Many of the instruments were alien to rock music, including glockenspiel, ukulele, accordion, Electro-Theremin, bongos, harpsichord, violin, viola, cello, trombone, Coca-Cola bottles, and other odd sounds such as bicycle bells.

The number of unique instruments for each track average to about a dozen. Electric and acoustic basses were frequently doubled, as was typical for the era's pop music, and played with a plectrum. Drums were not arranged in a traditional manner of keeping time, but instead, to provide "rhythmic texture and color". Two tracks are instrumentals: "Let's Go Away for Awhile" and "Pet Sounds". They were originally recorded as backing tracks for existing songs, but by the time the album neared completion, Wilson decided that the tracks worked better without vocals. Arranger Paul Mertens, who collaborated with Wilson on live performances of the album, believed that although there are string sections on Pet Sounds, "what's special about that is not that Brian was trying to introduce classical music into rock & roll. Rather, he was trying to get classical musicians to play like rock musicians. He's using these things to make music in the way that he understood, rather than trying to appropriate the orchestra."

Structures and vocal harmonies

Musicologist Philip Lambert estimates that the album's "overall unity" is strengthened by "strong musical relationships among songs", for example, the use of 4–3–2–1 stepwise descents and the reverse. Perone concurred that the album contains musical continuity. On "You Still Believe in Me", he references a "stepwise falloff of the interval of a third at the end of each verse" as a typically "Wilsonian" feature that recurs throughout the album, along with a "madrigal sigh motif" that can be heard in "That's Not Me", where the motif concludes each line of the verses.

Wilson tended to write vertically, in block chords, rather than in the horizontal manner of classical composition. An overwhelming majority of the chords are slashed, diminished, major seventh, sixths, ninths, augmented, or suspended. Simple (major or minor triad) chords are invoked minimally. The bass lines were written melodically and tend to play parts that avoid focusing on tonic notes. According to Lambert, one of the album's few recurring compositional features that did not reflect a recent trend in Wilson's songwriting were bass lines that descend from 1 to 5.

Only four tracks feature a single strongly established key. The rest feature a primary and secondary key or a weak tonal center. Tertian key modulations feature throughout the album and many of the choices of key signatures in themselves were unusual. For example, "You Still Believe in Me" is in B, which keyboardists avoid due to the number of sharps/flats, while "That's Not Me" is in F♯, the most distant key from C. Submediants, major or minor, are invoked in a manner that Lambert calls "an important source of overall unity". With the exception of "God Only Knows", every composition on the album that shifts keys or has an ambiguous tonal center "uses essentially the same tonic–submediant relation." Jim Fusilli, author of the 33⅓ book on the album, offered that Wilson's tendency to "wander far from the logic of his composition only to return triumphantly to confirm the emotional intent of his work" is repeated numerous times in Pet Sounds, but never to "evoke a sense of unbridled joy" as Wilson recently had with "The Little Girl I Once Knew".

Compared to previous Beach Boys albums, Pet Sounds contains fewer vocal harmonies, but the types of vocal harmonies themselves are more complex and varied. Instead of simple "oo" harmonies, the band showed an increasing engagement in multiple vocal counterpoints. There is also a greater occurrence of doo-wop style nonsense syllables, appearing more times here than on any of their previous albums. Wilson invokes his signature falsetto seven times on the album. With the exception of Today!, this was the most he had on a Beach Boys album since 1963's Surfer Girl. His voice is also the most prominent on the album. Of the 11 songs, he sang lead on five, shares lead on two, and appears on the choruses of two more. Of the album's 36-minute runtime, his voice is heard for 16 minutes, three more than the rest of the band members.

Introspective, coming-of-age themes

People always thought Brian was a good-time guy until he started releasing those heavy, searching songs on Pet Sounds. But that stuff was closer to his personality and perceptions.

—Dennis Wilson

Asher stated that Wilson aspired to create a collection of songs that were relatable to adolescents. "Even though he was dealing in the most advanced score-charts and arrangements, he was still incredibly conscious of this commercial thing. This absolute need to relate." Carl Wilson offered: "The disappointment and the loss of innocence that everyone had to go through when they grow up and find everything's not Hollywood are the recurrent themes on that album."

According to AllMusic reviewer Jim Esch, the opening track "Wouldn't It Be Nice" inaugurates the album's pervasive theme of "fragile lovers" who struggle with "self-imposed romantic expectations and personal limitations, while simultaneously trying to maintain faith in one other." Comparing the group's past celebrations of adolescence and teenage romance, journalist Seth Rogovoy felt that Pet Sounds "upends and overturns every Beach Boys cliché, exposing the hollowness at their core." Rogovoy points to "Wouldn't It Be Nice", which "starts right out with a 180-degree turn – 'Wouldn't it be nice if we were older.'"

Critics Richard Goldstein and Nik Cohn found that the album's melancholic lyrics sometimes jarred with the overall tone of the music. Cohn suggested that Pet Sounds comprised "sad songs about loneliness and heartache; sad songs even about happiness." Rolling Stone editor David Wild wrote that the lyrics were "intelligent and moving, but ... not pretentious", much like the songs of Tin Pan Alley.

Perceived storyline

It is sometimes suggested that Pet Sounds tells a story about the unraveling of a romantic relationship. Author Scott Schinder argued that Wilson and Asher crafted a song cycle about "the emotional challenges accompanying the transition from youth to adulthood", supplemented with "a series of intimate, hymn-like love songs". Even though Pet Sounds has a virtually unified theme in its emotional content, there was no intended narrative. Asher said that there were no conversations between him and Wilson that pertained to any specific album "concept"; however, "that's not to say that didn't have the capacity to steer it in that direction, even unconsciously." Lambert argued that Wilson must have intended the album to have a narrative framework due to the likelihood of his familiarity with similar "theme albums" by Frank Sinatra and the Four Freshmen.

Responding to the songwriters' denials of a conscious lyric theme, journalist Nick Kent observed that the album's lyrics show "the male participant's attempts at coming to terms with himself and the world about him" and that every song "pinpoints a crisis of faith in love and life" with the exception of "Sloop John B" and the two instrumental pieces. Granata referenced "Sloop John B" and "Pet Sounds" as the tracks that undermine the album's "thematic thread" and supposed lyrical narrative, yet "contribute to the marvelous pacing".

Group infighting

Pet Sounds is sometimes considered a Brian Wilson solo album, including by Wilson himself, who later referred to it as his "first solo album" and "a chance to step outside the group and shine". With the exception of Love, who had been previewed tracks over the phone by Wilson, the other members were not consulted on any aspect of the record. When they returned to the studio on February 9, they were presented with a substantial portion of the album, with music that was in many ways a jarring departure from their earlier style.

According to various reports, the group fought over the new direction. However, Dennis denied that anyone in the group had disliked Pet Sounds, calling the rumors "interesting". He said that there was "not one person in the group that could come close to Brian's talent" and "couldn't imagine who" would have resisted Brian's leadership. Carl supported that such accusations were "bullshit" before adding, "We loved that record. Everybody loved that record, it was a joy to make." Jardine differed in his recollection, "I wasn't exactly thrilled with the change , but I grew to really appreciate it as soon as we started to work on it. It wasn't like anything we'd heard before." He explained that "it took us quite a while to adjust to because it wasn't music you could necessarily dance to—it was more like music you could make love to."

Whatever objections the band members may have had were mostly reserved for the lyrics, not the music itself. Musically, they were concerned about how they would reproduce the songs in concert. Love said that his only disagreement pertained to the original lyrics of "I Know There's an Answer", although Jardine remembered that Love was generally "very confused" about the album: "Mike's a formula hound – if it doesn't have a hook in it, if he can't hear a hook in it, he doesn't want to know about it." In defense of Love, Asher said that " never was critical about what was, he was just saying it wasn't right for the Beach Boys." Asher said that Jardine had shared this viewpoint.

Brian recalled that the group "liked but they said it was too arty. I said, 'No, it is not!" Marilyn said that his bandmates struggled "to understand what he was going through emotionally and what he wanted to create. ... they didn't feel what he was going through and what direction he was trying to go in." Asher remembered, "All those guys in the band, certainly Al, Dennis, and Mike, were constantly saying, 'What the fuck do these words mean?' or 'This isn't our kind of shit!' Brian had comebacks, though. He'd say, 'Oh, you guys can't hack this.' ... But I remember thinking that those were tense sessions." Notwithstanding such remarks, Asher said that Brian's bandmates never "really challenged Brian" on his direction for the group because they had felt "they weren't talented enough" to make such judgments.

Another concern among his bandmates, according to Brian, was whether he would leave the group and pursue a solo career. Brian said, "it was generally considered that the Beach Boys were the main thing ... with Pet Sounds, there was a resistance in that I was doing most of the artistic work on it vocally". Love wrote in his memoir that he "would have liked to have had a greater hand in some of the songs and been able to incorporate more often my 'lead voice,' which we'd had so much success with." Brian acknowledged that he had taken up most of the vocals "because I thought, in a way, I wanted people to know it was more of a Brian Wilson album than a Beach Boys album." He said the conflicts were resolved when his bandmates "figured that it was a showcase for Brian Wilson, but it's still the Beach Boys. In other words, they gave in. They let me have my little stint."

Recording

Backing tracks

With the exception of three tracks, Pet Sounds was recorded from January 18 to April 13, 1966, and spanned 27 session dates. Instrumental sessions were conducted at Western Studio 3 of United Western Recorders, except for a few tracks that were recorded at Gold Star Studios and Sunset Sound Recorders. Wilson produced the sessions with his usual engineer, Western's Chuck Britz. Although Phil Spector created all of his recordings at Gold Star, Wilson preferred working at Western for the studio's privacy and for the presence of Britz.

For the backing tracks, Wilson used an ensemble that included the classically trained session musicians frequently employed on Spector's records, a group later nicknamed "the Wrecking Crew". Wilson had been employing the services of session musicians due to the increasingly complex nature of his arrangements and because his bandmates were often away playing concerts. Carl, who had occasionally played guitar alongside these musicians at Brian's sessions, commented that his contributions were not as significant as before and that "It really wasn't appropriate for us to play on those dates—the tracking just got beyond us."

Wilson said that he "was sort of a square" with his musicians, starting his creative process with how each instrument sounded one-by-one, moving from keyboards, drums, then violins if they were not overdubbed. A backing track session would last for three hours at minimum. Britz remembered how most of the time was spent perfecting individual sounds: " knew basically every instrument he wanted to hear, and how he wanted to hear it. What he would do is call in all the musicians at one time (which was very costly), but still, that's the way he would do it."

Although Wilson often had entire arrangements worked out in his head, they were usually written in a shorthand form for the other players by one of his session musicians. He also took advice and suggestions from his musicians and even incorporated apparent mistakes if they provided a useful or interesting alternative. Session drummer Hal Blaine stated, "Everyone helped arrange, as far as I'm concerned." On notation and arranging, Wilson explained: "Sometimes I'd just write out a chord sheet and that would be for piano, organ, or harpsichord or anything. ... I wrote out all the horn charts separate from the keyboards. I wrote one basic keyboard chart, violins, horns, and basses, and percussion."

Discussing Spector's Wall of Sound technique, Wilson identified the tack piano and organ mix in "I Know There's an Answer" as one example of himself applying the method. Compared to Spector, Brian produced tracks that were of greater technical complexity by using state-of-the-art four-track and eight-track recorders. Most backing tracks were recorded onto a Scully four-track 288 tape recorder before being later dubbed down (in mono) onto one track of an eight-track machine. Wilson typically divided instruments by three tracks: drums–percussion–keyboard, horns, and bass–additional percussion–guitar. The fourth track usually contained a rough reference mix used during playback at the session, later to be erased for overdubs such as a string section. "Once he had what he wanted," Britz said, "I would give Brian a 7-1/2 IPS copy of the track, and he would take it home."

