Ranking the Albums: The Rolling Stones Version

If it seems like The Rolling Stones have been around forever it's because they have. The self-described "Best Rock and Roll Band in the World" have gone through numerous stylistic and lineup changes in their storied history. They've managed to stay at least somewhat relevant for almost 50 years, while reinventing themselves on numerous occasions. The core of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts have been mainstays but the three main second guitarists, Brian Jones (who also played a myriad of other instruments), Mick Taylor and Ronnie Wood all made extremely valued contributions while longtime bassist Bill Wyman laid down the bottom end for all of the bands classic period. I believe the Stones are the ultimate pure rock band. Even with the experimentation that would hold back (in my eyes) much of their post 70's work they've always maintained a strong sense of pure straight forward blues based rock. I know a lot of people of my age and younger don't care for their music or simply think of them as a overplayed nostalgia act but I would guess most of those opinions are based on 20 or songs that are classic rock radio staples. There's a lot more depth to their best work than what gets played on the radio and that will be the focus of this entry. With Tuesdays reissue of their classic album, Exile on Main Street this is as good a time as any to rank the best of their studio work. It should be noted that the Stones early discography is complicated. There are a lot differences between the American and British releases and for this post I will be going off the American versions.

EDIT: Due to outside pressure (i.e. this guy yelling at me for not ranking the entire discography) here are the rest of their studio albums in order. None are unlisteneable but none are necessary either.

24. Dirty Work (1986) - Umm, you're better off watching the Norm MacDonald movie of the same name.

23. Steel Wheels (1989) - Nothing's terrible but nothing is close to memorable either.

22. Bridges to Babylon (1997) - Some good stuff is overshadowed by needless experiments and overlength.

21. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) - The Stones psychedelic record is worth hearing once but it doesn't play to many of their strengths. Some people really like it, I'm not one of them.

20. Emotional Rescue (1980) - "She's So Cold" and the title track are great, the rest are not.

19. Undercover (1983) - Their darkest record is very eclectic but they seem to be grasping at straws.

18. Black & Blue (1976) - More focused on jams than songs but still enjoyable.

17. England's Newest Hitmakers (1964) - Debut is fun but lacks any real significant songs.

16. Voodoo Lounge (1994)

When Voodoo Lounge was released in 1994 it was hailed as the Stones "comeback" album. Of course 1989's Steel Wheels was given the same billing and that album is possibly their worst. Voodoo is a basic rock record that skipped the experimentation that bogged down most of their 80's albums. "Love is Strong," "You Got Me Rocking," "Sparks Will Fly" and "I Go Wild" are all fine rockers that may not be in the upper echelon of Stones songs but they are all solid nonetheless. "Out of Tears" is one of the Stones best later day ballads and "Thru and Thru" was given some life by it's inclusion in The Sopranos. Overall the album is too long and it feels a bit forced but it's enjoyable anyway.

15. It's Only Rock and Roll (1974)

It's Only Rock and Roll is the last Stones album to feature guitarist Mick Taylor and while there aren't any bad songs on it only the title track could be considered a classic. "If You Can't Rock Me" and "Short and Curlies" are good enough rock songs. "Time Waits For No One" is a solid ballad. "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" is a nice cover that gives a nod to their R&B past. "Till the Next Goodbye" has a country influence and "Fingerprint File" is their first (and a largely unsuccessful) attempt at dance music. In the end this is another solid but unspectacular release.

14. 12 x 5 (1964)

12 x 5 is the Stones second American album and is largely made up of R&B covers. 5 of the 12 songs were original compositions and while none of them are horrible they aren't anything special either with "Empty Heart" being the best of the bunch. The covers on the other hand are all very well done (excluding "Under the Boardwalk"). "Around and Around" does Chuck Berry justice and "If You Need Me" is a nice stab at Wilson Pickett. They also received their first real success in the U.S. with the singles "Time Is On My Side" and "It's All Over Now."

