A GROUNDBREAKING RECKONING WITH THE WORLD'S GREATEST ROCK 'N' ROLL BAND FROM THE AWARD-WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF CLASSIC HISTORIES OF THE BEATLES AND LED ZEPPELIN.

AN OBSERVER BEST BIOGRAPHY OF 2026
A NEW YORK TIMES MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2026

'Epic' THE TIMES
'Electrifying' OBSERVER
'The definitive (and debauched) history of the band' TELEGRAPH
‘Colourful and authoritative … both forensic and poetic' NEW YORK TIMES
‘Magisterial... For anyone who loves or even likes the Stones, it’s indispensable’ LOS ANGELES TIMES
‘You won’t look at the Stones the same way again' WALL STREET JOURNAL
‘A treasure trove for Stones fans’ KIRKUS (starred review)
‘Terrific . . . A work of music history to savor’ BOOKLIST


LADIES AND GENTLEMEN … THE ROLLING STONES

What left is there to say about the Stones?

A hell of a lot, it turns out . . .

You think you know the story? Think again. Shorn of dulling layers of myth and received wisdom, an irresistible, clear-eyed portrait emerges of a band who, after sixty years, continue to break new ground and command our attention.

And at the heart of it all is the remarkable, unique, fractious, codependent, alchemical bond between Mick and Keith, the Glimmer Twins. There’s been debauchery, decadence and death along the way. Not everyone survived the journey, but the band was always greater than the sum of its parts, laying down a trail of classic albums and landmark live performances in its wake.

Drawing on decades of music industry experience and five years of dedicated research, critically acclaimed biographer Bob Spitz brings a fresh eye to the epic story of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world.

In 2026 they remain in a league of their own. The Rolling Stones shows why.


‘Colourful and authoritative … fond, voluble and diligent to a fault … Spitz is both forensic and poetic … celebratory and bittersweet’
NEW YORK TIMES

‘A magisterial work … he excels at presenting the Stones in glorious technicolour. . . Hundreds of books have been written about the Rolling Stones, but few sparkle quite like Spitz’s. For anyone who loves or even likes the Stones, it’s indispensable’
LOS ANGELES TIMES

‘You won’t look at the Stones the same way again”
WALL STREET JOURNAL

‘A terrific biography . . . A must for every fan of the Stones and rock and roll, a work of music history to savor’
BOOKLIST




PRAISE FOR BOB SPITZ

‘A treasure trove for Stones fans’ Kirkus

‘Riveting ... startlingly well-reported and consistently engaging’ Boston Globe

‘Irresistible … a captivating picture that hasn't been seen before’ New York Times

‘Spitz researches like a historian and writes like a novelist’ Christian Science Monitor

‘No other book captures it so well, understands so well...’ Greil Marcus

‘Spitz delivers inside details and analysis with his well-known gift for storytelling’ People

‘No biographer has dug as deeply or with such verve. . . Energetic and engaging’ Washington Post