Goats Head Soup, the 11th British and 13th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, and one of the most celebrated and beloved works of the group, today celebrates 50 years since its release on August 31, 1973.

Goats Head Soup falls into what’s known as a “golden period” for The Rolling Stones, with the album certified three times platinum in the US and becoming the third consecutive album from The Stones to top the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

The lead single ‘Angie’ became a massive hit, shooting straight to the top of the charts in over ten countries upon release, and peaking at number five in the UK.

The recording sessions notably took on a more collaborative approach compared to the isolation that had characterized The Exile on Main St. sessions, resulting in a departure from a raw blues sound, with the group taking their first foray into reggae and funk stylings.

The album is also notable for its now-iconic cover art. The Stones, in a departure from previous collaborators, enlisted the help of Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell from the legendary design group Hipgnosis, currently the subject of the acclaimed BMG-funded documentary, Squaring the Circle (the story of hipgnosis). The artwork arguably stands as the most existential and thought-provoking cover of their discography.

In 2020, The Rolling Stones released a deluxe reissue of Goats Head Soup, resulting in the album once again topping the UK charts. Commenting on the album Mick Jagger said: “I really feel close to this album, and I really put all I had into it…there’s more thought to this one. It was recorded all over the place over about two or three months. The tracks are much more varied than the last one. I didn’t want it to be just a bunch of rock songs.”

BMG is the proud representative of Mick Jagger’s and Keith Richards’ publishing interests.