They're a good listen, but I think their "talent" is way too hyped up and they are surpassed musically by many other "rock" bands. I've never been able to understand the hype, but by what my dad has told me about being a youth during their blow-up, it seems as simple as their music was much more catchy than other, maybe more talented rock bands, and it flourished as our "mainstream" shitty pop does today. Combining that with just being from that era when great rock was produced, and now they snagged this so-talented-their-untouchable status with a huge majority of our culture, when in reality they're just a catchy rock band that was able to sell their image really well.
dude, the Stones were able to sell their product well,
but the difference between them and other bands
is they made about 7 or 8 undeniably kick ass rock n roll records.
Aftermath,
Between The Buttons,
Satanic Majesties Request (the weak spot),
Beggars Banquet,
Let It Bleed,
Sticky Fingers,
Exile on Main Street,
even
Goat's Head Soup (shit is underrated.)
then throw the
Get Yer Ya-Yas Out in there, too.
no truly rockin' band has matched that yet.
no bullshit, no "poetry", no long noodly solos, only 1 little misstep into psych, no gooney goo goo bullshit happy bullshit songs,
no songs about elves or the motherfuckin' Shire, no protest songs,
just raunchy no-bullshit songs about fucking bitches, fighting, drinkin' and otherwise getting fucked up, regret,
Satan, and everything else that defines fucking rock n roll.
the Stones were just more fucking ROCK that anybody else for several years.
It took a few rock bands from Detroit to even come close.
top 5 Stones songs-
"Let's Spend The Night Together"
"Jumpin Jack Flash"
"Honky Tonk Women"
"Street Fighting Man"
"Brown Sugar"
bonus-
best guitar intro (fucking ever) with worst guitar outro - "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'"
also, the overall greatness of Exile negates any argument of The Stones as a singles band.
p.s. I wish Keith Richards was my dad.
p.p.s. Stones secret weapon - Ian Stewart. the piano just KILLS IT on all the best Stones records.