The Smiley Smile Message Board

Hey, All!
I was just wondering what everyone's top 5 looked like?
I'd say mine would have to be:
(I'm not going to include TSS or Smile, but it would be right there at #3)

5. Surf's Up
4. Sunflower
3. Friends
2. Today!
1. Pet Sounds

1) Pet Sounds

2) Today!

3) Love You

4) Carl And The Passions - "So Tough"

5) Sunflower

I think...

*Tempted to swap Sunflower with 'The Beach Boys' (BB85)

1. Pet Sounds
2. Smiley Smile
3. Today
4. Sunflower
5. Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)

Not counting TSS...

1) Pet Sounds
2) Friends
3) Today!
4) Sunflower
5) Love You

1. Smile
2. Pet Sounds (those two always alternate)
3. In Concert
4. Sunflower
5. Holland

* 20/20 (if we're talking strictly studio albums)

1. Pet Sounds
2. Smile
3. Sunflower
4. Today!
5. Friends

1. Pet Sounds
2. Friends
3. Today!
4. Sunflower
5. Wild Honey

Not including TSS/Smile.

1. Wild Honey
2. Sunflower
3. Surf's Up
4. Today
5. All Summer Long


To TheDumbAngel: I must agree -- as much as I love TSS/Smile, that one's got a few asterisks still.....

1 - Pet Sounds
2 - Sunflower
3 - Today
4 - All Summer Long
5 - Holland

No Smile/TSS. For obvious reasons.

Pet Sounds
Friends
Music from the SMiLE Sessions - TSS will do.
BB'85
Today!

1. Pet Sounds
2. Wild Honey
3. Sunflower
4 (tie). Today!
4 (tie). SDSN
5. Smiley Smile

Again, no Smile

1. Pet Sounds
2. Sunflower
3. Today!
4. Wild Honey
5. SMiLE Sessions


* Preference orientation of the above list could change tomorrow by 12:00 am PST.
Albums may be substituted with Holland, Surf's Up, or CATP at my discretion without notice.  :p

1. Today
2. Sunflower
3. All Summer Long
4. Love You
5. In Concert

Based on the albums that I listen to the most.

1.) Wild Honey
2.) The Beach Boys Love You
3.) Pet Sounds
4.) Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)
5.) Smiley Smile

1. Pet Sounds
2. Friends
3. Wild Honey
4. Summer Days
5. Sunflower

1. Pet Sounds
2. Smile
3. Sunflower
4. Today!
5. Friends

 1. friends
  2.  smiley smile
   3.   wild honey
    4.    pet sounds
     5.     sunflower

Love You
Smiley Smile
Pet Sounds
All Summer Long
Summer Days

1 - Pet Sounds
2 - Sunflower
3 - 20/20
4 - Surf's Up
5 - Today...or SDSN...or Friends (okay...I cheated)

1. Smiley Smile
2. Pet Sounds
3. All Summer Long
    Today
5. Surfer Girl

(Not counting Smile).

(http://www.tonspion.de/system/files/images/alben_7D/3041369.jpg)
(http://images.popmatters.com/news_art/p/pet_sounds1.jpg)
(http://cracklefeedback.com/img/brokenArt/30-7.jpg)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/33/BeachBoysTodayCover.jpg/200px-BeachBoysTodayCover.jpg)
(http://hitparade.ch/cdimag/the_beach_boys-shut_down_volume_2_a.jpg)

See sig below.

I need to think a little deeper on this one.

Pet Sounds
SMiLE (yeah, I spell it that way)
Friends
Surfer Girl
Today!

That's my list as of right now. It changes daily ;D

Count me in the count for those who don't include Smile in this list ^_^

1. Pet Sounds
2. Love You
3. Sunflower
4. Smiley Smile
5. Today

In no particular order:

Today!/Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!!!!!!!!!) twofer
Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer
Smile/Smiley Smile twofer CD-R
Pet Sounds/Love You twofer CD-R
A DVD-R containing a lot of their other material not listed here

      1. Sunflower
      2. Summer Days
      3. Today
      4. All Summer Long
      5. Wild Honey 

1 - Friends
2 - Wild Honey
3 - Pet Sounds
4 - Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)
5 - In Concert

Is it REALLY going to be up to me to contribute the obligatory BS joke post???!!!  :lol :lol :lol

1. Summer in Paradise
2. Still Cruisin'
3. Keepin' the Summer Alive
4. Country Love
5. MIU Album

1. Friends
2. Holland
3. Wild Honey
4. Today
5. 20/20

1. Pet Sounds- Self explanatory
2. Sunflower- Always fall back to it, such a good album, so much fun
3. Today!- Fantastic, especially the first time I heard In The Back Of My Mind- It sent shivers down the back of my spine
4. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!!)- A fantastic display of Brian's ability to craft and orchestrate brilliant music.
5. Wild Honey- Is one of my favourite albums. Fantastic songs, especially Aren't You Glad. A fantastic roots album from start to finish.

