Brian Wilson RIP: Takeaways for Podcasters
Podcasters can learn a lot from The Beach Boys legend, master innovator, songwriter, and musician
I never really appreciated The Beach Boys and their music. Until now.
The recent death of Brian Wilson changed my thinking.
Wilson, the driving force behind The Beach Boys and their California sound, left behind some lessons for audio professionals and podcasters.
The Beach Boys had 55 hit songs appear on the Hot 100 chart over the decades, according to Billboard, including three number one songs in the 1960s: I Get Around (1964), Help Me, Rhonda (1965) and Good Vibrations (1966). Or, as The New York Times noted, the band had 13 songs chart in the top ten from 1962 to 1966. That’s an amazing run.
In podcast parlance, The Beach Boys were the Wondery of their day, producing hit after hit after hit.
I’ve spent the last few days listening to The Beach Boys on YouTube Music, where I found a healthy collection of songs in mono and stereo.
What can podcasters learn from Brian Wilson?
INNOVATE Never stop improving your craft and make sure you experiment. If you enjoy the nuances of audio, listen to Don’t Worry Baby. In some versions, in your left ear, you will hear Brian Wilson singing. Then in the right ear, you’ll hear the rest of the band in harmony. A creative use of sound for the times. For 1964, this was cutting edge stuff since mono recordings still ruled. (Stereophonic sound was just gaining in popularity thanks to Hollywood movies.) Wilson mostly mixed in mono due to severe hearing problems. He also experimented with voice harmonies and instruments like the cello, accordion, electro-theremin, even sleigh bells.
LEARN FROM YOUR RIVALS Sure, we have a collegial atmosphere in podcasting. But what can you learn from other shows or competing networks? Wilson’s innovative approach to music attracted the attention of Paul McCartney, legendary producer George Martin and the rest of The Beatles. The Fab Four had to up their game as The Beach Boys put competitive pressure on them and vice versa. It’s often said The Beatles created their Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album after hearing The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds album.
KNOW HOW TO REACH YOUR AUDIENCE The Beach Boys made their sunny songs about three minutes long - sometimes even shorter. That was perfect for Top 40 radio back in the day, when most cities had important music stations on the AM dial. Wilson knew what radio wanted and knew how to get on the air. He tailored his music for distribution to the masses. And kept radio happy.
MY RECOMMENDATION Check out the Professor of Rock podcast from the Gamut Podcast Network. The June 11 episode celebrates Brian Wilson and his major accomplishments as a rock-and-roll innovator. There’s even a short flashback interview with him.
John Wordock runs his own podcast and media consulting firm John Wordock Media. He served as Executive Editor and SVP for Podcasting at Westwood One from 2019 to 2024, helping build Cumulus Podcast Network into a top ten network and top channel on Apple. He also served as Executive Producer for Podcasts at The Wall Street Journal until 2019. He started podcasting back in 2006. Wanna talk? Email John@JohnWordockMedia.com.