On Air (Rolling Stones album)

2017 live album by the Rolling Stones

On Air

Live album by

the Rolling Stones

Released| 1 December 2017
Recorded| 1963–1965
Studio| BBC
Genre| Rock, blues
Length| 49:00 Standard edition
84:00 Deluxe edition
Label| Interscope, Polydor
The Rolling Stones chronology
| Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones
(2017)  | On Air
(2017)  | Voodoo Lounge Uncut
(2018)

|
|

Professional ratingsAggregate scores

Source| Rating
Metacritic| 82/100[1]
Review scores
Source| Rating
AllMusic| [2]
Rolling Stone| [3]
Tom Hull| B+[4]
Vice (Expert Witness)| A−[5]

On Air is a live album by the Rolling Stones released on 1 December 2017.[6][7] The standard versions of the album contain 18 live and studio recordings of the band aired on the BBC in 1963–1965. Deluxe editions of the album contain an additional 14 tracks.[8] It emerged 20 years after initial newspaper reports that such an album could be forthcoming.[9]

## Background[edit]

On Air is a compilation album containing live in the studio performances by the Rolling Stones that were broadcast on various BBC radio shows from 1963 to 1965,[6] including blues and rock 'n' roll covers and early Jagger/Richards hits such as "The Last Time" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction".[10] The album was released in multiple formats, including CD, double-CD deluxe edition, heavyweight vinyl and special limited-edition coloured vinyl. The release follows that of a coffee table book by Richard Havers, which shares the same title.[11]

The standard versions of the album contain 18 tracks, while the deluxe editions contain 32 tracks.[6][7] Eight of the tracks have never been recorded or released commercially by the band.[6] The quality of the individual recordings varies considerably, with some being recorded in mono, and others in stereo. Despite this, the Los Angeles Times considered many of the tracks to be "crisp, clean and potent".[12]

## Critical reception[edit]

The album received a favourable Metacritic score of 84,[13] with Uncut calling it a "essentially [a] sequel"[10] to the band's previous album, Blue & Lonesome, which was released in December 2016. Uncut also stated that On Air captures the "full flowering" of the Jagger/Richards songwriting relationship.[10] The Los Angeles Times considered the album to be comparable to similar, previously released BBC recordings made by the Beatles during the period.[12] Robert Christgau wrote in Vice: "Billed 'R&B' as they started playing out in 1963, the Stones were catchier and quicker than blues, and on these 32 radio transcriptions they sound like the premier bar band of their time if not ever. Where Blue & Lonesome is a sodden thing – many old rockers have recorded sharper, spunkier, wiser music – this collection proves what world-beaters they were even before they got serious about songwriting."[5]

## Track listing[edit]

Standard edition

No. | Title  | Writer(s)  | Radio show  | Date  | Length
1\.  | "Come On"  | Chuck Berry | Saturday Club | 26 October 1963  | 2:03
2\.  | "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"  | Mick Jagger, Keith Richards | Saturday Club | 18 September 1965  | 3:46
3\.  | "Roll Over Beethoven"  | Chuck Berry  | Saturday Club | 26 October 1963  | 2:19
4\.  | "The Spider and the Fly"  | Mick Jagger, Keith Richards  | Yeah Yeah | 30 August 1965  | 3:14
5\.  | "Cops and Robbers"  | Kent Harris | Blues in Rhythm | 9 May 1964  | 3:44
6\.  | "It's All Over Now"  | Bobby Womack, Shirley Womack  | The Joe Loss Pop Show | 17 July 1964  | 3:18
7\.  | "Route 66"  | Bobby Troup | Blues in Rhythm | 9 May 1964  | 2:32
8\.  | "Memphis, Tennessee"  | Chuck Berry  | Saturday Club | 26 October 1963  | 2:22
9\.  | "Down the Road a Piece"  | Don Raye | Top Gear | 6 March 1965  | 2:01
10\.  | "The Last Time"  | Mick Jagger, Keith Richards  | Top Gear | 6 March 1965  | 3:10
11\.  | "Cry to Me"  | Bert Berns | Saturday Club | 18 September 1965  | 3:07
12\.  | "Mercy, Mercy"  | Don Covay, Ronald Miller | Yeah Yeah | 30 August 1965  | 2:54
13\.  | "Oh! Baby (We Got a Good Thing Goin')"  | Barbara Lynn | Saturday Club | 18 September 1965  | 1:49
14\.  | "Around and Around"  | Chuck Berry  | Top Gear | 23 July 1964  | 2:45
15\.  | "Hi-Heel Sneakers"  | Tommy Tucker | Saturday Club | 18 April 1964  | 1:56
16\.  | "Fannie Mae"  | Buster Brown, Clarence L. Lewis, Bobby Robinson | Saturday Club | 18 September 1965  | 2:11
17\.  | "You Better Move On"  | Arthur Alexander | Blues in Rhythm | 9 May 1964  | 2:46
18\.  | "Mona"  | Bo Diddley | Blues in Rhythm | 9 May 1964  | 2:58
Deluxe bonus tracks

