The Rolling Stones Albums Ranked From Worst to Best (including Hackney Diamonds)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- Probably the biggest name we've yet to cover on the channel. With their new album, Hackney Diamonds, out this past Friday, it's finally time to hit The Rolling Stones.
****
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active across seven decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pioneered the gritty, rhythmically driven sound that came to define hard rock. Their first stable line-up consisted of vocalist Mick Jagger, multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones, guitarist Keith Richards, bassist Bill Wyman, and drummer Charlie Watts. During their early years, Jones was the primary leader of the band. After Andrew Loog Oldham became the group's manager in 1963, he encouraged them to write their own songs. Jagger and Richards became the band's songwriters and primary creative forces, alienating Jones who developed a drug addiction that, by 1968, interfered with his ability to contribute meaningfully.
Rooted in blues and early rock and roll, the Rolling Stones started out playing covers and were at the forefront of the British Invasion in 1964, becoming identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. They then found greater success with their own material, as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (1965), "Get Off of My Cloud" (1965), and "Paint It Black" (1966) became international number-one hits. Aftermath (1966) - their first entirely original album - is often considered to be the most important of their early albums. In 1967, they had the double-sided hit "Ruby Tuesday"/"Let's Spend the Night Together" and experimented with psychedelic rock on Their Satanic Majesties Request. By the end of the 1960s, they had returned to their rhythm and blues-based rock sound, with hit singles "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1968) and "Honky Tonk Women" (1969), and albums Beggars Banquet (1968), featuring "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man", and Let It Bleed (1969), featuring "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Gimme Shelter".
Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor. That year they were first introduced on stage as "The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World". Sticky Fingers (1971), which yielded "Brown Sugar" and "Wild Horses" and included the first usage of their tongue and lips logo, was their first of eight consecutive number-one studio albums in the US. Exile on Main St. (1972), featuring "Tumbling Dice", and Goats Head Soup (1973), featuring "Angie", were also best sellers. Taylor left the band at the end of 1974, and was replaced by Ronnie Wood. The band released Some Girls in 1978, featuring "Miss You", and Tattoo You in 1981, featuring "Start Me Up". Steel Wheels (1989) was widely considered a comeback album and was followed by Voodoo Lounge (1994). Both releases were promoted by large stadium and arena tours, as the Stones continued to be a huge concert attraction; by 2007 they had recorded the all-time highest-grossing concert tour three times, and as recently as 2021 they were the highest-earning live act of the year. Following Wyman's departure in 1993, the band continued as a four-piece core, with Darryl Jones becoming their regular bassist, and then as a three-piece core following Watts' death in 2021, with Steve Jordan becoming their regular drummer. Their 2016 album, Blue & Lonesome, became their twelfth UK number-one album. Hackney Diamonds, the band's first new album of original material in eighteen years, was released in October 2023.
The Rolling Stones' estimated record sales of 200 million make them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The band has won three Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. Billboard magazine and Rolling Stone have ranked the band as one of the greatest of all time.
****
Give us your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for watching!
#therollingstones #rollingstones #hackneydiamonds #albumsranked #worsttobest
~~~
Patreon: / tasteslikemusic
Merch: tasteslikemusi...
Website: tasteslikemusi...
Instagram: / tastes_like_music
Facebook: / tasteslikeyoutube
Twitter: / tasteslikemus1c
Jason’s take on Exile is one of the best and freshest takes on it I’ve ever heard. Spot on! “ Exile makes you feel like what it is to be in a band”
1. Let It Bleed - 5
2. Beggars Banquet - 5
3. Sticky Fingers - 4.5
4. Between the Buttons - 4.5
5. Aftermath - 4.5
6. Exile on Main St. - 4.5
7. Their Satanic Majesties Request - 4
8. Some Girls - 4
9. Goats Head Soup - 4
10. The Rolling Stones, Now! - 4
11. Tattoo You - 3.5
12. England’s Newest Hitmakers - 3.5
13. Out of Our Heads - 3.5
14. Black and Blue - 3.5
15. 12 x 5 - 3.5
16. A Bigger Bang - 3.5
17. December’s Children - 3.5
18. Hackney Diamonds - 3.5
19. It’s Only Rock n Roll - 3.5
20. Voodoo Lounge - 3.5
21. Steel Wheels - 3
22. Bridges to Babylon - 3
23. Emotional Rescue - 3
24. Undercover - 2.5
25. Dirty Work - 2.5
26. Blue & Lonesome - 2
#Wow! Somebody mentioned Between the Buttons! Simply a GREAT album delivered in tough times, they were sure good back in the sixties....
A 2 hour video can be a challenge for me, but the three of you have great chemistry and such diverse opinions that I never got distracted while watching. Kudos. A great discussion.
I was surprised that y'all ranked Beggars Banquet so low. I've always thought that is was one of the most quintessentially raw, raunchy and rootsy of all the Stones albums. Easily in the top five in my book. Love your takes! Love this channel!
Still great though. - Joe
Same here. I've only listened to Goat's Head Soup once.
No doubt. It's #2 behind Let it Bleed
BB is just so raw and powerful. Their guitar-work is so bluesy and also some of their best lyrics. My favorite Stones album by far!
BB is just so raw and powerful. Their guitar-work is so bluesy and also some of their best lyrics. My favorite Stones album by far!
For me, it's Beggar's banquet and Let it bleed that are their best albums.
Not only did they get back to their blues/rock roots, after having sunk into pop and flower power (it was not their forte), but they at last found their own style, their signature.
Tracks such as No expectations, Stray cat blues, Street fighting men, Monkey man and Live with me, are in my mind when I'm writing those lines ...
Great songs, but I love the flower power too. Wish they dabbled into it again a bit more after their classic run.
@@TimeToGetAlone I have nothing against the flower power theme, I'm a great fan of Jefferson Airplane and other bands that were tightly linked to that era.
But I'd had Between the buttons and Satanic majesties, and had been pretty disappointed, especially by Between the buttons (safe for Let's spend the night together and Backstreet girl).
To me, they were kind of emulating bands such as the Kinks.
And with Satanic majesties, they were clearly inspired by the Beatles' Sgt Pepper (the use of baroque instruments).
In fact, to me, the only track related to the Stones I like, in Satanic majesties, is Citadel. There, they were nasty (musically speaking), and that's how I like them.
My reference in terms of flower power music, is Jefferson Airplane's LP "After bathing at Baxter's". They were a genuine Frisco band, lived at the core of the phenomenom, and didn't describe it by using always the same clichés, but instead by describing what was precisely changing in the youngsters' minds and ways of life : a relentless sense of freedom in getting high publicly, in having sex easily, and that's what it was all about after all, socially speaking.
The philosophical, political side of it was for the intellectuals.
Listening to psychedelic music usually implies you listening to someone relating his trip, with weird lyrics.
But listening to JA's After bathing at Baxter's makes you feel like you're hanging around up and down the streets of Frisco with "jolly good fellows" high on grass, talking about girls, and ending up in a park, just about to take acid with a newly met girl.
@@leperelamisere1368 I should say I love their version of flower power work haha. I know it's a common issue with people not thinking the Stones do it justice. But Between the Buttons is a top three Stones for me along with Exile and Sticky Fingers - I love them doing 60s pop! Satanic Majesties is patchier and is no Sgt. Pepper's, but the best songs dabbling in it I think are fantastic.
She's a Rainbow, 2000 Light Years from Home, and Ruby Tuesday would all make my top 10 songs from them. Also love Dandelion form the period. Naturally, YMMV!
Their run of albums from 68-72 is unparalleled
I used to want to include Goats Head with that group, but I have to admit it's not quite as good as the previous 4 albums.
Exile on Main Street is one of the most overrated albums of all time change my mind
@@Townshend90125how many times have you heard it? For me it took half a dozen listens before I realised how awesome it is.
@@Townshend90125change your own mind, I’m busy.
Unparalleled? Seriously?
Excellent work gentlemen, fantastic scope and so entertaining! Really enjoyed the detailed run-through of such a fantastic band and unparalleled discography. And I’m so proud of myself for nailing the number one pick from each one of you in the Patreon note. Very clear, from listening to years of your reviews, how you would appreciate something specific in your top picks. But there is so much in the Stones catalogue to enjoy and appreciate. Truthfully, as the years go by, I find myself reaching for a Stones album before a Beatles album…second only to Dylan. This overview is you guys at your best, doing these listographies of great artists, and teasing out why they should be appreciated as they deserve. Great job. Cheers and thanks, JPE
Yea FR totally 💯 Agree 👍 you guys are at your insightful , articulate BEST on this
Really enjoying this so far and as usual (and I do mean this with respect and affection) I'm having a lot of fun shaking my head and muttering "NO" and "WRONG." Thanks so much for putting this one together!
Undercover is so groovy & new wavey in its own way. The cover art is an unapologetically bright blue, pin-up girl perfect ransom note. Reminds me fondly of Thrill Kill Kult’s Sexplosion.
