Exile On Main Street

listened to it enough times to know it's five stars. there's a pace and variation to this album that is perfect for a long drive. this encapsulates and defines rock n roll

This is the best Rolling Stones album so far. 5/5

Tumbling Dice and Sweet Virginia! A solid banger album all around!

Thoughts before listening: This is certainly a classic although I have always preferred Sticky Fingers for my early 70s, dirty rock n roll Rolling Stones fix. Review: The star of this album for me is the saxophone. It really compliments and adds a cool element to the barroom, sloppy blues band style that the Stones are working in here. This album does get a lot of praise, and sometimes the albums with the highest praise totally deserve it. This is the case here. Mixed in with the juke joint blues numbers on this album are some bonafied classics: "Tumbling Dice", "Sweet Virginia", "Torn and Frayed", "Loving Cup", "Happy", "Shine a Light", and "Soul Survivor". An album of just those songs would be an all-timer, and this album gives you 11 additional tracks. Definitely a 5-star album.

One of their absolute best and a perfect fusion of R & B, honky-tonk rock, and even gospel ("Just Want to See His Face" and "Shine a Light"). They really drilled down on the Americana on this one and the songs are fantastic, some of their best ever (" Rocks Off," "Tumbling Dice," "Happy"). I had never really given this album my full attention, listening more to the greatest hits one and then really getting into them around "Tattoo You." This one lives up to its legendary status. Seems like they didn't have to compete with the Beatles anymore and leaned hard into what made them great.

Man I love the country blues side of the Stones. The whole band really cuts loose on this one, so many fun songs, and it features some of Jagger's best vocal performances. I love the horn parts on songs like Rocks Off and Loving Cup, and the keys are great throughout. Tumbling Dice is simply one of their best. Crazy how American they sound here too, nothing discernably British about it. Probably their last truly great release, just a honky tonkin good time.

Great album! Love it!

Fab

Great classic album

Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Fantastisches Album.

Reminds me of my teen years going into musty vintage stores in Brighton, blueberry bubble tea in hand

This was really good. Like really good. As I was listening to it, I thought about how much The Rolling Stones have been in popular culture and been present in my entire life and I never really gave them a second thought… and now I’m like I really should have listened. This album is fantastic.

Classic record

‘Exile on Main Street?’ More like a paradise for the ear … road. This is a quintessentially great double album. It kicks off strong and just rocks in general. Top tracks: “Let It Loose,” “Happy,” “Rocks Off,” “Tumbling Dice,” no filler

Fou raide.

Classic album. More bluesy than expected. Album starts loud and strong and settles down as it progresses. Definitely understand why so many boomers love the Stones.

This is, in my opinion, the best Rolling Stones record that they have put to tape. It just has the vibe. “Tumblin’ Dice” will forever be my favorite song by Mick, Keith, Charlie, Bill, and other Mick. There is also an amazing cast of supporting musicians who helped make this record sound as good as it does. Long-time Stones collaborators Nicky Hopkins and Ian Stewart on piano, with the legendary Billy Preston sitting in on “Shine a Light”. Bobby Keys on sax and Jim Price on trumpet. A whole choir of backing vocalists including Doctor John. Andy and Glyn Johns behind the desk. The title is a perfect summation of where the Stones were at. They had at this point in their career become a worldwide sensation, and this album proves why.

This album rocked. There aren’t many obviously freestanding hits, but as an album, it’s a wild ride. It’s messy, it grooves, it jumps between styles, it just sounds good but also chaotic and noisy. Never sat down and just listened to the Stones, but this is a good album to do it with.

Damn why didn't I like this last time I listened to it what was teen!me's problem

I said the next album I got after London Calling could never compare. Folks, I spoke too soon. Exile is on the short list of my all time favorite albums, and whenever I'm actively listening to it I start thinking it may just be #1. The pure, unbridled rock & roll perfection on this album is god damn astounding. The whole band plus several others are just in pure lockstep, taking simple but powerful tunes and elevating them into something that has simply never been, and can't be, imitated, though countless many have tried. These are the kinds of recordings that can sound great when covered, but they'll just never have that warm, organic magic the Stones captured here. It sounds like the band is playing live in some dodgy dive bar, only they're hitting a transcendent high that only a select few others have ever touched. I see a fair amount of negative reviews here, and I'd just like to say: this one's a grower. It takes time for it to all fall into place. It wasn't even well-received upon release. I mean, there really are no songs on it that the average person is familiar with. I didn't get the hype upon my first few attempts. When it clicked, it cooked. Maybe that's how it'll go for you, too.

The culmination of one of the greatest stretches of albums in rock history: Beggars Banquet → Let It Bleed → Sticky Fingers → Exile on Main St.. No band has ever sounded more badass, more decadent, or more dangerously untouchable. Exile isn’t just a Stones record — it’s one of the greatest rock ’n’ roll albums of all time. Recorded while the band were dodging England’s tax laws, holed up in a villa in France, it’s the stuff of folklore (seriously, Google it — debauchery, decadence, and genius all in one smoky basement). The sound is raw, swampy, and sprawling — gospel, blues, country, and straight-up rock stitched together into a glorious mess. It’s chaotic, imperfect, and that’s exactly why it’s perfect. Tracks like Rocks Off, Rip This Joint, Sweet Virginia, and Happy feel like the Stones at their most alive, stumbling but electric. And then there’s Tumbling Dice — on some days, my favourite Stones song of all. Loose, groovy, transcendent. Verdict: Essential (peak Stones, peak rock ’n’ roll) For fans of: Faces, The Band, Black Crowes, blues-soaked basement jams

The best stones album (just slightly over sticky fingers). One of the best double albums ever bangers all the way through

Terrific Rock’n’Roll music. At first the songs sounded samey to me. Then I put some of them on different compilation tapes and realised the sheer brilliance of them. This is up there with Sticky Fingers and Let It Bleed.

pretty good, rock roll album, 6/10

For better or worse, this is the rock and roll album. The Stones at their most Stonsey. They have better songs on other records, and likely have better constructed albums. Exile is so beautifully flawed. Its fidelity is imperfect and the mix is a little muddy. But it’s raw, decadent, defiant and just has a vibe. I don’t love every song, but this one isn’t about its composite elements as much as its sinister party atmosphere.

Maindo

Brilliant record, their best by miles and one of the standout things from a standout period in rock.

Amazing Album

One of the best bands ever with a great rock and roll album.

"This is just a tree of life. This record is the watering hole." -Tom Waits It really is the Stones' masterclass of Americana. A culmination and anthology of all the rock-n-roll, blues, gospel, and outlaw country that existed up to 1972. They didn't invent the genre, but it's ironic a bunch of white boys from England could perfect it. Yet it still has their own brand on it; it is still distinctly the Stones. Even as a double album, there aren't really any weak or skippable tracks. It doesn't feel bloated, just a massive pouring out of creativity and ideas. The recording history is interesting, and I think how it was recorded in pieces, in different places, under turmoil and disagreement and drug-addled tension, just adds to the outlaw and raw character that persists throughout. It really is a quintessential rock record and just about as good as it gets.

Okay, so you know the Rolling Stones from the big hits — “Satisfaction,” “Start Me Up,” that kind of thing. Exile on Main St. isn’t that. It’s not polished, it’s not full of catchy singles. It’s like the Stones locked themselves in a sweaty basement, got a little drunk, and just let it rip. The whole thing is raw, messy, and kind of chaotic — but in the best way. It’s blues, rock, gospel, country — all rolled together like some beautiful, greasy sandwich. You don’t listen to Exile for the hits. You listen because it feels real. It sounds like a band just living in their music — not trying to impress anyone, just doing what they do best. And weirdly, that makes it timeless. Even the songs that seem like filler at first start to hit after a few plays. It’s not an album you fall in love with instantly — it kind of grows on you, track by track. But once it clicks, you realize: yeah, this is rock and roll. Not the stadium anthem kind — the grimy, soul-drenched, middle-of-the-night kind. And that’s why it deserves a spot on the must-listen list.

