Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Now pushing a terrifying fifty-five years into their career, one would be forgiven for thinking there would be precious few tricks up the sleeves of the so-called 'Strollin' Bones'. Yet they've confounded expectations by not only returning to their blues roots but in delivering their best record in at least half that stretch. Who knows whether the grit and raunch that originally inspired the ingrates back in the early-'60s has infused these readings with a timeless charge, or whether the band chemistry has simply been re-ignited by this old-as-the-hills yet fresh-as-a-daisy approach. All we can tell is that Keith and Ron's guitars have rarely sounded as sharp, nor the band this electrifying this century, and the 73-year-old Mick Jagger in 2016 has the strut and self-possession of a man one third his age.

Review: English rock icons The Rolling Stones dropped Their Satanic Majesties Request in 1967 on home label Decca. It was their 6th British and 8th American studio album and was recorded at Olympic Studio in London. It finds them mixing up psychedelic pop, acid rock, experimental and psychedelic rock thanks to the use of various freaky studio tools including the Mellotron and a load of trippy sound effects, string arrangements and Afro rhythms. It took the best part of a year to record owing to various members being on drugs/in court/sent to jail but generally got favourable reviews when it did finally drop.

Review: Decca Records reissue the first Rolling Stones LP, simply titled the Rolling Stones, which first hit in April 1964, taking Decca by surprise as it reached number one in the UK charts on only the second week of release. The irony is that the Stones' chart staying power went against their Sisyphean name: instead of rolling down the charts as Sisyphus' boulder usually immediately did, the fearsome four led by Jagger proved an impressive ability to remain kings of the hill, their Stones balancing up there for an inordinate period of time; in fact it took a good 25 weeks for the Rolling Stones to exit just the third place. The result was that Decca had to struggle to fulfil demand, as its chart performance really did curtail expectations. Now reissued in 2024, hot on the heels of the Stones' Hackney Diamonds LP released this same year, we've no worries about demand fulfilment this time. Enjoy the original Stones record as intended from the go, from the version of standard 'Route 66' and Chuck Berry cover 'Carol' to the closing rendition of Rufus Thomas' 'Walking The Dog' - but expect this audiophile's stereo version to pleasingly contrast with the original mono.

Review: The Rolling Stones' Hackney Diamonds marks their liveliest work in decades, a testament to the band's enduring vitality. While not surpassing their late 70s peak, this album shows the Stones' strongest output since Tattoo You. Following the passing of drummer Charlie Watts, the Stones collaborated with producer Andrew Watt, who captured the signature interplay between Keith Richards and Ron Wood while maintaining a contemporary edge. The album's guitar-driven tracks like 'Angry' and 'Driving Me Too Hard' bring classic rock energy. A standout is 'Sweet Sounds of Heaven', with Lady Gaga's strong vocal contribution. Steve Jordan ably fills Watts' shoes, blending seamlessly into the Stones' timeless sound. The highlight, 'Live by the Sword', reunites Watts, Bill Wyman and Elton John, evoking the band's iconic rhythm. Closing with a raw version of 'Rolling Stone Blues', the album provides a fitting nod to the band's origins, offering a potential finale to their recording career. Ultimately, Hackney Diamonds reaffirms the Stones' ability to adapt while staying true to their roots, delivering a surprisingly spirited album that stands proudly in their vast catalog.

Review: It's not everyday you release an album that goes on to inspire the name of a record label that goes on to be one of the defining UK music institutions of the late-20th Century. And early-21st. Whether The Rolling Stones quite knew how special their seventh studio LP would be when it first dropped in 1968 is something we can ponder until the cows come home, but it certainly represented a musical turning point back then.

Moving on from their previous psychedelic excursions (aurally, if not behaviourally), Beggars Boutique saw the seminal rock 'n' rollers dive two-feet-first into the sound of America's southern states, returning to the old stomping grounds of influences they had originally made a name for themselves with. And by that we mean blues and roots rock.

