Released: 12/07/24
This album was created to honour the late Brian Jones, include the hit single "Honky Tonk Women," and fill the gap since Beggars Banquet before the Stones’ first U.S. tour in three years. It compiles powerful hits from 1966 onward, spanning psychedelic tracks like "Paint It, Black" and "She's a Rainbow," space rock ("2000 Light Years From Home"), punk ("Mother’s Little Helper"), and classic rock ("Jumpin’ Jack Flash"). Though some songs had appeared on earlier U.S. albums, the album went gold quickly, boosted by "Honky Tonk Women." The UK and U.S. versions differ, with the UK edition featuring rarities like "You Better Move On" and "Sittin’ On A Fence." While later compilations like Hot Rocks replaced it, this album remains a focused snapshot of the Stones’ late ’60s hits.
Because the Stones’ first Big Hits compilation had been released in separate formats, with the Aftermath-era material appearing only on its UK edition, the American edition of Big Hits Vol. 2 included hit singles from the Aftermath period including ‘Paint It Black.’