Rolling Stones: Setlist From ‘Hackney Diamonds’ Tour Opening Night
The Rolling Stones kicked off their Hackney Diamonds tour last night (April 28) in Houston, Texas.
The 18-song setlist featured a mix of the iconic band’s classic hits and new songs from Hackney Diamonds. Among the new songs performed were “Angry,” “Mess It Up” and “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.” (The full setlist via Setlist.fm can be viewed below.)
The next stop on the Stones’ tour is on May 2 when they headline the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In addition to the Rolling Stones, other acts booked for the festival include Foo Fighters, Chris Stapleton, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, The Killers, Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals, Hozier, Jon Batiste, Queen Latifah, Vampire Weekend, Greta Van Fleet, Heart, Bonnie Rait and more.
Rolling Stones – 4/28/2024 Setlist – Houston, Texas – Opening Night of Hackney Diamonds Tour
Start Me Up
Get Off Of My Cloud
Rocks Off
Out of Time
Angry
Beast of Burden
Mess It Up
Tumbling Dice
You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Little T&A
Sympathy for the Devil
Gimme Shelter
Honky Tonk Women
Miss You
Paint It Black
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
ENCORE
Sweet Sounds of Heaven
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Hackney Diamonds
Hackney Diamonds, of course, was their first studio album of original material since 2005’s A Bigger Bang. The Stones announced the album in a press conference in September 2023 hosted by Jimmy Fallon.
During the press conference, Mick Jagger said of the album, “We wouldnât be putting this out now if we didnât really like it. We didnât want to make just any record and put it out. So we wanted to make a record.”
Jagger added, “Before we went in, we said we all want to make a record that we really love, ourselves. People may like it, other people may not. But we must say this, we are quite pleased with it. ⊠We hope youâll like it.”
Hackney Diamonds features some big guests. Ronnie Wood said during the presser that Lady Gaga sings on the track “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.” He also dropped Stevie Wonder’s name but didn’t specify what track he’d be on. Late drummer Charlie Watts is featured on two tracks with one of them being “Live By the Sword.”
Keith Richards provides vocals on “Tell Me Straight.” He playfully said of the song, “I can tell you straight that I have no idea what it’s about. He [pointing to Jagger] tried to steal it, so it must be good.”
Rolling Stones: Their 50 Best Songs Ranked
50. âStop Breaking Downâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareâStop Breaking Downâ is one of two covers found on âExile on Main St.â (Youâll see the other one later in this list.) The Stonesâ take on this Robert Johnson classic serves as a great reminder of the bandâs blues roots. Mick Jagger is, once again, dynamite on harmonica and Mick Taylorâs slide work is âchefâs kiss,â as the kids say.
49. âAinât Too Proud to Begâ – âItâs Only Rock ân Rollâ (1974)
ShareThis cover of the classic Temptations hit is loose, fun and infectious. Itâs no wonder it was a top 20 hit for the Stones on the Billboard Hot 100.
48. âAs Tears Go Byâ – âDecemberâs Children (And Everybodyâs)â (1965)
ShareMick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote this tender track along with their manager Andrew Loog Oldham. While the song was originally recorded by Marianne Faithfull and released in June 1964, the Stones would record and release their own version in December 1965, which would become the bandâs fifth top 10 single in the United States. âAs Tears Go Byâ has been covered by a variety of other artists, including Nancy Sinatra and Avenged Sevenfold.
47. âMotherâs Little Helperâ – âAftermathâ (1966)
ShareEchoing the themes of âthe problem that has no nameâ in Betty Friedanâs classic book âThe Feminine Mystique,â âMotherâs Little Helperâ is the cautionary tale of the daily struggle of medicated housewives of the 1960s who werenât satisfied with their lives. Itâs a song that 50+ years later that still resonates, because sometimes, what a drag it is being a mom and a wife.
46. âYou Got Me Rockingâ – âVoodoo Loungeâ (1994)
ShareFrom the moment Charlie Wattsâ drum fill kicks off âYou Got Me Rocking,â itâs difficult to not simply rock the f--- out. Itâs nothing fancy, but there has never been anything wrong with meat-and-potatoes rock and roll.
