Check out my other Tier Lists... kzfaq.info/sun/PLz-voH7EJ1YPFoimWWHajwx5r09BdzhH_ Check out my top 5 albums by year videos… kzfaq.info/sun/PLz-voH7EJ1YOdHgm2R95ctqH-03Qt-O7g&si=ceVzVhQaUgja1glN

I am listening to their entire discography for the first time. I just finished Holland.

i LOVE how you completely ignored student demonstration time, as it should be

Thank you for this labour of love! You show a very helpful and valid path through this massive body of work. I am just beginning to listen to every regular studio album by The Beach Boys. So your insightful suggestions are very useful for it. 👍🏻🍀

Thank you for doing this --- a real pleasure. I look forward to others.

Here are a few corrections from errors I made in this 1. Al Jardine's first lead was on "Christmas Day", not "Little Saint Nick" 2. Holland is not a concept album, the spoken word medley at the end originally came as a bonus EP and wasn't originally intended for the album If anyone has any others please feel free to add on to this

Little Deuce Coupe is a spectacular album whether you like cars or not, i know nothing about cars but the flow and consistency of good songs is too good

Great review of the Beach Boys album catalogue - Holland, to me, has to be an S. Sail on Sailor and Trader opening either side is such an incredible intro. Only with you, Funky Pretty, Steamboat, Leaving this town and the California Saga suite make this album such a great listen from start to finish. Brilliantly produced and sounds awesome on a good hi-fi.

Pet sounds my friend.

What a great video, I’m becoming a big Beach Boys fan. Such an under-appreciated and genius group of musicians.

there's an interview of Paul Mccartney saying the Beatles "stole" the 'la la la la la' vocals from the Beach Boys (probably "You're So Good To Me")

Great video! my top 5: sunflower, pet sounds, friends, surf's up, wild honey

Regarding your comments on Holland, the "Mt. Vernon & Fairway" fairy tale was a separate EP included with the LP. It was a concession to Brian for him to do what he wanted so he would be more included on the album, which he otherwise really wasn't -- other than some vocals. It was eccentric, charming, but hampered by Brian's inability to narrate well or do cartoon voices (also the only flaw to his epic That Lucky Old Sun, which should've been narrated by Van Dyke Parks).

You're naming many albums and songs I'm obvious to. Makes my musical tastebuds salivate.

Great video. I think for me personally Sunflower is my favourite from that third phase but I can understand why Friends would be considered as such too.

I’m up to surfer girl and agree with you so far.. Surfer Girl is incredible

Hey, first of all thanks to you I got into the beach boys so I have to thank you for that because their music is incredible. I've listened to all the albums up to love you so far. I think the fairytale in the Holland Album was written by Brian Wilson seperately from the rest of the group and added in with the rest of the songs. There is an interesting documentary on youtube called Brian Wilson songwriter, that gives some background stories to (most) of the albums. I definitely have to listen to some of the albums some more to get a better understanding of how I would rank them . Especially the beginning period is a bit of a blur (Surfin Safari-All Summer long), because I listened to all these albums in one week on repeat together. But I agree you can hear the evolution of Brian Wilson songwriting and I really like this period. Right now my top albums would be : Smile Sessions(I also like the Brian Wilson solo version because it seems a bit more cohesive) I love both versions for different reasons. I took me quit a few listens all the way trough to realise how great this album is. Pet Sounds Today The Beach boys love you Friends(I think Wayne Shorter plays saxophone on transcendental meditation) I haven't listened to the Christmas album yet so i'll check that one out.

Cool and thoughtful list. There is something very special about Smiley Smile though. I would put it above "S" if that's possible. it's more than an album. It's a feeling.