I found most of my favorite songs on here.

Su máximo nivel. Ya nunca serían los mismos. Casi perfecto

Hello all, Tom Whittington added me to this group. I hope you don’t mind. This was a good album and I understand why it is on this list. Very cohesive. Beautiful. I feel as though I’ve heard dozens of records like it, though this reminds me of nothing pre-1972. Most of my stones exposure is 1960s, so I’m glad I listened to this. Just nasty grooves throughout. Not a life changing record, but it probably changed records that changed my life. Best track: Rip Thos Joint

I don't think this is the Stones' best album, but I'm giving it the five stars it deserves. It's just that unlike their other albums presented so far by this project, I feel Exile on Main Street justifies only five stars, where the other albums would receive more stars from me if it was possible.

This album is REALLY good. My most-streamed Rolling Stones album. Rocks Off is such a good opener. I love the trumpet part in the chorus. Shine A Light is also a personal favourite of mine. Such a well-made album

An absolutely essential album. It could be knocked for its subpar mixing, but I think the rough sound reflects the shambolic way the recordings occurred and only adds to the mystique.

It’s like the definition of loose, groovy classic rock n’ roll. I still think Sticky Fingers is their best album but this defines everything that makes the Stones great.

This was already one of my favorite albums, and I couldn't have claimed to be able to list every track on it, nor do I know all the song formats or lyrics. But even with just a few listens, this album is persistently and consistently one thing, at least to me: a party. You don't remember every detail of a party you attend, you don't remember everyone you met, all the jokes you heard, or all the drinks you had, but you remember that it was fun. And that's what I knew going into this one - it's a blast. I don't think I'd listened to it in full in quite a while, but "Tumbling Dice," "Rocks Off," and "Rip This Joint" are among some of my favorite songs, probably ever. Listening to it again with fresher ears, I was really left wondering throughout - is there a skippable song on this album? I guess MAYBE "I Just Want to See His Face," but it's between "Ventilator Blues" and "Let it Loose," and helps to bridge the gap between the two pretty different vibes of those songs. So if you're listening in full, I don't think you skip it. It keeps things moving, isn't too long, and serves as a nice reset. Maybe they could've done without the couple of old blues covers in "Shake Your Hips" (though the Stones' version is superb) and "Stop Breaking Down" (a track I first knew as a White Stripes song, oddly enough), because they aren't necessary to make this a great album. They might've been fun B-Sides. As they are though, they're great and I don't think the album is worse for them. But ok, enough nitpicking. Let's talk about what's great. The horns. If I have any non-sexual kinks, it's horns (specifically saxophones, but also trumpets and even a trombone) showing up in rock music, especially where you wouldn't expect them. And the use of horns on this album (namely in "Rocks Off," "Rip This Joint," "Sweet Virginia," and "All Down the Line") is absolutely sublime. The volume and depth they bring to the sound, and the vibe. For me, it's part of what separates this from previous Stones albums. Sure, they could be raucous and loud, but the horns make this a party. Like a weird mix of rock n roll and old New Orleans jazz, and kind of early fusion style of rock that really scratches a very specific music itch. I don't really know how else to explain it, but it's an x-factor for me, and I love it. The back vocals, especially on "Tumbling Dice" and "Shine a Light," also really had a ton here. For me, it's another vital element that adds to the party atmosphere, as if the Stones invited some friends over and they're all there just to sing and have a great time. I also gained a new appreciation for songs I didn't used to care much for, like "Loving Cup," "Happy," "Turd on the Run" and "Shine a Light." I think I previously dismissed them, maybe because they're later in the album and the tracks I knew had already come and gone. I don't know. But they're just as important to the overall depth and variety of the album as the more raucous songs here. I think that's the word I'd use to describe this album - raucous. A raucous party, filled with good times and ton of people sounding like they're having a blast. And I have a blast listening to it. I think it's among the Stones' best records, and it is more than deserving of a spot on this list. It's incredible. Five easy starts. Love it to death. Standout Tracks: Rocks Off, Rip This Joint, Casino Boogie, Tumbling Dice, Sweet Virginia, Loving Cup, Happy, Ventilator Blues, All Down the Line, Stop Breaking Down, Shine a Light, Soul Survivor

Growing up is realizing that Exile is the Stones' best record. There is something raw and premordial that the Stones never quite captured on any other releases. It sounds gritty, almost lo-fi at times and it's perfectly compounded by brilliant musicianship. Most importantly, every song feels grand, even the less known cuts and the band sounds like it's constantly on edge.

No notes

I keep thinking the Stones are overrated.

Album 789 of 1089 The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street (1972) Rating : 5 / 5 Awesome mix of blues, rock, and gospel influences. This is one double album that goes down easy. This perfectly represents the Stones, in my opinion. May lack in top of the chart hits but entertains from beginning to end.

Perfection from the kings of the 60s and beyond.

I love it. It's long, there are some n-words (said by a white man no less), but this is iconic. The Stones at their dirtiest and grimiest (and therefore their best).

Hell yes. I really enjoy the anticipation of reloading this screen every day when I turn on my computer and seeing what we get. Some days it's something I've never even heard of, some days it's something I've heard of but never checked out before, some days it pisses me off (in other words, some days it's Hole,) and some days it's an album I already love and am excited to hear again. This album falls in that last category. Perfect Friday before a holiday weekend music. I think my conversion to latter-day Stones fan is well-chronicled, so I won't go into it again here. But this album was basically the skeleton key for that.

>>>> The Beatles

the rolling stones were magnificent specimens of something very gross and vile

It's never been my *favorite* Stones record, but I can't pretend anymore like I don't absolutely love it. Not sure I'd change a thing about it. 5/5

One of the top 5 albums of all time.

My first vinyl. Exceptional album.

Pure undistilled rock and roll, baby. Don’t mind the double album here, even the less memorable songs fit well.

Absolutely got my rocks off listening to this. Someone hand me a Kleenex.

The Stones has a run of golden albums in the late 60s/early 70s (Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street) and this is the apogee, for my money the best Rolling Stones album of all time. In a couple of ways, it’s The Stones White Album (no wait, bear with me). Whiles Loot off tracks originate from the Sticky Fingers sessions, much of them recording process (if you can call it a process) happened in a very disparate way, with all sorts of odd combinations of people in the studio at the same time. It was also a double album, the band’s first. Recorded using the famous Stones mobile parked outside party central at Nellcôte and some makeshift setups in the house, the result sounds like what it is. Where it differs from The White Album it’s that, rather than being a record of a band approaching disintegration, it’s a record of a band revelling in their sound at its peak of perfection. That it has any coherence at all is in large measure thanks to Jagger, who took the tapes to LA and recruited an impressive roster of industry professionals to add key overdubs.

No notes. Every song is great. The songs I’d never heard before just as good as the radio hits. Added to annual rotation.

Amazing album. Great rock and roll album.

Just one of the best albums by on of the best rock bands ever

Don’t know how I have not listened to this album in its entirety…..Just fantastic rock and roll! It’s bluesy, jazzy, a bit of country just great music from the 1st song to the last! A total BANGER! Stones in the 70’s were firing on all cylinders…Will be one of my clutch albums to go to! A top 50 of all time for me!

A stone cold classic. If a space alien asked you what rock and roll was, this is the album I'd play them. Well, this and Let it Bleed and Sticky Fingers. No notes whatsoever. Listened to it four straight times.

One of the greatest.

Yep I love this one.

Bless this mess. Non-debatable, this is the best Stones album. It may be the best rock album of all time. The legends behind the recording of it, the personalities that came through the mansion, the heroin.. It is lightning in a bottle.

I'm not a huge fan of The Rolling Stones. I never liked listening to a full-length album by them, and this one doesn't change my mind. I always felt their non-hits felt like filler, but if you are an RS fan, then I can see you loving this one; it's just not for me.

i actually am very obsessed with this album. i need to go back in listen again more intently but the vibes were just great the stones are so iconic for a reason! fav song: happy (i think)

8,17

one of the greats

10/10 great from start to finish

Great listen. Lots of variety of influence to the music.

