In the late 1950s and early 60s, surf culture was taking California by storm, and surf rock was quick to follow. Characterized by speedy riffs on steel guitar and vocal harmonies, surf rock evokes the crashing of the waves and easy-breezy attitude of beachgoers.

Formed in 1961, the Beach Boys settled into the surf rock genre from their very first album, titled Surfin’ Safari. In addition to the classic surf rock sound, this first album also evokes adolescent, all-American fun, filled with root beer (“Chug-A-Lug”), Chevrolets (“409”), and a lot of kissing (“The Shift”).

While Surfin’ Safari painted a clear picture of surf culture and what it meant to be a teenager in Southern California, their next albums, namely Surfin’ USA and Surfer Girl, contained chart-toppers that brought knowledge of this culture to mainstream America.

Specifically, in Surfer Girl’s eponymous single, the Beach Boys invite the listener into the world of beachside romances, painting a fantasy of a bikini-clad girl to keep by your side while you surf.

As the British Invasion came to replace many American surf rock acts in the charts, the Beach Boys changed their tune. In the following years, they released a Christmas album, a cover album, and an experimental rock album. And then Pet Sounds came along.

Widely recognized as one of the best rock albums of all time, Pet Sounds is nostalgia incarnate. The album begins with the dreamlike instrumental of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” created by a 12-string guitar.

The lyrics plunge the listener into youthful hopefulness, wishing for a day when the speaker isn’t limited by his age or circumstances. The instrumentals and harmonies bleed warmth, a warmth that persists as the album continues.

This youthful tone radiates in subsequent songs, as the album’s third track, “That’s Not Me,” focuses on a protagonist grappling with his newfound maturity and a search for independence, while the final track, “Caroline, No,” has the speaker lamenting on the changes that the titular Caroline has been experiencing. This song closes with a train passing and dogs barking, putting an end to the presumed eternal summer of their previous albums.

The summery haze of Pet Sounds blossoms through the album’s instrumental tracks, where “Let’s Go Away for Awhile” and “Pet Sounds” use horns, strings, vibraphones, guitar slides, Coca-Cola cans, and a güiro to create a sunny dreamscape. These tracks serve as a break from the emotionally-charged narrative songs, allowing the listener to sit with Brian Wilson’s composing for two-and-a-half minutes at a time.

Throughout the rest of their career, the Beach Boys continued to create music that oozed a beachside feel, while simultaneously exploring and reimagining their sound. Even less-acclaimed songs, such as their 1988 critical flop “Kokomo,’ have managed to lodge themselves into the summertime canon.

Although three of the band’s founding members have passed away, their music will live on not only as surf rock and summertime hits, but also as having a groundbreaking impact on the alternative music industry.