The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys Today! is the eighth studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released March 8, 1965, by Capitol Records. It signaled a departure from their previous work with its orchestral sound, intimate subject matter, and abandonment of car or surf songs. Side one features an uptempo sound, while side two consists mostly of introspective ballads. Supported by this thematic approach, the record contributed to the group's recognition as album artists rather than a singles act. It has since become regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time.^[3]

The album was produced, arranged, and primarily written by Brian Wilson, with additional lyrics by Mike Love. Most of the material was recorded in January 1965 using over 25 studio musicians, following Wilson's withdrawal from touring due to a nervous breakdown. Expanding on his approach with All Summer Long (1964), Today! showcased slower tempos, longer song structures, denser arrangements, and influences drawn from Phil Spector and Burt Bacharach.

Unlike prior albums, none of the songs relied solely on traditional rock instrumentation. The arrangements incorporated timpani, harpsichord, vibraphone, French horn, and other orchestral elements. Wilson developed a more personalized, semi-autobiographical lyrical approach, with narrators characterized by emotional insecurity and self-doubt. The LP included "She Knows Me Too Well", depicting a man aware of his emotional cruelty; "Don't Hurt My Little Sister", in which a brother's protective stance is entangled with romantic overtones; and "In the Back of My Mind", a ballad concluding with an asynchronous instrumental collapse. The sessions also yielded the outtake "Guess I'm Dumb", a song Wilson ultimately produced for Glen Campbell.

Today! reached number four in the U.S. during a 50-week chart stay and yielded three top 20 singles: "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" (number 9), "Dance, Dance, Dance" (number 8), and "Do You Wanna Dance?" (number 12). A rerecorded version of "Help Me, Rhonda", released in April, became the band's second U.S. number-one hit. Issued in the UK in April 1966, the album peaked at number six. Retrospective commentary frequently highlights the second side of the record as a precursor to Pet Sounds (1966).