Seminal album by Stones at their peak.

Genuinely fantastic apart from those 20 secs of rocks off. Don’t know what the jaggermeister was thinking with that one. Really liked every single song Specific rating - 4.8 Fav Song - Tumbling dice Least fav - Rocks off

One of my all time favorites.

5 - Own this and listen to it often.

This is their best collection of material. However, the muddy production keeps it from Being their best album. Still a great ride.

Between 1968-1972 the Stones could literally do no wrong, and my favourite changes constantly to this day. But this murky, rowdy and hedonistic outing deserves bonus points for maintaining its excellence across 2 LPs.

123

This is a fun album. Rip This Joint really caught my attention with how fun and high energy it was. It sounded like true rock and roll. I seriously loved the instrumentation and energy on this one. The instrumentation on Turd On The Run sounds a lot like the instrumentation of Grateful Dead's Cumberland Blues.

Brilliant. It seems like every Rolling Stones album is "the best Rolling Stones album" but I think really, it's just the sweet spot between 67 - 76 that probably is. This album has everything you want. Blues, country, rock and roll. Its rowdy, its soulful. It's just so nice to have on and live inside of. I think what The Rolling Stones do best is just create an incredible musical environment. Its a vibe, its a feeling, its a continuous song that changes with each track. Its so easy to just flow with this music and boogie.

own it

Stones + American Blues influence = gold. This is home to my favorite Stones single too - Tumblin Dice.

"Exile on Main St." is the tenth studio album and a double album at that by English rock band the Rolling Stones. The album is known for its "murky inconsistent sound due to more disjointed musicianship and production , along with a party-like atmosphere heard in several tracks." Recording began in 1969 at London's Olympic Studios but the main sessions occurred in mid-1971 at a Keith Richards' rented villa in South of France using a mobile recording studio. The bandmembers were evading taxes. The album is attributed as the culmination of a string of the band's most critically successful records. Commercially, it reached #1 both in the US and UK. The guitar riff, the drums and Mick Jagger saying "Oh Yeah" open "Rocks Off." Just a great groove. Overlapped sloppy backing vocals by Richards. Inspired playing on this song and throughout the album by Nicky Hopkins (piano), Jim Price (horns) and Bobby Keys (sax). A song about subjective dissociation. Yeah, I read that. It's about drugs. A great song to set the tone for the album. "Tumbling Dice" is another great song with a great rhythm groove. Richards on lead and rhythm guitar. The vocal "ooohhhs." It'd be hard to pick a better song that represents a Rolling Stone sound. The second side highlights their interest in country and country rock and in particular the influence of Gram Parsons. "Torned and Frayed" gets the honkey tonk sound going. Acoustic guitar and guest Al Perkins killing it on the pedal steel guitar. Nicky Hopkins' piano stands out in "Loving Cup." There's horns and a soulful air. Charlie Watts' drumming also shines. Keith Richards takes over vocals, bass and the guitars on "Happy." There's horns. Another Stones' classic. The guitar riff gets "All Down the Line" going. The band settles into their groove and you can hear the apparent fun in the vocals. "Shine a Light" is a soulful and gospel-inspired song about their former guitarist, the late Brian Jones. Another guest musician, Billy Preston, on organ and piano playing a key role in the tone and mood of the song. To me, this is the album were you hear that classic Stones' sound. Sure, there's influences of blues, rockabilly, soul, gospel and country rock but at this point, it really is the Stones' sound. As with "Let It Bleed," guest musicians such as Nicky Hopkins, Bobby Keys, Jim Price, Al Perkins and Billy Preston play key roles. And, of course, Jimmy Miller is more than just a producer and plays instruments in a majority of these songs. It would be hard to pick a best Stones' album but for me, on this album they quite hit a groove which they never quite equaled.

Top tier, doesn't get better than this.

Not going to lie, this one kinda blurred together but it definitely a good listen, can’t really pick a top 3

This is the classic Stones album. While not my personal favorite, it is an incredible album. 5/5 must listen.

This was one of the first, if not the very first albums I bought with my first teacher pay check. So consistent, amazing guitar and soulful backing vocals in particular. The country / rock mesh is just right.

Song for song, the best Rolling Stones album in my book.

I already had this album downloaded but had never listened to it in its entirety & in the order of tracklisting. I loved listening to it how it was meant to be. I need to do this more often. Brilliant album!

- Exceptional Album, listened to it 3 times yesterday!

Amazing.

A little bit sleazy, a little bit sloppy, and some fantastic tunes. I love it.

I’m at another 10 – that was a fantastic album. Nobody told me the Rolling Stones were like this, you know? This is the third time we've gotten them, and they get better every time for me. To say “70s rock band” feels like an understatement – it’s obviously the easiest way to describe them, but this album is just a wonderful blend of rock, country, blues, soul, and a lot of other genres with the right amount of guitar flair and heavier percussion to mold them into something that Mick Jagger could just glide on vocally, and for the rest of the band to work in a harmony that’s kind of indescribable. I could type a lot of things that sound similar to what I wrote yesterday, when we got Sgt. Pepper’s, but I don’t want to tread on the same stuff – it all feels like a buzzword to me right now. It’s critic speak, and I don’t want to engage in that when the album just evoked something in the soul for me that feels hard to put into words. This feels like the type of album that was made for me, as a sort of endgame to all the Gram Parsons-driven country/rock hybrid albums we’ve been getting for the last 417 days, and I think it’s the best of them. Hell, when this blends with harmonica & sax to bring in a poppier vibe that evokes Stevie Wonder and others, it gets even better. I’m sure someone else has the words for this – I don’t. I can only encourage other people to find the same zen state I did, because there is nothing like it. For someone else, it might just be “overrated ragtime/rock/blues/country that Mick Jagger sort of yells over”, and that’s fair enough – for me, it’s just that easy to find the rhythm and feel as in harmony with the band, more so than on any of the other albums from the Stones that we’ve gotten so far. It’s not a flawless album – there are lull spots, and one egregious use of the N word, but I understand why this is called the best Rolling Stones album by some people, and why the magazine gave it that much praise. I think it’s that damn good, and it’s a 10. P.S.: “Stop Breaking Down” is a perfect track with headphones in. I will not hear otherwise.

Grimy, gritty and glorious – such exquisitely trashy country blues. And like all the best records, this scores high on the consistent mood and tone spectrum. The only quibble would be that there are at least a few songs ("Rip This Joint," "Turd,""See His Face," "Soul Survivor") that mighta been dropped to boost the overall quality density. Everything else is first rate. "Tumbling Dice" has always been one of one's top Stones cuts and "Shine A Light" stand out as first among (many) excellent equals. The woozy, sax-drenched touches are great. It's entirely worthy of having a book written about it, in the 33 ⅓ series and elsewhere. The backstory sounds suspiciously like urban (or Cote d'Azur) folklore but the outputs are indisputably cool – they had a plan, seemed to stick to it despite all the infighting and so one gets a piece of essential rock listening, even if a case can be made it's the third-best Stones record (after Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed).

Very messy, in a good fun way. Not filthy like sticky fingers. Not my favourite RS album but very enjoyable.

This is blissfully bluesy. It's also quite important.

Perfect Album.

Epochal pantheon record of dirty blues rock, backed up with numerous extraordinary songs.

I always forget just how bluesy The Rolling Stones are. It’s full on blues rock, and it really makes me want to do that Mick Jagger swingy hip dance. I remember as a teen, I thought that the grown ups were losers for liking bands like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. In that loser now because this album was really fun and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. It’s a fairly long album too at 67 minutes, but I didn’t get bored at any point.

Great

An hour of loose rock-n-roll jams. All the ingredients, blues, soul, and attitude.

