The Rolling Stones: Just for the Record

The 1960s were coming-of-age years for The Rolling Stones. From the backstreet pubs of London to the premier concert halls of America, the 60s watched the Stones grow from an R&B cover band to a powerhouse of maximum rock and roll. What took place during the first eight years of the band's legacy is as dynamic as the era itself. Through tragedy, indulgence, success, and failure, The Rolling Stones weathered a storm of change, and even served as a symbol for it.

The 1970s was a decade of extremes for The Rolling Stones. They rose to the height of their collective creative prowess, spun downward under stardom's weight, and then climbed back up again. It was during the "Me" decade that they solidified a reputation as one of the greatest rock and roll bands in the world. Drug problems, personal conflicts, and overarching disillusionment, however, edged the band into disarray. But the Stones bounced back, never missing a beat.

The 1980s would come to be the most trying decade that The Rolling Stones would ever face. As the world grew closer together, the Stones seemed to drift further and further apart. Amidst middle-aged family matters and solo projects, the Stones came as close as they ever would to breaking up. But the tensions that nearly ripped the Stones apart would also become the seed of their reinvention, and, through their separation, The Rolling Stones realized that not only did they still need the music, the stage, and their fans—they needed each other.

It was during the 1990s that The Rolling Stones proved once and for all that rock and roll has no boundaries or age limits. Having survived the fallout of the 1980s, The Rolling Stones surged through the 90s with fresh wind in their sails and new lands in their sights. As knights of the global village, The Rolling Stones would go on to spread their influence as never before, and yet, as the world changed around them, the spirit of their music remained true. Despite broken marriages, creative differences, and even the departure of Bill Wyman, nothing would deter the Stones from evolving through yet another prolific stage in their career.

They're known the world over as the greatest rock band of all time. They've defined sex, drugs, and rock and roll for forty years. They've survived the changing of the times and proliferations of music time and time again. From Swinging London to the new millennium, they've become the longest running and most successful band in the rock and roll history. They've become legends in their own lifetimes.