45. âIâm Freeâ – âDecemberâs Children (And Everybodyâs)â (1965)
ShareThere is an overall timelessness about the Rolling Stones, but there are certainly a number of songs from their early releases that simply just feel like the â60s. âIâm Freeâ is definitely one of them. Perhaps you can attribute that to the tambourine. You just donât hear a lot of tambourine anymore!
44. âGet Off of My Cloudâ – âDecemberâs Children (And Everybodyâs)â (1965)
ShareImagine writing an absolute classic like â(I Canât Get No) Satisfactionâ and then being tasked with following it up. While the Stones were enjoying their success, the record company was looking at their collective watch and wondering what was next. What they got was âGet Off of My Cloud,â a tune that is perhaps the most polite kiss-off in rock history.
43. âAnybody Seen My Baby?â – âBridges to Babylonâ (1997)
ShareThere is a lot going on with âAnybody Seen My Baby?â related to its creation. Itâs the only track from the Stones to feature sampling; in this case it was hip-hop artist Biz Markieâs âA One Two.â The song also famously features song credits for k.d. lang and Ben Mink for the chorus, because it resembled Langâs 1992 track âConstant Craving.â Oh, and an early 20-something Angelina Jolie is the star subject in the songâs music video. You also canât mention âAnybody Seen My Baby?â without tipping a cap to Jamie Muhoberac, whose bassline truly is the backbone of this haunting tune.
42. âLove Is Strongâ – âVoodoo Loungeâ (1994)
ShareâLove Is Strongâ marked a couple of firsts for the Stones: It was the first single from âVoodoo Lounge,â and, more importantly, it was the bandâs first single without Bill Wyman, the first lineup change in the band since Ronnie Wood joined in 1975. Despite the changes, the Stones stuck to what they did best on the track: sexy, hooky, blues-based rock, which led to them taking home the very first Best Rock Album Grammy Award in 1995.
41. âAll Down the Lineâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareFor pretty much any other band, âAll Down the Lineâ would be a single, but it was instead released as a b-side to âHappy.â This could be due to the Stonesâ messy legal battle with ABKCOâs Allen Klein who alleged the band wrote âAll Down the Lineâ and four other âExileâ tunes while still under contract with ABKCO. Legal issues aside, itâs an instant party of a track thanks to the trumpet and trombone work of Jim Price.
40. âShatteredâ – âSome Girlsâ (1978)
ShareâShatteredâ was a cheeky tribute to New York City that still rings true today. (âPride and joy and greed and sex/Thatâs what makes that town the best.â) âShatteredâ served as both the final single from âSome Girlsâ and the final single of the â70s from the Rolling Stones. If the band thought the â60s were a wild ride, the â70s was a whole new level. Also, kudos for the heavy use of the word âShadoobie.â Frankly, itâs just fun.
39. âDoom and Gloomâ – âGRRR!â (2012)
Share'GRRR!â was the Rolling Stones compilation set released in honor of the bandâs 50th anniversary. The set featured two new tracks, with the lead single being âDoom and Gloom.â The track is two things: 1. A total banger of a rock tune and 2. A reminder that even five decades later, the Stones were more than capable of writing songs that any band would dream of writing.
38. âSheâs a Rainbowâ – âTheir Satanic Majesties Requestâ (1967)
ShareLike the aforementioned âIâm Free,â âSheâs a Rainbowâ definitely feels like itâs from the â60s. Even if you just read the lyrics, you can feel the Summer of Love-ness of it all. (âShe comes in colors everywhere/She combs her hair/Sheâs like a rainbow.â) âSheâs a Rainbowâ is so buoyant it could warm the cold heart of even the biggest badass. The strings on the song were also arranged by some session guy named John Paul Jones. He went on to have an okay career.
37. âShake Your Hipsâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareThe second cover from âExile,â âShake Your Hipsâ was originally recorded and released by Slim Harpo in 1966. It yet again serves as another example of the bandâs love and respect for the blues. The minimalist production provides an interesting variance only three tracks into 'Exile,â perhaps the Stonesâ greatest masterpiece.
36. âSweet Black Angelâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareThe Rolling Stones are far from being known as a âpoliticalâ band, but âSweet Black Angelâ is one of the few times the band made a political statement in their songs. The âExileâ track served as a tribute to renowned civil rights activist Angela Davis who, at the time the song was written, was incarcerated on erroneous kidnapping and murder charges of which sheâd later be found not guilty.