Current standings (points go 5-4-3-2-1):

  1 Pet Sounds - 112 (17 first place)
  2 Today! - 54 (1)
  3 Sunflower - 49
  4 Friends - 42 (3)
  5 Wild Honey - 30 (1)
  6 Smile/TSS - 26 (2)
  7 Smiley Smile - 25 (2)
  8 Love You - 20 (2)
  9 SD&SN - 19
10 ASL - 13
11 Surf's Up - 8
12 Holland - 6
13 In Concert - 5
14 20/20 - 5
15 Surfer Girl - 3
16 CATP - 2
17 BB 85 - 2
18 SDV2 - 1

Slightly skewed as some included  Smile/TSS in thier deliberations and some didn't and yes, I've left two submissions out.  ;D

Everytime I see Love You on a top 5 list, I think it must be a typo. Interesting snapshot of 1976/77 Brian, but top 5? I can think of a dozen BB's albums I'd pick before that. Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, Sunflower, Pet Sounds, SMiLE, Beach Boys Today, Summer Days, Holland, Surf's Up, All Summer Long, Surfer Girl, Surfin' USA, Beach Boys in Concert....

May very well be in my top 5, if I could actually narrow such a list down. WHATCHU GON' DO 'BOUT IT.

I almost Put Summer In Paradise at #7...


Very clever Mr. Walkerscallten!

1  Pet Sounds
2  Surf's Up
3  Holland
4  Sunflower
5  Today

Love You
Friends
All Summer Long
Surf's Up
Surfin' USA

I truly dig MIU and parts of Keepin' the Summer Alive and Still Cruisin'. And even a few seconds here and there on Summer in Paradise.

Top 10's anyone?  ;D

10. Holland
9. Wild Honey
8. Smiley Smile
7. All Summer Long
6. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
5. Surf's Up
4. Sunflower
3. Friends
2. Today!
1. Pet Sounds

I'd have to say ...

1. Sunflower
2. Wild Honey
3. 20/20
4. Surfs Up
5. Pet Sounds

I'll keep it to 5 so as not to piss off the OP and AGD if he decides to tot up all the top fives.

1. Surf's Up
2  Pet Sounds
3.  Wild Honey
4. Today
5.  Friends

Pet Sounds
Smiley Smile
All Summer Long
Little Deuce Coupe
Today

1. Smile
2. Pet Sounds
3. Today!
4. Holland
5. Sunflower

Next up would probably include Love You, Surf's Up, and Friends.

                                                                 
nice variety 8)...I'm on board, as long as this isn't a my house is  on fire, only got time to grab 5 , followed by banishment to a remote area where I will live in a shed*, in which case I would
need to grab a 45 of WIBN/GOK if I ever wanted to be happy again.



*I will have a small portable record player in my shed for leisure time not spent on gathering food

Thus far, no love for...

Surfin' Safari
Concert
Christmas Album
Party !
Live In London
15 Big Ones
MIU Album
LA (Light Album)
Keepin' The Summer Alive
Still Cruisin'
Summer In Paradise
Stars & Stripes
Live At Knebworth
That's Why God Made The Radio

Sure, lots of love. It's just that a top5 of BBs LPs is pretty much the hardest top5 I ever had to name..... Live in London, M.I.U. and TWGMTR would all be in my top10.

EDIT: Well okay, Live in London would have to fight for it, but still....

1. Sunflower
2. Pet Sounds
3. Holland
4. Friends
5. Today!

1. Pet Sounds
2. Smiley Smile
3. Shut Down Volume 2
4. Wild Honey
5. Surfer Girl

1. Pet Sounds
2. Sunflower
3. Today!
4. Smiley Smile
5. Surf's Up/Love You (Tie)


Not including TSS. I could see switching #2 and #3 in a heartbeat. And Love You could drop out at any time.

this week

1. Love You
2. Smiley Smile
3. Pet Sounds
4. Wild Honey
5. Surf's Up or Holland

If we're not including solo stuff or compilations:

1. Friends
2. In Concert
3. LA Light Album
4. CATP - So Tough
5. Sunflower

6. Wild Honey
7. Today!
8. Smiley Smile
9. Surf's Up
10. Love You

11. 20/20
12. Summer Days (ASN!)
13. Live In London
14. Summer In Paradise
15. All Summer Long

16. Pet Sounds
17. MIU Album
18. Holland
19. That's Why God Made The Radio
20. Surfer Girl

21. Keepin' The Summer Alive
22. Party!
23. Surfin' Safari
24. Still Cruisin'
25. Surfin USA

26. Stars & Stripes, Vol. 1
27. Live at Knebworth
28. Little Deuce Coupe
29. Shut Down, Vol. 2
30. 15 Big Ones

31. The Smile Sessions
32. The Beach Boys (1985)
33. Stack-O-Tracks

Wow, a lot to talk about here..! First off, I like how Pet Sounds isn't higher than #16 (since a lot of the other LPs are just as good / emotionally & musically sophisticated) - though I wouldn't place Summer in Paradise higher than Pet Sounds, I guess. Friends at #1 is valid, Passions at #4 as well. Moving along to the bottom of your list: Stars & Stripes higher than LDC, Shut Down and 85? Interesting... care to elaborate on some of your positioning?

