Mick Jagger

Mick Jagger, born Michael Philip Jagger on 26 July 1943 in Dartford, Kent, became the frontman and principal lyricist of the Rolling Stones, one of the most influential rock bands in history. He met Keith Richards as a child, and their chance reunion at Dartford railway station in 1961 helped revive their shared interest in American blues and rhythm and blues records. Jagger joined Brian Jones, Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, and others in the group that adopted the Rolling Stones name in 1962. The band’s early success included British singles such as “Come On,” “Not Fade Away,” and “It’s All Over Now,” followed by the Jagger-Richards songwriting partnership’s breakthrough. Their 1965 hit “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” built around Richards’s guitar riff and Jagger’s frustrated lyrics, became an international anthem. Jagger co-wrote many of the Stones’ defining songs, including “Paint It, Black,” “Ruby Tuesday,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Brown Sugar,” “Wild Horses,” “Angie,” and “Start Me Up.” Jagger’s stage presence, dancing, and elastic vocal delivery were central to the Stones’ image. Albums such as Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile on Main St. established the group’s reputation for combining blues, country, soul, rock, and dark social observation. The 1969 Altamont Free Concert, where Meredith Hunter was killed during the Stones’ set, became a notorious event in the band’s history and in the wider narrative of the 1960s counterculture. Beyond the Stones, Jagger released solo albums including She’s the Boss in 1985, Primitive Cool in 1987, Wandering Spirit in 1993, and Goddess in the Doorway in 2001. He also formed SuperHeavy with Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, Damian Marley, and A. R. Rahman; the group released its self-titled album in 2011. His acting credits include Performance, released in 1970, and the title role in Ned Kelly, also released in 1970. In 1989, Jagger and the Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1986 and continued touring decades after its formation. Jagger was knighted in 2003 for services to popular music. In 2016, the Rolling Stones released Blue & Lonesome, an album of blues covers that returned them to music central to their beginnings. After drummer Charlie Watts died in 2021, Jagger continued performing with the group, including on their 2024 Hackney Diamonds tour.