Great list mate👍🏻 I got into the Beach Boys via their reissued twofer CDs my friend gave to me. The period after Pet Sounds into the 70s is a completely overlooked and superbly rewarding listen. Some fantastic songs and albums in that era👌🏻

Love goin on, livin with a heartache

This is very good, well done for putting it together. Should have more likes for sure. I've been digging more extensivly into their back catalog only relatively recently...and I see I only currently own: 1 S; 2 A's; 2 B's; and 1 C!!! Curious about GMTR now as well. Cheers

I think every BB fan will find slight variations to their opinions on album ranking, but overall, this list is pretty solid. I originally would have put Pet Sounds and SMiLE alone in a top tier, but recently have realized how much I overlooked Today! That album really surprised me and especially since many of it's songs were showcasing Brian's peak in creativity two albums before Pet Sounds. It makes me wonder what happened following that album that waned Brian's creativity. Probably pressure from the industry and fellow bandmates. Summer Days (And Summer Nights) was not a bad album, but it seemed like a step back. And I share your idea with Beach Boys Party. I hardly regard it as one of their main studio album releases, even though it technically is. Brian adopted the idea of "playing the studio" as if it were it's own instrument. That characteristic is completely lost in Beach Boys Party. Thanks for the video, it was a good one!

Man, little deuce coup is a great album, with cherry cherry coupe, car crazy cutie, a young man is gone and many others

Never have I ever stood up, pointed at the screen, and said “YES, this guy gets it!” until now. Absolutely incredible video!

Pet Sounds is undeniably their greatest album, but my favorite has to be Holland. I just love the lazy river feel of all the songs, and Carl Wilson's voice is at is best on songs like The Trader and Steamboat. I don't count the Pied Piper story as part of the album, since it was just an EP of bonus material Brian had written. If I were to do a list of my 50 favorite Beach Boys song, every last song from Holland (including the bonus track We Got Love) would be on there. Great video!

I know this is an older video, and idk if anyone’s told you yet, but the intro part in “Don’t Go Near The Water” was actually written by Brian and the rest of the song was entirely Mike and Al’s.

Sunflower is an automatic S

Surfs up gets an A? That’s wild to me. Such an incredible album (besides student demonstration obviously). I’d also give Love You an S. Such a groundbreaking album. Basically the genesis for synth pop and new wave. Brian has said on multiple occasions that it’s his favorite album. So many incredible songs on there.

Ok last critique 😂. By the way, thank you so much for doing this and I thoroughly enjoy this. I just have no one else to talk to about this haha. But I can’t believe you only like “I do love you” on the self titled album. If you take away the 80’s production sounds, or even listen to it in context of the times, I think it has some other really catchy songs. Getcha Back, California Calling, I’m So Lonely, Male Ego. Listen back when you can

The 6 songs at the end of Holland is an EP called Mount Vernon and Fairway. It was a bonus 45 record that came with the release of Holland. Mount Vernon and Fairway is a fairytale that is separate from the Holland album.

Sunflower is S but I love the list. I agree.

"Girl Don't Tell Me", according to Brian, was his attempt to write a song like "Ticket to Ride"

The reason that the original cuts at the end of Still Cruisin' appears in movies, so they fall into the same category as most of the other songs for this album.

Such a nice review! Regards!

Sunflower is amazing, I love the influence of Bruce/Dennis, they were so talented they and Carl are especially talented (Of course Brian is the most talented though)

Good rating and fun to listen to, thanks! Of course we'd all rate them differently and that's good.:) I still have a big spot in my heart for KTSA, the first BB album I bought. Goin' On really sold me on them even though the lyrics were iffy... Loved the sound of that record and loved the two Randy Bachman (of The Guess Who) Carl Wilson songs. From there I discovered the rest:)

Really neat visual way of doing this! Agree with most of your assessments. However, I think SUNFLOWER is every bit as good as PET SOUNDS, although certainly they're different animals. Other than the mawkish "Tears in the Morning," every song is solid, and five or six of them are brilliant. And the true stereo recording makes the record sound like nothing ever before or since. It's a true "team effort," whereas PET SOUNDS was almost a BW solo album. It's leaps and bounds above the other albums that got the same rating from you.

