The 10 Rolling Stones Albums Every Record Collector Should Own
All the essentials from the world's greatest rock and roll band.
Formed in London in 1962, the Rolling Stones have become one of the most influential rock bands of all time.
With a career spanning over six decades, they’ve produced nearly 30 studio albums, not to mention countless live, greatest hits, and reissue releases. Because of this, it can be a daunting task to know where to start, especially if you’re new to the Stones or the British Invasion sound in general.
This article will walk you through the 10 essential Rolling Stones studio recordings I think should be in every collector or music fan’s collection. It spans the group’s entire career and contains a few hidden gems that aren’t included in similar lists floating around online.
This list isn’t a ranking meant to determine what the Stones’ “best” album is — I’ll let you decide that one for yourself. Instead, I tried to cover all aspects of the band’s discography, from the grungy blues-influenced sound to classic rock radio staples we know and love.
In chronological order, let’s dive in!
Aftermath (1966)
Released four years after their formation, Aftermath is the record where the Rolling Stones solidified their sonic identity. Despite some early hits prior to this, including “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” they were but one of several groups vying to satisfy the public’s insatiable appetite for post-Beatles British Invasion music. That all changed on this LP (the band’s first to contain 100% original material), deftly blending blues, psychedelia, and pop sensibilities to help propel rock music forward. Beyond hits like "Paint It, Black" and "Under My Thumb," other standouts include the haunting “Lady Jane” and the chugging “It’s Not Easy.”
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Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
Majesties is the oddest record on this list and arguably the most underappreciated in the Stones’ catalog. It often stands in the shadow of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which came out the same year, but it should by no means diminish the final product, which is full of unique, out-of-the-box songwriting and producing. Songs like "2000 Light Years from Home" and “In Another Land” are pure, ethereal psychedelia, helping redefine what a Stones (and 60s rock song) could be. There are also a couple of lighter, cuter moments, like “She’s a Rainbow.”
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Beggars Banquet (1968)
Beggars Banquet marks the beginning of the late-60s/early-70s run that the Rolling Stones are primarily known for. It captures the group’s gritty essence and showcases their ability to tell captivating, sometimes haunting stories against stripped-back instrumentals. Examples of this include “No Expectations,” “Factory Girl,” and closer “Salt of the Earth.” It’s not all pitched at a whisper though—”Sympathy for the Devil” remains one of their catchiest, most idiosyncratic contributions to rock’s canon.
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Let It Bleed (1969)
Alright, so if you’re twisting my arm and asking me to identify the Rolling Stones’ apex, I’ve got to say Let it Bleed. Released at the tail-end of rock music’s most formative decade, it blends blues, jangle pop, alternative rock, country music, and even a hint of Motown to astonishing effect. There’s the haunting "Gimme Shelter," which is up there in terms of the best album openers of all time, the even eerier “Monkey Man,” the funky “Live With Me,” and the Keith Richards flex “You Got the Silver.” It’s not the most mainstream record they ever made, but it’s arguably the most refined version of the Stones’ sound you’ll ever hear.
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Sticky Fingers (1971)
Sticky Fingers continued the band’s sonic evolution, infusing darker, blues-centric arrangements with more soulful vocals. Songs like “Brown Sugar” and “Bitch” tick all the crowdpleasing classic rock boxes you can ask for, while ballads like “Wild Horses” and “Sister Morphine” allow Mick Jagger to stretch himself vocally and offer listeners a tender side to his frontman persona. The high-point on this outing is unquestionably “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” which takes the “Midnight Rambler” formula a step further by adding a frantic, sensual saxophone solo to the mix. It, like the rest of the LP, is excellent.
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Exile on Main St. (1972)
Clocking in at nearly 70 minutes, Exile on Main St. is considered by many to be the band's best album. It’s not hard to see why, with several hits dotting the track listing, like “Tumbling Dice,” “Sweet Virginia,” and “Happy.” While all those cuts are undoubtedly strong, the hidden gems are what make Exile effective as a long-form listening experience. From the harmonies on “Loving Cup” to the slink keys on “Let it Loose,” the third and fourth sides of the LP leave litle doubt that the group takes it to another level when they’re at their most soulful. Oh, and “Soul Survivor” is one of their best closers.
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Some Girls (1978)
If we’re being honest, Some Girls represents the moment in time when the Rolling Stones “sold out” in the traditional sense. Overtaken on the charts and in sales by the burgeoning punk and disco scenes, you can hear the band chasing the latest trends, mostly thanks to Jagger, who, due to Richards’ legal troubles at the time, is credited with writing the majority of the material. And yet, despite what sounds like a negative review, this record ranks among the most energetic and accessible they ever made. Standouts include the dancefloor-ready "Miss You," the achingly tender "Beast of Burden," the roadhouse singalong “Far Away Eyes,” and the Clash-adjacent "Shattered."
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Tattoo You (1981)
You can put Tattoo You in the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” wing of the Stones’ discography. After the success they enjoyed with Some Girls, the group continued to put their own spin on mainstream trends that, in this case, includes new wave and reggae (!). Hits like “Start Me Up” and “Hang Fire” are instantly recognizable at this point, but, like Exile on Main St., the deeper cuts are the strongest. “Slave” is maybe the sexiest song the Stones ever committed to tape, while “Heaven” drenches the lead vocals and guitars in layer after layer of effects to conjure up a positively dreamy effect. Don’t sleep on this one, bubblegum reputation notwithstanding.
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Steel Wheels (1989)
At the close of a decade that earned them mixed reviews from fans and critics alike, the Stones dropped Steel Wheels, their first out-and-out rock record in years. For fans of their earlier sound, this was a welcome return, with tracks like "Mixed Emotions," "Rock and a Hard Place," and "Sad Sad Sad" blending driving rhtyhms and sharp riffs with some of their catchiest songwriting of the 80s. And, in true Stones fashion, there’s pleasant surprises at nearly every turn, including the ballads “Almost Hear You Sigh” and “Slipping Away.”
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A Bigger Bang (2005)
A Bigger Bang closes out this list as a reminder that, yes, the Rolling Stones did release good this century. Playing like a greatest hits-style sampling of their sonic trademarks, there’s something here for everyone. Opener "Rough Justice" is as nostalgic a rock track as you’ll get from the group post-80s, while “Rain Fall Down” throws it back to their funkier, disco-ier days. That said, the clear standout for me is the album’s most earnest track, "Streets of Love." Building on a simple acoustic opening, it’s the kind the power ballad that’ll make you want to put a lighter in the air, even if you’re sitting at home alone.
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Which Rolling Stones album is your favorite? What record that isn’t here should’ve made this list? Sound off in the comments!