Endless Summer

Upon its 1974 release, Endless Summer re-established The Beach Boys in the public consciousness without the group having to make new material. It was a simple double album of songs from their 1963-1966 period, with "Good Vibrations" being the only song coming after their classic Pet Sounds album, which is ignored completely. Though other releases have summarized the group's career more completely, Endless Summer is many fans' favorite collection, since it was the first time all these hits had been compiled in one place. The sound of the music was several degrees of amp distortion away from what was happening in 1974, and a new generation was excited by the passion, energy, and strong melodies of Beach Boys tunes as varied as "Surfin' U.S.A.," "The Warmth of the Sun," "In My Room," "I Get Around," "Don't Worry Baby," and "California Girls." Endless Summer represents an excellent summary. It's less overwhelming than the exhaustive and excellent Good Vibrations 142-track set or The Beach Boys 50 Biggest Hits, obviously. For some listeners, this and a copy of Pet Sounds fulfills their needs.