Most frequent collaboratorAndrew Loog Oldham · 110 tracks
GenresRockBlues RockHard RockClassic RockBlues
Songwriter
76%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 258 of 340 tracks
Did the Rolling Stones write their own songs?
Mostly, and increasingly so. The Stones are credited on about 75% of their catalogue, with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards writing nearly all the originals from Aftermath (1966) on, including 'Gimme Shelter,' 'Sympathy for the Devil,' and 'Brown Sugar.' The lower overall figure comes from their first few albums, which were dominated by blues and R&B covers of Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon, and others.
By the Numbers
29
Studio Albums
340
Tracks Credited
76%
Self-Written
250M+
Records Sold
64
Years Active
150
Collaborators
Authorship Breakdown 258 / 340 self-written
Who wrote the songs?
Across all 340 tracks: how many The Rolling Stones wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.
The Rolling Stones has a writing credit76%
71%
4%
24%
Sole author243tracks71%
Co-written15tracks4%
Outside writers82tracks24%
Role Fingerprint how they contribute
The Rolling Stones's roles across the catalogue
Share of all 340 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Lyricist (words)76%
Composer (music)76%
Producer43%
Performer95%
Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on
Percentage of all 340 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.
Member
Period
Lyrics
Music
Production
Performance
Mick Jagger
1962-present
76%
76%
43%
94%
Keith Richards
1962-present
76%
76%
43%
0%
Ronnie Wood
1975-present
2%
2%
0%
0%
Brian Jones Died July 3, 1969
1962-1969 (died July 3, 1969)
2%
2%
3%
0%
Ian Stewart Died December 12, 1985
1962-1985 (died December 12, 1985)
0%
0%
0%
0%
Mick Taylor
1969-1974
0%
0%
0%
0%
Bill Wyman
1962-1993
2%
2%
3%
0%
Charlie Watts Died August 24, 2021
1963-2021 (died August 24, 2021)
2%
2%
3%
0%
Steve Jordan
2021-present
0%
0%
0%
0%
Authorship Over Time writing credit per album
The Rolling Stones's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
avg 76%
25%
25%
42%
25%
33%
33%
50%
100%
100%
100%
90%
89%
90%
89%
100%
90%
88%
90%
100%
100%
100%
80%
100%
100%
92%
100%
0%
92%
86%
1964The Rolling Stones
1964England's Newest Hit Makers
196412 X 5
1965The Rolling Stones No. 2
1965The Rolling Stones, Now!
1965Out of Our Heads
1965December's Children (And Everybody's)
1966Aftermath
1967Between the Buttons
1967Their Satanic Majesties Request
1968Beggars Banquet
1969Let It Bleed
1971Sticky Fingers
1972Exile on Main St.
1973Goats Head Soup
1974It's Only Rock 'n Roll
1976Black and Blue
1978Some Girls
1980Emotional Rescue
1981Tattoo You
1983Undercover
1986Dirty Work
1989Steel Wheels
1994Voodoo Lounge
1997Bridges to Babylon
2005A Bigger Bang
2016Blue & Lonesome
2023Hackney Diamonds
2026Foreign Tongues
Early · 53% written
Mid · 92% written
Late · 84% written
Authorship by Decade track-weighted
58%
1960s
The Rolling Stones, England's Newest Hit Makers +10 more
91%
1970s
Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St. +4 more
96%
1980s
Emotional Rescue, Tattoo You +3 more
96%
1990s
Voodoo Lounge, Bridges to Babylon
100%
2000s
A Bigger Bang
0%
2010s
Blue & Lonesome
88%
2020s
Hackney Diamonds, Foreign Tongues
Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author
Where The Rolling Stones sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.
The Rolling Stones
Other artists on the site
Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.