13. Goat's Head Soup (1973)

While Goat's Head Soup isn't near the level of excellence the Stones had achieved in the previous 6 years, it's still a solid album. This is largely where hard rock took over from the blues as the bands basis, while also displaying Mick's desire to experiment with different styles by including a heavy funk influence. "Dancing With Mr. D" is a hard rocking opener that shows off the darker than usual lyrics that would dominate the remainder of the album. "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" is the closest they would get to a pure funk track for a couple years. "Angie" is one of their most enduring ballads and the closing "Star Star" (changed from Starfucker and featuring a classic Chuck Berry riff) is a great and edgy way to end the album. The rest of the songs are all solid but unspectacular with "Silver Train" in particular being a highlight.

12. Between the Buttons (1967)

Between the Buttons found the Stones moving away from their blues and R&B roots into more experimental and eclectic territory. As such it's not a personal favorite by any means but it is important for their development as a band. The obvious highlights are "Let's Spend the Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday" on of their best 60's rockers and ballads respectively. The rest of the album finds the Stones trying to emulate what Bob Dylan and the Beatles were doing with varying degrees of success. The album definitely touches different bases than most Stones albums and there's nothing bad here, but personally I like the Stones to rock in a more traditional style.

11. December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965)

December's Children was the last Stones album to have as many covers as original compositions. "She Said Yeah," "Talkin' About You," and live versions of "Route 66" and "I'm Moving On" are all fantastic rockers and "You Better Move On" is one of their best R&B ballad covers. While in general the covers are more exciting, it's impossible to ignore the Jagger/Richards songs. "I'm Free" and "The Singer Not the Song" are great and well known album tracks and the singles "As Tears Go By" and especially "Get Off My Cloud" are stone cold classics.

10. A Bigger Bang (2005)

A Bigger Bang is easily the best album the Stones have made since the early 80's. The songs are all solid and the amount of energy in the best tracks is pretty amazing for a bunch of dudes in their 60's. Opener "Rough Justice is just pure fire with a great groove and Ronnie Wood's slide guitar all over the place. "Oh No Not You Again," "She Saw Me Coming," and "Look What the Cat Dragged In" also follow in the same hard rocking style. "Let Me Down Slow" and "It Won't Take Long aren't as heavy as the aforementioned tracks but they are just as powerful. Not all of the album is basic hard rock as the Stones branch out into other genres with success. "Rain Fall Down" uses a disco-like beat that generally hasn't worked for the Stones in the past but here it does. Pure blues is featured on "Back of My Hand" and "Biggest Mistake" is a fine adult pop song. The ballads are excellent as well. "Streets of Love and the Keith sung "This Place is Empty" are both very moving tracks. Much like all Stones albums of the CD age A Bigger Bang is too long ("Sweet Neo Con" and "Driving Too Fast" could easily have been left off) but hey that's why the skip button was invented.

9. Tattoo You (1981)

Tattoo You is largely made up of leftover tracks with some being in the vaults for a decade but you would hardly know it. The album flows amazingly well for being patched together and largely rerecorded. The track sequence is split between rockers on the first half and ballads on the second. "Start Me Up" has one of the most recognizable riffs in the Stones catalog and is one of their most well known and popular singles. "Hang Fire" and "Little T & A" are great up-tempo rock songs and "Black Limousine" is an excellent slow blues. The ballad side is not nearly as strong but "Worried About You" and "Waiting on a Friend" are both fantastic. The second half of the album keeps it from being a true classic in my eyes but as far as latter day Stones records go, Tattoo You is hard to top.

8. The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)

Now! is the best of the Stones early albums that are dominated by covers. Their passion and energy are at an early peak here. "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," "You Can't Catch Me" and "Down the Road Again" are all great up tempo R&B songs. "Down Home Girl," "Mona (I Need You Baby)" and "Pain in My Heart" while slower paced are just as effective. Their cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Little Red Rooster" features some of Brian Jones' best slide guitar work on a straight blues number. The few originals again don't compare to their interpretations of other artists work but "Heart of Stone" is one of their best early songs and "What a Shame" is a highly enjoyable blues original.

