The bad blood runs too deep. Even with the 60th anniversary of Pet Sounds on the calendar, surviving Beach Boys legends Mike Love and Al Jardine couldn't be convinced to reunite for a proper tour celebration—only a single promotional appearance together at Capitol Records in May got them in the same room.
According to Rolling Stone, the two have instead embarked on competing tours, both mining the iconic album for deep cuts rather than sticking to hits.
Mike Love's officially licensed Beach Boys brought in Chris Cron, an Instagram sensation known for nailing vintage Beach Boys harmonies, to replace the departing Bruce Johnston. The move allowed Love to debut "I'm Waiting for the Day" live, alongside fresh arrangements of album classics like "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows."
Meanwhile, Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band initially focused on the 1977 oddity The Beach Boys Love You for half their setlist, but when they returned to the road in early June, they increased their Pet Sounds selection significantly. (Yes, there's also a separate tribute act called Pet Sounds Live.)
For much of the year, Love's crew was actually playing more Pet Sounds material than Jardine's outfit. Love has faced vocal challenges throughout 2026, but assembled a team to handle the load, with his son Christian singing "God Only Knows" and Eichenberger taking "Wouldn't It Be Nice."
Two tours, two visions, zero reunions. Their most legendary album is getting a competitive treatment in 2026.
