Also Let It Bleed is their best album by far. And Goat's Head Soup is definitely one of their best. Finally, Gimme Shelter is the best rock song ever recorded by any band in the world.
Yeah to me that song is top 5 all time with Like A Rolling Stone, Won't Get Fooled Again for Meaning and Posterity.The sad thing is as the same with those other 2, is it's perfection and there is no way Dylan,Stones, and Who, who did a lot of great stuff afterward could never top it, and will never be topped.
Some Girls is super-underrated. It's perfect. Its filled with rockers instead of ballads, the one acoustic song they did put on was great, and they saved the three best songs for last. But The Rolling Stones were never great because of their perfection, but instead because of the sloppiness, rawness and ferocity in their music, and because of that I simply must put Exile on Main Street as my number one. I used to hate that album so much, but its grown on me alot.
Donal Finn I really like sweet Virginia, shine a light, loving cup, and ventilator blues. I think all these songs are on the same level as rocks off and rip this joint imo
"I used to hate that album so much, but its grown on me alot." I remember wen I first heard it 25 years ago. I had seen it called as the second best album of all time in a book I checked out from my local library, and in the Rolling Stone guide to albums it was called the best double album of all time. so I was expecting something amazing. At the time I only knew a few Stones songs, and had never heard even one of these before. It started off good, the opening riff to Rocks Off was great and then those buried lyrics came in and I was like "what the??" I sat through the whole thing and kept thinking it was going to get better and it never really did...I just kept thing "This...is one of the all-time great albums? This terrible sounding mess with some truly bizarre songs ("Shake Your Hips", "I Just Want to See His Face") is supposed to be great?" I was so disappointed. I wasn't even sure If i'd ever listen to it again, but I gave it another try, and another, and another and every time it got a little better. And then one day it clicked, "Wow, this really is a great album, why did it take so long to realize that?" And now I think it's the greatest album of all time. Sure song for song it really isn't THAT great, there are several songs that taken individually are not good, but for some reason they make sense here.
Yea , the Digital Remix did Help quite a lot , i think and helped bring out some of the better , enhancing aspects of the Albums that the original Analog recording only Hinted At .
You're absolutely right about that I should have called the guy a knucklehead he has his opinions a lot of them albums are definitely not in the right spot especially Let It Bleed and I don't believe some girls is the number one album it's up there with the top but definitely not better than Sticky fingers I just think that he went by songs that he didn't like hearing no more you should have went by that
Yea , just because HE happens to be sick of hearing them dont make them BAD . quite the opposite . They TO THIS DAY get played a lot because they are Great. Classics .
I love Can’t you hear me knocking. The whole thing, every second. Mind numbing?? Unlistenable?? The jam, sax and guitar work are great! Wonder how you feel about it now since you did this. Also looking forward to the x3 version of this listography!! Coming soon??
@@hornyconvict Jason went to school for audio engineering and production. Once you have that kind of education, you won’t be able to hear stuff like the space jam of Can’t You Hear Me Knocking the same way again.
Considering mick’s life partner committed suicide less than a decade ago, I don’t think, despite his wealth, he is arrogant for exploring many themes in Blue and Lonesome
I agree 100%. I think it was partly because of Ron Wood being in the band. Ron is one of the most chill people on earth, and he perfectly mirrored Keith. Every song on this LP is good from start to finish!
Thank you for speaking up for "Satanic Majesties' Request", a visionary masterpiece whose unique medieval dystopian vibe prefigures King Krimson and Pink Floyd.
The album is most often cited as a Sgt. Pepper clone, but it has much more in common with Piper at the Gates of Dawn. It's a very good, listenable album.
My personal favorite is beggars banquet just because of how experimental it is. They use such a variety of different instruments throughout this whole album, jagger started writing crazy, offensive lyrics, it has Nicky Hopkins with his great blues style on the piano in many of the songs, and it sounds rough and raunchy asf!
@@janpoelkamp4229 Yeah, The Rolling Stones are no strangers to misogyny, but I hate Under My Thumb since it has some of the most blatantly misogynistic lyrics I’ve ever heard. Only Nickelback and Limp Bizkit could be worse.
An excellent analysis. And like most good reviews contains more than it’s fair share of controversy. I could tear my hair out with some of your opinions, especially downgrading Let It Bleed simply because you’ve heard a couple songs too much, but hey, that’s what opinions are for. I especially like your defence of the post baby boomer generation who are perhaps more about the music than defending their particular space in history. You’re pretty brutal and I admire that.
I guess a remaster might be on the way since Hackney Diamonds is coming out pretty soon? Don't know what to expect, but hopefully it'll be a little better than Blue & Lonesome (which isn't terrible, but it's a covers album). It's been a while since I listened to some of these, and I'm pretty sure a lot of albums would get higher ratings if/when I listen to them again. 25. Dirty Work (1986) ★★ 24. Steel Wheels (1989) ★★½ 23. Voodoo Lounge (1994) ★★½ 22. Bridges to Babylon (1997) ★★½ 21. Undercover (1983) ★★½ 20. England's Newest Hit Makers (1964) ★★½ 19. Blue & Lonesome (2016) ★★½ 18. A Bigger Bang (2005) ★★½ 17. December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965) ★★★ 16. The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965) ★★★ 15. 12 × 5 (1964) ★★★ 14. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) ★★★ 13. Black and Blue (1976) ★★★ 12. Out of Our Heads (1965) ★★★ 11. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (1974) ★★★ 10. Aftermath (1966) ★★★ 9. Emotional Rescue (1980) ★★★½ 8. Tattoo You (1981) ★★★½ 7. Goats Head Soup (1973) ★★★½ 6. Between the Buttons (1967) ★★★★ 5. Beggars Banquet (1968) ★★★★ 4. Let It Bleed (1969) ★★★★ 3. Sticky Fingers (1971) ★★★★½ 2. Some Girls (1978) ★★★★★ 1. Exile on Main St. (1972) ★★★★★ ★★★★★ - Masterpiece ★★★★½ - Really great ★★★★ - Great ★★★½ - Really good ★★★ - Good ★★½ - OK ★★ - Bad ★½ - Really bad ★ - Awful ½ - The worst Top 30 songs: 30. Salt of the Earth (1968) 29. Sway (1971) 28. Soul Survivor (1972) 27. Sympathy for the Devil (1968) 26. Time Is on My Side (1964) 25. Luxury (1974) 24. Let It Loose (1972) 23. She Was Hot (1983) 22. Under My Thumb (1966) 21. Loving Cup (1972) 20. Waiting on a Friend (1981) 19. Before They Make Me Run (1978) 18. Start Me Up (1981) 17. Let's Spend the Night Together (1967) 16. Let It Bleed (1969) 15. All Down the Line (1972) 14. It's All Over Now (1964) 13. Out of Control (1997) 12. Happy (1972) 11. Brown Sugar (1971) 10. Wild Horses (1971) 9. Tumbling Dice (1972) 8. Gimme Shelter (1969) 7. Hang Fire (1981) 6. Sweet Virginia (1972) 5. You Can't Always Get What You Want (1969) 4. Street Fighting Man (1968) 3. Honky Tonk Women (1969) 2. Dead Flowers (1971) 1. Rocks Off (1972) Exile on Main St.: 8 songs Sticky Fingers: 4 songs Tattoo You: 3 songs Let It Bleed: 3 songs Beggars Banquet: 3 songs 12 X 5: 2 songs Bridges to Babylon: 1 song Undercover: 1 song Some Girls: 1 song It's Only Rock 'N' Roll: 1 song Between the Buttons: 1 song Aftermath: 1 song Non-album tracks: 1 song
Good list. I particularly enjoy Between The Buttons and Their Satanic Majesties Request being appreciated. I also agree that Let It Bleed is the weakest of the big 4. However, "Live With Me" and "Monkey Man" would be two of my least favourite, not among my favourites. Some Girls has never appealed to me much, so it wouldn'the get anywhere near my top. I think Beggars Banquet and Exile On Main Street are arguably the Stones best.
So underrated. Why don't you like it? "Because other people told me not to like it". Seems to have an unfair stigma. What's not to like about the Stones auditioning potential Taylor replacements in studio jam sessions and then putting it on an album? So, so tight. How can you not like Perkin's solo on Hand of Fate?, or Preston's Melody? or Wood's slide on Hey Negrita? He makes it scream. This is a great record. I have it at #5 after the big 4.