Review: The Rolling Stones celebrate the 30th anniversary of their Grammy-winning 1994 album, Voodoo Lounge, with a new reissue. The first album without bassist Bill Wyman, Voodoo Lounge features classics like 'You Got Me Rocking,' 'Out Of Tears,' and the UK top 20 hit 'Love Is Strong.' Produced by Don Was, with Darryl Jones stepping in for Wyman on bass, To many fans, this is one of their last excellent albums. Voodoo Lounge remains a strong album to the Stones' enduring appeal, reminding fans why they fell in love with the band in the first place.

Review: The Rolling Stones are arguably one not only the most iconic rock bands of all time but also considered legendary performers as well. One of their most well-recorded performances (as noted by fans often) is their 2002 performance at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, with a track listing full of 70s classics and spread over three albums to get the best possible fidelity from the medium.

Review: The Rolling Stones put out plenty of albums full mostly of cover versions other favourite blues, soul and rhythm & blues tunes and this one, Out Of Our Heads, is one of them from 1986. It was a number two album in the UK charts but marked the band's first ever Billboard 200 number one (maybe because at the time only the American version contained their biggest ever tune, '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction'). Here the mono version gets reissued and contains songs made over a six month period including the top ten hit 'The Last Time.' Though these are covers, they are newly done in a guitar-based, thoroughly contemporary (at the time) style.

Review: The Rolling Stones have announced their first album in 18 years, Hackney Diamonds, hot off the heels of a playful, vigorous viral marketing campaign - involving an intentionally faulty website and a one-off ad in the local borough newspaper, the Hackney Gazette - and the promotional single 'Angry'. For those seeking to find out more, here's a quip from Mick Jagger: "I don't want to be big headed, but we wouldn't have put this record out if we hadn't really liked it." Judging from 'Angry' and what has been said of its otherwise press-embargoed release, this is sure to be an incendiary comeback, not only a sating the completist urge for ever more from the Jagger-Richards estate, but also celebrating the legacy of the late Stones drummer Charlie Watts, whose drumming is heard throughout the album.

Review: By the late 60s, The Rolling Stones had solidified their claim as the 'World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band.' As the grittier, blues-driven counterpart to The Beatles during the British Invasion, they pioneered a rebellious sound that shaped hard rock and since their explosive debut at London's Marquee in 1962, the Stones redefined rock's attitude by blending raw energy with groundbreaking music. This collection of hits has been restored and remastered from historic broadcasts so fully captures their legacy at the time with live performances from New York, Paris and Honolulu in 1966 to New York's Madison Square Garden in 1972 all featuring.

Review: Welcome to Shepherd's Bush presents a unique 2xLP recording of The Rolling Stones' intimate concert on June 8, 1999, where an enthusiastic crowd of 1,800 was treated to a mix of hidden gems and well-loved hits. This surprise show served as a warm-up for their forthcoming performances at Wembley Stadium, allowing fans to enjoy rare tracks like 'Melody', which hadn't been played live since 1977 and 'Moon Is Up', making its live debut. Alongside these treasures, the band delivered crowd favorites such as 'Some Girls' and 'Saint of Me', complementing classics like 'Brown Sugar' and 'Jumpin' Jack Flash'. Sheryl Crow, the evening's opener, added a special touch by joining the band for 'Honky Tonk Women'. The concert has been expertly mixed in Dolby Atmos, providing an excellent listening experience which translates to vinyl wonderfully. Welcome to Shepherd's Bush encapsulates a memorable night, showcasing The Rolling Stones' iconic energy and a versatile setlist that highlights their remarkable legacy.