7. Out of Our Heads (1965)

Out of Our Heads is the album that made the Stones stars. While I don't think the album as a whole is better than Now! the fact that it has "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" places it ahead on this list. There just no denying the effect that song had on their career and it remains one of the best rock songs ever recorded. As far as the other originals go, "The Last Time" is almost at the level of "Satisfaction" and "Play With Fire" is a brooding (and successful) early attempt at folk. The covers again are blasts of pure enjoyment. "Mercy, Mercy" "Hitch Hike" "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "Good Times" are all pulled from 60's soul and keep the first half of the album vibrant. The last few songs may not be at the level of the rest of the record but they are all enjoyable as well.

6. Aftermath (1966)

As the first album the Stones released with all original material, Aftermath is a very important release in their history. While historical importance is important, it really doesn't mean much if the songs aren't there to back it up and thankfully in this case they are.While most of the songs are directly rooted in rock they do branch out rather effectively throughout the album. "Paint it Black" is the most obvious example with it's driving pace and Brian Jones' inventive use of sitar setting it apart from other Stones singles. The jazzy "Under My Thumb" is a another classic track and along with the straight-forward rocker "Stupid Girl" represents the Stones at their most joyfully misogynistic. "Lady Jane" is a beautiful acoustic ballad that wouldn't feel out of place in Ye Olde England. The remainder of the album mostly focuses on rock and blues although "I Am Waiting" breaks it up nicely with a gem of a ballad. The closing "Going Home" is also notable for being the longest song (11 minutes) released on a rock album at that point in history.

5. Beggars Banquet (1968)

We're at the point in the list where every album left is an unquestionable classic. The years from 1968 to 1972 are perhaps the most fruitful in the history of rock music for any artist (The Beatles and Bob Dylan would probably argue against that). Beggars Banquet is the start of that streak and was a back to basics album after the heavy experimentation of Between the Buttons and Their Satanic Majesty's Psychedelic Shithole (not it's real name), It's largely an acoustic blues album as "No Expectations," "Dear Doctor," "Parachute Woman," "Prodigal Sun" and "Factory Girl" are all done in this style. Offsetting that aspect are the albums 2 giant singles "Sympathy For the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man." The formers tribal beats and lyrics from the Devils point of view and the latter's straight forward rock style set them apart from the rest of the album and are 2 of the Stones best singles. "Stray Cat Blues" is a great rocker that (jokingly I hope) tells the story of a man wanting to bang a 15 year old groupie. The closer "Salt of the Earth" (which featured Keith's most visible lead vocals up to that point) is a fine mix of electric and acoustic instruments and gives a hint of the gospel influences that would become more prevalent on future albums. The lack of variety in most of the songs keeps this at number 5 but it's the first truly great Stones album.

4. Some Girls (1978)

Some Girls is the highest selling album in the Stones history with over 6 million copies sold. It's also the best album they would make after what is considered their classic period. It's also the first full album they would record with Ronnie Wood and it finds the Stones (and specifically Mick) being influenced by Punk and Disco.  "Miss You" is the first and best attempt at incorporating a disco beat into the Stones brand of rock. Mick's falsetto vocals and Bill Wyman's bassline make it an instantly recognizaible classic. "When the Whip Comes Down," "Lies" and "Respectable" are not necessarily punk songs but they are as aggressive a trio that you'll hear on any Stones records. "Far Away Eyes" is a humorous country song with Mick really playing up his fake "hick" accent. The title track has taught me more about inter-continental sexual relations than I could ever hope to learn on my own. "Before They Make Me Run" is one of the best Stones songs that Keith takes lead vocals on. "Beast of Burden" is my favorite Stones ballad of all time. The lyrics (not something I really look to the Stones for) are touching, the guitar interplay is fantastic and Mick really sings his heart out. "Shattered" is a great way to close the album with it's description of New York's late 70's decadence. While the Stones have approached the level of Some Girls since it's release they've never topped it. 

