Aftermath

7.7/10 klasik nmm sta da dodam slusacu ponovo

Relistened to the UK version. What a great album. Feel that Going Home might be filler but also understand that’s them getting back to blues. Reminded how amazing Brian Jones is on this. Also, not sure if it’s because of the hi-res version I listened to but Bill Wyman’s bass really comes through more than I remember. One of the great albums I don’t have on vinyl.

Feels like original authentic bluesy rock n roll.

Some classics

Stupid Girl is an extremely weak point in the album, but it’s otherwise solid.

Actually, the first album of the stones that I have listened to from head to toe

The mean boys of the groovy 60s. The Misfits, to The Beatles’ Jem. Lady Jane is hilarious. They were so earnest. You can hear them finding their style throughout the different tracks. So much great music. Keith Richard’s doesn’t get enough credit as a songwriter and musician. Everyone just jokes on him, but he is always pitch-perfect. Really brilliant from such a young age.

Listened to the US and UK versions. Loved 'out of time', 'lady jane', and 'paint it black'. The other songs were okay or not memorable for me.

Liked the Lindsey Buckingham Green cover

This was a pretty cool album that leaned more into the blues rock side of things. There were one or two tracks with a slight psychedelic edge, but overall, it feels like the band was still slowly moving toward that direction before fully diving into the psychedelic era.

Listened to this after setting up my hearing aids while at work. It was like I was secretly listening to music. Also probably not the best speaker system... Very 70s. Semi psychedelic.

Jagger/Richards maturing as songwriters continued with Aftermath and I think this album is the first with all their own songs and no covers. Highlights are Lady Jane, Under My Thumb.

I guess they really were England's newest hit-makers.

Made a Playlist with both versions UK & US

bangers but many sleepers

first listen pretty good

There are a couple of generic blues/bar rock tunes on here, which make it all the more interesting that this album also produced Under my Thumb and Paint it Black (included in the version I listened to as opposed to original UK release). The Stones really gather steam here, moving ahead into the 64-71 era that resulted in Hot Rocks, which is my all time fav...basic take there, I guess. Good stuff.

Excellent rock album

3.7

A bunch of good stuff; I appreciated the longer "Going Home" as the more bluesy variant of the Stones that I've heard of but not heard much of.

Mainly good hits with a few weak ones.

I like later Stones enough that, except for my favorite song Paint it Black, I almost forget about Beatles-era Stones when they were consistently compared to each other. I love The Beatles, but the Stones were really good. I have no idea who I would have picked in 1966.

Like everything British, the UK version leaves off the Billion play song "Paint It Black" and this is the one that the website defaulted to on Spotify ... lucky for the rating I went and found the American Release ... and that song alone, plus dropping a few of the "meh" songs upgrades this album significantly

Good stuff. The Stones innit

The Rolling Stones are one of those bands that I seem to enjoy any time that I listen to them but, for some reason, I don't listen to them all that much. This album was quintessential mid-60s British rock and is overall enjoyable.

The UK version of Aftermath leads off with 'Mother's Little Helper' and the US gets 'Paint It Black' instead. Idk why they wouldn't wanna include both, but 'Paint It Black' is a truly transcendent song and one of the best things they ever wrote, so I’m happy to have the US version here. I like 'Under My Thumb' too - I see it as a parody of masculinity coming from self-aware songwriters, like the Beatles with 'Run For Your Life', and so I’m not terribly bothered by it. Also enjoyed 'I Am Waiting' which I don't remember ever hearing before. I don't give the Rolling Stones a lot of love. It took them until 1966 to write a full album of their own songs. And even after listening to and enjoying Aftermath, I'm still going to probably put on a compilation like Hot Rocks if I want to hear these songs. But this was an impressive leap forward for them, and one of those moments where they came close to being as good as the Beatles.

Half of this I loved, half of it I forgot about. But I gotta say, this is my favorite Rolling Stones album so far - by a decent margin.

Todavía por detras de the Beatles, pero con dos grandes canciones.

Normally not a big Stones fan, but I found this pretty solid and enjoyable.

Not their best album that we've had but still solid and I think I'm gonna give it a 4 just because of all the crap we've had recently. They play their instruments super well and while yes a lot of the lyrics are pretty demeaning towards women, it's nothing compared to the gangsta rap we've had recently. "Paint it Black" is one of their best ever.

I never considered myself a fan of the Stones, but this was great.

What’d you expect from a stones album. Good blues, good to listen to so that i’ve got it under my belt. Good to move on afterwards as this sound isnt ground breaking for me with a history of blues music. Favourite track: Going Home

I never cared for the Rolling Stones, but that is because I had only heard them out of context as singles. There were some bangers and the rest were fine. Understanding them as a jam band makes way more sense.

3/11/25. Okay, this one is up there for me when it comes to Rolling Stones albums! Simple yet effective rock songs. There's something with Brian Jones that really elevates the band, even in the early days.

Aftermath is where The Rolling Stones truly started to carve out their own identity, moving beyond their blues-cover roots and proving they could craft an entire album of original material that stands on its own. The songwriting is sharper, the instrumentation more adventurous, and there’s a sense of confidence throughout that makes it feel like a turning point for the band. Tracks like Paint It, Black and Under My Thumb are undeniable classics, full of dark energy and iconic riffs, while deeper cuts like Lady Jane and I Am Waiting show a more delicate, baroque-inspired side that adds some unexpected texture. Brian Jones, in particular, is the album’s secret weapon, adding marimba, dulcimer, and sitar to the mix, giving the record a distinctive edge that sets it apart from the standard blues-rock fare of the time. That said, Aftermath isn’t without its flaws. At 53 minutes, it’s a bit long for an album of this era, and not every track justifies its runtime—some of the bluesier numbers drag a little compared to the more inventive moments. Lyrically, it’s got that sneering, rebellious Stones attitude, but songs like Stupid Girl and Under My Thumb lean into a kind of arrogance that hasn’t aged particularly well. Still, the sheer variety and ambition make Aftermath one of the most important albums of their early years. It’s not perfect, but it’s a crucial step forward—one that set the stage for the band’s best work to come.

