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The Beach Boys Almost Hit No. 1 For The First Time Following Brian Wilson's Death
Following Brian Wilson's passing, The Beach Boys score initial top 10 hits on Billboard's Rock ... More Digital Song Sales chart with 'God Only Knows' and "Good Vibrations." American rock group The Beach Boys, 1964. From left to right, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Brian Wilson. From Capitol Records. (Photo by Gems/Redferns/Getty Images)
The Beach Boys are remembered as one of the most successful pop groups of all time, but in some circles, the music the group created has long been classified as rock. That was certainly the case when the outfit first emerged — and it still is today in some respects.
The band's music has always straddled the line between pop and rock, and that genre-blurring blend is evident on the Billboard rankings this week. As fans across the United States pay tribute to songwriter and producer Brian Wilson following his passing, The Beach Boys land on one rock tally with multiple cuts.
The group nearly secures its debut No. 1 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart this frame, as "God Only Knows" launches at No. 2 on Billboard's list of the bestselling tracks in the U.S. that fall under the rock genre. The band is only kept from the summit by Oliver Anthony Music's "Scornful Woman," which starts its time on the tally in first place.
The Beach Boys collect two top 10 hits on the Rock Digital Song Sales ranking this frame, appearing inside the highest tier for the first time. "God Only Knows" debuts at No. 2, while "Good Vibrations" kicks off in fifth place.
Two other cuts by The Beach Boys also reach the Rock Digital Song Sales list. At the moment, the legendary act fills more than a quarter of all available spots on the tally. Coming in behind "God Only Knows" and "Good Vibrations" are "Surfin' U.S.A." and "Sloop John B," which start at Nos. 12 and 13, respectively.
The Rock Digital Song Sales chart didn't exist when The Beach Boys first broke out and earned many of the band's biggest wins that are still remembered to this day. This week, the celebrated musical act earns its first four placements on the tally.
One additional track by The Beach Boys debuts on a Billboard chart, though not the rock-specific list. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" only makes it to the Digital Song Sales tally, which is not limited by genre. That track opens at No. 18, coming in behind "God Only Knows," which appears at No. 7 on that roster.