I wish they would’ve explored this direction more. The 50s nostalgia bleeds through on this 80s album. Undercover Of The Night, Too Much Blood, Tie You Up, She Was Hot - all sleazy & killer 🔪
Aboslutely 100% agree, and well said too, Undercover is so underrated, as is the title track, its lyrical content takes them out of their comfort zone in a way we'd never see again really, certainly not on a lead single. And now, everytime I hear Live By The Sword this week I'm thinking wow that is so Undercoveresque and I love it for that, only Bite My Head Off better on new album for me. So I played Undercover last night loud around midnight, and its clear that its a stellar album, no weak songs, an easy top 10 for me, cheers!
@@johnpyle1022 Yeah, it’s a unique RS album in so many ways.. glad you enjoyed your midnight listen! 🤝😊
Too Much Blood is one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard in my life.
@@curly_wyn😂 🤷🏻♀️
Some underrated songs for everybody:
- Down in the Hole. Bluessy as hell
- Time Waits For No One. Mick Taylor's greatest guitar work. So many great licks.
- Heaven. Beautiful ethereal ballad.
- Beast of Burden.
- Sweerhearts Together, gem from Voodoo
- Rain Fall Down, gem from A Bigger Bang.
- Terrifying, gem from Steel Wheels.
- Far Away Eyes. Love that song.
My favorite: Street Fighting Man ❤
Beast of burden is very popular and Terrifying is from steel wheels, not bridges
@@Punttipate62 little mistakes. I didn't know Beast of Burden was popular. It doesn't have too many listens in Spotify.
I’d put 100 years ago right up there with TWFN as Taylor’s best.
@@javithemoondog6289 Also a Top 40 hit.
Terrifying for me is the only really good song from Steel Wheels. I hate Far Away Eyes.
Let's give Paul Buckmaster some props for his completely sublime string arrangements on Sway and Moonlight Mile. They are the perfect special added touch that makes SF the greatest Stones album. And he did the same for Elton on Levon and Tiny Dancer. That's a pretty good 1971 he had.
I was thinking of how Moonlight Mile reminded me a ton of the sound on Madman Across the Water. I guess I now know why!
Buck master is just a MASTER of the string arrangements 😊
pretty good? lol
Not to mention Space Oddity, and You're So Vain.@@davidl570
Buckmaster essentially took the Mick Taylor lick for the arrangement, though.
Of all the review channels, your channel is the best. Great insight and evaluations. Keep up the great work.
Your art is the prettiest art of all the art.
Excellent video, boys.
1. Beggars Banquet (5)
2. Sticky Fingers (5)
3. Exile on Main St. (4.5)
4. Let It Bleed (4.5)
5. Some Girls (4)
6. Out of Our Heads (4)
7. Goats Head Soup (4)
8. A Bigger Bang (4)
9. It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (4)
10. The Rolling Stones, Now! (4)
11. Between the Buttons (3.5)
12. Aftermath (3.5)
13. Black and Blue (3.5)
14. 12x5 (3.5)
15. Tattoo You (3.5)
16. Undercover (3.5)
17. Bridges to Babylon (3.5)
18. England’s Newest Hitmakers (3.5)
19. December’s Children (And Everybody’s) (3)
20. Hackney Diamonds (3)
21. Voodoo Lounge (3)
22. Their Satanic Majesties Request (2.5)
23. Steel Wheels (2.5)
24. Blue and Lonesome (2)
25. Emotional Rescue (2)
26. Dirty Work (2)
nice list dylan my top 4 are your 2-5 and we both have their satanic majesties request low!! cheers!🐯
I love to join you in the Livestream, but I got college and I'm socializing with people at college, before class, since this is my senior year, so I won't be seeing you live. Sorry! I'm happy you're all doing the Rolling Stones ranking together! This is going to be a fun one! I hope it's a success. Disappointed that I won't be there. Oh and I will get my rankings in soon.🎉
Sticky Fingers, Beggar's Banquet, Exile on Mainstreet, Let It Bleed, Aftermath & Goats Head Soup are their unequivocally great, classic albums. Hackney Diamonds is a fine recording that proves the Stones still care about their work but it's not in their top ten.
Jason wins with his ranking! My favorite album is Sticky Fingers, and Emotional Rescue, Their Satanic Majesties Request and Goats Head Soup are all underrated in my books. I also love the new album! Looking forward to your top 10 songs. They have a few good ones, ha ha!
Exile is their masterpiece for me. Just a collection of everything that made them great. Messy, instruments out of tune and clashing, vocals buried under the mix, a murky atmosphere, I love it. 10/10.
You can´t go wrong with either of the other 3 on their classic period. Goats Head Soup, IORR, Some Girls, Tattoo You, Bridges to Babylon (probably unpopular), are great. They have an embarrasment of riches in their catalogue.
Exile is their swan song, in fact. Discography can stop in 1972.
I think an underrated aspect of Exile is how many hooks each song has. There's so many little elements that go into the songs that make them so much more special than they otherwise could have been
@@TimeToGetAlone Exile is great and full of musical diversity, yes. Even "Rip that joint" is tremendous. They had the "knack" but for the last time. It never happened again.
You just described every reason I never listen to Exile. Sloppy playing and a poor mix with buried vocals is not a positive attribute.
@@Dex619 I respect your opinion as all music is subjective. Highly disagree but respect it! Here's why I disagree. Polished studio perfection is 1 to go about Rock n roll. Sloppy playing and buried vocals are essentially punk rock which is another way of going about it. The Stones had highly polished albums and some like this. For me Let It Bleed is my favorite Stones album. Exile is 3rd. But respect the take!!
The Stones were for a time my second favorite artist and still top five, and that with never touching anything after Tattoo You. Listened to the “newer” stuff over the past year, still digesting it. But it’s The Stones. The most evident thing from this video is you all don’t like them, and I have mellowed in my recent old age, so I’m not going to rip you all for it.
I haven’t listened to HD yet, but I love that penultimate track.
25. Dirty Work - 3 stars
24. Steel Wheels 3.5
23. Bridges to Babylon 3.5
22. A Bigger Bang 3.5
21. Undercover 3.5
20. Blue and Lonesome 3.5
19. Voodoo Lounge 3.5
18. Black and Blue 3.5
17. Emotional Rescue 3.5
16. England’s Newest Hitmakers 4
15. 12 x 5 4
14. It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll 4
13. The Rolling Stones, Now! 4
12. Tattoo You 4
11. Their Satanic Majesties Request 4
10. Some Girls 4
9. Out of Our Heads 4.5
8. December’s Children (And Everybody’s) 4.5
7. Between the Buttons 4.5
6. Aftermath 4.5 (Jason’s right, to some extent - UK version is #5)
5. Goats Head Soup 4.5
Of course the top four are freaking Mount Rushmore.
4. Let It Bleed 5+
3. Sticky Fingers 5+
2. Beggars Banquet (beats the other two for feel) 5+
1. Exile on Main Street 5++
Great reviews as usual and good chemistry between three of you...Following podcast since Jason was a "single" on the podcast (and it was great as well). Wish you comment on cover arts: That would add to the charm of your videos (does not need to be too much but just kind of comment on the art...).
Joe - Super happy to see a big Between the Buttons stan repped, giving us the same top three! You strike me as the biggest Stones fan of the three, and with them being among my favorite acts that's nice to see. I don't have quite as much of a gap between the first two, but I guess I like the rawness of those. Thought you illustrated the Stones' personality and lyrical identity really well, especially in that mid-60s period when it was controversial. There's a couple songs I get the sense I love a lot more than you do, but I'm sure that goes both ways!
To my ears, the coda to Can't You Hear Me Knocking is one of rock music's most sublime moments, and probably my personal high point in the Stones catalogue. Mick Taylor going all Santana-esque off the cuff - brilliant. I've seen Ron Wood play it live and make a fair fist of it, but he just doesn't have the delicate fluidity of Taylor.
I saw MT play CYHMK at a show in Bath early 2000s...he jumped off the stage and played his way around the rather sparse, seated audience. The jam is what makes the song imo!!
51 years as a Stones fan, I rank the Top Ten as Sticky, Bleed, Banquet, Exile, Only Rock'n'Roll, Lonesome, Diamonds, Steel, Dirty, December's.
#1 Exile On main St.
#2 Beggars Banquet
#3 Sticky Fingers
#4 Between The Buttons (UK)
#5 Out Of Our Heads (UK)
#6 Let It Bleed
#7 Some Girls
#8 Nr. 2 (UK)
#9 Aftermath (UK)
#10 Goats Head Soup
...etc
Thank you again Gentleman, another top segment. Great to see Aftermath get the accolades.
Great video! Very well done, gentlemen! You have proven yourselves once again to be consummate music critics.
I think I am more of a purely song critic than you guys. You seem to take in a lot of other factors.
Thanks for including ratings at the end, love seeing that. Peace!