This is one of those albums that I really enjoyed listening to as a whole, but didn't fall in love with individual songs that much. The lyrics got annoying at times as well, but I'm still rounding it up to four stars, 'cause it's a solid rock album. 3.5 stars

I love sitars and the idea of bringing sitars to rock music. Paint it black is amazing but the rest doesn’t really stand out for me. 3 stars for the album, and 1 extra star if paint it black is included.

I can see why this was the “commercial breakthrough” for the stones. I liked it more than I expected to (despite paint it black on the US version which is just a song I’ve never really seen the appeal for. I guess the UK version got it right with leaving this song off). For the most part, the songs are pretty crisp with some memorable hooks and riffs here and there.

I feel like I need to give this one another listen to better rate it and just because I enjoyed it. The US version is right in the sweet spot for album run time and it’s interesting to see the influence of different genres on the Stones. Paint it Black is a classic and there wasn’t anything I disliked about the other songs. Maybe I’ll change my mind later on, but for now I’m going with a four.

I like The Stones. I like "Paint It Black". I like "Under My Thumb". Not much else I have to say about this album.

I mostly listen to the 68-72 run of Beggars Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. from the Stones. I'm not as familiar with either the US or UK versions of Aftermath, and I'm not entirely sure which version I should be rating. I do know Paint It Black, and that is a clear standout of all the tracks on both albums. Having spent more time with this music, the rest of it is better than I remember the last time I listened to Aftermath in full. The misogynist lyrics are more of a problem for me on Stupid Girl than Under My Thumb, the latter being catchy enough to ignore the lyrics, the former being pretty uninteresting musically. I appreciate the 11 minute song Going Home, but I think it works best at the end of the album as on the US version rather than the end of side a - though I am listening on streaming rather than on vinyl. I Am Waiting and Out of Time are some more stand-outs. Compared to other canonical 1966 albums, i.e. Revolver, Pet Sounds and Blonde on Blonde, this is the weakest of the bunch. Nonetheless, it's a very strong album.

Classic

Solid album! Classic Rolling Stones. A few bangers, the rest nice.

I never seem to get sick of the stones. Mother’s little helper cracks me up. Under my thumb is just an awesome rock and roll song. I’ll take rolling stones over Beatles all day every day. Going home sounds like the doors. Great stuff. Out of time is such a 60s vibe - probably my favorite of this bunch.

Aftermath is a wonderful example of the power the Stones.

Probably the weakest Stones album I’ve had yet, but still enjoyed it. “Going Home” is a bit too long.

I liked "Lady Jane" and "Going home". Best song is "Under my thumb". 8/10

Bangers

I have always preferred Rolling Stones country influenced songs and not really their traditional rock songs, so was expecting not to really like this, but there was some really good songs on it. I would definitely listen to this again and might actually buy a copy if I came across it

“Fuck women”. What an idea for an album. What an ego these guys must have to all be in a state of upset with their respective love interests and all come to the conclusion that women be crazy AND THEN create such a banging group of songs. They aren’t all great, but some of these are iconic. Depending on which version you listen to, you get a different taste. The US version has “Paint It Black”, which is great, but it also has “Going Home” as the final track and no “Mother’s Little Helper” or “Out of Time”. I’d say that the British version is better curated, but they’re both within a margin of error that gives them the same score. This isn’t the best the Stones have to offer, but I enjoy it. Also, don’t sleep on “I Am Waiting”, shit goes hard. 4/5

Some classics on a good but not tremendous album. I prefer 70s Stones but this is a good listen as to what got them there.

Hurts me to not give it a 5 but still a great album.

Probably a five star but I wasn’t able to spend enough time with it Further proof that their best songs are the less popular songs

Really great album.

Maybe a couple of songs too long but we had fun

yeya

i had a better time than i was expecting listening to this album tbh, the instrumentals are on fucking fire

Paint it black

well, yes

I don't know why the UK version has Mother's Little Helper and the US version has Paint It Black but they're two of my favorite Stones songs so it's hard to decide which I prefer. Anyways, solid album with a few bangers but a couple of tracks are filler and Going Home takes way too long for such a boring song.

Vintage Stones, love it all

The Stones were a better R'n'B band than The Beatles. And this is a great set of songs, if not as inventive as Revolver. Some of the lesser-played cuts here - High & Dry and Flight 505 - are particularly fun here. And there haven't been many lyrics as acerbic as Mother's Little Helper written since, by The Stones or anyone else. A rollicking rollercoaster slice of London life in the Swinging Sixties.

Previously rated: The Rolling Stones (4/5) Beggars Banquet (5/5) Let it Bleed (5/5) ****************************** Note: Rating the UK version. There's some great stuff that I knew (Mother's Little Helper and Under My Thumb) and some that I didn't, like the silly but catchy Stupid Girl. Liked hearing the different instruments like the Marimba. What I didn't particularly care for was the 11 minute long Goin' Home. It drags down the first side of the record. That and a couple of other filler songs keep it from being a 5/5. One of the later tracks sounded very Beach Boys-ish with the "Bah-ba-ba-bah"s going on in the backup vocals. I didn't mind that.

8/10. Great album with some classics. Percussion / Charlie Watts really shines here.

I loved it, classic rock never misses

More of a 4.5/5

I LIKE it, a lot of drug references!

Amazing album

Favorite Track: Paint It, Black

You can tell the Stones were a band in transition at the time of this album recording...not the most amazing work but still pretty solid. Foretold of things to come. 3.5/5

UK or US version - both great....

Listened to both UK and US versions, averages out to a 4. Odd differences between the ablums. Only ~1/2 of each album has songs in common and I think both could use Paint it Black and Mother's Little Helper.

Lots of good stuff on here. Very solid.

4,5 arrondi en dessous. Évidemment un très bon album, j'ai beaucoup aimé les 3 premières pistes et la dernière en particulier. Pour ce qui est du reste, en tant que très grand fan des Beatles je ne peux pas m'empêcher de comparer cet album avec Rubber Soul, sorti un peu avant, et du coup en comparaison je trouve celui là moins marquant. Mais ça reste du chipotage.

Very good album. Several singles/hits. Interesting to hear how the band had grown from their previous album in their songwriting and use of different instruments on this album.

Another true classic

it's the rolling stones so it was great :D 3.5-4

I liked it 😄

Two clear, smash hits on here. However, unlike the other Stones albums here, the deep cuts don't do a whole lot for me

The Stones have never done much for me but after a couple of tracks I really got into this.