35. âStar Starâ – âGoats Head Soupâ (1973)
ShareWhenever someone writes the definitive history of âdiss tracks,â there most certainly should be a section dedicated to âStar Star.â A cut at groupies (and perhaps also former Jagger beau Carly Simon), the track was originally called âStarf---er,â but Ahmet Ertegun, whose Atlantic Records distributed the Stonesâ records back then, put a stop to that. Gee...donât know why?
34. âRip This Jointâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareA rockabilly jam that featured Jagger spitting lyrics at breakneck speed, âRip This Jointâ is a wild tale about drugs and traveling across the southern United States as a foreigner. The songs features shoutouts to various cities from Tampa to Santa Fe as well as name dropping âThe Butter Queen,â the nickname for famous groupie Barbara Cope. If you donât know why Cope was called âThe Butter Queen,â Google it yourself, but you might want to use the âIncognitoâ tab and probably donât do it while youâre in the office.
33. âTorn and Frayedâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareâTorn and Frayedâ paints the picture of a journeyman guitarist traveling from town to town but it easily could be a metaphor for how any band could feel during a long, grueling tour. The tune leans into the Stonesâ country influences, which is appropriate considering Gram Parsons famously visited the Villa NellcĂŽte mansion while the band recorded âExileâ in its basement.
32. âLoving Cupâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareThe Rolling Stones will forever be that âbad boyâ alternative to The Beatles, but even bad boys can be really sweet and romantic as evident from âLoving Cup.â Many of us would openly swoon if someone said theyâd âlove to spill the beans with you till dawn.â Also, this track wouldnât be the same without Nicky Hopkins on piano, who is both the heart and backbone of the song.
31. âSweet Virginiaâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareThe Stones have more than a little love affair with country music (and various references to drugs.) âSweet Virginiaâ sees both of those interests collide along with Mick Jaggerâs harmonica and the late Bobby Keysâ brilliant saxophone. Get used to seeing more of these elements later in the list.
30. âSalt of the Earthâ – âBeggars Banquetâ (1968)
ShareA tender ode to the working class, âSalt of the Earthâ closes out âBeggars Banquetâ on a poignant note. The song took on increased poignancy when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards performed it at âThe Concert For New York City,â the all-star benefit show at Madison Square Garden in honor of NYCâs police and fire fighters following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
29. âLive with Meâ – âGet Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones in Concertâ (1970)
ShareThat undeniable bass line! By the way, that was Keith Richards, not Bill Wyman, playing bass on this song. The track notably is the first song the Stones recorded with new guitarist Mick Taylor, who replaced a fired Brian Jones, and the first song to feature Bobby Keys on saxophone. The chemistry between the guitars of Richards and Taylor was just incredible, bordering on telepathic.
28. âAngieâ – âGoats Head Soupâ (1973)
ShareSome of the most devastating love songs are about love that just wasnât meant to be even though two people really put in the effort. Many people often experience this at some point in life, and once that experience is in the rearview, a song like âAngieâ just hits differently. Crossroads are hard to deal with, but this beautiful ballad, written primarily by Keith Richards, offers a lot of comfort. After all, âThey canât say we never tried.â
27. âBitchâ – âSticky Fingersâ (1971)
ShareIf you make a playlist of awesome rock songs with killer brass sections and âBitchâ isnât on there, that playlist is simply incomplete. Credit is due to Bobby Keys and Jim Price, both of whom should show up mutiple times on any such list. If you take away their saxophone and trumpet tracks from âBitch,â the song just isnât the same. The Rolling Stones are one of the greatest bands of all time for many reasons, but one of those was how they surrounded themselves with the right cast of musicians on the studio. Keef, once again, shines and is the reason why the songâs original tempo increased.
26. âSwayâ – âSticky Fingersâ (1971)
ShareâDid you ever wake up to find/A day that broke up your mind?/Destroyed your notion of circular time?â If you presented those lyrics to someone who isnât familiar with the Rolling Stones, they might think it was the opening verse of a song written during lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. âSwayâ is primarily the work of Mick Jagger and Mick Taylor, even though the song is credited to Jagger/Richards. Taylorâs guitar work is the perfect partner to Jaggerâs, at times, dramatic vocals, and âSwayâ marks the first time Jagger lent his own guitar work to a track.
