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Sunflower (The Beach Boys album)

Updated: 12/20/2025, 2:50:53 PM Wikipedia source

Sunflower is the 16th studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on August 31, 1970 by Reprise Records, their first for the label. It received favorable reviews, but sold poorly, reaching number 151 on the US record charts during a four-week stay and becoming the lowest-charting Beach Boys album to that point. "Add Some Music to Your Day" was the only single that charted in the US, peaking at number 64. In the UK, the album peaked at number 29. Working titles for the album included Reverberation, Add Some Music, and The Fading Rock Group Revival. The recording sessions began in January 1969, and, after a year-long search for a new record contract, completed in July 1970. In contrast to 20/20, the record featured a strong group presence with significant writing contributions from all band members. About four dozen songs were written for the album, and the label rejected numerous revisions of its track listing before the band presented enough formidable material deemed satisfactory for release. It includes "This Whole World", one of Brian Wilson's most complex songs, "Forever", regarded as among Dennis Wilson's finest, and "Cool, Cool Water", a song that originated from the band's Smile sessions.

Fans generally consider Sunflower to be among the Beach Boys' finest post-Pet Sounds albums. It has appeared in several critics' and listeners' polls for the best albums of all time, including Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". The track "All I Wanna Do" was later cited as one of the earliest examples of dream pop. Many Sunflower outtakes and leftover songs later appeared on subsequent Beach Boys releases, including the follow-up Surf's Up (1971) and the compilation Feel Flows (2021).

Infobox

Released
August 31, 1970 (1970-08-31)
Recorded
January 9, 1969 – July 21, 1970
Studio
Beach BoysGold StarSunset Sound (Los Angeles)
Genre
Soft rocksunshine pop
Length
36:55
Label
Brother Reprise
Producer
The Beach Boys

Tables

Retrospective professional reviews · Retrospective assessments and legacy
Source
Source
Review scores
Source
Review scores
Rating
AllMusic
AllMusic
Review scores
AllMusic
Review scores
Blender
Blender
Review scores
Blender
Review scores
Christgau's Record Guide
Christgau's Record Guide
Review scores
Christgau's Record Guide
Review scores
A−
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Review scores
Entertainment Weekly
Review scores
B+
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Review scores
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Review scores
MusicHound Rock
MusicHound Rock
Review scores
MusicHound Rock
Review scores
3.5/5
Pitchfork (Sunflower/Surf's Up reissue)
Pitchfork (Sunflower/Surf's Up reissue)
Review scores
Pitchfork (Sunflower/Surf's Up reissue)
Review scores
8.9/10
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Review scores
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Review scores
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Review scores
Sputnikmusic
Review scores
5/5
Review scores
Source
Rating
AllMusic
Blender
Christgau's Record Guide
A−
Entertainment Weekly
B+
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
MusicHound Rock
3.5/5
Pitchfork (Sunflower/Surf's Up reissue)
8.9/10
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Sputnikmusic
5/5
Weekly chart performance for Sunflower · Charts › Weekly charts
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Chart (1970–1971)
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Peakposition
79
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
Chart (1970–1971)
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
Peakposition
10
UK Albums (OCC)
UK Albums (OCC)
Chart (1970–1971)
UK Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
29
US Billboard 200
US Billboard 200
Chart (1970–1971)
US Billboard 200
Peakposition
151
Chart (1970–1971)
Peakposition
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
79
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
10
UK Albums (OCC)
29
US Billboard 200
151
Year-end chart performance for Sunflower · Charts › Year-end charts
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
Chart (1971)
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
Position
73
Chart (1971)
Position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
73

References

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  2. Badman states that although Bruce Johnston later denied that those were genuine titles, "Capitol documents name the prop
  3. There were also unrealized plans for the group to appear in a series of lucrative Coca-Cola commercials.
  4. According to Brian, the group had "to go on the road every two weeks to stay even" and that the charity concerts were "a
  5. Band co-manager Fred Vail said in 2003 that "Brian might have been exaggerating a little bit from his perspective ... bu
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  7. Bruce Johnston told the NME that he regretted the choice of supporting acts, "because [the Raiders] are a bubblegum kind
  8. The lawsuit was later settled in their favor and they acquired the rights to their post-1965 catalog.
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