I think it's all valid because it's all opinion!  :-D
I enjoy all these albums, from the first ranked to last ranked!  Just some more than others.  And just like with anybody else, my rankings change over the years.  Surf's Up has climbed up a bit.  Summer In Paradise dropped a bit.

Stars & Stripes has some great latter-day vocals from our Boys, albeit in the background.  Shut Down Vol. 2 has some great individual tracks, but doesn't gel that well as an album.  85 has not aged well, other than a handful of tracks.

And yes, I like SIP better than Pet Sounds.  But not by much!  They are both in the top half of my list.

Friends, In Concert, and LA have been my top 3 for almost all 20 years of my fandom.  If we include solo stuff, Pacific Ocean Blue and Orange Crate Art would make the top 6.  Probably:

1. Friends
2. Orange Crate Art
3. In Concert
4. LA Light Album
5. CATP So Tough
6. POB

Seeing Pet Sounds lower than Summer In Paradise really, really hurts.
But, I think it's really cool you have completely different tastes than most of us!

Thanks!  Yeah there's room for all of us to be different here, for the most part.

And after reviewing my list, I can now say that Holland is not where it should be...probably should be at #13, ahead of Live In London.  I meant to move it up and forgot.

Sure. That's not what I meant. Poor choice of words.

That's why I was interested in hearing some 'explanatory statement'.  :) All in all a rather interesting ranking.  :spin

Hmmm I realized I forgot the Christmas Album and Concert.  And as I mentioned earlier, Holland is in the wrong spot.  So this gives me a good excuse to start over again:

If we're not including solo stuff or compilations:

1. Friends
2. In Concert
3. LA Light Album
4. CATP - So Tough
5. Sunflower

6. Wild Honey
7. Today!
8. Smiley Smile
9. Surf's Up
10. Love You

11. 20/20
12. Summer Days (ASN!)
13. Holland
14. Live In London
15. Summer In Paradise

16. All Summer Long
17. Pet Sounds
18. MIU Album
19. That's Why God Made The Radio
20. Concert

21. Surfer Girl
22. Keepin' The Summer Alive
23. Christmas Album
24. Party!
25. Surfin' Safari

26. Still Cruisin'
27. Surfin USA
28. Stars & Stripes, Vol. 1
29. Live at Knebworth
30. Little Deuce Coupe

31. Shut Down, Vol. 2
32. 15 Big Ones
33. The Smile Sessions
34. The Beach Boys (1985)
35. Stack-O-Tracks

Thanks!  How would you rank these 35?

1/ Surf's Up
  2/ Pet Sounds
    3/ Friends
      4/ Sunflower
        5/ That's Why God Made The Radio

Just behind them : 20/20 and Love You.

Not trying to be controversial with #5 , i really think it's brilliant and i'm still playing it a lot. Every track on it (even the worst, Beaches In Mind) would fit on any other album and not be out of place. And  Daybreak Over The Ocean plus the final 3 tracks are to die for, amazing.

Cheers!  BTW, the fire/evacuation/shed thing ( :lol) sounds a cool topic idea.




+1.  Grinding down the love to just 1/6th of the catalogue was even harder than the twofer wars threads of late.  

And if we're gonna call out Stars & Stripes, let's note no love for Nascar (ever)

1. Love You
2. Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)
3. Pet Sounds
4. Holland
5. Friends

Tough call (and subject to weekly change), but here it goes:

1. Wild Honey
2. All Summer Long
3. Today!
4. Love You
5. CATP - So Tough

6. Holland
7. Sunflower
8. Summer Days (ASN!)
9. Pet Sounds
10. Shut Down, Vol. 2

11. Friends
12. The Smile Sessions
13. Surf's Up
14. Smiley Smile
15. Surfer Girl

16. Surfin' USA
17. 15 Big Ones
18. That's Why God Made The Radio
19. Little Deuce Coupe
20. M.I.U. Album

21. 20/20
22. L.A. Light Album
23. The Beach Boys (1985)
24. Still Cruisin'
25. Party!

26. Keepin' The Summer Alive
27. Stack-O-Tracks
28. Live In London
29. Live at Knebworth
30. In Concert

31. Beach Boys' Concert
32. Christmas Album
33. Surfin' Safari
34. Summer In Paradise
35. Stars & Stripes, Vol. 1

 :)

Cool!  Thanks for taking the time to share that!  If you look closely, other than a few aberrations, a lot of our rankings are pretty similar!

