The Greatest Rolling Stones Songs of All Time

2024-10-31

The Rolling Stones.

The greatest Rolling Stones songs of all time somehow rise about the rest of their stellar catalog to be the best. – Author: Anne Erickson, Photo via Ken Settle

For a band like the Rolling Stones, it’s not an easy task to make a tally of the best Rolling Stones songs ever, because there are so many great ones. But, the best Rolling Stones songs of all time somehow rise about the rest of their popular catalog and carry something extra special that makes them timeless. These are the kind of songs that fans can listen to over and over again and never grow tired of hearing them. It’s also great to know that the Rolling Stones still perform many of these songs live, although it’s sadly without the late Charlie Watts. To pay tribute to one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands of their era, or any era, here are a handful of the best and greatest Rolling Stones songs of all time.

The Best Rolling Stones Songs

“Gimme Shelter”

When it comes to the best Rolling Stones songs of all time, “Gimmie Shelter” tops not only this tally but also Audio Ink Radio list of the best classic rock songs of all time. Off the group’s 1969 “Let It Bleed” record, “Gimmie Shelter” is really everything it means to be classic rock in the best sense of the term. It’s catchy, fun and hooky but not cheesy. It’s raw and real rock ‘n’ roll. It’s also possibly the Stones’ most identifiable song, making it their top of all time. It’s certainly one of the greatest Rolling Stones songs ever, if not the top one.

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” is such a rocker. It’s thought that the band got the name of the song from the 1955 Chuck Berry classic “30 Days,” which features the lyric, “I can’t get no satisfaction from the judge.” But, either way, the Stones scored their first No. 1 hit in “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” and it’s still one of their most popular songs today.

“Jumpin’ Jack Flash”

“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” marked a later song in the Stones’ career and it showed that these guys had lots of life in them for more than just a few years. As the story goes, the “Jack” in the track is Keith Richards’ old gardener, Jack Dyer. Jagger spent the night at Richards’ place one night, and when he heard Dyer walking around in his rubber boots, he woke up. When Jagger asked Richards about the noise, Richards said, “Oh, that’s Jack. That’s Jumping Jack.” It’s one of the best Rolling Stones songs of all time, without a doubt.

“Paint It, Black”

“Paint It, Black” came at a time when the Rolling Stones were at their height of fame. They never really left that “height,” but regardless, they were one of the hottest bands on the planet and churning out song after song. “Paint It, Black,” out in 1966, stood out because the guys used a sitar in it, which some thought was their attempt to sound a bit like the Beatles. But, let’s fact it: The Rolling Stones and The Beatles are apples and oranges. “Paint It, Black” would become the band’s third No. 1 song in the States, and it’s a classic.

“Wild Horses”

Who says the Rolling Stones can’t churn out a ballad? The guys recorded their classic “Wild Horses” during some downtime on their epic 1969 U.S. tour, and they recorded it at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. It was quite a session, as they laid down not only “Wild Horses” but also “Brown Sugar” and “You Gotta Move” at the time. “Wild Horses” was a hit, reaching No. 28 on the Billboard 100. “It’s an example of a pop song taking this cliché ‘wild horses,’ which is awful, really,” Mick Jagger said in an interview with Rolling Stone in 1995, “but making it work without sounding like a cliché when you’re doing it.”

Anne Erickson
Latest posts by Anne Erickson (see all)
Posted by Anne Erickson | Features, Music, Rock

Related Posts