3. Let It Bleed (1969)

Let it Bleed is the last Stones album to get contributions from Brian Jones no matter how minimal they were (2 songs). It's also the first to feature Jones' replacement Mick Taylor who wasn't a full member yet. Let it Bleed is stylistically similar to Beggars Banquet, with "Love in Vain," "Midnight Rambler" and "You Got the Silver" (Keith's first solo lead vocal) representing acoustic blues, but it also expands the pallet to include straight country ("Country Honk") and features a harder rock sound overall.  "Gimme Shelter" is the best apocalyptic song the Stones would ever record and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" uses the London Bach Choir to great effect. "Live With Me" and "Monkey Man" are excellent straight rock songs that are far more than just album filler with "Monkey Man" having a very underrated riff. The title track is perhaps the Stones best folk-rock song with it's highly suggestive lyrics likely going over the heads of most listeners at the time (I don't think there were too many bands that were telling people they could "come all over me" in 1969). While Let It Bleed places third on my list it could easily be argued as the Stones best album.

2. Sticky Fingers (1971)

Every aspect of Sticky Fingers is a classic. From the iconic Andy Warhol cover art to the ten songs that make up the album, it's impossible to find anything to criticize here. Sticky Fingers is the first album the Stones recorded with new guitarist Mick Taylor and it finds them branching out into many diverse styles. "Brown Sugar" kicks things off with perhaps Keith's most famous riff and Mick's wide range of scandalous lyrics. "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" really shows off Taylor's lead guitar skills with it's extended solo and jazz. "Bitch is another great up tempo rocker and "Dead Flowers" is my personal favorite "country" songs the Stones ever recorded. "I Got the Blues" shows off the Stax records influences of the bands early days but had not been apparent for a few previous albums. "Moonlight Mile" is a fantastic closer and it shows Mick at his most vulnerable. "Sister Morphine" and "Sway" are two more slower rock songs that fill out the album nicely. It also contains "Wild Horses" is in all honesty one of my least favorite "classic" Stones songs but it's importance and popularity are undeniable. A few years ago I would have ranked Sticky Fingers number one and I consider it one of the top 25 albums ever made by any artist.

1. Exile on Main Street (1972)

Exile on Main Street doesn't sound like any other Stones album. It's a murky and oddly mixed record that contains no giant hits. Mick's vocals are often buried under a mess of instruments that bleed together in a hazy atmospheric fog. These qualities mean it's one of their least immediately striking albums. It also means that Exile is perhaps the greatest album of all time in regards new things being revealed upon repeat listenings. I hear something new every time play it, whether it's a lyric I never placed before or a guitar part that comes out of nowhere, there's always something that catches me off guard. While the individual songs take a back seat to the album as a whole, that doesn't mean there aren't some classic tracks included. "Rocks Off" and "Rip This Joint" open the album with a bang with the latter being on of the fastest songs the Stones have ever recorded. "Tumbling Dice" is the closest song here to "hit" status and it's an excellent example of the gospel influence that is prevalent throughout. "Let it Loose" and "Shine a Light" are 2 other tracks with a heavy gospel feel that works amazing well. "Loving Cup" is a beautiful soul song with Nicky Hopkins piano carrying the track. "All Down the Line" features great guitar interplay between Richards' main riff and Taylors' slide guitar. "Happy" is probably the most well know (and best) song that Keith sings lead on in the Stones catalog. While there is some definite "filler" material, it's all of high quality and only adds to the overall mood. There are very few examples in Rock and Roll of a record this layered, revealing and worthy of all the praise that's been heaped on it. Exile on Main Street is one of the top 5 albums ever made by any artist and should be required listening for anyone who claims to like rock and roll music.