Vocal overdubs

Vocal overdubs were tracked at Western and CBS Columbia Square. The Beach Boys rarely knew their parts before arriving in the studio. Britz: "Most of the time, they were never ready to sing. They would rehearse in the studio. Actually, there was no such thing as rehearsal. They'd get on mike right off the bat, practically, and start singing." According to Jardine, each member was taught their individual vocal lines by Brian at a piano. He explains, "Every night we'd come in for a playback. We'd sit around and listen to what we did the night before. Someone might say, well, that's pretty good but we can do that better."

This process proved to be the most exacting work the group had undertaken yet. During recording, Mike Love often called Brian "dog ears", a nickname referencing a canine's ability to detect sounds far beyond the limits of human hearing. Love later summarized:

We worked and worked on the harmonies and, if there was the slightest little hint of a sharp or a flat, it wouldn't go on. We would do it over again until it was right. was going for every subtle nuance that you could conceivably think of. Every voice had to be right, every voice and its resonance and tonality had to be right. The timing had to be right. The timbre of the voices just had to be correct, according to how he felt. And then he might, the next day, completely throw that out and we might have to do it over again.

For microphones, they used two Neumann U-47s for Dennis, Carl and Jardine and a Shure 545 for Brian's leads. Love sang most of the album's bass vocals, and necessitated an extra microphone due to his low volume range. By the time of Pet Sounds, Wilson was using up to six of the eight tracks on the multitrack master so that he could record the voice of each member separately, allowing him greater control over the vocal balance in the final mix. After mixing down the four-track to mono for overdubbing via an eight-track recorder, six of the remaining seven tracks were usually dedicated to each of the Beach Boys' vocals. The last track was usually reserved for additional elements such as extra vocals or instrumentation. The vocals for five of the album's songs were recorded at Columbia because it was the only facility in Los Angeles with an eight-track recorder.

Effects and mixdown

Similar to subsequent experimental rock LPs by the Beatles, Frank Zappa, and the Who, Pet Sounds featured countertextural aspects that called attention to the very recordedness of the album. Tape effects were limited to slapback echo and reverb. Archivist Mark Linett notes: "to my ears, it sounds more like the plate rather than chambers. It should be mentioned that you get a significantly different sound from a chamber when you record it 'live' as opposed to doing it off tape, and one reason these records sound the way they do is that the reverb was being printed as part of the recording – unlike today where we'll record 'dry' and add the effects later." One of Wilson's favorite techniques was to apply reverb exclusively to a timpani, as can be heard in "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "You Still Believe in Me", and "Don't Talk".

It was full of noise. You could hear him talking in the background. It was real sloppy. He had spent all this time making the album, and zip—dubbed it down in one day or something like that. he took it back and mixed it properly. I think a lot of times, beautiful orchestrated stuff or parts got lost in his mixes.

—Saxophonist Steve Douglas recalling the album's draft mix

On April 13, 1966, the album's final vocal overdubbing session, for "Here Today", concluded a ten-month-long recording period that had begun with "Sloop John B" in July 1965. The album was mixed three days later in a single nine-hour session. Most of the session was spent mixing down the vocals to fit with the instrumentals, which had already been locked into one mono track. The album's original mono master ultimately featured many technical flaws that contrast the refined arrangements and performances. One of the most prominent examples occurs in "Wouldn't It Be Nice", where an audible tape splice is heard between the chorus and Mike Love's vocal entrance in the bridge. A similar anomaly is heard in the instrumental break of "Here Today", where a distant conversation was accidentally captured during a vocal overdub. In David Leaf's view, "It's not sloppy recording, it's part of the music."

A true stereophonic mix of Pet Sounds was not considered in 1966 largely because of mixing logistics. In spite of whether a true stereo mix was possible, Wilson intentionally mixed the final version of his recordings in mono (as did Spector). He did this because he felt that mono mastering provided more sonic control over the final result, irrespective of the vagaries of speaker placement and sound system quality. Another and more personal reason for Brian's preference for mono was his almost total deafness in his right ear. At the end, the total cost of production amounted to a then-unheard of $70,000 (equivalent to $660,000 in 2023).

Songs

Side one

"Wouldn't It Be Nice"

Intro of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" introduces the album with a sound described by journalist Nick Kent as "limpid harps imitating a teenage heartstrings in a tug of love".

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"Wouldn't It Be Nice" describes a young couple fantasizing about the romantic freedom they would earn as adults. Asher said that it was the only song on the album in which he wrote words to a melody that Brian had already finalized. The group's vocal performance took longer to record than any other track on the album, as Wilson's bandmates struggled to sing the multiple vocal parts to his satisfaction.

"You Still Believe in Me"

"You Still Believe in Me" contains the first expression of introspective themes that pervade the rest of the album. The lyric discusses a narrator who, while acknowledging their irresponsible behavior and unfaithfulness, is impressed by the unwavering loyalty of their lover. In Wilson's words, the song was about a man who feels free to express his love for people from the perspective of a girl. Wilson and Asher created the song's ethereal intro by plucking a piano's strings with a bobby pin.

"That's Not Me"

"That's Not Me" contains multiple key modulations and mood shifts and is the track that most closely resembles a conventional rock song. The lyric illustrates a young man in his path toward self-discovery, with the realization that he is better living with a lover than pursuing a life of solitude in service to his dream. It is the only track on the album where most of the instrumentation was played by the band members themselves.

"Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)"

"Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)" is among the most harmonically complex songs that Wilson ever wrote. The subject matter involves non-verbal communication between lovers. According to Asher, "It's strange to sit down and write a song about not talking ... but we managed to do it".

"I'm Waiting for the Day"

"I'm Waiting for the Day" features jazz chords, a doo-wop progression, timpani blasts, English horn, flutes, and a string section interlude. Carl Wilson praised the arrangement, saying, "The intro is very big, then it gets quite small with the vocal in the verse with a little instrumentation and then, in the chorus, it gets very big again, with the background harmonies against the lead. It is perhaps one of the most dynamic moments in the album."

Lyrically, it is about a boy who falls in love with a broken-hearted girl who is reluctant to commit herself to another relationship. The song was copyrighted by Brian as a solo composition in February 1964, indicating that it predated the album's sessions by some years. It was co-credited to Love, who made a minor adjustment to Wilson's lyrics.

"Let's Go Away for Awhile"

"Let's Go Away for Awhile" is an instrumental that features 12 violins, piano, four saxophones, oboe, vibraphones, and a Coca-Cola bottle used as a guitar slide. In 1966, Wilson considered the track to be "the finest piece of art" he had made up to that point, and said that every component of its production "worked perfectly".

"Sloop John B"

At the suggestion of Al Jardine, Wilson arranged a version of "Sloop John B", a traditional Caribbean folk song that Jardine had learned from listening to the Kingston Trio. His arrangement blended rock and marching band instrumentation with the use of flutes, glockenspiel, baritone saxophone, bass, guitar, and drums. Jardine likened the result to John Philip Sousa. Wilson elected to change the original lyrics from "this is the worst trip since I've been born" to "this is the worst trip I've ever been on". This may have been done as a deliberate reference to acid trips.

Brian included "Sloop John B" on Pet Sounds to appease Capitol Records, who had expected "Sloop John B" to be a hit single and wanted to capitalize on its success by including the track on Pet Sounds. The song is often said to disrupt the album's lyrical flow, as Fusilli explains: "It's anything but a reflective love song, a stark confession or a tentative statement of independence like the other songs on the album. And it's the only song on Pet Sounds Brian didn't write."

Fusilli posits that the track fits musically with the album, citing the track's chiming guitars, doubletracked basses, and staccato rhythms. Noting that a sense of self-doubt, concern for the future of a relationship, and melancholy pervades Pet Sounds, Perone says the song successfully portrays a sailor who feels "completely out of place in his situation", a quality that is "fully in keeping with the general feeling of disorientation that runs through so many of the songs." DeRogatis agreed, citing the key lyric "I want to go home", which reflects other songs themed around an escape to somewhere peaceful — namely, "Let's Go Away for Awhile" and "Caroline, No".

Side two

"God Only Knows"

Bridge of "God Only Knows" For the basic rhythmic feel of "God Only Knows", harpsichord, piano with slapback echo, sleigh bells, and strings were all blended together. Lambert describes the song as the album's "musical high point".

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"God Only Knows" is often praised as one of the greatest songs ever written. Wilson reflected: "I think Tony had a musical influence on me somehow. After about ten years, I started thinking about it deeper ... because I had never written that kind of song. And I remember him talking about 'Stella by Starlight' and he had a certain love for classic songs." The musical structure contains an ambiguous tonal center and non-diatonic chords. According to musicologist Stephen Downes, this quality made the song innovative not just in pop music, but also for the Baroque style it is emulating.

"I Know There's an Answer"

"I Know There's an Answer", originally titled "Hang On to Your Ego", portrays someone who hesitates to tell people the way that they live could be better. The lyrics created a stir within the group due to its references to drug culture. Schwartz, who introduced Wilson to LSD, recounted that Wilson had "had the full-on ego death. It was a beautiful thing." In 1999, Wilson explained that the original chorus line had "an inappropriate lyric. ... I just thought that to say 'Hang on to your ego' was an ego statement in and of itself, which I wasn't going for, so I changed it. I gave it a lot of thought." The song features a bass harmonica solo played by session musician Tommy Morgan.

"Here Today"

"Here Today" is told from the perspective of an ex-boyfriend narrator who warns the listener of the inevitable heartbreak that will result from a newfound love. The track was an experiment in basslines, as Brian recalled, "I wanted to conceive the idea of a bass guitar playing an octave higher than regular, and showcase it as the principal instrument on the track." Asher said, "'Here Today' contains a little more of me both lyrically and melodically than Brian." Perone noted that the high-pitched electric bass guitar brings to mind similar parts in "God Only Knows", culminating in what sounds like the vocal protagonist of "Here Today" warning the protagonist of "God Only Knows" that what he sings stands no chance at longevity.

"I Just Wasn't Made for These Times"

"I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" features lyrics about feeling alienated by society. Brian said: "It's about a guy who was crying because he thought he was too advanced, and that he'd eventually have to leave people behind. All my friends thought I was crazy to do Pet Sounds." For the track, he employed harpsichord, tack piano, flutes, temple blocks, timpani, banjo, harmonica, Fender bass, and most unusually, an Electro-Theremin performed by the instrument's inventor Paul Tanner. According to Lambert, the strongest musical indication of Wilson's progressive vision for the album is heard in the cumulative vocal layering in the chorus, with each line sung by Wilson via overdubs.

"Pet Sounds"

Intro of "Pet Sounds" A Leslie speaker was used to filter lead guitar for the title track "Pet Sounds". Other quirks from this recording include Coca-Cola cans and a güiro as percussion.

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"Run, James, Run" was the working title for the instrumental "Pet Sounds", the suggestion being that it would be offered for use in a James Bond movie. According to Perone, the track represents the Beach Boys' surf heritage more than any other track on the album with its emphasis on lead guitar, however, it is not truly a surf composition due to the elaborate arrangement involving countless auxiliary percussion parts, abruptly changing textures, and de-emphasis of a traditional rock band drum set. Lambert describes the track as a "musical synopsis" of the album's "primary musical themes" that functions as a respite for the narrator following the realizations of "Here Today".