Bubble size = tracks worked on together. JM Jimmy Miller · EE Eric Easton
The Authorship Story
Data Insight
The Stones' writing credits tell a clear evolutionary story: their first five UK albums (1964-1965) were dominated by American blues, R&B, and rock and roll covers from Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon, Marvin Gaye, and others. Aftermath (1966) was the turning point, the first UK album composed entirely of Jagger-Richards originals. From that point forward, nearly every track across their catalog carries the Jagger-Richards imprint, making them one of the most prolific songwriting partnerships in rock. Notable exceptions include the covers album Blue & Lonesome (2016) and a handful of tracks where individual band members (Brian Jones, Ronnie Wood, Bill Wyman) received sole or co-writing credits. The Stones rarely credited outside writers after 1966; their catalog is a nearly unbroken run of Jagger-Richards compositions.
Quick Facts
SalesOne of the best-selling bands of all time, with estimated album sales of more than 250 million
Rock HallInducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989
The Glimmer TwinsMick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote nearly all the band's original songs
Still goingHackney Diamonds (2023) became their fourteenth UK number-one album
LongevityActive since 1962, one of the longest-running bands in rock history
Creative Fingerprint
A covers band that became a songwriting machine: the Stones are credited on about 75% of their catalogue, held down by the blues and R&B covers on their early albums, then almost entirely self-written once Mick Jagger and Keith Richards took over from Aftermath on.
The Story
The Rolling Stones are a British rock band formed in London in 1962, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most enduring acts in rock history. Founded by vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards alongside multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones, bassist Bill Wyman, and drummer Charlie Watts, the group began as a blues-cover band before becoming one of the primary forces in the British Invasion of the mid-1960s. After Brian Jones's departure and death in 1969, guitarist Mick Taylor joined; Ronnie Wood replaced Taylor in 1975, establishing the lineup that persisted for decades. Charlie Watts passed away in August 2021; drummer Steve Jordan subsequently joined for touring and recording. The Jagger-Richards songwriting partnership, forged from 1964 onward, is among the most celebrated and enduring in popular music.
Awards & Recognition
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989
Ranked among the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated album sales over 250 million
Hackney Diamonds (2023) became their fourteenth UK number-one album
Widely introduced on stage as 'the greatest rock and roll band in the world'
Frequently Asked Questions The Rolling Stones
Did the Rolling Stones write their own songs?
Mostly, and increasingly so. The Stones are credited on about 75% of their catalogue, with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards writing nearly all the originals from Aftermath (1966) on, including 'Gimme Shelter,' 'Sympathy for the Devil,' and 'Brown Sugar.' The lower overall figure comes from their first few albums, which were dominated by blues and R&B covers of Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon, and others.
Who wrote the Rolling Stones' songs?
Almost all originals were written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, known as the Glimmer Twins. Jagger generally wrote the lyrics and Richards the music and riffs, a partnership that ranks among the most productive in rock history.
Who wrote 'Gimme Shelter'?
'Gimme Shelter,' the opening track of Let It Bleed (1969), was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Its apocalyptic mood made it one of the defining songs of the era and a staple of the band's live shows.
Why are the early Rolling Stones albums mostly covers?
The Stones started as a blues and R&B covers band, so their first albums leaned heavily on songs by Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon, and other American artists. Jagger and Richards were still learning to write, and it was not until Aftermath (1966) that they filled an album entirely with their own songs.
Who wrote 'Angie'?
'Angie,' from Goats Head Soup (1973), was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The acoustic ballad became a worldwide hit and one of the band's most covered songs.
How many albums have the Rolling Stones released?
This catalogue covers dozens of studio and regional releases across six decades, from their 1964 debut through Hackney Diamonds (2023), their first album of new original material in eighteen years.
What happened to Brian Jones and Charlie Watts?
Founding guitarist Brian Jones left the band and died on July 3, 1969, weeks later. Drummer Charlie Watts, a member from 1963, died on August 24, 2021, after which Steve Jordan took over on drums.
Are the Rolling Stones in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Yes. The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, cementing their status as one of the most influential and enduring rock bands ever.
What genre is the Rolling Stones?
The Rolling Stones play rock, blues rock, and hard rock rooted in American blues and R&B, a sound they carried from covers into originals like 'Satisfaction,' 'Gimme Shelter,' and 'Start Me Up.'
The Rolling Stones