1. Pet sounds
2. Today
3. Smile
4. Summer days and summer nights
5. Dunno anymore :/

Here's mine. Didn't count Stars/Stripes, Christmas, Stack O Tracks, or live releases. And...this could change at any given moment!

Pet Sounds
Friends
The Smile Sessions
The Beach Boys (1985)
Today!

Sunflower
All Summer Long
Summer Days (ASN!)
Love You
Wild Honey

Holland
That's Why God Made The Radio
20/20
Shut Down, Vol. 2
Surf's Up

Surfer Girl
Little Deuce Coupe
M.I.U. Album
Keepin' The Summer Alive
CATP - So Tough

Smiley Smile
Still Cruisin'
15 Big Ones
Surfin' USA

L.A. Light Album
Party!
Surfin' Safari
Summer In Paradise

Full ranking:

Love You
Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)
Pet Sounds
Holland
Friends

Carl and the Passions
Surf's Up
Today!
Sunflower
15 Big Ones
Wild Honey
All Summer Long
Smiley Smile
20/20
Surfer Girl
L.A. (Light Album)
Little Deuce Coupe
Surfin' USA
Shut Down Vol. 2
That's Why God Made the Radio
M.I.U. Album
Party!
The Beach Boys
Still Cruisin'
Surfin' Safari
Keepin' the Summer Alive
Summer in Paradise
Stars and Stripes Vol. 1

If I was counting Smile, the Brian 2004 Smile would go at number one, and The Smile Sessions might go in at number 5. But discounting that (and bootlegs, solo albums etc):
1) Smiley Smile
2) Love You
3) Carl & The Passions
4) Friends
5) In Concert

Doing all 35 was (so) tough but this is how it plays out for me (at the moment).

1.   Smile/The Smile Sessions 2CD
2.   Pet Sounds
3.   In Concert
4.   Sunflower
5.   Holland

6.   20/20
7.   CATP - So Tough
8.   Surf's Up
9.   Party!
10. Today!

11.   That's Why God Made The Radio
12.   Keepin' The Summer Alive
13.   Concert
14.   Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
15.   Live In London

16.   Christmas Album
17.   Little Deuce Coupe
18.   Shut Down, Vol. 2
19.   All Summer Long
20.   Surfer Girl

21.   Live At Knebworth
22.   Stars & Stripes, Vol. 1
23.   Wild Honey
24.   Surfin' Safari
25.   15 Big Ones

26.   Stack-O-Tracks
27.   L.A. Light Album
28.   The Beach Boys (1985)
29.   Still Cruisin'
30.   Summer In Paradise

31.   M.I.U. Album
32.   Friends
33.   Love You
34.   Surfin' USA
35.   Smiley Smile

Sunflower
Pet Sounds
Friends
Today!
Love You

Since other people seem to, I might as well provide a full ranking as well...

1. The Smile Sessions
2. Pet Sounds
3. Today!
4. Holland
5. Sunflower

6. Love You
7. Surf's Up
8. The Beach Boys In Concert
9. 20/20
10. Friends

11. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!)
12. Wild Honey
13. Surfer Girl
14. All Summer Long
15. Smiley Smile

16. Carl and the Passions "So Tough"
17. Shut Down Volume 2
18. That's Why God Made the Radio
19. Live in London
20. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album

21. Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980
22. Surfin' USA
23. 15 Big Ones
24. The Beach Boys
25. Little Deuce Coupe

26. Stack-O-Tracks
27. M.I.U. Album
28. L.A. (Light Album)
29. Keepin' the Summer Alive
30. Still Cruisin'

31. Beach Boys' Party
32. Beach Boys Concert
33. Surfin' Safari
34. Stars and Stripes Vol. 1
35. Summer in Paradise

1. Pet Sounds
2. Today!
3. Sunflower
4. Holland
5. Summer Days

Smile would be second if I were to include it.

And since this thread seems to have switched to "rank all the albums":

1. Smiley Smile
2. Love You
3. Carl & The Passions
4. Friends
5.The Smile Sessions
6. In Concert
7. Pet Sounds
8. Surf's Up
9. Holland
10. 20/20
11 Wild Honey
12 Shut Down Vol 2
13 Live In London
14 Today!
15 Sunflower
16 Summer Days
17 LA
18 15 Big Ones
19. Surfer Girl
20. All Summer Long
21. That's Why God Made the Radio
22. Knebworth
23. 85
24. Little Deuce Coupe
25. Stack-O-Tracks
26. M.I.U. Album
27. Keepin' the Summer Alive
28. Still Cruisin'
29. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album
30. Beach Boys' Party
31. Beach Boys Concert
32. Surfin' Safari
33. Surfin' USA
34. Stars and Stripes Vol. 1
35. Summer in Paradise

Love You
Smiley Smile
Party
Little Deuce Coupe
Pet Sounds

1. Love You
2. M.I.U
3. Friends
4. Today!
5. Pet Sounds

this is like asking which of your 35 children is your favorite! no can do.

