Fans of The Beach Boys believe Brian Wilson should have received a major award, with many believing the frontman was “snubbed”.
Wilson, who died at 82 earlier this month, is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He won a Grammy Award for Best Historical Album in 2013 for Smile. But his work with The Beach Boys saw him receive little acclaim at the time, and many believe awards should be given retroactively for his impact on American music. Peers like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan have received the honour Wilson went without, though many are saying he is “deserving” of the accolade. A Presidential Medal of Freedom was given to the likes of Dylan and Aretha Franklin, but the award has seemingly passed over Wilson.
Fans posting to the r/TheBeachBoys subreddit have since shared their hopes of Wilson receiving a nod. Though the chances of this remain slim, many said the songwriter behind Pet Sounds deserved a nod. One user asked: “Why has Brian Wilson seemingly been snubbed of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
“Other notable artists who’ve contributed to American culture have been awarded (i.e: Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, etc). For being the lead songwriter of ‘America’s Band’, he seems deserving of the highest civilian honour in the United States. Seems like he’s been overlooked. What do you guys think?”
Fans of The Beach Boys have all agreed Wilson is more than deserving of the accolade. One wrote: “He’s in the pantheon of one of the greatest artists and composers, and to NOT have the medal is a complete blind spot and diminishes the ‘importance’ of the medal itself.
“It’s like, how can Brian not be a recipient? This is more than just overlooked, it’s unconscionable.” Other fans believe Mike Love is more likely to receive the award than Wilson is.
One user wrote: “With all the bullshit nonsense that comes out of the White House regarding American pop culture I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Mike Love getting this award after Trump hears the boys on the radio one day.”
Another added: “The Presidential Medal of Freedom has basically become a means of rewarding celebrity donors, or at least that’s how recent administrations have treated it.
“Brian is certainly worthy as a great American artist, but I expect Mike Love will get one first since he’s friends with Donald Trump.”
A third added: “It’s as dubious an honour as a Grammy and ultimately means nothing. Everyone aware of him knows his unquestionable genius. He changed popular music in the Western world forever and wrote what many consider to be the greatest album of all time. Who cares about a governmental Medal of Honour?”
Other fans have suggested Wilson simply did not need to be given an award as his accomplishments speak for themselves. Wilson passed away at 82 on June 11. A series of posthumous releases are believed to be in the works, including the already announced Cows in the Pasture. It is not yet known whether Adult/Child and Sweet Insanity will release.
