Brian May has identified the Beach Boys’ 1966 single ‘Good Vibrations’ as a record that showed him rock music had entered a new era, describing it as “absolutely perfect”. The song’s ambitious production and rapid shifts in mood demonstrated how pop and rock could be more inventive, layered and technically sophisticated than conventional guitar-based songs.

Released by the Beach Boys and principally created by Brian Wilson with lyricist Mike Love, ‘Good Vibrations’ became a major international hit and is widely regarded as a landmark of 1960s pop. Its recording process was unusually elaborate for the period, involving multiple sessions, changing arrangements and experimental instrumentation including the Electro-Theremin.