I can't think of a dozen albums by anyone that I'd rather hear than Love You, at any time of the day. Even if I just finished listening to Love You.

In no particular order:

Smiley Smile
Friends
Pet Sounds
Surfer Girl
Wild Honey

Just missing the top 5 were Today, Surf's Up, C&TP, Surfin' USA and All Summer Long (but they did of course make the top 10  ;) )

In order
Sunflower
Pet Sounds
Today
Wild Honey
All Summer Long

plus

Summer Days
20/20
Friends
Shut Down 2
Surfin USA
Holland
Surf's Up
So Tough
Smiley
Concert
Live In London
In Concert
Surfer Girl
Little Deuce Coupe
Party
That's Why God Made
Christmas
Surfin Safari
MIU
15 Big Ones
LA Light (docked 2 spaces for HCTN)
Love You
KTSA
Still Crusin
Beach Boys 85
Summer In Paradise
Stars and Stripes

The Smile Sessions would be number 5 if it was a real album.

1. SMiLE
2. Pet Sounds
3. Sunflower
4. Today
5. Holland

Surf's Up
Holland
Today!
20/20
Sunflower

As much as I love Brian's stuff I feel the band peaked when they were all at a creative high.

Smile
Pet Sounds
Friends
Wild Honey
Love You

1 - Sunflower
2 - Love You
3 - Pet Sounds
4 - Wild Honey
5 - Holland

1 - Pet Sounds
2 - Surf's Up
3 - Love You
4 - Holland
5 - Sunflower (just for "This Whole World")

(Smile not included in considerations.)

1. Sunflower
2. Pet Sounds
3. The Smile Sessions
4. Friends
5. Wild Honey

I'm not ordering them because just five is tough enough!

Love You
Smiley Smile
Wild Honey
Sunflower
Surf's Up

If I could've included another one or two albums I'd throw in Pet Sounds, Today! and Friends too...

Right this second I'm gonna have to go with:

1. Sunflower
2. Pet Sounds
3. Today!
4. Smile (Sessions disc 1)
5. That's Why God Made the Radio

But (like pretty much everyone else) this will change again very soon, number 5 could easily be Friends in an hour or so.

Current Top 10:

  1   (1) Pet Sounds - 220 [26]
  2   (3) Sunflower - 109 [7]
  3   (2) Today! - 99 [1]
  4   (4) Friends - 82 [4]
  5   (8) Love You - 65 [8]
  6   (6) Smile/TSS - 62   [7]
  7   (7) Smiley Smile - 57 [4]
  8   (5) Wild Honey - 57 [2]
  9  (11) Surf's Up - 38 [3]
10  (12) Holland - 29   

Surf's Up
Today
Pet Sounds
Holland
So Tough

Honorable mention to Sunflower and That's Why God Made The Radio

This is SO true!  But, I'll play anyway: 

1; Shut Down Vol.2
2; Beach Boys Deluxe Set 
3; All Summer Long
4; Beach Boys In Concert ( Single LP version)
5; Love You 

Pet Sounds
Smiley Smile
Summer Days
Love You
Surfer Girl
All Summer Long
Little Deuce Coupe
Friends
Shut Down, Vol. 2
Wild Honey
Holland
Today!
Sunflower
M.I.U. Album
Surfin' Safari
That's Why God Made The Radio
Surfin' USA
CATP - So Tough
20/20
Party!
15 Big Ones
In Concert  
L.A. Light Album
Live In London
Surf's Up
Christmas Album
Beach Boys' Concert
Live at Knebworth
Keepin' The Summer Alive
Still Cruisin'
Stack-O-Tracks
Stars & Stripes, Vol.1
Summer In Paradise
The Beach Boys (1985)

Fixed that for you.

If we're going by last.fm plays, my top 10 Beach Boys albums of all time are:

1. The Smile Sessions
2. That's Why God Made the Radio
3. Sunflower
4. Friends
5. Surf's Up
6. 15 Big Ones
7. The Pet Sounds Sessions
8. Wild Honey
9. Smiley Smile
10. Love You

this has nothing to do with preference, necessarily, it's just literally a list of albums from whose tracks I have listened to most, since April 2005. and early on I wasn't very diligent about scrobbling the music I listened to in the car.

It also occurs to me to do just the last 12 months list from last.fm:

1. The Smile Sessions
2. That's Why God Made the Radio
3. Friends
4. Today!
5. The Pet Sounds Sessions
6. Still Cruisin'
7. 20/20
8. 15 Big Ones
9. Little Deuce Coupe
10. Sunflower

Full current standings:

  1   (1) Pet Sounds - 220 [26]
  2   (3) Sunflower - 109 [7]
  3   (2) Today! - 99 [1]
  4   (4) Friends - 82 [4]
  5   [8] Love You - 65 [8]
  6   (6) Smile/TSS - 62   [7]
  7   (7) Smiley Smile - 57 [4]
  8   (5) Wild Honey - 57 [2]
  9  (11) Surf's Up - 38 [3]
10  (12) Holland - 29  
11   (9) SD&SN - 29   
12  (10) ASL - 25   
13  (13) In Concert - 12                                                
14  (14) 20/20 - 11                                                   
15  (16) CATP - 9   
16  (15) Surfer Girl - 7   
17    (-) LDC - 6   
=     (-) TWGMTR - 6   
19  (18) SDV2 - 4   
=     (-) MIU - 4   
21   (-) LA - 3   
=     (-) Party - 3   
23  (17) BB 85 - 2   
24    (-) SUSA - 1   


Still  no love for...

