The BeACH BOYS: their impact on the popularity of surf music through the 60's-70's

The Beach Boys were a group formed in the early 1960s, famous for popularizing surf music alongside groups like the Bel-Airs, Jan and Dean, and The Ventures. While these groups made the style popular, Dick Dale was credited with the initial founding of the genre. Influenced by his Lebanese and Polish family members, he generated a new sound with quick staccato chords over a low, but full bodied, base rhythm. Newer technology allowed Dale to produce what became a key aspect to surf music, the reverb. Reverb could be described as the ability of sound to bounce off of nearby surfaces, echo, therefore, allowing chords to be drawn out at greater lengths-paired with the innovations of louder amplifiers, it allowed for a full body experience. His familiarity with the surf life inspired him to mimic the sounds of the ocean-the melody mimicked the intensity of being on a wave, and the baseline captured the low roar of the ocean. Band member Dennis saw the growing interest in surf music by teens that was fueled by Dick Dale and the Deltones, and pushed his band members to change their name from the Pendletones to The Beach Boys.

The band originally consisted of Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love, and David Marks and after their name change, and greater focus on surf themed music, they finally made a name for themselves. The growing competition between surf artists made it a necessity to have an edge, and The Beach Boys’ was their unique multi-level harmonies. They created new sounds that were inspired by The Four Freshmen, and emphasized the elaborate California dream in their lyrics. When hits such as Surfin’ U.S.A., Surfin’, and Surfer Girl made the charts, the surfing genre exploded; interestingly, however, Dennis was the only one with a moderate surfing background, so he would brainstorm the themes of songs, and Brian and Mike would write the rest

Popularity grew most with the white suburban teenagers in California. Defense funding from World War II had created many jobs, and a booming economy for those in the area, so many teenagers were employed, and had money for leisure activities, such as surfing. Surfboards were also less expensive, and were made from lighter materials than a traditional wood board, therefore, affordable to many of the teenagers, who were looking for something to do. The ability for teens to more easily follow the trends, and live the lifestyle of their icons was integral in the success of surf music, but just as Little Richards had to redefine the music of his time, it took a certain image, that the Beach Boys luckily had, to start a new era of music.