# It's Only Rock 'n Roll
**It's Only Rock 'n Roll** is the twelfth UK studio album by the Rolling Stones, released in October 1974 on Rolling Stones Records. It was the band's last album with guitarist [Mick Taylor](https://www.edgepedia.org/mick-taylor) and the first in seven years to be produced by [Mick Jagger](https://www.edgepedia.org/mick-jagger) and [Keith Richards](https://www.edgepedia.org/keith-richards) themselves, working under the production name the Glimmer Twins.[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) The album reached No.1 in the United States and No.2 in the United Kingdom, and its title track became a lasting staple of the band's live set.[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | October 1974 on Rolling Stones Records (COC 79101 / COC 59103); US No.1 on November 23, 1974, UK peak No.2[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) • [2](https://aeppli.ch/TUG03/_1974-75Col.pdf) |
| Line-up significance | Last Stones album featuring guitarist Mick Taylor; first album credited to producers "the Glimmer Twins" (Jagger and Richards)[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) |
| Lead single | "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)", released July 26, 1974 (RS 19114) with "Through the Lonely Nights" as the B-side; UK No.10, US No.16[3](https://rockalia.com/en/component/muscol/R/index.php?Itemid=151&id=1600&option=com_muscol&view=album) • [1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) |
| Title-track authorship | Credited to Jagger/Richards but actually co-written by Jagger and Ronnie Wood during sessions for Wood's solo album at The Wick[4](https://www.loudersound.com/music/albums/rolling-stones-albums-ranked) • [5](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/theres-only-me-and-mick-and-david-bowie-and-willie-weeks-and-kenney-jones-on-it-the-basic-track-ronnie-wood-on-the-first-stones-song-he-helped-to-create-before-he-was-in-the-band) |
| Recording | Began at Musicland Studios, Munich, on November 13, 1973; sessions continued at Island Studios, London, in February 1974[6](https://onlyrockandroll.london/2013/01/03/its-only-rocknroll-revisited/) • [7](https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll) |
| Cover art | Painted by Belgian artist Guy Peellaert, invited by Jagger after Jagger saw his illustrations in the book *Rock Dreams*[3](https://rockalia.com/en/component/muscol/R/index.php?Itemid=151&id=1600&option=com_muscol&view=album) |
| Commercial standing | Fourth of eight consecutive No.1 LPs for the Stones in America, where it turned platinum[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) |
## Recording
The Stones entered Musicland Studios in Munich on November 13, 1973, to start work on the album, less than a month after a six-week European tour of 32 shows had ended in Germany.[6](https://onlyrockandroll.london/2013/01/03/its-only-rocknroll-revisited/) • [1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) Sessions continued through 1974: the band recorded at Musicland from February 8 to 13, and reconvened at Island Studios in London from February 20 to March 3, where Jagger began with a demo of the now officially titled "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)" recorded at The Wick, Ronnie Wood's home studio.[8](https://www.timeisonourside.com/lpIORR.html) • [7](https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll)
Taylor's participation was already fading. He was present for only half of the last Munich sessions because he was in the hospital, and he later said he had a falling out with Jagger over songs he felt he should have been credited with co-writing on the album.[8](https://www.timeisonourside.com/lpIORR.html) "Time Waits for No One", which Taylor called the best song on the album for a guitar solo, was the first song recorded for it.[9](https://www.timeisonourside.com/chron1974.html)
The title track itself began outside the band. In early 1974 Wood, then still with the [Faces](https://www.edgepedia.org/faces-band), was making his debut solo album at The Wick when he and Jagger created the song; the basic track featured only Wood, Jagger, David Bowie, Willie Weeks, and [Kenney Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/kenney-jones).[5](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/theres-only-me-and-mick-and-david-bowie-and-willie-weeks-and-kenney-jones-on-it-the-basic-track-ronnie-wood-on-the-first-stones-song-he-helped-to-create-before-he-was-in-the-band) When the Stones' first attempt at re-recording it lacked the demo's loose feel, they returned to the original tape, with Jagger and Richards adding most of the electric guitars and double-tracked vocals.[10](https://thepressmusicreviews.wordpress.com/2026/08/14/the-rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-but-i-like-it/) Wood received an uncredited co-writing share; in his memoir he describes helping Jagger with the song while Jagger supported Wood's "I Can Feel the Fire" in return.[11](https://los40.com/2024/10/18/its-only-rockn-roll-el-disco-que-cambio-la-historia-de-the-rolling-stones-cumple-50-anos/)
## Songs and styles
The album absorbed several currents of 1970s music. "Luxury" shows the band's growing interest in reggae, "Time Waits for No One" uses a gentle Latin lilt, and the closing "Fingerprint File", built on Keith Richards' wah-wah guitar, is the Stones' first true attempt at funk.[3](https://rockalia.com/en/component/muscol/R/index.php?Itemid=151&id=1600&option=com_muscol&view=album) • [4](https://www.loudersound.com/music/albums/rolling-stones-albums-ranked) • [12](https://www.keno.org/rolling_stones/sfriorr.htm) Ballads also figure prominently: "Till the Next Goodbye" and "If You Really Want to Be My Friend" continued the band's immersion in ballad territory.[3](https://rockalia.com/en/component/muscol/R/index.php?Itemid=151&id=1600&option=com_muscol&view=album)
