The Rolling Stones are perhaps the most legendary rock and roll band ever, with an incredibly expansive discography of 31 studio albums, not including live and compilation albums. They are also one of the most enduring bands of the rock era, their most recent album and tour being in the last couple of years.

Therefore, there is a lot to choose from when deciding The Rolling Stones’ best albums ever with six decades of material to listen to. Every fan has a different opinion, which is what makes The Rolling Stones such an iconic band.

Here we’ve attempted to rank The Rolling Stones’ top ten albums, going back to some of their earliest work that has stood the test of time. We’re hoping The Rolling Stones come back to the UK for a tour in 2025, and if you’re thinking the same thing you can register your interest here to be notified when VIP tickets go on sale!

Register your interest in The Rolling Stones VIP tickets

The Rolling Stones’ Best Albums in Order

No. 10: ‘Tattoo You’ (1981)

Tattoo You is often seen as one of The Rolling Stones' last albums of their original era, perhaps because the album consists of studio outtakes from the 70s, so the sound is similar to their most popular tunes. It still contains one of their most popular tracks, ‘Start Me Up,’ and is to date their final album to reach number one in the US.  

The outtakes used for the songs on the album were from as early as a decade before Tattoo You’s release, some songs starting as just a melody, or just an instrumental with no lyrics. It took great effort to get the members back in the studio to finish recording before their scheduled tour, but in the end they managed to pull it off with great success.

No. 9: ‘Out of Our Heads’ (1965)

Going way back to The Rolling Stones' third album, Out of Our Heads consists mostly of covers of soul and blues songs, which influenced a lot of the band’s early work. There were a couple of original tracks though, including a little song you might have heard,  called ‘(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.’

Of course, ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ became the band’s first US number one hit and has continuously been named one of the greatest songs of all time. The soul covers were mostly in the US edition of the album, which perhaps helped them gain such success across the pond

No. 8: ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll’ (1974)

Some see It’s Only Rock n’ Roll as more of a transitional album, as it wasn’t as successful as some of their previous efforts and it marked the departure of their guitarist Mick Taylor. However, with the ever-fruitful songwriting partnership between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it still reached number one in the US and number two in the UK.

The lead single from the album is ‘It’s Only Rock n’ Roll (But I Like It),’ and was made in collaboration with Ronnie Wood, who would soon replace Mick Taylor as guitarist of the band. The original recording even featured backing vocals from David Bowie, which would have been iconic had it made it onto the final track.

No. 7: ‘Between the Buttons’ (1967)

Still being a 60s record, Beggars Banquet was still experimental for the band. Moving away from their psychedelic rock sound, Beggars Banquet does return to their original blues rock sound, but with new influences of Latin American, South Asian, and African music. 

Perhaps because the song took inspiration from so many different places, it was very successful. It may have lacked a standout single but as an overall album it is considered one of the best, even being inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

No. 5: ‘Let It Bleed’ (1969)

Let it Bleed was the follow-up to Beggars Banquet, and the albums released around the late 60s and early 70s were a run of excellent, chart-topping successes. However with great success came turmoil within the band, as founder of the band Brian Jones unfortunately passed away during recording due to drug use. 

This album includes incredible hits like ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ and ‘Gimme Shelter’ that have gone on to remain as some of their most memorable songs. Amid conflict in the band, and conflict in the outside world too, Let It Bleed became the soundtrack to a generation experiencing the effects of the Vietnam War.

No. 4: ‘Aftermath’ (1966)

Aftermath was The Rolling Stones' artistic breakthrough, consisting of entirely new songs with no tracks being covers. They’d found their sound and the world was listening, as it was released after a string of successful singles that had the world watching. Aftermath is considered the first of their classic albums. 

The album also cemented them as the ‘bad boys’ of rock music, the rougher answer to the popularity of The Beatles. Lyrically, the album told of their sordid relationships with women, desire for power and success, and had a darker, more sarcastic tone than many other popular songs at the time.

No. 3: ‘Some Girls’ (1978)

By the time of Some Girls’ release, The Rolling Stones were striking gold time and time again with their albums. Even as it got to the end of the decade and new rock bands and disco music started to take over the radio, Mick Jagger took this change in stride and you can hear the dance music influence on the record.

Songs like the title track and ‘Beast of Burden’ achieved both popularity and controversy, like pretty much anything the Stones did in their heyday. Despite outrage over some of the lyrics to ‘Some Girls,’ it didn’t stop the album from being incredibly successful with fans. 

No. 2: ‘Sticky Fingers’ (1971)

Sticky Fingers is one of The Rolling Stones' most iconic albums. It marks the band's first collaboration with their new label, Rolling Stones Records, and is a raw, dynamic exploration of rock and roll, blues, and country influences. With its unforgettable album cover designed by Andy Warhol, featuring a working zipper, Sticky Fingers reflects a time of musical and cultural revolution.

The album includes classic tracks like ‘Brown Sugar,’ a powerful rock anthem, and ‘Wild Horses,’ a soulful ballad. Lyrically, it delves into themes of lust, desire, and rebellion, often pushing boundaries with its provocative content.

No. 1: ‘Exile on Main St.’ (1972)

Exile on Main St. is hailed by many as The Rolling Stones’ best album. Released in their heyday, the record came after a string of their other most successful albums and has a partying atmosphere that could only be channelled by the likes of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards at the height of their careers. 

With double the tracklist there was hit after hit, and retrospectively the album has been included on too many ‘Best Albums of All Time’ lists to count. While for many fans, you could choose any of their albums from the 70s as their best, we think Exile on Main St. comes out on top.

Get The Rolling Stones Tickets

There are rumours that The Rolling Stones might be back touring the UK in 2025, and if they’re true you’ll definitely want to be there. Registering your interest with Seat Unique means you’ll be notified when a tour is announced, and when VIP tickets go on sale so you can be first in line. 

With VIP tickets you can get a whole host of inclusions that will make your concert experience even better. Get the best seats in the house, access to VIP lounges and bars, complimentary food and drinks, and much more with official Rolling Stones VIP tickets!

Register your interest now and you’ll be the first to know about The Rolling Stones’ 2025 UK tour.

Register your interest in The Rolling Stones VIP tickets