No. | Title  | Writer(s)  | Radio show  | Date  | Length
1\.  | "I Wanna Be Your Man"  | John Lennon, Paul McCartney | Saturday Club | 8 February 1964  | 1:52
2\.  | "Carol"  | Chuck Berry  | Saturday Club | 18 April 1964  | 2:31
3\.  | "I'm Moving On"  | Hank Snow | The Joe Loss Pop Show | 10 April 1964  | 2:06
4\.  | "If You Need Me"  | Wilson Pickett, Sonny Sanders, Robert Bateman | The Joe Loss Pop Show | 17 July 1964  | 2:01
5\.  | "Walking the Dog"  | Rufus Thomas | Saturday Club | 8 February 1964  | 2:59
6\.  | "Confessin' the Blues"  | Jay McShann, Walter Brown | The Joe Loss Pop Show | 17 July 1964  | 2:26
7\.  | "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love"  | Solomon Burke, Bert Berns, Jerry Wexler | Top Gear | 6 March 1965  | 3:34
8\.  | "Little by Little"  | Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Phil Spector | The Joe Loss Pop Show | 10 April 1964  | 2:30
9\.  | "Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby"  | Jimmy Reed | Rhythm and Blues | 31 October 1964  | 1:56
10\.  | "Beautiful Delilah"  | Chuck Berry  | Saturday Club | 18 April 1964  | 2:10
11\.  | "Crackin' Up"  | Bo Diddley  | Top Gear | 23 July 1964  | 2:16
12\.  | "I Can't Be Satisfied"  | Muddy Waters | Top Gear | 23 July 1964  | 2:30
13\.  | "I Just Want to Make Love to You"  | Willie Dixon | Saturday Club | 18 April 1964  | 2:16
14\.  | "2120 South Michigan Avenue"  | Nanker Phelge | Rhythm and Blues | 31 October 1964  | 3:47

## Personnel[edit]

Musicians

* Mick Jagger – vocals, harmonica
* Keith Richards – guitar, backing vocals
* Brian Jones – guitar, harmonica
* Bill Wyman – bass, backing vocals
* Charlie Watts – drums
* Ian Stewart – piano on "Down the Road a Piece", "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love"

Production

* Engineering: Chris Bolster, Lewis Jones, John Barrett, Paul Pritchard
* Demixing: James Clarke
* Mastering: Alex Wharton
* Text: Richard Havers
* Design: Studio Fury
* Cover image: Hulton Archive

## Charts[edit]

Chart (2017)  | Peak
position

|

Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] | 54
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[15] | 19
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] | 12
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[17] | 23
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[18] | 58
Croatian International Albums (HDU)[19] | 4
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[20] | 40
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] | 8
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] | 10
Greek Albums (IFPI)[23] | 35
Irish Albums (IRMA)[24] | 36
Italian Albums (FIMI)[25] | 22
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[26] | 16
New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ)[27] | 4
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[28] | 24
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[29] | 36
Scottish Albums (OCC)[30] | 20
South Korean International Albums (Gaon)[31] | 9
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[32] | 22
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] | 22
UK Albums (OCC)[34] | 27
US Billboard 200[35] | 47
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[36] | 4

## References[edit]

1. ^ "On Air by The Rolling Stones Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "On Air". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
3. ^ "On Air-Rolling Stones". cduniverse.com. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
4. ^ Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Grade List: The Rolling Stones". tomhull.com. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
5. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (2 February 2018). "Robert Christgau on a Brilliant Beefheart Trip and Some Early Stones Standouts". Vice. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
6. ^ a b c d "Rolling Stones Collect Rare BBC Recordings for 'On Air'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
7. ^ a b "Pre-Order The Rolling Stones On Air Album | The Rolling Stones". www.rollingstones.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
8. ^ Aswad, Jem (6 October 2017). "Rolling Stones to Release 50-Year-Old BBC Radio Sessions". Variety. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
9. ^ "Lost Rolling Stones songs are found on BBC basement tapes" by Nicholas Hellen, The Sunday Times, 4 January 1998
10. ^ a b c "Reviewed! The Rolling Stones - On Air - Uncut". Uncut. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
11. ^ "The Rolling Stones collect rare, early radio sessions for new album, The Rolling Stones - On Air - Uncut". Uncut. 6 October 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
12. ^ a b "Keith Richards reflects on the Rolling Stones' BBC recordings, complete with threats of decapitation". Los Angeles Times. 1 December 2017. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
13. ^ On Air by The Rolling Stones, retrieved 1 December 2017
14. ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #450". auspOp. 9 December 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
15. ^ "Austriancharts.at – The Rolling Stones – On Air" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
16. ^ "Ultratop.be – The Rolling Stones – On Air" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
17. ^ "Ultratop.be – The Rolling Stones – On Air" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
18. ^ "The Rolling Stones Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
19. ^ "Top Stranih [Top Foreign]" (in Croatian). Top Foreign Albums. Hrvatska diskografska udruga. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
20. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 49.Týden 2017 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
21. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Rolling Stones – On Air" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
22. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Rolling Stones – On Air" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
23. ^ "Greekcharts.com – The Rolling Stones – On Air". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
24. ^ "Irish Albums Chart: 8 December 2017". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
25. ^ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 49 (dal 2017-12-01 al 2017-12-07)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
26. ^ "CDアルバムランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
27. ^ "NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
28. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 40 Album uke 50, 2017". VG-lista. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
29. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – The Rolling Stones – On Air". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
30. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
31. ^ "2017년 48주차 Album Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
32. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 8 December 2017. Click on "Veckans albumlista".
33. ^ "Swisscharts.com – The Rolling Stones – On Air". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
34. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
35. ^ "The Rolling Stones Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
36. ^ "The Rolling Stones Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 December 2017.

