Rolling Stones Albums- Four Decades of Rock
Few bands can claim immortal popularity. The Rolling Stones merch and albums are proof however that this band deserves to live forever in its music. The group’s music has been alive for close to five decades, earning for the group a whopping more than 200 million album sales, numerous recognitions and repeated inductions in various halls of fame and all time lists.
Like most success stories, this group had humble beginnings. They started out in 1962 as a bar band. The now famous friends Mick Jagger and Keith Richards played as the Rolling Stones along with other members Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Mick Taylor and Tony Chapman. They were joined at a later period by Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. At this point in their careers, it was Jones who was regarded as the leader of the band. He was also the one who suggested the band’s name. Clearly though, avid fans of Rolling Stones CDs would now most likely know Jagger and Richards better than Jones.
It didn’t take long for the talented musicians to gradually leave the club scene. They signed up with Decca in 1963. At that time they were believed to have been given very generous terms mainly because Decca regretted having passed up on the Beatles. The band received excellent royalty rates and control over their recording materials. In their first year, the group had to hurdle tough challenges. Although this marked the release of their first album, it didn’t always get positive reviews. Some thought it lacked originality and was not very appealing at all.
By 1964, the group’s status started to pick up more steam as their renditions of popular classics like Little Red Rooster and It’s All Over Now started to climb the charts. This was an early indication that a wider acceptance for original material in Rolling Stones albums would be favorably met in every band store across the world. The group went on to perform chart topping hits The Last Time, Satsifaction, Paint it Black, Mother’s Little Helper, Ruby Tuesday and Midnight Rambler.
At the start of the next decade, there was no doubt that the band had already become a solid part of the music world. There was clearly no dethroning them. This was proven by the fact that the group continued to thrive even without the backing of Decca. Also, they retained their popular status even after they left England for France.
By the time the 80s came, the group had already aged into legends. It was therefore somewhat unfortunate that it was also at this time when the group’s most distinguished members, Jagger and Richards had a falling out. They conflict only toned down when the band was inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In the 90s the members stuck together but each member started to build projects of their own. It was then that they entered a seven year phase of not producing new songs for albums. This empty spell was only broken in 2005 with a Bigger Bang.
Despite the band’s age and dated musical age, there is simply no killing the sales of Rolling Stones CDs. The group is the only one to date that can still claim a top chart position for classic re issues.
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