Ignored Obscured Restored
This past week has been heartbreaking for those of us who love music — especially if you grew up on the sounds of the ’60s and ’70s. We lost two absolute legends of Rock and Soul: Sly Stone and Brian Wilson, both coincidentally at the age of 82.
If you’ve read my missives before, you already know the major milestones of their lives and careers. But if you’re still hungry for more, I recommend their New York Times obituaries:
So much has already been said about them this week that I’ll keep this post short and sweet.
While There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971) is widely considered Stone’s masterpiece, I’ve always had a soft spot for his earlier release of new material, Stand! (1969).
The album’s title track, “Stand!”, cracked the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 — an impressive feat for a song that doubled as a subtle civil rights anthem. Its message of empowerment resonated broadly, not just with Black Americans, but with all underrepresented groups — including hippies. Maybe that’s part of why it struck such a chord. That, and its absolutely infectious melody.
As for Brian Wilson, his masterpiece is Pet Sounds (1966) — and you won’t hear any argument from me. Just look at how it’s fared in critical rankings over the years:
| Year | Organization | Accolade | Rank |
| 1993 | The Times | The 100 Best Albums of All Time[522] | 1 |
| New Musical Express | New Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums[521] | 1 | |
| 1995 | Mojo | Mojo’s 100 Greatest Albums of All Time[572] | 1 |
| 1997 | The Guardian | 100 Best Albums Ever[573] | 6 |
| Channel 4 | The 100 Greatest Albums[574] | 33 | |
| 2000 | Virgin | The Virgin Top 100 Albums[575] | 18 |
| 2001 | VH1 | VH1’s Greatest Albums Ever[576] | 3 |
| 2002 | BBC | BBC 6 Music: Best Albums of All Time[577] | 11 |
| 2003 | Rolling Stone | The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time | 2 |
| 2006 | Q | Q Magazine’s 100 Greatest Albums Ever[578] | 12 |
| The Observer | The 50 Albums That Changed Music[579] | 10 | |
| 2012 | Rolling Stone | The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time[580] | 2 |
| 2015 | Platendraaier | Top 30 Albums of the 60s[581] | 7 |
| 2016 | Uncut | 200 Greatest Albums of All Time[523] | 1 |
| 2017 | Pitchfork | The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s[582] | 2 |
| 2020 | Rolling Stone | The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time[583] | 2 |
| 2023 | Rolling Stone | The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time[584] | 2 |
| 2024 | Paste | The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time[585] | 10 |
The standout track? “God Only Knows.”
It’s the most perfect pop song ever written and recorded. The lead vocal is stunning, the harmonies are flawless, and the instrumentation—courtesy of the legendary Wrecking Crew — is nothing short of sublime. Wilson, as producer, guided it all. The Baroque stylings complement the lyrics beautifully, and small touches — like Hal Blaine’s use of sleigh bells (who uses sleigh bells outside of Christmas music?) — elevate it to something transcendent. It’s one of the few songs that can still bring me to tears.
Even Paul McCartney, no slouch in the songwriting department himself, has often named “God Only Knows” as the greatest song ever written.
As the week winds down, let’s take a moment to honor Sly Stone and Brian Wilson — for making this world a better, more soulful, more beautiful place through their music.
Enjoy… until next week.