"Caroline, No"

"Caroline, No" is about the loss of innocence. Asher conceived the title as "Carol, I Know". When spoken, however, Brian heard this as "Caroline, No", which Asher thought was "a much stronger and more interesting line than the one I had in mind." Brian considered the song "probably the best I've ever written", summarizing, "It's a pretty love song about how this guy and this girl lost it and there's no way to get it back. I just felt sad, so I wrote a sad song." The track is introduced by the sound of a plastic Sparkletts water cooler jug being hit with a hard percussion mallet. As the song fades, it segues into a recorded excerpt of Brian's dogs barking accompanied by a sample of passing trains taken from the 1963 sound effects LP Mister D's Machine.

Leftover material

"The Little Girl I Once Knew"

"The Little Girl I Once Knew", which may be considered part of the Pet Sounds sessions, was not included on the album. Writer Neal Umphred speculated that the song might have been considered for the LP and would have probably been included had the single been more commercially successful.

Instrumentals

On October 15, 1965, Wilson went to the studio with a 43-piece orchestra to record an instrumental piece entitled "Three Blind Mice", which bore no musical connection to the nursery rhyme of the same name. On the same day, he recorded instrumental versions of the standards "How Deep Is the Ocean" and "Stella by Starlight". According to Leaf, it was a coincidence that the latter turned out to be a favorite of Asher's. Biographer Mark Dillon surmised that these recordings were never meant for release, and that they were merely experimental exercises in recording orchestras, possibly in anticipation for the string ensemble required for "Don't Talk".

Another instrumental, "Trombone Dixie", was recorded on November 1. According to Wilson, "I was just foolin' around one day, fuckin' around with the musicians, and I took that arrangement out of my briefcase and we did it in 20 minutes. It was nothing, there was really nothing in it." It was released as a bonus track on the album's 1990 CD reissue.

"Good Vibrations"

In February and March 1966, Wilson began recording an unfinished song he wrote with Asher, "Good Vibrations", between sessions for "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" and "God Only Knows". Asher recalled that the song was conceived in response to Capitol's demand for a new single. Brian ultimately delivered "Sloop John B" to the label instead, and to the band's disappointment, chose not to include "Good Vibrations" on the album. The track was replaced by "Pet Sounds" as indicated by a Capitol Records memo dated March 3. Johnston and Jardine later expressed regrets with Wilson's decision, as they felt that including "Good Vibrations" would have bolstered the sales of Pet Sounds. However, the song was not released until October, albeit in a drastically different form. Wilson's bandmates prevailed against him to include "Good Vibrations" on their next album, Smiley Smile, (1967), after it had been previously slated for their unfinished album, Smile.

Other recordings

In late 1965, Wilson devoted some Pet Sounds sessions to experimental indulgences such as an extended a cappella run-through of the children's song "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" that exploited the song's use of rounds. Granata called the piece "very low-key and relatively simple", but an "effectively lavish layer of recorded vocal harmonies". Humorous skits and sound effects were also recorded in an attempt to create a psychedelic comedy album. At least two sketches survive, "Dick" and "Fuzz", which feature Brian, a woman named Carol, and the Honeys, a girl group that included Marilyn. These recordings remain unreleased.

"Dick" involves an exchange between Brian and Carol: "What's long and thin and full of skin and heaven knows how many holes it's been in?" "Dick?" "No, a worm." The participants then burst into forced laughter. According to documentarian Keith Badman, "Just as with his music, Brian insists on perfection for 'Dick' and further takes are made by Carol to tell the joke." "Fuzz" involves a similar joke: "What's black and white and has fuzz inside?" "A lorry?" "A police car." Carol then asks Wilson if he has hemorrhoids: "No." "Well let me shake your hand." "Why?" "It's really great knowing a perfect asshole."

Sleeve design

The front sleeve depicts a snapshot of the band – from left, they are Carl, Brian, and Dennis Wilson; Mike Love; and Al Jardine – feeding pieces of apples to seven goats at the San Diego Zoo while dressed in coats and sweaters. A green band header announces the titles of the artist, album, and each track on the LP, partly written in the Cooper Black typeface. Bruce Johnston, who joined the band as an unofficial member one year earlier, does not appear on the front cover due to contractual restraints from Columbia Records. On the reverse side, the sleeve contained a montage of monochrome photos depicting the touring band on-stage and posing in samurai outfits during their tour of Japan, as well as two photos of Brian.

Jardine expressed disappointment with the zoo photo and said he had "wanted a more sensitive and enlightening cover." Johnston referred to it as the "worst cover in the history of the record business", while author and biographer Peter Ames Carlin opined that the backside of the LP was "perhaps an even worse design idea than the goat shot". Author Peter Doggett writes that the design was at odds with the increasingly sophisticated cover portraits used on releases by artists such as the Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones over 1965–67. He highlights it as "a warning of what could happen when music and image parted company: songs of high romanticism, an album cover of stark banality."

Title and cover photo

Writing in his memoir, Love said that Capitol planned the cover shoot after the company had conceived the would-be album title Our Freaky Friends, with the animals representing the group's "freaky friends". When questioned about the cover in 2016, Wilson could not recall who thought of going to the zoo. Jardine remembered that the Pet Sounds title had already been decided, and that until arriving to the photo shoot, he thought that "pet" referred to slang for making out ("petting"). He credited Capitol's art department with the idea. Some sources claim that Remember the Zoo was another working title, but the name was actually part of a hoax that had originated from a Beach Boys fanzine in the 1990s.

External videos
The Beach Boys Pet Sounds Shoot at San Diego Zoo 1966 on YouTube

The cover photo was taken on February 10, 1966, by photographer George Jerman. Local reporters from KFMB-TV filmed the shoot. According to a contemporary report by the San Diego Union, the group "came down from Hollywood to take a cover picture for their forthcoming album Our Freaky Friends. ... Zoo officials were not keen about having their beloved beasts connected with the title of the album, but gave in when the Beach Boys explained that animals are an 'in' thing with teenagers. And that the Beach Boys were rushing to beat the rock and roll group called The Animals." The group was subsequently banned from the zoo, as the staff had accused them of mishandling the animals. Johnston said, "The goats were horrible! ... The zoo said we were torturing the animals but they should have seen what we had to go through. We were doing all the suffering."

A taped conversation from the March 1966 dog barking session for "Caroline, No" reveals that Brian considered photographing a horse belonging to Carl in Western Studio 3 for the album cover. Wilson told biographer Byron Preiss that the album was named "after the dogs ... That was the whole idea". Love credited himself with titling the album Pet Sounds, a claim supported by Wilson and Jardine in a 2016 interview. In 1996, Love recalled that he came up with the name while he and his bandmates were standing in the hallway of Western or Columbia studio. He said, "we didn't have a title. ... We had taken pictures at the zoo and ... there were animal sounds on the record, and we were thinking, well, it's our favorite music of that time, so I said, 'Why don't we call it Pet Sounds?'" Wilson subsequently consulted Asher, who did not have a favorable reaction to the album's title, thinking that the name had "trivialized what we had accomplished".

In the 1990s, Brian credited Carl with the title. Carl said with uncertainty that the name might have come from Brian: "The idea he had was that everybody has these sounds that they love, and this was a collection of his 'pet sounds.' It was hard to think of a name for the album, because you sure couldn't call it Shut Down Vol. 3." Brian commented that the title was a "tribute" to Spector by matching his initials (PS). Wilson's 1991 memoir, Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story, writes that the title was inspired by Love asking "Who's gonna hear this shit? The ears of a dog?" Asked about this quote in a 2016 interview, Love denied having said it.

Release

Rebranded image

Personally, I think the group has evolved another 800 per cent in the last year. We have a more conscious, arty production now that's more polished. It's all been like an explosion for us. ... it's like I'm in the golden age of what it's all about.

—Brian Wilson to Melody Maker, March 1966

In March 1966, the Beach Boys hired Nick Grillo as their personal manager following a move from Cummins & Currant to Julius Lefkowitz & Company. The band also recruited Derek Taylor, former press officer for the Beatles, as their publicist. According to Carl Wilson, although the band were aware that trends and the music industry were shifting, "Capitol had a very set picture" of the group that remained incongruous with how they wished to present themselves.

For updating the band's image with firsthand accounts of their latest activities, Taylor's prestige was crucial in offering a credible perspective to those outside Wilson's inner circle. Taylor said he was hired to take the band to "a new plateau", and to that end, he invented the tagline "Brian Wilson is a genius".

United States Capitol release

This section is missing information about audits revealing that Capitol had significantly under-reported the sales of Beach Boys albums, including Pet Sounds, which prevented it from being certified gold until decades after the fact.. Please expand the section to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page. (May 2022)

On March 7, the single "Caroline No" (B-side "Summer Means New Love"), was released as Wilson's solo debut, leading to speculation that he was considering leaving the band. The single peaked at number 32 during a seven-week stay. On March 21, "Sloop John B" (B-side "You're So Good to Me") was released as a single, credited to the Beach Boys, and reached number 3. After Pet Sounds was assembled, Brian brought a complete acetate to Marilyn, who remembered, "It was so beautiful, one of the most spiritual times of my whole life. We both cried. Right after we listened to it, he said he was scared that nobody was going to like it. That it was too intricate." Capitol executives were less impressed and discussed plans to scrap the album when they heard it. Following several meetings – the last of which had Brian appearing with a tape recorder and responding to their questions with eight pre-recorded responses – Capitol accepted the album as the Beach Boys' next LP.

Pet Sounds was released on May 16 and debuted on the Billboard charts at 106. It sold 200,000 copies shortly thereafter. Compared to their previous albums in the US, Pet Sounds achieved somewhat less commercial success, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard LP chart, on July 2, during a ten-month stay. Although total sales were estimated at 500,000 units, Pet Sounds was not initially awarded gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) – a first for the group since 1963.

For the album's promotion in the US, Capitol ran full-page advertisements in Billboard that did not distinguish the record from earlier Beach Boys offerings and relied on the group's familiar public image instead of rebranding. This was also true for the promotional spots that were recorded by the Beach Boys themselves and disseminated to radio stations. Like they had done for previous spots, the members performed a comedy skit without any indication of what the record they were promoting sounded like. Instead, they relied on their name recognition. Johnston blamed Capitol for the album's underwhelming sales and alleged that the label did not promote the album as heavily as previous releases. Carl shared this view and said that Capitol did not feel a need to promote the band since they were getting so much airplay. Others assumed that the label considered the album a risk, appealing more to an older demographic than the younger, female audience the Beach Boys built their commercial standing on.

Within two months, Capitol assembled the group's first greatest hits compilation, Best of the Beach Boys, which was quickly certified gold by the RIAA. Capitol A&R director Karl Engemann theorized that because the marketing department "didn't believe that Pet Sounds was going to do that well, they were probably looking for some additional volume in that quarter." There were reports that when record shops ordered copies of Pet Sounds, they instead received Best Of. On July 18, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (B-side "God Only Knows") was released as a single, peaking at number 8 on September 2. Billboard ultimately ranked the album at number 43 on its "Top Pop Albums of 1966" list.

United Kingdom EMI release

In the UK, the band had little commercial success until March 1966, when "Barbara Ann" and Beach Boys Party! rose to number 2 on the nation's respective Record Retailer charts. In April, two singles were released: "Caroline, No" (no chart showing) and "Sloop John B" (number 2). In response to the band's growing popularity among the British, two music videos were filmed set to "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows" for the UK's Top of the Pops, both directed by Taylor. The "Sloop John B" video premiered on April 28.

