Widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, The Beach Boys’ magnum opus, Pet Sounds, changed the notion of what an album could be when released in May 1966, forever altering the course of popular music. Breaking away from the surf rock that made them global stars, The Beach Boys’ 11th album in just four years couldn’t have been more different than what came before, especially the acoustic rave-up, Beach Boys’ Party!, featuring their smash hit “Barbara Ann,” that preceded it by only a few months. Influenced by The Beatles’ Rubber Soul and Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound production, creative visionary Brian Wilson took a left turn from their standard formula of upbeat songs about girls, surfing and the Southern California lifestyle and sought to create what he called “a complete statement.” In turn he produced an album like nothing before, one that revolutionized modern music by venturing into uncharted musical territory, both in composition and production, employing innovative recording techniques and pioneering the use of the studio as an instrument. Across 13 exquisite tracks, Pet Sounds pushed the boundaries of sonic experimentation, introducing a rich tapestry of complex, orchestral arrangements, unconventional instrumentation like Theremin and Coca-Cola bottles for percussion, flawless, trademark harmonies by Al Jardine, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Mike Love and new addition Bruce Johnston, and deep, introspective lyrics that went beyond anything the group had ever sung about. The record influenced The Beatles and their longtime producer George Martin to push the creative envelope when making their groundbreaking album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts, and paved the path for countless generations of musicians and producers. Today it remains one of the most pivotal and beloved albums ever made.
Now, for the very first time, fans can experience this iconic album like never before as Pet Sounds has received a revelatory new mix in Dolby Atmos®, an immersive sound experience, by renowned, multiple GRAMMY®-winning producer Giles Martin. Martin, the son of famed Beatles producer George Martin, has led the way in this pioneering audio technology, having helmed critically acclaimed Dolby Atmos mixes for the recent spate of Beatles special edition and anniversary releases, including 2022’s universally hailed Revolver. In order to create this new listening experience, Martin, who was personally asked by The Beach Boys to mix Pet Sounds, was given access to the original analog tapes and built the enveloping and enthralling new mix from the ground up using Brian Wilson’s original 1966 mono mix and Mark Linett’s subsequent 1997 stereo mix as guides. The new Dolby Atmos mix retains the feel of the classic album but offers a fresh perspective, putting listeners in the center of the music while revealing details with unparalleled clarity and depth. Pet Sounds is available to stream on Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, and Tidal via Capitol/UMe as of today, June 2.
Stream Pet Sounds In Dolby Atmos:
https://TheBeachBoys.lnk.to/PetSoundsinAtmosPR
“Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys is a game changing, iconic album that changed the face of popular music,” said Giles Martin. “It influenced The Beatles to go and make Sgt. Pepper’s, Sgt. Pepper’s then influenced Pink Floyd to go and make The Dark Side of the Moon. It’s a fascinating record because it’s really the workings of a genius, Brian Wilson, that sort of had boundless enthusiasm for ideas and textures. Moving Pet Sounds to Dolby Atmos means those worlds can be fully immersive, you can be surrounded by them, you can hear instruments that you never heard before, that are on the record, but they are now in a space where you can identify them. I kind of like the idea of imagine getting an old vinyl record, like Alice In Wonderland, and slowly start falling through the hole. That’s what immersive audio should do, you are literally surrounded by the records you love, and Pet Sounds is perfect for this. It’s an album of so much color and texture and imagination and the imagination becomes realized much more in the spatial realm. For me to be asked by The Beach Boys to work on this album was a huge honor, I was surprised and excited to get a chance to work on one of the most iconic albums of all time.”
Nearly six decades since its original May 16, 1966 release, Pet Sounds remains a masterpiece of modern music that has reigned at the top of countless critic and fan polls, maintaining its timeless rank as one of popular music’s most-cited influences. More than 100 domestic and international publications and journalists have lauded Pet Sounds as one of the greatest albums ever recorded. In 1995, Pet Sounds topped MOJO magazine’s list of “The Greatest Albums of All Time” at No. 1, and in 2020, Rolling Stone ranked it at No. 2 on the magazine’s oft-cited list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” exclaiming, “With its vivid orchestration, lyrical ambition, elegant pacing, and thematic coherence, Pet Sounds invented — and in several senses, perfected — the notion that an album could be more than the sum of its parts.
With the new Dolby Atmos mix, longtime fans, as well as those just discovering the genius of The Beach Boys, are invited to revisit Pet Sounds and experience this sonic masterwork with a new level of immersion, clarity and detail, connecting listeners more deeply to the music they love.
THE BEACH BOYS – PET SOUNDS IN DOLBY ATMOS
1. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
2. You Still Believe In Me
3. That’s Not Me
4. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
5. I’m Waiting For The Day
6. Let’s Go Away For Awhile
7. Sloop John B
8. God Only Knows
9. I Know There’s An Answer
10. Here Today
11. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
12. Pet Sounds
13. Caroline, No
