My friends, the time has come for another deep dive, wherein I work chronologically through an artist’s career by featuring songs from each of their studio albums. To date, I have covered the work of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Madonna and Bob Marley.

That list got me thinking it was time I covered a band, and the band I’ve chosen to explore is The Rolling Stones. In terms of success, influence, longevity, and iconic output, I can’t think of an act more deserving of the honor.

And my timing couldn’t be better, as The Stones just last week announced the upcoming release of their first album of original material in 18 years, Hackney Diamonds.

The Stones have been recording for nearly 60 years and have officially released 30 studio albums, though that number is a bit misleading because of the practice in the 60s of releasing separate UK and U.S. versions. For the purposes of this deep dive, I will focus on the UK versions of the band’s first five albums, leaving out the seven U.S. releases culled from largely the same material.

The Rolling Stones’ self-titled debut was released in April of 1964. It’s U.S. counterpart came out a month later, with a slightly different track list, under the title England’s Newest Hit Makers. The U.S. version included the band’s cover of Buddy Holly’s ‘Not Fade Away,’ which had reached #3 in the UK.

Childhood friends Mick Jagger and Keith Richards had yet to begin their songwriting partnership in earnest, so their debut included only one original composition, ‘Tell Me (You’re Coming Back).’ The rest of the album is comprised of covers of R&B and blues songs.

Marketed as a more dangerous and sexual alternative to The Beatles, The Stones lived up to their billing with a tight and scrappy half hour set. On a modest but promising, debut these British lads brought passion and grit to classic American staples.