Well, that was an epic journey. Twenty-three studio albums, 52 years, and one legendary band.
The Rolling Stones have put their unmistakable stamp on blues, R&B, rock, pop, psychedelic, disco, and country songs, churning out album after album with humor, passion and pathos. Not everything they did worked, but they worked at everything they did. And their discography is remarkably strong — I’d definitely recommend 18 of these 23 releases.
So here’s my final ranking of The Rolling Stones’ studio albums (considering only the UK versions of their early records). My list isn’t very novel — I think just about everybody has some variation of this top six — but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the band’s later work.
1. Sticky Fingers (1971)
2. Let It Bleed (1969)
3. Exile on Main Street (1972)
4. Beggars Banquet (1968)
5. Some Girls (1978)
6. Aftermath (1966)
7. Between the Buttons (1967)
8. Voodoo Lounge (1994)
9. Tattoo You (1981)
10. Bridges to Babylon (1997)
11. Steel Wheels (1989)
12. Blue & Lonesome (2016)
13. It’s Only Rock ’n Roll (1974)
14. Out of Our Heads (1965)
15. A Bigger Bang (2005)
16. The Rolling Stones No. 2 (1965)
17. Goats Head Soup (1973)
18. The Rolling Stones (1964)
19. Dirty Work (1986)
20. Black and Blue (1976)
21. Undercover (1983)
22. Emotional Rescue (1980)
23. Their Satanic Majesty’s Request (1967)
Well, when you’re sitting there in your silk upholstered chair
Talking to some rich folk that you know
Well, I hope you won’t see me in my ragged company
Well, you know I could never be alone
[Chorus]
Take me down, little Susie, take me down
I know you think you’re the queen of the underground
And you can send me dead flowers every morning
Send me dead flowers by the mail
Send me dead flowers to my wedding
And I won’t forget to put roses on your grave
[Verse 2]
Well, when you’re sitting back in your rose pink Cadillac
Making bets on Kentucky Derby Day
I’ll be in my basement room with a needle and a spoon
And another girl can take my pain away
[Chorus]
Take me down, little Susie, take me down
I know you think you’re the queen of the underground
And you can send me dead flowers every morning
Send me dead flowers by the mail
Send me dead flowers to my wedding
And I won’t forget to put roses on your grave
Hey
[Instrumental Break]
[Chorus]
Take me down, little Susie, take me down
I know you think you’re the queen of the underground
And you can send me dead flowers every morning
Send me dead flowers by the U.S. Mail
Say it with dead flowers at my wedding
And I won’t forget to put roses on your grave
No, I won’t forget to put roses on your grave
Meet Me In Montauk 
Thank you for the deep dive into The Rolling Stones discography. It definitely gave me a greater appreciation and knowledge of this legendary band.
Thanks so much for The Rolling Stones deep dive. Very interesting.
It was very interesting to read. Greetings from Brazil.
Damn, that’s a whole lot of listening to The Rolling Stones! I’ll have to do the Sparks Notes version and catch up through your blog.