Billie Joe Armstrong makes a heartfelt tribute to late Brian Wilson with 'I Get Around' cover
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong honored the late Brian Wilson with a cover of I Get Around, the Beach Boys’ 1964 breakout hit. Armstrong shared the track on Instagram on June 12, 2025, just hours after Wilson’s death at age 82 was publicly announced.
The audio clip was posted with the following message.
“Thank you Brian Wilson. I recorded a cover of ‘I Get Around’ a few years ago… never got to share it. One of my all-time favorite songs ever.”
I Get Around was the Beach Boys’ first No. 1 single in the U.S., released on All Summer Long in 1964. The Beach Boys’ melodic sensibility has left a mark on many in the punk and pop-punk scenes. For instance, Green Day’s 2009 song Last of the American Girls is often praised for its Beach Boys-inspired harmonies, according to a Billboard article from June 12, 2025.
Brian Wilson himself expressed indifference to punk in a 2015 interview with The Guardian, saying:
“I never went for that. I never went for the fast kind of music.”
Tributes pour in for Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson’s death on June 11, 2025, triggered an outpouring of tributes from across the music world. As per an article by the Los Angeles Times, Wilson’s family did not disclose a cause of death but had previously confirmed in early 2024 that the singer and composer was living with dementia.
In a Facebook post, the family shared their grief, stating:
“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”
Armstrong’s tribute was one of many. As reported by Parade, Sting and Brian Wilson had previously performed the same song together at Carnegie Hall in 2008. At a concert in Rostock, Germany, English singer and actor Sting paused during his encore to perform a version of God Only Knows to pay tribute to Wilson, calling the singer his "hero."
“Today, one of my heroes died. So I want to sing a song that I love.”
Sting and Brian Wilson had previously performed the same song together at Carnegie Hall in 2008.
Other tributes came from musical legends including Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan. McCartney called Wilson a “bright shining light,” while Bruce Springsteen credited the Beach Boys as a direct influence on his songwriting, according to Billboard on June 12, 2025.
Noting Wilson's influence on his music in his tribute posted on X (formerly Twitter) on June 12, 2025, Bob Dylan wrote, 84, wrote:
“Heard the sad news about Brian today and thought about all the years I’ve been listening to him and admiring his genius.”
Brian Wilson was the founding member of the Beach Boys. He played a central role as the group’s main songwriter, producer, and arranger during their most influential years. He was behind several of the band’s major hits, including I Get Around, California Girls, God Only Knows, and Good Vibrations.
According to The New York Times, in 1966, Wilson wrote and produced Pet Sounds, an album that has been widely recognized for its innovation in studio recording and arrangement.
While he eventually stepped back from the spotlight, Wilson continued to work on music over the years, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with others. His contributions to music were acknowledged by peers across generations, and his influence extended far beyond the 1960s.
