What was The Beach Boys' first single?

The Beach Boys’ first single was “Surfin’,” released in 1961.

Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, “Surfin’” grew from Dennis Wilson’s interest in surfing. Brian developed the song’s musical idea, while Love contributed lyrics and the memorable doo-wop-style vocal hook. The recording introduced the group’s early surf-and-car identity before the band became one of America’s most influential pop acts.

The single was released by Candix Records on November 27, 1961, with “Luau” on the B-side. It was recorded at World Pacific Studios in Los Angeles, and the final master came from an eight-take session. The release is also notable because the group had originally been called the Pendletones; the Beach Boys name was adopted around the record’s release.

“Surfin’” reached No. 75 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. A common mix-up is “Surfin’ Safari,” which was the band’s second single and the title track of its first album, not its debut single. “409” was another early hit, but it followed “Surfin’.”