Review: This newly reissued album is a second collection of classic singles from The Rolling Stones spanning a crucial time in their evolution, namely 1966 to 1971, when they made their transition from the experimental and psychedelic sounds of 'We Love You' and 'She's a Rainbow' to the rootsy, blues-based rock of 'Honky Tonk Women' and 'Wild Horses.' During this time, guitarist and founding member Brian Jones was replaced by Mick Taylor, marking the first lineup change since the group's inception. Despite stylistic shifts and internal turmoil, the Stones achieved seven Top Ten singles on both sides of the Atlantic, including four number ones.

Review: Punctuation aside, The Rolling Stones set a precedent with Get Yer Ya Ya's Out. At the time, concert albums were still something of a novel ideal, but when the iconic British rock 'n' rollers unleashed this it proved to the industry just how much people wanted on-stage magic captured for posterity. The first live record to hit number one in the UK charts, it was recorded at shows in New York City and Baltimore in 1969, just ahead of the landmark Let It Bleed LP arriving. It also proves the power of a bootleg, with an unofficial record, Live'r Then You'll Ever Be, reportedly persuading the band's then-label, Decca, to cash in on the clear demand for the group's exceptional live show, on vinyl. Captured on their first tour with Mick Taylor, Brian Jones having left, it presents the outfit as they sounded at the very top of their game - energetic, rule breaking, and packed with the soul of blues six stringers.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


If you ever wondered what was next for the Rolling Stones, here's your answer. Hackney Diamonds is their forthcoming 26th studio album; the first studio album of original material by the band in 18 years and the final album to feature the drumming of rhythmic fixture Charlie Watts. Kicking off with its first promotional single 'Angry' - a song on which Jagger and Richards implore us not to get angry with them, perhaps owing to the frosty reception the Stones have sometimes received from squarer audiences over the years - the song sets the tone for what is sure to be a Stones completist's favourite and a welcome, high-energy return to blistering blues-rock form.

Review: 'Goat's Head Soup' succeeds where a lot of Deluxe Edition releases fail - it adds a LOT to an equation most of us thought we had sussed out years (well, decades) ago. It's not necessarily the first Stones record fans would want to see expanded over a massive four discs, but let's face it, it's not the last by a long shot. The record met a wishy washy response when it arrived in 1973, following the benchmark-setting 'Exile On Main St.', yet this package proves it's very much worth revisiting.

Heard in a different light - one not overshadowed by preceding landmark releases - 'Soup' actually does stand up, whether it's the Americana twang of "100 Years Ago", or the proto-funk of "Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" there's a lot to like. Add to this the fact the previously unreleased stuff here, "Scarlett" being a prime example, really stands up, too, and you've got so much more than a mere collection-completer.

Review: This Rolling Stones live album, which became the first live record to reach number one in the UK, was recorded in New York City and Baltimore in November 1969. It came as they were gearing up for release of their eighth studio album Let It Bleed. The release was to be their last for Decca Records and the first tour that they had John Mayall's Bluesbreakers' former guitarist Mick Taylor on board. This allowed them to indulge more competently than ever before in their homage to their most beloved genre. The hits on here just keep coming - 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', 'Sympathy for the Devil', 'Honky Tonk Women'... It's almost like a best of and if the Stones had called it quits at this stage, we'd still be listening to them today. These are some of the best songs of all time and it's highly satisfying hearing versions that ramp up the blues more than the studio versions do.

Review: In 1962, a chance convergence of historical contingencies in Dartford, Kent, would set the stage for the formation of one of the world's best-known rock and roll bands, The Rolling Stones. After Mick Jagger and Keith Richards took inspiration from rock icons Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, not to mention the comparatively sentimental Chicago blueses of Brian Jones and Ian Stewart, the group's had laid the mac for their own sound. The Rolling Stones' love for early blues legends would define their success; this compilation The celebrates those roots, from Muddy Waters' 'Just Want to Make Love to You' through to Chuck Berry's 'Memphis, Tennessee' and Robert Johnson's 'Love In Vain'. Special bonus tracks include the jazz-infused 'Key To The Highway' by Jazz Gillum, further proving Jagger and company's far-reaching inspirations.