25. âRocks Offâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareThe first of 18 tracks on âExile,â âRock Offâ is an incredibly dark and filthy song to set the tone for a truly epic double album. To put it bluntly: The song is about a drug addict (like with a heroin problem) whoâs having problems performing sexually because of said drug problems. Despite the grizzly subject matter, the songâs organized chaos â from the overlapping vocals in the chorus to the distorted bridge â adds up to a type of magic that, really, only the Rolling Stones could create.
24. âRuby Tuesdayâ – âBetween the Buttonsâ (1967)
ShareWant a surefire way to help a song go to number one? Make it the flip side of a single that radio is too afraid to play! âRuby Tuesdayâ was released as a double A-side with âLetâs Spend the Night Togetherâ as the lead single. Since âRuby Tuesdayâ was the less-randy of the two tracks, many stations were more comfortable playing the sweet ballad, whose lyrics were penned by Keith Richards. The song would go on to be the Stonesâ fourth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100.
23. âLetâs Spend the Night Togetherâ – âBetween the Buttonsâ (1967)
ShareHindsight is a funny thing. A song like âLetâs Spend the Night Togetherâ is practically puritanical by the standards of the 2020s. Alas, it was nothing short of scandalous when it was first released in 1967 and would infamously be changed to âLetâs Spend Some Time Togetherâ when the Stones performed it on âThe Ed Sullivan Show.â (Seeing Mick Jagger dramatically roll his eyes when singing the altered lyric is still funny, though.) However, good for Mick for making the evening a two-way street, if you know what I mean. (âIâll satisfy your every need (your every need)/And now I know you will satisfy me.â)
22. “Paint It Black” – ‘Aftermath’ (1966)
ShareThe Stones have many songs about love lost, but none of them are as dark as the appropriately titled "Paint It Black." Besides the general bleak nature of the song, Brian Jones' sitar playing is clearly one of the track's standout aspects. The track would go on to be the Stones' third song to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
21. âDead Flowersâ – âSticky Fingersâ (1971)
ShareCountry and drugs return in full force on âDead Flowers,â a brooding, bitter tune that is also remarkably catchy. Those elements shouldnât work this well, but they just do on âDead Flowers.â It goes without saying, but âAnd I wonât forget to put roses on your graveâ still remains one of the most subtly brutal burns in the Stones catalog.
20. âShine a Lightâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareâShine a Lightâ is as heartbreaking as it is grand. The song serves as a tribute to late guitarist Brian Jones, and while released on âExileâ in 1972, Mick Jagger had started writing the song back in 1968 when Jones was still in the band, but his drug use was becoming an increasing problem. From top to bottom, the lyrics are gripping and touching and resonate with anyone who has lost a loved one at a young age, especially from substance issues.
19. âMoonlight Mileâ – âSticky Fingersâ (1971)
ShareThe idea that life on the road is glamorous is painfully put in place on âMoonlight Mile,â the moving closing track to âSticky Fingers.â (The Rolling Stones sure had a knack for ending an album on an emotional note, didnât they?) Sure, performing before fans is amazing, but that time between shows traveling town to town is often lonely and cold. (âThe sound of strangers sending nothing to my mind/Just another mad, mad day on the road.â) Guitarist Mick Taylor, pianist Jim Price and Paul Buckmasterâs string arrangement put the songâs emotional weight on their back and really carried this track home.
18. âCanât You Hear Me Knockingâ – âSticky Fingersâ (1971)
ShareIf thereâs one lesson to be learned from âCanât You Hear Me Knockingâ itâs to always keep the tape rolling because you never know what you could capture. The songâs iconic instrumental jam at the end wasnât even planned; the Stones and their incredible cast of session musicians didnât even realize that they were being recorded until after the fact. Saxophonist Bobby Keys had many great moments on Rolling Stones tracks, but his work on âCanât You Hear Me Knockingâ could easily be his finest moment of them all.
17. âWaiting on a Friendâ – âTattoo Youâ (1981)
ShareNot all love songs are about romantic love, and âWaiting On A Friendâ might be the greatest example of that. The second single off 1981âs âTattoo You,â the lyrics for âWaiting On A Friendâ were penned by Mick Jagger about the friendships within the Stones: âDonât need a whore, donât need no booze. Donât need a virgin priest, but I need someone I can cry to. I need someone to protect.â If youâre lucky, youâve got a friend that fits these lyrics, and you know full well that that friendship is one of the greatest loves of your life.