Thank you Jason for putting Kram in his place with his Beatles vs. Stones take. Also good to see Goat's Head Soup make it far into the top 10 for all of you, it's an underrated album.
What's funny is you'll often see a Stones fan put the Beatles down while praising the Stones. You almost never see it the other way. Mostly because Beatles fans don't need the justification.
Looking forward to this. Also, are you guys going to do a Wilco ranking soon considering they just dropped studio album number 13?
1. Exile On Main Street * * * * *
2. Sticky Fingers * * * * *
3. Beggars Banquet * * * * *
4. Let It Bleed * * * * *
5. Aftermath * * * * *
6. Goats Head Soup * * * * *
7. Between The Buttons * * * * 1/2
8. The Rolling Stones No.2 * * * * 1/2
9. The Rolling Stones * * * * 1/2
10. Some Girls * * * * 1/2
11. Tattoo You * * * * 1/2
12. It's Only Rock'n'Roll * * * * 1/2
13. Hackney Diamonds * * * * 1/2
14. Blue & Lonesome * * * * 1/2
15. Bridges To Babylon * * * *
16. Voodoo Lounge * * * *
17. A Bigger Bang * * * *
The rest I haven’t listened to often enough to include them here.
As a guy who has listened to the Stones from the beginning 1965 I was 12 … I really like your prospectives. My two favorite are #1 Let It Bleed and #2 Beggars Banquet..which I think can accurately described
as the most KEITH-centric considering he pretty much played EVERY GUITAR PART, ON both records ! But he always needs MICK to buy into it which he certainly did there. To me there is at least 3 distinct STONES ERAS maybe even 4. One last comment a lot of the new HACKNEY DIAMONDS record is really benefiting and getting raves simply because folks are so amazed that 80 year olds are making this music! That and the fact the ROCK contemporary competition is so anemic. After 3 listens I kind of put HACKNEY… IN THE MIDDLE TO LOW ON THE LIST AT BEST. It’s almost a Mick solo record to me. Not STONES ENOUGH too many session guys and guests but still decent. Oh and one thing to consider JUMPIN JACK FLASH and HONKY TONK WOMAN were NOT ON STUDIO albums! Put JJ ON BEGGARS and HONKY TONK …ON LET IT bleed And you even have more of a masterpiece on each.
Agreed. Only if Honky Tonk Women replaces Country Honk, a wretched desecration.
I’m a huge fan of The Rolling Stones. One of my favorite bands ever! Here’s my top 10 favorite albums from them!
1) Some Girls
2) Exile On Main Street
3) Let It Bleed
4) Tattoo You
5) Voodoo Lounge
6) Steel Wheels
7) Sticky Fingers
8) Black and Blue
9) Dirty Work
10) Hackney Diamonds
Dirty Work at 9 warms my heart
Terrible list, holy shit! lol hehe
IMO the Stones had two perfect albums. Sticky Fingers and Goats Head Soup. If you weren't around in 1973, then you probably don't know how Goats Head Soup was on every person's turntable. It was #1 and was played at every high school party.
1. Sticky Fingers (1971) 5
2. Exile on Main St. (1972) 5
3. Beggars Banquet (1968) 5
4. Let It Bleed (1969) 5
5. Aftermath (1966) 5
6. Goats Head Soup (1973) 4.5
7. Some Girls (1978) 4.5
8. Between the Buttons (1967) 4
9. Tatoo You (1981) 4
10. Out of Our Heads (1965) 4
11. December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965) 4
12. The Rolling Stones (England's Newest Hitmakers) (1964) 4
13. It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974) 3.5
14. 12 X 5 (1964) 3.5
15. The Rolling Stones No. 2 (1965) 3.5
16. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) 3
17. Black & Blue (1976) 3
18. Steel Wheels (1989) 3
19. Voodoo Lounge (1994) 3
20. Blue & Lonesome (2014) 3
21. Emotional Rescue (1980) 2.5
22. Hackney Diamonds (2023) 2.5
23. Undercover (1983) 2.5
24. A Bigger Bang (2005) 2.5
25. Bridges to Babylon (1997) 2.5
26. Dirty Work (1986) 2
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER:
4.0 The Rolling Stones (England's Newest Hitmakers) (1964)
3.5 12 X 5 (1964)
3.5 The Rolling Stones No. 2 (1965)
3.5 The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)
4.0 Out of Our Heads (1965)
4.0 December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965)
5.0 Aftermath (1966)
4.0 Between the Buttons (1967)
3.0 Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
5.0 Beggars Banquet (1968)
5.0 Let It Bleed (1969)
5.0 Sticky Fingers (1971)
5.0 Exile on Main St. (1972)
4.5 Goats Head Soup (1973)
3.5 It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974)
3.0 Black & Blue (1976)
4.5 Some Girls (1978)
2.5 Emotional Rescue (1980)
4.0 Tatoo You (1981)
2.5 Undercover (1983)
2.0 Dirty Work (1986)
3.0 Steel Wheels (1989)
3.0 Voodoo Lounge (1994)
2.5 Bridges to Babylon (1997)
2.5 A Bigger Bang (2005)
3.0 Blue & Lonesome (2014)
2.5 Hackney Diamonds (2023)
For my money, the Rolling Stones are the band that comes closest to dethroning The Beatles. The scope and variety of their catalog- blues, country, R&B, psych-pop, hard rock, balladry- is pretty breathtaking. They infused rock 'n roll with swagger, showmanship, and a rare emotional complexity. Mick Jagger's not a technically amazing singer, but his low bark is perfect for rock 'n roll. He also knows how to write rock lyrics (I think Beggars Banquet is his finest hour). Keith Richards may not be flashy, but he's probably created more instantly recognizable guitar parts than any other player.
They clearly had a knack for interpreting blues and R&B from the get go. The early albums are dominated by remarkably well executed covers, sprinkled with a few memorable originals here and there- "Congratulations," "Heart of Stone," "As Tears Go By." Most people cite Out of Our Heads (1965) as being the best LP of their formative years, and I can't disagree. 1965 is also when their singles really start cooking: "The Last Time," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Get Off of My Cloud."
In terms of LPs comprised of original material, they graduate to the big leagues on 1966's Aftermath. Its diversity of instrumentation- sitar, dulcimer, harpsichord, harmonica- was groundbreaking for the time. The dark feel of Aftermath, and the aloof/sarcastic attitude in cuts like "Mother's Little Helper" (UK version), "Paint It, Black" (US version), and "Under My Thumb," went a long way towards giving the Stones their "bad boy" image. "Lady Jane" is a personal favorite- very few Stones ballads have ever surpassed its majesty.
Between the Buttons (1967) is the closest they ever came to the baroque pop of bands like The Kinks and The Zombies. "Yesterday's Papers" and "Connection" are the best tracks from the UK version. (The US version gets to 4.5 stars for including "Ruby Tuesday" and "Let's Spend the Night Together"). "Who's Been Sleeping Here?" is the album's low-key banger. Buttons also hosts two of their most delightfully quirky moments, "Something Happened to Me Yesterday" and "Cool, Calm, and Collected."
The Stones jumped on the psychedelia bandwagon with Satanic Majesties Request (1967). It's not one of the essential albums of the psychedelic era, but it's also not the total disaster some make it out to be. The jaunty "She's a Rainbow" and the spooky "2000 Light Years From Home" stand alongside their greatest classics. "Citadel" and "2000 Man" are good, too.
On 1968's Beggars Banquet (and its attendant non-album single, "Jumpin' Jack Flash") the Stones re-dedicate themselves to mining rock's roots. "Street Fighting Man" and "Sympathy for the Devil" are the best exemplars this ruffian revival. Other highlights include the blues-country crossover "Prodigal Son" and the proletarian anthem "Salt of the Earth." "Stray Cat Blues" is the Stones at their dirty best.
The death of Brian Jones in the summer of 1969 probably would've crippled most other groups (he was arguably the most naturally gifted musician in the band). However, with the addition of guitar phenom Mick Taylor, the Stones didn't skip a beat. His tenure, from 1969's Let it Bleed to 1974's It's Only Rock 'n Roll, is most people's favorite era of the band- and mine, too.
When I was young, I would've said my favorite Stones LP was either Let it Bleed (mainly for "Gimme Shelter," "Monkey Man," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," and the title track) or Exile on Main St. (mainly for "Rocks Off," "Tumbling Dice," "Ventilator Blues," "Loving Cup," "Let It Loose," and "Shine a Light"). But eventually I migrated over to Sticky Fingers. I think Sticky is the embodiment of that gritty, no-frills sound they had going. No band has ever woodshedded harder than the Stones do on "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'," "Bitch," "Brown Sugar," and "Sway." But that gets contrasted with the aching beauty of "Wild Horses," "Moonlight Mile," and "Sister Morphine."
