Tuesday, October 26, 2021

The Rolling Stones’ Top 100 Songs/Studio Albums Ranked

The Rolling Stones

Top 100 Songs/Studio Albums Ranked

Revered as the world’s all-time greatest rock and roll band. Formed in London, England in 1962. Singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards became childhood friends in 1950 and reconnected in 1961 over their shared interest in Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters. The two of them and Dick Taylor (bass: 1962-63), who had been in a garage band with Jagger, started playing together. They connected with Blues Incorporated members Brian Jones (guitar: 1963-69), Ian Stewart (keyboards: 1963-85), and Charlie Watts (drums: 1963-2021). They formed a band focused on playing covers of Chicago blues, naming themselves after a Muddy Waters’ song. They were managed by Andrew Loog Oldham (1963-67) who promoted them as bad boys in contrast to the Beatles.

Other members included Mick Avory (drums: 1963), Nicky Hopkins (keyboards: 1967-82), Darryl Jones (bass: 1994-95), Chuck Leavell (keyboards: 1982-), Ian McLagan (keyboards: 1978-81), Jack Nitzsche (keyboards: 1965-71), Billy Preston (keyboards: 1971-81), Mick Taylor (guitar: 1969-75), Ronnie Wood (guitar: 1975-present), and Bill Wyman (bass: 1962-92).

Two of their songs (“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and “Honky Tonk Women”) are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, 1954-1999. Four of their albums – Beggars Banquet (1968), Let It Bleed (1969), Sticky Fingers (1971), and Exile on Main St. (1972) – are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of All Time.

Click here to see other best-of lists from performers and here to see other best-of lists from songwriters and/or producers.

Spotify Podcast:

Check out Dave’s Music Database podcast: The Rolling Stones’ Tattoo You: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary. It premieres October 26, 2021 at 7pm CST. Tune in every Tuesday at 7pm for a new episode based on the lists at Dave’s Music Database.

Awards:

Top 100 Songs

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to singles charts.)

DMDB Top 1%:

1. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (1965) #1 US, CB, UK, AU
2. Honky Tonk Women (1969) #1 US, CB, UK, AU
3. Paint It Black (1966) #1 US, CB, UK, CN, AU
4. Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1968) #1 CB, UK
5. Sympathy for the Devil (1968)
6. Brown Sugar (1971) #1 US, CN
7. Gimme Shelter (1969)
8. Start Me Up (1981) #1 AR, AU
9. Angie (1973) #1 US, CB, CN, AU
10. You Can’t Always Get What You Want (1969) #1 AU
11. Miss You (1978) #1 US, CB, CN

DMDB Top 2%:

12. Get Off of My Cloud (1965) #1 US, CB, UK, CN
13. Ruby Tuesday (1967) #1 US, CB
14. Wild Horses (1971)

DMDB Top 5%:

15. Tumbling Dice (1972)
16. It’s Only Rock and Roll (But I Like It) (1974)
17. Beast of Burden (1978)
18. 19th Nervous Breakdown (1966)
19. The Last Time (1965) #1 UK
20. Mother’s Little Helper (1966)

21. Time Is on My Side (1964)
22. As Tears Go By (1965) #1 CN
23. Street Fighting Man (1968)
24. It’s All Over Now (1964) #1 UK
25. She’s a Rainbow (1967)
26. Let’s Spend the Night Together (1967)
27. Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) (1973)
28. She’s So Cold (1980)

DMDB Top 10%:

29. Under My Thumb (1966)
30. Shattered (1978)

31. Fool to Cry (1976)
32. Waiting on a Friend (1981)
33. Emotional Rescue (1980) #1 CN
34. Happy (1972)
35. We Love You (1967)
36. Mixed Emotions (1989) #1 CN, AR
37. Undercover of the Night (1983)
38. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows? (1966)
39. Heart of Stone (1964)
40. Love Is Strong (1994)

41. Tell Me (You’re Coming Back) (1964)
42. Not Fade Away (1964)
43. Harlem Shuffle (1986)

DMDB Top 20%:

44. 2000 Light Years from Home (1967)
45. Play with Fire (1965)
46. Out of Tears (1994)
47. Anybody Seen My Baby? (1997) #1 CN
48. Rock and a Hard Place (1989) #1 AR
49. Ain’t Too Proud to Beg (1974)
50. Out of Time (1966)

51. Little Red Rooster (1964) #1 UK
52. Dandelion (1967)
53. Hang Fire (1981)
54. Lady Jane (1966)
55. Midnight Rambler (1979)
56. You Got Me Rocking (1994)
57. High Wire (1991) #1 AR
58. Bitch (1971)
59. Saint of Me (1997)
60. One Hit to the Body (1986)

61. Let It Bleed (1969)
62. Going to a Go-Go (live) (1982)
63. Almost Hear You Sigh (1989) #1 AR
64. Like a Rolling Stone (live, 1995)
65. She Was Hot (1983)
66. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking (1971)
67. All Down the Line (1972)
68. Moonlight Mile (1971)
69. Hot Stuff (1976)
70. Memory Motel (1976)
71. I Wanna Be Your Man (1963)
72. Far Away Eyes (1978)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

73. Sister Morphine (1971)
74. Don’t Stop (2002)
75. Living in a Ghost Town (2020)
76. No Expectations (1968)
77. I Go Wild (1994)
78. I’m Free (1965)
79. I Don’t Know Why I Love You (1969)
80. Monkey Man (1969)

81. Come On (1963)
82. Respectable (1978)
83. Rough Justice (2005)
84. Get Your Kicks on Route 66 (1964)
85. Sway (1971)
86. Rain Fall Down (2005)
87. Dead Flowers (1971)
88. Sparks Will Fly (1994)
89. When the Whip Comes Down (1978)
90. Doom and Gloom (2012)

91. Little T & A (1981)
92. Good Times, Bad Times (1964)
93. Plundered My Soul (1972/2010)
94. Under the Boardwalk (1964) #1 AU
95. Rip This Joint (1972)
96. Terrifying (1989)
97. Shine a Light (1972)
98. I Just Want to Make Love to You (1964)
99. Rocks Off (1972)
100. Just Your Fool (2016)