History Music / PetSounds

''Pet Sounds'' is the eleventh studio album by Music/TheBeachBoys. It was released on May 16, 1966 through Creator/CapitolRecords. Most of it was recorded by Music/BrianWilson with the group of UsefulNotes/LosAngeles session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew.

While the album initially had only modest sales and reception in the US, it was an enormous success in the UK, scoring hits with such classic songs as "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Caroline, No", "Sloop John B." and "God Only Knows". Today, it's a routine pick for the single greatest album ever recorded, and for understandable reason: it would not be hyperbole to state that a multitude of fundamental practices in the popular music of today would not exist without ''Pet Sounds''.

Promoted in the UK as "the most progressive pop album ever", ''Pet Sounds'' broke new sonic ground for pop and rock music, and was the first time a group had dedicated a whole LP to breaking from the traditional small-ensemble rock band format. An early {{concept album}}, it exhibited a diverse array of influences (pop, jazz, exotica, classical, etc.) and compositions containing elaborate vocal harmonies, found sounds, and instruments as far left-field at the time as string sections, Theremin, bicycle bells, and beverage cans, all wrapped up in a dense production reminiscent of Music/PhilSpector's Wall of Sound. As such, it physically could not be replicated live.

Promoted in the UK as "the most progressive pop album ever", ''Pet Sounds'' broke new sonic ground for pop and rock music, and was the first time a group dedicated a whole LP to breaking from the traditional small-ensemble rock band format. An early {{concept album}}, it exhibited a diverse array of influences (pop, jazz, exotica, classical, etc.) and Wall of Sound-based compositions containing elaborate vocal harmonies, found sounds, and instruments as far left-field at the time as bicycle bells, the theremin, string sections, and beverage cans. As such, it physically could not be replicated live.

Music/PaulMcCartney called ''Pet Sounds'' his favourite record of all time and one of the main inspirations for Music/TheBeatles ''Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand'' from 1967, along with Music/FrankZappa's ''Music/FreakOut'' from 1966. [=McCartney=] also considers "God Only Knows" to be "one of the most beautiful songs ever written."

* DolledUpInstallment: Because he sang a solo (albeit double-tracked) lead vocal without any harmonies, and he was the only band member heard on the song, "Caroline, No" was released a few months ahead of the album as a single credited solely to Brian Wilson, but it was added to the album and has always been credited to the band ever since.