For some people, the Stones' "classic period" comes to an end when the last notes of Exile on Main St. fade out. Personally, I extend the period to include Goats Head Soup (1973). To my ears, cuts like "Angie," "Star Star," "Winter," and "Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" are vintage Stones. "100 Years Ago" might be the most underrated tune in their entire discography.
It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974) is notable for the anthemic title track, the funky "Fingerprint File," the laid-back epic "Time Waits For No One," but doesn't hang together well as an album. Ron Wood (of The Faces) comes on board with 1976's Black & Blue. Over time, his rhythmic style would meld seamlessly with Keith Richards. However, the jammy Black & Blue feels like a stopgap. "Memory Motel" is touchingly wistful, "Fool to Cry" and "Hand of Fate" are decent, but nothing else leaves a mark. The album's attempts at reggae are some of the worst Stones tracks.
Their 1978 comeback album, Some Girls, proved they were still evolving. "Miss You" is the most convincing stab at disco by any of the big classic rock bands. They also get back to rockin' harder than they had in years ("Respectable," "Shattered," "When the Whip Comes Down"). Keith Richards' response to being busted for drug possession, "Before They Make Me Run," rivals "Happy" as his best lead vocal. "Beast of Burden" is one place I part with the critical consensus. Most people love that song, but I think it's their schmaltzy nadir.
1980's Emotional Rescue offers "She's So Cold" and the title track, but not much else. "Start Me Up," "Hang Fire," "Tops," and "Waiting on a Friend" make Tattoo You (1981) the last great Stones album. From then on, they bounce between nominally good LPs (Steel Wheels, Voodoo Lounge) and forgettable ones (Undercover, Dirty Work, Bridges to Babylon, A Bigger Bang). Apart from "Sweet Sounds of Heaven" there's nothing particularly ear-catching about their most recent LP, Hackney Diamonds (2023).
I've already gone on too long, but the Stones will do that to you! Sufficed to say, these guys are an all-time top 5 artist for me.
MY RATING SYSTEM:
5.0 = major classic (consistently great *and* stratospheric highs)
4.5 = minor classic (consistently great *or* stratospheric highs, but not both)
4.0 = great (a clear majority is worth revisiting and it's one of the best things for this artist/style)
3.5 = seriously good (at least half is worth revisiting)
3.0 = nominally good (less than half is worth revisiting)
2.5 = fair (competent but uninspired, not worth revisiting)
2.0 = poor (difficult listen)
1.5 = awful (can't finish it)
1.0 = historically awful (musical apocalypse)
▪︎ "Consistently" does not mean "flawlessly." I allow for a few duds if the rest of the songs are good enough. "Stratospheric highs" refer to albums that feature iconic songs or have an iconic sound. (Albums I consider to be "perfect" can also reach 5 stars, even without containing legendary songs or being highly influential.)
▪︎ I don't go below 1 star because once I'm in the realm of the truly terrible, I don't care to differentiate anymore.
▪︎ Anything I rate 3.5 stars or better is an album I'm enthusiastic about and would likely revisit at some point.
Good Essay Whammy! It's Mick Taylor though, not Mick Jones 😉 No biggie, I make that kind of mistake plenty.
@@179richThanks. I was revising my comment so many times, I'm surprised I didn't make even more mistakes.
Completely disagree about the influence and contribution of Brian Jones. He wanted the Stones to be a blues cover band even after they became successful with Jagger/Richards penning original songs. Yes he founded the group initially but was more interested in finding gigs as their defacto manager (and taking a bigger cut financially as a result) more than contributing creatively. He was responsible in creating some unique sounds using different instruments not common at the time for a few songs but had no discernible songwriting talent. Jagger himself said in the 80s that Jones could not write a song to save his life. He became an unwelcome distraction by 1968 and the band soared to new heights after firing him in 1969. He was jealous of Jagger and Richard’s talent and was like an anvil weighing the group down
@@MrMortadella1I said most naturally gifted musician, not most natural gifted songwriter. As great as their '68-'72 run is, sonically, it's a bit more one dimensional than when Brian was in the band. His versatility is noticeably absent. The guy could play damn near any instrument.
1-6 5 stars, 7-11 4 stars, 12-17 3 stars, 18-24 garbage
1. Sticky Fingers 2. Exile On Main Street 3. Goats Head Soup 4. Let It Bleed 5. Beggars Banquet 6. The Rolling Stones (UK) (don't know about US versions but their UK debut is fantastic!) 7. Some Girls 8. Aftermath 9. Tattoo You 10. Their Satantic Majesties Request 11. Between The Buttons 12. Out Of Their Heads 13. It's Only Rock & Roll 14. Black & Blue 15. Undercover 16. The Rolling Stones 2 17. Hackney Diamonds 18. Emotional Rescue 19. Voodoo Lounge 20. Steel Wheels 21. Dirty Work 22. Bridges To Babylon 23. A Bigger Bang 24. Blue And Lonesome
**5 Stars**
Sticky Fingers
Let it Bleed
Beggars Banquet
Exile on Main St.
Tattoo You
**4.5 Stars**
Goat's Head Soup
Some Girls
Black & Blue
**4 Stars**
December's Children
Emotional Rescue
It's Only Rock and Roll
**3.5 Stars**
Out of Our Heads
A Bigger Bang
Aftermath
Between the Buttons
Voodoo Lounge
Bridges to Babylon
**3 Stars**
12 x 5
England's Newest Hitmakers
Their Satanic Majesties Request
Now!
Blue & Lonesome
Hackney Diamonds
Steel Wheels
**2.5 Stars**
Undercover
Dirty Work
Well done mate. Nothing egregious there.
I have sat out the last couple of discographies, but this was essential.
here we go
#26 blue and lonesome 3.0 -
#25 a bigger bang 3.0 -
#24 steels wheels 3.0-
#23 their satanic majestys request 3.0 -
#22 dirty work 3.0
#21bridges to babylon 3.0
#20 between the buttons 3.0+
#19 englands newest hit makers 3.0 +
18 undercover 3.0+
17 hackney diamonds 3.0 +
16 rolling stones now 3.0+
#15 emotional rescue 3.0+
#14 12x 5 3,5-
#13 out of our heads 3.5-
#12 decembers children and everybodys 3.5
#11 tattoo you 3.5+
#10 beggers banquet 4.0
#9 aftermath 4.0
#8 voodoo lounge 4.0
#7 goats head soup 4.0+
#6 its only rock and roll 4.0+
#5 some girls 4.5 -
#4 black and blue 4.5
#3 exile on main street 5.0
#2 let it bleed 5.0
#1 sticky fingers
what a awesome listo
now i realize they are probably the greatest rock band ever
now to the impossible task of putting together a songs list
cheers
🐯🐯
Fantastic list, bengal. I really enjoyed this listo. Amazing albums 🎶💜💜
@@weirddebbiem1619 thanx deb💜💜
@@bengalgangster You're welcome, bengal. 🎶💜💜
Good List
1. Some Girls
2. Goats Head Soup
3. It's Only Rock 'n Roll
4. Beggars Banquet
5. Sticky Fingers
6. Tattoo You
7. Exile on Main Street
8. Love You Live (live album)
9. Black and Blue
10. Aftermath (UK version)
The guitar playing on Beast of burden on Some Girls is really next level. Every note fits the song perfectly
Jason's review of Exile on Mainstreet is one of the best i've heard - perfectly describes the way it is a total "vibe" album, its all about how it feels. I did not get it at all when i 1st heard it, it had non of the big hits and it sounded like demos. But then one day, just putting it on in the background i started to pick up on the seedy rock and roll hang out appeal to it. It felt like being in a room with the band, and just listening. Then BAM it clicked, and i got what makes it so damn special
It's a great analysis. My lone disagreement was Rip This Joint being one of the lesser cuts. I love that song!
Excellent job ranking one of my top bands guys. Saw them twice in concert, 1972 Exile on Main Street at the Long Beach Arena, again in Portland the Bridges To Babylon concert in 98. Had tickets to see them a few years ago in San Diego but the show was cancelled due to covid. I've been a fan since Jr High. i put Sticky Fingers on top. Recently picked up an OG of Exile on Main Street in pristine condition.
1. Exile on Main St.
2. Sticky Fingers
3. Beggars Banquet
4. Let it Bleed
5. Some Girls
6. It's Only Rock 'n Roll
7. Black and Blue
8. Goats Head Soup
9. Tattoo You
10. Voodoo Lounge
11. Their Satanic Majesties Request
12. Steel Wheels
13. Between the Buttons
14. Out of Our Heads
15. Emotional Rescue
16. Blue & Lonesome
17. Aftermath
18. December's Children (and Everybody's)
19. 12 x 5
20. Bridges to Babylon
I'll probably get the new one. I like what I've heard so far.
Aftermath will be a lot higher for them I think
Very good list and very similar to how mine would go as well
@@3bwana Thanks. I just realized that for some reason I put "A Bigger Bang" at #20, which I don't even own. I might have been low on caffeine...