One of my favorite albums ever. A magnificent, ragged sprawl in answer to the well-mannered smorgasbords other bands were making at the time. Death of the sixties dirty bomb. The bit from "Rocks Off" - the sunshine bores the daylights out of me - is one of the best lyrics in music. You may think this album is a mess, and you'd be right, but Three-Ball Charlie up on the cover knows what's up.

A classic. The Stones at the height of their powers.

This isn't really a review it's just a bunch of blabbing. This album was the soundtrack of my summer of 2006, and I had a damn fine summer that year. I mean it was okay. I'd been into the Stones' best of in high school, Goat's Head Soup in college, and this was another step in my Rolling Stones appreciation tour. Guess it would be the last because I never really listened to them intently afterward, nothing against the album, it's a great album covers a lot of ground. According to my last.fm, I've listened to it at least 30 times.

Many people misunderstand the crime of "cultural appropriation". The issue isn't "white people can't do things non-white people do". In a society where racism didn't exist, there would be nothing wrong with guys like Mick Jagger becoming millionaire celebrities by performing their own version of music pioneered by Black people. But we don't live in that world; ours places powerful barriers to Black people reaching the level of celebrity that White people are able to access. Perhaps things are better now than they were when the Rolling Stones started performing music (years before the Civil Rights Act was law in the US--i.e., when it was PERFECTLY LEGAL to OPENLY discriminate against people because of their race!), but even today too many talentless musicians make their careers by whitewashing art from other cultures, because the people who invented that art aren't allowed to do it themselves. You can't be a serious music fan and not recognize this shit, and you can't be a person of conscience and not be bothered by it. So with that being said: Exile is one of my problematic faves. I would be a cooler and better guy if I could rattle off a dozen blues albums that are more important than Exile on Main St., but I can't. And that's because I didn't grow up surrounded by the blues, but I absolutely grew up with the Stones on the hi-fi. This may be the last good record that the Rolling Stones recorded (and the 1001 album list seems to agree), but it's a fuckin banger.

Rolling Stones being Rolling Stones. Although this one is obviously special, because there's so much soul going on in this album, with a certain Blues twang they didn't often replicate. Lots of variety going on here too, with speaker blasting tunes like Rocks Off and more emotion driven tracks like Shine a Light. One of my all time favorite songs that I used to be obsessed with in HS, Tumbling Dice, just never gets old.

Favorite stones album for sure, give me some blues all day

Didn't expect this to be as good as it was. A very pleasant surprise.

very cozy, very enjoyed listening even though it's not my usual genre

Yesterday I got to listen to Janis Joplin "Pearl." I'd never listened through the full album. I loved it. Today, I've gotten The Stones, "Exile On Main." I've done several Stones catalog dives, and this album is probably my favorite album. Maybe Let It Bleed. Regardless, it's nice to head back in to this double album. Sweet Virginia is such an incredible song. Mick's harmonica is so goddam emotive. And Charlie Watts remains one of my favorite drummers. And he *is* underrated. Got to scrape that shit right off your shoes.

5/5. A classic. I always avoided this album in the Rolling Stone discography because it felt so messy and misguided compared to their other straightforward albums. Upon relistening, a few years later, it's very clear this is just as clear cut as previous albums but with the guise of messiness and drugs (they might also have been on many of the latter still). Each song is just something you might hear in the basement of a seedy bar and yet experience something close to religious ecstasy along with Mick and the gang. Thankfully with this record you'll still be able to find your way home the next day. Best Song: Tumbling Dice, Rocks Off, Shine A Light

I was surprised to see that this renowned album doesn't have any of the Stone's big hits, but from the get go this album is an absolute riot. Between the variety of US influences and the production with Jagger's vocals low in the mix battling with the instruments, it made me feel like I was in a small venue in New Orleans with the band packed onto a tiny stage, and having a blast. I love how different members of the band take center stage on different tracks. If I'm being picky I'd drop a couple of tracks, and use that time to extend a few tracks that fade out to give them time to wrap up properly, but it's still a definite 5/5.

rolling stones

A worthy successor to Sticky Fingers

Superb album. Confident, mature, and just awesome.

The best ever Stones album. Which is saying something.

Widely considered the Stones best work. I liked a few songs. I guess I’m just not a Stones person. Still a great album.

I think this album defined their sound for the remainder of their career. My five favorite Rolling Stones albums all predated this one, but I still think Exile is genius and it deserves no less than five stars. I could listen to Sweet Black Angel all day long.

A rare 5/5 album. THE album from THE Rock n roll band

9.7/10.

It feels like riding down a raft on the river of rock and roll - even the bumpy parts are fun!

top

There’s not a single stinker on the entire album. Just a really consistent showing of peak Stones blues rock, including several of their best tunes. 4.5/5

3 words. It's The Stones!

A collection of classics!

The Rolling Stones are a great rock and roll band. Many American music genres, including blues, country, and gospel influence their music. This record contains it all—one of my favorites.

A masterpiece. Most regard this as the Stones best record. I'm not sure on that but if I could only keep one Stones record it would be this one because of the depth and breadth of it

The greatest rock n roll album of all time

One of my favourite albums of all time. Probably the best double album on this list. It just keeps giving, song after song. When you think you know it go back and look at the lyrics, so rich and clever, more that you expected from some rock and roll tunes.

The Good: album #199 on the list is my first The Rolling Stones album to listen to, and that made me excited! The Bad: that it wasn’t Goats Head Soup The Ugly: me realizing that I should have listened more critically to this album decades ago… Funny how time changes tastes. When going through a phase of listening to all albums in a bands repertoire several years ago, I did not understand why this album is considered one of the greatest rock and roll albums period. Today, I am still a bigger fan of Goats Head Soup, but I really enjoyed the listening experience and will keep enjoying it for days/weeks/months to come Just not certain if I can give it 5*…. but 4 1/2* for certain!

Amo este álbum de los Rolling.

For me this is the greatest Stones record. It's long, and the sameness has been cited as a negative. But I see differently. This is just a complete work that accomplished everything the band set out to do. I have sentimental attachment to Beggars Banquet but even I can admit that this is peak Stones

The best Stones album, for me. More grit, I suspect as Keith had more input with the recording in the basement of his (then) chateau.

Probably the best album I've been sent so far, the other truly great one was Dylan's Bringing It All Back Home. From the opening of Rocks Off to the ending of Soul Survivor there's a lot to love. Side two is the best of the four, I still think of this as a double album. It's hard to beat Sweet Virginia, Torn and Frayed, Sweet Black Angel and Loving Cup as a side of any record, not just one by the Stones. Supposedly panned by the critics on release, Exile has stood the test of time. 5 Stars probably isn't enough.

For me it's the classic documentation of Rolling Stone's French phase

Not as good on a re-listen The quintessential album for born late in the generation boomer who had kids at a really young age. This album is not the first of any of its respective genres but its some of the best showing in them. 9/10 Fav tracks - All of 'em

Exile on Main Street is the tenth studio album, and the first double album from the Rolling Stones. They were literal exiles at the time, in a sense; they recorded the album while in "tax exile," which the band spend in the south of France. While holed up in a mansion, in what was described as a months-long party. the Stones recorded these songs on rudimentary equipment, while likely excessively inebriated. The result is raw, edgy, and in some way, perfect. At the time, the critical reception was lukewarm, at best. Over time, the album's repute has improved considerably: Exile on Main Street is regarded as one of the greatest albums - rock or otherwise - ever recorded. This is the Stones at the height of their confidence - bluesy and rebellious - with Richard's catchy guitar riffs and Jagger's brash swagger. The album does not contain any of the bands' biggest hits, but is still regarded as their best work because of the strength and range of this set of songs. This is an incredible collection, recorded as the Stones were becoming the greatest rock and roll band in the world.

Rocking, the baby liked it too

Not for the Start Me Up RS crowd. The culmination of maybe the greatest 5-year four album run. Quite simply a Masterpiece. Every song flows together so well. No just a collection of great music. It’s amazing how all these different genres work as one.

