The Beatles毫无疑问已经是有史以来最强的摇滚乐队，但The Beach Boys也被认为是唯一一个“在某个时间段”里可以与之抗衡的队伍。应该说，在Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band问世之前，这张Pet Sounds就是摇滚音乐界最有想象力的作品了。遗憾的是，Pet Sounds的主心骨Brian Wilson在听了Beatles的那张专辑以后，认为自己再也无法超过Beatles，精神陷入崩溃，再也无力写出更好的作品。这张Pet Sounds也就成为了记载这场“瑜亮之争”的纪念品，滚石把这张专辑评为第二，或许也有这方面的考虑。

这张专辑在滚石杂志选出的500张历代最强专辑中排名第2位。

The best Beach Boys album, and one of the best of the 1960s. The group here reached a whole new level in terms of both composition and production, layering tracks upon tracks of vocals and instruments to create a richly symphonic sound. Conventional keyboards and guitars were combined with exotic touches of orchestrated strings, bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, theremin, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans, barking dogs, and more. It wouldn't have been a classic without great songs, and this has some of the group's most stunning melodies, as well as lyrical themes which evoke both the intensity of newly born love affairs and the disappointment of failed romance (add in some general statements about loss of innocence and modern-day confusion as well). The spiritual quality of the material is enhanced by some of the most gorgeous upper-register male vocals (especially by Brian and Carl Wilson) ever heard on a rock record. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows," "Caroline No," and "Sloop John B" (the last of which wasn't originally intended to go on the album) are the well-known hits, but equally worthy are such cuts as "You Still Believe in Me," "Don't Talk," "I Know There's an Answer," and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times." It's often said that this is more of a Brian Wilson album than a Beach Boys recording (session musicians played most of the parts), but it should be noted that the harmonies are pure Beach Boys (and some of their best). Massively influential upon its release (although it was a relatively low seller compared to their previous LPs), it immediately vaunted the band into the top level of rock innovators among the intelligentsia, especially in Britain, where it was a much bigger hit.