I really like how positive you are towards a lot of these records. In my experience, the Beach Boys (excluding Pet Sounds) are kind of a hard sell to someone from anywhere other than California, and there can even be barriers for entry even for some Native Californians, with some finding their music to be cheesy. I, however, am a Californian through and through, and this is probably my all-time favorite band. It’s been a while since I really did any kind of deep dive with the band so I decided to listen to all of their records in chronological order, including solo work, and these would be my rankings so far: Bruce Johnston- Surfers’ Pajama Party (rank= B, a really cool live album) Surfin’ Safari (rank=C, vocally and musically thin but a decent start) Surfin’ USA (rank=B, double tracking the vocals made a big difference, you can tell they are getting better at their instruments) Bruce Johnston- Surfin’ Round the World (rank=B, Musically this record is fantastic, with some vocals almost being intrusive to the songs, some great surf rock, with edge even, with some softer Rock as well) I’m having fun checking these records out, especially since I never fully listened to Surfin’ Safari or ever heard any of Bruce Johnston’s stuff but I’ve been pleasantly surprised so far. I was worried some of this early stuff would be amateurish, and there is a little of that but it’s made up for in different ways. On the Beach Boys’ first record, they bring big ideas but are kind of shaky in terms of subject matter but they are pros by the second record. With Johnston, his first record is basic surf party rock, but it’s a live album that captures a scene so completely, it’s almost an important historical document. We see so much of the mid & late 60s and mid 50s early rock scene documented so thoroughly that it’s refreshing to hear something done like this for the pre-Beach Boys California Surf Rock scene. It was recorded on the UCLA campus with an audience, and you can almost picture it as the soundtrack of a big frat party. By his second solo record, he’s a pro also.

Swap Wild Honey and Surfs Up to the S category for the Xmas album and Friends , and I would go along with most of your ratings. Also Santa Ana Winds and Living with a Heartache are great songs from KTSA

I like to hear other peoples thoughts. It's so hard to rank BB albums because of the band's history and Brian coming and going etc. I can't really ever count SMiLE because for me it was finished by Brian with the Wondermints and the sessions are more a compilation, and although I'm glad we have them. I just don't think either are actually what was intended for 67. Also it's hard with that ranking system for me Pet Sounds is on a level all on its own and sunflower and surf's up close behind. But of course all this is all subjective and I love your rankings because I love to hear other people's attention. Oh and also the Manson stuff probably goes a little deeper than just a couple stolen songs with a very weird link between Polanski, Terry Melcher and Manson. But I'll let people put the dots together themselves. Killer video !! Loved it

Al Jardine did not sing lead on "Little Saint Nick"; that was Mike Love. Al's first vocal was "Christmas Day".

Love this video! As an avid BB fan I agree with most of what you say. I love Today and of course Pet Sounds. However, I don’t think KTSA is so bad

Mike: "A Young Man is Gone" is the Four Freshmen hit "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring" with the words rewritten by Brian as a tribute to James Dean....love your channel....Carry on....

Really good rankings, only things I would argue about are I would give Love You an S, Carl and the Passions a C and finally Holland an S. Still great video!

Fun fact, the original vinyl version of Holland didn't have the last six songs on the lp. The album originally ended with funky pretty. The whole album was a concept album and the last 6 songs that seemed random, were recorded during the sessions of holland, but were cut out because Brian wilson thought they were unrelevant to the album. So vinyl releases of Holland didn't have those last 6 songs. They were added on later releases just as bonus tracks.

A very nice job of collating and categorizing. I am in general agreement with all except.Surf’s Up and Holland, which should be classed as “S” albums. The only mark against Surf’s Up is Student Demonstration Time. It is not a bad song, at all, but it does break the mood of the album. The second side is one of my favorite sides of any album, right up there with the first side of Magical Mystery Tour. It really does make a difference whether your listen to Vinyl or CDs. Very well done. Thank you for taking the time to present a comprehensive examination of the rankings of one of my favorite groups.

Can't really fault your choices, Mike. I would have made two changes giving an S to Holland and Surf's Up. Without the spoken word EP being added to the CD, Holland is a fantastic album made under trying conditions a long way from home. Out of all the BB albums, it's SMILE that sits at the very top, above Pet Sounds, in my opinion. What an absolutely incredible record, such a tragedy that it was never released when it was made. I believe it would have left Sgt Pepper in it's wake and certainly stolen it's thunder. As mind blowing as Pepper is, SMILE is on another level, not by a lot, but it's just insane no matter how many times I hear it. Good call for TODAY, some beautiful songs on that one. Friends too. Sunflower is an interesting one, a group in transition maybe like when you leave home for the first time and have all the freedom you want. Anyway, thoroughly enjoyed your appraisal and will check out your other videos. Thanks!!

