The Beach Boys' 1976 album, 15 Big Ones, was a highly anticipated comeback, fueled by the success of their 1974 greatest hits collection, Endless Summer. The record company's hype promised Brian Wilson's return as rock's genius, but the reality was a half-hearted, disjointed album. The album's heavy reliance on cover songs and Brian's altered vocal style, which lacked his signature angelic higher register, contributed to its mixed reception. Despite the commercial success of the opening track, "Rock And Roll Music," the album's overall reception was a letdown, setting back the band's momentum and causing resentment among band members, particularly Dennis and Carl Wilson, who felt marginalized in the creative process.
