A band of The Rolling Stones’ caliber had to start somewhere. And that somewhere likely took place on this very day in 1964. The Stones released their self-titled debut album in April 1964. They released the American version (with a slightly tweaked track list) the following month. By the time it got to May 2, though, the band had reached the very top of the UK charts. And their debut album remained there for a whopping 12 weeks. It would stay on the Albums chart for 51 weeks total.
May 2, 1968 also marked an important day for US fans. The band’s single “Not Fade Away” entered the US singles chart (the coveted Hot 100) for the first time at No. 98, eventually making it to No. 48.
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The Rolling Stones started converting listeners into diehard fans in the US soon after their debut album dropped. The Rolling Stones hit No. 11 in the US. Their follow-up albums through the years would go on to each reach the Top 5 in the US. It seems their debut was a “humble” start stateside, all things considered.
The Rolling Stones’ Debut Album Is Still a Masterpiece, the Better Part of a Century Later
The Rolling Stones’ debut self-titled album features more of the blues rock and British R&B stylings that the band was known for early on in their career. Recorded and released via Decca Records, the entirety of the album was produced by the band’s managers at the time, Eric Easton and Andrew Loog Oldham. The record was released by London Records in the US.
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were novice songwriters at the time, so the work found on The Rolling Stones is mainly made up of cover songs. “Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)” was their main written contribution to the album. The band as a whole contributed two compositions under the name Nanker Phelge, including “Now I’ve Got A Witness (Like Uncle Phil And Uncle Gene)” and “Little By Little”. Covers of Jimmy Reed, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, and others can be found throughout the album.
Sean Egan of BBC Music called the album a “testament to the group’s brilliance,” and it’s hard to disagree with that. And, today, countless fans still hail this super early work as one of The Stones’ finest.
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