The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1966)

Brian Wilson was the original tortured genius of modern pop, forget everything else you've heard. How do I know this? Well because when I entered "Tortured pop genius" into Google, searching for an artist to compare him to, I saw that he was the first result. But I also know this because of the Beach Boys' legendary record Pet Sounds

Pet Sounds was released on May 16, 1966 and is notable for featuring some of the most beautiful love songs of all time as well as numerously catchy pop singles. The album is notable for its peppy organ and keyboard work which is perfectly enhanced by an orchestra. The cherry on top of this aural sundae is Brian Wilson's pitch-perfect falsetto delivery and moans.

This album isn't just about love, though. Brian Wilson, especially for this time period, was writing some really personal lyrics, often revealing his insecurity, loneliness and sorrow. This is especially apparent in the album's arguably greatest moment: a song called "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times." It is a song in which Brian wonders why things always seem to go wrong for him and confesses the title statement with a voice so sorrowful it makes him sound much older than the 23 year old he was while recording. Combined with the utterly relateable sentiment of the lyrics and the mindblowing background vocal harmonies, it is a shiver-inducing, mind-blowing song and yet... it still feels human. And that is a perfect example of why Pet Sounds is revered by nearly everyone who gives it a shot.