- Under My Thumb is my favorite Rolling Stones song, which is maybe a hot take, given the Taming-of-the-Shrew messaging. As it turns out, it’s one of several strong statements about women on Aftermath. Mother’s Little Helper is a classic. Stupid Girl made me laugh despite myself. The second half is decidedly Beatle-y—“baby, baby, baby, you’re out of tiiiIIIiiime"—but it's alright

As someone who has never really listened to Traffic - this felt like perfectly average 60s/70s rock. Neither overwhelming nor underwhelming… I am just whelmed

Good ol' classic rock.

I'm running out of cliches .. but this album is a bit of a mixed bag -with some genuine classics like under my thumb, mothers little helper and out of time - but then has some billy basic shit like going home... quite how Jagger/ Richards could write this at the same time as writing paint it black its nuts as the songs are light years apart. Listened the to US version so included Paint it Black which is such an epic tune ahead of its time for 66.

Couple great tracks, some nice bluesy stuff, but not exactly their best stuff. 3.8

4.2

Lower key and more Victorian than expected. Fun ride

OK. Not one of the best albums. Classic representation

Paint it Black followed by some okay songss.

Rock, Blues, 1966 -> 4

Enjoyed it more than other stones albums. This is just classic 60s rock. Nice lyrics and the music I’m a fan of. Would listen again for sure.

Yeah that was cool.

How bad can the misogyny actually be? The second track is called, what was that? Stupid Girl? Oh, yep. There it is. It's too bad because I really like this.

Best Stones album I have heard

Manages to remain one of my favourite stones albums even in spite of all the misogyny.

Two "Rolling Stones" albums back to back! The British version has the good "Mothers little helper" but the US release has "Paint it black", what a dilemma of which release is the best. I think "Paint it Black" is probably the best song but "Mother's little helper is probably the best track on the British release. There are quite a few other decent songs. "Under my thumb" and "Out of time" to name a few. It was cool coming from "Sticky Fingers" to hear this album which felt slightly older and more close to something like "The Kinks" I've listened to two stones albums in two days and have enjoyed them quite a lot. I still think you can pick the best songs of the albums and not miss much but as a whole I think they deserve a 4 star.

Solid Stones album. "Mother's Little Helper" is a great intro track, with a fun chord progression and lyrics that grab your attention immediately. "Under My Thumb" is one of my favorite songs by them, and is seemingly always in and out of being stuck in my head randomly throughout my life. This album has some really cool instrumentation too. I appreciate the marimba and inventive guitar work/production (great distortion on "It's Not Easy" that sounds like a baritone sax). I don't love the second half of the album; it's not terribly memorable or special to me and it brings my rating here from a 4 down to a 3. There's a few shining moments in the first few songs but then the falloff hurts it. Hold on just a minute! This was the record that had "Paint it Black" on it- I didn't even realize that at first as I was listening to the older UK release. That honestly changes things for me, because that is by far my favorite Rolling Stones song. I fell in love with the song when it was the intro track on the videogame "Twisted Metal Black". It's got that sweet sitar riff, the crazy pounding drums, the proto-emo lyrics with a crazy great performance by Mick Jagger to match. It's a perfect rock song in my opinion, and elevates this to 4/5 for me. Dang I can't believe I almost missed that.

Wunderbare Scheibe. Allerdings sind die Arrangments schon etwas versgtaubt. Da gefallen mir die neueren besser. Daher nur 4 Stern.

Mother’s Little Helper is probably my favorite Stones song.

Good stuff

If you Think that this album will leave you High and Dry, think again. I will keep this one Under My Thumb so Doncha Bother Me and try to take it.

Ei 68-72-julkaisujen tasolla. Mutta tarkemmin ajatellen: levyn neljästä ensimmäisestä biisistä 3/4 ovat omissa lajeissaan aika nerokkaita, Under My Thumb tietysti etupäässä. Ja oikeastaan levyn jokainen biisi tarjoaa jotain: jos ei uutta oivallusta niin ainakin selkeän ja tarttuvan variaation jostain vanhasta (Doncha Bother Me, High and Dry...). Stupid Girl on minulle liikaa, samoin Going Home - eri syistä. Mutta silti, let's face it, levy on parempi kuin mikä tahansa The Who- tai Kinks-LP. Loppupäätelmä: ei Beggars Banquet mutta matala nelonen.

7/10

Not my favorite Stones LP but I am very fond of it.

Mothers little helper, out of time and going home are my top 3. This album was a banger I loved it, hesitant to grant a 4 but honestly this just edged into a fo

Stabilt album! Under my thumb sticker ut som en riktig hit som gått mig förbi iaf.

Early early. Some intertwining of what would be the actual rock with the Stones. Good album, not great.

Ничего нового)

Such a cool album.

Hmm I'm really liking this today! I don't know if I would have typically liked this but it's hitting the spot today. I'm going to mark this 4 stars. And will listen to the whole thing. I think I had a Rolling Stones album before maybe even more than one, and didn't rate it too high. I guess it just depends what my mood is at the time. Yep, I've had 3 before this one and I gave them all a 3

American folk influence!

the best stones album

Like the Stones, although not really familiar with any of their albums in full. This one is good, plenty of blues influence and their typical swagger.

Pretty great overall album musically, apparently their first full original album and part of a huge music shift in the Pop Rock timeline with Rubber Soul. Have it at 4.5 for importance, but docking it for the misogyny.

The Stones at their best, a golden age far much better than their later career from the 80s on. Paint it Black is far and away the best of the album. 4⭐️

Paint It Black is a great start, but Stupid Girl is bit shit. If you’re going to make a misogynistic song, at least make it a banger! Speaking of, I often song along to Under My Thumb while shaking my head and frowning to show I disagree with it.

If this 1001 albums project has taught me one thing it's that I don't like the blues. It's just too boring and too repetitive with too much emphasis on authenticity and the outpouring of deep emotions and not enough catchy chorusses. My first encounter with the Stones as part of this project was somwehat tainted by my attitude towards the blues so I wasn't really looking forward to go back to their oeuvre but I was pleasantly surprised by this. Yes, it is blues-y (I could do without the final track) but they do something different with it. The songs are short and punchy and sometimes do really strange things (I can't imagine what Paint It Black sounded when heard in the sixties). I will definitely revisit this one.

