As leader of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson was largely responsible for their revered 1966 album Pet Sounds. His subsequent two-decade-long submersion in drugs, mental health problems, and controversial psychotherapy has become the stuff of legend, but he returned to recording in 1988 with a steady stream of albums that combined his flawless melodic sensibility with a restlessly experimental vibe. In 2004 he finally released the legendary album SMiLE, whose initial production fell apart in 1967 as Wilson's excesses and mental illness took their toll. After that, he continued recording and performing live, assuming his rightful place as one of the grand old masters of pure pop perfection.