The Rolling Stones – Angry
Description
“Angry” is a song by British rock band the Rolling Stones, which serves as the lead single from their studio album Hackney Diamonds. Released on 6 September 2023, it is the first new original music from the band in three years (following the non-album single “Living in a Ghost Town” in 2020), whilst Hackney Diamonds is their first album of new original music in 18 years (following A Bigger Bang in 2005). Jagger said that the song was loosely inspired by the 2006 film, Night at the Museum.
Release and promotion
On 2 September 2023 – following a couple weeks of cryptic online teasers for the new album – the band previewed a short snippet of “Angry” on the website dontgetangrywithme.com, which experienced instability and frequent errors that some interpreted as being intentional. On 4 September, the album was officially announced, as were the plans for a livestream with television host Jimmy Fallon where more information would be revealed and the lead single would be premiered. On 6 September, the livestream was broadcast on the Rolling Stones’ official YouTube channel while being filmed at the Hackney Empire Theatre in London. Fallon interviewed the band, who revealed the album’s track list and release date and also answered various questions sent in from fans, and the music video for “Angry” premiered after the interview concluded. The video features actress Sydney Sweeney, dressed in black studded chaps and dancing in the back seat of red Mercedes convertible as it is driven through Los Angeles, as the band members singing to her from large billboards that the car passes. The video was met with criticism that it objectified Sweeney, but she defended it as “empowerment through embracing [my] body”. This song is included in the soundtrack for EA Sports FC 24.
Reception
“Angry” was met with primarily positive reviews. A review from The Telegraph rated the song 5 out of 5 stars, calling it the band’s “best single in four decades, an absolute blast [with] extravagant, leering defiance”; describing the riff as “defiantly dumb”, the guitar solo as “gnarly”, and the overall style as “unapologetically old-fashioned”. Another 5-star review from the newspaper I shares this positive sentiment, characterizing the song as “rollicking, rip-roaring rock ‘n’ roll” with a “characteristically big, confident guitar riff [and] catchy refrain” that are “[imbued with] feeling and life”. A 4-star review from The Guardian also echoes this praise, citing the band’s ability to “cleverly wax and wane from minor to major chords, carrying [a] tale of alternating desperation and resignation” while also making the track “a complete hoot [that] suggests fun, freedom, and creative hunger”. Alternatively, a review from Far Out offered a dissenting opinion and rated the song 2.5 out of 5 stars, criticizing the song as “distinctly average” and “Stones-by-numbers”, further stating that it makes use of “the same borrowed and rather tired blues riff” and that it “aims to thrill but merely titillates”.
This was named the best rock song of 2023 by Ultimate Classic Rock.
“Angry” was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.
Personnel
The Rolling Stones
- Mick Jagger – lead and backing vocals, guitar
- Keith Richards – guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
- Ronnie Wood – guitar, backing vocals
Additional musicians
- Matt Clifford – piano
- Steve Jordan – drums
- Andrew Watt – production, backing vocals, percussion
- Marc VanGool – studio assistant, technician
