Biography
The Rolling Stones: Six Decades of Rock and Roll
Formation and Early Years
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met as children in Dartford, Kent, and reconnected in 1961 over a shared love of Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry records. By early 1962 they were jamming with Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, and Dick Taylor in a group Jones named after the Muddy Waters track "Rollin' Stone." The band played their first show as "the Rollin' Stones" at the Marquee Club on 12 July 1962. After several lineup changes, the classic formation solidified in February 1963 with Jagger, Jones, Richards, Stewart, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts. Manager Andrew Loog Oldham soon repositioned them as the ragged, rebellious foil to the Beatles, and Stewart was moved to road manager and session keyboardist while the band's image embraced long hair, mismatched clothes, and a deliberately unpolished attitude.
The British Invasion and Breakthrough
The Stones' debut single, a cover of Chuck Berry's "Come On," reached the UK top 20 in June 1963. Their first UK number one came with "It's All Over Now" in July 1964, followed by "Little Red Rooster" that November. The band's first US tour in June 1964 was difficult, but "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — its iconic riff conceived by Richards in a dream — topped charts worldwide in 1965 and became the anthem of a generation. "Get Off of My Cloud" and "Paint It Black" followed to number one, establishing the Jagger–Richards songwriting partnership as a dominant commercial force. Their 1966 album Aftermath, recorded entirely on original material, showcased expanding musical ambition with tracks like "Under My Thumb" and "Mother's Little Helper."
Psychedelia, Tragedy, and a Return to Roots
The band experimented with psychedelic rock on Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967), a lavish production that divided critics. Meanwhile, Brian Jones's escalating drug use and legal troubles marginalized him within the group. In June 1969, Jones left the band; weeks later he was found dead in his swimming pool at age 27. His replacement, 20-year-old Mick Taylor, made his live debut at the free Hyde Park concert two days after Jones's death, where Jagger read Shelley's "Adonais" and released thousands of butterflies. The single "Honky Tonk Women" and the album Let It Bleed — featuring "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" — marked a decisive return to a lean, blues-inflected rock sound that would define the band's next decade.
The Golden Era: Sticky Fingers to Tattoo You
Freed from their Decca contract, the Stones launched Rolling Stones Records in 1970 with the iconic tongue-and-lips logo. Sticky Fingers (1971) and Exile on Main St. (1972) stand as twin peaks: the former introduced "Brown Sugar" and "Wild Horses," the latter a sprawling double album recorded partly at Nellcôte in the South of France, yielding "Tumbling Dice" and "Happy." Goats Head Soup (1973) produced the ballad "Angie," while It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974) and Black and Blue (1976) bridged Taylor's tenure. Ronnie Wood, formerly of the Faces, joined full-time in 1975, his fluid interplay with Richards revitalizing the band's dual-guitar attack. Some Girls (1978) fused disco, punk, and country into a lean, contemporary sound; "Miss You" became their eighth US number one. Tattoo You (1981), assembled from vault tracks, delivered "Start Me Up" and "Waiting on a Friend" and supported a massive stadium tour filmed for Let's Spend the Night Together.
Turmoil, Comeback, and Stadium Dominance
The 1980s brought creative friction between Jagger and Richards, solo projects, and declining commercial returns on Undercover (1983) and Dirty Work (1986). A near-breakup was averted when the pair reunited for Steel Wheels (1989), a critical and commercial resurgence that launched a record-breaking world tour. Bill Wyman departed in 1993, replaced by longtime session bassist Darryl Jones. Voodoo Lounge (1994) won the Grammy for Best Rock Album and spawned another massive tour. Bridges to Babylon (1997) and A Bigger Bang (2005) continued the pattern of new albums anchoring global stadium circuits. By 2007 the Stones had broken the all-time highest-grossing tour record three times, cementing their status as the premier live act in rock history.
Late-Career Triumphs and Continuity
The band marked their 50th anniversary in 2012 with the GRRR! compilation and a brief run of arena shows featuring guest appearances by Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman. Blue & Lonesome (2016), a raw set of Chicago blues covers recorded in three days, won the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album and debuted at number one in the UK. Charlie Watts's death in August 2021 ended his 58-year tenure; Steve Jordan, a longtime collaborator, assumed the drum chair with the blessing of the surviving members. Hackney Diamonds (2023), the first album of new original material since A Bigger Bang, featured guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Elton John, Lady Gaga, and Stevie Wonder, and won the Grammy for Best Rock Album at the 2025 ceremony. Foreign Tongues (2026), a collection of live and studio tracks, became the band's fifteenth UK number-one album, tying the Beatles for second-most in chart history.
Selected moments
Career highlights
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Formation at the Marquee Club
The band plays their first show billed as "the Rollin' Stones" at the Marquee Club in London on 12 July 1962, with a lineup of Jagger, Jones, Richards, Stewart, Taylor, and an unconfirmed drummer.
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"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" hits number one
The single tops the US Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's first transatlantic number one and a defining anthem of 1960s youth culture.
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Brian Jones departs; Hyde Park concert
Founding member Brian Jones leaves the band in June; he dies weeks later. Mick Taylor joins, and the band performs a memorial concert at Hyde Park before 250,000 people on 5 July 1969.
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Launch of Rolling Stones Records
The band forms their own label after their Decca contract expires; the iconic tongue-and-lips logo debuts. Sticky Fingers becomes the first release.
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Exile on Main St. released
The double album recorded at Nellcôte in France is widely regarded as the band's masterpiece, blending blues, country, gospel, and rock.
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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction
The band is inducted by Pete Townshend of the Who. Jagger, Richards, Wood, Taylor, Wyman, Watts, Jones, and Stewart are all honored.
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Voodoo Lounge wins Grammy
The album wins Best Rock Album at the 37th Grammy Awards, the band's first competitive Grammy win after 14 nominations.
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Blue & Lonesome tops UK chart
The blues-covers album debuts at number one on the UK Albums Chart, the band's first chart-topping studio album in 22 years.
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Hackney Diamonds released
First album of new original material in 18 years debuts at number one in the UK and wins Best Rock Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards.
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Foreign Tongues reaches UK number one
The live and studio compilation becomes the band's fifteenth UK number-one album, tying the Beatles for second-most in Official Albums Chart history.
Recognition
Major Awards and Honors
The Rolling Stones have won four competitive Grammy Awards from thirteen nominations, plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. Seven of their recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
- Grammy Wins
- 4
- Grammy Nominations
- 13
- Grammy Hall of Fame Inductions
- 7
| Year | Award | Category | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award | Lifetime AchievementWinner | |
| 1989 | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | PerformerWinner | |
| 1995 | Grammy Award | Best Rock AlbumWinner | Voodoo Lounge |
| 1995 | Grammy Award | Best Music Video, Short FormWinner | Love Is Strong |
| 2004 | UK Music Hall of Fame | InducteeWinner | |
| 2018 | Grammy Award | Best Traditional Blues AlbumWinner | Blue & Lonesome |
| 2025 | Grammy Award | Best Rock AlbumWinner | Hackney Diamonds |