@@jamesreed6280 Personally, jammy Stones is my least favorite Stones, so Black and Blue doesn't fare that well in my book. Nothing to do with reputation though.
Greetings to Listography from England. I'm really enjoying the stuff you lads are putting up - well done - you have a great appreciation of English music - keep if up!
I'm also from England, though would not really call the Stones "English music" despite its creators all hailing from Blighty. It's American music to its core.
Between the Buttons is such an underrated album. I prefer the British version with the exciting Bo Diddly inspired Please Go Home replacing Let's Spend the Night together. Also I agree the British version of Aftermath with the great Mother's Little Helper is better than the US version. Also good to see the much maligned Their Satanic Majesties getting positive comments. Would love to see another Stones listography with Joe and the other guy (can't remember his name).
I really enjoy your ranking videos. I love The Stones and probably would rank their early recordings higher than many fans, but I'd have the predictable Exile in 1st place, followed by the much less predictable Goats Head Soup in 2nd place. Frankly, I don't think there are any "bad" Stones albums, believe it or not. So a ranking of all of them would be very challenging. But thank you for taking the time to do it - very entertaining!
1. Exile On Main Street 2. Some Girls 3. Let It Bleed 4. Beggars Banquet 5. Sticky Fingers 6. Bridges To Babylon 7. Goats Head Soup 8. Tattoo You 9. Emotional Rescue 10. Voodoo Lounge 11. Aftermath (US Version) 12. It's Only Rock N Roll 13. Blue And Lonesome 14. Flowers 15. Black And Blue 16. Between The Buttons 17. 12 X 5 18. A Bigger Bang 19. Undercover 20. Out Of Our Heads 21. The Rolling Stones, Now! 22. The Rolling Stones 23. Their Satanic Majesties Request 24. Dirty Work 25. Steel Wheels The Rolling Stones have the best 4 album run in music btw
My ranking 23. Dirty Work 22. Voodoo Lounge 21. Bridges To Babylon 20. Undercover 19. A Bigger Bang 18. Steel Wheels 17. The Rolling Stones 16. The Rolling Stones No. 2 15. Their Satanic Majesties Request 14. Out Of Our Heads 13. Black And Blue 12. Blue And Lonesome 11. Emotional Rescue 10. Between The Buttons 9. It's Only Rock' N Roll 8. Goat Heads Soup 7. Tattoo You 6. Aftermath 5. Exile On Main St. 4. Beggars Banquet 3. Some Girls 2. Sticky Fingers 1. Let It Bleed
My Top 25: 25. Debut 24. Now! 23. 12 X 5 22. Blue and Lonesome 21. December’s Children 20. Steel Wheels 19. Out of Our Heads 18. Dirty Work 17. Black and Blue 16. A Bigger Bang 15. Aftermath 14. It’s Only Rock and Roll 13. Bridges to Babylon 12. Emotional Rescue 11. Their Satanic Majesties Request 10. Between the Buttons 9. Undercover 8. Goats Head Soup 7. Voodoo Lounge 6. Some Girls 5. Tattoo You 4. Beggars Banquet 3. Let It Bleed 2. Stick Fingers 1. Exile on Main Street and for extra credit: My Top 10 fav songs: 10. Slave 9. Play With Fire 8. Wild Horses 7. Sway 6. She Was Hot 5. Star Star 4. Citadel 3. Little T&A 2. Lady Jane 1. Rocks Off
I am in greater agreement with your list than Tastes Like Music, and your Top 6 is much similar to mine. Great that you have Undercover at 9, but I put it ahead of Voodoo Lounge. I also have Out of Our Heads higher, and Their Satanic Majesties Request & Between the Buttons lower on my list. A solid list you have presented.
It was nice to hear Terrifying from Steel Wheels getting a mention. I've always liked that song but it's mostly ignored, even by people who enjoy that album. My favourite quote about Steel Wheels came from someone on the VC a while back - 'it sounds like it was recorded in an office'. I totally agree about Can't You Hear Me Knockin' going off into boring jam territory - it kind of spoils that album for me. Just out of interest, do you own any physical copies of the records you rank, or are you into streaming?
I worked in a record store for a decade so I have thousands of records and CDs. Unfortunately, I’ve had to keep most of them stored at my mom’s house in another city. I have a few hundred in my apartment. Mostly newer titles on vinyl. I do stream a lot as well. I appreciate that you’ve been getting caught up on everything that you missed.
The best 10 albums of the first ten years of the Stones' US discography: (so, 1962-1972 -- all bands should have a shelf life of 10 years ideally) 1. Beggars Banquet (1968) 2. The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965) 3. Let It Bleed (1969) 4. 12x5 (1964) 5. Exile On Main Street (1972) 6. Sticky Fingers (1971) 7. Aftermath (1966) 8. England's Newest Hit Makers (1964) 9. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) 10. Between The Buttons (1967)
Love to see love for Their Satanic Majesties Request. Weird little details abound, sonic left turns taken, and the album is studded with secret hits (Citadel, Child of the Moon, 2000 Man)...
You being tired of hearing a song played on the radio has nothing to do with the song's quality. That goes way beyond taste & preference. If you don't want to hear any rock song overplayed, don't listen to lousy 'classic' rock stations.
I'd have to disagree with you and I think that Can you hear me knocking is awesome ALL THE WAY THRU, and the part you didn't like, the extended horn jam portion, is fantastic. Find it hard to believe anyone would look at it like that. It's hard to argue with you that songs like Brown Sugar and similar ones truly have been played so much that one can be tired of them. I give them kudos , though.
I agree 100% re: Can’t You Hear Me Knocking. In my top 10 tunes of all time. Never ever get bored of listening to it. Jason’s choices often leave me scratching my head!
My list: 25. Dirty Work - No Stones album is terrible. But this one might actually be. 24. Their Satanic Majesties Request - She's a Rainbow and 2000 Light Years From Home are two of the best songs I've ever heard. Citadel isn't as good as that, but it's great. 23. Undercover - The title track and She Was Hot are great. 22. Emotional Rescue - The title track and She's So Cold are great. 21. 12 X 5 - Enjoyable, early Stones album. 20. The Rolling Stones, Now! - Another enjoyable early Stones album 19. England's Newest Hit Makers - The one that started it all is really good. 8/10 yet it's still #19. 18. Steel Wheels - Fun enough listen. 17. Bridges to Babylon - Too much material, which was a common trend in the 90s. 16. A Bigger Bang - Could've been higher, but again, too much material. 15. Blue and Lonesome - Not a bad album to end their career with, and a great album for guys in their 70s. 14. Some Girls - A bunch of fun. 13. It's Only Rock 'n Roll - Really underrated 70s rock and roll album. 12. December's Children (And Everybody's) - In many ways, it has Out of Our Heads 2.0 but I still love this album 11. Voodoo Lounge - A late Stones album so high up? I know it has too much material, but I think all the songs on here are great. 10. Tattoo You - There's Start Me Up, obviously, but every other song on this album is just as good if not better. 9. Between the Buttons - Along with Aftermath, this is where I feel the Stones found their form. 8. Out of Our Heads - Great classic album that is probably a 10/10 and it's still #8. 7. Goats Head Soup - The 2nd-most underrated Stones album. I actually don't like Angie all that much, but other than that, this is a great album. 6. Black and Blue - A classic that is so overly hated for no reason. 5. Aftermath - Paint It Black is obviously a masterpiece, but I love all the other songs on here. 4. Exile on Main St. - Rocks Off, Rip This Joint, Tumbling Dice and Happy as an EP would be enough to crack my top 5. But there's all the other greats, too. 3. Sticky Fingers - Classic record. Every song is a masterpiece, especially Brown Sugar. 2. Let It Bleed - Gimme Shelter is the greatest song I've ever heard, but this album also has Midnight Rambler, Monkey Man, and a bunch of other greats 1. Beggars Banquet - Might be #1 because of some nostalgia, but I think this is my favorite Stones album. Classic, classic album. My 2nd favorite band of all time, behind the Who.