Surfin' Safari
Concert
Christmas Album
Live In London
15 Big Ones
Keepin' The Summer Alive
Still Cruisin'
Summer In Paradise
Stars & Stripes
Live At Knebworth

1........ Pet Sounds

2.........Friends

3.........Wild Honey

4.........Smiley Smile

5.........Today

in no order these 5 are definites

Today!
Love You
Pet Sounds
Friends
All Summer Long


I also got a special place for Landlocked.

And SMiLE beats everything  :)

Really cool lists, Everyone!
It's been really interesting to see how different they all are.
I'm just going with Studio Albums on this one.


1. Pet Sounds
2. Today!
3. Friends
4. Sunflower
5. Surf's Up
6. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
7. All Summer Long
8. Smiley Smile
9. Wild Honey
10. Holland
11. That's Why God Made The Radio
12. 20/20
13. Surfer Girl
14. Shut Down Volume 2
15. Little Deuce Coupe
16. Surfin' USA
17. Surfin' Safari
18. Carl and the Passions - So Tough
19. Beach Boys Party!
20. Christmas Album
21. Love You
22. 15 Big Ones
23. L.A.
24. M.I.U.
25. BB 85
26. Still Cruisin'
27. Keepin' The Summer Alive
28. Stars and Stripes Vol. 1
29. Summer In Paradise

Ooh, just in time to sneak my vote in on an actual Election Day...

1--Pet Sounds
2--Wild Honey
3--Today
4--Sunflower
5--Best of the BB's Vol 3 (UK)

That last is a wonderful compilation, just had to toss it on there as it's always been an extremely enjoyable listen across the various phases of the band's 60s work...side two of the LP (Darlin/Please Let Me Wonder/Let Him Run Wild/Country Air/I Know There's An Answer/Friends/H&V) is especially strong. If Side One had taken some of the tracks from the US version to make a track order something like this (Do It Again/Warmth of the Sun/God Only Knows/Girl Don't Tell Me//Wild Honey/Little Girl I Once Knew/Good Vibrations) you would have one heck of a "best of" for the Capitol Years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_of_The_Beach_Boys_Vol._3

Did they really need to put Frosty the Snowman on there?
Seems really out of place.

1. Pet Sounds
2. Smile/TSS
3. Sunflower
4. Today
5. 20/20

I did not consider any compilations etc. for inclusion.

Speaking of compilations, I think Vol. 3 of the Greatest hits, The Brother Years is very good.

1. Pet Sounds
2. Sunflower
2. Today!
4. Love You
5. TWGMTR

Pet Sounds
The Smile Sessions
Sunflower
Today!
Wild Honey
Friends
Summer Days
Love You
Surfer Girl
All Summer Long
That's Why God Made The Radio
In Concert
Live In London
Surf's Up
Holland
Smiley Smile
Shut Down, Vol. 2
Little Deuce Coupe
Surfin' USA
CATP - So Tough
20/20
Party!
15 Big Ones
L.A. Light Album
Christmas Album
Stack-O-Tracks
Beach Boys' Concert
Live at Knebworth
The Beach Boys (1985)
Keepin' The Summer Alive
Still Cruisin'
M.I.U. Album
Surfin' Safari
Stars & Stripes, Vol.1
Summer In Paradise

Yeah, well, that was the US "Best of," not the UK. I know it's not really kosher to put something like this on the list; just saying that there are compilations that have special resonance for the individual BB listener. Probably something that should be in its own thread (and I'd be surprised if it hadn't already been).

This changes by the way..

1. Pet Sounds
2. Friends
3. Wild Honey
4. Today
5. 20/20

TSS  - I could listen to on loop till I passed over :)   Don't know whether it is included in the poll though.

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

1. Pet Sounds
2. Smiley Smile (2012 uk stereo remaster)
3. SMiLE (My SMiLE remix: http://www.mediafire.com/?99gmyzh8a3mg0ca)
4. Sunflower
5. Today!

