The death of Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson at the age of 82 caused waves of emotion all over social media on Wednesday.But the most heartfelt tributes may have come from family members and his former bandmates.After Wilson’s family announced his death, the Beach Boys took to Instagram to pay tribute to the man who helped them make a big splash in the music world.“The world mourns a genius today, and we grieve for the loss of our cousin, our friend, and our partner in a great musical adventure,” they posted. “Brian Wilson wasn’t just the heart of The Beach Boys—he was the soul of our sound. The melodies he dreamed up and the emotions he poured into every note changed the course of music forever.“His unparalleled talent and unique spirit created the soundtrack of so many lives around the globe, including our own.“Together, we gave the world the American dream of optimism, joy, and a sense of freedom—music that made people feel good, made them believe in summer and endless possibilities.“We are heartbroken by his passing. We will continue to cherish the timeless music we made together and the joy he brought to millions over the decades. And while we will miss him deeply, his legacy will live on through his songs and in our memories.“Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and his loved ones during this difficult time.”Wilson’s cousin and current Beach Boys leader Mike Love, who cowrote many of the Beach Boys’ most popular songs with Wilson, posted a musical tribute on Instagram that featured photos of the two, backed by a song called “Brian’s Back” which was originally written in 1979.Love’s caption to the video lamented that “the world lost a genius, and I lost a cousin by blood, and my partner in music.”In the post, Love said he knew there was something otherworldly about his cousin “from the first time we sang together as kids in my living room.”Love also declared that Wilson’s “musical gifts were unmatched,” and that the melodies and the emotions “he poured into every note” had the effect of ”[changing] the course of music forever.”The Beach Boys singer also noted their “journey together was filled with moments of brilliance, heartbreak, laughter, complexity and most of all, LOVE.”Love, who actually sued Wilson in 1994 over missing songwriting credits, admitted in his post that, “like all families,” he and his cousin “had our ups and downs,” but insisted, “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.”The Beach Boys front man also praised his cousin’s ability to show the world “what vulnerability and brilliance sound like in harmony. He was fragile, he was intense, he was funny — and he was one of a kind.”The lengthy post ended with Love saying, “I’ll miss you forever, my beloved cousin.”Former bandmate Al Jardine, who later joined Wilson on solo tours, also posted his own tribute to the man he called “my friend, my classmate, my football teammate, my Beach Boy bandmate and my brother in spirit.”“I will always feel blessed that you were in our lives for as long as you were. I think the most comforting thought right now is that you are reunited with Carl and Dennis, singing those beautiful harmonies again. You were a humble giant who always made me laugh and we will celebrate your music forever. Brian, I’ll really miss you…still I have the warmth of the sun ☀️🎶❤️”20 Years Of Free JournalismYour Support Fuels Our MissionYour Support Fuels Our MissionFor two decades, HuffPost has brought you the exclusives, scoops and hot takes on the news all your friends are talking about. Support our mission to keep us around for the next 20 — we can’t do this without you.We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.20 Years Of Free JournalismFor two decades, HuffPost has brought you the exclusives, scoops and hot takes on the news all your friends are talking about. Support our mission to keep us around for the next 20 — we can’t do this without you.Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.Wilson’s daughter, singer Carnie Wilson, also paid respect to her father on Instagram, noting that while “he will be remembered by millions and millions until the world ends,” she considers herself “lucky to have been his daughter and had a soul connection with him that will live on always.”The Wilson Phillips singer continued:“I’ve never felt this kind of pain before, but I know he’s resting up there in heaven … or maybe playing the piano for Grandma Audree, his Mom. I will post something else soon but this is all my hands will let me type. I love you Daddy….I miss so much you already.”