Their place in history

[lance]

Well if you point is that they won't be big radio stars in 2100, I doubt if anybody would argue that.

Bing Crosby IS largely forgotten.

Irving Berlin is not. Nor is Fats Domino. The majority of people dont know either, true, but that doesnt mean that they are footnotes.

Brian Wilson is an Irving Berlin, a Fats Domino. He wont be forgotten.

He was, for a while, one of the greatest producers-recordmakers of the mid-sixties and beyond. He made at least one of the greatest albums of all time, and that is widely recognized by many nowadays, and not just nostalgic boomers, either.

[Aegir]

I'll admit that the only thing I associate Patti Page with is "Patti Page and summer days on old Cape Cod..."

[Sheriff John Stone]

Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys will always be remembered in history, but in a certain context. And, I believe that context will fall into the "institution" that music became in the late 1950's and will eventually end; it's getting close now. Pop music or rock & roll music created an institution. It brought the MASS distribution of records, record players, hundreds/thousands of young bands, the rock concert, drugs, T-shirts, magazines, music on TV, AM-FM radios, cars radios, and on and on.....There was nothing quite like it before, and - as we can see it changing right before our eyes - there will never be anything quite like it again. And The Beach Boys were in that time frame, a very popular part of that institution. History will view them as part of that "rock era" or whatever you want to call it, or whatever history will call it. I don't say that to minimalize it; I believe it will be viewed quite fondly, even praised for the trailblazing. But, again, The Beach Boys will be FEATURED in part of that era.

[urbanite]

I'm convinced that in the future more of their songs will be covered by popular artists.  Hopefully some of the obscure ones as well. 

[Black Tiger]

The year: 2020
The show: American Idol
The singer: Britney Spears' teenage son

"A cigarette butt when you throw it in the water goes pfffftt..."

[the captain]

If American Idol is still on and still popular in 2020, I am giving up all hope in the human race and either blowing up the world (assuming I have the means as a super villain) or committing suicide (as a run-of-the-mill depressive).

[Pretty Funky]

Wouldn't it be great to have a crystal ball?

I can only use a comparison to the likes of Eric Clapton being influenced by Robert Johnson from the 30s with his blues playing.
Many years from now when a new vocal group comes on the scene, I see no reason why they would not be influenced by the Beach Boys style in the same manner as Clapton and others were with the old blues artists.
The subject matter of the songs would be secondary to the vocal complexity and mix I would expect.

[Shady]

A very great, and thankfully popular band at the moment 'the fleet foxes' love Brian and The Beach Boys so much they never shut up talking about them, and name check them in their liner notes.

Add them to the hundreds of bands who credit the beach boys as an influence over the past ten years. This trend will only grow IMO.

I'm 18 and work in Virgin Megastores, I know what's going on

Oh also, sounds of summer is brought down to 4.99 euros in a sale last week, it's our biggest seller of the week.