Where Do I Start With the Beach Boys?

Hi everyone- I am looking to delve into the Beach Boys catalog. Where do I start? I am looking to pick up 5 or so titles.

 

Pet Sounds.

 

Depends. Do you want a Greatest Hits compilation (I would recommend 50 Big Ones) or an album by album purchase? Pet Sounds is a must. The Sounds of Summer compilation is also a good place to start. Greatest Hits 1 and 2. Beyond that their early albums are the best in the mid 60's.

 

Today!
Pet Sounds
20/20 (or Friends)
Sunflower
Sounds of Summer - Greatest Hits

I think this is a fair way to get into the catalog--these are, IMHO, the best albums from their various periods. Cream of the crop stuff.

 

Compilations: Sounds of Summer and Warmth of the Sun are excellent and served as my initiation. The former is a standard greatest hits with great song choices, and the latter is a "second best"-type greatest hits. There is zero overlap between these two. Highly recommended.

Albums:
Pet Sounds
Today!
Wild Honey
Smile Sessions
This last one depends on which era you'd like to explore more: early years - Surfer Girl, or later years - Friends

I have bolded the 5 between albums and comps I think you should use as your introduction to the Beach Boys.

 

This would be my recommendation. If you like Pet Sounds, get the new(ish) release of smile as well. It was the never released follow up to Pet Sounds. Although some of the songs do appear on later albums.

 

Ten Years Of Harmony

 

Right here:

 

Today
Pet Sounds
Friends
20/20
Sunflower

The Warmth of The Sun is a great compilation with some "not so typical" Beach Boys tunes.

 

Get the box set from 1993. 25 bucks used on Amazon.

 

I'll never forget the first time I heard "The Night Was So Young". It was 5 in the morning and I was on the way to my coffee shop. I was pretty heavy into the BB's at that point, but didn't delve super deep. Heard that song and it pretty much sealed the deal for my BB obsession.

 

Pet Sounds
Surf's Up

 

Yeah, I think The Beach Boys are actually the perfect box set band. Outside of a handful of albums, their catalog is really spotty, but there's a ton of great stuff scattered across their albums that a single disc compilation won't cover. It wasn't until I got the Made in California set that I really appreciated their work outside of Pet Sounds and Smile.

 

Same here, I was a "I don't like The Beach Boys" guy and then I got the Box Set followed by Pet Sounds, and I got it

 

It's hard to say without knowing more about your tastes. Some fans favor the older hits, while many lean more toward their artsy period (Pet Sounds/Smile), myself included, though I also enjoy some of the preceding albums like Today. I'm also quite fond of their early 70s sound and would recommend the Sunflower/Surf's Up two-fer, good value for the money. So maybe check out those, along with a good hits compilation.

 

Which box set?

Good vibrations: 30 years of the beach boys
5 cd's ?

 

Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the BBs

 

Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys - Wikipedia »

 

Thank you

25 bucks!
A steal
Late Christmas present for me!
Just texted to wifey lol

 

I started out with a single cassette comp and then got the Good Vibrations box when it came out. That box covered my basic Beach Boys needs for years. Then I started acquiring albums based on what songs I liked from the box. As others have mentioned, Today, PetSounds, Smile, Sunflower, Surf's Up are all excellent.

 

DCC's Endless Summer and Spirit of America, followed by Pet Sounds and then whatever you want after that.

 

FWIW, i recommend to start, any form of "Endless Summer" on CD or both volumes of "Greatest Hits," then seek out the two-fer with "Party" and "Stack O'Tracks," so you can sing along as soon as you familiarize yourself with the main repertoire.

 

dont forget their 70s material, amazing stuff

 

If you're looking to start getting into the Beach Boys, don't spend the money on the DCC titles yet until you are so hooked you have to have them to hear the songs in the best sound quality. 50 Big Ones has a great collection of songs but is loud and compressed. The 1993 Good Vibrations box set is a better bet, but that's five CD's right there. Individual titles - Greatest Hits 1 and 2 (necessary for mono mixes even if you end up buying every title in the catalog), Pet Sounds, Sunflower, Today would be a good start. Then Surf's Up, 20/20, Holland, Wild Honey and Friends.