Brian Wilson's cause of death revealed after legendary Beach Boys co-founder died aged 82

Wilson was the eldest and last surviving of the three musical brothers who made up the iconic American rock band, alongside their cousin Mike Love and school friend Al Jardine.

In a statement, posted on Instagram on Wednesday, the legendary songwriter's family said: "We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away.

"We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time, as our family is grieving. We realise that we are sharing our grief with the world."

In 2024, it was revealed Wilson had been living with a neurocognitive disorder with similar symptoms to dementia.

The iconic singer's death certificate, obtained by TMZ, shows that he died from respiratory arrest.

This is when someone's heart is still beating but their lungs stop working, which can cause death as the body stops receiving oxygen.

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The certificate listed a host of other health complications, including sepsis and cystitis infections.

The singer also suffered from neurodegenerative disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure and chronic kidney disease.

Tributes poured in after Wilson's passing, with musical heavyweights paying their respects to the musician.

His cousin Mike Love, 84, said Wilson's "musical gifts were unmatched" while Al Jardine described his bandmate as "my brother in spirit".

"The melodies he dreamed up, the emotions he poured into every note - Brian changed the course of music forever," Love wrote in a lengthy post on Facebook, saying there was "something otherworldly" about Wilson.

"Like all families, we had our ups and downs. But through it all, we never stopped loving each other, and I never stopped being in awe of what he could do when he sat at a piano or his spontaneity in the studio."

Wilson was responsible for composing some of the greatest pop songs in history including God Only Knows, Good Vibrations and Surfin' U.S.A.

Good Vibrations topped the UK singles chart for two weeks, becoming the band's first single that sold over one million copies.

Sir Elton John posted on Instagram, saying Wilson was "always so kind to me" and "the biggest influence on my songwriting ever".

"He was a musical genius and revolutionary," he wrote.

"He changed the goalposts when it came to writing songs and changed music forever. A true giant."

Bob Dylan was among other musical stars to pay tribute, the 84-year-old posting on X that he was thinking "about all the years I've been listening to him and admiring his genius".

Fellow singer-songwriter Carole King, 83, described Wilson as "my friend and my brother in songwriting" while former Velvet Underground member John Cale said on X he was "a true musical genius toiling away at melding POP into startling sophistication".

The legendary producer was the leading creative force behind the Beach Boys and crafted their iconic carefree and melancholy sound.

He became infamous for using ambitious studio techniques to record songs on a wide-range of topics - from surfing, driving and girls to more reflective and psychedelic concepts.

One of his most revolutionary contributions to the world of music was the concept of using the recording studio as a creative instrument.

He is credited with almost single-handedly transforming how musicians use recording studios and techniques.

The band's 1966 album Pet Sounds is regarded as Wilson's magnum opus and seen by many as one of the greatest albums of all time.

Brian Wilson won two Grammy awards out of nine nominations, and the Beach Boys were honoured with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.

Him and the Beach Boys were inducted the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.