@@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek you called it
@independenceltd. yeah, I remember one of them loving the baroque and medieval English folky stuff they did. I always preferred that to their very American bluesy/rockabilly stuff.
It has taken me 4 months to finally watch this whole thing?
My Top 20 Stoners:
20. Out of Our Heads
19. Dirty Work
18. Black and Blue
17. A Bigger Bang
16. Aftermath
15. It’s Only Rock and Roll
14. Bridges to Babylon
13. Hackney Diamonds
12. Emotional Rescue
11. Their Satanic Majesties Request
10. Between the Buttons
9. Undercover
8. Voodoo Lounge
7. Goats Head Soup
6. Some Girls
5. Tattoo You
4. Beggars Banquet
3. Let It Bleed
2. Stick Fingers
1. Exile on Main Street
Really enjoyed this one. My list is below. The top 4 will always be my favourites, but the others change a lot:
1. Exile
2. Let It Bleed
3. Sticky Fingers
4. Beggars Banquet
5. Aftermath (UK)
6. Some Girls
7. Between The Buttons (UK)
8. Out Of Our Heads (UK)
9. It’s Only Rock & Roll
10. The Rolling Stones (UK)
Another big event week! It was great to finally go through all the albums and rate/rank them. The Stones have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My parents like them a lot so some of my first musical memories are of hearing their music around the house. I got really into them more on a song basis than albums when I was in my early college years where many of their songs were like the soundtrack to every party. I knew some of the bigger albums pretty well but hadn't heard much post early 80s so it was good to fill in the gaps. Had a great time preparing for this week, still have to narrow down songs which is going to be tough!
26) Dirty Work - 2.5
25) Blue & Lonesome - 2.5
24) Undercover - 2.5
23) Steel Wheels - 3
22) England’s Newest Hitmakers - 3
21) 12X5 - 3
20) Voodoo Lounge - 3
19) Bridges to Babylon - 3.5
18) A Bigger Bang - 3.5
17) The Rolling Stones Now! - 3.5
16) Out of Our Heads - 3.5
15) Hackney Diamonds - 3.5
14) Black & Blue - 3.5
13) December’s Children - 3.5
12) It’s Only Rock n Roll - 3.5
11) Tattoo You - 3.5
10) Emotional Rescue - 4
9) Goats Head Soup - 4
8) Aftermath - 4
7) Beggars Banquet - 4
6) Their Satanic Majesties Request - 4
5) Exile on Main Street - 4
4) Let it Bleed - 4
3) Between the Buttons - 4.5
2) Some Girls - 4.5
1) Sticky Fingers - 4.5
Great list! Very interesting. At least you have ABB at 3.5. Probably my biggest complaint is the low rating and ranking of Tattoo You. Then again, you don't even get to five stars! 😮
Blue and Lonesome is great. No way that deserves a 2.5.
@@scottythetrex5197 Which ones would you have at the bottom?
C'est vrai que j'écoutais en boucle Sticky fingers et aussi Beggars banquet au début des années 70
Sur quel album se trouve jumping jack flash et honky tonk woman ?
So glad you revisited Stones, that's my fav band of all time
Life-changing stuff:
1) Exile on Main St.
2) Sticky Fingers
Fantastic stuff:
3) Tattoo You
4) Some Girls
5) Let It Bleed
Great stuff:
6) Beggars Banquet
7) It's Only Rock n Roll
8) Black and Blue
9) A Bigger Bang
10) Aftermath
That's my top-10, as you can tell I'm more of a 70's Stones fan.
The bottom of the list gotta be Undercover/Dirty Work, also not a fan of Satanic Majesties.
The genius of Satisfaction is how the opening guitar riff combines with the bass part. The guitar feels like it has the root note but actually starts on the fifth. The baseline then enters with the root chord and have a slightly different rythm yet they work so well together despite of this most people dont notice. I loove how that sounds harmonically and can't think of any other pop or rock tune that uses it this masterfully
C'est le titre qui m'a fait aimer les Stones , j'avais dix ou onze ans . Excellent le jeu entre la basse et la guitare .
Satisfaction is one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll records of all time. I can’t believe that Kram dislikes it that much and that his favourite song is Ruby Tuesday! To me, it’s a fairly twee Sixties song with some flutes on it.
(And I say this is someone who often agrees with Kram; he is usually very good at picking standout tracks)
The Stones Albums Ranked:
(US Releases)
1. Goats Head Soup
2. Sticky Fingers
3. Aftermath
4. It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll
5. Some Girls
6. Their Satantic Majesties Request
7. Let It Bleed
8. Exile On Main St.
9. Beggars Banquet
10. Undercover
11. Out Of Our Heads
12. 12 x 5
13. December’s Children (And Everybody’s)
14. Emotional Rescue
15. Black And Blue
16. Steel Wheels
17. Tattoo You
18. The Rolling Stones, Now!
19. Between The Buttons
20. England’s Newest Hit Makers
21. A Bigger Bang
22. Bridges To Babylon
23. Hackney Diamonds
24. Voodoo Lounge
25. Dirty Work
26. Blue & Lonesome
My history with The Rolling Stones is as short as it is long. Hanging out in the periphery of my life growing up.. so many of their familiar songs were absorbed through radio and TV. I liked their 60s hits as a kid, and remember Steel Wheels being a big (heavily promoted) deal when it came out - the same year they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. The album cover reminded me of one of my favorite candies: red & black licorice wheels.
12 year old me didn’t appreciate them quite like I do now. These guys were already in their mid to late 40s (how could they be cool?) and what could they possibly have to say to a girl who listened to Technotronic, Prince, Milli Vanilli, George Michael, Madonna, The KLF, and Neneh Cherry?!
Paint It, Black must be one of my favorite songs of all time. It has that pre-goth VU/Stooges/Doors dark & gritty intrigue. Many of their songs have been a part of my life for decades, even if they weren’t always in the forefront. They slinkily worked their way into my mind, and eventually, into my heart.
To get up close and personal with all of their albums at once was a long time coming. For me, The Stones represent the precarious balance of raucous and contemplative moments. They also embraced the multifaceted US cultural landscape with zeal. These Brits took “our” music, shook it up, and sold it right back to us. What did they know about hitchhiking Route 66?! Hailing from the same town as Chuck Berry (St. Louis To Liverpool), I’m not that easily offended. Their Second Invasion in the 80s definitely had more of a synthy effect on me, but still…
“I’d turn on The Rolling Stones, we could groove along and feel much better.”
- Sophie B. Hawkins
I’ve always enjoyed the driving, primal energy of this band and Mick’s sexy & smart swagger (vocals, dancing, fashion, all of it) as a front man & lyricist. The raw emotion he conveys is remarkable. They really are a bunch of War Babies, born into rubble to further shake things up.
“What remains undeniable though, is that Jagger’s bold approach to dressing, his fearlessness on stage, his willingness to camp it up in a time when to be gay was still just about illegal in the UK, assisted in broadening the contemporary conversation around gender identity, sexual malleability and self-expression. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Jagger near single-handedly showed a whole generation of men that it was not only OK to express yourself through your clothes and your dance moves, but that it was cool to do so. And for that Mick Jagger deserves a knighthood… oh wait.”
- excerpt from The Standard - Mick Jagger: why the Rolling Stones front man was an unlikely queer icon by Teo van den Broeke (7/26/23)
For a band and logo that’s truly ubiquitous, sadly maybe it was as easy for me to take them for granted as it was to love them and really notice their dynamic talent with mature ears. What a shame!
Awesome episode guys been waiting forever.
THE ROLLING STONES:
1. Exile On Main St.
2. Sticky Fingers
3. Let It Bleed
4. Some Girls
5. Beggars Banquet
6. Goats Head Soup
7. Aftermath
8. Between The Buttons
9. Tattoo You
10. Their Satanic Majesties Request
11. Out Of Our Heads
12. It's Only Rock 'N' Roll
13. December's Children (And Everybody's)
14. Black And Blue
15. Steel Wheels
16. The Rollings Stones, Now
17. Hackney Diamonds
18. Voodoo Lounge
19. Emotional Rescue
20. The Rolling Stones/England's Newest Hit Makers
21. The Rolling Stones No. 2/12 X 5
22. Blue & Lonesome
23. Bridges To Babylon
24. Undercover
25. A Bigger Bang
26. Dirty Work
I love how the mouth harp on "Stop Breaking Down" is so freakin high it sounds like it's whistling.
I'm with Joe. The drop-off after Goats Heads Soup was palpable. I never bought a Rolling Stones album after that one. So many bands fell off the perch in the mid-70's but the Stones decline was obvious to anyone with a good ear.
Some Girls, Emotional Rescue, Tattoo You....might want to get your ears checked.
My ears are pretty well-attuned to the good stuff wherever it may reside. Some Girls is good but something is missing. In that glory period they were as cool as *uck and somehow more consequential. But, we all have different tastes and I don't undervalue yours. Cheers, Bud. @@ac9559
Kram is underrating Bridges to Babylon. There is more to this album than one chorus! Gunface is absolutely brilliant for a start.