I don't want to argue about YOUR list. Every Rolling Stones album deserves to be there. It just depends on your taste. However, Gimme Shelter! No sorry, I can't let you get away with dissing what is MY all time favourite Rolling Stones song! That apart, interesting list.
Interesting list and very enjoyable video, really well done...totally agree that Emotional Rescue and Goats Head Soup are better than most people credit. My personal favorite is Sticky Fingers but I consider Let It Bleed to be an absolutely perfect record. I totally get your point about songs being overplayed but that shouldn't count against them---thats not the band's fault. Gimme Shelter is overplayed, yes, no doubt. Its also one of the greatest songs ever written and it encapsulates the end of the '60's perfectly and has some of the most haunting guitar and percussion sounds ever put to tape imho.
good to see satanic get a mention for what it is and not for how inferior it is compared to sgt peppers, satanic is indeed more psychadelic than people realise. and buttons getting a high ranking to, thats underrated as well.
4 роки тому+3
Their majesties better than Let it Bleed? Are you kidding me?
I agree - one of my favorite guitar solos ever in "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?" When the other guys are knocking Jay, I want to tell them to back off, that people's opinions are people's opinions. When he makes comments like this...I can't believe what I'm hearing. He has an interesting pair of ears with what he hears that other people don't.
I'm working through the Rolling Stone discography, and currently have eight more records to go. Can't rank them just yet, but I'm having a lot of fun doing. I had to shake things up after the torture of Springsteen.
Interesting list. A few surprises, and of course, by that i mean that i don't agree with all your choices.. But that's why we do these things. It's cool to hear your thoughts. That said, the one real shocker for me is hearing you describe the jam that makes up the second half of Can't You Hear Me Knocking as boring aimless jamming. i really like the first half of the song, and that is one of Keef's slinkiest riffs, but the second half has always been such a lovely and inspiring groove/jam/solo/space for me.... really among my favourite musical moments of all in any genre. So.... shocking, but cool to hear you respond completely differently to it.
The only correct ranking lol: 1. Exile on Main Street (1972) 2. Sticky Fingers (1971) 3. Let it Bleed (1969) 4. Beggar’s Banquet (1968) 5. Aftermath (1966) 6. Between the Buttons (1967) 7. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) 8. December’s Children (1965) 9. Out of Our Heads (1965) 10. Tattoo You (1981) 11. Some Girls (1978) 12. Goats Head Soup (1973) 13. It’s Only Rock n’ Roll (1964) 14. Emotional Rescue (1980) 15. Black and Blue (1976) 16. The Rolling Stones, Now! 17. 12 X 5 (1964) 18. Hackney Diamonds (2023) 19. A Bigger Bang (2005) 20. England’s Newest Hit-Makers (1964) 21. Blue and Lonesome (2016) 22. Voodoo Lounge (1994) 23. Bridges to Babylon (1997) 24. Undercover (1983) 25. Steel Wheels (1989) 26. Dirty Work (1986)
I remember back in the late 1980s the classic rock format stations would pummel their listeners (me) with Brown Sugar, Bitch, You Can't Always Get What You Want and Honkey Tonk Women. I'm burnt on those and a couple others. I always go for the deep cuts when I listen to the Stones. Great video once again
An interesting ranking of their albums . I agree with your placing of Let it Bleed , which has a number of songs that I think are just ok . We diverge in opinion on Aftermath , in both it’s placing and the US vs. UK versions . I often rank it as my favourite, and I fully admit that sentimentality plays a major factor in that choice . I was 11 years old when I bought it in the mid 60s , and was immediately entranced . I am Waiting is a criminally overlooked track in their canon ( along with 100 Years Ago and Slave ) . That said , the rest of the album is great as well , and my version has to have Paint It , Black . I would love to have seen a single edit of Going Home as well , because the early part of the song is terrific. I still do enjoy the long version . Anyway , I enjoyed your thoughtful breakdown of their catalogue. Many thanks !!
It's weird to watch these old videos without the theme music; and without Ryan and Joe!! I like your Stones list a lot; Some Girls has held up extremely well. I agree pretty much all the way... (unlike your R.E.M. video, oh my gosh.. Reckoning at #9?... but we're different people with different ears.. I have much respect bro)
I'd love to see this countdown updated/rebooted, but I should point out that I dig this video a lot. Jason succinctly explains what he likes/dislikes about these records. I don't suffer from the same level of listener-fatigue on Gimme Shelter, You Can't Always Get What You Want, Paint It Black, and others, but I still understand how he feels. I don't see him changing his lineup all that much if and when he revisits it with Kram and Joe, but it would be interesting to see ... plus, I'd really love for Jason to count down his top 10 Stones songs. (An updated Tom Petty list would be terrific, too)
Right on at putting "Majesties" at five. It not chock-full of hits. There are a handful of songs that should have been left behind. But what you do have is a still-experimental and interesting band, taking chances and having some fun. It got a lukewarm welcome in its day and I understand that a lot of people were beginning to write the band off. So they came back, shrewdly, as a real beefy, riff-rockin', druggy rock and roll outfit. They really have never deviated from that since.
Everything from Steel Wheels onwards is "the Stones by numbers". Very formulaic; some rockers, a blues or country number and give Keith a lead vocal somewhere. To me they all meld into one another, not unpleasant listening but nothing memorable. "Blue and Lonesome" is at least something different!
Radio stations since the dawn of time will play the same songs from a band no matter how many albums have been released by the band. Some of the deeper cuts I find more interesting. Even when a DJ says on the radio call in and request a song, if the song is not part of their play list, they usually don't play the song. Once in a great while you may hear a deep cut, but don't hold your breath. I once called in to have them play the Stones Tell Me from their 1st album. Guess what, they didn't play the song.
Thank you for your opinion, very interesting, however I was thrilled at Blue and Lonesome. Is it because it's all covers why you put it at the bottom. The bluesharp is share genius and their deliveries are tight yet so natural. I would put that album at about #6. Some like coffee, some like tea, the Stones are just fabulous.
The fact that you listened to many songs too many times might indicate that they are great songs. Maybe the best LP's are those that contain the most songs that you are sick of. Just sayin'.
Wow, I thought I was alone in being left totally cold by Blue & Lonesome! I'm not totally sure if I'd put it dead last, but man, it's close as of right now. I'll have to give it another chance at some point. But around January 2016, almost a year before it came out, my ranking was: 1. Let It Bleed 2.Beggar's Banquet 3. Sticky Fingers 4. Between The Buttons 5. Aftermath 6. Exile On Main St. 7. Some Girls 8. Their Satanic Majesties Request 9. Goats Head Soup 10. The Rolling Stones, Now! 11. Tattoo You 12. Black And Blue 13. England's Newest Hitmakers 14. Out Of Our Heads 15. 12 x 5 16. A Bigger Bang 17. December's Children 18. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll 19. Voodoo Lounge 20. Steel Wheels 21. Bridges To Babylon 22. Emotional Rescue 23. Undercover 24. Dirty Work
Having It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll that low is certainly a choice. With epics like the title track, Time Waits For No One, and Fingerprint File, though, I don’t know how can anyone make a coherent argument for having it so low.
my top 10 1. Exile on Main Street- the harmonies and the raw rock, country and boogie woogie flavor is what get's me on this on Happy, Loving Cup, Sweet Virginia, Torn and Frayed, Rocks Off, the soul and gospel feel of Shine a Light and there is some genuine intoxicating joy not as dark and dreary. Marvelous Mississippi Mud Music made by Englishmen in France 2. Sticky Fingers 3. Let it Bleed replace Country Honk with Honky Tonk Woman and include live version of Midnight Rambler from Hot Rocks 4. Flowers 5. Beggar's Banquet 6. Between the Buttons 7. Aftermath 8. Goat's Head Soup 9. It's Only Rock and Roll 10. Some Girls 11. Tattoo You
Your #1 choice surprises me, but you make a compelling argument in its favor. I do agree that album is quite underrated. And you make a bold statement about "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'." I remember years ago I read a critic who described the second half of the song as weak Santana. I wish I could remember which critic to credit (or condemn, depending on your point of view). That same critic also said it had something of a down-market, sleazy lounge-lizard feel. Ever since I read that, I can't get it out of my mind whenever that song comes on. You can credit the Stones for experimenting here, but you are right: the first half of the song is one of the strongest songs they ever recorded. The second half is unfortunate. I wouldn't go so far as to say unlistenable, but it mars an otherwise great Rolling Stones track. Incidentally, you named a few songs as so overplayed as to not be welcomed to your ears anymore. I only agree with one of your selections: I could stand to never again hear "You Can't Always Get What You Want." I love the French horn at the beginning, and perhaps up through the first time we hear the chorus, but it just doesn't hold my interest for the whole length of the song.
