Surf's Up (studio album)
by The Beach Boys

Surf's Up by The Beach Boys
Year: 1971
Overall rank: 737th   
Average Rating: 
79/100 (from 560 votes)
     
Accolades:
Award Top albums of 1971 (26th)
Award Top albums of the 1970s (166th)
Award Top 1,000 albums of all time (737th)

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The Beach Boys Feel Flows: The Sunflower & Surf's Up Sessions 1969-1971 (CD)
Condition: Brand New


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The Beach Boys, Surf's Up, 1971 1st Reprise, RS-6493, VG+/VG+
Condition: Used


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BEACH BOYS Feel Flows Sunflower & Surf's Up Sessions 1969-1971 5 CD Box Set
Condition: Brand New


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The Beach Boys bestography

Surf's Up is ranked 3rd best out of 76 albums by The Beach Boys on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by The Beach Boys is Pet Sounds which is ranked number 11 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 39,289.

The Beach Boys album bestography « Higher ranked (275th)
The Smile Sessions
This album (737th)
Surf's Up
Lower ranked (830th) »
The Beach Boys Today!

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

Upcoming concerts

Nov
30
Tue
00:00
The Beach Boys & The O'Jays
Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater, Tuscaloosa, United States. United States
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Dec
26
Fri
19:30
Jason Marsalis tribute to Brian Wilson & the Beach Boys
Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, New Orleans, United States. United States
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Dec
26
Fri
21:30
Jason Marsalis tribute to Brian Wilson & the Beach Boys
Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, New Orleans, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
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Surf's Up track list

   The tracks on this album have an average rating of 81 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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1.
Average Rating: 80 (111 votes)Comments: View 2
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2.
Average Rating: 83 (107 votes)Comments: View 0
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4.
Average Rating: 85 (118 votes)Comments: View 0
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6.
Average Rating: 84 (110 votes)Comments: View 2
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9.
Track pick (870 - 142 votes)
Average Rating: 87 (142 votes)Comments: View 1
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10.
Track pick (890 - 205 votes)
Average Rating: 89 (205 votes)Comments: View 2
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Track pick (1000 - 100 votes) Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

Surf's Up rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 737th | 1970s rank: 166th | 1971 rank: 26th

Surf's Up collection

Surf's Up ratings

Average Rating: 
79/100 (from 560 votes)
   Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 560 ratings for this album.

Sort by
RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
5/100
 !
11/23/2025 07:17 NYAndreas   1,43243/100
 
80/100
 !
11/08/2025 04:01 pranafilms   23591/100
 
75/100
 !
10/12/2025 19:21 Superunknown   28170/100
 
90/100
 !
10/07/2025 01:59 JacobMullis   72388/100
 
80/100
 !
09/13/2025 19:17 Filipe   12679/100

Rating metrics: Help Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 2% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 78.9/100, a mean average of 78.3/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 79.1/100. The standard deviation for this album is 13.8.

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Surf's Up comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 31 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Maximum Rated First | Longest Comments First
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Rating:  
100/100
From 07/12/2024 21:23 | #304296
Best beach boys album
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 02/07/2023 14:30 | #293729
The last two songs are probably two of the best songs of the whole 70s
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 10/28/2022 23:46 | #290866
The vocal harmonies are absolutely phenomenal on this record and when you mix in some brilliant musicianship you get a great record. You can hear the confusion on where the group want to go with their music and that leads to this unrefined release that always stuns me with how good it is. This record shouldn't work but it just does. They were really in a chaotic period for their music which is best demonstrated on the title track where we are being pulled all over the place with the styles. However, it is absolutely beautiful and is one of their most experimental and cohesive albums they have ever put out. They seem to have discovered their sound again, but it has more of an edge to it now which really keeps you engaged with the music. Vocally, it is a masterclass with the harmonies on here being simply sensational. All the songs are well written as well and have quite a bit to explore which is great for the listener. The songs are infectious again which is the main thing the Beach Boys lacked after Pet Sounds and they seem to find it on this record. There are a few weak tracks that do feel like filler however and they do drag the album down a little. Overall, a huge return to form for the group with there being some of my favourite ever Beach Boys songs on here.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 09/06/2022 17:37 | #289412
Great record
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 06/28/2022 19:09 | #286757
This album actually grew on me, I think its gentle and not as impressive as Pet Sounds, but it is beautiful in its own way, sounds a bit like Disney songs.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 07/01/2021 21:11 | #271218
the voices and production are awesome, sadly i thin beach boys after pet ounds never achieve that quality again
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 04/22/2021 19:39 | #268889
quite a fascinating array of music almost indescribable but immensely entertaining
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 04/01/2021 01:17 | #268038
This is an interesting album, but I feel it's a bit overrated. Some moments are fantastic, others feel a bit sloppy/underachieving. Worth a listen for sure, but not the refined masterpiece others are making it out to be.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 01/26/2021 15:36 | #265145
One of the most beautiful album of the 70's. Criminally underrated.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 09/10/2020 21:45 | #258023
The best written and executed album from The Beach Boys, aside from Pet Sounds and Smile.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1971
1. Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) by Led Zeppelin
2. Who's Next by The Who
3. Hunky Dory by David Bowie
4. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
5. Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones
6. Blue by Joni Mitchell
7. Tago Mago by Can
8. Meddle by Pink Floyd
9. L.A. Woman by The Doors
10. Tapestry by Carole King
11. Fragile by Yes
12. Bryter Layter by Nick Drake
13. Master Of Reality by Black Sabbath
14. Aqualung by Jethro Tull
15. Ram by Paul & Linda McCartney
16. Electric Warrior by T. Rex
17. Imagine by John Lennon
18. Maggot Brain by Funkadelic
19. There's A Riot Goin' On by Sly & The Family Stone
20. At Fillmore East by The Allman Brothers Band
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