Counting Down the Rolling Stones: Their 100 Finest Songs

After fascinating and insightful looks at the songs of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, music writer Beviglia provides a strong look at the 100 finest songs of the Rolling Stones. Beviglia unearths “numerous surprises and musical gems” that he hadn’t previously heard—which makes for much of the book’s appeal. His look at the relatively overlooked song “Tops,” from 1981, listed at #87, is an excellent description of how the song’s musical “veering back and forth between the playfulness of the verses and the refrains” mirrors the “push and pull” of Mick Jagger’s provocative lyrical role playing. But listing “Honky Tonk Women”—one of the Stones’ most famous and memorable songs—at #46 is bound to strike even halfhearted Stones listeners as odd, even if he does justifiably list “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” at #1. Still, regardless of his rankings, Beviglia’s writing will inspire readers to turn up the volume. (Nov.)