I watched many ranking videos, but your's is absolutely cool 👌🏻it's so individual. No one puts Voodoo Lounge so high (Number 13 is high, although I'd put it in my Top 10 for now) and Some Girls on Number 1 is perfect, I love it. It's currently my favorite Stones record and I can't get enough of it. Even the Deluxe Songs are amazing and would've been great for a double album. And I understand that you're sick of Gimme Shelter and maybe Sympathy for the Devil, but come on not You can't always get what you want and Brown Sugar. I could listen to them every single day.
I like your list. Mostly because your high appreciation for Request and Goats Head Soup. I also never liked "Let It Bleed" very much, though I think Gimme Shelter is one of the best songs Stones ever did. I'll never get tired of it. I personally love Exile the most. It matches their groove and rawness and energy in the best way a record could do. It's definitely my number one. Some Girls is a good album, far better than its predecessor. But overall I don't have much to say about it. For me it sounds a little bit monotonous. Maybe it's because this album was influenced by punk rock, which I don't like.
They never did a completely bad record, but Undercover is close to it... the rest I fairly enjoy, although the stuff from 68-78 is my favourite. Top notch (These would also appear in a top 50 records for me) 1. Exile on Main St. 2. Sticky fingers 3. Let it bleed 4. Beggar's Banquet 5. Some Girls
Great video, what a refreshingly different order you have to most of the others. You have Satanic Majesties really high, which I think is fully justified. Really pleased to see thar Dirty Work is not bottom of your list too. I really like that album but have to admit, it does suffer by comparison to most of the albums before and after it. Bridges to Babylon is my least favourite.
Very strong run, agreed. So too Rubber Soul through Abbey Road (let's forget that Let it Be was recorded first!)- I think that makes 6. We might argue all day.
Mick himself said that “Satanic Majesty’s Request” had at most 2 good songs on it. They were high as a kite. “Let It Bleed” is great and just because of heavy airplay it should not be dismissed to such a degree.
I love Steel Wheels. Saw them on that tour at Busch Stadium in St. Louis in 1989. For me, Voodoo Lounge and Tattoo You are superior to Emotional Rescue and Sticky Fingers has always been my number one. All killer, no filler.
Very challenging list, which has made me completely re-evaluate Some Girls. I am still not totally convinced but will persevere. It is a pity the US and UK versions of the early material are at so much at odds and cloud the whole picture. The same problem bedevils evaluation of the Beatles' pre- Revolver recordings, perhaps to an even worse degree. My favourites are Beggars' Banquet and Let it Bleed followed by Exile and Sticky Fingers, then Buttons, Aftermath and Satanic. I remember at school when Sticky and Exile came out, nobody listened to anything else for months afterwards - they really had it licked (see what I did there?). The point you make about the Vietnam War is very interesting. Goats came out in '73 so technically before the US withdrawal, but for some reason, "Rock" music really did amalgamate itself with pop music some time between the start of 1972 and the end of 1973, and was never taken so reverentially again. Rock bands lost their kudos and the Emperor was suddenly seen to be wearing no clothes; they were slack-moraled, drunken, drug-taking spoilt and self-indulgent rich boys, rather than Messiahs. No more heroes any more . . . From Aftermath onwards the Stones' albums were pretty darn good, and they had a run of super singles rivalled only by The Beatles, The Who and perhaps the Kinks. Led Zep were never in the singles market, in the UK at least (although there was a pub in Shrewsbury with a super-cool jukebox that had Hey Hey What Can I Do and Immigrant Song as singles ono which we used to like). The Stones started as a singles band, as all bands were in the early 60s, became consummate masters of the album, then as the mid-70s progressed, and very definitely after Some Girls, produced less and less interesting albums, packed with filler and often enlivened only by 'the single', so they almost returned to being a singles band. That said I still regularly put on an album from Some Girls backwards and really really enjoy it as much as any music I could put on. The two compilations, 'Through the Past Darkly' and 'High Tide and Green Grass (or words to that effect)' complete a very brilliant picture. They have been well rewarded for their contribution to music . . .
I appreciate Jason's contrarian nature here. Besides his take on Can't You Hear Me Knocking and Paint It Black, he's on the money here. However, Beggar's Banquet is severely overrated.
“Their Satanic Majesties Request” is one of my favourite Stones albums! Why it got panned for years I’ve never understood.
@terryboipussypower
Keith himself hates it.
I like it.
@@maxcady9071 maybe this album contains too much pop songs, so far from their usual rock / blues style songs. However I like it too.
Also Let It Bleed is their best album by far. And Goat's Head Soup is definitely one of their best. Finally, Gimme Shelter is the best rock song ever recorded by any band in the world.
Gimme shelter is one of the greatest songs I've ever heard 👍
Yeah to me that song is top 5 all time with Like A Rolling Stone, Won't Get Fooled Again for Meaning and Posterity.The sad thing is as the same with those other 2, is it's perfection and there is no way Dylan,Stones, and Who, who did a lot of great stuff afterward could never top it, and will never be topped.
Live versions are great
Gimme Shelter is easily the best rock song ever recorded by any band in the world. If you disagree then go listen to your Monkees collection.
@@vernpascal1531Won't Get Fooled Again? Are you on drugs?
Some Girls is super-underrated. It's perfect. Its filled with rockers instead of ballads, the one acoustic song they did put on was great, and they saved the three best songs for last. But The Rolling Stones were never great because of their perfection, but instead because of the sloppiness, rawness and ferocity in their music, and because of that I simply must put Exile on Main Street as my number one. I used to hate that album so much, but its grown on me alot.
Donal Finn I really like sweet Virginia, shine a light, loving cup, and ventilator blues. I think all these songs are on the same level as rocks off and rip this joint imo
"I used to hate that album so much, but its grown on me alot." I remember wen I first heard it 25 years ago. I had seen it called as the second best album of all time in a book I checked out from my local library, and in the Rolling Stone guide to albums it was called the best double album of all time. so I was expecting something amazing. At the time I only knew a few Stones songs, and had never heard even one of these before. It started off good, the opening riff to Rocks Off was great and then those buried lyrics came in and I was like "what the??" I sat through the whole thing and kept thinking it was going to get better and it never really did...I just kept thing "This...is one of the all-time great albums? This terrible sounding mess with some truly bizarre songs ("Shake Your Hips", "I Just Want to See His Face") is supposed to be great?" I was so disappointed. I wasn't even sure If i'd ever listen to it again, but I gave it another try, and another, and another and every time it got a little better. And then one day it clicked, "Wow, this really is a great album, why did it take so long to realize that?" And now I think it's the greatest album of all time. Sure song for song it really isn't THAT great, there are several songs that taken individually are not good, but for some reason they make sense here.
Ras137 yeah it’s not really an album you’d expect from the stones but if you understand what you are going into it’s great
Some Girls underrated, in what universe?
Yea , the Digital Remix did Help quite a lot , i think and helped bring out some of the better , enhancing aspects of the Albums that the original Analog recording only Hinted At .
If i ever got tired of listening to Gimme Shelter, i'd throw away my headphones. ;-)
Same.
You're absolutely right about that I should have called the guy a knucklehead he has his opinions a lot of them albums are definitely not in the right spot especially Let It Bleed and I don't believe some girls is the number one album it's up there with the top but definitely not better than Sticky fingers I just think that he went by songs that he didn't like hearing no more you should have went by that
Yea , just because HE happens to be sick of hearing them dont make them BAD . quite the opposite . They TO THIS DAY get played a lot because they are Great. Classics .
