Hi there,
I am thinking of buying an album for my wife's son. The son is Peruvian & asked me about Exile on Main Street. I said this is a fantastic album. I got to thinking about other albums that really define the band as well as showcase their hit singles. If you all can list your best Stone's albums, this would be most appreciated. Thank you!

Starting with Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile is probably the way to go. As for the fifth? Maybe Some Girls…

I love The London Years compilation, too.

Hot Rocks

1 Sticky Fingers
2 Some girls
3 Exile on Main Street
4 On Air
5 Black and Blue

Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Beggars Banquet always have to be there for me. 3 of the best albums by literally anyone, its crazy they all came in a row. I guess that's what made the Stones who they were.

Presumably Exile on Main Street and Some Girls round that out, but an argument could be made for Aftermath, Between The Buttons. And side 1 of Its Only Rock N Roll and side 2 of December's Children are as good an album side as any band, IMO, so I single those out as well.

• Beggars Banquet
• Let It Bleed
• Sticky Fingers
• Exile On Main Street
• Tatoo You

My top 5:

• Beggars Banquet
• Get Yer Ya Ya's Out - without doubt the greatest live album ever!
• Let It Bleed
• Sticky Fingers
• Exile On Main Street

No band can match that run of 5 classic albums

pool's in but the patio ain't dry

If the goal is to showcase their hit singles, I'd suggest Hot Rocks and Rewind to cover the best tracks over their most productive periods. Alternatively, The London Years collection and/or the Honk/Grrr/40 Licks collections all cover several hits spanning various eras.

In terms of studio albums, the big 4 plus Some Girls and/or Tattoo You should cover it!

Ride like the wind at double speed.....

for the best

beggar's banquet
let it bleed
sticky fingers
exile on main st.
tattoo you

now if he likes what he hears and wants more

the rolling stones (1st album british version)
goats head soup
some girls
undercover
bridges to babylon

and if likes all that you've got a true fan on your hands

For me the top 5:
Exile on Main Street
Let It Bleed
Tattoo You
Beggar's Banquet
Some Girls

You might add Get Yer Ya Ya's Out (live) and Sticky Fingers too.

It all depends on what he's in to, you can add some others.
If he's into blues & soul with an angle:
Rolling Stones (1st album, the UK version is better but hard to find)
Out of Their Heads

If he's into 60's pop:
Aftermath

If he's into late 70's punk, disco, new wave:
Emotional Rescue
Undercover

If he doesn't have any other Stones albums, I would say you can't go wrong with Hot Rocks. I don't think Exile is a good 'starter' album...

To discover musicians, by experience, I have always found that starting with a live albums was an interesting way: what is this title, what year, what album. etc ..
The discovery of the band becomes exciting. In this case it can be started by Love You Live or Get Yer Yas Yas Out for exemple


top5

Let It Bleed
Sticky Fingers
Live You Live
Emotional Rescue
Undercover

Quote
Barkerboy2
If he doesn't have any other Stones albums, I would say you can't go wrong with Hot Rocks. I don't think Exile is a good 'starter' album...

This.

Original albums for a starter’s purpose:

Let It Bleed
Sticky Fingers
Some Girls
Tatoo You
Hackney Diamonds (It’s good to let a starter know how they are now, the group’s latest state and music. Besides that, it is a very good album, the best of the ‘modern’ Stones).

Regarding the hits, and avoiding overlap:

Big Hits 1: High Tides And Green Grass
Big Hits 2: Through The Past, Darkly
Honk - since it's basically an updated Rewind and Jump Back

If you don't mind the overlap:
Hot Rocks or Rolled Gold - they're very similar
More Hot Rocks
Time Waits For No One
Sucking In The Seventies
Rewind/Jump Back/Honk

Made In The Shade is fantastic but it's essentially unnecessary if you get TWFNO, which is a more rounded compilation

Studio albums...
Beggars Banquet
Let It Bleed
Sticky Fingers
Goats Head Soup
Tattoo You

A second phase of studio albums...
Exile On Main Street
Black And Blue
Some Girls
Emotional Rescue
Undercover

1)Exile
2)Sticky
3)Let it Bleed
4)Iorr
5)Beggars

I always felt the deluxe edition of GRRR! (if you can find it these days) was the perfect starting point for a casual fan.

Quote
SoulSurvivor1990
I always felt the deluxe edition of GRRR! (if you can find it these days) was the perfect starting point for a casual fan.

Exactly. Or Forty Licks, or Hot Rocks + Honk, or London Years + Honk or Jump Back...

Aftermath
Satanic Majesties
Goats Head Soup
Exile
Blue and Lonesome

Something with each guitarist plus a sample of blues roots

Let's work, kill poverty. - Mick Jagger

1 Exile On Main Street
2 Sticky Fingers
3 Let It Bleed
4 Some Girls
5 Tattoo You

Although I may be tempted to recommend a Sticky Fingers or Let It Bleed, the wonderful Beggars Banquet and Exile on Main Street are, for me, not the ideal ‘stating points’ The latter took my some time to truly appreciate, and I do feel a new, curious fan, should perhaps opt for the two original Decca compilations: ‘Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)’ and the 1969 follow-up, ‘Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits Volume 2)’ Yes, whilst there are more ‘comprehensive’ collections, these are the original two and are somewhat overlooked. If one really does insist on looking elsewhere, then I would recommend ‘Rolled Gold’

Edit: regarding these two 60's compilations - as we all, here, know, the Decca and U.S.A. (London) track-listings differ a fair bit. Whilst both the British and U.S.A. releases are of equal merit, I would opt for the British release on grounds of originality.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-12-02 11:06 by Big Al.

I want to thank all the Stone's fans for their recommondations! It is very much appreciated.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-12-02 21:08 by Sockers56.

If you stick to original studio albums (not re-issues or cover albums) it's 4 albums rather than 5 that makes the A-list (BB, LiB, SF, EoMS).
The 5th oneDepends on your age and mood and may differ from day to day.Today it's Tatto You for me.

Stones Story 1, 2 and 3, Get Your Ya Ya's Out, Tattoo You.

Mathijs

Top 5:

BB
SF
LIB
EOMS
TY

My favourites right now (in no particular order):

Aftermath
BB
SF
SG
TSMR

- Let it bleed
- Exile on main street
- Sticky fingers
- Beggars banquet
- Between the buttons

-Aftermath
-Let It Bleed
-Beggars Banquet
-Sticky Fingers
-Exile On Main Street

Exile On Main Street
Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out
Through The Past Darkly (G
Tattoo You
Let It Bleed

1) Some Girls
2) Exile in Main Street
3) Sticky Fingers
4) Let It Bleed
5) Beggars Banquet