The album that saved the Stones from becoming obsolete
In short: By 1976, the Rolling Stones were facing a crisis of relevance. Punk rock was rising in the UK and disco dominated the charts. To survive, they had to pivot. The result was Some Girls—a record born from legal turmoil, studio secrets, and a deliberate move toward the dance floor.
The production of Some Girls was defined by high-stakes survival. In early 1977, Keith Richards faced potential imprisonment in Canada for drug trafficking. While he underwent detoxification in the United States, Mick Jagger took the creative lead to ensure the band didn't disband. During this period, the Stones were largely inactive on tour, creating a sense of urgency for their next move. This era also saw the permanent addition of Ronnie Wood, whose slide guitar style became a hallmark of the band’s sound, replacing the more experimental textures of previous years.
Musically, Jagger pushed the band toward a 'return to basics' while simultaneously embracing contemporary trends. Influenced by New York City and disco, he steered the sessions toward danceable grooves. To achieve this, the band made a deliberate choice to reject 'technically superior' studio musicians like Billy Preston, fearing they would lead the group into unwanted experimental territory. Instead, they focused on a core lineup that produced about 50 new songs in Paris between late 1977 and early 1978. The result was a bright, aggressive sound engineered by Chris Kimsey using state-of-the-art Mesa/Boogie amplifiers.
The album's release was nearly derailed by one of the most litigious cover designs in rock history. The original artwork featured the band alongside celebrities like Farrah Fawcett and Liza Minnelli, leading to a flurry of lawsuits from estates and actors alike. After being forced to redesign the sleeve—retaining only George Harrison’s likeness—the album still achieved massive commercial success. It became the band's top-selling US album, certified for six million copies by 2000, and remains their only album nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year.
Despite some fans feeling alienated by its disco leanings, critics hailed it as a classic return to form. Jagger defended the shift by noting that rock music is rooted in blues and soul, which are inherently dance-oriented. By capturing the 'grooves of now' rather than just the 'grooves of yesteryear,' the Stones managed to bridge the gap between their 1960s legacy and the late 1970s landscape.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Some Girls
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