I went back and forth on this one as their honky tonk ramblings don't usually grab me. However, this album is different and it's great all the way through. For the record, I don't think it's as good as Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville. But watching a performance by Phish covering the whole album opened my eyes to how solid it really is. And Happy, Tumbling Dice, and Sweet Virginia are so good. Also love Loving Cup.

So good, no notes.

I love the rolling stones, no mistake.

Exile On Main Street is possibly the Stone’s most consistently good album. It’s also arguably their greatest artistic statement, an elegiac take on their signature heavy Blues Rock sound that was by the time of recording, being replaced in the mainstream by early Heavy Metal, Glam Rock and Bubblegum Pop, that is nonetheless full of life, beauty and humour. The point that it’s their most consistent album is, I think, the most interesting part of the album’s reputation. It has less classic songs than the preceding three albums, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard an Exile song out in the wild, but the quality of the songs on here is all top-notch, fun and loose Blue jams with a good smattering of acoustic and R&B tracks. I’ve made it clear that I prefer consistency over greatness, writing one great song is easy, writing a consistently good album is the sign of a true great. And Exile is the capstone of the tetralogy of great albums the band released in the late 60’s and early 70’s, a monumental, twisted work, dedicated to sex, sin, and soul

I can't really add anything to the conversation on this beast. But it's quite better than a 4.

epic

They were so honky took on their early albums

The best album.

Absolute masterpiece

# Album Name: Exile on main st # Artist: The Rolling Stones # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Starts off brilliantly with rocks off. This was Such a fun album. You can really feel the vibes coming through on tracks like sweet virginia. I'd imagine they were all getting off their tits having a great time. Maybe an orgy or two. Theres a great mix of influences on the album. Blues, rock, country, gospel. The band is tight as fuck. You can feel it on the record. I can see why people dont think its a banger because its doesnt have the stones' biggest hits per say. But for me, its such a good album overall. I would agree its a tad too long. Thats been a common problem for any long album on this project, i do tend to get ear fatigue. This album beats the shit of most of the stuff on this project though. Nuff said. Its a banger in my eyes. A sleeping giant. It gets a low 5 for me. # Top Tunes: Rocks off / Shake your hips / Tumbling Dice / Sweet Virginia / Loving cup / Happy / stop breaking down / turd on the run / shine a light # Would I listen to it again? Definitely.

An inevitable classic - feel good, full of swagger and while not the one with the most hits - it’s a solid end to end well paced fun record.

When you look at the individual tracks, there's not much that is amazing but collectively they seemlessly work together making it greater than the sum of its parts. The music is very much like taking a drive through ultimate America with elements of rock, country, blues and gospel. I like the rolling groove, the murky, swampy sound and Jagger's voice being slightly under rather than on top of the mic. The other noticeable thing is how on the last few tracks the album builds up to a euphoric climax that almost feels spiritual. It's by no means a perfect album and I don't play it often but it is one that I consistently enjoy when I do.

Favourite tracks: rocks off; rip this joint; tumbling dice; sweet Virginia; torn and frayed; happy

A classic Stones albums, as were many in late ‘60s and early ‘70s. A great mix of blues, country, rock, with the remix in the 2000’s, sound is great too!

Absolute classic. Tumbling Dice is my favourite

Masterpiece

This is another example of an album that makes no many other albums sound like they don't even have the same tools to make music as these guys. The playing, mixing, vocals, it's all so cohesive and high level. I don't think I can pick a better double album to listen to it and barely notice a song to stand out. It all works so well together and almost demands to be listened to straight. Easy 5/5. If I was forced to pick a song, Shine a Light is fantastic.

This all sounds very familiar. At first I was ready to dismiss this as a generic rock and roll album. It's all solid music done by experts at their craft. With pretty good production. They obviously studied the musical genres on display and made their own great versions of them. Part of me doesn't want to give this a 5, just because it feels strange that The Rolling Stones nailed these sounds. It feels not that dissimilar to what AI does. It is a great sounding album that I would like to further explore.

Exceptional.

Another classic and the last of the Stones classic run. I didn't like this album when I heard it years ago but over time it grew on me and now I love it, southern rock, blues and country, even a bit of gospel this album is soaked in the southern states. Tumblin' Dice, Happy, Sweet Virginia, Torn & Frayed, All Down The Line & Shine A Light are all highlights but if you listen to deluxe version there is a song called Following The River that is a real hidden gem.

This is The Rolling Stones at their best for me. I love how every songs ends in a groove and I’m a sucker for the sloppy saxophone that shows up just the right amount. A great party/hard work album that I’ll be putting on in the future for sure.

Dude, it’s the freaking Rolling Stones, dude.

Great album enjoyed every track

The question of whether the Beatles or the Stones are better is indisputable with the Beatles clearly being better. Song for Song, they are stronger. But when the Stones are on, they can't be touched. And this album, more than their collective hits, showcase how much joy there is in good old rock and roll. And it is the album that always make you question the Beatles comparison.

It’s hard not to conclude that less woulda been more here – both in terms of length/number of cuts and within cuts (why so many horns and so much backing vocals on so many cuts?). And it’s too scuzzy and muddy in production, with too many same-y, borderline filler-ish tunes (two of first four could be cut, plus "Turd" and one or two others late) to be among the very first rank of albums. All that said, this is great, the world is way better off because this is is still great, a triumph of mood and tone and vibe (or sub-genre [which would be raunchy country blues with a British accent]), the kind of album about which books are written and should be read. The "overrated" question is interesting but rather straightforwardly answered by saying it's not as good as Beggar's Banquet or Let It Bleed, and that's largely down to length. The "should it have been a double album" is the more interesting (if a little tired) question. It does lack hits and less woulda been more, but still a milestone and more than a minor masterpiece.

An album full of decent efforts in the format of deep cuts, with the most notable being 'Rocks Off', 'Rip This Joint', 'Tumbling Dice', and a few others that pretty much sound exactly like them. However, there isn't really a bad song on this entire album, and it's enjoyable all the way through. It's 18 songs of good vibes and nostalgia, and I don't know what's much better than that.

I think “Beatles or Stones?” as a personality test-type question is silly. The Rolling Stones are a great band but the Beatles are so far beyond the Stones that it’s not even a contest. I don’t agree with Paul McCartney saying the Stones were just a blues cover band, but I don’t think that’s completely wrong either. Not only am I not a big Stones fan, but I also have an intrinsic suspicion - bordering on full on dislike - for double albums. They are almost always just missed opportunities to make a really great single album. They are typically boring and self-indulgent and way too long. All that being said, this double album by The Rolling Stones is my favorite album of all time. This album is what spinning out of control and coming apart at the seams sounds like. Fast and hard and joyous and raucous; and then decadent and lascivious and louche; and then exhausted and cynical and a paranoid bundle of nerves and depression; and finally transcendent. If you can’t get into this album then you have to ask yourself if you’ve ever even run a slight temperature in the funkhouse, much less had a full on fever up in that mother. I also love albums with completely mundane origin stories. Started in London, then recorded over months In the basement of Keith’s villa in the south of France with a revolving door of contributors, then Mick leads overdubs in LA with a bunch of session musicians inspired by Aretha Franklin’s gospel singing. There is no overarching theme or plan. They were mostly just drunk or high or broke or running from the law or trying to cheat the taxman or their previous manager or the French police and these songs happened to be recorded at some point in that years long fiasco. This album should not be good. And it isn’t good and it certainly isn’t perfect, it’s just - to me - the greatest album of all time.

Top 5

Peak Stones

One of my favorite albums of all time, and definitely my favorite Stones album. Recorded during a famously drug-fueled, debaucherous period for the band while in tax exile in France, the album sounds like a near-constant party. It’s the raunchiest, dirtiest, messiest, and rawest sounding of any of the Stones albums—perhaps as hedonistic to listen to as it was to make.

Haven’t listened to this in years, but is in my top 10 albums of all time. Update not top 10 of all time- but still a great record and in my top 50. I mean it’s a double album, but the flow and mood of the album make it 5 stars, not to mention the terrific songs.