EMI planned to release the record in November to coincide with the band's tour of Britain. From May 16 to 21, Johnston and Taylor holidayed at central London's Waldorf Hotel with the intention of promoting the album around local music scenes. Thanks to the connections of London-based producer Kim Fowley, a number of musicians, journalists, and other guests (including John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Keith Moon) gathered in their hotel suite to listen to repeated playbacks of the album. Fowley said that they had arranged "a horde of press, so it looked like the Beatles had just arrived at La Guardia airport in 1964. Bruce Johnston was like Jesus Christ in tennis shoes, and Pet Sounds represented the Ten Commandments." Moon himself involved Johnston by helping him gain coverage in British television circuits, and connecting him with Lennon and McCartney.

Due to popular demand, EMI rush-released Pet Sounds on June 27. It peaked at number 2, and remained in the top-ten positions for six months. Taylor is widely recognized as having been instrumental in this success, due to his longstanding connections with the Beatles and other industry figures in the UK. The music press there carried advertisements saying that Pet Sounds was "The Most Progressive Pop Album Ever!" According to Carlin, Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, who was also the Beach Boys' publisher in England, took out a full-page advertisement in Melody Maker in which he lauded Pet Sounds as "the greatest album ever made". On July 22, "God Only Knows" (B-side "Wouldn't It Be Nice") was released as the third UK single, peaking at number 2.

Pet Sounds was one of the five bestselling UK albums of 1966. In response to the success of the Beach Boys' singles "Barbara Ann", "Sloop John B." and "God Only Knows", EMI flooded the market with other albums by the band, including Party!, Today! and Summer Days. In addition, Best of the Beach Boys was number 2 there for five weeks through to the end of the year. The Beach Boys became the strongest selling album act in the UK for the final quarter of 1966, dethroning the three-year reign of native bands such as the Beatles.

Contemporary reviews

Early reviews for the album in the U.S. ranged from negative to tentatively positive. Billboard's terse review, published uncharacteristically late, called it an "exciting, well-produced LP" with "two superb instrumental cuts" and highlighted the "strong single potential" of "Wouldn't It Be Nice". Biographer David Leaf wrote in 1978 that the album received "scattered" instances of praise from American reviewers; the group's fans initially considered Pet Sounds too challenging and "quickly passed the word to 'stay away from the new Beach Boys album, it's weird.'"

By contrast, the reception from music journalists in the UK was highly favorable due in part to the promotional efforts of Taylor, Johnston, and Fowley. Rolling Stone founding editor Jann Wenner later recalled that fans in the UK identified the Beach Boys as being "years ahead" of the Beatles and declared Wilson a "genius" Penny Valentine of Disc and Music Echo admired Pet Sounds as "Thirteen tracks of Brian Wilson genius ... The whole LP is far more romantic than the usual Beach Boys jollity: sad little wistful songs about lost love and found love and all-around love." Writing in Record Mirror, Norman Jopling reported that the LP had been "widely praised" and subjected to "no criticism". He prefaced his review as "unbiased" and wrote that his only "real complaint" with the album was the "terribly complicated and cluttered" arrangements. Jopling predicted: "It will probably make their present fans like them even more, but it's doubtful whether it will make them any new ones." A reviewer in Disc and Music Echo disagreed: "this should gain them thousands of new fans. Instrumentally ambitious, if vocally over-pretty, Pet Sounds has brilliantly tapped the pulse of the musical times. ... A superb, important and really exciting collection from the group whose recording career so far has been a bit of a hotchpotch."

Melody Maker ran a feature in which many pop musicians were asked whether they believed that the album was truly revolutionary and progressive or "as sickly as peanut butter". The author concluded that "the record's impact on artists and the men behind the artists has been considerable." Among the musicians contributing to the 1966 Melody Maker survey: Spencer Davis of the Spencer Davis Group said: "Brian Wilson is a great record producer. I haven't spent much time listening to the Beach Boys before, but I'm a fan now and I just want to listen to this LP again and again." Then a member of Cream, Eric Clapton reported that everyone in his band loved the album, adding that Wilson was "without doubt a pop genius". Andrew Loog Oldham told the magazine: "I think that Pet Sounds is the most progressive album of the year in as much as Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade was. It's the pop equivalent of that, a complete exercise in pop music."

Three of the nine people who are quoted in the Melody Maker survey (Keith Moon, Manfred Mann's Mike d'Abo, and the Walker Brothers' Scott Walker) did not agree that the album was revolutionary. D'Abo and Walker favored the Beach Boys' earlier work, as did journalist and television presenter Barry Fantoni, who expressed a preference for Beach Boys' Today! and stated that Pet Sounds was "probably revolutionary, but I'm not sure that everything that's revolutionary is necessarily good". Pete Townshend of the Who opined that "the Beach Boys new material is too remote and way out. It's written for a feminine audience."

In other issues of Melody Maker, Rolling Stones member Mick Jagger stated that he disliked the songs but enjoyed the record and its harmonies, while John Lennon said that Wilson was "doing some very great things". At the end of 1966, the magazine crowned Pet Sounds and the Beatles' Revolver as the joint "Pop Album of the Year". The paper's spokesman wrote, "We argued, argued and argued and still the MM pop panel couldn't agree which was the Pop Album of the Year. The voting was evenly divided ... Cups of coffee were drunk and sheets of paper were torn up before we finally agreed to compromise and vote for both The Beatles and Beach Boys on top."

Aftermath and spiritual successors

Wilson later said that despite the positive reception afforded to the album in Britain, he felt deeply hurt when Pet Sounds did not sell as highly as he expected and interpreted the poor sales as the public's rejection of his artistry. Marilyn supported that the lackluster response "really destroyed Brian" before adding: "He just lost a lot of faith in people and music. ... then when people would talk about it later, tell him how great it was, even if it was just a year later, he didn't want to hear about it. It reminded him of failing. And then he was more tortured." Carl remembered Brian's disappointment and said that the album was "so much more than a record ... it was like going to church and a labor of love."

Asher had a different recollection, saying that neither he nor Brian had valued Pet Sounds as a "masterpiece" at the time. He explained, "I was more impressed by the production really. To me it was just a great album, and ... a chance to show some people like my parents, and the guys at the advertising company, that rock music could be ... a mature medium." Taylor recalled in 1975 that Wilson was unperturbed by the album's poor sales and had been more preoccupied with besting his rivals – namely, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones – on an artistic front.

In mid-1966, Brian began writing songs with lyricist Van Dyke Parks for a new album, Smile, that was never finished but would have included "Good Vibrations". Wilson touted the album as a "teenage symphony to God" that would have surpassed Pet Sounds. During the project's sessions, Wilson revisited the idea of a psychedelic comedy album, previously explored with the "Dick" and "Fuzz" outtakes from Pet Sounds. In October, "Good Vibrations" was issued as a single and became an immediate worldwide hit.

As Wilson's mental health deteriorated, his involvement with the Beach Boys reduced, and the group instead released follow-up records that were less ambitious and largely ignored by critics. Wilson referred to the band's 1968 release Friends as his second "solo album", following Pet Sounds. It was a commercial failure and, in the words of a Mojo writer, caused the band's fanbase to lose "any hope that Brian Wilson would deliver a true successor to ".

The 1977 album The Beach Boys Love You saw Wilson's brief reemergence as the group's principal songwriter and singer. Wilson regarded Love You as a spiritual successor to Pet Sounds, namely because of the autobiographical lyrics. In 1988, Wilson released his first solo album, Brian Wilson, which was an attempt to recapture the sensibilities of Pet Sounds, such that co-producer Russ Titelman touted the album as Pet Sounds '88. It included "Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long", a sequel to "Caroline, No".

The Beach Boys, accompanied by Timothy B. Schmit, re-recorded "Caroline, No" with a new multi-part vocal arrangement for the 1996 album Stars and Stripes Vol. 1. Shortly after that album, there were tentative plans for what biographer Mark Dillon nicknamed "Pet Sounds, Vol. 2", an album that would have involved the band teaming with Sean O'Hagan, leader of the avant-pop band the High Llamas. Although many record companies expressed interest in the project, it never progressed past the planning stages. In the late 1990s, Wilson and Asher rekindled their writing partnership and wrote at least four songs together. Only two were released: "This Isn't Love" and "Everything I Need".

Retrospective assessments

Descent into obscurity

was a genius who never received his just acclaim, and it's possible that he never will. The main reason for this is absurdly simple: ... Just as it was settling nicely into its position as the world's number one popular music record, the far more fashionable Beatles released Sgt Pepper, and Pet Sounds was forgotten, just like that.

—Melody Maker journalist Richard Williams, 1971

Pet Sounds was not nominated for the 1967 Grammy Awards. In his 1969 Pop Chronicles series, John Gilliland stated that the album was almost overshadowed by Revolver, released August 1966, and that "a lot people failed to realize that Brian Wilson's production was as unique in its own way as the Beatles'". In his 1971 reappraisal of the Beach Boys for Melody Maker, Richard Williams wrote that although Pet Sounds had "defied criticism" and "dwarfed all the rest of pop music put together", whatever continued recognition Wilson would have received was immediately diverted to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released 12 months after Pet Sounds.

Geoffrey Cannon wrote in his late 1967 column for Listener that the group were "lesser than the Beatles" chiefly due to a lack of "emotional range; all their ballads, in evidence especially on Pet Sounds, are juvenile or specious. And none of their albums makes a collective statement." Writing in Jazz & Pop magazine in 1968, Gene Sculatti recognized the album's debt to Rubber Soul, saying that Pet Sounds was "revolutionary only within the confines of the Beach Boys' music", although later in the piece he commented: "Pet Sounds was a final statement of an era and a prophecy that sweeping changes lay ahead."

According to author Johnny Morgan, a "process of reevaluation" of Pet Sounds was underway from the late 1960s onward, with a 1976 NME feature proving especially influential. Ben Edmonds of Circus wrote in 1971 that the "beauty" of Pet Sounds had aged well against "the turbulence of the past few years", adding that "many consider it not only the Beach Boys' finest achievement, but a milestone in the progression of contemporary rock as well." In a 1972 review for Rolling Stone, Stephen Davis called Pet Sounds "by far" Brian Wilson's best album and said that its "trenchant cycle of love songs has the emotional impact of a shatteringly evocative novel". He argued that the album had changed "the course of popular music" and "a few lives in the bargain ... nobody was prepared for anything so soulful, so lovely, something one had to think about so much." Melody Maker's Josh Ingham said in 1973 that the album was "ignored by the public" but inspired many critics to label Wilson a genius, "not least for being a year ahead of Sgt Pepper in thinking." Ingham concluded that, "With hindsight, of course, Pet Sounds has become the classic album."

After 1974, Pet Sounds went out-of-print. In Granata's description, the album subsequently "fell into obscurity" and was "relegated to the cutout bins" for decades. Sociomusicologist Simon Frith wrote in 1981 that Pet Sounds continued to be largely regarded by "the music world" as a "'weird' record". Writing in the first edition of The Rolling Stone Record Guide (1979), Dave Marsh gave the album four stars (out of a possible five) and described it as a "powerful, but spotty" collection on which the least experimental songs proved to be the best. In 1985, he wrote that the album was now considered a "classic", elaborating: "Pet Sounds wasn't a commercial flop, but it did signal that the group was losing contact with its listeners (a charge that could not be leveled against the Beatles during the same period)". Granata offered that, by the time the album reappeared on compact disc in 1990, it was "embraced by hard-core fanatics" yet "still considered an insider's record—a quasi-cult classic".

