Aftermath (Rolling Stones album)

Aftermath (Rolling Stones album)
source
Name	Aftermath
Type	studio
Artist	The Rolling Stones
Released	April 15, 1966
Recorded	December 1965 – March 1966
Studio	RCA Studios, Hollywood; Chess Studios, Chicago; London
Genre	Rock, blues rock, baroque pop
Length	39:44
Label	Decca, London
Producer	Andrew Loog Oldham
Prev title	Out of Our Heads
Prev year	1965
Next title	Between the Buttons
Next year	1967

Aftermath (Rolling Stones album) is the fourth British and sixth American studio album by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in 1966. It marked a significant compositional shift with all original songs credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, following a period of heavy reliance on American blues and R&B covers. The album's sessions involved musicians and producers from across London, Los Angeles, and Chicago, yielding a diverse sonic palette that influenced contemporaries in the British Invasion and international rock scenes.

Background and recording

Recording sessions for Aftermath occurred amid extensive touring and publicity for The Rolling Stones following successful releases like Out of Our Heads and singles such as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". Manager and producer Andrew Loog Oldham encouraged Jagger and Richards to concentrate on original songwriting, aligning with trends established by The Beatles and songwriters like Bob Dylan. Sessions took place at RCA Studios (Hollywood), Chess Records' Chicago studios, and various studios in London, with engineers and session musicians including members associated with Phil Spector's techniques and the Brill Building pop scene. The band experimented with expanded instrumentation, bringing in multi-instrumentalists and employing novel studio techniques akin to those used by George Martin and Brian Wilson.

Composition and musical style

Aftermath showcases a range from electric blues rooted in Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf influences to baroque pop elements reflecting interest in Bach-inspired textures and chamber arrangements. Tracks integrate acoustic fingerpicking, electric slide guitar influenced by Delta blues traditions, and keyboards recalling Gospel music and Rhythm and blues idioms. Lyrically, Jagger drew on contemporary themes explored by Bob Dylan, Jacqueline Susann, and countercultural critique appearing in coverage by Rolling Stone (magazine) and NME (music magazine). The album features distinctive use of marimba, sitar-like timbres, and layered backing vocals paralleling production approaches by Phil Spector and orchestral experiments similar to The Beach Boys' work with Van Dyke Parks.

Release and packaging

Aftermath was released in the United Kingdom by Decca Records and in the United States by London Records with differing track lists and mixes, a common practice at the time also seen in releases by The Beatles and The Kinks. The British sleeve design referenced contemporary fashion photography trends promoted by publications like Vogue (magazine) and employed typography similar to graphic work for Island Records and Motown Records. American editions included the single "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" or alternate sequencing, reflecting distribution strategies used by labels such as Capitol Records and Columbia Records to capitalize on hit singles.

Critical reception

Contemporary reviews came from outlets including Melody Maker, NME (music magazine), and Rolling Stone (magazine), with critics debating the album's mature songwriting versus continuity with the band's blues roots exemplified by references to Robert Johnson and Willie Dixon. Some reviewers compared the record's innovation to milestones by The Beatles' Rubber Soul and Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited, while others critiqued lyrical themes as provocative in the context of coverage from mainstream newspapers like The New York Times and The Guardian. Retrospective appraisals by music historians and writers from Mojo (magazine) and Uncut (magazine) recognize Aftermath as a pivotal work in the Stones' catalog.

Commercial performance

Aftermath performed strongly on national charts, reaching high positions on the UK Albums Chart and the Billboard 200. Singles drawn from the era, including "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Get Off of My Cloud", propelled album sales in markets across Europe, North America, and Australia. The record contributed to The Rolling Stones' expansion into stadium tours and television appearances on programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show and Shindig!, strengthening their commercial profile against contemporaries like The Beatles and The Who.

Legacy and influence

Aftermath influenced subsequent rock and pop artists including Led Zeppelin, The Smiths, Oasis, and singer-songwriters linked to Britpop. Its emphasis on original songwriting by Jagger and Richards helped redefine artist-label relations similar to those negotiated by Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney, while its production choices prefigured studio experimentation by David Bowie and Roxy Music. Musicologists cite the album in studies alongside works by John Lennon, George Harrison, and producers like Glyn Johns as a turning point in the elevation of rock albums as cohesive artistic statements.

Track listing and personnel

Track listing varied between UK and US editions; core compositions credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Key musicians and contributors included Mick Jagger (vocals), Keith Richards (guitar), Brian Jones (multi-instrumentalist), Charlie Watts (drums), Bill Wyman (bass), producer Andrew Loog Oldham, and session players associated with Studio musicians (rock), Nashville-area contractors, and arrangers influenced by Burt Bacharach. The album's sessions also featured engineers and arrangers who worked with contemporaries like Tom Dowd and Jack Nitzsche.

Category:1966 albums Category:The Rolling Stones albums