Here is our staff’s list of the 20 most essential Beach Boys songs — a peerless collection of works that still only covers a wall or two in the larger museum of Brian Wilson’s life and times.

The Beach Boys, ‘ Surfin’ U.S.A. ’ (1963) Wilson borrowed the music of Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” like it was a buddy’s T-Bird and took it for a joyride, with new lyrics ...