What are the 3 essential BB albums?

[Newguy562]

There's three albums that I recommended for my cousin to check out so he can hear the bb sound :)I picked Today,Pet Sounds and Smile Sessions..
Which albums would you have recommended? & why?

[sidewinder572]

If you want to show that The Beach Boys were more than just a surf and car group as far as albums go those 3 are the way to go.

[Newguy562]

If you want to show that The Beach Boys were more than just a surf and car group as far as albums go those 3 are the way to go.

i was so close to just picking the sounds of the summer but i said f*** it that's not fair.

[Zach95]

I'd throw in Sunflower or Surf's Up, in addition to those if you're just introducing him.

[SG7]

Oh 3 is hard, how about five in no particular order

1. Today
2. Summer Days
3. Pet Sounds
4. Smile Sessions
5. Sunflower

[Ziggy Stardust]

If it was just i would easily say

Pet Sounds
SMiLE
Love You

But then they're all just Brian Wilson albums in the end and it's not cool for the others.. so i think it's best to pick one album from different era to really present their evolution and each talents, so it should be something like :

Today! or Summer Days & Summer Nights or All Summer Long
Pet Sounds or SMiLE or Friends, but Pet Sounds more likely (well because, you just HAVE to know this album)
and for the last one.. well i guess Sunflower is an obvious choice, really, tho i'd like to add some more, it's hard when you have like, 29 albums.

the best is really to pick 3 albums that shows their 60's sound and then 3 more for the 70's, i guess.. even tho it's still limited.

[Wirestone]

Actually, you just need two discs.

Sounds of the Summer comp.
Warmth of the Sun comp.

Each is long, has a fair share of obscure tracks, and generally features the best of the best.

If you want to do it based on albums,

Today / Summer Days twofer
Pet Sounds
Sunflower / Surf's Up twofer

Or if you want to be elegant about it:

The 93 Good Vibrations boxed set.

[Sheriff John Stone]

1. Pet Sounds
2. All Summer Long
3. Sunflower

Those three are able to showcase most of the group the best.

[Rocky Raccoon]

1. Pet Sounds
2. The Smile Sessions (2 Disc Version)
3. The Beach Boys Today! / Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) CD

But the best compilation for an introduction would be "The Beach Boys Classics (by Brian Wilson)."  That was the first Beach Boys album I bought after Pet Sounds (I also already owned Endless Summer and Spirit of America from my dad's CD collection) and was really what got me into how vast and eclectic the Beach Boys catalogue is and drove me to go deeper into it.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

I'd say (and without cheating using two-fers) the following:

Today! (the groups greatest album from their 'early period')

Pet Sounds (because whether it's your favourite BB album or not, it remains the seminal album of their career!)

Surf's Up (a terrific album from the 'group period', and a good example of their darker side)

[MBE]

To your three I would add Wild Honey, and Sunflowe. Maybe All Summer Long or Surfin USA if you want the best old stuff.

[The Heartical Don]

Actually, you just need two discs.

Sounds of the Summer comp.
Warmth of the Sun comp.

Each is long, has a fair share of obscure tracks, and generally features the best of the best.

If you want to do it based on albums,

Today / Summer Days twofer
Pet Sounds
Sunflower / Surf's Up twofer

Or if you want to be elegant about it:

The 93 Good Vibrations boxed set.

Eminently sane and in good taste.

[EgoHanger1966]

There's three albums that I recommended for my cousin to check out so he can hear the bb sound :)I picked Today,Pet Sounds and Smile Sessions..
Which albums would you have recommended? & why?

Those would be the same albums I would go with.
But...if he's your cousin, why not instead make him a 2 or 3CD comp as an overview of their career?
I've been meaning to do this for car trips etc. Too lazy to work out a tracklist and burn it!

[Heysaboda]

This thread (an excellent one by the way) PROVES that the Beach Boys are in the same class as the Beatles, in that 3 albums does not do them justice, to REALLY show what they are about.

Friends, Wild Honey, 20/20, even Smiley Smile and the glorious Love You, in all its beautiful, crazy weirdness, all have to be included.

There is always more to the Beach Boys than meets they eye.  That's why learning about all the Beach Boy eras is so rewarding.

[MBE]

I was thinking about it today and just counting original Beach Boys, solo, or produced by albums, (no comps) I get thirty LPs that rank among my top 100-150 or so.
That's Why God
Postcard
TLOS
WIRWFC
BWPS
Brian Wilson
POB
 Beached (produced by Carl)
In Concert
Holland
Spring
So Tough
 Surf's Up
Flame
Sunflower
Live In London
20/20
Friends
Wild Honey
Smiley
Pet Sounds
Party
Summer Days
Today
Concert
All Summer Long
Shut Down 2
Little Deuce Coupe
Surfer Girl
Surfin USA

Then you count the great work Bruce did with Terry Melcher in the sixties. David's stuff with The Moon, the vinyl and CD box sets, rare songs comps, the best bootlegs. They made so much wonderful music especally through 1974 that it's hard to keep up.

[AndrewHickey]

If you're only allowing three albums, then it would have to be Pet Sounds, the 2004 Brian Smile, and Pacific Ocean Blue.

[rab2591]

If you're only allowing three albums, then it would have to be Pet Sounds, the 2004 Brian Smile, and Pacific Ocean Blue.

I can agree with this.

[Wrightfan]

Pet Sounds, SMiLE, and Sunflower BARELY over Today!

[Wah Wah Wah Ooooo]

Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson Presents Smile and Sunflower

[AllIWannaDo]

Oh 3 is hard, how about five in no particular order

If it's on the premise of me getting someone new into the beach boys i'd go with the below (outside of no compilations), and listened to in that order  

Top 3

1. Today (if a comp is allowed i'd slip in 'Endless Summer' here in place of 'Today')
2. Pet Sounds
3. Smile Sessions

Top 5

1. All Summer Long
2. Today
3. Pet Sounds
4. Smile Sessions
5. Sunflower

[JanBerryFarm]

SURFIN' USA - the classic original Beach Boys
~~~~~~~~
FRIENDS - the classic hippie Beach Boys
~~~~~~~~
SURF'S UP (w/ Pied Piper disc) - The classic psychedelic Beach Boys.


These three pretty much sum it up, in my view.

...............................second choice would have been........................

LITTLE DEUCE COUPE - classic hot rods forever
~~~~~~~~~
SMILEY SMILE - classic psychedelic Beach Boys
~~~~~~~~~
BEACH BOYS LOVE YOU - classic 'over the top' quirky Beach Boys

[37!ws]

Three essential Beach Boys albums:

The Beach Boys Today!
Pet Sounds
Wow, Great Concert!

[Old Rake]

EASY: This three album run:

Pet Sounds
Smile
Wild Honey

[drbeachboy]

SURFIN' USA - the classic original Beach Boys
~~~~~~~~
FRIENDS - the classic hippie Beach Boys
~~~~~~~~
SURF'S UP (w/ Pied Piper disc) - The classic psychedelic Beach Boys.


These three pretty much sum it up, in my view.

...............................second choice would have been........................

LITTLE DEUCE COUPE - classic hot rods forever
~~~~~~~~~
SMILEY SMILE - classic psychedelic Beach Boys
~~~~~~~~~
BEACH BOYS LOVE YOU - classic 'over the top' quirky Beach Boys

The Pied Piper disc? That would be Holland, not Surf's Up.

[SBonilla]

Smiley Smile
Pet Sounds
Party