Hot on the heels of their 50th anniversary tour kick-off last night in Tucson, Arizona, the Beach Boys released “That’s Why God Made the Radio” this morning, the first single from their upcoming album of the same name. A mellow groove perfect for the summer, the song aurally celebrates the band’s signature harmonies and provides an earworm refrain that you won’t mind having in your head for days.

The album, scheduled for release on June 5 on EMI/Capitol, was produced by Brian Wilson and executive produced by Mike Love. The surviving Beach Boys, including Wilson, Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks, each had a hand in crafting the band’s 28th album.

“Radio was my whole education,” says Wilson. “Chuck Berry, Rosemary Clooney, The Four Freshmen, Phil Spector, Little Richard… To hear ‘That’s Why God Made The Radio’ on the radio would be a thrill beyond belief, it really would. It would be a thrill beyond belief.”

“I got a lot of my appreciation for all of the creativity in the world, in terms of music, through the radio,” says Love. “For all of us who grew up in the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and beyond, the radio has played such a huge, important part in our lives. When we were kids, we’d sneak out of the house and go and sit in Brian’s car and listen to the local radio stations on his car radio.”

In addition to nearly fifty dates domestically, the Beach Boys will also perform internationally in Europe and Japan later this summer. They are also scheduled to appear on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on May 7 and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 6. On May 1, Wal-Mart will release a ‘Zinepak including a CD featuring the Beach Boys’ 2012 rendition of “Do It Again,” along with a 72-page magazine celebrating the 50th anniversary.

In our July/August issue, Elmore will celebrate the Beach Boys with a cover story, featuring exclusive interviews with all five Beach Boys. Stay tuned!