I believe the author selected the UK version for this list, which does not include Paint it Black, but does have the great Mother’s Little Helper and 3 lesser known tracks, the best being Out of Time, which is almost as good of an early Stones gem as the sublime I Am Waiting. The album is notable for being the first Stones offering to feature a track listing full of originals. In some ways Richards/Jagger were still finding their footing in that department, but there is still a lot to like here, even if some things haven’t aged well (see Stupid Girl). Lots of unique instrumentation and explorations that would pan out more effectively on future albums. Oh yeah, and Under My Thumb 👍

This is a bit of a stumper. Apple Music’s album summary likens Aftermath to Revolver, Pet Sounds, and Blonde on Blonde. It’s not as good as any of those. “Paint it Black” is sick, and so is that last track, but still a bit of a wash.

Suprisingly good!

Just an all around solid listen but it didn't knock my socks off in any major way either. 4.5

Can't go wrong with the Stones. "Going Home" 5 star!

Most of the songs were great. Didn't care for Lady Jane at all. I appreciate the country/blues influence.

this was a good album overall id say, i was pretty confused which one to listen to because there’s a normal one and a UK version, i listened to the normal one which had paint it black, good album overall

A piece of history.

I think the stones are at their best when they lean into the blues more than some of their other styles. We had Let It Bleed earlier this week and I thought that album did a better job of that. This album was still super solid and has helped me appreciate the stones more as a band than I did before we started this journey. Paint it Black is a great starting song and going home was a good ender. Definitely more of an album to be appreciated start to finish than as individual songs.

Not The best but i Like it

Great sound. A lot of variety. Way cooler than David Gray.

The Stones are the best. So great songs on this one

Good dimensional groovy album.

Back to back stones. In my ignorant youth, both this and beggers banquet would have felt like singles bands albums, ie i liked sympathy for the devil, paint it black, but as age and discernment are creeping in can see clearly the supra-american country music competence in beggars, (better country to come), and blues and innovation competence in aftermath, shit even ol' B. Jones had some tight contributions on this one.

Brilliant, loved every track. Paint it Black remains one of my all time favourite songs

Wasn’t stoked about listening to a RS album start to finish, but it was actually pretty decent. Definitely a unique sound for 1966 and you can absolutely hear the influences in there on modern rock. … paint it black is a hell of an opener.

Haven't heard much by the Rolling Stones, aside from their hits, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable listen.

Ooh man that was awesome. Losing a star for the 10 minute song that goes nowhere lol. But some real great songwriting.

Classic beginnings of the band firing on all cylinders. Music that hits one quick. And it would only get better. Not a bad song on this album.

Only knew "paint it black" before. Thought it would be rockier, not so bluesy. After I adapted to the unusual panning of the mix I really enjoyed it.

Brilliant, loved every track. Paint it Black remains one of my all time favourite songs

Pretty badass. Lots of cool, cool stuff. Such a great band. Not their absolute best, but still.... I'd been listening to the US version for years. Not sure which one is better. Toss a coin.

This was a nice and enjoyable listen. I can’t go less than a *4 here with heavy hitters like “Under my Thumb”, “Mothers little helper” and “Paint it Black”(US release); and early classics I forgot about like “Lady Jane” and “Out of time”. The Stones are one of those few bands that has been able to evolve and shape their sound to stay relevant spanning nearly 7 decades, including the latest release Hackney Diamonds ( killer video for”Angry”) .

This is very much a cuspy 3/4 for me... confusion on whether we should be rating the UK version that excluded Paint it Black or the US version that includes the track. I am including it since it is one of my favorite Stones song and it ultimately kicks it to 4* for me. 3.5/5

i mean it's the stones, what's not to like

80% Best: Under My Thumb; Going Home; Out of Time; Think Must-Hear? Hmm...sure

Kind of not amazing, i expected a bit more exciting stuff mick and co. Still decent. 3.5/5 stars

I would rate The Rolling Stones as my favorite band based on their catalogue of work, and even I don’t think this album needs to be on the list. I suppose it was selected because it’s because it’s the first album they wrote on their own (no covers). But they got better with time. I don’t find this to be anywhere near their best, so why have multiple albums by one band, when there are other deserving bands that get left out. I world rather hear two a maybe three albums by any one group/artist to get a sense of them, and get more variety of artists. It’s ridiculous that Bowie, Neil Young, the Beatles, Stones get half a dozen or more entries.

az első izgalmas Stones album, úristen de kicsik voltak még 🤯 -Mick a fake amerikai akcentus nélkül! - a Lady Jane, amiben már hallani Keith későbbi balladáit kicsit - a Going Home második, imprós fele, helló Jim Morrison - Brian Jones nem vacakolt és kb minden létező hangszeren játszott ezen az albumon - Studid Girl és Under my Thumb, well fuck you guys nagyon szeretem a hangulatát ennek az albumnak, de azért csináltak ők ennél nagyobb csodákat

I love the Stones, so i certainly don't mind revisiting classic albums like Aftermath. Under My Thumb and Paint It Black are the all time great singles from the album. I'm not sure why the 1001 albums collection would include this album though since all their albums from Let It Bleed to Exile are far better pieces of work overall. I'll give it a strong 4.

I've never been a fan of the Rolling Stones so i've never listened to this album before, so i was surprised by how good it was. Jim Morrison definitely listened to this as the last song, What To Do is what he sounded like live.

Gutes Stones Album mit dem Juwel „Painted Black“. Leider kommt kein weiterer der durchaus ordentlichen Songs an die Schwarzmalerei anknüpfen. Trotzdem ist eine weitere Anhörung wahrscheinlich.

The thing I like least about the Stones is their longevity (and, maybe a little, Mick’s vocals). By still recording and performing today, they make me (and I’m sure I’m not alone in this) feel like they’re just another bunch of Boomers whose best days are behind them yet they still refuse to give up the mic or stage. And I honestly believe they could have quit in the late 70s, or even early 80s, with legend status. But the fact they’ve gone probably 30 years or better without a significant contribution to music should not undercut the obvious influence they held in their heyday, yet that lens makes it hard to rate this album honestly. I fell short of loving it, but if I was truly hearing it for the first time in 1966 it would have floored me (especially since I hadn’t been born yet - but we’ll leave that fact aside for now).

