Mick Jagger has reacted to Paul McCarney’s 2020 comment that the Beatles were “better” than the Rolling Stones for the second time.
Back in 2020, McCartney claimed that his band was better than the Rolling Stones. “They are rooted in blues. When they are writing stuff, it has to do with the blues. We had a little more influence… There’s a lot of differences, and I love the Stones, but I’m with you,” he said to Howard Stern on SiriusXM, “The Beatles were better.
How does Mick Jagger react to those comments? Why and how it started? Scroll down to explore the rivalry between The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
#1. The Rivalry Between The Beatles And The Rolling Stones
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The rivalry between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones is one of the most iconic and enduring rivalries in the history of popular music. Both bands emerged in the 1960s from the British music scene and achieved incredible success, but they had distinct styles and personalities that contributed to the rivalry. They compete with some key points, including musical style, cultural differences, managerial rivalry, collaboration, and interaction.
The Beatles and The Rolling Stones are both celebrated for their unique contributions to the world of music. The rivalry between them added an intriguing dimension to the cultural landscape of the 1960s and helped shape the course of rock and pop music in the decades that followed. While they had their differences, they were two of the most influential and enduring bands in the history of popular music. Up to now, people are still talking about that, even the insiders. As we all know, there was the comment from McCartney that the Beatles were "better" than The Rolling Stones and the reaction of Stones member Mick Jagger.
#2. What Was The Statement Of McCartney?
In case you don’t know, Paul McCartney is a legendary British musician, singer, and songwriter known for his influential role as a member of The Beatles and his successful solo career in the world of rock and pop music.
Originally, McCartney, 81, stated that he believed "the Beatles were better" than the "Paint It, Black" rockers when he appeared on The Howard Stern Show in April 2020. He continued to address the issue a year later, referring to the group as a "blues cover band" in an interview with The New Yorker.
"I'm not sure I should say it, but they're a blues cover band, that's sort of what the Stones are,” McCartney said, going on to explain how he thought that The Beatles’ “net was cast a bit wider” musically.
When Jagger appeared on Zane Lowe's Apple Music show in 2020, he stated that there was "obviously no competition," but he also stated that he believed his rock band was a better live performance than the "Let It Be" group had ever been.
#3. The Recent Reaction Of The Rolling Stones Bandleader Mick Jagger
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Mick Jagger, 80, has some thoughts about the rivalry between the Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He weighed in for the second time on Paul McCartney's claim made a few years ago, in which he said that The Beatles were a “better” band than The Rolling Stones and defined TheStones as a “Blues Cover Band.”
And this time, Jagger told The Times in an interview that was published on Saturday that he believed the two bands had comparable origins and thanked the late Beatles frontman and bassist for his comments.
“[McCartney] said The Beatles were better than The Stones because The Stones were really just a blues cover band,” Jagger reiterated. “Well, The Beatles were also really just a blues cover band when they started out. Every band is a cover band at the beginning because that’s how it goes.”
“The Rolling Stones is a big concert band in other decades and other eras when the Beatles never even did an arena tour,” the vocalist also pointed out. “They broke up before that business started, the touring business for real.
#4. No Real Beef Between The Two Music Legends
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Ultimately, there's no actual feud between the two music legends: The former Beatle makes an appearance on The Stones' next album Hackney Diamonds. He joined them on bass for the soon-to-be-released song "Bite My Head Off."
He even joked, “I texted Paul to say thank you for his comment because it has given me a lot of comic material.”
#5. The First New Album In 18 Years
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On October 20, the Grammy Award winners will release their first new music in 18 years. Richards, Mick Jagger, and Ronnie Wood are the current members of The Rolling Stones, who announced the release of the album during a special event in London early in September.
The song is the group's first release following the passing of drummer Charlie Watts, who joined the group in 1963 and passed away in August 2021 at the age of 80. Watts offered Steve Jordan as his successor, and he has subsequently joined the team.
Several songs from Hackney Diamonds have already been published by The Rolling Stones, including "Angry," which was accompanied by a music video featuring Sydney Sweeney, and "Sweet Sounds of Heaven," a duet with Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder.