Recorded at Regent Sound Studios in London over the course of five days in January and February 1964, The Rolling Stones was produced by then-managers Andrew Loog Oldham and Eric Easton. The album was originally released by Decca Records in the UK, while the US version appeared on the London Records label. The majority of the tracks reflect the band's love for R&B. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were fledgling songwriters during early 1964, contributing only one original composition to the album: "Tell Me ". Two songs are credited to "Nanker Phelge" – a pseudonym the band used for group compositions from 1963 to 1965. Phil Spector and Gene Pitney both contributed to the recording sessions, and are referred to as "Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene" in the subtitle of the Phelge instrumental "Now I've Got a Witness."
Release
First pressings of the album, with matrix numbers ending in 1A, 2A, 1B, and 2B, have a 2:52 version of "Tell Me ", which was pressed from the wrong master tape. Subsequent pressings include the 4:06 version. Early labels and covers also have misprints with the fourth track on side 1 listed as "Mona", which was later changed to "I Need You Baby"", the subtitle of "Now I've Got a Witness" written "Like Uncle Gene and Uncle Phil", the word 'If' omitted from "You Can Make It If You Try", and 'Dozier' spelt 'Bozier'. "Route 66" is listed as " Route 66" on some versions of the album, and some later versions of the album have "I Need You Baby" listed as "Mona " and the subtitles of "Now I've Got a Witness" and "Tell Me " removed entirely. The album cover photo was taken by Nicholas Wright. The cover bears no title or identifying information other than the photo and the Decca logo – an "unheard of" design concept originated by manager Andrew Oldham. Upon its release, The Rolling Stones became one of 1964's biggest sellers in the UK, staying at No. 1 for twelve weeks. The original British version of the album was released on compact disc in 1984, but became out-of-print on CD for many years afterwards. In November 2010, it was made available as part of a limited edition vinyl box set titled The Rolling Stones 1964–1969, and by itself digitally at the same time. The original title was also re-instated as part of the Rolling Stones in Mono CD box set, released on 30 September 2016. The album was only released in mono in both the UK and US; no true stereo mix was ever made. The US version of the album, originally subtitled but later officially called England's Newest Hit Makers, was the band's debut US album and was released by London Records on 30 May 1964, a month and a half after the British version. The track "Not Fade Away" replaced "I Need You Baby", and the titles of the tracks "Now I've Got a Witness " and "Tell Me " were shortened to "Now I've Got a Witness" and "Tell Me" on most versions of the American release. Upon its release, The Rolling Stones reached No. 11 in the US, going gold in the process. To date, this is the Stones' only American studio album that has failed to place in the top five on the Billboard album charts. In August 2002, the album, by now officially called England's Newest Hit Makers, was reissued as a new remastered CD and SACDDigipak by ABKCO.
Critical reception
The album was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Sean Egan from BBC Music wrote of the record in 2012: "It's a testament to the group’s brilliance that the result was still the best album to emerge from the early 1960s British blues boom … the ensemble lovingly deliver some of their favourite shots of rhythm 'n' blues." It was voted number 418 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.
Track listing
UK edition
US edition
Personnel
The Rolling Stones
Mick Jagger – lead vocals, backing vocals, harmonica, percussion
Keith Richards – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Brian Jones – electric guitar, harmonica, percussion, backing vocals