Like a lot of the Stones, I like about half of it. Radio releases are strong and I've always loved Paint it Black. Don't even get me started on red doors. I'm sure it was ground-breaking for the time, too. Based on the fact that it's the Stones and Paint it Black is on this album, I'm giving it 4*.

First Stones album without covers, an important milestone in Richard’s/Jaggers development as song writers. Ultimately, it’s weighed down by some immature, misogynistic lyrics and have aged poorly and weren’t necessarily welcome in its day either. Under My Thumb is still my problematic fave though and with the US version trimming a bit and adding on Paint It Black it’s all pretty great, musically.

If I had to listen to the Rolling Stones, I would listen to Aftermath. But I don't often listen- not my favourite product of the mostly male rock scene of the late 60s/early 70s.

LIstening notes: I have never really been a big Rolling Stones fan. I like their music, but I've never sought out their albums. Looking forward to this one. Starting real strong with Paint It Black, god this song rules. Lady Jane is a silly one Under My Thumb, great. Doncha Bother Me getting bluesy Some forgettable stuff after that I Am Waiting - always liked this track Going Home - funky blues. Alright this is dragging a little at minute 9... Fun and easy to listen to, would come back to it for sure. A few big hits, awesome starting track. 3.9/5

I'm not a huge Stones fan, but I actually liked this album. (Apple Music only has the American release, but we added "Mother's Little Helper" and "Out of Time" from the U.K. release as a bonus.)

Her er lyden af tiden tyk. På den fede måde. Her får jeg både The Beatles lyden, og Jacker uden at han bliver hysterisk. Bedste Stones album indtil nu.

What can I say about this album? It starts out strong with "mothers little helper" then doesn't lose pace from there. It's got some of the earlier stones best tracks on it and it's probably what I'd play for someone if they hadn't ever heard much of the stones and I wanted to intro them to their work. Enough said.

A cool album. Wasn't super excited for a bunch of Rolling Stones albums coming up, but this is on another level to the soundalikes. Good songwriting and creativity throughout.

The first Stones album proper is a curiosity. Great set of tracks but it hardly holds together as a cohesive album with its competing musical styles. Revolver and Blond on Blond, both contemporaries, are much better in this regard. Still, Lady Jane and Under My Thumb are great and Doncha Bother Me mines a rich Blues vein.

Неплохой альбом, очень неплохой 5/14

This was great. The distance between the best songs (Paint It Black, Lady Jane) and the worst (Stupid Girl) weren't that big, so it was enjoyable all the way through. Lots of great Stones sound and wonderful melodies. Four stars.

7,42

Great music, terribly misogyny.

Some unmatched songs, some blues noodling - 11 minutes of Going Home of which 7 are surplus to requirements, and generally was this peak Mick misogyny? Mother's Little Helper, Under My Thumb, Stupid Girl are lyrically a trio of shame - though fantastic music. It's not that they need cancelling, but like a rapper endlessly talking about bitches and hos it does get wearying.

Pretty good

Classics still hold up

4.8

Where the stones really started to find their feet in terms of albums Really eclectic with great variety of sounds and hooks Couple weaker tunes (going home is 8 mins too long) and a few questionable lyrics but loads of bangers nonetheless

Baby, baby, baby

I’ve said it before, but the Stones only do one thing. However, they are phenomenal at that one thing. It’s nice seeing them get a bit experimental. Not as solid as some of their later albums. “Paint It Black” and “Under My Thumb” are far from their best hits, IMO. It definitely picks up on side 2, though.

Classic, raw Stones. Some home runs on here, some failed experiments, couple dead spots. They get better. Paint It Black improves the US version.

I've listened to both US and UK Aftermath multiple times, throughout the years. This album is gold!

Kind of an interesting bridge album between the garage blues and the post Brian Jones era. He’s still all over this album, but it’s clear that there is a sea change occurring.

It's so interesting hearing some of the early Stones albums knowing what they'll evolve to and the impact they have on music. This album has a lot of 60s vibes, but you can hear the minor chords and the darker, heavier undertones throughout the album. Overall, it's a very good, cohesive album that I enjoyed a lot.

Nothing but classic early rolling stones. Loved it.

Favourite song - Think

Paint it Black shows how far the Stones had come by 1966. If 'REubber Soul' told the world that The Beatles were making more than just pop singles then Aftermath showed everyone the Stones were not that far behind. However, we have massive controversy when reviewing this album. Do we review the UK edition or the US one? The UK edition doesn't have 'Paint it Black' but its US counterpart doesn't have 'Mother's Little Helper" or "out of Time" Its an impossible dilemna. The need for original singles at the expense of long player integrtity had not yet entered the rock music sales economy. The easiest way is to summarise that The Stones had transcended - though not abandoned - the delta blues by this era and the hit singles of the time are peerless. Just give it 5 stars.

