The Rolling Stones

Released as part of Hear Music's ongoing Artist's Choice series, where major artists pick "the music that matters to them," the 2003 compilation Rolling Stones: Artist's Choice finds Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Ronnie running through 16 recordings of their favorite songs by other artists. It should come as no surprise that blues, R&B, soul, old-time rock & roll and reggae with a hint of funk form the core of the collection, since that's what's at the root of the Stones. In fact, the only left-field choices are Mick's pick of Sade's "By Your Side" and Ronnie hauling out the Beach Boys' "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" at the end of the record. But even if this is a bit predictable, it is a good selection of songs -- hard to go wrong with Robert Johnson, Otis Redding, Eddie Cochran, Andre Williams, Sly & the Family Stone, the Isley Brothers, and (of course) Muddy Waters, after all -- and the track-by-track commentary by the Stones is entertaining and lively (no more so when Keith assumes the still-alive Andre Williams is dead and, if he's not, "he's probably doing time"). You could do far worse with your money. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide