Exile on Main Street at 50: Is it The Stones greatest album? 

I loved Exile from the first time I heard it in the '70s when my older brother bought it!

excellent discussion. Enjoyed it very much i always liked Sticky fingers the best. But Exile grows on you. You must listent to the album 5 times to appreciate it.

It's a four-way tie - Beggars, Let it Bleed, Sticky, Exile. All of these records have a character all their own and I love them all. Exile on Mainstreet was about as musically dense as any record I have ever heard. It covered more territory and genres with more raw energy and aplomb than it was ever given credit for at the time. I loved it instantly. Also, Ya Yas was the 2nd best live album of all time. The Band Rock of Ages is #1.

Owwww yeah!

In general, I think the reason people hate this album is because of the sound of each song not being neatly and clearly separated. In the case of music such as Queen, Led Zeppelin, and Metallica, the front and rear chunks of the joints of music take a neatly distinguished form, and even punk music takes that form. However, the sound of the album is essentially free popping between instruments trying to have an impromptu feel in jazz, so the joints and joints don't fall off neatly like this. This sound aspect can act as a disadvantage to some. However, on the contrary, there is no album that integrated and fused American jazz and gospel rockabilly blues to play powerful rock and roll. In addition, it provides a special feeling of inspiration that cannot be found in other rock groups with excellent composition skills.

Greatest record of all time. Thank you very much!

After Exile they did plenty. Any music lover should own the Ladies and Gentlemen concert film, Goats Head Soup, a bootleg or the official release of Brussels Affair, El Mocambo live album, Some Girls, Tattoo You, Stripped (the 1995 live album), A Bigger Bang, Blue and Lonesome, and a blu-ray of the 2015 Fonda Theater show. They all represent different peaks the band has hit on their journey has the greatest to ever do it.

Thank you so much for this work and research. I rank amongst those who enjoy and find Exile is a beautiful gentle precious mess. And of course above all an undisputable proof of Mick Taylor's musical exceptional value. As for the villa allegedly having been used by the gestapo during WWII, listening to well documented local people shows us there is no truth in that whatsoever.

It doesn't get any better than Charlie's drum fills toward the end of Tumbling Dice.

@TheGuyTalkingOnTheRightSide. "it took me thirty years to really love this album." Well, your taste must have been exiled all that time. And about the punk side of that album, you're right. Just remember Richard Hell & his Voidoids performing "Ventilator Blues" in their live sets. In 1978!! Early punk Exile recognition if ever there was one. Try to understand this masterpiece as early British Americana, YouKnowWhatIMean, now do you? Even the promo single refers to the cracking sound of 78rpm blues, gospel, and country. This double33 is an ultimate modern myth surpassing even Lennon's strawberries & walrusses. (Only Brian W. is beyond competition but that is not the point). Show me the way to the main street, gentlemen. Let it booze, meanwhile, let it all hang down.

thanks, had a great time listening to you guys! its a masterpiece of an album, the essence of rock n roll!

Greatest Rolling Stones album and greatest album of all-time in my humble opinion👍 Now if we can just get a proper Audiophile vinyl reissue🙏 The Miles Showell Abbey Road reissue does not cut it🙉🙉🙉🙉🙉

The music magazines panned it saying it was the Stones stroking their inflated egos. There was no direction to the album was another comment with the Stones trying to appeal to everyone......in the end after years the double album has been proclaimed one of the greatest pop rock albums of all time.......I believe the album is the Rolling Stones best album with a staggering amount of diverse songs......

Released on 26 May 1972 by Rolling Stones Records.

The only way they could have topped it is if Let it Bleed and Beggars Banquet was combined as a double album which brings up a interesting project of writing down all the songs and figuring out the play order.....

My Opinion 1 Let it Bleed 2 Sticky Fingers 3 Exile on Main St 4 Beggars Banquet 5 Tattoo You 6 It’s Only RnR 7 Some Girls 8 Goats Head Soup 9 Aftermath 10 Black & Blue

Its not uncommon for the avant gardé to be hated at first. If true EXILE COULD be the first R&R song.

30 years to appreciate?? Shocking! 4th favourite? Hugely problematic!

Good video, guys. I enjoyed this. My 5 favorite 1. Exile 2. Goats Head Soup 3. Sticky Fingers 4. Some Girls 5. Between the Buttons unpopular opinion: I hate let it bleed. I think it’s an awful album full of annoying, ear piercing noises and mediocre-at-best songs. I’m sorry y’all. Gimme shelter is the one exception, a masterpiece. Midnight rambler is alright when played live