* v
* t
* e

The Rolling Stones albums

UK and US releases 1964–1967

| UK releases|

* The Rolling Stones (1964)
* The Rolling Stones No. 2 (1965)

|

US releases|

* England's Newest Hit Makers (1964)
* 12 X 5 (1964)
* The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)
* December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965)

UK and US releases|

* Out of Our Heads (1965)
* Aftermath (1966)
* Between the Buttons (1967)

Live albums|

* Got Live If You Want It! (1966)

Compilations|

* Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) (1966)
* Flowers (1967)

Extended plays|

* The Rolling Stones (1964)
* Five by Five (1964)
* Got Live If You Want It! (1965)

International releases 1967–present

| Studio albums|

* Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
* Beggars Banquet (1968)
* Let It Bleed (1969)
* Sticky Fingers (1971)
* Exile on Main St. (1972)
* Goats Head Soup (1973)
* It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974)
* Black and Blue (1976)
* Some Girls (1978)
* Emotional Rescue (1980)
* Tattoo You (1981)
* Undercover (1983)
* Dirty Work (1986)
* Steel Wheels (1989)
* Voodoo Lounge (1994)
* Bridges to Babylon (1997)
* A Bigger Bang (2005)
* Blue & Lonesome (2016)
* Hackney Diamonds (2023)

|

Live albums|

* Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! (1970)
* Love You Live (1977)
* Still Life (1982)
* Flashpoint (1991)
* Stripped (1995)
* No Security (1998)
* Live Licks (2004)
* Shine a Light (2008)
* Brussels Affair (Live 1973) (2011)
* Some Girls: Live in Texas '78 (2011)
* Hampton Coliseum (Live 1981) (2012)
* L.A. Friday (Live 1975) (2012)
* Live at the Tokyo Dome (1990) (2012)
* Light the Fuse (Live 2005) (2012)
* Live at Leeds (2012)
* Live 1965: Music From Charlie Is My Darling (2012)
* Hyde Park Live (2013)
* Havana Moon (2016)
* Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones (2017)
* Voodoo Lounge Uncut (2018)
* Steel Wheels Live (2020)
* El Mocambo 1977 (2022)
* Licked Live in NYC (2022)
* Grrr Live! (2023)

Compilations|

* Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) (1969)
* Made in the Shade (1975)
* Time Waits for No One: Anthology 1971–1977 (1979)
* Sucking in the Seventies (1981)
* Rewind (1971–1984) (1984)
* Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones (1993)
* Forty Licks (2002)
* Rarities 1971–2003 (2005)
* GRRR! (2012)
* On Air (2017)
* Honk (2019)

Box sets|

* Singles 1963–1965 (2004)
* Singles 1965–1967 (2004)
* Singles 1968–1971 (2005)
* The Rolling Stones Box Set (2010)
* The Singles 1971–2006 (2011)
* The Rolling Stones in Mono (2016)

Post-contract
ABKCO albums|

* Hot Rocks 1964–1971 (1971)
* More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies) (1972)
* Metamorphosis (1975)
* Singles Collection: The London Years (1989)
* The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (1996)

Post-contract
Decca albums|

* Stone Age (1971)
* Gimme Shelter (1971)
* Milestones (1972)
* Rock 'n' Rolling Stones (1972)
* No Stone Unturned (1973)
* Rolled Gold: The Very Best of the Rolling Stones (1975)
* Solid Rock (1980)
* Slow Rollers (1981)
* Rolled Gold+: The Very Best of the Rolling Stones (2007)

Other albums|

* Jamming with Edward! (1972)
* Story of The Stones (1982)
* Live at the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981 (2012)

*[No.]: Track number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template