The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson Passed Away On June 11, 2025

The Beach Boys’ co-founder and lead singer, Brian Wilson, died on June 11th at 82. His family shared the news on his Facebook account

“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world,” they wrote.

Brian Wilson, celebrated for his distinctive vocals and for ushering in a wave of surf-inspired music, co-founded the Beach Boys in 1961 alongside his brothers Dennis and Carl, cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine.

Tributes Poured In Following His Passing

Wilson was a trailblazer in the music industry, with countless actors, musicians, and fans considering him an inspiration.

After his passing, the legendary Carole King wrote on Facebook, “Brian Wilson was my friend and my brother in songwriting. We shared a similar sensibility, as evidenced by his 4 over 5 chord under ‘Aaaah!’ in ‘Good Vibrations’ and mine under ‘I’m Into Something Good.’ We once discussed who used it first, and in the end we decided it didn’t matter. The world will miss Brian, but we are so lucky to have his music.”

See a few other tributes below.

Brian Wilson’s Cause Of Death Revealed

Last year, it was revealed that Wilson was diagnosed with dementia, though his family did not give a cause of death. TMZ obtained Wilson’s death certificate, which provided the reason as to why the music legend passed away: respiratory arrest.

According to Carda Health, respiratory arrest is when “a person is unable to breathe on their own.” This means that his heart was still beating, but his lungs stopped working.

The death certificate also stated that sepsis and cystitis, neurodegenerative disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure and chronic kidney disease, were also underlying problems.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with his children and grandchildren.