Good early stones album Standout songs: Doncha bother me Going Home Out of time

Aftergeography This is a little sweet spot of the Stones, along with Between the Buttons, that I’m very fond of, but I don’t listen to it as much as I should. As much as I like Paint it Black I listened to the UK version of the album, which I think should be the definitive edition. Although Out of our Heads is a good listen, this is clearly a step up, undoubtedly inspired by The Beatles, Beach Boys, Who, Kinks etc. Although you can still hear echoes of their blues and r&b sound in things like Doncha Bother Me and Flight 505, you can also also hear where they would end up a few years later with songs like Goin’ Home. High and Dry even points to the coming influence of country on their music. But Mother’s Little Helper, Lady Jane, Under My Thumb, Out of Time, I Am Waiting, Take it or Leave it and Think are great examples of them landing between those two eras. Excellently catchy mid 60s pop songs with interesting things happening musically and instrumentally that keep them fresh no matter how many times you hear them. It’s Not Easy and What to Do aren’t qute at those standards and are pretty forgettable The lyrics though. I’ve not really considered the lyrics of this period over the years, but listening today, there is a lot that is problematic to say the least. It’s tricky judging them against today’s standards, and it’s not necessarily fair, but I’d hazard that even for the time they were a bit misogynistic and borderline rapey. I don’t think it necessarily lessens my enjoyment of the album, but it’s definitely something I’m more aware of now than I have been previously. Although that probably is a great example of cakeism on my part. When they are not specifically singing about stupid and feckless women it’s much more interesting, there’s definitely a nihilistic and anti-sentimental tone, a bit at odds with the burgeoning peace and love scene, but probably necessary to move on from the prevailing I Love You, Let’s Hold Hands sensibility of 50s and early 60s pop songs. Charlie’s drumming is always excellent, but it is particularly great on this. I love the soft toms on I Am Waiting and the fills in Out of Time. And Bill Wyman’s bass is excellent, not necessarily at Macca’s melodic level or John Entwhistle’s propulsive brashnees, but it has an excellent tone and place in the production, and enough little hooks and licks to give the songs some great texture. It really is a great snapshot of them between eras, clearly inspired to compete with the Beatles and their contemporaries, and while they don’t quite have the melodic and thematic inventiveness of the Beatles, the variations in sounds and instrumentation is great. It's easy to overlook this and Between the Buttons, and although It doesn’t quite hit the peaks in the same way as their upcoming classic 4-5 albums, lyrics notwithstanding, it’s a great album and a great listen overall. Not quite at a 5, so an easy solid 4. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

i am a true believer in life after math

Classic album. A few of the songs fall flat but overall good.

great stones album. good rock and roll vibes, jagger's voice is so strong, full of bangers

I don’t understand why so many people are calling this a tightening of The Stone’s sound, because it’s a lot looser and baggier than both their early albums and their later masterpieces. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, loosening up and experimenting with their sound was what they needed, especially in order to keep up with The Beatles, but it does make for a long album and occasionally misses the mark. Under My Thumb is a real guilty pleasure of mine, because it is so nasty and misogynistic, but it’s also a bop? I still contend that the run between Beggar’s Banquet and Exile On Main Street is untouchable, all of those albums are non skips, and the good songs on Aftermath are all great, but they are further between than in the band’s golden period

I would imagine there are a lot of Stones records on this list so I’m glad this one made it. I think this one is my favorite of the Brian Jones era since it’s just so weird. It starts with Mothers Little Helper which has always stood out in my mind as a fucking bizarre one lol. There’s a lot going on here but each track has its own thing. Going Home is a cool bluesy song that could probably be a minute or two shorter but it’s a jam for sure. Out Of Time is a very British Invasion kind of sound too. This album is a pretty good indication of where the band was headed as far as Jones experimentation but it’s not so experimental that it’s too much. Definitely a solid listen that could use some more attention!

Hot damn there's some good shit on this!

Loved this album since I was a kid, particularly Side A, but that's the US version. & yeah, I get it, there are some heinous lyrics involved but not everything in music can be discounted at face value; there is a story going on here as well.

That was solid.

Great Album. Early Stones is hard to beat.

Under my thumb is a classic!

Paint it Black Under my thumb I Am Waiting

If I were to listen to the Stones for the first time, I would have hoped it would be this one. This is solid, not perfect but solid. Lady Jane seems like a throwaway song . Choice cut: Paint it Black

Some of my favorite Rolling Stones songs are on this album.

Fun 😋

My six year old daughter heard me listening to Stupid Girl while listening to Aftermath and now the Stones are on her shit list. One of the first really great albums from the Stones. Bettered by later work certainly and it sounds a bit dated at times these days, it’s still excellent and sounds fresh at times. Under My Thumb especially is my jam.

Good music albeit with an extremely dated tone, figuratively and literally.

Paint It Black was my ringtone back in high school. It’s high on my list of rock songs. The rest of the album is solid. I have always loved the bluesy rock.

está bien, muchas canciones clásicas

Classic stones

The Uk version opens with "Mother's Little Helper" the US version opens with "Paint it Black" equally awesome songs, its strange one wasn't included on the other, and vice versa. Really good Stones album overall. other highlights, Under My Thumb, out of time, high and dry, I'm Waitng. I listened to both US and UK versions to make sure I didn't miss anything.

One of their better albums, has some nice songs but not the most exciting album ever

Les he cogido mucho más cariño con los años.

Solid album, sounds a lot like the Beatles…make sense given the influence of British Invasion…Notable Songs: Paint it Black, Stupid Girl, Under My Thumb 7.8/10 Music: 6.8/10 Importance: 8.5/10 Consistency/Flow: 8.1/10

their first album of all original material. two big hits in Paint it Black and Under My Thumb.

Bueno.

Great!

I think as an album overall, I prefer it to Let it bleed. Goin' Home was twice as long as it should be though.

good. I like mick jaggers voice and under my thumb.

🎧What a drag it is getting old💊Listened to the UK version. Varied and adventurous Stones album with some classic songs.

Well-known Rolling Stones album with one >11-minute track and some of these superclassic 60s songs (the original UK version contains more of these, but does not have Paint It Black). So very good of course, but my preference, as an album as a whole, goes for the records they made afterwards, especially Beggars Banquet, Exile on Main Street and Sticky Fingers.

Excellent Stones record (I listened to the US version with Paint it Black by the way, always takes me straight to Vietnam). Not all songs are equally convincing and Goin' home is a bit too much.

The fact that I've heard (and liked) Paint It Black, Mother's Little Helper, Stupid Girl, Lady Jane, and Under My Thumb without ever having known they were all essentially from the same album is enough for me to know the importance of this album musically. Those are all hits to this day almost 60 years later! The rest of the album seems to have been overshadowed by those a-sides but there's some good stuff hiding in the rest of the album. The misogyny is a bit intense out the gate but as other critics have said, it almost seems to be critical of itself and subversive. Regardless the songs above are catchy as hell and have cemented themselves in popular culture. Can't say I will listen to the rest of the album much after this (the bluesy stuff isn't my jam) but I recognize the importance of this album as a whole.

I would listen again

More of The Rolling Stones, okay. I appreciated, but feel a little short of loving it all.

Jesus Christ! That last track was only eleven minutes long? Felt like fifteen years. Despite some problematic, dated lyrics, I enjoy the Rolling Stones. I'm appreciating hearing some albums that are unfamiliar to me.

