On This Day, May 29, 1971: The Rolling Stones hit #1 with ‘Brown Sugar’

By Jill Lances May 29, 2026 | 11:00 AM

The tune, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, spent two weeks at #1 in the U.S. and topped the chart in several other countries, including Canada and Switzerland. It failed to reach the top spot in the U.K., peaking at #2.

Previously a staple at The Stones’ live shows, in 2021 the band announced they’d be removing the song from their setlist, reportedly due to the tune’s controversial lyrics.

The Rolling Stones are set to drop their 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues, on July 10. It is their first new album since 2023’s Hackney Diamonds.