“Kokomo” returned The Beach Boys to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988. The tropical-sounding single topped the U.S. chart on November 5, making it the group’s first American No. 1 since “Good Vibrations” in 1966.
The song was written by John Phillips, Scott McKenzie, Mike Love, and Terry Melcher for the film Cocktail, starring Tom Cruise. Released as a single by Elektra Records in July 1988, it was a notable late-career success because it connected the group’s familiar harmonies with a polished, Caribbean-themed production aimed at the contemporary pop market.
“Kokomo” later appeared on the 1989 album Still Cruisin’. Brian Wilson did not participate in the recording, another fact often obscured by the group’s collective billing. The song’s No. 1 achievement is distinct from its release date: it was issued in 1988, but its chart peak came in November of that year. It also reached No. 1 in Australia and became one of the band’s best-known later hits.