Iconic musician Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys has died at 82, with the band having sold their intellectual property for $64 million in 2021 despite early financial missteps.

David Muir remembers the life and legacy of music icon Brian Wilson, who died at age 82, and the summer anthems he wrote that helped define an era.

"Caroline, No" was released as the first solo Brian Wilson song in 1966, and then appeared as the closing track on the legendary Beach Boys album Pet Sounds. The melancholy lyrics and creative instrumentation—including harpsichord, vibraphone, a tambourine hit with a wood block and a water jug hit with a mallet—is classic Wilson.

The late Beach Boys co-founder left behind a legacy in music. Learn about Brian's life and career here.

Brian Wilson, who as leader of the Beach Boys and a founder of California rock invented a massively successful pop sound full of harmonies and sunshine, has died at the age of 82. “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away.

Brian Wilson's musical legacy influenced some of the biggest artists today, including Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen.

The family of Brian Wilson, the co-founder of the Beach Boys, announced on June 11 that he passed away at the age of 82. Wilson shaped the Beach Boys ’ timeless sound as the band’s songwriter and co-lead vocalist, from the easygoing surf songs of their early days to the more experimental and still influential 1966 album Pet Sounds.

Beach Boys bandleader Brian Wilson was a songwriting giant whose musical imagination felt deeper than the ocean and brighter than the sun.

Wilson's ambition stoked a creative rivalry with The Beatles, redefining the artistic potential of popular music.