Listen: The Beach Boys' Surprisingly Great Reunion Song

FUSE TV - Listen: The Beach Boys' Surprisingly Great Reunion Song

Fifty years after first hitting the charts, the Beach Boys are back with their first new song in 16 years and their first with Brian Wilson singing lead since 1989. Long story short: It's lovely and you should listen to it below.

But to go into a bit more detail, "That's Why God Made the Radio" is an expertly harmonized (duh) slice of pop that evokes cruisin' n' surfin' n' havin' good times more than it resembles the elegant chamber pop of Pet Sounds or the deliriously wonky pop of Smiley Smile.

Which is to say this: Don't listen to this expecting to find Brian Wilson back at his late-career solo SMiLE album peak, but don't write it off as a trite nostalgic cash-in, either. "That's Why God Made the Radio" is a sprightly, effortlessly melodic song that could easily have fit into one of the Beach Boys' serviceably satisfying albums from the 1970s.

But take a listen below and tell us what you think.

The Beach Boys, "That's Why God Made the Radio"

The Reunion

45m

The Reunion

The Great Director

23m

The Great Director

The Dirtiest Song Ever Recorded

21m

The Dirtiest Song Ever Recorded

Harry & Meghan: The Great Divide

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Harry & Meghan: The Great Divide

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Listen and Learn

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Odalys Meets Drumma Boy: The 212

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Beach Beauty

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Don't Swear In Front of The Song

Asian Song Festival

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Asian Song Festival

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1h 24m

Boy Genius

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1h 9m

Real Boy

Big Boi

20m

Big Boi

Mr. Throwback and Greats

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Mr. Throwback and Greats

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What's It Gonna Be, Boys?

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7m

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1m

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The River and the Wall

1h 45m

The River and the Wall

The Abuela and the Furious

12m

The Abuela and the Furious

The Beatles: In the Life

1h 2m

The Beatles: In the Life

Triple the Pleasure, Triple the Fun

43m

Triple the Pleasure, Triple the Fun

The Blue Devils Bring The Parade

1m

The Blue Devils Bring The Parade

Inside the MMA: Release the Kraken

41m

Inside the MMA: Release the Kraken

The 212

The 212

The Runway

1h 33m

The Runway

The Feels

1h 21m

The Feels

The Luau

1h 30m

The Luau

The Pilot

21m

The Pilot

The Hustle

20m

The Hustle

The Decision

44m

The Decision

The FP

1h 20m

The FP

The Canvas

The Canvas

The Exchange

1h 27m

The Exchange

The Citizen

1h 34m

The Citizen

The Motorcycle

23m

The Motorcycle

Inside the MMA: Best of the Year

41m

Inside the MMA: Best of the Year

All the Focus is on the Diamonds

21m

All the Focus is on the Diamonds

The Abuela Test for Leaving the Nest

15m

The Abuela Test for Leaving the Nest

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

1m

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

Out With The Old, In With The New

20m

Out With The Old, In With The New

The Hilarious Reality of the American Rat Race

2m

The Hilarious Reality of the American Rat Race

Who's the Boss?

24m

Who's the Boss?

Making the Cut

46m

Making the Cut

The Abuela Trap

16m

The Abuela Trap

Assume the Position

42m

Assume the Position

Meet The Family

21m

Meet The Family

Missy: The Icon

20m

Missy: The Icon

The Prison Within

1h 23m

The Prison Within

Behind The Snow

22m

Behind The Snow

Rock the Bells

21m

Rock the Bells

The Winner Is…

44m

The Winner Is…

The Third Strike

1h 3m

The Third Strike

The Right Girls

1h 22m

The Right Girls

The All-Americans

1h 36m

The All-Americans

Meet The Jets

48m

Meet The Jets

Shoot The Hero

1h 17m

Shoot The Hero

Rich The Kid

20m

Rich The Kid

Making The Retrograde

20m

Making The Retrograde

Into The Woods

21m

Into The Woods

The Vest Guest

20m

The Vest Guest

Between the Shades

1h 22m

Between the Shades

The Sexuality Spectrum

42m

The Sexuality Spectrum

The Revolution Generation

1h 17m

The Revolution Generation

Crossed the Line

1h 30m

Crossed the Line

Facing The Truth

20m

Facing The Truth

Enter the Metaverse

21m

Enter the Metaverse

Inside the MMA

41m

Inside the MMA

The Daphne Project

1h 7m

The Daphne Project

The Sex Clinic

The Sex Clinic

Mind the Mints

21m

Mind the Mints

Cassandro, The Exotico!

1h 15m

Cassandro, The Exotico!

The Glow Up

20m

The Glow Up

Surfing the Skies

22m

Surfing the Skies

The North Shore

22m

The North Shore

Free The Robots

9m

Free The Robots

Beyond the Binary

20m

Beyond the Binary

Create The Future

20m

Create The Future

The Grind Never Stops When for the Queen Diva

2m

The Grind Never Stops When for the Queen Diva

Anthony Ramos On 'The Good & The Bad' (Extended Cut)

12m

Anthony Ramos On 'The Good & The Bad' (Extended Cut)

End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock

1h 27m

End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock

The Clash of the Corps Cast Plays Would You Rather?

3m

The Clash of the Corps Cast Plays Would You Rather?

Keepers of the Game

1h 22m

Keepers of the Game

The Hollywood Puppet Show

The Hollywood Puppet Show

Who's Guarding the Angel?

21m

Who's Guarding the Angel?

The Trap House Slide

10m

The Trap House Slide

Flesh and the City

45m

Flesh and the City

Lee'd the Way

1h 41m

Lee'd the Way

The Power of Weed

41m

The Power of Weed

Freaky On The Floor

22m

Freaky On The Floor

Revenge Of The Nerfs

19m

Revenge Of The Nerfs

Beauty and the Bleach

56m

Beauty and the Bleach

Sex Through the Lens

20m

Sex Through the Lens

Elvis & the Memphis Mafia

1h 1m

Elvis & the Memphis Mafia

Eyes On The Prize

22m

Eyes On The Prize

Out in the Ring

1h 43m

Out in the Ring

Welcome to The 212

20m

Welcome to The 212

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