Ascendance to universal acclaim

Professional ratings
(1990s–2000s)

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Blender
Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Tribune
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Entertainment Weekly	A+
Q
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Slant Magazine

Pet Sounds has since appeared in many "greatest records of all time" lists and has provoked extensive discourse regarding its musicianship and production. By the 1990s, three British critics' polls had featured the LP at or near the top of their lists. Those who deemed it "the greatest album of all time" included the writing staffs of NME, The Times, and Uncut. In 1994, Pet Sounds was voted number 3 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums, a book which surveyed the general public alongside hundreds of critics, musicians, record producers, songwriters, radio broadcasters, and music enthusiasts.

In 1998, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences inducted Pet Sounds into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Paul Williams, writing in 1998, declared that the record was now universally regarded as a 20th-century "classic" comparable to James Joyce's Ulysses, Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Pablo Picasso's Guernica. Historian Michael Roberts states that "the album's induction into the canon of popular music" had arguably followed the release of its 1997 expanded reissue, The Pet Sounds Sessions. In Music USA: The Rough Guide (1999), Richie Unterberger and Samb Hicks deemed the album a "quantum leap" from the Beach Boys' earlier material, and "the most gorgeous arrangements ever to grace a rock record".

In 2004, Pet Sounds was preserved in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." By 2006, more than 100 domestic and international publications and journalists had lauded Pet Sounds as one of the greatest albums ever recorded. In Chris Smith's 2009 book 101 Albums That Changed Popular Music, Pet Sounds is evaluated as "one of the most innovative recordings in rock" and as the work that "elevated Brian Wilson from talented bandleader to studio genius".

Music historian Luis Sanchez viewed the album as "the score to a film about what rock music doesn't have to be. For all of its inward-looking sentimentalism, it lays out in a masterful way the kind of glow and sui generis vision that Brian aimed to expand in a radical way with Smile." Music critic Tim Sommer, referencing other albums that are often labeled "masterpieces", such as Thick as a Brick (1972), The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), and OK Computer (1997), commented that "only Pet Sounds is written from the teen or adolescent point of view." It has been viewed by some writers as the best pop rock album of all time, including Sommer, who deemed it "the greatest album of all time, probably by about 20 or 30 lengths".

Totemic status

In 2000, Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber gave Pet Sounds' then-latest reissue a 7.5 (out of 10) and decreed that while Pet Sounds had been "groundbreaking enough to permanantly [sic] alter the course of music", its "straight-forward pop music" had become "passe and cliched", especially when compared to Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, and Radiohead's OK Computer. For the album's 40th Anniversary edition, Pitchfork ran another review, this time written by Dominique Leone, who awarded the album a 9.4 score. Leone opined that the work had aged well and deserved its continued praise, although he preferred the band's post-Pet Sounds recordings. He wrote:

wo or three generations of music fans will secretly believe you have no soul if you don't announce your allegiance to it ... "Influence" is a loaded concept here ... Certainly, regardless of what I write here, the impact and "influence" of the record will have been in turn hardly influenced at all. I can't even get my dad to talk about Pet Sounds anymore. ... Very famous people waste no time in offering testimonials to Pet Sounds' greatness ... The hymnal aspect of many of these songs seems no less pronounced, and the general air of deeply heartfelt love, graciousness and the uncertainty that any of it will be returned are still affecting to the point of distraction.

Music journalist Robert Christgau, writing in 2004, felt that Pet Sounds was a good record, but believed it had become looked upon as a totem. In the 2004 book Kill Your Idols, which reevaluates so-called "classic" rock albums, Jeff Nordstedt writes that the commentary surrounding Pet Sounds had "rarely" discussed specifics about the album, only its impact and influence. He wrote "The fact is, even the hits are disjointed, and the rest of the songs are downright insane." Nordstedt lamented the negative aspects of its influence – namely, the "overproduction" exemplified in the music of the 1980s – as well as the record's inoffensive aesthetics, the lack of "visceral charge", and the fact that it had been co-written by a jingle writer ("it offends every notion of truth that I hold dear about rock 'n' roll").

Musician Atticus Ross, who composed the soundtrack to the 2014 Brian Wilson biopic, referred to "an element of cliché that's grown around" the album, exemplified in a comedy sketch from the television show Portlandia in which "your classic hipster musicians ... are building a studio and everything is like 'this is the mike they used in Pet Sounds.' This is exactly the same as Pet Sounds.'"

Wilson himself was bemused by the album's continued acclaim. In a 2002 documentary about the album, he commented, "It keeps going back to Pet Sounds here in my life, and I'm going, 'What about this Pet Sounds? Is it really that good an album?' It's stood the test of time, of course, but is it really that great an album to listen to? I don't know."

Influence and legacy

Innovations

Pet Sounds is recognized as an ambitious and sophisticated work that advanced the field of music production in addition to setting a higher standard in music composition and numerous precedents in its recording. Lambert, who was a professor of music at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York, wrote that the album was "an extraordinary achievement – for any musician, but especially for the 23-year-old Wilson". Singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb described it as "a musician's album", "an engineer's album", and "a songwriter's album". Paul McCartney declared that "no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album." To explain why the album "was one of the defining moments of its time", composer Philip Glass referred to "its willingness to abandon formula in favor of structural innovation, the introduction of classical elements in the arrangements, production concepts in terms of overall sound which were novel at the time". Edmonds believed that the album's "most impressive" feature was "the fully integrated use of orchestration, an area glossed over all too lightly in those days."

It's been said that, although hardly anyone bought the Velvet Underground's records, those who did ended up being inspired to start their own bands. In the case of the Beach Boys' 1966 opus Pet Sounds, it's likely that each of its 13 songs inspired its own subset of pop offspring ...

—Music critic Jeff Straton, 2000

Although not originally a big seller, Pet Sounds was "enormously" influential from the moment of its release. No other artist of Wilson's stature had written, arranged, and produced an album on the scale of Pet Sounds, and Granata writes that Wilson's "authoritative approach affected his contemporaries" and thus "redefined" the role of the producer. Producer Lenny Waronker, who later became president of Warner Bros. Records, supported that Pet Sounds likely contributed to a higher emphasis on studio artistry among West Coast artists. "Creative record-making took a giant step and it affected everybody who was caught up in it. It was a landmark record". Similarly in Britain, many groups responded to the album by increasing the studio experimentation on their records. In 1971, publication Beat Instrumental & International Recording wrote: "Pet Sounds took everyone by surprise. In terms of musical conception, lyric content, production and performance, it stood as a landmark in a music genre whose development was about to begin snowballing."

In rock music, Pet Sounds marked the first occasion in which doubling was used for virtually every instrument, a technique previously limited to classical composers and orchestrators. It was also the first time that a group departed from the usual small-ensemble electric rock band format for an entire album. "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" was the first piece in popular music to incorporate the Electro-Theremin as well as the first in rock music to feature a theremin-like instrument. According to D. Strauss, the Beach Boys were also the first major rock group to openly challenge contemporary music trends "and declare that rock really didn't matter." Cue magazine reflected in 1971 that Pet Sounds made "the Beach Boys among the vanguard" and anticipated trends that were not widespread in rock music "until 1969–1970". The album is also frequently credited for being "partially responsible for the invention of synthesizers", according to Norstedt, who explains that the doubled and tripled instrumental parts "fueled the drive toward the synthesizer—a single electronic instrument which fuses the tones of multiple organic instruments to create an entirely new sound. Wilson maniacally synthesized sounds on Pet Sounds before such a device was available."

Cultural historian John Robert Greene stated that "God Only Knows" remade the ideal of the popular love song, while "Sloop John B" and "Pet Sounds" broke new ground and took rock music away from its casual lyrics and melodic structures into what was then uncharted territory. He also credited Pet Sounds (as well as Rubber Soul, Revolver, and the 1960s folk movement) with spawning the majority of trends in post-1965 rock music. Many Los Angeles record producers imitated the album's orchestral style, which became a component to the sunshine pop acts that followed. Discussing the smooth soul genre, Chicago Reader's Noah Berlatsky argued that the Beach Boys helped bridge a gap between the polished pop harmonizing of the Drifters and the experimentation of the Chi-Lites, particularly with "Sloop John B", whose "fussy" arrangements, "pure" harmonies, and "childish vulnerability" he says "come out of a tradition of pop R&B". "Wouldn't It Be Nice" was similarly influential to power pop with respect to its "happy"-sounding music underpinned by a sense of yearning and longing.

Pet Sounds is often cited as one of the earliest entries in the canon of psychedelic rock. Scholar Philip Auslander writes that even though psychedelic music is not normally associated with the Beach Boys, the "odd directions" and experiments in Pet Sounds "put it all on the map. ... basically that sort of opened the door—not for groups to be formed or to start to make music, but certainly to become as visible as say Jefferson Airplane or somebody like that." DeRogatis said that it was one of the first psychedelic rock masterpieces, along with The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (1966) and Revolver.

Recognition of progressive and art rock

While many may struggle to see the direct link between the bright, bouncy tones of Pet Sounds and bands like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and countless prog-rock bands, there was simply no precedent for the way that notes moved and vibrated across the record.

—Journalist Joel Freimark, 2016

Pet Sounds marked the origins of progressive pop, a genre that gave way to progressive rock. Tidal contributor Ryan Breed cited the album's "non-rock instrumentation (strings, brass, Theremin, harpsichord, tack piano), dizzying key changes and complex vocal harmonies" as features that informed progressive pop. Journalist Troy Smith similarly cited "Wouldn't It Be Nice" as "the first taste of progressive pop" subsequently elaborated upon by bands such as the Beatles, Queen, and Supertramp.

The album also furthered the "rock as art" concept heralded by Rubber Soul. In the belief of music journalist Barney Hoskyns, "If the Beatles' Rubber Soul was the first album to make a case for pop music as a maturing art form, 1966's Pet Sounds was a quantum leap into the unknown". According to Gary Graff, Pet Sounds "can be seen as a launch pad for the album era", alongside Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited (1965) and Blonde on Blonde (1966).

Composer and journalist Frank Oteri recognized Pet Sounds as a "clear precedent" to the birth of album-oriented rock and progressive rock. Bill Martin, an author of books about prog-rock, felt that the album represented a turning point for prog as the Beach Boys and the Beatles transformed rock music from dance music into music that was made for listening to, bringing "expansions in harmony, instrumentation (and therefore timbre), duration, rhythm, and the use of recording technology". Asked in a 1968 interview about the Beatles' role in rock's "progress toward an art form", Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page responded, "I think the Beach Boys tried to do it first. I think there were lots of Beach Boy things on the Revolver album. Especially, the vocal harmony. Wilson really said a lot in his Pet Sounds album." Gang of Four's Andy Gill argued that "so many rock bands took as a green light to get clever—to start playing with the time signatures, to go prog. You know, 'Let's put a french horn in there!' Before you know it, you've got Queen."

In the wake of Pet Sounds, Wilson was heralded as the leading figure of the "art-rock" movement. Pet Sounds is viewed as the first work of art rock by Leaf, Jones, and Frith. Rolling Stone writers described the album as heralding the art rock of the 1970s. Sommer writes that "Pet Sounds proved that a pop group could make an album-length piece comparable with the greatest long-form works of Bernstein, Copland, Ives, and Rodgers and Hammerstein." Bill Holdship said that it was "perhaps rock's first example of self-conscious art". According to Fusilli, it raised itself to "the level of art through its musical sophistication and the precision of its statement", while academic Michael Johnson said that the album was one of the first documented moments of ascension in rock music. In 2010, Pet Sounds was listed in Classic Rock's "50 Albums That Built Prog Rock".

