Rolling Stones

Originating in 1962, the same year as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones were to be that band’s comic foil, nemesis, good friend and peer over the years. For decades now self-proclaimed (and really, who could dispute it?) as “The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band,” the Rolling Stones have endured numerous divorces, deaths, and lineup changes, as well as years of drug addiction, to remain with four original members and a touring schedule that sees them continue to rock all the way from Brazil to Shanghai.

A tongue-in-cheek (and out of mouth) image has helped this band of Brits bring a rarely seen authenticity to their reworked versions of blues standards. The early Stones career was built on covers—acknowledged or otherwise—of the best that blues and pop had to offer. A famous encounter with the Beatles inspired the Stones to pen their own tunes, and they were soon electrifying audiences with completely original hits filled with snaking, seductive rhythms and guitar melodies plucked out from arcane tunings.

Lockstep with the Beatles through phases such as a foray into psychedelic sounds and lyrics, early seventies albums after the Beatles’ disbandment pushed the Rolling Stones into new territory and gave grander context to their earlier work. Exile on Main Street is an inimitable double album that put the band’s collective blues chops on display, while Some Girls is a purely Glimmer Twins (Jagger-Richards) endeavor that sees the band try on several different styles.

The Stones have been credited with a unique knack for survival, both personally and artistically. Like all bands, they have experienced lulls in creativity and clunker albums, but what sets them apart is their ability to return to form. A band linked forever with the tumult of the 1960’s, the Rolling Stones have seen continuing critical validation and commercial success into the 21st century, with well-received studio albums and a rigorous touring schedule cementing their place amongst rock’s greats.