Before the Beach Boys, These Music Titans Defined Surf Rock

There is a certain type of pop music that comes from the very waves of the beach. The 1959 movie Gidget brought surf culture into the teen mainstream. As a result, everyone headed for the beach with a towel and a transistor radio in tow. Young ears were eager to find something new to dance to, and when it shimmied up, they called it surf music.

First came instrumental surf, featuring twangy, reverb-heavy electric guitars and fast tempos you could ride. Bands like the Bel-Airs and the Chantays, with their hit “Pipeline,” were big. One of the most popular instrumental surf songs was “Wipe Out” by the Surfaris, with its relentless drumming and ride-of-your-life guitars.