I love Can’t you hear me knocking. The whole thing, every second. Mind numbing?? Unlistenable?? The jam, sax and guitar work are great! Wonder how you feel about it now since you did this. Also looking forward to the x3 version of this listography!! Coming soon??
maybe the worst take I've ever heard the whole song is incredible
@@hornyconvict Jason went to school for audio engineering and production. Once you have that kind of education, you won’t be able to hear stuff like the space jam of Can’t You Hear Me Knocking the same way again.
@@curly_wyn hmm yeah don't know about all that
Considering mick’s life partner committed suicide less than a decade ago, I don’t think, despite his wealth, he is arrogant for exploring many themes in Blue and Lonesome
I'd have to agree with you here. I'm sure Mick Jagger was devastated.
I agree 100%. I think it was partly because of Ron Wood being in the band. Ron is one of the most chill people on earth, and he perfectly mirrored Keith. Every song on this LP is good from start to finish!
Mick Taylor was much better in The Rolling Stones.
Thank you for speaking up for "Satanic Majesties' Request", a visionary masterpiece whose unique medieval dystopian vibe prefigures King Krimson and Pink Floyd.
The album is most often cited as a Sgt. Pepper clone, but it has much more in common with Piper at the Gates of Dawn. It's a very good, listenable album.
@@jimcharles9705 Yes
I do disagree with putting Blue and Lonesome at the very bottom, in my opinion it's their best album since Undercover.
My personal favorite is beggars banquet just because of how experimental it is. They use such a variety of different instruments throughout this whole album, jagger started writing crazy, offensive lyrics, it has Nicky Hopkins with his great blues style on the piano in many of the songs, and it sounds rough and raunchy asf!
The offensive lyrics pretty much were there from the get-go (case in point: Aftermath).
@@janpoelkamp4229 Yeah, The Rolling Stones are no strangers to misogyny, but I hate Under My Thumb since it has some of the most blatantly misogynistic lyrics I’ve ever heard. Only Nickelback and Limp Bizkit could be worse.
An excellent analysis. And like most good reviews contains more than it’s fair share of controversy. I could tear my hair out with some of your opinions, especially downgrading Let It Bleed simply because you’ve heard a couple songs too much, but hey, that’s what opinions are for. I especially like your defence of the post baby boomer generation who are perhaps more about the music than defending their particular space in history. You’re pretty brutal and I admire that.
Tattoo You #1, Sticky Fingers #2, December's children #3' Aftermath #4 Out of our Heads #5 Blue and Lonesome #6. Blessed Love
#1Tatoo you #2 Sticky Fingers #3 December's children #4 Out of our Heads #5 Let it Bleed #6 Blue and Lonesome
I guess a remaster might be on the way since Hackney Diamonds is coming out pretty soon? Don't know what to expect, but hopefully it'll be a little better than Blue & Lonesome (which isn't terrible, but it's a covers album). It's been a while since I listened to some of these, and I'm pretty sure a lot of albums would get higher ratings if/when I listen to them again.
25. Dirty Work (1986) ★★
24. Steel Wheels (1989) ★★½
23. Voodoo Lounge (1994) ★★½
22. Bridges to Babylon (1997) ★★½
21. Undercover (1983) ★★½
20. England's Newest Hit Makers (1964) ★★½
19. Blue & Lonesome (2016) ★★½
18. A Bigger Bang (2005) ★★½
17. December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965) ★★★
16. The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965) ★★★
15. 12 × 5 (1964) ★★★
14. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) ★★★
13. Black and Blue (1976) ★★★
12. Out of Our Heads (1965) ★★★
11. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (1974) ★★★
10. Aftermath (1966) ★★★
9. Emotional Rescue (1980) ★★★½
8. Tattoo You (1981) ★★★½
7. Goats Head Soup (1973) ★★★½
6. Between the Buttons (1967) ★★★★
5. Beggars Banquet (1968) ★★★★
4. Let It Bleed (1969) ★★★★
3. Sticky Fingers (1971) ★★★★½
2. Some Girls (1978) ★★★★★
1. Exile on Main St. (1972) ★★★★★
★★★★★ - Masterpiece
★★★★½ - Really great
★★★★ - Great
★★★½ - Really good
★★★ - Good
★★½ - OK
★★ - Bad
★½ - Really bad
★ - Awful
½ - The worst
Top 30 songs:
30. Salt of the Earth (1968)
29. Sway (1971)
28. Soul Survivor (1972)
27. Sympathy for the Devil (1968)
26. Time Is on My Side (1964)
25. Luxury (1974)
24. Let It Loose (1972)
23. She Was Hot (1983)
22. Under My Thumb (1966)
21. Loving Cup (1972)
20. Waiting on a Friend (1981)
19. Before They Make Me Run (1978)
18. Start Me Up (1981)
17. Let's Spend the Night Together (1967)
16. Let It Bleed (1969)
15. All Down the Line (1972)
14. It's All Over Now (1964)
13. Out of Control (1997)
12. Happy (1972)
11. Brown Sugar (1971)
10. Wild Horses (1971)
9. Tumbling Dice (1972)
8. Gimme Shelter (1969)
7. Hang Fire (1981)
6. Sweet Virginia (1972)
5. You Can't Always Get What You Want (1969)
4. Street Fighting Man (1968)
3. Honky Tonk Women (1969)
2. Dead Flowers (1971)
1. Rocks Off (1972)
Exile on Main St.: 8 songs
Sticky Fingers: 4 songs
Tattoo You: 3 songs
Let It Bleed: 3 songs
Beggars Banquet: 3 songs
12 X 5: 2 songs
Bridges to Babylon: 1 song
Undercover: 1 song
Some Girls: 1 song
It's Only Rock 'N' Roll: 1 song
Between the Buttons: 1 song
Aftermath: 1 song
Non-album tracks: 1 song
Good list. I particularly enjoy Between The Buttons and Their Satanic Majesties Request being appreciated. I also agree that Let It Bleed is the weakest of the big 4. However, "Live With Me" and "Monkey Man" would be two of my least favourite, not among my favourites. Some Girls has never appealed to me much, so it wouldn'the get anywhere near my top. I think Beggars Banquet and Exile On Main Street are arguably the Stones best.
Love love love black and blue
So underrated. Why don't you like it? "Because other people told me not to like it". Seems to have an unfair stigma. What's not to like about the Stones auditioning potential Taylor replacements in studio jam sessions and then putting it on an album? So, so tight. How can you not like Perkin's solo on Hand of Fate?, or Preston's Melody? or Wood's slide on Hey Negrita? He makes it scream. This is a great record. I have it at #5 after the big 4.
@@jamesreed6280 Personally, jammy Stones is my least favorite Stones, so Black and Blue doesn't fare that well in my book. Nothing to do with reputation though.
Greetings to Listography from England. I'm really enjoying the stuff you lads are putting up - well done - you have a great appreciation of English music - keep if up!
I'm also from England, though would not really call the Stones "English music" despite its creators all hailing from Blighty. It's American music to its core.
Love this guys no nonsense approach gets to the point Rather quickly
Whats great about this is that people like the Stones for so many different reasons ....his reasons are not mine .....
Some nice analysis of the albums. Keep up the good work.
Between the Buttons is such an underrated album. I prefer the British version with the exciting Bo Diddly inspired Please Go Home replacing Let's Spend the Night together. Also I agree the British version of Aftermath with the great Mother's Little Helper is better than the US version. Also good to see the much maligned Their Satanic Majesties getting positive comments. Would love to see another Stones listography with Joe and the other guy (can't remember his name).
I really enjoy your ranking videos. I love The Stones and probably would rank their early recordings higher than many fans, but I'd have the predictable Exile in 1st place, followed by the much less predictable Goats Head Soup in 2nd place. Frankly, I don't think there are any "bad" Stones albums, believe it or not. So a ranking of all of them would be very challenging. But thank you for taking the time to do it - very entertaining!
Thanks!