Vintage Rolling Stones. 4/5

Blues rock, rhythm and blues. I don't really know what to say about this album. Like I enjoyed it I guess but nothing really stood out to me. I like the bluesy sound they pull off, and they have a talent for pop hooks and catchy songs. Never really been a fan of Stones singing, find it pretty standard. Good lyrics here and there but the album is much too long, there is no reason to have an 11 minute song on an album like this. It just dragged on and on, I was tired of the album way before I should have. I like their energy when they actually have it, but it doesn't happen as often as I'd like. Overall I was pretty underwhelmed with this record, didn't do much for me. Probably won't revisit any time soon. 3.5/5

Такой деревенский вайб..... paint it black - база и im waiting зашла. Остальные вряд ли запомню надолго, чего-то не хватает

Great rock!

great album. a stones classic. can't go wrong with the rolling stones!

I have a lot of respect for british artists in the 60s for not re-releasing singles on albums so you didn't have to pay twice in a time where it genuinely made sense, but leaving Paint it Black off of the UK version gives the US version the W for the rest of time. Theres good changes and bad changes, so listening to both is really the only way to get the full experience. I think Mother's Little Helper is an awful first track and Going Home is the perfect ending track, which gives US points. But also Take it or Leave It and Out of Time are good tracks that should've been kept. At the end of the day it's good 60s Stones. They'd go on to do a lot better but there is a ton of great stuff here.

I listened to both the UK and US releases for this and I like them both. I appreciate having Coming Home last a little more, but I like the songs excluded from the US release. I really like the Stones. Favorite tracks are Paint It Black, Under My Thumb, Out Of Time, and Lady Jane.

The best stuff is amazing, but there is a fair amount of stuff I’m not crazy about. Still gets the 4 star bump, of course. 3.5/5

First Rolling Stones album I've heard so far, not as familiar with their earlier releases. This is a good one, although the US version had Paint It Black which along with Under My Thumb. The bluesy songs are the stronger ones for me and are closer to what I'm familiar with. I like the sequence of Doncha Bother Me, Going Home, Flight 505, High and Dry, Out of Time, and It's Not Easy, along with Think.

+1 for Paint it Black. (And the musical line of Under My Thumb. Lyrics, not so much)

Like most of them, another solid Stones album. Great to put on and groove to.

Very good album. Not a Stones fan, but truly a very good album. growth beyond Satisfaction.

My expectations for the Stones are always very low--appropriately so I would argue. But this was a pleasant surprise. It's too long for sure, but has some great songs and feels more like a pop record than an album from a blues bar band. Earlier career Stones might be alright.

Classic but not exciting

A very varied album with strong contrasts between "Paint It Black" and "Lady Jane". But I like it.

The Rolling Stones come into their own. It's bluesy, at certain points psychedelic, and there's a not-insignificant amount of fucking around on here (the 12 minute long "Going Home" sticks out). Still, it's a solid record and bridges into where the Stones become the huge band they were always destined to be. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Under My Thumb", "Mother's Little Helper"

Great album, many memorable songs.

Under my thumb benger

The aftermath of what? Seems like it’s just the beginning. You can’t argue with the hits, the emerging Stones sound, the charisma of Jagger, the inventive spirit that was Brian Jones on everything but guitar while Keith locked down his signature rhythm-as-riff approach. There’s also the darkness, the simmering misogyny, and the strong first side vs. the weaker next side. They’ve yet to achieve greatness though there are some indisputable classics on this record—this is not “Pet Sounds” or “Revolver.” But the promise is there. You can hear it in the grooves.

This was great! It's not an album of theirs that I go back to often, but it's got some fantastic singles like "Under My Thumb" and (one of my fave Stones songs, period) "Mother's Little Helper". And a few other tracks that I may not have paid much attention to in the past really stood out, like "Lady Jane" and "Out of Time". While their earlier, bluesier years aren't generally my preferred era of the Stones, and several tracks that I didn't mention above sort of came and went for me, but I overall really liked this listen.

Misogyny in mono? Despite some dubious lyrics (stupid girl / under my thumb / mother’s little helper) this is full of fried R ‘n’ B gold.

Great classic

Love the Rolling Stones. Aftermath has some of their lesser known hits, but overall still quite good.

Not hard or nasty enough yet

Based on the year 1966 and what I read in the wiki, this album rivaled the Beatles and I feel like you can hear that sound on here. I actually liked Exile on Main Street better. All these subgenres like psych rock and glam rock are really starting to stand out as I listen to more and more “Rock” albums from the same decades. I guess rock n roll isn’t as much of a box that I originally thought.

Old Rolling Stones music is soooo good.

Fantastic all round rock

You can really hear the blues in this - incredibly brave. Also - an amazing energy comes through the music. It really feels dangerous.

4/5 for how much misogyny is interlaced throughout the album, but it's stellar otherwise. Practically a perfect album. Michael showed me "Under My Thumb," and it's been a constant jam.

4.5/5. The Stones rode the swinging London wave to such great heights.

I listened to the UK version of the album as if selected by the generator. The much appreciated track Paint it Black is not on there. There are also a few other small differences. It was nice to hear Lady Jane and Under my Thumb again. But like the rest of the album, they also seemed a bit flat and anemic. This is not the Stones' strongest album.

Mick and keith really come into their own, second only to Lennon McCartney, a Strauss they’ll keep till at least John, Taupin. This is a strong album - I think the uk version is a bit better. It probably hasn’t lasted well although I never really believed Micks misogyny. I don’t think he did either. By stones standards, bottom of the top. Anyone else, career making one off. 3.5 stars.

Stones in their better days, singing about Valium…

Paint it Black absolutely SLAPS doesn't it. Also, very fond memories of "Lady Jane" and "Under my Thumb" from my Dad's "Greatest Hits" cassette tape that he had in the car. Not quite peak Stones yet, but the road ahead is clear.

Solid stones album. Listened to the US version because Paint it Black is a top 5 Stones song for me.

Classic Stones

More than I expected - a decent album by the early Rolling Stones; the first few songs are exceptional; but it loses steam in the second half. But even there, there is some good material. 3.5/5

Very exciting instrumentals. Fun listening to it. Very good songwriting. It's definitely a classic but I'm really not sure if we needed 11 bloody minutes of "Going Home".

