Pet Sounds is the 11th studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys. Released on May 16, 1966, it met a lukewarm critical and commercial reception in the United States, but received immediate success abroad, where British publications declared it "the most progressive pop album ever". Brian Wilson's "pet sounds", incorporating elements of jazz, exotica, classical, and the avant-garde. It was led by the singles "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (backed with "God Only Knows") and "Sloop John B"