1. Exile On Main Street
2. Some Girls
3. Let It Bleed
4. Beggars Banquet
5. Sticky Fingers
6. Bridges To Babylon
7. Goats Head Soup
8. Tattoo You
9. Emotional Rescue
10. Voodoo Lounge
11. Aftermath (US Version)
12. It's Only Rock N Roll
13. Blue And Lonesome
14. Flowers
15. Black And Blue
16. Between The Buttons
17. 12 X 5
18. A Bigger Bang
19. Undercover
20. Out Of Our Heads
21. The Rolling Stones, Now!
22. The Rolling Stones
23. Their Satanic Majesties Request
24. Dirty Work
25. Steel Wheels
The Rolling Stones have the best 4 album run in music btw
My ranking
23. Dirty Work
22. Voodoo Lounge
21. Bridges To Babylon
20. Undercover
19. A Bigger Bang
18. Steel Wheels
17. The Rolling Stones
16. The Rolling Stones No. 2
15. Their Satanic Majesties Request
14. Out Of Our Heads
13. Black And Blue
12. Blue And Lonesome
11. Emotional Rescue
10. Between The Buttons
9. It's Only Rock' N Roll
8. Goat Heads Soup
7. Tattoo You
6. Aftermath
5. Exile On Main St.
4. Beggars Banquet
3. Some Girls
2. Sticky Fingers
1. Let It Bleed
You and the boys should definitely redo this ranking!! That would be a lot of fun!!
Oh, we will…someday.
@@TastesLikeMusic Heck Yeah!! You guys keep up the great work!!
My Top 25:
25. Debut
24. Now!
23. 12 X 5
22. Blue and Lonesome
21. December’s Children
20. Steel Wheels
19. Out of Our Heads
18. Dirty Work
17. Black and Blue
16. A Bigger Bang
15. Aftermath
14. It’s Only Rock and Roll
13. Bridges to Babylon
12. Emotional Rescue
11. Their Satanic Majesties Request
10. Between the Buttons
9. Undercover
8. Goats Head Soup
7. Voodoo Lounge
6. Some Girls
5. Tattoo You
4. Beggars Banquet
3. Let It Bleed
2. Stick Fingers
1. Exile on Main Street
and for extra credit:
My Top 10 fav songs:
10. Slave
9. Play With Fire
8. Wild Horses
7. Sway
6. She Was Hot
5. Star Star
4. Citadel
3. Little T&A
2. Lady Jane
1. Rocks Off
I am in greater agreement with your list than Tastes Like Music, and your Top 6 is much similar to mine. Great that you have Undercover at 9, but I put it ahead of Voodoo Lounge. I also have Out of Our Heads higher, and Their Satanic Majesties Request & Between the Buttons lower on my list. A solid list you have presented.
It was nice to hear Terrifying from Steel Wheels getting a mention. I've always liked that song but it's mostly ignored, even by people who enjoy that album. My favourite quote about Steel Wheels came from someone on the VC a while back - 'it sounds like it was recorded in an office'. I totally agree about Can't You Hear Me Knockin' going off into boring jam territory - it kind of spoils that album for me. Just out of interest, do you own any physical copies of the records you rank, or are you into streaming?
I worked in a record store for a decade so I have thousands of records and CDs. Unfortunately, I’ve had to keep most of them stored at my mom’s house in another city. I have a few hundred in my apartment. Mostly newer titles on vinyl. I do stream a lot as well.
I appreciate that you’ve been getting caught up on everything that you missed.
The best 10 albums of the first ten years of the Stones' US discography: (so, 1962-1972 -- all bands should have a shelf life of 10 years ideally)
1. Beggars Banquet (1968)
2. The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)
3. Let It Bleed (1969)
4. 12x5 (1964)
5. Exile On Main Street (1972)
6. Sticky Fingers (1971)
7. Aftermath (1966)
8. England's Newest Hit Makers (1964)
9. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
10. Between The Buttons (1967)
Love to see love for Their Satanic Majesties Request. Weird little details abound, sonic left turns taken, and the album is studded with secret hits (Citadel, Child of the Moon, 2000 Man)...
Child Of The Moon is from the Beggar’s Banquet sessions.
Fantastic album.
child of moon SHOULD have been on it 100%
Time for a re-mix of this list, I would love to hear what Kramzer and Joe think.
In time my friend. In time. - Joe
@@TastesLikeMusic About time now, Joe!
Time is on your side.
Favorites :
5) Some Girls (1978)
4) Beggars Banquet (1968)
3) Sticky Fingers (1971)
2) Exile On Main St (1972)
1) Let It Bleed (1969)
she’s so cold!! love that song, i also like the x3 reviews you guys have been doing. (new to me anyway), there’s something there.
You being tired of hearing a song played on the radio has nothing to do with the song's quality. That goes way beyond taste & preference. If you don't want to hear any rock song overplayed, don't listen to lousy 'classic' rock stations.
"Generic Stones" and Stones "filler" are still better than "original" tracks by most other bands out there !
I'd have to disagree with you and I think that Can you hear me knocking is awesome ALL THE WAY THRU, and the part you didn't like, the extended horn jam portion, is fantastic. Find it hard to believe anyone would look at it like that. It's hard to argue with you that songs like Brown Sugar and similar ones truly have been played so much that one can be tired of them. I give them kudos , though.
I agree 100% re: Can’t You Hear Me Knocking. In my top 10 tunes of all time. Never ever get bored of listening to it. Jason’s choices often leave me scratching my head!
@@jemf4541 heck ya dude totally
My list:
25. Dirty Work - No Stones album is terrible. But this one might actually be.
24. Their Satanic Majesties Request - She's a Rainbow and 2000 Light Years From Home are two of the best songs I've ever heard. Citadel isn't as good as that, but it's great.
23. Undercover - The title track and She Was Hot are great.
22. Emotional Rescue - The title track and She's So Cold are great.
21. 12 X 5 - Enjoyable, early Stones album.
20. The Rolling Stones, Now! - Another enjoyable early Stones album
19. England's Newest Hit Makers - The one that started it all is really good. 8/10 yet it's still #19.
18. Steel Wheels - Fun enough listen.
17. Bridges to Babylon - Too much material, which was a common trend in the 90s.
16. A Bigger Bang - Could've been higher, but again, too much material.
15. Blue and Lonesome - Not a bad album to end their career with, and a great album for guys in their 70s.
14. Some Girls - A bunch of fun.
13. It's Only Rock 'n Roll - Really underrated 70s rock and roll album.
12. December's Children (And Everybody's) - In many ways, it has Out of Our Heads 2.0 but I still love this album
11. Voodoo Lounge - A late Stones album so high up? I know it has too much material, but I think all the songs on here are great.
10. Tattoo You - There's Start Me Up, obviously, but every other song on this album is just as good if not better.
9. Between the Buttons - Along with Aftermath, this is where I feel the Stones found their form.
8. Out of Our Heads - Great classic album that is probably a 10/10 and it's still #8.
7. Goats Head Soup - The 2nd-most underrated Stones album. I actually don't like Angie all that much, but other than that, this is a great album.
6. Black and Blue - A classic that is so overly hated for no reason.
5. Aftermath - Paint It Black is obviously a masterpiece, but I love all the other songs on here.
4. Exile on Main St. - Rocks Off, Rip This Joint, Tumbling Dice and Happy as an EP would be enough to crack my top 5. But there's all the other greats, too.
3. Sticky Fingers - Classic record. Every song is a masterpiece, especially Brown Sugar.
2. Let It Bleed - Gimme Shelter is the greatest song I've ever heard, but this album also has Midnight Rambler, Monkey Man, and a bunch of other greats
1. Beggars Banquet - Might be #1 because of some nostalgia, but I think this is my favorite Stones album. Classic, classic album.
My 2nd favorite band of all time, behind the Who.
Damn I have MUCH respect for your number one pick. It’s also my favorite from the stones
I appreciate your videos man. Not always agree but I like it.
I was not prepared for the slandering of “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”.
Right on! Finally someone who doesn't have Let it Bleed at one or two! I like it at eight!
I don't want to argue about YOUR list. Every Rolling Stones album deserves to be there. It just depends on your taste. However, Gimme Shelter! No sorry, I can't let you get away with dissing what is MY all time favourite Rolling Stones song! That apart, interesting list.
Interesting list and very enjoyable video, really well done...totally agree that Emotional Rescue and Goats Head Soup are better than most people credit. My personal favorite is Sticky Fingers but I consider Let It Bleed to be an absolutely perfect record. I totally get your point about songs being overplayed but that shouldn't count against them---thats not the band's fault. Gimme Shelter is overplayed, yes, no doubt. Its also one of the greatest songs ever written and it encapsulates the end of the '60's perfectly and has some of the most haunting guitar and percussion sounds ever put to tape imho.
