Studio British Grove Studios Artist The Rolling Stones Label Polydor Records | Length 42:36 Release date 2 December 2016 Genre Blues rock | |
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Released 2 December 2016 (2016-12-02) Recorded 11, 14 & 15 December 2015 Producer Don Was, The Glimmer Twins Similar The Rolling Stones albums, Blues rock albums | ||
Blue & Lonesome is a covers album by the Rolling Stones—their 23rd British and 25th American studio album—released on 2 December 2016. It is the band's first album to feature only cover songs, and their first studio release since 2005's A Bigger Bang. "Just Your Fool", a Buddy Johnson cover (though the Rolling Stones version is based on Little Walter's arrangement) was released as the first single from the album on 6 October. Eric Clapton contributed guitar on two tracks.
Contents
Background
Blue & Lonesome was recorded in just three days in December 2015. In April 2016, at the launch of the Rolling Stones career retrospective Exhibitionism, the band confirmed that their new album was due to be released "some time in the autumn". Richards said the album would feature "a lot of Chicago blues". Eric Clapton plays guitar on two tracks. Clapton was recording his own album in the same studio as the Stones were and was asked to play on a few tracks. The album is entirely blues-based, consisting of covers of artists such as Howlin' Wolf and Little Walter.
This is the first album since Dirty Work to not feature any guitar playing from Jagger (who instead concentrates completely on vocals and harmonica) and also the first since It's Only Rock 'n Roll to not feature a lead vocal from Richards.
Promotion
On 6 October 2016, the Rolling Stones changed their iconic "tongue and lips" logo, which first appeared on their Sticky Fingers album, from red to blue.
On 8 November 2016, the Rolling Stones released a video for "Hate to See You Go".
On 25 November 2016, the Stones released a one-track limited edition electric blue 10" vinyl record of "Ride 'Em On Down" (on the UMC label) on the occasion of the Record Store Day Black Friday 2016. The track is a cover of Eddie Taylor's "Ride 'Em On Down" originally recorded by Taylor in Chicago on 5 December 1955 for the Vee-Jay Label (and released as VJ 185).
On 1 December 2016, they released a video for "Ride 'Em on Down". The video features actress Kristen Stewart driving through Los Angeles in a blue 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback.
Release and reception
During its first week the album moved 106,000 sales to debut at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart, the second-highest opening sales week for an album in the UK in 2016. On 3 February 2017 it was certified Platinum there, for sales over 300,000 copies. It also debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 with 123,000 album-equivalent units, of which 120,000 were pure album sales. On 17 February 2017, their official website announced that the album had reached global sales of 2,000,000.
Personnel
Adapted from AllMusic.
The Rolling Stones
Additional musicians
Production and design
Songs
1Just Your Fool2:16
2Commit A Crime3:38
3Blue And Lonesome3:07