Connections to contemporary works

Discussions of the greatest albums of all time frequently mention Pet Sounds with Revolver and Blonde on Blonde, which were all released within four months of each other. Journalist Liel Leibovitz called Pet Sounds and Blonde on Blonde "two strands in the same conversation, the one that turned American popular music, for one fleeting moment of one year in the middle 1960s, into a religious movement". Author Geoffrey Himes said that "Brian's introduction of non-standard harmonies and timbres proved as revolutionary" as Dylan's introduction of "irony into rock'n'roll lyrics".

Rock historians also frequently link Pet Sounds to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; McCartney later credited Pet Sounds as an influence on his increasingly melodic bass-playing style and cited "God Only Knows" as "the greatest song ever written". He said that the album was the primary impetus for Sgt. Pepper and influenced his Revolver composition "Here, There and Everywhere". Dennis Wilson said, "Pet Sounds had a lot to do with Sgt. Pepper. I remember talking to Paul McCartney and a couple guys and they were saying, 'Sorry we ripped you off.'"

Among the distinguishing musical features of Pet Sounds that the Beatles adopted throughout Sgt. Pepper were the upper-register bass lines, a larger emphasis on floor toms, and more eclectic and unorthodox combinations of instruments (including bass harmonica). Lambert writes that "the overall key relations" on Pet Sounds resemble the patterns found on Sgt. Pepper, particularly with the invocation of B♭ as a tonic.

Alternative music

During the 1990s, Pet Sounds was influential to indie pop musicians as Wilson became "godfather" to an era of indie musicians who were inspired by his melodic sensibilities, studio experimentation, and chamber pop orchestrations. Chamber pop itself became a genre that was based on the musical template of Pet Sounds. In the mid-1990s, Robert Schneider of the Apples in Stereo and Jim McIntyre of Von Hemmling founded Pet Sounds Studio, which served as the venue for many Elephant 6 projects such as Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, and the Olivia Tremor Control's Dusk at Cubist Castle and Black Foliage.

The album's influence on emo music, according to writer Sean Cureton, is evident on Weezer's Pinkerton (1996) and Death Cab for Cutie's Transatlanticism (2003). Treblezine's Ernest Simpson and Wild Nothing's Jack Tatum additionally characterize Pet Sounds as the first emo album. According to music writer Luke Britton, such assertions are perhaps stated "wryly", and wrote that "it’s generally accepted that the genre's pioneers" came later in the 1980s.

Continued impact

In the decades since its release, Pet Sounds has influenced artists from a wide span of genres, including rock, pop, hip hop, jazz, electronic, experimental, and punk. Wilson also originated the trope of the "reclusive genius" among studio-oriented musical artists. Jason Guriel of The Atlantic, writing about the record in 2016, drew comparisons with the albums of Michael Jackson, Prince, and Radiohead, and said that Wilson "certainly anticipated the modern pop-centric era, which privileges producer over artist and blurs the line between entertainment and art". In 1995, a panel of musicians, songwriters and producers, surveyed by Mojo, ranked Pet Sounds as the "greatest record" of all time. Referencing the album's newfound popularity in 1998, journalist Paul Lester reported that "today's most interesting acts – The High Llamas, Air, Kid Loco, Saint Etienne, Stereolab, Lewis Taylor – are using the Brian Wilson songbook as a resource for their forays into the realms of electronic pop." Cornelius' 1997 release Fantasma was created as an explicit homage to Pet Sounds and contains numerous references to the album.

Tribute albums include Do It Again: A Tribute to Pet Sounds (2005), The String Quartet Tribute to the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (2006), MOJO Presents Pet Sounds Revisited (2012), and A Tribute to Pet Sounds (2016). In 2007, producer Bullion created a J Dilla mashup of the album, Pet Sounds: In the Key of Dee. Hip-hop producer Questlove recalled that for "black teenagers coming of age in the 1980s", the Beach Boys were out of fashion, and that in the late 1990s, he was ridiculed by "J Dilla, Common, Proof, and a whole bunch of east-side Detroit cats" for enjoying Pet Sounds. Later, "Dilla was like, 'Yeah, you're right man, they had some shit on there.'"

In 1990, the political cartoon strip Doonesbury ran a controversial story arc involving the character Andy Lippincott and his terminal battle with AIDS. It concludes with Lippincott expressing his admiration for Pet Sounds, and in the last panels, depicts the character's death while listening to "Wouldn't It Be Nice", as well as his last written words, the line "Brian Wilson is God" scrawled on a notebook (a wry reference to the line "Clapton is God"). According to cultural theorist Kirk Curnett in 2012, the panel "remains one of the most iconic in Doonesbury's forty-three year history, often credit with helping humanize AIDS victims when both gay and straight sufferers were severely stigmatized."

In 2000, the album was presented with gold and platinum awards based on sales that could be documented, although Capitol estimated it may have sold over two million copies. By 2007, there had been at least three books dedicated to Pet Sounds. In Japan, Fusilli's book was translated to Japanese by the novelist Haruki Murakami. Writing in his 2012 book Music Producer: for Producers, Composers, Arrangers, and Students, Michael Zager stated that the album's production techniques remained in use forty-six years later. The album motivated film producer Bill Pohlad to direct the 2014 biopic on Brian Wilson, Love & Mercy, a film which includes a substantial depiction of the album's making, with actor Paul Dano portraying Wilson.

In 2016, to honor the album's 50th anniversary, 26 artists contributed to a Pitchfork retrospective on its influence, which included comments from members of Talking Heads, Yo La Tengo, Chairlift, and Deftones. The editor noted that the "wide swath of artists assembled for this feature represent but a modicum of the album's vast measure of influence. Its scope transcends just about all lines of age, race, and gender. Its impact continues to broaden with each passing generation."

Live performances

See also: Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds Live and Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour

After its release, several selections from Pet Sounds became staples for the group's live performances, including "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows". Other songs were performed, albeit sporadically and infrequently through the years, and the album was never performed in its entirety with every original group member. In the late 1990s, Carl Wilson vetoed an offer for the Beach Boys to perform Pet Sounds in full for ten shows, reasoning that the studio arrangements were too complex for the stage, and that Brian could not possibly sing his original parts.

As a solo artist, Brian performed the entire album live in 2000 with a different orchestra in each venue, and on three occasions without orchestra on his 2002 tour. The concerts received favorable reviews, however, critics focused on Wilson's "trancelike" demeanor and odd interview responses. Recordings from Wilson's 2002 concert tour were released as Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds Live. Rolling Stone's Dorian Lynskey says that the shows helped establish the now-ubiquitous practice of artists playing "classic albums" in their entirety.

In 2013, Wilson performed the album at two shows, unannounced, also with Jardine as well as original Beach Boys guitarist David Marks. In 2016, Wilson performed the album at several events in Australia, Japan, Europe, Canada and the United States. The tour was planned as his final performances of the album, but occasional shows were performed through 2020. A concert reviewer noted that Wilson received a standing ovation every time he performed a track from the album.

Reissues and expanded editions

See also: The Pet Sounds Sessions

Pet Sounds has had many different reissues since its release in 1966, including remastered mono and remixed stereo versions.

• In 1966, Capitol issued a Duophonic (fake stereo) version of the album that was created through equalization and phasing.
• In 1967, Capitol issued Pet Sounds as part of a three-LP set with Today! and Summer Days, called "The Beach Boys Deluxe Set".
• In 1972, Reprise packaged Pet Sounds as a bonus LP with the Beach Boys' latest album Carl and the Passions – "So Tough".
• In 1974, Reprise issued Pet Sounds as a single disc, which became the album's last reissue until 1990.
• In 1990, Pet Sounds debuted on CD with the addition of three previously unreleased bonus tracks: "Unreleased Backgrounds" (an a cappella demo section of "Don't Talk" sung by Wilson), "Hang On to Your Ego", and "Trombone Dixie". The edition was prepared from the original 1966 mono master, by Mark Linett, who used Sonic Solutions' No Noise processing to mitigate damage that the physical master had accrued. It became one of the first CDs to sell more than a million copies.
• In 1995, DCC issued a 20-bit audiophile version that was mastered by engineer Steve Hoffman. It was created from a safety copy of the original master. According to Granata, this version "garnered numerous accolades, and some feel it comes closest to capturing the spirit and punch of Brian's original 1966 mix."
• In 1997, The Pet Sounds Sessions was released as a four-disc box set. It included the original mono release of Pet Sounds, the album's first stereo mix (created by Linett and Wilson), backing tracks, isolated vocals, and session highlights. It was received with controversy among audiophiles who felt that a stereo mix of Pet Sounds was sacrilege against the original mono recording.
• In 2001, Pet Sounds was issued with mono and "improved" stereo versions, plus "Hang On to Your Ego" as a bonus track, all on one disc.
• On August 29, 2006, Capitol released a 40th Anniversary edition, containing a new 2006 remaster of the original mono mix, DVD mixes (stereo and Surround Sound), and a "making of" documentary. The discs were released in a regular jewel box and a deluxe edition was released in a green fuzzy box. A two-disc colored gatefold vinyl set was released with green (stereo) and yellow (mono) discs.
• In 2016, a 50th anniversary edition box set presented the remastered album in both stereo and mono forms alongside studio sessions outtakes, alternate mixes, and live recordings. Of the 104 tracks, only 14 were previously unreleased.
• In 2023, a Dolby Atmos remix was created by Giles Martin, who closely followed Linett's 1996 stereo mix.

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocal(s)	Length
1.	"Wouldn't It Be Nice"	Brian Wilson, Tony Asher, Mike Love	Brian Wilson and Mike Love	2:25
2.	"You Still Believe in Me"	Wilson, Asher	B. Wilson	2:31
3.	"That's Not Me"	Wilson, Asher	Love with B. Wilson	2:28
4.	"Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)"	Wilson, Asher	B. Wilson	2:53
5.	"I'm Waiting for the Day"	Wilson, Love	B. Wilson	3:05
6.	"Let's Go Away for Awhile"	Wilson	instrumental	2:18
7.	"Sloop John B"	traditional, arr. Wilson	B. Wilson and Love	2:58
Total length:				18:38

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocal(s)	Length
1.	"God Only Knows"	Wilson, Asher	Carl Wilson with B. Wilson and Bruce Johnston	2:51
2.	"I Know There's an Answer"	Wilson, Terry Sachen, Love	Love and Al Jardine with B. Wilson	3:09
3.	"Here Today"	Wilson, Asher	Love	2:54
4.	"I Just Wasn't Made for These Times"	Wilson, Asher	B. Wilson	3:12
5.	"Pet Sounds"	Wilson	instrumental	2:22
6.	"Caroline, No"	Wilson, Asher	B. Wilson	2:51
Total length:				17:19 35:57

Notes

• Mike Love was not originally credited for "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "I Know There's an Answer". His credits were awarded after a 1994 court case.
• Al Jardine's contribution to the arrangement of "Sloop John B" remains uncredited.
• Vocal credits sourced from Alan Boyd and Craig Slowinski.

Personnel

Per band archivist Craig Slowinski.

