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Enthralling generations with classic rock blues and psychedelic mysticism, the Rolling Stones debuted on 12th July 1962 at the Marquee Jazz Club in London, England. Initially, they were known as Rolling Stones, which inspired a Muddy Waters-inspired moniker. Their first performance was done on rented equipment with borrowed money, and years later, they are among one of the richest bands in the world with an estimated net worth of $950 million. The legendary band has clocked 85,060,583 album sales worldwide, and their best-selling album Hot Rocks (1964-71) sold over 6,917,540 copies. Let us look at some of the chart-busting Billboard Hot 100 hits of all time as the band completes 60 years since its inception.
The 1969 single release Honky Tonk Women debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed in this position for four weeks. It remained on the charts for another fifteen weeks, making it the largest single hit of the band.
Glimmer Shelter
The song has been used by Oscar-Winning director Martin Scorsese for three of his films - Goodfellas, Casino, and The Departed. The song was part of the Let it Bleed album (1969). According to Audacy, it sold 21.60 million copies worldwide, and in 2005 it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Start Me Up
Recorded in 1977, the song was pushed back for release as a lead single for the album - Tattoo You (1981). The album became the eighth consecutive number-one hit in America. The song debuted during the MTV era and acquired new audiences. In 1995 the song was used for the Microsoft Windows 95’ operating system commercial. The rights to the song sold for $3 million. The song was featured at halftime of the 2006 Super Bowl in Detroit. It peaked at the number two position on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and stayed on Billboard Top Tracks for 13 weeks.
Miss You
Part of the 1978 Some Girls album, Miss You, was the first 12-inch single released by the band. It peaked at number one position on the Billboard Top 100 and is certified gold for 1,000,000 unit sales by the RIAA. It is a certified silver hit in the UK for making 250,000 unit sales. The song was also featured on NBC’s Miami Vice (1984-89) series.
Emotional Rescue
Peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, the song was part of the album Emotional Rescue (1980). It debuted at number nine on the UK Singles Chart. The song's live only after 33 years at a Rolling Stones concert on 3rd May 2013. The album topped 6.9 million sales worldwide.
Angie
The only ballad from the iconic rock and roll band featured in the Goats Head Soup album (1973). The album recorded 12.31 million sales worldwide, with Angie being the biggest single hit. According to U Discover Music, the song peaked at number 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 (1 week), number 5 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 8 on the Austrian chart.
Honky Tonk Women
Rolling Stone magazine has listed the Honky Tonk Women on 116 among the 500 greatest songs. The single hit the Billboard Top 100 at number 1 and remained in this position for four weeks. It also topped the UK Singles Chart at number 1. The song was recorded for the album Through the Past Darkly (1969).
Waiting On A Friend
According to Teen Vogue, the song is one of the iconic hits based on friendship. It was initially recorded for the album Goats Head Soup (1973) but debuted on the album Tattoo You (1981). The song peaked at number 13 on Billboard Hot 100 for fifteen weeks.
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction
According to Song Facts, Snickers obtained the rights to the song at an estimated $4 million for its Snickers Satisfies 1991 ad campaign. The song debuted in the Out of our Heads album (1965). It peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and spent two weeks on the UK Singles Chart at number 1. The album sold 16.43 copies worldwide, making it the sixth best-selling album of all time.
Undercover Of The Night
Undercover of the Night peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. The video was shot explicitly and released on MTV but later was turned down due to the violence portrayed in the music video. The song is based on political corruption and is one of the rare genres sung by the legendary band.
Rock And A Hard Place
The song was first named after the album Steel Wheels (1989) but later changed to Rock and a Hard Place. It peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for fourteen weeks. On the UK Singles Chart, it peaked at number 63 and number 10 on the Canada Top Singles chart.
The Rolling Stones are celebrating 60 years of entertainment through rock and roll music. The songs featured here have inspired generations of musicians to create individual iconic hits.
Sources: Audacy, U Discover Music, Teen Vogue, Song Facts