The Rolling Stones began calling themselves the "World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band" in the late Sixties. Few disputed the claim then, and few would dispute it now. The “bad boy” counterparts to the Beatles during the British Invasion, the Stones began their career covering (for the most part) Black American blues, R&B, and rock & roll acts, but frontman Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards soon cultivated a prolific and profound songwriting partnership (together, they were known as the Glimmer Twins). Backed by the stalwart rhythm section of drummer Charlie Watts and bassist Bill Wyman, the Stones spent the Sixties and Seventies churning out too many classic singles and albums to name here, but all of which helped distill and define the essence of rock & roll.

Despite near-constant success, the story of the Rolling Stones was also filled with tragedy and trauma. In 1969 alone, original guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones drowned in his swimming pool; several months later, Hells Angels stabbed a man to death at the Stones’ free concert at Altamont. Substance abuse, ego, and in-fighting also took their toll, but throughout it all the Rolling Stones never broke-up or went on a serious extended hiatus. Instead, they reinvented themselves (without changing too much), found a reliable, long-term second guitarist in Ronnie Wood, got sober, and embraced their status as rock and roll veterans. Now into their 80s, and even in the wake of Watts’ death in 2021, the Rolling Stones can still be found regularly on the road, selling out stadiums around the world. —Jon Blistein