The Beach Boys

• Al Jardine – vocals
• Bruce Johnston – vocals
• Mike Love – vocals
• Brian Wilson – vocals; plucked piano strings on "You Still Believe in Me"; bass guitar, Danelectro bass, and organ on "That's Not Me"; piano on "Pet Sounds"; overdubbed organ or harmonium on "I Know There's an Answer"
• Carl Wilson – vocals; lead guitar and overdubbed 12-string electric guitar on "That's Not Me"; 12-string electric guitar on "God Only Knows"
• Dennis Wilson – vocals; drums on "That's Not Me"

Guests

• Tony Asher – plucked piano strings on "You Still Believe in Me"
• Steve Korthof – tambourine on "That's Not Me"
• Terry Melcher – tambourine on "That's Not Me" and "God Only Knows"
• Marilyn Wilson – additional vocals on "You Still Believe in Me" introduction (uncertain)
• Tony (surname unknown) – tambourine on "Sloop John B"

Session musicians (also known as "the Wrecking Crew")

• Chuck Berghofer – string bass
• Hal Blaine – bicycle horn, drums, percussion, sleigh bells, timpani
• Glen Campbell – banjo, guitar
• Frank Capp – bells, beverage cup, timpani, glockenspiel, tambourine, temple blocks, vibraphone
• Al Casey – guitar
• Roy Caton – trumpet
• Jerry Cole – electric guitar, guitar
• Gary L. Coleman – bongos, timpani
• Mike Deasy – guitar
• Al De Lory – harpsichord, organ, piano, tack piano
• Steve Douglas – alto saxophone, clarinet, flute, piano, temple blocks, tenor saxophone
• Carl Fortina – accordion
• Ritchie Frost – drums, bongos, Coca-Cola cans
• Jim Gordon – drums, orange juice cups
• Bill Green – alto saxophone, clarinet, flute, güiro, tambourine
• Leonard Hartman – bass clarinet, clarinet, English horn
• Jim Horn – alto saxophone, clarinet, baritone saxophone, flute
• Paul Horn – flute
• Jules Jacob – flute
• Plas Johnson – clarinet, güiro, flute, piccolo, tambourine, tenor saxophone
• Carol Kaye – electric bass, guitar
• Barney Kessel – guitar
• Bobby Klein – clarinet
• Larry Knechtel – harpsichord, organ, tack piano
• Frank Marocco – accordion
• Gail Martin – bass trombone
• Nick Martinis – drums
• Mike Melvoin – harpsichord
• Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, bass saxophone, clarinet, flute
• Tommy Morgan – bass harmonica
• Jack Nimitz – baritone saxophone, bass saxophone
• Bill Pitman – guitar
• Ray Pohlman – electric bass
• Don Randi – tack piano
• Alan Robinson – French horn
• Lyle Ritz – string bass, ukulele
• Billy Strange – electric guitar, guitar, 12-string electric guitar
• Ernie Tack – bass trombone
• Paul Tanner – Electro-Theremin
• Tommy Tedesco – acoustic guitar
• Jerry Williams – timpani
• Julius Wechter – bicycle bell, tambourine, timpani, vibraphone

The Sid Sharp Strings

• Arnold Belnick – violin
• Norman Botnick – viola
• Joseph DiFiore – viola
• Justin DiTullio – cello
• Jesse Erlich – cello
• James Getzoff – violin
• Harry Hyams – viola
• William Kurasch – violin
• Leonard Malarsky – violin
• Jerome Reisler – violin
• Joseph Saxon – cello
• Ralph Schaeffer – violin
• Sid Sharp – violin
• Darrel Terwilliger – viola
• Tibor Zelig – violin

Engineers

• Bruce Botnick
• Chuck Britz
• H. Bowen David
• Larry Levine
• Other engineers may have included Jerry Hochman, Phil Kaye, Jim Lockert, and Ralph Valentine.

Charts

1966 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position UK Record Retailer LPs Chart 2 US Billboard Top LPs 10 West German Musikmarkt LP Hit-Parade 16 1972 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position Australian Kent Music Report 42 Canadian RPM 100 Albums 40 US Billboard Top LPs & Tape 50 1990 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position US Billboard 200 162 1995 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position UK Albums Chart 17 2001 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position US Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums 41 2006 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position Japanese Oricon Albums Chart 95

2008 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position US Billboard Catalog Albums 8 2015 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position US Billboard 200 182 2016 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) 50 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) 100 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) 72 French Albums (SNEP) 185 German Albums (GfK Entertainment) 58 Japanese Albums (Oricon) 56 Scottish Albums (OCC) 19 South Korean Albums (Gaon) 96 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) 41 UK Albums (OCC) 26 US Billboard Catalog Albums 49 2021 weekly chart performance for Pet Sounds Chart Peak position Greek Albums (IFPI) 5

Certifications

Certifications for Pet Sounds

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)	2× Platinum	600,000
United States (RIAA)	Platinum	1,000,000
Shipments figures based on certification alone. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Accolades

Rankings for Pet Sounds

Year	Organization	Accolade	Rank
1993	The Times	The 100 Best Albums of All Time	1
	New Musical Express	New Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums	1
1995	Mojo	Mojo's 100 Greatest Albums of All Time	1
1997	The Guardian	100 Best Albums Ever	6
	Channel 4	The 100 Greatest Albums	33
2000	Virgin	The Virgin Top 100 Albums	18
2001	VH1	VH1's Greatest Albums Ever	3
2002	BBC	BBC 6 Music: Best Albums of All Time	11
2003	Rolling Stone	The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time	2
2006	Q	Q Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums Ever	12
	The Observer	The 50 Albums That Changed Music	10
2012	Rolling Stone	The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time	2
2015	Platendraaier	Top 30 Albums of the 60s	7
2016	Uncut	200 Greatest Albums of All Time	1
2017	Pitchfork	The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s	2
2020	Rolling Stone	The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time	2
2023	Rolling Stone	The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time	2
2024	Paste	The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time	10

Notes

1. "The Little Girl I Once Knew", "In My Childhood", "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)", "Run, James, Run", "Trombone Dixie", and "Three Blind Mice".
2. 1965 is the date given by most sources. Others state that Wilson had met Asher during a social gathering at Schwartz's house. Carlin dates the initial meeting between Asher and Wilson to early 1963.
3. December 1965 is the date given by Carlin. Asher recalled that Wilson called him when the rest of the band were out of the country.
4. This is Charles Granata's rough estimation. As of 2003, most of the documentation that could have provided a more definitive chronology of the album's writing had been lost. Carlin dates the start of the writing sessions to December 1965. In 2009, Wilson himself recalled that he may have been writing with Asher as early as November 1965.
5. Asher recalled that Wilson "never planned ahead" his studio booking times. At another time, he said that they wrote melodies and lyrics for multiple songs that Wilson had already recorded instrumental tracks for.
6. Also, Asher said that he conceived the title and subject matter of three of their eight songs. On the publishing royalties, Asher agreed to a 25% cut, an arrangement that he felt was not necessarily commensurate with his contributions.
7. Even further, it is sometimes advanced as the first concept album in the history of rock music.
8. The lack of a hit single on the North American version of Rubber Soul added to the album's identity there as a self-contained artistic statement.
9. Wilson's previous habits, evident in Today! and Summer Days, were to sacrifice portions of an album with lesser, superficial material. Today! also contained five songs with a unified theme located on the album's second side, similar to Wilson's endeavor for the whole of Pet Sounds.
10. Carl supported that Brian had been a greater fan of Spector than the Beatles. Brian frequently discussed Spector's influence on his work, having learned how to produce records through attending his sessions.
11. According to Wilson, Nelson Riddle taught him "a lot about arranging", and Stebbins felt that the album's Riddle influence was more apparent than its Spector influence.
12. In a 2002 foreword for Mojo, Wilson wrote that although he had already begun working on some of the songs, the urge to express his feelings after hearing Rubber Soul led to his decision to seek out a new lyricist. Conversely, he told David Leaf in 1996 that he believed he was introduced to the LP by Asher. In 2009, he said he wrote "God Only Knows" with Asher the morning after listening to the album for the first time. Asher recalled that Wilson played him Rubber Soul and said that he wanted "to do something that is better than this album." Bruce Johnston remembered listening to the album at around Christmastime 1965 with Wilson and other friends. "Brian said he thought that Rubber Soul was a great thematic pop album."
13. Asher stated that during the writing sessions, Wilson did not explicitly state that the songs were based on his own personal experiences. Asher explained that while he was aware that certain songs were certainly written from Wilson's perspective, their conversations were limited "to the theoretical", for example, "What if we write a song about a kid somewhere who doesn't fit in?"
14. Other attributed genres are psychedelic rock, baroque pop, experimental rock, avant-pop, experimental pop, symphonic rock, and folk rock.
15. DeRogatis wrote that the introspective bent of the album contrasted the Beatles, who after taking LSD began addressing problems in the world around them.
16. Pet Sounds percussionist Julius Wechter was a former member of Martin Denny's band.
17. The most minimal track on the album, "That's Not Me", employs 6-string guitar, 12-string guitar, electric bass, organ, a drum kit, and additional percussion. The most expansive track on the album, "God Only Knows", employs string bass, electric bass, guitar, tack piano, harpsichord, accordion, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, violin, viola, cello, a drum kit, sleigh bells, tambourine and additional percussion.
18. Referring to "Wouldn't It Be Nice", Perone opined that the track sounded "significantly less like a rock band supplemented with auxiliary instrumentation ... than a rock band integrated into an eclectic mix of studio instrumentation."
19. This sighing motif reappears in "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)" and "Caroline, No".
20. Augmented and ninth chords appear less than the others listed.
21. All of the Beach Boys' prior records were mostly reliant on major or minor triads.
22. He speculated that Wilson's rekindled interest in this device, which he had used on Surfin' Safari and Surfin' U.S.A., may have been inspired by "I'll Be Back" from Beatles '65 (the American version of Help!).
23. "You Still Believe in Me" (B), "I'm Waiting for the Day" (E), "Sloop John B" (A♭), and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" (B♭).
24. Two examples of its tertian shifts: "Wouldn't It Be Nice" shifts from A to F to D, while "That's Not Me" shifts from F♯ to A and back to F♯.
25. Brian had also played Dennis and Carl excerpts of the new music over the phone while they were in Japan.
26. In his 2016 memoir, Brian wrote that Carl was enthused with the album, but Love and Dennis were not.
27. Carl said in 1996, "We knew this was good music. ... I loved every minute of it. He could do no wrong. He could play me anything, and I would love it."
28. Work was already started on "Sloop John B" (in July and December 1965), "You Still Believe in Me", and "Pet Sounds" (both in November 1965).
29. At Gold Star, Wilson tracked "Good Vibrations" and the instrumentals of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times"; at Sunset Sound, he tracked the instrumental of "Here Today".
30. The regulars were Hal Blaine (drums), Glen Campbell and Billy Strange (guitar), Al de Lory (piano), Steve Douglas (saxophone) Carol Kaye (Fender bass), Larry Knechtel (Hammond organ), Don Randi (piano), Lyle Ritz (upright bass), Ray Pohlman (bass and guitar), and Julius Wechter (percussion).
31. For his session of "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", Paul Tanner remembered: "Brian came over to me and sang such and such a thing, and I said 'Well, write it down and I'll play it,' and he said 'Write it down? We don't write anything down—if you want it written down you have to write it down yourself."
32. Although Spector's trademark sound was aurally complex, many of the best-known Wall of Sound recordings were recorded on Ampex three-track recorders. Spector's backing tracks were recorded live, and usually in a single take. These backing tracks were mixed live, in mono, and taped directly onto one track of the three-track recorder. The lead vocal was then taped, usually (though not always) as an uninterrupted live performance, recorded direct to the second track of the recorder. The master was completed with the addition of backing vocals on the third track before the three tracks were mixed down to create the mono master tape.
33. "God Only Knows", "Here Today", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", and "I'm Waiting for the Day".
34. In 1995, it emerged that this session was originally intended to add vocals to "Let's Go Away for Awhile", but Capitol insisted that the session date be used for the album's mixing.
35. In that era, radio and TV were broadcast in mono and most domestic and automotive radios and record players were monophonic.
36. It was included as part of the Beach Boys' 2011 release of The Smile Sessions.
37. According to historian Brad Elliot, Pet Sounds was chosen as the album's title before its cover photo was taken.
38. The crew's footage was lost, but later rediscovered in 2021.
39. During the previous September, the Animals had released an album called Animal Tracks.
40. Brian asked Britz: "Hey, Chuck, is it possible we can bring a horse in here without ... if we don't screw everything up?", to which a clearly startled Britz responds, "I beg your pardon?", with Brian then pleading, "Honest to God, now, the horse is tame and everything!"
41. The first was filmed at Brian's Laurel Way home with Dennis acting as cameraman, the second near Lake Arrowhead. While the second film, containing footage of the group minus Bruce flailing around in grotesque horror masks and playing Old Maid, was intended to be accompanied by excerpts from "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Here Today" and "God Only Knows", slight edits were made by the BBC to reduce the film's length.
42. According to a late May 1966 report, there were initially no plans for the company to issue Pet Sounds in the UK.
43. Townshend later stated: "'God Only Knows' is simple and elegant and was stunning when it first appeared; it still sounds perfect".
44. He lamented that Brian did not join the group on their November 1966 tour of Britain "to experience how much excitement the records were causing, because all his hard work was being rewarded in full measure and he didn't get to enjoy the full impact of the success first hand."
45. Noel Murray of The A.V. Club theorized that the success of "Good Vibrations" helped convert detractors of Pet Sounds who were confused by the album's "un-hip orchestrations and pervasive sadness didn't immediately get what Wilson was trying to do."
46. Upon release, Wilson stated that Love You was "the first time since Pet Sounds that I've felt this thoroughly satisfied with an album."
47. At the same ceremony, the Anita Kerr Singers won Best Performance by a Vocal Group for an album that included a rendition of "Good Vibrations".
48. Cannon's negative remarks about the Beach Boys were withheld from publication by the magazine's editor. Williams similarly cited Wilson's narrow range of influences as a reason the album was not as celebrated as the Beatles' work.
49. The third edition of Larkin's book, published in 2000, ranked the album at number 18.
50. According to musician Lenie Colacino, McCartney "didn't start using the upper register on his Rickenbacker bass until after he heard Pet Sounds. The bass parts for 'Here Today' directly influenced the way Paul played on 'With a Little Help' and 'Getting Better'." Granata writes that, by the time the Beatles recorded Magical Mystery Tour (November 1967), "it was clear they'd fully assimilated the essence of Brian's eclectic arranging style."
51. The 1995 reissue of Pet Sounds charted in the UK in 2016.