I don't even need to listen to this again (but I will), it's one of my favorite albums of all time. Love everything about it, even the mixing (love those low vocals in the mix for minimum Mick). Near perfect.

i love this album would listen to it again

Just an all-around classic

Another slice of genius from the period in which they could do no wrong

One of the best albums in the list.

I have heard of this album. I have seen it on many lists. I finally saw the stones live this past summer (2024). Looking at the track list I don’t recognize one single song. Looking forward to listening. Ok I know a few. Tumbling Dice is a song I forgot all about. Love that song. There are a lot of songs. Was worried about bloat. This record is fucking awesome. It’s a 5.

I love that this album was largely disrespected by the music community when it was released and has since been described as one of the best albums ever. I also think it’s curious that Jagger only hears the mixing woes that make this album feel real - achievable for a band playing out of their mind but still achievable. Its inspirational feel still feels just as palpable 50+ yrs on. Don’t get me started on the Keith Richards lead vocals on Happy. So good. Lastly, I’ve recently seen Jack White identifying Beatles tracks by hearing the first few seconds of varied songs. I’d argue that you could so easily identify all of the tracks on this album as The Stones in the same way. They obviously hit their inimitable pinnacle with this disc.

rocks off rip this joint tumbling dice sweet virginia happy let it loose all down the line shine a light

By far my favourite Stones album.

Do the Rolling Stones ever make a bad album? If so, this isn't one of them.

I like The Rolling Stones. Nice album.

Awesome

Love the stones and there are some country type feels on some of these tracks

You know what - I think this might be the Stones' best album, despite only having one ("Rocks Off") of their "Big" songs on it.

My favorite album by a band wearing on their influences on their collective sleeve. For me, this is the culmination of was a move back to what they originally started out as - playing American blues, R&B, and rock and roll. Beggars' Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and then a sprawling 2 LPs of everything they were. Is it loose and sometime sloppy? Yup, in the best way possible. Is it too long? Not for me, and it doesn't matter. If you're looking for the hits, this one isn't for you (except maybe Tumbling Dice). This is a band at it's peak playing everything they loved when they started, everything they learned along the way. A top 5, deserted island record for me. Love it.

It's Exile on main Street, I mean, do I even need to justify giving this album 5 stars. It's one of the rolling stones best works and at double the length of a standard LP there's even more to love.

Makes for some great tunes to listen to while shooting bugs in Helldivers.

Yea still at the top of my all time list. This time listening today I really was stuck by the horn section. The solo on Sweet Virginia is incredible.

Perfect. Beginning to end. This record really shows off the Stones' versatility - country, R&B, swing, rock, blues. Tumbling Dice brings me right back to senior year high school. I love that Keith Richards gets a chance to sing. Keyboards on a lot of the songs are awesome.

Clásico. Muy bueno.

Best Rolling Stones album!

There is a reason why the stone are still touring. They are a great rock band. This album is one of their best work. Listen to those guitars. 5 stars

My favourite Stones album.

Rocking and rolling the whole way through, this album was fun and never lost my interest at any point. I think it would have been easy for the Stones after several acclaimed albums to go for something polished and safe, but this album is loose, adventurous, and full of energy. 4.5 rounded up to 5.

The first Stones album I got into, a sprawling masterpiece of loose blues, twangy country, and gospel harmonies. The recording captures something magical in every performance and the production leaves a lot of space for it all to live in. There's a lot going on in every song, and it can feel crowded like a bunch of people jostling around a bar, but then eases up and opens out for an impromptu jam in a shabby living room - a crappy old piano in the corner, a couple of just about in tune guitars noodling along, some tipsy singers chasing the melody, a guy with a sax walking in to blast a few notes, a laconic drummer doing as little as possible, a bassist taking it most seriously and having the most fun of anyone...so good. This is hands down the Stones' best album and along with the Dead's live shows this same year probably the highpoint of the early 70s country-rock thing.

Peak Stones: what range; what swagger. And all against a background of tax-avoiding, organised chaos. Major contributions from Bobby Keys, Billy Preston et al. Magnificent.

I had not listened to this album for years, so when it popped up in the challenge I was genuinely excited. For me, it is one of the Stones’ very best. Rocks Off is a brilliant way to open a record. Loose, swaggering and slightly chaotic in the best possible way. It sets the tone perfectly for what follows. This album feels raw and unpolished, but that is exactly what gives it its character. Tumbling Dice is one of the first songs I think of when I think about The Rolling Stones. Effortless and full of groove. Let It Loose was one I had almost forgotten about, but revisiting it reminded me what a great track it is. A real hidden gem on an album packed with them. There is so much depth here. Soul, blues, rock and gospel influences all woven together. It is messy, but gloriously so. Favourite songs: Shine a Light and Loving Cup. There are so many you could choose. Least favourite song: Turd on the Run if I had to pick one Album artwork: Amazing and iconic. One of the most recognisable covers in rock history

Probably the strongest collection of songs of any of their albums. The pinnacle of their "classic" era. 4.5/5

By far my favourite stones album The raw sound gives an intimate feel And shows the dynamic and depth of their talent and range of musical style from blues to folk to rock I enjoy this album more and more every time I revisit it

Maybe not my absolute favorite Stones album, but still undeniably a great record.

Greasy, gritty, the Stones take American music, blues. R&B, country, gospel and interpret it, some times they raise it up. The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band? Yeah, sometimes they are.

Is this rock and roll? Have I had it wrong all along? I haven’t heard much of The Rolling Stones besides the hits. This album is bluesy, folky and soulful. If “Sweet Virginia” was played for me I’d never know it was the Stones. I don’t know if they are all like this but I’m left wanting more.

A defining album by the defining musicians of the Rock and Roll era. Everything about this album showed that they were the real deal.

Perfection.

At first glance thought the only song I knew was Tumbling Dice. but Happy, Sweet Virginia, and Rocks Off have long been faves as well. Hadn’t heard Rip this Joint, love the rockabilly type style.

Classic. Peak Mick Taylor Stones which means peak Stones. The guitar work with Keith and the entire band defines a garage raw rock sound I guess being exiled worked.

classic. Stones at their best.

This is probably my all time favourite album, so it’s hard to be objective, but this is The Rolling Stones at their peak. Mick Taylor delivers his best performance as a stone and the songs are really versatile going smoothly from genre to genre. Easy 5 stars!

Eher unbekannte Songs der Stones. Recht abwechslungsreich.

HL: “Rocks Off", "Tumbling Dice", "Sweet Virginia", "Loving Cup", "Happy", "Shine a Light" I put off this album for a WHILE. Perhaps like another album this month, Gaye’s What’s Going On, the hype and acclaim could never live up to the actual quality. But considering I’ve listened to like 8 full Rolling Stones albums by this point, it probably shouldn’t surprise me that I really like this one too. “Sweet Black Angel” & “…See His Face”, among other tracks, provide a kind of quaintness to the album that contrasts with the intentional whimsy in Their Satanic Majesty’s Request. Almost like some 80s Tom Waits. Also, “Tumbling Dice” and “Shine a Light” are top-tier Stones songs, which I enjoyed long before hearing Exile in full.

5/5 Great album, for 1 hour long it doesn't ever feel boring or out of place. Each song fits each song works and sounds great the whole way through. A good opener and a fitting closer is so missed on so many albums, but they work so well here. My 3 Key songs - Tumbling Dice, Sweet Virginia, All Down The Line

The rare successful double album! Maybe not the best stones album but definitely the one that feels the most cohesive. Keith said that their ambition was to be the greatest blues band in the world and this album feels like the best possible version of that. Add that it was recorded in a mansion on a canal (Main Street) in France while dodging tax/drug charges from the British government (exile) adds to the whole experience

The greatest rock n roll album of all time.

One of my all time favorites. Listened to many times before

brilliance

BEST Stones' album...PERIOD!