It’s an interesting listen. The British Invasion sound is fully there and the lyrics are often challenging by today’s standards. I’d definitely listen again, though, to have a better hold on what made the Stones so influential.

Listen, they’re The Rolling Stones. They are one of the best. The ratings I’ve been using include a lot of my preference so I can come back to what I like, gotta be 4*

Own

Some nice low tempo Stones’ hits

A great record overall, showing the immense talent and charisma of the Stones - however they aren't quite at their peak powers just yet here. It has has some of my favourite early Stones tracks; Mothers Little Helper, Out of Time (both on the UK version), Paint It Black (on the US version), and Under My Thumb amongst others. However there's a few tracks which are more forgettable on this record. Also on an annoying note, the UK & US versions of this record are wildly different, however that's a frustrating quirk of label releases from decades ago.

Quite a good album! Many enjoyable songs in different styles. Just solid

I listened to both versions U.K. and U.S. and I preferred the U.K. version. I was surprised by the twang I heard in some of the songs. Good Album. Best tracks: Under My Thumb, It's not Easy.

Mother's Little Helper and Under My Thumb are two my favorite Stones songs. Rest is Okay.

Not as good as Let it Bleed. Also, why does the UK Version not include Paint it Black?

•Owned •Great album whose exploration gives us a pop tracks with smart instrumentation, and a sweeping blues fantasy. •4/5

Enjoyed it

Quite a few classics here. For some reason never got into them because I was always a Beatles guy, but enjoyed so many singles. Weird I’ve never really given a whole album a shot. It’s dynamic and iconic. Some weak points, but hard to deny.

Now THIS is music 😎👏👏👏😎

I understand the importance of the album, but don't need to listen to all the songs often. But a few of my favorite Stones tunes are here.

Best album ever? No. Good listening? Yes.

Crazy to me how much sloppiness there is in the drums, but the guitar is always rock solid. Defs some indulgent moments from Mick

classical

It's great but some of this did not age well at all. Also, that 60's psych pop can get in the sea. done with that at this stage

I like the stones.

I'm truly conflicted with this album. The split between the US and UK version is difficult enough to try to consider. But Brian Jones experimentations makes this my favorite era of Rolling Stones music, but some of Jagger's lyrics are just horrendous. I mean... how many times can he *wink wink* tell us "it's hard" in a song? 🤮 4 stars for Brian Jones... and a few classic tracks

Ok NOW I get why the RS are always compared w the Beatles. This album has the same DNA as some early Beatles stuff. Loved it, would listen again. Listened on a plane ride from Seattle to Dulles so I need to listen again to get the full experience

Peak-ish Stones

Me guso

I was never much of a rolling stones guy, but this is pretty good. Paint it black is an all timer. lots of other easy listening tunes on the album as well

I have listened to this album before, but without paying close attention to the records in order to rate and enjoy it. I love that this album contains very famous Stones songs such as Stupid Girl and Under my thumb.

It was nice hearing the hits that I had heard before within the context of the entire album. Definitely a wonderful Sunday afternoon experience

3.5 stars rounded up. Solid entry by the Rolling Stones at the moment when they transitioned from off-brand Beatles who do blues standards to the Rolling Stones as they are now known: brash, snarling, bluesy, tough, vaguely sadomasochistic and certainly darker than the fab four.

Blues rock is good

Great album! It have some of the better songs of rock and roll

Great opening track. The rest wasn't as good.

Classic

Got some bangers on it for sure. Really weird that the UK and US versions are so different. The US one changes Mother's Little Helper for Paint It Black and has like 4 few tracks because apparently shorter albums did better in the US. Wild.

Killer early stones record. You can totally hear what they’d become in these early raw recordings

Classic album

well, it's a classic.

Musically loved it. But I guess I should be critical of some of the attitude towards women since I am critical of rap lyrics today. However these lyrics seem mild compared to rap today. But at least there is some music there. What was that 10 minute monstroncity Going Home. The worst song was the longest. Im not musical but I could have wrote that one.

Ein Album voller Blues-Rock-Dauerbrenner. Absolut empfehlenswert.

A masterpiece friend m my younger Ithaca.

I like the Rolling Stones’ music, though probably not so much the men themselves. I’ve never really listened to a whole album, just individual songs, so I haven’t been struck before by the wave of misogyny that just kept building, song after song. These were rich, powerful men in their prime, utterly revered. Why all the hate? Mother’s Little Helper, Stupid Girl, Under My Thumb are just the worst examples but really most if not all of the songs were obnoxious. I had to start tuning out the lyrics after a while. That said, most of the songs are a bop. I love the incredible range of instruments on this album. I’ve always loved Lady Jane but I think my new fave is Doncha Bother Me. I listened to the UK release which means I missed Paint It, Black, another great song. Definitely better than Mother’s Little Helper. Overall, 4 for the sound but it’s a grumpy 4 because of the lyrics.

album full of singles

Maybe it's my mood but this album really hit the spot

IN the running for best side one, track one. Also, under my thumb is one of my favorite Stones tracks

Great classic rock record, with some amazing songs and great variety. The only thing holding it back is some less memorable songs towards the end of the album.

Energetic and spunky. Lots of obvious blues influence even before the Stones' reputed "blues era" of the late 60s and early 70s. Under My Thumb is a fantastic, memorable number that seems to perfect the combination of lots of different mellow-rock cliches of the time. ("Ain't it true, babe?") Paint It Black is a brilliant, exotic-sounding tune that clearly takes influence from the Beatles and Eastern artists. The remaining tracks are solid, particularly "Stupid Girl", "Flight 505", and "Lady Jane", and showcase common motifs in the US/UK rock scene with utter confidence and precision. One star has to be taken off for the lyrical ping-ponging between desire (acceptable) and misogyny (a bit less acceptable). I guess the Stones were trying to be relatable with their material, but even if it possibly was relatable at the time of release, it hasn't aged well. Still, if any album's an artefact of its time, this one definitely is.

Not sure if I was supposed to go with the U.S. or UK version so I made sure that I listened to all the songs from both. I never listened to this album in full before. There's some great hits and the deeper cuts are all pretty solid too.

loved this album!

Early nuggets from the Stones.

Mother’s Little Helper // Lady Jane // Under My Thumb // Going Home 3.5/5