You guys need to do this again
good to see satanic get a mention for what it is and not for how inferior it is compared to sgt peppers, satanic is indeed more psychadelic than people realise. and buttons getting a high ranking to, thats underrated as well.
Their majesties better than Let it Bleed? Are you kidding me?
IMO, it is their best (their wildest)
@@daanpauwels2280 I'm with you there. Brilliant, visionary, unique. (Not to say Let It Bleed is less than great.)
Not sure what he's talking about but the jam off CYHMK is phenomenal. And from 68-74 nobody was better.
I agree - one of my favorite guitar solos ever in "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?" When the other guys are knocking Jay, I want to tell them to back off, that people's opinions are people's opinions. When he makes comments like this...I can't believe what I'm hearing. He has an interesting pair of ears with what he hears that other people don't.
He seems likely he’s just a wally
I agree with him on that. Don't care for the long jam.
I'm working through the Rolling Stone discography, and currently have eight more records to go. Can't rank them just yet, but I'm having a lot of fun doing. I had to shake things up after the torture of Springsteen.
Same here. Currently I'm listening to Dirty Work, but I've already heard Voodoo Lounge and I love it. So three more to go for me. Where are you at?
Interesting list. A few surprises, and of course, by that i mean that i don't agree with all your choices.. But that's why we do these things. It's cool to hear your thoughts. That said, the one real shocker for me is hearing you describe the jam that makes up the second half of Can't You Hear Me Knocking as boring aimless jamming. i really like the first half of the song, and that is one of Keef's slinkiest riffs, but the second half has always been such a lovely and inspiring groove/jam/solo/space for me.... really among my favourite musical moments of all in any genre. So.... shocking, but cool to hear you respond completely differently to it.
The only correct ranking lol:
1. Exile on Main Street (1972)
2. Sticky Fingers (1971)
3. Let it Bleed (1969)
4. Beggar’s Banquet (1968)
5. Aftermath (1966)
6. Between the Buttons (1967)
7. Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
8. December’s Children (1965)
9. Out of Our Heads (1965)
10. Tattoo You (1981)
11. Some Girls (1978)
12. Goats Head Soup (1973)
13. It’s Only Rock n’ Roll (1964)
14. Emotional Rescue (1980)
15. Black and Blue (1976)
16. The Rolling Stones, Now!
17. 12 X 5 (1964)
18. Hackney Diamonds (2023)
19. A Bigger Bang (2005)
20. England’s Newest Hit-Makers (1964)
21. Blue and Lonesome (2016)
22. Voodoo Lounge (1994)
23. Bridges to Babylon (1997)
24. Undercover (1983)
25. Steel Wheels (1989)
26. Dirty Work (1986)
Oh nice, Some Girls is also my favorite! I do tend to put Tattoo You right behind it, because that was the first stones album I ever listened to
I remember back in the late 1980s the classic rock format stations would pummel their listeners (me) with Brown Sugar, Bitch, You Can't Always Get What You Want and Honkey Tonk Women. I'm burnt on those and a couple others. I always go for the deep cuts when I listen to the Stones. Great video once again
kevtruth Agreed
i prefer stones deep cuts to, citadel, cool calm collected, jigsaw puzzle, winter, slave and many more.
An interesting ranking of their albums . I agree with your placing of Let it Bleed , which has a number of songs that I think are just ok . We diverge in opinion on Aftermath , in both it’s placing and the US vs. UK versions . I often rank it as my favourite, and I fully admit that sentimentality plays a major factor in that choice . I was 11 years old when I bought it in the mid 60s , and was immediately entranced . I am Waiting is a criminally overlooked track in their canon ( along with 100 Years Ago and Slave ) . That said , the rest of the album is great as well , and my version has to have Paint It , Black . I would love to have seen a single edit of Going Home as well , because the early part of the song is terrific. I still do enjoy the long version . Anyway , I enjoyed your thoughtful breakdown of their catalogue. Many thanks !!
Hi.
Totally agree with you considering the lenght of some albums.
40 Minutes is enough, just like the vinyls.
If you discount Exile many of the Stones’ ‘classic era’ (mid-60’s to ‘81) albums actually approach 50 minutes (UK Aftermath is 55 minutes!!).
totally agree with Some Girls, released at the back end of Punk, it showed great Rock will always survive
The whip comes down.
R & R did NOT survive. Sorry to inform you.
It's weird to watch these old videos without the theme music; and without Ryan and Joe!!
I like your Stones list a lot; Some Girls has held up extremely well. I agree pretty much all the way...
(unlike your R.E.M. video, oh my gosh.. Reckoning at #9?... but we're different people with different ears.. I have much respect bro)
I have watched all of your group top album lists. You and I are on a different planet.
I'd love to see this countdown updated/rebooted, but I should point out that I dig this video a lot. Jason succinctly explains what he likes/dislikes about these records. I don't suffer from the same level of listener-fatigue on Gimme Shelter, You Can't Always Get What You Want, Paint It Black, and others, but I still understand how he feels. I don't see him changing his lineup all that much if and when he revisits it with Kram and Joe, but it would be interesting to see ... plus, I'd really love for Jason to count down his top 10 Stones songs. (An updated Tom Petty list would be terrific, too)
Right on at putting "Majesties" at five. It not chock-full of hits. There are a handful of songs that should have been left behind. But what you do have is a still-experimental and interesting band, taking chances and having some fun. It got a lukewarm welcome in its day and I understand that a lot of people were beginning to write the band off. So they came back, shrewdly, as a real beefy, riff-rockin', druggy rock and roll outfit. They really have never deviated from that since.
Everything from Steel Wheels onwards is "the Stones by numbers". Very formulaic; some rockers, a blues or country number and give Keith a lead vocal somewhere. To me they all meld into one another, not unpleasant listening but nothing memorable. "Blue and Lonesome" is at least something different!
interesting order that i thought you explained really well👍🏻always love positive remarks about emotional one of my favourites start to finish🎸
Bridges To Babylon is underrated
If I was offered a free cup of coffee or a free copy of voodoo lounge I'd take the coffee.
Its pretty much the point they realized they didn't even have to try any more, the money was just going to roll in nonetheless.
Radio stations since the dawn of time will play the same songs from a band no matter how many albums have been released by the band. Some of the deeper cuts I find more interesting. Even when a DJ says on the radio call in and request a song, if the song is not part of their play list, they usually don't play the song. Once in a great while you may hear a deep cut, but don't hold your breath. I once called in to have them play the Stones Tell Me from their 1st album. Guess what, they didn't play the song.
Some bizarre selections here! You need to urgently redo this list with the 3 of you.
Another great video 👍🏻
Thank you for your opinion, very interesting, however I was thrilled at Blue and Lonesome. Is it because it's all covers why you put it at the bottom. The bluesharp is share genius and their deliveries are tight yet so natural. I would put that album at about #6. Some like coffee, some like tea, the Stones are just fabulous.
The fact that you listened to many songs too many times might indicate that they are great songs. Maybe the best LP's are those that contain the most songs that you are sick of. Just sayin'.
Wow, I thought I was alone in being left totally cold by Blue & Lonesome! I'm not totally sure if I'd put it dead last, but man, it's close as of right now. I'll have to give it another chance at some point. But around January 2016, almost a year before it came out, my ranking was: 1. Let It Bleed 2.Beggar's Banquet 3. Sticky Fingers 4. Between The Buttons 5. Aftermath 6. Exile On Main St. 7. Some Girls 8. Their Satanic Majesties Request 9. Goats Head Soup 10. The Rolling Stones, Now! 11. Tattoo You 12. Black And Blue 13. England's Newest Hitmakers 14. Out Of Our Heads 15. 12 x 5 16. A Bigger Bang 17. December's Children 18. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll 19. Voodoo Lounge 20. Steel Wheels 21. Bridges To Babylon 22. Emotional Rescue 23. Undercover 24. Dirty Work
Having It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll that low is certainly a choice. With epics like the title track, Time Waits For No One, and Fingerprint File, though, I don’t know how can anyone make a coherent argument for having it so low.