Fascinatingly, i think Love You is my favourite, then Smiley Smile or Friends. :-)

Hey Mike I'm an avid Beach Boys fan also we are pretty much on the same page on the rankings I saw Brian's pet sounds tour and it was well worth what we paid for the tickets it was a night I'll never forget as long as I live Form one Beach Boys fan to another I'm glad we have the same love passion and depths of America's favorite band of all time

Loved the video, though I have to admit i actually really like Keepin the Summer Alive and especially Beach Boys '85. "Goin On" is a great song from KTSA and I like the majority of the songs on Beach Boys '85, especially "Where I Belong" and "Maybe I Don't Know."

Good review video! I personally think “friends” through “L.A.” is the best of their music, with sunflower being the peak. I also have a soft spot for “still cruisin’” especially the tracks “make it big” and “somewhere near Japan.” The early stuff never really resonated with me, and while pet sounds is genius, it’s so melancholy to me that I hardly ever listen to it.

Still Cruisin was originally supposed to collect a bunch if soundtrack songs. That’s why old tracks were on it; they had been used in recent movies.

Good video and nice idea to show the albums stacked next to their grades. For most of the albums, your grade is within one tier of where I'd grade them myself, but I have a few major exceptions: Every Beach Boys person on the internet nowadays loves Friends, so I must be missing some gene other fans were born with. I have heard Friends for at least 15 years now and have never liked it, any of it really, so I'm not likely to get turned around on it at this point. I'd give it a D. I feel pretty well connected to the rest of Beach Boys diehards via most opinions, but it bugs me that Friends is always such a disconnect... I do love the albums just before and after it, Wild Honey and 20/20. The Christmas Album? I have had it since I was a kid and I like it, just never thought it was outstanding musically. If I had to grade it I'd give it a B, but really I wouldn't grade it at all, since I don't consider it a proper studio album. But I gotta say, like you, it is one of my favorite Christmas albums. Your criticism of Still Cruisin' is valid, but it applies equally to Little Deuce Coupe. Given your reasoning, I don't see how you can grade them so far apart. Both albums are about half previously released hits, plus one new hit single and some "filler" tracks. Personally I'd put Still Crusin' a little ahead since I love Kokomo and since it was a more important album for the Boys career/legacy, but I'd give both albums a C or D. Party is, to me, the definition of a weak effort. That's OK, doesn't take anything away from the band overall, but I don't think it is right to call it a good album. Being the source of the surprising hit Barbara Ann saves it from an E and bumps it to a D for me. Holland and The Beach Boys 1985 self-title both deserve to be two tiers higher in my mind. At least you like Holland, but man it hurts my feelings that you don't like the self-title! It is miles ahead of MIU and LA to me. We're further disconnected since you picked "I Do Love You" as your favorite from it; that song doesn't make the top half of the album for me. How can any Beach Boys fan not love "Where I Belong"?? It is my all-time favorite non-single BB song. Overall good stuff though, thanks again for a great video!

Wow did I hear you say that you like “Here Comes the Night”? I thought I was the only one 😮 I love it to death ❤

I have never heard a Beach Boys ranking like this one. I agree so much with this one. It is almost like I would rank them.

Still Cruisin' should've been a better album, because they did a handful of other soundtrack songs (that was the theme of the album -- all from movies) that weren't included, for whatever reason. The older songs were included because they were featured in movies in the 80s, like "Good Morning Vietnam".

One of the few songs you like on the LA album is the disco version of Here Comes The Night?

HI Mike, Well done. I listened to the entire presentation, and your were thoughtful in your critiques. I agreed with your S line, and like you, not a fan of the 80's stuff. Which albums were made after the deaths of Dennis and Carl? The Beach Boys' stage had a revolving door of musicians, which also would affect sounds and arrangements. Thanks for your research and the time it took to listen to all the albums, rate them, then write and record your commentaries.