The brilliance of the track Undercover Of The Night obviously still yet to be uncovered by Joe too!
Jason - I think that's a pretty fair ranking overall. I'm a bit higher on the pre-67 stuff than you are, and I can't get as high on Hackney Diamonds or Emotional Rescue. But some of the reviews, like A Bigger Bang, Black and Blue, and Satanic Majesties you hit the nail on the head on how I feel about 'em.
1. Exile On Main Street (1972) 5 stars (9.9)
2. Some Girls (1978) 5 stars (9.8)
3. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) 5 stars (9.7)
4. Beggars Banquet (1968) 5 stars (9.7)
5. Goats Head Soup (1973) 5 stars (9.7)
6. Tattoo You (1981) 5 stars (9.6)
7. Sticky Fingers (1971) 4.5 stars (9.4)
8. Let it Bleed (1969) 4.5 stars (9)
9. It’s Only Rock n Roll (1974) 4.5 stars (8.8)
10. Undercover (1983) 4.5 stars (8.6)
11. Emotional Rescue (1980) 4 stars (8.3)
12. Aftermath (US) (1966) 4 stars (8)
13. Aftermath (UK) (1966) 4 stars (8)
14. Between the Buttons (US) (1967) 4 stars (8)
15. Between the Buttons (UK) (1967) 4 stars (8)
16. Voodoo Lounge (1994) 4 stars (8)
17. Black and Blue (1976) 3.5 stars (7.9)
19. Out of Our Heads (US) (1965) 3.5 stars (7.8)
20. Hackney Diamonds (2023) 3.5 stars (7.8)
22. Out of Our Heads (UK) (1965) 3.5 stars (7.7)
23. Bridges to Babylon (1997) 3.5 stars (7.6)
24. England’s Newest Hitmakers (US) (1964) 3.5 stars (7.5)
26. Rolling Stones (UK) (1964) 3.5 stars (7.5)
27. 12 x 5 (1964) 3.5 stars (7.4)
28. The Rolling Stones No. 2 (UK) (1965) 3.5 stars (7.3)
29. December’s Children (And Everybody’s) (1965) 3.5 stars (7.2)
30. Steel Wheels 3.5 stars (7.1)
31. Dirty Work (1986) 3.5 stars (7)
32. Rolling Stones Now! (1965) 3 stars (6.7)
33. A Bigger Bang (2005) 3 stars (6.5)
34. Blue and Lonesome (2016) 3 stars (6)
10 albums ranked at 4.5 stars or higher? Classic rock favoritism at its most apparent.
@@echosmyron1278 🤫
@@echosmyron1278 I'd bet the classic rock community hasn't heard most of the songs other than the hits.
Satanic Majesties......5 stars ?
Maybe not. Psychedelic Stones was a mistake. Summer of love was not made for them.
@@MarwinEthel-Mollusk Not five stars, but a worthwhile territory with a few excellent songs in that style before they left it.
1. Sticky Fingers
2. Let It Bleed
3. Some Girls
4. Beggars Banquet
5. England's Newest Hit Makers
6. Between the Buttons
7. Out of Our Heads
8. Blue & Lonesome
9. Hackney Diamonds
10. Exile on Main Street
11. Aftermath
12. Tattoo You
13. The Rolling Stones No 2
14. A Bigger Bang
15. It's Only Rock and Roll
16. The Rolling Stones Now
17. Undercover
18. December's Children (And Everybody's)
19. Their Satanic Majesties Request
20. Voodoo Lounge
21. Goats Head Soup
22. Black and Blue
23. Bridges to Babylon
24. Steel Wheels
25. Emotional Rescue
26. Dirty Works
I like the different perspectives these three guys bring to the table for the ranking of the Rolling Stones catalog. Some notes: the album "Flowers" is ignored, but I think it needs to be included since it's the "Tattoo You" of the 60's as far as American releases go. And it definitely would make my top half of ranking the albums. Joe, who I think has the "youngest" take on the catalog nails it with "Sticky" at the top, and also is probably the most correct with the ranking of "Aftermath." Though Kramzer's take isn't entirely incorrect since I think the Stones starting "being" the Stones with this record. It's one of my favorites, especially for the time of its release. It's funny that "Emotional Rescue" gets a lot of heat for supposedly being full of "cast offs" from "Some Girls." But the Stones are really loose on "Emotional," unlike "Some Girls," which seems much more tightly-wound. C'mon Kram, "Steel Wheels" above "Emotional"? Not in my book. I hate "Steel Wheels" WAY more than "Bridges to Babylon," which I think, through an through, has the best guitar work by Ron Wood as a Rolling Stone. I was 12 when "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll came out, so I grew up with that record, playing it over and over. And though 'Ain't too proud to beg' seems like a weak cover now, it drew me to the album then. None of these guys mentioned 'Dance Little Sister' either...."Some Girls" is NOT better than "Sticky," "Exile," "Beggar's," nor "Let it Bleed." It might not even be better than "Aftermath" either, BUT it did come along at the right time, during the heyday of the record-buying public, and the massive radio airplay, which I think tends to skew it's greatness, though I may place it in the top 8, maybe higher... it's very tuneful, the only filler being 'Lies.' Their cover of 'Just My Imagination' is really good, and no mention of it during this review. And I think the b-side of the 'Shattered" single, 'Everything's Turning to Gold," should have be on "Emotional Rescue." One last thing: the supposed-80's-sounding "Undercover" is WAY easier to stomach the the too-sheen sheen of "Hackney(ed) Diamonds." I would imagine this album being eminently more "raw", if the Glimmer Twins self-produced it. There ain't no "air" in the recording, much like the horns on "Sticky" being too stiff! Their perfectionism has totally masked the real grit and emotion they once had. The album actually sounds like Rolling Stones karaoke! I can't believe Taylor Swift ISN'T a guest on this record...
The Mick Taylor era was the peak though I'm not convinced that is because of Taylor but he did some eloquent guitar work. Sticky Fingers - Exile is their peak. Jason nails it on his analysis of Exile - the whole is greater than the sum of parts - it's got a unique lo fi not fussed over murky raw vibe that they never came close to before or since. Sticky Fingers is perfection. Goat's Head Soup has it's moments but you sense the magic is starting to fade with 50 years of meh cliched bluesy stadium rock on the horizon. I never got what Ron Wood added to the sound and I disagree that Mick is a great lyricist. Mick's vocal delivery is perfect on their best stuff but I find it grating when he try's to overexuberantly sing over the mediocre stuff which unfortunately is all too frequent after their golden period ends. Thanks for covering. Great job as always.
Great job fellas. Really enjoyed it.
Looking forward to this one. Here in Ireland I'll just finish work at 4pm when this kicks off
Listening to 1965s Stones No.2 album while waiting.
Such a fun vid, maybe the most laughs of all the listographies. I agree with y'alls averaged top 10 pretty heavily. I haven't relistened to any of these except Sticky and Exile recently but here is my memory top 10:
10. Tattoo You
9. Aftermath
8. Their Satanic Majesty
7. Goats Head Soup
6. Beggars Banquet
5. Some Girls
4. Between the Buttons
3. Let it Bleed
2. Exile on Main
1. Sticky Fingers
ALSO, I love the jam on Can't You Here Me Knocking and am surprised at Joe and Jason's hate on that. I've always thought it one of the most well structured and memorable psychedelic jams on a studio album with a subtle build throughout and full of great sax and memorable guitar riffs.
1. Beggars Banquet
2. Exile on Main Street
3. Between the Buttons
4. Let it Bleed
5. Sticky Fingers
And......that's all for me
Nice job, gents. My #1 and 2 are the same as Jason’s. Interesting to get a younger person’s perspective on this catalogue. Generationally we definitely see things quite differently!
Agreed that moonlight mile may be the most underrated track of the catalog
1. Exile on Main Street 2. Aftermath 3. Let It Bleed 4. Beggars Banquet 5. Sticky Fingers.
1. Exile
2. Beggars
3. Let it bleed
4. sticky fingers
5. Some Girls
I really enjoyed this video. My favorite Stones album didn't make anybody's top 5 (Beggars's Banquet). You used the US versions of the albums, but used the UK cover of BB. Flowers has always been one of my favorites by them. It has so many great songs that we didn't get on albums, or didn't hear at all. In the 80's, after I had the album for over 10 years, I found out that some people consider it a compilation. . .oh well, still a favorite. I'm glad Aftermath and Between the Buttons got a lot of love - those are in my top 10.