I have made myself a 2disc mixcd with all the stuff Brian Wilson was involved with, post smiley smile, up until 1971. With the newest stereo remastered versions of the songs. I tend to listen to that collection a lot. I woould put that one on number 4 instead of Sunflower, if it was offical.
Here is the track list:
01 'Til I Die (Album ver.)                                             01 'Til I Die (7min+ ver.)
02 Break Away                                                           02 Busy Doin' Nothin'
03 Darlin'                                                                   03 Wild Honey
04 Be Here In The Morning                                          04 Wake The World
05 Time to Get Alone                                                  05 I Went to Sleep
06 Add Some Music To Your Day                                  06 Our Sweet Love
07 Soulful Old Man Sunshine (Writing Session Excerpt)  07 Old Man River
08 Soulful Old Man Sunshine                                        08 Old Folks at Home Ol' Man River
09 I Just Got My Pay                                                   09 Celebrate the News
10 Sail Plane Song                                                      10 Loop de Loop (Flip Flop Flyin' in an Aeroplane)
11 Here Comes The Night                                            11 Aren't You Glad
12 Friends                                                                  12 Diamond Head
13 This Whole World                                                   13 All I Wanna Do
14 We're Together Again                                             14 I'd Love Just Once To See You
15 Passing By                                                             15 When A Man Needs A Woman
16 Lonely Days                                                           16 Take A Load Off Your Feet
17 At My Window                                                        17 Deirdre
18 Do It Again                                                            18 Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (Album ver.)
19 Country Air                                                            19 A Day In The Life Of A Tree
20 Walk on By                                                            20 Anna Lee, The Healer
21 Let The Wind Blow                                                  21 A Thing Or Two
22 Can't Wait Too Long                                                22 Transcendental Meditation
23 The Letter
24 Meant For You

1. Pet Sounds
2. Surf's Up
3. Holland
4. Wild Honey
5. SMiLE

Latest Top 10:

  1 Pet Sounds 281 [37]
  2 Sunflower 131 [7]
  3 Today! 128 [2]
  4 Friends 98 [4]
  5 Smile/TSS 83 [8]
  6 Love You 73 [8]
  7 Wild Honey 70 [2]
  8 Smiley Smile 76 [4]
  9 Surf's Up 49 [4]
10 Holland 34

Pretty amazing that only one pre-1966 album makes the Top 10 in here.

1. Pet Sounds









2. Smiley Smile
3. Sunflower
4. Today!
5. Wild Honey

1. Pet Sounds
2. 20/20
3. Today!
4. Smile
5. Love You

Man, people sure do like that Pet Sounds record.

BTW, AGD, thanks for taking the time to pull the stats together, much appreciated!

1. Love You
2. Friends
3. Pet Sounds
4. Today!
5. Surfer Girl

Kind of a tough list to make and at the same time, I'm very confident with this list. Such a versatile group.

1. Sunflower
2. Pet Sounds
3. Today
4. Friends
5. 20/20

Complete current standings (65 lists submitted):

  1 Pet Sounds 298 [38]
  2 Sunflower 139 [8]
  3 Today! 138 [2]
  4 Friends 104 [4]
  5 Smile/TSS 85 [8]
  6 Love You 79 [9]
  7 Smiley Smile 71 [4]
  8 Wild Honey 71 [2]
  9 Surf's Up 49 [4]
10 Holland 34
11 SD&SN 29
12 ASL 27
13 20/20 18
14 In Concert 12
15 CATP 9
16 Surfer Girl 8
17 TWGMTR 7
18 LDC 6
19 SDV2 4
  = MIU 4
21 LA 3
  = Party 3
23 BB 85 2
24 SUSA 1

1. Holland
2. Pet Sounds
3. Friends
4. Love You
5. Surf's Up

Smile shouldn't count as it was never officially released and smuggling in compilations is bad form.

I've excluded folks votes for compilations (hence the totals don't match). Smile has been lumped with the big box as many folk have listed both. In the final analysis, it doesn't' affect the #1 album.  :)

Wow you would think Beach Boys fans would like real surf music ala Surfin' USA. That's a great early rock and roll album if I ever heard one.

I'm oddly conflicted over this issue. I grew up with the surf and car styled songs, and loved them with a passion. Songs like "409", "Little Deuce Coupe", and "Surfin" were awesome to me as a young kid growing up. But now I mostly ignore most of their pre 1965-66 material. Stuff like "409" to me now sounds pretty juvenile, compaired to Marcella, Add Some Music, anything from Pet Sounds or Smile, etc. I know that statement won't sit well with some people here.  ;D There are some obvious exceptions though, such as Please Let Me Wonder, Warmth Of The Sun, and Don't Worry Baby.

1- Pet Sounds
2- Smile Sessions
3- Wild Honey
4- Today
5- Holland

Not only do I have a new favorite album almost every day, I've been known to change my mind several times in one day. :lol  Right now it's somewhere between Friends and Sunflower. Or maybe Holland.  ;D

+1 & YEAH!!!

A few random stats:

To date Pet Sounds has garnered 307 votes out of a possible 335, or 91.64%. It's also got 40 first placed votes out of a possible 67.

Highest placings by decade - 60s, #1... 70s, #3... 80s, #23, 90s, none, 00s, none, 10s, #17 (or #5 if you count the Smile/TSS votes)

10 albums have gained first place votes.

