LOS ANGELES, California - Few musical movements have captured the spirit of sunshine, surf, and youthful optimism quite like The California Sound, a style of popular music that emerged in Southern California during the early 1960s and went on to influence generations of artists around the world. At the heart of the movement were groups such as The Beach Boys, whose harmonies, intricate arrangements, and songs about surfing, cars, beaches, and teenage life became synonymous with the California lifestyle. Hits like Surfin' U.S.A. and California Girls helped define the genre and project an idealized vision of the American West Coast to listeners worldwide.