16. âMiss Youâ – âSome Girlsâ (1978)
ShareSome could argue that the Rolling Stones â one of the greatest rock bands of all time â are the keepers of one of the best disco songs of all time, too. Unlike Mick Jagger walking in Central Park and singing after dark, that thought isn't crazy. It might be the hookiest hook Mick and Keith ever wrote, truth be told.
15. âHappyâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareThe most successful song from the Stones where Keith Richards sang lead vocals, âHappyâ happened, according to Keef, âbecause I was for one time early for a [recording] session.â Itâs a good thing Richards was early that one time: âHappyâ has become a significant part of the Stonesâ setlist and has been played live by the band over 500 times, per Setlist.fm. On top of his vocals and guitar work, Richards pulled triple duty by playing bass, too.
14. âYou Canât Always Get What You Wantâ – âLet It Bleedâ (1969)
ShareDespite how Dick and Berry from âHigh Fidelityâ feel about this songâs association with âThe Big Chill,â âYou Canât Always Get What You Wantâ has remained one of the Rolling Stonesâ biggest showstoppers for 50 years and for good reason. The ethereal sounds of the London Bach Choir provided a unique juxtaposition to the Rolling Stones closing out not only this album but the â60s themselves, a decade that brought both profound change and pain. The â70s were on the horizon, and while so much was uncertain, one thing that wasnât was how somehow, weâd all figure out how to get what we need.
13. âBeast of Burdenâ – âSome Girlsâ (1978)
ShareLetâs just cut to the chase: âBeast of Burdenâ is sexy as hell. Itâs the perfect combination of lust, romance and general coolness, which is one of many ways to simply describe the Rolling Stones as a band. Itâs a casual groove but itâs in no way sloppy. It truly is rough enough, tough enough, rich enough and in love enough.
12. âItâs Only Rock ân Roll (But I Like It)â – âItâs Only Rock ân Rollâ (1974)
ShareIf the rock genre had some sort of keynote address, âItâs Only Rock ân Roll (But I Like It)â would likely be it, or at least be a firm contender. It has attitude for days, great guitars and a killer rhythm track. What more could you really want? Someone to stick a pen in their heart and spill it all over a stage?! People donât choose rock and roll; it chooses them. This track understands that. And they like it. (Yes, they do!)
11. âWild Horsesâ – âSticky Fingersâ (1971)
ShareThe Rolling Stones have plenty of ballads in their quiver, but âWild Horsesâ is the bandâs best that hits your heartâs bullseye every single time. How could it not? âNo sweeping exits or offstage lines/Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind.â Youâd have to be a damn cyborg not to feel that!
10. âTumbling Diceâ – âExile on Main St.â (1972)
ShareThe lead/most commercially successful single from âExile,â âTumbling Diceâ is easily the coolest song that relies on gambling and love as metaphors. Mick Taylor is on bass here, with Mick Jagger picking up rhythm duties. (Keef, of course, is on lead.) Charlie Wattsâs drumming is minimalist perfection. The track is put over the top thanks to the sublime backing vocals of Clydie King, Venetta Fields and Sherlie Matthews.
9. âMidnight Ramblerâ – âGet Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones in Concertâ (1970)
ShareEasily one of the best straight-forward blues tracks written by Jagger and Richards, âMidnight Ramblerâ opens up side two of 'Let It Bleedâ and serves as another example of Jagger being incredibly underrated on the harmonica. While the studio version is outstanding, the live version on âGet Yer Ya-Ya's Out!â is pure blues jam heaven.
8. âBrown Sugarâ – âSticky Fingersâ (1971)
ShareLetâs get this out of the way: Thereâs no way in hell lyrics like this would fly today. Itâs something Mick Jagger recognized in an interview with âRolling Stoneâ published in 1995 where he said, âGod knows what I'm on about on that song. It's such a mishmash. All the nasty subjects in one go... I never would write that song now.â Lyrical content aside, the track would become the Stonesâ sixth number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks in large part to its incredible groove. No wonder itâs the song the band has played the second-most times in concert, which leads perfectly into...
