54 Years Ago Today: Rolling Stones Released One of Their Top Albums

Tuesday marks 54 years since one of the most influential music groups of all time released its milestone 10th album.

On May 12, 1972, Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones released Exile on Main St., one of the band's signature albums. The band began recording the album in 1969 at the Olympic Studios in London. But they wouldn't finish it until 1972 at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles.

Exile on Main St. came out one year after Sticky Fingers, which featured major hits in "Wild Horses", "Brown Sugar" and "Can't You Hear Me Knocking".

The album's top hit was "Tumbling Dice," which reached the top 10 in the United States and the United Kingdom. The song, produced by Jimmy Miller, would reach the fifth spot on the UK Singles Chart.

Exile on Main St. also featured the songs "Happy" and "Sweet Virginia." The latter gained more notoriety in Martin Scorsese's 1995 film, Casino. The song plays in the background while Robert De Niro's character tells security to kick a disobedient cowboy out of a casino.

Mick Jagger Isn't the Biggest Fan of "Exile on Main St."

Even though it was a commercial success and generated universal acclaim , Mick Jagger surprisingly admitted in 2003 that he's not a big fan of Exile on Main St.

"Exile is not one of my favorite albums, although I think the record does have a particular feeling," Jagger said, via InsideHook. "I'm not too sure how great the songs are, but put together it's a nice piece. However, when I listen to Exile it has some of the worst mixes I've ever heard. I'd love to remix the record, not just because of the vocals, but because generally I think it sounds lousy."

Jagger said that he had to finish the album since Miller wasn't "functioning properly," adding that he thinks the album lacked "concerted effort" and "intention."

Fortunately for Jagger, countless critics and fans of the Rolling Stones couldn't disagree more.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 8:26 PM.