Every album voted for has missed at least one list. Yes, even Pet Sounds.

The average vote for Pet Sounds is 4.58. That of Today (currently in 2nd place) is 2.09.

In the current Top 10 there are six sixties albums (allowing  Smile/TSS as a 60s album) and four from the seventies. Only one predates 1966.

1. Smile Sessions
2. Pet Sounds
3. Sunflower
4. Surf's Up
5. Love You

Agree, Surfin USA is fantastic. Listened to the remaster a lot recently and it blows me away.

I also absolutely love Carl and the Passions more with each listen. Been playing it since I was about 15 (33 years!) but appreciate it more on every play.

1. Smile
2. Friends
3. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!!)
4. Pet Sounds
5. The Beach Boys Love You

Thanks for taking the time to compute those stats, Andrew.

agree with who?

faith in Beach Boys fans restored!

Pet Sounds
Today!
All Summer Long
Love You
Sunflower (with Cotton Fields leading it off, like the UK release)

In the mood for completely revising my list except for the #1 spot. ;D

1. Smiley Smile
2. Pet Sounds
3. Wild Honey
4. Friends
5. 20/20

1. Today
2. Today again
2a. Pet Sounds
(Now already it gets tough...)
3. Surfer Girl
4. Surfin' Safari
5. Surfin' USA

(I could just the same have listed Sunflower, SDSN, SDV2, ASL, Party, Christmas or 20/20 as 3-5, but I kind of enjoy the innocent juvenility of the first albums.)


Had the collection of tracks commonly referred to as "Landlocked" been released as an actual album, it would have been #3 in my list.

1. Pet Sounds
2. Holland
3. Today
4. Wild Honey
5. In Concert

Always tough to do these things...

Pet Sounds
Sunflower
All Summer Long
Today!
Wild Honey

Not including Smile Sessions, but it would be top 5.

Time to close the polling booths, I think - 89 is a good response, and a fair indication of how the more committed fan feels. The final standings are:

  1   Pet Sounds [43] 336
  2   Today! [3] 154
  3   Sunflower [8] 147
  4   Friends [4] 113
  5   Smile/TSS [10] 99

  6   Love You [9] 85
  7   Wild Honey [2] 80
  8   Smiley Smile [5] 76
  9   Surf's Up [4] 52
10   Holland [1] 47

11   ASL 33
12   SD&SN 29
13   20/20 19
14   In Concert 13
15   Surfer Girl 11
16   CATP 9
17   TWGMTR 7
18   LDC 6
19   SDV2 4
 =   MIU 4

21   LA 3
 =   Party 3
23   BB 85 2
 =   SUSA 2
 =   Surfin Safari 2

And here's an ordered list of who claimed the number one spots per Andrew's list above.

  1   Pet Sounds [43]
  2   Smile/TSS [10]
  3   Love You [9]
  4   Sunflower [8]
  5   Smiley Smile [5]
  6   Friends [4]
  =   Surf's Up [4]
  8   Today! [3]
  9   Wild Honey [2]
10   Holland [1]

Interesting that both Love You and Smile/TSS got more than half their total points in first place votes. Also the the #1 album garnered more points than 2 & 3 combined.

It goes to show that it really is love it or hate it a lot of the time when it comes to Love You.

A little late, but nonetheless, here's my current Top 5 list (which excludes the SMiLE Sessions, as great as it is):

1. Surf's Up.
2. 20/20.
3. Pet Sounds.
4. Sunflower.
5. Carl And The Passions: "So Tough!"

In Concert, Love You, and the Light Album nearly made it though

I'm fashionably late to the party as well.  Check it:

1) The SMiLE Sessions
2) Pet Sounds
3) Sunflower
4) Today!
5) Friends
6) M.I.U.

(As a minority M.I.U.-lover, I had to show how close it was to my top-5!)
(If The SMiLE Sessions didn't get released, Smiley Smile probably would've snuck in at #3, with Pet Sounds and Sunflower moved up.)

1. Love You
2. Pet Sounds
3. Surf's Up
4. Smiley Smile
5. Today!

1. Pet Sounds
2. SMiLE (the sessions I guess)
3. Surf's Up
4. Love You
5. Today!

Only because there's an edit button...

1. Surf's Up!
2. Pet Sounds
3. Today!
4. Surfer Girl
5. Wild Honey

1. Smile Sessions
2. Pet Sounds
3. Love You
4. Sunflower
5. Friends

1.  All Summer Long
2.  Today
3.  Pet Sounds
4.  Surf's Up
5.  Love You

1. Pet Sounds
2. Love You
3. Friends
4. Today
5. Sunflower

And just for the heck of it, here's my top 5 from November 2012.

1} Pet Sounds  2} Smile  3} Today  4} All Summer Long  5} Sunflower  6} Surfs Up  7} Holland   8} In Concert  9} LA  10} Love You