Brian Wilson had a great ear for melody and arrangement. He used that ear (and also drugs) to create music that transcended expectations for popular music of the time and influenced the development of prog rock, punk rock, lo-fi, and indie, despite him largely shutting down in like 1968. His impact on popular culture is hard to overstate.
Brian Wilson was a self-destructive, anxious and troubled man who had been abused and/or exploited by many around him for a large part of his life. There's a very real sense he could have left us in like the 1980s and I don’t think anyone would have been surprised. And yet, he managed to get help and find some form of stability (under someone else’s care), finished his great unfinished magnum opus, and made it to his 80s, far outliving his two younger brothers (who were also members of the band)
Brian Wilson created some of my favourite music of all-time, shattered my preconceptions about the Beach Boys, and profoundly affected my appreciation of popular music. I love his sensitivity, his ability to turn his kooky ideas into wonderful little melody nuggets, his occasionally buck-wild interviews, and I'm eternally grateful for his music. He's earned his rest.
Thank you for everything Brian :)