A Bigger Bang cover art

  Studio Album · No. 26

A Bigger Bang Songwriting Credits by The Rolling Stones

2005 Virgin Records 16 tracks 64 min

Produced by Don Was, The Glimmer Twins  ·  Engineered by Krish Sharma, Ryan Castle, Jack Joseph Puig, Dave Sardy

Virgin Records Hard RockBlues Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 16 of 16 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 16 / 16 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 16 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Rolling Stones carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
16 trackswritten by The Rolling Stones 0 tracksoutside writers
The Rolling Stones's roles on this album

Share of the 16 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

16
Tracks
2
Lyricists
3
Producers
2.4 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
2005
Released
Data Insight

A Bigger Bang is built almost entirely on Jagger/Richards originals, produced by Don Was with the Glimmer Twins and recorded as a tight, guitar-driven band record after a long studio absence. Much of it was written and tracked at Mick Jagger's chateau in France with a stripped-down lineup, giving it a rawer, more live feel than the production-heavy Bridges to Babylon. Charlie Watts plays drums and Ronnie Wood and bassist Darryl Jones fill out the band, with Mick Jagger handling a notable amount of guitar himself.

Released September 5, 2005, A Bigger Bang was the Stones' longest album at 16 tracks and their first studio album in eight years. Self-consciously stripped back and blues-based, co-produced by Don Was and the Glimmer Twins. 'Streets of Love' and 'Rough Justice' were the lead singles. The accompanying world tour became the highest-grossing concert tour in history at the time.

Track Listing & Credits 16 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Rough Justice
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
2
Let Me Down Slow
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
3
It Won't Take Long
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
4
Rain Fall Down
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
5
Streets of Love #15
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
6
Back of My Hand
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
7
She Saw Me Coming
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
8
Biggest Mistake
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
9
This Place Is Empty
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
10
Oh No, Not You Again
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
11
Dangerous Beauty
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
12
Laugh, I Nearly Died
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
13
Sweet Neo Con
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
14
Look What the Cat Dragged In
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
15
Driving Too Fast
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
16
Infamy
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Don WasMichael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 4 contributors

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Frequently Asked Questions A Bigger Bang

Who wrote the songs on A Bigger Bang?
Every song on A Bigger Bang is an original credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. There are no cover versions on the album. Keith Richards sings lead on two tracks, 'This Place Is Empty' and 'Infamy.'
When was A Bigger Bang released and who produced it?
A Bigger Bang was released in 2005 on Virgin Records and was produced by Don Was together with the Glimmer Twins (Jagger and Richards). It was the band's first studio album of original material in eight years, following Bridges to Babylon. The record runs about 64 minutes across 16 tracks.
Why is A Bigger Bang considered a back-to-basics record?
Much of A Bigger Bang was written and recorded as a small band at Mick Jagger's home studio in France, giving it a rawer, more guitar-focused sound than its predecessors. The stripped-down approach reduced studio layering and emphasized live band interplay. Mick Jagger also played a significant amount of guitar on the sessions.
How did the single Streets of Love perform?
'Streets of Love,' released as a double A-side with 'Rough Justice,' reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart. The singles did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. 'Rough Justice' served as the album's harder-rocking lead track.
Did A Bigger Bang sell well?
A Bigger Bang sold around 2.4 million copies worldwide as of March 2006, with roughly 546,000 sold in the United States. It was certified Platinum in the US and Germany and Gold in Japan. The supporting tour became one of the highest-grossing concert tours of its time.
What does Sweet Neo Con on A Bigger Bang refer to?
'Sweet Neo Con' is a politically pointed Jagger/Richards original on A Bigger Bang that takes aim at American neoconservative politics of the era. Mick Jagger wrote the bulk of its lyrics. It drew media attention as one of the band's more overtly political songs.

Sources