Moonlight Mile is their best song and a top 5 song period
Why haven’t you guys done a remaster of this, Jason? We gotta get Joe and Kramzer’s take.
my top 10
1. Exile on Main Street- the harmonies and the raw rock, country and boogie woogie flavor is what get's me on this on Happy, Loving Cup, Sweet Virginia, Torn and Frayed, Rocks Off, the soul and gospel feel of Shine a Light and there is some genuine intoxicating joy not as dark and dreary. Marvelous Mississippi Mud Music made by Englishmen in France
2. Sticky Fingers
3. Let it Bleed replace Country Honk with Honky Tonk Woman and include live version of Midnight Rambler from Hot Rocks
4. Flowers
5. Beggar's Banquet
6. Between the Buttons
7. Aftermath
8. Goat's Head Soup
9. It's Only Rock and Roll
10. Some Girls
11. Tattoo You
What did I buy my 30 year old daughter, newly into vinyl and keen to expand her record collection, for Christmas? “Some Girls”, of course .
Your #1 choice surprises me, but you make a compelling argument in its favor. I do agree that album is quite underrated.
And you make a bold statement about "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'." I remember years ago I read a critic who described the second half of the song as weak Santana. I wish I could remember which critic to credit (or condemn, depending on your point of view). That same critic also said it had something of a down-market, sleazy lounge-lizard feel. Ever since I read that, I can't get it out of my mind whenever that song comes on. You can credit the Stones for experimenting here, but you are right: the first half of the song is one of the strongest songs they ever recorded. The second half is unfortunate. I wouldn't go so far as to say unlistenable, but it mars an otherwise great Rolling Stones track.
Incidentally, you named a few songs as so overplayed as to not be welcomed to your ears anymore. I only agree with one of your selections: I could stand to never again hear "You Can't Always Get What You Want." I love the French horn at the beginning, and perhaps up through the first time we hear the chorus, but it just doesn't hold my interest for the whole length of the song.
Let it Bleed is The Rolling Stones' best album, along with Sticky Fingers. He doesn't know what he's talking about ✌️
1. Satanic majesties
2. Some girls
3. Beggars banquet
4. Sticky fingers
5.exile on main st
Hurray for Satanic Majesties
I love I'm Free, one of my favorites from college. Also, Aftermath def belongs at Number One.
I watched many ranking videos, but your's is absolutely cool 👌🏻it's so individual. No one puts Voodoo Lounge so high (Number 13 is high, although I'd put it in my Top 10 for now) and Some Girls on Number 1 is perfect, I love it. It's currently my favorite Stones record and I can't get enough of it. Even the Deluxe Songs are amazing and would've been great for a double album.
And I understand that you're sick of Gimme Shelter and maybe Sympathy for the Devil, but come on not You can't always get what you want and Brown Sugar. I could listen to them every single day.
I'd call “Their Satanic Majesties Request” a guilty pleasure but I don't feel guilty. It definitely belongs in the top ten.
Beggars Let it Bleed Sticky Exile 5 greatest Stones albums
I like your list. Mostly because your high appreciation for Request and Goats Head Soup. I also never liked "Let It Bleed" very much, though I think Gimme Shelter is one of the best songs Stones ever did. I'll never get tired of it. I personally love Exile the most. It matches their groove and rawness and energy in the best way a record could do. It's definitely my number one. Some Girls is a good album, far better than its predecessor. But overall I don't have much to say about it. For me it sounds a little bit monotonous. Maybe it's because this album was influenced by punk rock, which I don't like.
They never did a completely bad record, but Undercover is close to it... the rest I fairly enjoy, although the stuff from 68-78 is my favourite.
Top notch (These would also appear in a top 50 records for me)
1. Exile on Main St.
2. Sticky fingers
3. Let it bleed
4. Beggar's Banquet
5. Some Girls
Dirty Work is just straight up bad.
Y’all need to do this again but with the trio!
Oh, we will.
You didn’t smile once. Were you in pain?
Best album through the past darkly best song heart of stone
not a bad list! but i would put 'bigger bang' at 2nd-worst. "banquet' deserves #1, just stunning thruout
there's no question in my mind some girls was their last victory lap. anything since is nostalgic for what they once were.
Great video, what a refreshingly different order you have to most of the others. You have Satanic Majesties really high, which I think is fully justified. Really pleased to see thar Dirty Work is not bottom of your list too. I really like that album but have to admit, it does suffer by comparison to most of the albums before and after it. Bridges to Babylon is my least favourite.
I agreed with the first half. The Mick Taylor records are the finest 5 album run in rock history. Maybe a truncated Exile at the top.
Very strong run, agreed. So too Rubber Soul through Abbey Road (let's forget that Let it Be was recorded first!)- I think that makes 6. We might argue all day.
Am l the only one who loves “Winning Ugly” from Dirty Work? I concur with your number one, Some Girls is my favorite as well.
Dam the compation I love ❤ winning ugly!
Winning Ugly is embarrassing. With its full 80s sound of gated reverb drums and gaudy synths, it sounds nothing like the Stones.
Fight, Had it With You, Dirty Work good songs
I don't get why people like Some Girls so much. To me it's a novelty album, mostly. To compare it to Exile is absurd.
I actually like Blue and Lonesome. There's nothing wrong with Paint it Black. It's my favorite Rolling Stones song.
The albums with Brian Jones are the best. After his demise it went slowly downhill. Saw them life in 83 though and was blown of my feet.
I definitely agree that Exile and Some Girls are the best. I’d love to see a list of Squeeze or Clash albums.
Mick himself said that “Satanic Majesty’s Request” had at most 2 good songs on it. They were high as a kite. “Let It Bleed” is great and just because of heavy airplay it should not be dismissed to such a degree.
Don’t know what to tell ya…Mick is wrong
I love Steel Wheels. Saw them on that tour at Busch Stadium in St. Louis in 1989. For me, Voodoo Lounge and Tattoo You are superior to Emotional Rescue and Sticky Fingers has always been my number one. All killer, no filler.
I too saw them in St. Louis in 1989.
Passin' Wabash Trash.
Steel Wheels is not very good.
@@curly_wyn Respectfully disagree. I love it.
I think your criticism of Exile fits better on albums like The White Album.
Yeah. The White Album, contrary to what Jason and Kram say, is not perfect. It’s a 30-song double album…that probably could been an EP.
Very challenging list, which has made me completely re-evaluate Some Girls. I am still not totally convinced but will persevere. It is a pity the US and UK versions of the early material are at so much at odds and cloud the whole picture. The same problem bedevils evaluation of the Beatles' pre- Revolver recordings, perhaps to an even worse degree. My favourites are Beggars' Banquet and Let it Bleed followed by Exile and Sticky Fingers, then Buttons, Aftermath and Satanic. I remember at school when Sticky and Exile came out, nobody listened to anything else for months afterwards - they really had it licked (see what I did there?). The point you make about the Vietnam War is very interesting. Goats came out in '73 so technically before the US withdrawal, but for some reason, "Rock" music really did amalgamate itself with pop music some time between the start of 1972 and the end of 1973, and was never taken so reverentially again. Rock bands lost their kudos and the Emperor was suddenly seen to be wearing no clothes; they were slack-moraled, drunken, drug-taking spoilt and self-indulgent rich boys, rather than Messiahs. No more heroes any more . . .
From Aftermath onwards the Stones' albums were pretty darn good, and they had a run of super singles rivalled only by The Beatles, The Who and perhaps the Kinks. Led Zep were never in the singles market, in the UK at least (although there was a pub in Shrewsbury with a super-cool jukebox that had Hey Hey What Can I Do and Immigrant Song as singles ono which we used to like). The Stones started as a singles band, as all bands were in the early 60s, became consummate masters of the album, then as the mid-70s progressed, and very definitely after Some Girls, produced less and less interesting albums, packed with filler and often enlivened only by 'the single', so they almost returned to being a singles band. That said I still regularly put on an album from Some Girls backwards and really really enjoy it as much as any music I could put on. The two compilations, 'Through the Past Darkly' and 'High Tide and Green Grass (or words to that effect)' complete a very brilliant picture. They have been well rewarded for their contribution to music . . .
I appreciate Jason's contrarian nature here. Besides his take on Can't You Hear Me Knocking and Paint It Black, he's on the money here. However, Beggar's Banquet is severely overrated.
Thats a shocker of a list!