I'm still getting through. Pet Sounds is a no-brainer for sure, but Holland is blowing me away. Maybe it's just me

you're like the only one that doesn't think Summer in Paradise is the worst one lol

Summer Days hands down is their greatest album. I even put it ahead of Pet Sounds, which to me is a great half album with a lot of clinkers

I have a fondness for Still Cruisin just for it being on in the house growing up, and I love Somewhere Near Japan and Island Girl

This was a great breakdown. Feel like Holland should be higher. Christmas Album is half covers and Shut Down has a bit of filler. Would have those lower. Think I agree with every album you have in A, except I'd switch sunflower and Friends. Spot on with That's Why God Made the Radio. Couldn't believe how good it was. Same thing for BW's That Lucky Old Sun album. So good.

Being a huge fan since ‘63, and being really familiar with ALL of these albums, I have to disagree with more than a few. Little Deuce Coupe- A Summer Days(and Nights) should be an S, while Today w/b an A. Wild Honey-C, Sunflower-S Friends- B MIU- E 15 Big Ones- D Love You- E Beach Boys- B it does have some really good songs(Where I Belong, Getcha Back) I know this is 4 years later from your video, but I just felt strongly on these differences. Good video!

Years and years ago at this point, an acquaintance of mine got me the legacy edition of "Pacific Ocean Blue", released in 2008. I paid for it of course, but he had Amazon and I didn't. It's a really solid album, and since I frequently misplace things, I downloaded it onto my Spotify playlist.

Thank you for your opinion. I learned a lot about my favorite group. I wonder if/how much Jimmy Buffett is/was influenced by them?

I dont know if you already knew this but Brian and van dyke parks also worked together on the album 'orange crate art'

Thanks, Great job. I listen to their entire discography every year at least once ( except for Summer in Paradise and Stars and Stripes). Summer in Paradise was made without Brian.) I love every all of these albums. I would rate Party as an S ( try listening to this after a martini!) Also, I would give Surf Up and Holland an S.

When we lived in Inglewood we lived only 3 blocks from the Beach Boys. My baby sitter went to school with Dennis and Carl.Mike Loves sister Maureen playe the harp at the church where I was babtized. She was the harp accompanyment to my moms singing performance one sunday. My favorite albums are Pet Sounds Sunflower and Holland.

“Girl don’t Tell Me” is very clearly an homage to The Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride”, right down to the ri-hi-hide/wri-hi-hite chorus.

I like your list, it’s similar to mine

S: The Beach Boys Today, Summer Days (And Summer Nights), Pet Sounds, Friends, Sunflower, Surf's Up, The Beach Boys Love You A: Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, 20/20, Carl and The Passions "So Tough", L.A. Light Album B: Surfer Girl, Shut Down Vol. 2, All Summer Long, The Beach Boys Party!, Keeping The Summer Alive C: Holland, 15 Big Ones D: Surfin' Safari, Surfin' U.S.A., Little Deuce Coupe, The Beach Boys Christmas Album F: Haven't listened: M.I.U., S/T, Still Cruising, Summer In Paradise, Stars And Stripes Vol. 1, Smile Sessions, That's Why God Made The Radio

I listened to this really sceptical about the possibility of covering such a haul in less than 35 minutes but you did a great job. I know all the albums and would strongly disagree with several ratings but importantly it made me reassess, want to go and listen and feel excited. These rankings should always be done by people who love the artist enough to admit there are stinkers like Still Cruisin. Main disagreement: BB Party. Fun once or twice D. And Summer Days is an S. And the graphics were really effective.

Smile was a weird album but I think that’s what Brian intended it to be in my personal opinion I think Brian made smile as the gateway to how he saw the world to show us how he saw everything

If given the choice to listen to only one group I'd choose the Beach Boys.

My top 5: The SMiLE Sessions, Pet Sounds, Holland, Surf's Up, Wild Honey. If I could include Dennis's Pacific Ocean Blue or Brian's That Lucky Old Sun, I would consider them serious contenders for top 5 placement.