This album has been so important to me that all I can really say to the negative comments is please... open your mind.... look into your heart.... the Rolling Stones were BROKE, HIDING FROM THE UK GOVT, and DOING TONS OF HEROIN...three ingredients for a masterpiece.... I love this album so much that my phone password for most of high school was Rocks Off because I didn't learn what that phrase meant until age 17. Just day after day typing "rocks off" into my phone, not a care in the world.

The Stones at their peak. Bluesy greatness.

Is it unfair to say that this is their magnum opus. A double album with no misses is hard to pull off. There are some songs better than others, but not a single one is bad. Bops on bops and I enjoy the whole thing every time I listen to it. 5/5

Great album. Amazingly executed

How have I never heard this before?

Classic, great!

It's perfect

I see a lot of the middling reviews for this record, but I think it goes to whether or not you get the Stones. This one is all about Keith and Nicky, and if that's not your thing, you'll likely want to pass on it. Despite being overly long, it's a distillation of their thing; a record to go to if you wanted to sum up what they're about.

The bluesy notes of this album still come through strong, much better than anything put out by the Stones in the last 20 years.

One of the top 5 albums ever!

I had never heard this one before now. Safe to say I was missing out. This is really good. Great mixing of blues, gospel, rock, and pop. Very cohesive. Shocking that this album is over an hour long as it definitely doesn’t feel like it in the best way.

Need to listen to more stones!

What to say about this album? It is one of the best rock albums produced. There are a many different explorations of classic American forms of rock music on this album, mostly done masterfully. This is an album everyone should listen to at least once (and probably many times after that)

I am a big Rolling Stones fan. I have all of their albums and can even find myself defending (in some ways) their most derided albums. It took me time to really enjoy "Exile." I would just never choose to throw it on. There aren't really any massive hits on the album and "Tumbling Dice" is not even one of my top-25 Stones songs. Unlike some of the Stones other albums, "Exile" had more nuance and requires a more careful listen. The first three songs are a good example of this nuance. Rocks Off - Excellent album opener and initially feels like a fairly standard Stones rock song. Then the horns come in and it's just a different song. Rip This Joint - This is basically a Chuck Berry-style riff sped up and so it comes off as a pre-cow punk type of song. Shake Your Hips - It sounds like "Tush" at first. A blues song that is a really good album track and helps set the tone for what this album will sound like. I don't have the energy to go through each song, but this album is one that grows on you. It requires repeat listening.

One of their greatest albums. This defined their 70s sound and wide range of musical themes!

Awesome album!

I struggled with what to rate this. Until recently, I didn't care a lot for the Stones. But of late, they've grown on me. But this album... as I saw in a review on rateyourmsuic.com, "This is not a record of classic single songs, this is not like the previous two [albums] in that regard. Most of these songs are strictly just good, nothing more. But together? They meld into the flow of things and form a sort of monolithic beast." I would say something similar for Physical Graffiti and a few other classic albums. The whole is more than the sum of the parts. I struggle whether to give this 4 or 5 stars. I'd like to give it 4.5. I'm going to round up.

Brilliance

Excellent

Superb

I didn’t have time to listen so skipped through the tracks. I never properly got into the Stones *except* for this album which I loved. I think they generally seem to be a singles band rather than an album band, from my little listening of them. Whereas this seems consistent as an album *and* has some great hits on it. I may be marking too high as I didn’t listen again but it’s a great album.

Loose and rough with a thrown together feel that adds to the energy. Played well with top notch backup singers. Fun blues based rock and roll album that is solid throughout.

Rocks off! Tied with Sticky Fingers for my favorite Stones album

Excellent

The one time I can excuse all of an album's tracks blurring together. The Stones are seriously glowing throughout this album. It's obvious they're having a blast, and the songs are incredibly consistent, linked together by a country-esque ecstasy that only this band could pull off. Songs such as Tumbling Dice, Shine A Light, Loving Cup, and Rocks Off are highlights, but there really isn't a bad track. I could easily see this going into my regular rotation.

Classic

IMO, its the 3rd best behind Sticky Fingers and Let it Bleed. However, it is of course a 5 and I can see why it is thought of as their best. Outstanding album

fabulous! loved this

Not the biggest rolling Stones fan but this album is great

Rocks Off is one of their best songs, and they also had the audacity to include Let It Loose, Tumbling Dice, All Down The Line, and Shine A Light on the same album. Not even considering the others, damn

Really nice, classic too

Exile on Main St. is a stunning double album that showcases the Rolling Stones’ musical diversity and creativity. It is a rock and roll masterpiece that features elements of blues, country, soul and gospel. The album is one of their best works, as it captures their raw and authentic sound, their rebellious and eclectic spirit, with lyrical themes of exile, alienation and survival. Personally, I prefer Sticky Fingers to this album, as I think it is more concise and focused plus more hits always helps. However, that does not take away anything from the greatness of Exile on Main St., which deserves a full 5 stars rating.

Classic. Phish does most of them better, but classic nonetheless.

One of my absolute favourite Stones’ albums. The pedal steel guitar on torn and frayed never fails to make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck

For a double album, this doesn't feel as long as it really is which is a positive and probably due to their sticking with shorter songs. A very consistent and laid back album that holds some of my favorite Stones songs and some that I've grown a bigger appreciation for, particularly the more gospel and country flavored stuff. Here, the hit songs are apparent and some of their best, and after several listens, the whole thing sinks in with it's charm. Also, I've always liked the way this sounds, too. I was prepared to give this a 4 but thinking about it I'll go ahead and round up.

My favorite album of all time!!!

Simply delightful, The Rolling Stones set the bar up high with "Exile On Main Street". There is something about their sound that is just different. It is just not the genre that gets you moving and energized, it is them. There is a set of amazing tracks included in this album: "Sweet Virgina", "Ventilator Blues", "Shine A Light"... they got me happy through the whole album. Amazing.

Nothing to dislike!

This is really my intro to The Rolling Stones (beyond of a few of the singles that everyone knows). This album is a bit of a slow burn, and it's not really what I expected, but I really enjoyed it a lot. "Rocks Off" starts off as a pretty strong rock song, and then from there it's musically a bit all over the place. They're obviously a classic rock band, but there's some folk here, some blues, some country sounds, the horns on "Happy" and "Let It Loose". It's varied and interesting and honestly just good start to finish. There's not really any song on here that's a clear standout (though I'm pretty partial to "Sweet Virginia" if I had to pick one, the harmonica at the beginning of the song just slaps, love it), but there's no real duds either. Strong from top to bottom, which frankly is hard to do on a 67 minute album (I even listened to it twice to make sure). Favorite song: Sweet Virginia Other: Rocks Off, Shake Your Hips, Casino Boogie, Tumbling Dice, Torn And Frayed, Sweet Black Angel, Loving Cup, Happy, Ventilator Blues, I Just Want To See His Face, Let It Loose, All Down The Line, Shine A Light 11/9/23

An album which feels like the culmination of all the artistry and talent the Stones had been honing and refining over time. No longer a pale simulacrum of the blues rock they love so much - here, the years of practice and craft and homage coalesce into a truly remarkable rock 'n' roll record, authentic sounding, brilliant playing. Endlessly rewarding and without a radio friendly hit in sight, 'Happy' getting closest but a Richards-on-vocals never likely to convince the masses - but brilliant nevertheless. The Jagger/Richards dynamic never sounded so good as it does here.

Rock and roll, baby.

This is a really incredible album. It's one I've listened to a lot and I think it's one of the best double albums ever released. There's a good documentary on this album as well, super interesting how they recorded it. This has got to be a 5/5. Standout Tracks: Rocks Off, Rip This Joint, Shake Your Hips, Casino Boogie, Tumbling Dice, Sweet Virginia, Torn and Frayed, Loving Cup, Happy, Ventilator Blues, All Down the Line, Shine a Light, Soul Survivor

Some of the Stones' best work--full of driven, catchy blues riffs. Tight musicianship (for a blues-based rock band anyway), they make blending sounds seem effortless. Great stuff.

absolute classic from start to finish

Yeah

Rootsy and organic perfection. I especially love the country influence

Amazing. THE ROCK AND ROLL ALBUM.