1. For me will Always be BETWEEN THE BUTTONS it is perfection
2. Aftermath
3. Their Satanic Majesties Request
YES! This is my favorite era, for me it’s from “Now” to “Let It Bleed “
I do love the first two, but “Now” really kicks
Some Girls will always be my #1, that sleazy late 70s sound is just total fun
1. Sticky fingers
2. Goats head soup
3. Let it bleed
4. Aftermath
5. Baggers banquet
6. Their satanic majesties request
7. Some girls
8. Exile on main street
9. Tattoo you
10. Emotional rescue
11. Black and blue
12. Between the buttons
13. It's only rock n' roll
14. Out of our heads
15. The rolling stones No. 2
16. The rolling stones
17. Steel wheels
18. Hackney diamonds
19. Voodoo lounge
20. A bigger bang
21. Bridges to Babylon
22. Blue and lonesome
23. Undercover
24. Dirty work
I can give a top 10 for the greatest band of all time( at least my favorite);
1.Exile-5+++ stars( never heard an album I like more)
2. Sticky Fingers-5stars
3.Beggars Banquet-5 stars
4.Let it Bleed-4.5 stars
5.Some Girls-4.5 stars
6. Black and Blue-4 stars( maybe their cleanest sounding album)
7. It’s only RnR-4 stars( I definitely prefer this to GHS, which I will get to. Sorry Joe, I think If You Can’t Rock Me is one of their most kick ass openers.
8. Tattoo You- 4 starsThe ballads are the stars here, very warm sounding album
9.Goats Head Soup- 3.5 stars. By this point Jimmy Miller was totally strung out, I can’t get over the flat drum sound. Some great ones, although I prefer Johnny Winter’s version of Silver Train, and Star Star is pretty funny, a song only the Stones could get away with.
10. Aftermath-3.5 stars. Had to have one early Album, although I still think of the Stones as a singles band at this period( unlike the Beatles or Kinks).
A cover album of old blues standards is EXACTLY what I want from a band at this age. Blue and Lonesome may not be top ten, but I probably listen to it as much as any album of the Stones.
I remember digging Jason's 2019 ranking. Great remastering fellas. I'll go top 10.
10. Emotional Rescue (3.5)
9. Between The Buttons (3.5)
8. Tattoo You (4)
7. Aftermath (4)
6. Some Girls (4.5)
5. Beggars Banquet (4.5)
4. Goats Head Soup (4.5)
3. Let It Be (4.5)
2. Sticky Fingers (5)
1. Exile On Main St (5)
This is a solid top ten for sure. And I love that you put Let It Be instead of Let It Bleed, which will make Kramzer nuts!
@@StuMoore-k1r oh crap! Didn't realize! Lol
Kramzer - You brought some of the hottest takes of the video with Between the Buttons and Beggars Banquet being where they were, and what topped it! Still, it's cool to hear about a couple unconventional personal favorites. While I'm surprised Aftermath and Satanic stand way above all the other records around it, your love of the former especially is appreciated. The Aftermath sessions I think could have even better with what was made at the time.
I really enjoyed your various lists of your favourite Stones albums .
It's very interesting to hear your perspectives on the different eras of the band because of your ( younger ) ages .
I literally bought their first albums as they were released , and so I have been steeping in their earlier work for many decades .
It will show in my album and song rankings :
Speaking of which , starting with my favourite ( I totally agree with Kramzer ) :
Aftermath ( Joe , I get what your saying about the 11 minute Going Home , but just listen to the first 3 or 4 minutes of it , and it's a great rocking little tune )
Sticky Fingers ( you guys covered all of the key points )
Goat's Head Soup. ( 100 Years Ago is their most overlooked song , along with I Am Waiting , and Slave )
Let It Bleed ( we all agree on this placement )
Now ! ( this is a banger , and I think it was Kramzer who rightly shouted out Down the Road Apiece , Oh Baby and Surprise Surprise are also really great )
Beggar's Banquet ( Sympathy , Street Fighting Man , Stray Cat Blues , all killer )
Some Girls
Tattoo You. ( Waiting on a Friend , and Slave are my favourites on this one )
Exile on Main Street. (. I get what you're saying about it's all encompassing nature , but there's a lot on here that's just ok for me )
Between the Buttons. (. Ruby Tuesday , She Smiled Sweetly , Let's Spend the Night Together , all great ). Check out Montrose's cover of Connection , it's great )
Cheers !!!
So good to see such a well thought out discussion on the legendary Stones. You can’t just gloss over such beautiful albums. I disagree with Undercover and Babylon though. I love those two !! Good job. Hang Fire guys !
Rolling Stones fan here. Mi fav RS records are:
1.- Sticky Fingers
2.- Let it Bleed
3.- Beggars Banquet
4.- Exile on Main Street
5.- Black and Blue
6.- Some Girls
7.- It's Only Rock and Roll
8.- Goats Head Soup
9.- Aftermath
10.- Steel Wheels
But they have other fantastc albums like Tatoo You, Stripped... I am still validating their last work Hackney Diamons, love the fact that Charlie, Bill, Elton and Steve Wonder worked in that record.
Great video guys. I'm in no position to quibble with your lists, but I do have a few comments and random thoughts. The Beatles couldn't do anything like 2000 Man? The Stones couldn't do anything like Tomorrow Never Knows, A Day in the Life, Within You or Without You. Thanks, Joe, for finally mentioning Sway. Woefully underrated track. Why all the hate for the clavinet Kram? Get a grip. Sticky Fingers is my favorite album, but Exile is essential rock n roll. The genre is poorer without it. Guys were absolutely right about Some Girls. The Stones were an afterthought in 1977. Black and Blue was a commercial and radio failure. Stones were becoming an oldies band, then all of a sudden they were at the center of everything all over again. Emotional Rescue was not widely accepted at the time. Mick explained it was all influenced by New York. Music trends there that the rest of the country hadn't heard yet. It made Some Girls look like a fluke.
Finally, let's talk about that cover art. Joe looks like a deer in the headlights. Kramzer looks like he farted, and Jason looks like he's wondering how he got stuck with these two. Other than that, a fun video.
I agree that Jason’s review of exile is a masterclass in critical review. Bravo
Some other large catalogs you might attempt-Golden Earring, Blue Oyster Cult, Saga and Heart. Keep up the great work
I saw the Stones in 1969, age 13. November 16th, 1969. Great show. Loved their satanic majesties request because of Brian Jones. He played everything imaginable on it. The Brian Jones era was the best, Mick Taylor second.
November 69 I saw them at Oakland!
Counterpoint to Kramzer here. The Beatles song that compares to 2000 light years from home is Tomorrow never Knows (released 1 year before). If that song didn’t draw from some unknown entity I don’t what does. Nothing sounded remotely like that before that song. Also Helter Skelter is heavier than every Rolling Stones song, coming from granny tune writer Paul McCartney. Love the stones though
The facial expressions are gold. It makes everyone tune in with at least one of you, taking away much of the criticism that will always come with lists like these.
It's only rock 'n roll is my "guilty pleasure". I put it way higher than most people, probably because it was one of the first Stones albums I owned. I agree though that there's a cheesy 70s half psychedelic half disco production which takes away from the songs. But "Time waits for no one" makes me weep every time I listen to it. On the flip side: Between the Buttons. It's like Costello's "Get Happy". Every fan loves it, I don't.
One thing that has always confused me about the early albums is the drums. Charlie Watts gets a lot of praise for the drummer he is (just like Ringo Starr) and how underrated his contributions are, but (while Starr is at least steady) on the earlier albums his drumming is downright sloppy. It's so rarely mentioned that I wonder if we're ignoring it on purpose or because it's doesn't matter all that much. It reduces much of the love I could have given to those earlier albums, especially Out of our Heads.
Otherwise, not much to disagree with overall. Your average list is non-controversial I think. My own favorite is Sticky Fingers too. Exile is the record I'd love to love best, but it's probably just a tad too long to go through. Jason nails it though with his review.
loved how Jason talked about Exile, my favourite Stones album easily
Watching this with great enjoyment up to Kram doing let it bleed. He was mentioning bands with no 5 star LPs video. Reminded me of the singles band video. Are the Stones mainly a singes band?
Definitely not mainly. But few had better singles. But their albums were great too
Cool reviews for me most surprising was debut album which I love I play it a lot love it far more than No. 2 or out of our heads.
Sticky should be number one in everyones book, but hey ... I understand it's hard to choose because they're all so good.
I am wondering how old you chaps are? You look to be about 30 or so...I find it amazing that you ae so into this stuff, which I was there for at the time, but you have got into retrospectively....Well done.....
1. Exile On Main St.
2. Sticky Fingers
3. Beggar's Banquet
4. Some Girls
5. Let It Bleed
6. Goats Head Soup
7. Their Satanic Majesties Request
8. It's Only Rock N Roll
9. Aftermath
10. Tattoo You
11. Between The Buttons
12. Steel Wheels
13. December's Children
14. 12 X 5
15. Out Of Our Heads
16. Black And Blue
17. Hackney Diamonds
18. Blue And Lonesome
19. Voodoo Lounge
20. England's Newest Hitmaker
21. The Rolling Stones, Now!
22. Emotional Rescue
23. Undercover
24. Bridges To Babylon
25. Dirty Work
26. A Bigger Bang
Can't believe Exile missed Jason's top 25 in '72. WTF????
