Angry (Rolling Stones song)

"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).^[2]

"Angry"
Single by The Rolling Stones
from the album Hackney Diamonds
Released	6 September 2023 (2023-09-06)
Genre	Hard rock[1]
Length	3:46
Songwriter(s)	Mick Jagger Keith Richards Andrew Watt
Producer(s)	Andrew Watt
The Rolling Stones singles chronology
"Troubles a' Comin" (2021) "Angry" (2023) "Sweet Sounds of Heaven" (2023)
Music video
"Angry" on YouTube

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.^[3][4] 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.^[5] On 6 September, the livestream was broadcast on the Rolling Stones' official YouTube channel while being filmed at the Hackney Empire Theatre in London.^[6] 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 a red Mercedes 560 SL convertible as it is driven down the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles while the band members sing to her from large billboards that the car passes.^[7][8][9] The video was met with criticism that it objectified Sweeney, but she defended it as "empowerment through embracing [my] body".^[8] 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".^[10] 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".^[11] 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".^[12] 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".^[13]

This was named the best rock song of 2023 by Ultimate Classic Rock.^[14]

In the U.S., although the song did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, "Angry" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.^[15]

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

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Angry" Chart (2023–24) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16] 38 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17] 32 Croatia (HRT)[18] 9 Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[19] 100 France (SNEP)[20] 144 Germany (GfK)[21] 21 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[22] 66 Latvia Airplay (LAIPA)[23] 16 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 34 Netherlands (Tipparade)[25] 9 New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[26] 11 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[27] 88 South Korea BGM (Circle)[28] 153 Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[29] 4 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 42 UK Singles (OCC)[31] 34 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[32] 32

Monthly charts Monthly chart performance for "Angry" Chart (2023) Peak position Paraguay (SGP)[33] 37 Year-end charts 2023 year-end chart performance for "Angry" Chart (2023) Position UK Vinyl Singles (OCC)[34] 4

References

1. "Rolling Stones Announce New Album of Original Music, First in 18 Years". Rolling Stone. 6 September 2023.
2. "The Rolling Stones: Hackney Diamonds". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
3. Weaver, Matthew (23 August 2023). "The Rolling Stones sneak cryptic teaser ad for new album in local London newspaper". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
4. DiVita, Joe (5 September 2023). "Are The Rolling Stones Intentionally Making Fans Angry With Song Teaser on New Website?". Loudwire. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
5. Klee, Miles (4 September 2023). "Rolling Stones Confirm Hackney Diamonds, First Studio Album in Nearly Two Decades". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
6. Rolling Stones Live in conversation with Jimmy Fallon (Livestream). Hackney, London: The Rolling Stones. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
7. Grow, Kory (11 September 2023). "Singing Billboards and Sydney Sweeney: Inside the Rolling Stones' 'Angry' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
8. Sharf, Zack (21 December 2023). "Sydney Sweeney Rejects Claim She Was 'Objectified' in Rolling Stones Music Video: 'I Find Empowerment Through Embracing' My Body". Variety. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
9. Blackwelder, Carson (6 September 2023). "The Rolling Stones drop music video for 'Angry' starring Sydney Sweeney". ABC News. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
10. McCormick, Neil (6 September 2023). "Angry is The Rolling Stones' best single in 40 years". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
11. Bootle, Emily (6 September 2023). "Angry is the Rolling Stones' best song in decades". I. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
12. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (6 September 2023). "The Rolling Stones: Angry review – Jagger's a hoot in strutting, barnstorming return". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
13. "The Rolling Stones roll back the years with 'Angry'". faroutmagazine.co.uk. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
14. Rapp, Allison (29 November 2023). "Top 30 Rock Songs of 2023". Ultimate Classic Rock. Townsquare Media. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
15. "2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List". GRAMMY.com. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
16. "The Rolling Stones – Angry" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
17. "The Rolling Stones – Angry" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
18. "Airplay Radio Chart Top40 – 44. tjedan (30.10.2023.)". HRT. 31 October 2023. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
19. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 50. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
20. "The Rolling Stones – Angry" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
21. "The Rolling Stones – Angry" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
22. "Billboard Japan Hot 100: 2023/09/20 公開". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 20 September 2023.
23. "Latvijas radio stacijās spēlētākās dziesmas TOP 45. nedēļa" (in Latvian). LAIPA. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
24. "The Rolling Stones – Angry" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
25. "Tipparade-lijst – week 44, 2023" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
26. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
27. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 44. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
28. "BGM Chart – Week 36 of 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved 14 September 2023.
29. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 43". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
30. "The Rolling Stones – Angry". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
31. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
32. "The Rolling Stones Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
33. "Octubre – TOP #100 de Canciones de SGP" (in Spanish). Sociedad de Gestion de Productores Fonograficos del Paraguay. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
34. Ainsley, Helen (4 January 2024). "The Official best-selling vinyl albums and singles of 2023". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 January 2024.

External links

• Official website