Brian Wilson, co-founder of The Beach Boys and one of the most influential figures in American pop music, has died at 82, his family confirmed on Wednesday.

In a statement posted on Instagram, his family said, “We are at a loss for words right now. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.” The family did not disclose the cause of death, though Wilson had been under legal conservatorship since last year due to a “major neurocognitive disorder.”

Wilson’s songwriting defined an era. Through rich harmonies and vibrant melodies, he helped soundtrack the golden image of California’s beaches and carefree summers. Hits like “Surfin’ USA,” “Fun, Fun, Fun” and “I Get Around” propelled The Beach Boys to international fame, with success rivaling even The Beatles during the height of their popularity.

Although Wilson never surfed, his musical brilliance captured the spirit of surf culture better than anyone. His peers in the music industry praised his gift. Bob Dylan once remarked, “That ear — I mean, Jesus, he's got to will that to the Smithsonian!”

But behind the shimmering melodies was a deeply troubled artist. After years of creating hit after hit, Wilson spiraled into decades of personal battles with mental illness and drug abuse. The Beach Boys’ “Smile,” considered by many to be Wilson’s unfinished masterpiece, remained in limbo for decades until he completed it in 2004.

Born on June 20, 1942, in Hawthorne, California, Wilson grew up in a home shadowed by an abusive father who would later manage the group. Music was both his escape and his refuge. The Beach Boys were a family band, with Wilson teaming up with his brothers Dennis and Carl, his cousin Mike Love, and family friend Al Jardine.

Wilson wrote, arranged and produced the songs, with the rest of the group delivering his signature harmonies. Their debut track “Surfin’” in 1961 laid the groundwork for the upbeat surf rock sound that would soon define them.

By 1962, “Surfin’ USA” was blaring from radios across America, cementing their reputation as pop icons. But even as fame soared, Wilson was increasingly uncomfortable with life on the road. After suffering a panic attack on a flight in 1964, he stepped back from touring to focus on the studio.

Wilson was born deaf in his right ear. The beatings from his father during childhood left their mark not just emotionally, but physically. “It was tough. My dad was quite the slave driver,” Wilson once told Rolling Stone. “He made us mow the lawn and when we were done, he’d say, ‘Mow it again.’”

The Beach Boys’ sound matured as Wilson grew older, reflecting a more introspective tone. Their landmark 1966 album “Pet Sounds” remains a cornerstone of modern music, with John Lennon calling it one of the best albums of all time. Paul McCartney openly described Wilson as a “genius,” saying that “God Only Knows” moved him to tears.

“Good Vibrations,” released the same year, pushed pop boundaries. The recording spanned multiple studios, over 90 hours of tape, and layers of intricate sounds. The result was a masterpiece that topped the charts and sold over a million copies.

But the weight of perfection, combined with drug use, pushed Wilson to the edge. By 1967, his mental health had deteriorated. He abandoned “Smile,” installed a sandbox in his living room to rest his piano, and fell deep into substance abuse.

Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Wilson became increasingly paranoid, convinced that legendary producer Phil Spector was spying on him.

His personal life unraveled. His brothers Dennis and Carl died years apart, and Wilson himself was caught in a years-long battle with a controlling therapist who was eventually barred by court order from seeing him.

Wilson later credited his wife, Melinda Ledbetter, with helping him rebuild his life and return to music. After her death, his family arranged a legal conservatorship to ensure his care, with input from Wilson’s seven children.

Among his many honors, Wilson received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2007, recognized as “rock and roll’s gentlest revolutionary.”

“There is real humanity in his body of work,” the citation read, “vulnerable and sincere, authentic and unmistakably American.”