I couldn't agree more with this tier list But for real! People need to get more in tuned with The Smile Sessions!!

The poed piper stuff is not part of the Holland album. It was something Brian was working on that was included as a bonus Disc with the original LP. That’s why it’s tacked onto the end of the CD. So it’s part of the Holland package, but not part of the album proper.

Isn't Little Douche Coupe, about their (in)famous cousin? Hateful Mikey? steve

Where would you place Adult / Child on the list? Assuming you’ve heard it. If you haven’t, fair enough, since it’s only a bootleg.

My rankings Surfin safari - D Surfin USA - B Surfer Girl - A Little deuce coupe - A Shut down volume two - B All summer long - S Christmas - B Today! - S Summer days - S Party! - D Pet Sounds - S Smiley smile - A Wild Honey - A Friends - A 20/20 - A Sunflower - S Surf’s Up - S Carl and the Passions - S Holland - S 15 Big Ones - D Love You - S MIU - E L A light album - B Keepin the summer alive - E Beach Boys - C Still Crusin’ - E Summer in paradise - E Stars and Stripes - D Smile Sessions - S That’s why god made the radio - A

Where's The Beach Boys Concert album?

Brian Wilson was a gifted composer. Close to Motsart. Just my opinion.

the Love You album was designed by Dean Torrance of Jan & Dean

Holland is better than Carl And The Passions ‘So Tough’, but Holland is not as strong as Sunflower or Surf’s Up, perhaps the Beach Boys’ two greatest works, outside Pet Sounds.

Interesting Ranking! However I would move the first 2 Boys LPs up to A, as they are so full of joy of Life😊 In contrast I would move Wild Honey and Carl and the passions down to C, as I find that them boring apart from the title Track Wild Honey and the 2 Dennis Songs on Passions. Also I'm in slight doubt about "Smile". The expectations in those heady days of 66 and 67 was very high. Smiley Smile disappointed and the refusal the play Monterey hurt the Boys. When Smile finally appeared as that giant 4 CD box, I couldn't help being disappointed again, too much experimentation not enough great tunes! In contrast their last album God made the radio was a joy, especially the last 3 Songs

Yes: "Girl Don't Tell Me" was based on "Ticket To Ride".

You need a mess of help is on KZfaq on the old grey whistle test , not got many views for some reason .

Zone er learn not to live was b side to the hit bluebirds over the mountain in the uk .

The first album cover of Beach Boys Love You was actually embroidered....good eye

Party was probably a hold over album while they were writing Pet sounds

I never count Stars & Stripes as a real Beach Boys album, because though the boys are on it, it’s not their album and it’s made up of interpretations of past tunes.

Girl Don't Tell Me is actually quite of a rip-off of Ticket To Ride, if you think about it. Brian wrote it with The Beatles in mind, I mean, thinking about offering it to them. But by the time this happened -If that ever happened-, The Beatles had already moved forward to Rubber Soul, so it was turned down and Brian made it with Carl. I think it still sounds more like Help! (Being directly inspired by Ticket To Ride) than Rubber Soul

for me there should only be 4 albums to make the top tier, pet sounds, surfs up, sunflower and smile sessions. the early stuff is great but not on the same level. also id have la Light album higher as its very underrated, and the only album to make the bottom tier should be summer in paradise (the anti pet sounds) smiley smile definitely a contender for bottom tier too, always hated it.

I think “Stars & Stripes” is god awful with one major exception. Willie Nelson doing “Warmth of the Sun” with the boys is absolutely fantastic.

You put Keepin'The Summer Alive on the same level as Summer In Paradise????

What is S???? standard or superior or¿?

You don’t like ANY songs on keepin the summer alive??? Goin’ On is one of the greatest songs they’ve EVER made. The vocal harmonies on that are incredible. And Carl does a phenomenal job on Oh Darlin’! The chorus has such amazing feel with the horns

Nice Job --- Disagree about All Summer Long and Summer Days and Summer Nightsthat rates an S over Shut Down Volume II, and Al Jardine's First Lead was Not Little Saint Nick --- That was Mike Love --- But very discerning. Bravo.

Hi Mike I have some Beach Boys information for you