They set the template for the classic rock band, but it was the Rolling Stones’ knack for songwriting that really underpinned what became some of the 20th century’s most recognisable music. Though revered by most, some tend to overlook their aptitude in the songwriting domain - stacking them unfavourably against their prolific contemporaries, the Beatles and the Kinks.
But The Stones’ golden streak (debatably) ran longer, with certified classic albums such as Exile on Main Street and Sticky Fingers constantly ranking high in those greatest ever lists.
The band’s most swaggering and vital rock ‘n’ roll cuts sounded the starting gun for what would follow over ensuing decades. Yet, the likes of Jumpin' Jack Flash, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Start Me Up and their ilk often belie the band’s equal form when it came to crafting some of the most heart-rending ballads of the ‘60s and ‘70.
