"Sunflower" is the 16th studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on August 31, 1970, on Reprise Records. It was their first album for the label and received favorable reviews but had poor sales, reaching number 151 on the US charts during a four-week run. This made it the lowest-charting Beach Boys album up to that time. The single "Add Some Music to Your Day" was the only track to chart in the US, peaking at number 64. In the UK, the album reached number 29.
The album was initially planned under various working titles, including Reverberation, Add Some Music, and The Fading Rock Group Revival. Recording began in January 1969 and continued until July 1970, following a year-long search for a new record contract. Unlike 20/20, Sunflower featured strong contributions from all band members. The album underwent numerous revisions before the final track listing was approved by the label. Notable tracks include "This Whole World," a complex composition by Brian Wilson, "Forever," considered one of Dennis Wilson's finest works, and "Cool, Cool Water," which originated from the Smile sessions.
Sunflower is often regarded by fans as one of the Beach Boys' best albums following Pet Sounds. It has appeared in several critical and listener polls, including Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." The track "All I Wanna Do" has been noted as an early example of dream pop and chillwave. Outtakes and leftover songs from Sunflower were later featured on the follow-up album Surf's Up (1971) and the compilation Feel Flows (2021).