7. âJumpinâ Jack Flashâ – âThrough the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)â (1968)
ShareThe song the Rolling Stones have played the most live is âJumpinâ Jack Flash.â (Per Setlist.fm, theyâve played this absolute gem more than 1,100 times.) The track marked a welcome return to form following the very of-the-era âTheir Satanic Majesties Request.â Not to say a band isnât allowed to experiment with their sound, but blues-based Rolling Stones will always be superior to anything else they do. And if youâre looking for any further evidence, âJumpinâ Jack Flashâ has been covered by a bunch of other artists from Tina Turner to Aretha Franklin to Peter Frampton.
6. âHonky Tonk Womenâ – âThrough the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)â (1969)
ShareGod...bless...cowbell and producer Jimmy Millerâs playing of the instrument that kicks off this classic tune. While weâre at it, bless the women that maybe inspired this song, too. (Particularly the one that blew Mick Jaggerâs nose and then his mind. Thatâs both thoughtful and...letâs just say thorough.) While the song was born from more country influences as evident from âCountry Honkâ featured on âLet It Bleed,â âHonky Tonk Womenâ is just leaps and bounds better and a testament of what can happen when you simply play around with a song idea.
5. âStreet Fighting Manâ – âBeggars Banquetâ (1968)
ShareInspired by various anti-war demonstrations that occurred around the world in 1968, âStreet Fighting Manâ is the Rolling Stones at their most visceral. Despite being about protests in the â60s, its message and attitude still apply to countless movements that have played out in streets the world over in the decades since its release. There is a timelessness to many Rolling Stones songs, but âStreet Fighting Manâ might be the most universal track in their entire catalog. Props to Brian Jones for his sitar and tamboura work, which truly adds a unique layer and texture to an already potent track.
4. âStart Me Upâ – âTattoo Youâ (1981)
ShareOne second. Thatâs all you need to pick out âStart Me Upâ; by 0:01, you know exactly what youâre listening to. Itâs one of the bandâs most radio-friendly tunes in their entire catalog, perhaps the most radio-friendly. This fact is incredibly ironic considering they inexplicably snuck the lyric âYou make a dead man cumâ past censors. Or at least that lyric wasnât considered the scandal that âLetâs Spend The Night Togetherâ was 14 years prior. Regardless, what an iconic riff from Keith Richards!
3. âSympathy for the Devilâ – âBeggars Banquetâ (1968)
ShareâSympathy for the Devilâ and its storytelling of tragic moments in history from the perspective of the devil never really gets enough credit for how clever it is. The Stones were criticized for their behavior and the content of their lyrics from pretty much the jump, but instead of complaining about their critics, they decided to hold a mirror at them instead. Sure, the song is playful in that very British wink-and-a-nod sort of way about Satan, but the way it turns the tables on a hypnotic wave of âwoo woosâ is nothing short of brilliant.
2. â(I Canât Get No) Satisfactionâ – âOut of Our Headsâ (1965)
Shareâ(I Canât Get No) Satisfactionâ is about as legendary as the story of how Keith Richards wrote the songâs classic riff while still half-asleep. The preferred music of younger generations may have changed over time, but the frustrations are still pretty much the same. (Older generations are out of touch, everyone keeps telling me what to do, I canât get laid, etc.) If you could pick just one thing â(I Canât Get No) Satisfactionâ did really well â which is admittedly an incredibly daunting task - it was establish an angst anthem blueprint for future younger artists to follow. Sure, there has been some evolution over the decades, but you can almost always find the root of those works in â(I Canât Get No) Satisfaction.â
1. âGimme Shelterâ – âLet It Bleedâ (1969)
ShareMany things add up to âGimme Shelterâ being the greatest Rolling Stones song ever. For starters, itâs one of the greatest opening tracks ever and kicks off âLet It Bleedâ in dramatic fashion. It also features the most iconic rock vocal solo ever thanks to Merry Claytonâs fervent delivery. (Her voice breaking when she belts out the final line of âRape, Murderâ will forever send chills up and down spines.) Perhaps most importantly is that âGimme Shelterâ is somehow over 50 years later more relevant and poignant now than it was when first released. In an age when multiple mass shootings happen nearly every single week in the United States, a line like âItâs just a shot awayâ cuts remarkably deep, and itâs difficult not to think of it with every piece of breaking news or memorial hashtag. âGimme Shelterâ is a desperate plea for peace in the face of seemingly non-stop violence. Maybe one day, weâll find the love the song speaks of as it comes to a close.