For the past five decades The Rolling Stones have enjoyed tremendous success as the original bad boys of rock for their image based on sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. But what many people don’t realize is that this hasn’t always been the case for the group.
“In 1962 the group started out in London as a wholesome group like The Beatles,” said John Covach, director of the Institute for Popular Music (IPM) at the University of Rochester. “But it wasn’t until 1965, after a deliberate marketing ploy by the Stones’ manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, that the group became popular in the U.S.”
According to Covach, Oldham worked tirelessly to create a new image for the Stones as the ‘anti-Beatles’ once he realized their wholesome image was not catching on with the fans. By planting stories in the British press like ‘Would you let your daughter marry a Rolling Stone?’ Oldham created an image that followed the group to the U.S. and that was later solidified by their No.1 hit, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”
“The song turned out to be the ultimate marketing tool for the Stones because it became an anthem for the dissatisfaction of youth,” said Covach, who teaches a free course on the Music of the Rolling Stones to more than 14,000 students on Coursera. “They became a threat to the establishment as well as an excuse for reckless behavior and rebellion.”
Named by Rolling Stone Magazine as the second greatest hit of all time, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” marked the group’s first No. 1 hit on both sides of the Atlantic. However, it wasn’t the group’s first top hit in the U.S. In March of that year, the group released their song “The Last Time,” which was the first of four of the group’s hit singles in 1965. Others include, “Get Off of My Cloud” and “As Tears Go By.”
So while 1964 marks the start of the British Invasion, 1965 really marks the 50th year since The Rolling Stones first made it big in America. “In some ways you would call 1965 the year of ‘Satisfaction’ for the Rolling Stones,” said Covach, who earlier this year kicked off a year of celebrations through the IPM with a concert celebrating this milestone in popular music. For more information about the music of the Rolling Stones and the IPM, visit http://www.rochester.edu/popmusic/
About the Institute for Popular Music
The Institute for Popular Music was established in 2012 to encourage and support the study and performance of popular music through lectures, books, articles, and concerts. Over the past three years, the institute’s offerings have expanded to include virtual conferences and workshops as well as a “In Conversation” series, which features talks with artists like John Densmore from The Doors.
