On This Day in 1973: The Rolling Stones Hit No. 1 in the US and UK With an Album That Went Gold, Powered by the Chart-Topping Single
via Hi Tones Record Store / YouTube
Release and Gold Certification
On September 25, 1973, the Rolling Stones saw Goats Head Soup receive Gold certification in the United States, a marker of strong sales and broad appeal. Earlier that year, the album had already climbed to #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and also secured the #1 spot on the U.K. albums chart, reinforcing its international reach.
Goats Head Soup was the band’s eleventh studio album in the U.K. and their thirteenth in the U.S. It was their last album produced by Jimmy Miller, whose work had shaped many of their previous successes. The recording sessions took place across multiple locations—including Jamaica, Los Angeles, and London—reflecting the band’s willingness to experiment with new surroundings and sounds.
“Angie” and Chart Power
Leading the album’s impact was the single “Angie,” released in August 1973. It quickly climbed to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and reached #5 on the U.K. chart. Because of “Angie,” many listeners bought the full album to get that track, driving sales that led to the Gold certification on the same day in question.
The appeal of “Angie” lay in its blend of melody, emotion, and tight instrumentation: acoustic guitars, piano, and string arrangements combined to create a popular ballad that resonated with a wide audience.
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Musical Style & Experimentation
Goats Head Soup did not stick entirely to raw rock. The album plays with blues, funk, and reggae influences, drawing on the band’s time recording in Jamaica as well as other locales. These stylistic touches gave the record a varied feel compared to more uniform albums.
Even though critical reaction was mixed—some felt the album was less cohesive than past works—its commercial success could not be denied. Over time, reissues and remastered editions have helped to preserve its importance in the Stones’ catalog.
Legacy and Reissues
Decades after its initial release, Goats Head Soup has been revisited with deluxe reissues and alternate mixes. In 2020, a new mix by Giles Martin brought fresh attention and helped the album reenter charts in some markets.
The album’s dual chart-topping status in the U.S. and U.K., along with the success of “Angie,” secured its place in rock history. It showed that the Rolling Stones could still command commercial results even as musical trends shifted around them.
