The Barks Heard Around the World: How Pet Sounds Changed Pop

On March 22nd, 1966, Brian Wilson brought his two dogs, Banana and Louie, into a Los Angeles recording studio. Not for moral support or motivation– they were there to record vocals. Wilson had a vision that most failed to understand; a vision that had not only been neglected by his fellow Beach Boys, but also by the music industry at large. He was tired of creating simple songs about fun at the beach, music devoid of substance and complexity that existed only to sell records. What resulted was an album so revolutionary that it would go on to define pop music at large; an album where barking dogs, cola bottles, and train horns had a place alongside complicated orchestral arrangements and striking vocal harmonies. It was a record full of contradictions, commercial faux-pas, clashing genres, and confusing choices– it was Pet Sounds.

Audio of Wilson recording "Caroline, No," 1966.

While the rest of The Beach Boys were on tour, Wilson stayed back in California to write and record Pet Sounds. In December of 1964, he had experienced a panic attack right before the tour began. He knew he was in no condition to undergo the mentally and physically taxing experience of a tour; as a result, he ended up quitting touring with The Beach Boys to prioritize his mental health. Throughout 1965, he worked on creating a new album that was more challenging than the group's previous work. He was inspired by Rubber Soul by The Beatles, impressed with how the band was able to elevate their sound to create something more complex; he wanted to do the same.

His unique understanding of musical composition, melody, and genre-bending was a volcano of genius waiting to erupt. He understood how music could convey emotions through sounds and production, how an album could unfold an epic and complex narrative. With full creative freedom, Wilson was truly able to go balls to the wall with Pet Sounds. He hired a famous group of session musicians informally known as the wrecking crew to compensate for the absence of his group, and together they began to work towards realizing Wilson’s vision.

Wilson in the control room during a Pet Sounds recording session, 1966.

Pet Sounds essentially invented the progressive pop genre, an offshoot of the more established progressive rock (prog rock) genre. Similar to prog rock, progressive pop was all about breaking the established rules of the pop genre. The album was rife with spunky and unusual instrumentation, comically complex arrangements, and quirky hooks. Wilson’s drum parts and bass lines were incomparable to anything heard in pop or rock music up to that point– he truly built a new sound from the ground up. Even the more traditional songs on the album, like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” contain interesting, boundary-pushing elements in their instrumentation and structure. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” in particular is famous for its intricate layers of vocal harmonies and bouncy instrumentals that juxtapose the depressing tone of the lyrics.

On February 9th, 1966, The Beach Boys were finally made aware of Wilson’s new experimental direction in the midst of a recording session for “I Know There’s An Answer.” After endless touring, they were excited to see what Wilson had been cooking up throughout the past year– what they were confronted with was not what they had imagined. With the exception of guitarist Carl Wilson, Wilson’s bandmates didn't understand his perspective– why write something that you know isn’t going to sell records? Pet Sounds was weird, a bit depressing, and off-putting. It was the antithesis of The Beach Boys. Band member Mike Love urged Wilson, “Don’t fuck with the formula,” but fuck with the formula Wilson did.

The group was a commercial juggernaut rivaled only by legends like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones; with Pet Sounds, Wilson was, in a way, throwing away this steady success in the name of artistic expression. He didn’t care about sales or numbers, choosing to create an album that prioritized personal fulfillment and the expansion of what pop music could be. His bandmates and managers had obvious problems with this new abstract direction. However, they went along with recording the album, perplexed by Wilson’s abnormal choices. 

To call Wilson’s artistic process meticulous would be an understatement. He would have his bandmates endlessly record vocals until he found a take he liked, creating tension within the group. One take would turn into ten, ten would turn into thirty. According to band member Al Jardine, “It took some getting used to. It was a different kind of singing. The vocals were arduous, tedious, and long. We spent hours and hours working on the vocals.”

Eventually, by early March, the rest of The Beach Boys were buying what Wilson was selling. Their opinions about Pet Sounds had done a full 180; now, they were recording a plethora of radio spots promoting the album, confident it was going to be a smash hit. With time, their confusion turned to adoration as they began to fully understand Wilson’s genius. 

Wilson leading a Pet Sounds recording session, 1966.

Upon its debut on May 16th, 1966, Pet Sounds was immediately loved by critics. The nuances of Wilson’s work weren’t lost on die-hard music fans and reviewers; however, they were lost on the general public. The album was immediately dubbed “the weird new Beach Boys record” by casual listeners, and the large and vast fanbase that the group had built through its previous releases was alienated. No longer were fans hearing fun songs about surfing– they were being delivered challenging, confusing, and visceral work that didn’t necessarily speak to them. The album was very specific to Wilson’s personal situation and perspective on life, which unfortunately didn’t resonate with many people.

Pet Sounds was a commercial failure; however, like many commercial failures, it was simply ahead of its time. It introduced musical structures and melodies that were unbeknownst to commercial pop. It opened the door for messy and complicated emotions to be expressed through a medium that had previously rejected complexity. 

While not understood by a lot of the general public, musicians and creatives were inspired by Wilson’s daring artistic feat. Funnily enough, The Beatles took inspiration from the very album they helped inspire when creating Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Bands old and new, from R.E.M., to Radiohead, to Kero Kero Bonito, have been very vocal about The Beach Boys’ influence on their work. It’s an album that speaks to creatives, those unwilling to be censored or boxed in.

The Beach Boys during a photoshoot for the cover of Pet Sounds, 1966.

While Wilson may have passed, his influence will live on forever. He explored pop music in a way that many of his time never dared to. He pushed the boundaries of what production could do, inventing a new genre in the process. When others doubted him, he stayed true to his artistic vision. His album also stands as a testament to the power of rejecting commercialized music in the name of expression. Whether it’s obvious or not, every pop song you hear today was influenced by Brian Wilson and his symphony of eclectic sounds and good vibrations.