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• O'Regan, Jody (2014). When I Grow Up: The Development of the Beach Boys' Sound (1962–1966) (PDF) (Thesis). Queensland Conservatorium. doi:10.25904/1912/2556.
• Perone, James E. (2012). The Album: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations [4 volumes]: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-37907-9.
• Preiss, Byron (1979). The Beach Boys. New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-27398-7.
• Priore, Domenic (2005). Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece. London: Sanctuary. ISBN 1-86074-627-6.
• Roberts, Martin (2019). Cornelius's Fantasma. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-1-5013-3017-9.
• Rosenberg, Stuart (September 2009). Rock and Roll and the American Landscape: The Birth of an Industry and the Expansion of the Popular Culture, 1955-1969. iUniverse. ISBN 9781440164583.
• Sanchez, Luis (2014). The Beach Boys' Smile. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62356-956-3.
• Savage, Jon (2015). 1966: The Year the Decade Exploded. London: Faber & Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-27763-6.
• Schinder, Scott (2007). "The Beach Boys". In Schinder, Scott; Schwartz, Andy (eds.). Icons of Rock: An Encyclopedia of the Legends Who Changed Music Forever. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-33845-8.
• Smith, Chris (2009). One Hundred and One Albums that Changed Popular Music. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-537371-4.
• Stebbins, Jon (2011). The Beach Boys FAQ: All That's Left to Know About America's Band. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-4584-2914-8.
• Tobler, John (1978). The Beach Boys. Chartwell Books. ISBN 0890091749.
• Toop, David (1999). Exotica: Fabricated Soundscapes in a Real World: Fabricated Soundscapes in the Real World (1st ed.). London: Serpent's Tail. ISBN 978-1852425951.
• Tunbridge, Laura (2010). The Song Cycle. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-89644-3.
• Umphred, Neal (1997). "Let's Go Away for Awhile: The Continuing Saga of Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds". In Abbott, Kingsley (ed.). Back to the Beach: A Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys Reader. Helter Skelter. ISBN 978-1-90092-402-3.
• Unterberger, Richie; Hicks, Samb (1999). Music USA: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides. ISBN 978-1-85828-421-7.
• White, Timothy (1996). The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the Southern Californian Experience. Macmillan. ISBN 0333649370.
• Williams, Paul; Hartwell, David G. (2000). The 20th Century's Greatest Hits: A Top 40 List (1st ed.). New York: Forge. ISBN 978-0312873912.
• Wilson, Brian (2002). "Foreword". 1000 Days That Shook the World (The Psychedelic Beatles – April 1, 1965 to December 26, 1967). London: Mojo Special Limited Edition. OCLC 155990822.
• Wilson, Brian; Greenman, Ben (2016). I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-82307-7.
• Zager, Michael (2012). Music Production: for Producers, Composers, Arrangers, and Students (2nd ed.). Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-8201-0.
• Zak, Albin (2001). Poetics of Rock: Cutting Tracks, Making Records. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-92815-2.

External links

• Pet Sounds at Discogs (list of releases)
• "Tony Asher Interview". April 4, 1996.
• Crowe, Jerry (November 1, 1997). "'Pet Sounds Sessions': Body of Influence Put in a Box". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2009.

v t e Pet Sounds
Songs	Side one "Wouldn't It Be Nice" "You Still Believe in Me" "That's Not Me" "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)" "I'm Waiting for the Day" "Let's Go Away for Awhile" "Sloop John B" Side two "God Only Knows" "I Know There's an Answer" "Here Today" "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" "Pet Sounds" "Caroline, No"
Outtakes	"Good Vibrations" "Hang On to Your Ego" "How Deep Is the Ocean?" "The Little Girl I Once Knew" "Stella by Starlight" "Three Blind Mice" "Trombone Dixie"
Tribute albums	Do It Again: A Tribute to Pet Sounds MOJO Presents Pet Sounds Revisited Pet Sounds: In the Key of Dee Sgt. Petsound's Lonely Hearts Club Band Smiling Pets A Tribute to Pet Sounds (The Reverberation Appreciation Society)
Related articles	Tony Asher The Beach Boys discography "Brian Wilson is a genius" Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds Live Chamber pop Love & Mercy Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour The Pet Sounds Sessions Pet Sounds Studio San Diego Zoo Smile
Surfin' Safari Surfin' U.S.A. Surfer Girl Little Deuce Coupe Shut Down Volume 2 All Summer Long The Beach Boys' Christmas Album The Beach Boys Today! Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) Beach Boys' Party! Pet Sounds Smiley Smile Wild Honey Friends 20/20 Sunflower Surf's Up Carl and the Passions – "So Tough" Holland 15 Big Ones The Beach Boys Love You M.I.U. Album L.A. (Light Album) Keepin' the Summer Alive The Beach Boys Still Cruisin' Summer in Paradise Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 That's Why God Made the Radio

v t e The Beach Boys
Brian Wilson Dennis Wilson Carl Wilson Mike Love Al Jardine Bruce Johnston David Marks Blondie Chaplin Ricky Fataar
Studio albums	Surfin' Safari Surfin' U.S.A. Surfer Girl Little Deuce Coupe Shut Down Volume 2 All Summer Long The Beach Boys' Christmas Album The Beach Boys Today! Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) Beach Boys' Party! Pet Sounds Smiley Smile Wild Honey Friends 20/20 Sunflower Surf's Up Carl and the Passions – "So Tough" Holland 15 Big Ones The Beach Boys Love You M.I.U. Album L.A. (Light Album) Keepin' the Summer Alive The Beach Boys Still Cruisin' Summer in Paradise Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 That's Why God Made the Radio
Live albums	Beach Boys Concert Live in London The Beach Boys in Concert Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980 Songs from Here & Back Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour Live in Sacramento 1964 Live in Chicago 1965 Graduation Day 1966 1967 – Live Sunshine The Beach Boys On Tour: 1968
Selected compilations	Endless Summer Rarities Made in U.S.A. Lost & Found (1961–62) Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys The Pet Sounds Sessions Endless Harmony Ultimate Christmas Hawthorne, CA Sounds of Summer The Smile Sessions Made in California The Big Beat 1963 Keep an Eye on Summer 1964 Beach Boys' Party! Uncovered and Unplugged Becoming the Beach Boys 1967 – Sunshine Tomorrow Wake the World: The Friends Sessions I Can Hear Music: The 20/20 Sessions Feel Flows Sail On Sailor – 1972
Unreleased	Smile Lei'd in Hawaii Charles Manson sessions Adult/Child Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys Andy Paley sessions
EPs	Four by the Beach Boys Mount Vernon and Fairway
Documentary concert films	It's OK! (1976) An American Band (1985) Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (1995) Nashville Sounds (1996) Endless Harmony: The Beach Boys Story (1998) Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980 (2002) Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile (2004) Doin' It Again (2012) Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road (2021) The Beach Boys (2024)
Fictionalized	Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys (1990) An American Family (2000) Love & Mercy (2014)
Books	The Beach Boys and the California Myth Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961–1963 Catch a Wave Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy Heroes and Villains: The True Story of the Beach Boys I Am Brian Wilson Inside the Music of Brian Wilson Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story
Places	Beach Boys Historic Landmark Beach Boys Studio Brother Studios Radiant Radish United Western Recorders
Lists	Bootlegs and unreleased material Cover versions Discography Song recordings Unreleased Brian Carl Dennis Mike Songs covered by the Beach Boys
Personnel	David Anderle Irving Azoff Jeffrey Foskett James William Guercio Jack Rieley Jerry Schilling Derek Taylor Michael Vosse Murry Wilson
Related media	The Beach Boys with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Brian Wilson Presents Smile Caroline Now! Good Vibrations (musical) Looking Back with Love Pacific Ocean Blue Pet Sounds Live A Postcard from California Smiling Pets Spring
Other topics	"Brian Wilson is a genius" Brother Records California Music California sound Live performances 1967 Summer Spectacular 1968 tour with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi 1975 tour with Chicago The 50th Reunion Tour Love v. Wilson Sea of Tunes
Category

Categories:

• 1966 albums
• Albums arranged by Brian Wilson
• Albums conducted by Brian Wilson
• Albums produced by Brian Wilson
• Albums recorded at Gold Star Studios
• Albums recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders
• Albums recorded at United Western Recorders
• Art rock albums by American artists
• Avant-pop albums
• Baroque pop albums
• The Beach Boys albums
• Capitol Records albums
• Chamber pop albums
• 1960s concept albums
• Experimental pop albums
• Experimental rock albums by American artists
• Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients
• Progressive pop albums
• Proto-prog albums
• Psychedelic pop albums
• Psychedelic rock albums by American artists
• United States National Recording Registry recordings
• United States National Recording Registry albums