The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the rock ‘n’ roll revolution alongside The Beatles.
Their album Hackney Diamonds bested the Black Crowes’ Happiness Bastards, Fontaines D.C.’s Romance, Green Day’s Saviors, Idles’ Tangk, Jack White’s No Name, and Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter.
The win marks the Stones’ first Grammy for a studio album in their six-decade career, adding another milestone to their legendary status. Despite the achievement, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood were nowhere to be seen at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, leaving fans and industry insiders questioning their absence.
While no official explanation was given about the Rolling Stones’ absence, speculation arose that the aging rockers preferred to celebrate privately rather than attend the ceremony.
The award was accepted by producer Andrew Watt, who worked closely with the band on Hackney Diamonds. In his speech, Watt acknowledged the Stones’ enduring influence and their ability to create fresh, powerful music even after decades in the industry.
Accepting the trophy on the Rolling Stones’ behalf was Andrew Watt, the producer behind Hackney Diamonds. “Talked to Mick yesterday and he just wanted to say a big thank you to the Academy from the entire band,” he said. “For a little boy that grew up playing guitar, it was one of the most amazing experiences to be around those musicians.”
Together, the Beatles and the Stones,they became poster boys for a new generation who offered more than just music but hope for a brighter future free from the shackles of the Second World War.
By this stage, The Rolling Stones had been enjoying lavish wealth for several years, including a stint as tax exiles, further distancing themselves from younger audiences.
The punk generation faced new problems, and bands like the Sex Pistols also faced these issues, which they fought head-on in their music.
Keith Richards was not the target demographic for punk. Nevertheless, the carefree attitude of the movement was an attribute that he couldn’t resist admiring from afar. However, he also had issues with the collection of bands that it spawned.
After the walls of punk came crashing down in 1981, The Stones guitarist offered his eulogy to Rolling Stone: "Yeah, there was a certain spirit there. But I don’t think there was anything new musically, or even from the PR point of view, image-wise. There was too much image, and none of the bands were given enough chance to put their music together, if they had any," Richards tells.
"I think punk rock was great theater, and it wasn’t all crap. The music was all incidental, like background music. You just had to see it. It’s a little too image-conscious from my point. It’s like in the 1960s, ‘We’ll put this band in these clothes, we’ll dye his hair.’
As long as the band’s good, I don’t care what color they dye their hair. But anything other than California rock, anything but complacency, yeah, sure. I’m probably a little out of touch with the music scene here, but most of the stuff that’s happened has lost touch with itself anyway. It’s back to fads. One minute it’s the Bay City Rollers, then it’s punk rock, then it’s power pop or new wave, then it’s finished"
"It seemed to be the least important thing. It was more important if you puked over somebody, you know? But that’s a legacy from us also. After all, we’re still the only rock & roll band arrested for peeing on a wall."
“That’s what we used to say about everything that went before us. But you need a bit more than just putting down people to keep things together. There’s always somebody better at puttin’ you down. So don’t put me down, just do what I did, you know? Do me something better. Turn me on.” (Farout)
"Anyway, I wasn’t even there, man. So I don’t know, I really can’t talk about it better because I wasn’t in England in that period. I only know the flat we’ve gotten over the years. Some things I like about it, some I dind’t."