The cover of the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" was released as a US single, with an official promo video to match.[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) The promo film for the title track, shot in June 1974, became a much-loved visual of the era, featuring [Charlie Watts](https://www.edgepedia.org/charlie-watts) disappearing thanks to an out-of-control bubble machine; a promotional film using the backing track and a live vocal was made by [Michael Lindsay-Hogg](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-lindsay-hogg) in August 1974.[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) • [6](https://onlyrockandroll.london/2013/01/03/its-only-rocknroll-revisited/)
## Chart performance
The album was released on October 16, 1974, and topped the US chart on November 23, succeeding [John Lennon](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-lennon)'s *Walls and Bridges* for a week before [Elton John](https://www.edgepedia.org/elton-john)'s first *Greatest Hits* took over for the rest of the year.[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) In the UK it entered the Official Albums Chart at No.5 on November 2, 1974, and peaked at No.2 the following week, spending nine weeks in the Top 100.[13](https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll/) The title track single reached No.10 in the UK in August 1974 but performed more modestly in America, peaking at No.16.[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/)
## Reception and standing
Contemporary American response was strong. Greg Shaw, writing in *Phonograph Record*, called it "the Stones' most consistent album in years, their most open and alive sounding".[1](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/) Later assessments have been more divided. One retrospective review calls it the weakest of the band's mid-1970s releases, criticizing an under-developed mix and overlong songs, while noting that the stronger material sits in the ballads.[14](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/68516/The-Rolling-Stones-Its-Only-Rock-n-Roll/) A 1975 technical appraisal described it as a much "drier" record than its predecessor, the cleanest and most "studio"-sounding Rolling Stones album to that point.[15](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-Recording-Engineer/70s/Recording-1975-10.pdf) Fan and critical reappraisal since has often treated it as underrated, with "Time Waits for No One" and "Fingerprint File" frequently singled out.[4](https://www.loudersound.com/music/albums/rolling-stones-albums-ranked)
The album's historical position is defined by its line-up change. It was the last Stones record with the line-up that had made *Let It Bleed*, *Sticky Fingers*, and *Exile on Main St.*; [Ronnie Wood](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronnie-wood), who had helped create its title track before joining, replaced Taylor afterward.[7](https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll) The album has been reissued repeatedly, including a CD release on November 18, 1986 (RSR-CBS 450202-2 / RSR-Columbia CK 40493) and Virgin Records Collector's Edition CDs in 1994.[2](https://aeppli.ch/TUG03/_1974-75Col.pdf)
## References
1. [Paul Sexton, "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: The Glimmer Twins Shine On The Rolling Stones In 1974", uDiscover Music](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-album/)
2. [Salt of the Earth: Rolling Stones 1974–75 discography compilation](https://aeppli.ch/TUG03/_1974-75Col.pdf)
3. [Rockalia: 1974 – It's Only Rock 'N Roll – Rolling Stones](https://rockalia.com/en/component/muscol/R/index.php?Itemid=151&id=1600&option=com_muscol&view=album)
4. [Every Rolling Stones album ranked, Louder](https://www.loudersound.com/music/albums/rolling-stones-albums-ranked)
5. [Ronnie Wood on the first Stones song he helped to create, MusicRadar](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/theres-only-me-and-mick-and-david-bowie-and-willie-weeks-and-kenney-jones-on-it-the-basic-track-ronnie-wood-on-the-first-stones-song-he-helped-to-create-before-he-was-in-the-band)
6. [It's Only Rock'n'Roll Revisited, Only Rock 'n' Roll](https://onlyrockandroll.london/2013/01/03/its-only-rocknroll-revisited/)
7. [How the Rolling Stones made the chaotic It's Only Rock 'N Roll, Louder](https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll)
8. [It's Only Rock 'n' Roll, timeisonourside.com](https://www.timeisonourside.com/lpIORR.html)
9. [Chronicle 1974, timeisonourside.com](https://www.timeisonourside.com/chron1974.html)
10. [The Rolling Stones – It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It), The Press Music Reviews](https://thepressmusicreviews.wordpress.com/2026/08/14/the-rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll-but-i-like-it/)
11. [It's only rock'n roll cumple 50 años, Los40](https://los40.com/2024/10/18/its-only-rockn-roll-el-disco-que-cambio-la-historia-de-the-rolling-stones-cumple-50-anos/)
12. [Stones Fans IORR Reviews, keno.org](https://www.keno.org/rolling_stones/sfriorr.htm)
13. [IT'S ONLY ROCK 'N' ROLL chart history, Official Charts Company](https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll/)
14. [It's Only Rock 'n' Roll album review, Sputnikmusic](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/68516/The-Rolling-Stones-Its-Only-Rock-n-Roll/)
15. [Recording engineer/producer magazine, October 1975, WorldRadioHistory](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-Recording-Engineer/70s/Recording-1975-10.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical practice and theory › Popular music genres › Rock works, labels, discographies, awards, and infrastructure › Rock studio albums › 1970s rock albums*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license