What do you think would have have happened if the Beach Boys finished Smile?

Apparently he did. He was having difficulty achieving his vision for the song and according to first hand reports considered leaving it unfinished and giving it to a rhythm and blues group. David Anderle asked if he could have it for Danny Hutton. This was essentially a "kick in the butt" that prompted him to keep going and finish it.

 

It probably would have failed the way Smiley Smile did. I used to think it would be successful, but I don't see it. Good Vibrations was successful because it was a commercial song, but the songs on SMiLE, while fantastic, are not really commercial. They would probably go on to do Wild Honey and Friends, though.

 

I think it would have found an audience, but enough of an audience to have been a commercial success, I have my doubts.
But, among musicians and music makers, I believe it would have been a game changer. The gauntlet would've been thrown down.
Much the same way guitar players felt when Hendrix came upon the scene.
A time to reevaluate the present and move forward will new possibilities.

 

Did SMiLE even have a release date? I always heard January 15th 1967, but I don't know if that's true. If you have any insight, it would be greatly appreciated!

 

I don't agree with this assessment of vdp's lyrics at all.

 

Even if it flopped on release, I think its status would have grown much earlier. Hard to think about its impact on music in general. I suspect a number of cheap copycat attempts at the same thing. I still think the form and method of working would have proved difficult to maintain, in a way similar to what happened with the Beatles and any movement to create such complex works - given the technological difficulties - would have imploded as it did back then. It would have taken some time for the smoke to die down and see the long term effect that the album would have had.

 

Brian apparently informed Capitol that Smile would not be ready in December “but in all probability will deliver some time prior to January 15.” Jan 13 was slotted to be the release date of the new single, Heroes and Villains.
So that's where the Jan 15th date comes from. The booklets and covers were printed in early January.