This is a good example of a stones record. It doesn't have any of their big hits, but I still really enjoyed this album!

This is so far my favorite Stones album I’ve gotten. It’s a lot less polished and I quite like that.

I cannot believe I have not heard this entire record before. There were only two songs that I wanted to skip, the remaining tracks were everything I ever liked about The Rolling Stones.

i don't hear them going back and taking 30 takes to produce a song. This is making music. I saw another review that said if you removed one of the elements, the whole thing would fall apart; this is that well balanced.

Ok. It’s good stuff

Maybe the best rock n roll album ever

Honestly, I’ve never really enjoyed this album like I should, but I’ll give it full marks out of obligation. It’s still good classic rock, and I just never really listened to it whenever I would want to. Good album, just one I don’t enjoy so much.

en enkel femma.

Might be the most American-sounding album to ever come out of England. Extremely soulful. Yknow, even though the songwriting is quite simple, it’s basically a perfect album in its own right. Quality

like going down the main street of an entire city and hearing all of the different types of music in each block

Classic.

My kind of Rolling Stones album

It's greasy. It's dirty. It's raunchy. It's vintage Stones. Unlike most classic albums, this one hasn't been ruined by classic rock radio so the songs are more fresh. It may not have the hits but it's a great album overall.

Most of the tracks were new to me and I loved them all.

I sought out this album after seeing a documentary about photographer Robert Frank who created the cover. The music is way more bluesy and raw than I expected from a band I thought I knew from their hits. A terrific surprise.

It’s Exile On Main Street. It’s The Rolling Stones. I listened to this 3 times in a row while working with power tools and felt much cooler than I have any right to be. No wonder these guys are legends.

Great

Long time fave. Like top all time

Their masterpiece, words cannot even begin to describe how much this album means to me. It’s the perfect conclusion to their incredible streak of excellent records since the late 60s. It almost feels like a history lesson in rock n roll music with the number of influential genres that they seamlessly incorporated. Not a single minute is wasted, it’s quintessential listening.

Fantastic record.

If an alien landed in my yard and asked me what Rock-n-roll is, I'd put on Exile on Main Street. Nearly perfect album.

5.0

Love it one of my favourites

The fab four done it again, rip John lemon

A classic. 10/10

Thank you for your wine, California.

Valittelut koukuttomuudesta eivät yksinkertaisesti ole todenmukaisia. Millä muulla Rollarien levyllä on muka parempia biisejä kuin Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice ja Happy? Sallitaan heille Casino Boogiensa ja I Just Wanna See His Facensa. Tällaisetkin jamit edustavat bändin totaalista tyylitajua, ja pysyvät järkevän mittaisina, toisin kuin esim. kaikilla muilla bändeillä. Miltä muulta levyltä voi löytää, ja siis LÖYTÄÄ, Let it Loosen, Rip This Jointin ja Shine a Lightin? Mikä muu levy tuntuu siltä, kuin löydettävä ei loppuisi vuosienkaan päästä?

Top 5 summer album of all time

En la discusión de los mejores discos de los Rolling. Nada más que agregar.

It's been many years since I've enjoyed this album. In a way, my relationship with this album is very similar to yesterday's feed (Grateful Dead - American Beauty). I am not a fan of the Rolling Stones. They have some great songs, but overall I don't enjoy their sound. This album, however, has always been an exception. Like American Beauty, Exile On Main Street is the one sole album in a band's large catalogue that I love cover to cover. On a double album, that's real impressive. I think the only song that doesn't impress me is Let It Loose (kind of bland and ordinary to me). Besides that aside, for over an hour this album keeps me rocking. I don't really like the Stones, but this is album is an absolute gem.

Þessi er líka gömul uppáhalds. Happy er asnalegt lag, annað finnst mér algjört æði.

Eternal.

To me, one of the best double albums in history. I don’t love honky tonk, but this one is different. I don’t know if it’s the horn section or keys… maybe the arrangements or the production. It has a mistique. All those stories that surround the creation of the album and the long list of infamous characters visiting the manor (William S Burroughs, Gram Parsons, to mention few) gives it an extra spice. Not the best Rolling Stone album to start, but the best if you have a intermediate knowledge about the band.

LP

Rocks off-A song that gives drives on the beach in the 70's to a brightday. Very nostalgic 8.5/10 song. Rip this joint-Holy shit this one has it all. Dancing at a saloon vibe and singing all the crowd together to the sounds of the very funky and groovy band. 10/10 Easily. Shake your hips-A song that is quircky yet has interesting beats. I think the beat could have changed a bit in accordance to the tone of the lyrics so a solid 7/10. Casino Boogie-That one song that you can't sit calmly listening but must move and play along as if you're the pianist. 9/10. Tumbling song-Imagine sitting in a camp in the middle of the forest with 20 friends turn on lights and just vibe to that funk abd beat mix. 9/10. Sweet Virginia-Taking your partner out to stargaze with a pickup truck and sleep in the back of it to the sounds of the guitar and make out till you fall asleep. 8.5/10. Torn and Frayed-Same as Sweet Virginia, they could have even combined both of them. 8.5/10.

This album is exactly how the Stones are supposed to sound. Absolutely perfect encapsulation of what makes them incredible. Mick being Mick, incredibly arranged instrumentals, variations in musical feel, everything. Awesome, awesome album. Favorite tracks, non-Tumbling Dice division: Rip this Joint, Happy, Shine a Light

Absolute classic!

Is this one Rolling Stones record *slightly* overrated? Sure it is. But like all *good* double albums, it takes its sweet time exploring different moods and atmospheres, and offers a unique listening experience, as many bigger fans of the Stones than I am have already pointed out, and this for decades. So I'd say the assets displayed by this one can easily make you dismiss its flaws and "soft spots" (i.e. an handful of blues jam sessions and a couple of covers that are more a tribute to Jagger, Richards and co. as performers than they are a tribute to them as songwriters...) Besides, there are enough highlights in *Exile...* to get any rock fan excited: " Rocks Off" and its blaring and joyous horns, "Tumbling Dice" and its exhilarated backing vocals, "Happy" and its sleazy guitar riff, "Shine A Light" and its elated performance... Or closer "Soul Survivor" and its classic Rolling Stones feel... It's also interesting to see how this double LP is craftfully and smartly designed, behind the first-glance impression of a work where the let's-throw-everything-at-the-wall-and-see-what-lands-where ethos supposedly prevailed. Each one of those four sides has a distinct overall sound and thematic groundwork, actually. Beyond the highlights scattered on all sides here and there, my favorite part is side two, thanks to its moving ballads going from country "Sweet Virginia" and rhythm'n'blues-influenced "Torn And Frayed" to the instantly catchy and topically relevant "Sweet Black Angel", not to forget "Loving Cup"'s eventual return to rhythm and blues. So yep, *Exile On Main Streets* is probably one notch under *Beggars Banquet*, *Let It Bleed* or *Sticky Fingers* (well, it has a less striking collection of songs than the latter album, that's for sure!). But it's still a 5/5 record if we stick to the avowed goals of such a list (like... maybe it's a 4.7 or a 4.8 album... But who cares about the decimals at this point, huh?). Not everything in an album is about individual songs anyway, the overall mood and artistic intent matters too. And the ones The Rolling Stones had in mind for this double LP can rock your socks off for ages! Number of albums left to review: 589 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 197 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 92 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 122

If i were to choose a single album to summarize what Rock & Roll is, this would be the one. An absolute classic that has already stood the test of time, and probably the peak of the classic era of rock music.

Some of the Stones' best stuff on here. *Almost* justifies the double album but a few early-on bluesy tracks that go nowhere could have been left off. However, Rocks Off, Sweet Virginia, Tumbling Dice, Happy, Torn and Frayed, Shine A Light etc. are easily worth the 5* rating. Hugely influential (looking at you, mid-90's Charlatans and Primal Scream) and lots of fun.