In 1974, Capitol Records released The Beach Boys’ compilation Endless Summer, reviving the band’s commercial fortunes at a time when they were widely regarded as out of step with contemporary rock. Its success demonstrated the growing market for nostalgia-driven music, but the article argues that it also encouraged the group to prioritise familiar early hits over further artistic experimentation.

The double album contained 20 largely early-period songs about surfing, cars and romance, selected with input from Mike Love, and omitted the more experimental material associated with albums such as Pet Sounds and Smiley Smile. Despite running for under 48 minutes, Endless Summer reached No. 1 on the US album chart—something no Beach Boys studio album had achieved—and helped shift the band towards frequent oldies-focused touring.