Here it goes:
My #1 and #2 can switch places at any time.
1. Let It Bleed 5.0
2. Sticky Fingers 5.0
3. Exile on Main Street 5.0
4. Beggars Banquet 5.0
5. Emotional Rescue 4.5
6. Goat Heads Soup 4.5
7. Tattoo You 4.5
8. Between the Buttons 4.0
9. Some Girls 4.0
10. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll 4.0
11. Aftermath 4.0
12. Black and Blue 4.0
13. Bridges to Babylon 4.0
14. Steel Wheels 3.5
15. Hackney and Diamonds 3.5
16. Blue & Lonesome 3.5
17. Voodoo Lounge 3.5
18. Out of Our Heads 3.5
19. The Rolling Stones Now! 3.5
20. England's Finest Hitmakers 3.0
21. December's Children 3.0
22. A Bigger Bang 3.0
23. 12 X 5 3.0
24. Their Satanic Majesties Request 2.5
25. Dirty Work 2.5
26. Undercover 2.5
great list 💜💜
@@bengalgangster Thank you, bengal. 🎶💜💜
Nice to see the love for Aftermath and Some Girls in the top spots - somewhat surprising but deserved!
“Shattered” totally rules! I’m with Jason on that one.
Splendid work on a splendid discography guys. While part of me respects that everyone has a different favorite Stones album, another part of me thinks, "Really? Doesn't everybody know that it's Let It Bleed?" Whenever I meet people who only know the hits and want to explore further, the first album I always recommend to them is Let It Bleed. A friend and I were once chatting about Exile, which we both also love of course, but he gave the best (if somewhat tongue-in-cheek) one-sentence review of Exile I think I've ever heard: "Too many horns ... on too many songs."
By contrast, I feel like everything on Let It Bleed flows out with an effortless ease, like a bowel movement where you barely even have to push and the thing just plops right into the toilet. On the opening seconds of the title track, for instance, I swear I can literally hear Keith waking up after having passed out on the studio floor, bottle of booze rolling off his lap, realizing, "Oh shit, the red light's on," and proceeding to strum away. People always talk about how "dark" and "violent" the album is, but the vibe I get is more one of comfort and solace amid the turmoil. When I listen to "Gimme Shelter," I don't think "The apocalypse is coming and we're all doomed!" but rather "The apocalypse is coming, but we're the guys who can deal with it - come and cling to US!"
When I heard both Joe and Jason suggest in earlier videos that Let It Bleed really didn't live up to its reputation, I felt little stabs in my chest, and was worried that you were going to double down here, but seeing that the album has grown on both of you couldn't help but warm my frigid, barely beating heart.
Beggars deserves a lot more respect than the TLM boys give it... and Emotional Rescue deserves a hell of a lot less.
As usual, not a few wacky placements here but, also as usual, another entertaining video (with some nice surprises towards the end).
This is my impromptu list of the 24 UK releases...
01) Beggars Banquet (1968) 5
02) Sticky Fingers (1971) 5
03) Exile On Main St (1972) 5
04) Let It Bleed (1969) 5
05) Some Girls (1978) 5
06) Aftermath (1966) 5
07) Between The Buttons (1967) 5
08) Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) 4.5
09) Tattoo You (1981) 4.5
10) Goats Head Soup (1973) 4
11) Undercover (1983) 4
12) Out Of Our Heads (1965) 4
13) The Rolling Stones No. 2 (1965) 4
14) The Rolling Stones (1964) 4
15) It’s Only Rock ’N Roll (1974) 3.5
16) Voodoo Lounge (1994) 3.5
17) Black And Blue (1976) 3
18) Emotional Rescue (1980) 3
19) Dirty Work (1984) 3
20) Bridges To Babylon (1997) 3
21) Blue & Lonesome (2016) 3
22) Steel Wheels (1989) 2.5
23) A Bigger Bang (2006) 2.5
24) Hackney Diamonds (2023) 2
My favorite band of all time ❤
This is my current ranking. (It changes every year)
10. Between the Buttons
9. Steel Wheels
8. December's Children
7. Hackney Diamonds
6. Voodoo Lounge
5. Sticky Fingers
4. Some Girls
3. It's Only Rock and Roll
2. Exile on main st
1. Beggars Banquet
I know the top 4 always take the 68-72 run. But honestly, I listened so much to Sticky Fingers that I really don't need to listen to it anymore 😂 I adore Let It Bleed but I think it's kinda soft compared to the other 3.
24. Undercover (1983) 2.5/5
23. Dirty Work (1986) 2.5/5
22. Bridges To Babylon (1997) 3/5
21. Hackney Diamonds (2023) 3/5
20. Emotional Rescue (1980) 3/5
19. Blue & Lonesome (2016) 3.5/5
18. Black And Blue (1976) 3.5/5
17. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) 3.5/5
16. Steel Wheels (1989) 3.5/5
15. Voodoo Lounge (1994) 3.5/5
14. The Rolling Stones No. 2 (1965) 3.5/5
13. The Rolling Stones (1964) 3.5/5
12. Tattoo You (1981) 4/5
11. A Bigger Bang (2005) 4/5
10. Out Of Our Heads (1965) 4/5
9. Between The Buttons (1967) 4/5
8. Some Girls (1978) 4/5
7. Goats Head Soap (1973) 4.5/5
6. It's Only Rock 'N Roll (But I Like It) (1974) 4.5/5
5. Aftermath (1966) 4.5/5
4. Let It Bleed (1969) 4.5/5
3. Stiky Fingers (1971) 5/5
2. Beggars Banquet (1968) 5/5
1. Exile On Main St. (1972) 5/5
Great discussion guys. Sorry Kramzer-you're wrong about Between the Buttons, and Joe is wrong about Shattered. And Beggars Banquet is their greatest album.😉
My list :
26. Blue & Lonesome 2.5
25. Bridges to Babylon 2.5
24. England's Newest Hit Makers 3
23. Dirty Work 3
22. Hackney Diamonds 3
21. A Bigger Bang 3
20. Steel Wheels 3
19. 12 x 5 3
18. Undercover 3
17. It's Only Rock 'n Roll 3
16. Voodoo Lounge 3.5
15. December's Children 3.5
14. Emotional Rescue 3.5
13. Black and Blue 3.5
12. The Rolling Stones, Now! 3.5
11. Their Satanic Majesties Request 3.5
10. Tattoo You 4
9. Out of Our Heads 4
8. Goats Head Soup 4
7. Aftermath 4.5
6. Between the Buttons 4.5
5. Beggars Banquet 4.5
4. Some Girls 5
3. Let It Bleed 5
2. Sticky Fingers 5
1. Exile on Main St. 5
2AM and I’ve fallen asleep in front of the TV watching RUclips. I wake up to your three faces, catching the beginning of this broadcast. I sat up and watched the whole thing. I found it insightful, mesmerising and joyful to hear the views of three young men on this much celebrated band. A perfect example of how the chase is better than the catch. What you guys had to say is what held me to the very end. Ranking albums is such a subjective concept that there is a little point in me, agreeing or disagreeing with the rankings. As a vehicle to discuss each album intelligently, emotionally and reverently, this is where ranking videos serve their purpose. Just for the record “Exile” is my number one, for me “Black And Blue” is their most criminally underated album and “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” remains a rare example of musical perfection from beginning to end. I also imagine that finding a place for the new “Hackney Diamonds” must have been challenging. It’s the album we never thought they could make, perhaps the album they didn’t deserve to make and we don’t deserve to hear. But, let’s cut us all some slack, if you’re going to have sympathy for the devil, then that is sympathy for us and It certainly is rankable amongst all the 70s albums. I got a lot out of your video, I suspect you guys got a lot out of making it but one things for sure you got yourselves a brand-new subscriber. Getting back to the aforementioned “Black And Blue” for me, this was the point where you guys really came together and your averaging of this record around the middle ground. Many will consider generous. I consider it brave and realistic, even though it would be in my top 10.
Amazed by the criticism of Angie.
Overall you guys did a great job evaluating the Stones albums. My disagreements are Kramzer putting Between the Buttons at #19 (way too low), Beggars Banquet at #11 (should be top 5), Satanic Majesties Request is way too high at #5 (Keith Richards hated this record), I like it around #15. Joe's list is right about where I would rank their incredible catalog. Jason has Beggars Banquet at #8 behind Satanic Magasties Request at #6 (no way its a better album than Beggars Banquet). Looking forward to your top Rolling Stones songs.
My top 10 albums
1. Let it Bleed
2. Sticky Fingers
3. Exile on Main Street
4. Beggars Banquet
5. Some Girls
6. Goats Head Soup
7. Between the Buttons
8. Aftermath
9. Tattoo You
10. Black and Blue