U.S. rock group.
The band was formed in California in 1961 by brothers Brian Wilson (b. 1942) on keyboards and bass, Dennis Wilson (1944–83) on drums, and Carl Wilson (1946–98) on guitar; their cousin Mike Love (b. 1941) on drums; and Alan Jardine (b. 1942) on guitar. Within a year they launched a string of surfing-oriented hits marked by close vocal harmony, including "Surfin' Safari" and "California Girls." By 1966 they had released more than 10 albums, including Pet Sounds (1966), considered their best. Despite Brian Wilson's reclusiveness due to stress-and drug-related breakdowns, the band continued to make recordings into the 1980s and toured into the 1990s.