In 1966 The Beach Boys attempted to make rock history with the release of "Pet Sounds"!
Their eleventh album was released on May 16, 1966, and even though it was not initially met with much acclaim it peaked at number 10 on the Billboard chart. Looking to create the greatest rock album of all time Brian Wilson's masterpiece would become "the most progressive pop album ever," as it was billed.
Produced, arranged, and composed by Brian Wilson, it marked one of the first albums concentrated on after a stoppage of touring. Wilson quit touring with the group and concentrated on writing and composing to debut a more progressive sound. Inspired by the work of Phil Spector and looking to top their rival The Beatles, Wilson & The Beach Boys went all in to top The Beatles "Rubber Soul," which began the Beatles pushing of studio innovation. Wilson created one of the earliest concept albums in rock history, made up of introspective and biographical songs. "You Still Believe in Me", "I Know There's an Answer", and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", dove into social alienation at a time when the nation was just beginning to open its eyes to the issue.
Wilson would use Wall of Sound orchestrations to blend with the Beach Boys conventional rock, by mixing elaborate layers of harmonies, found sounds, bicycle bells, French horns, flutes, Electro-Theremin, string sections, and soda cans. The complexity of the music caused Wilson to use the Wrecking Crew to replace the band on most of the tracks, and ultimately could not be reproduced live as it departed from their usual pop/rock format. The singles "Sloop John B" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice/God Only Knows" introduced the world to the Beach Boys new sound that radically amplified their core sound.
The influence of the album still resonates today, as it caused the Beatles to respond with "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band," and the two would usher in the album age of music that would explode through the end of the 60's and roar into the 70's. The record legitimized pop music, and opened the door to orchestration, chord voicings, and structural harmonies. The album consistently ranks high in all time lists, and was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.