Various Artists-Artist's Choice: The Rolling Stones: Music That Matters To Them (2003)

February 28, 2026

Artist: Various Artists (James Brown, Al Green, Otis Redding, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Eddie Cochran, Little Ricard, Earl Bostic, Andre Williams, Sly & The Family Stone, The Itals, Sade, Aretha Franklin, The Isley Brothers, The Beach Boys)

Title: Artist's Choice: The Rolling Stones: Music That Matters To Them

Label: Hear Music/EMI Special Music Markets

Format: CD

Catalog Number: 72435-81055-2-0

Year of Release: 2003

Country and Year of Edition: US 2003

Sell Price: $3.86

Sell Date: 2/27/26

Condition: VG+/VG+

Discogs Last Sold: 11/11/25 M/M $4.05

Low: $0.50

Median: $2.99

Average: $3.49

High: $9.99

Current low price: $2.14

Current Number on Sale at Discogs:27

Have/Want:251/11

Where Sold: Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Time It Took To Sell: 2 years

Where and When Bought: Facebook $2 lot

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: A

Sad To See It Go: No

Starbucks had a decent concept circa 2003 when this came out. Take some of the premier living songwriters and have them compile a CD to sell at checkout. Many older heavy hitters like Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris as well as long past greats like Ray Charles and Johnny Cash were part of the series. Each member of the Rolling Stones made some picks for this right before the 40 Licks tour. While pretty much all of this is undeniable, it does play a bit like a Mojo Magazine compilation. If this was cranking over a PA at a Rolling Stones concert before the show it wouldn't matter at all, but these sort of compilations seem a little like a forced radio show meant to be heard one time and discarded.

The band picked contemporaries, influences and preferred styistic representatives. Mick's Sade track sticks out for two reasons: the first is that "By Your Side" from Lover's Rock issued in 2000 doesn't sound THAT out of place as the lone contemporary track from the CD era even though the second most contemporary track Keith chose by the reggae group the Itals "In A Dis Of Time" came out as a single in 1976.

The lone artist to get two tracks is Muddy Waters who both Keef and Woody selected a track. Richards picked "Still A Fool" and Ron selected "You Shook Me." Keith remembered first hand that Muddy would have given him a "cold blink" if he didn't include Robert Johnson so he picked "32-20 Blues." When Keith chose Andre Williams, he seemed oblivious that Andre was still playing and active on the road. Keith thought if he was alive he'd be doing time dispite the "elegant" photo he saw of him.

Ron also chose The Beach Boys "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" which being the closing track seems tacked on at the end. Ron also let us know his Al Green choice "I'm Still In Love With You" was a bit tossed off because of the appropriate title. While he was listening to his wife playing the Al's Greatest Hits he had several cuts he would rather have approved. He was a bit more certain with the 1974 Aretha Franklin track he picked "Until You Come Back To Me."

The most interesting track was chosen by Charlie Watts, "Flamingo" by Earl Bostic from 1953, which we learn was a major influence on young boy Charlie. Charlie also picks my favorite Otis Redding" song due to "that damn Al Jackson Jr." in the rhythm section and "one of the best brass licks ever written."

Mick picked "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" by James Brown and discussed the evolution of Soul with Sly and the Family Stone's "If You Want Me To Stay." He also picked Eddie Cochran's "C'mon Everybody" as the track everybody in the UK was impacted by up until the time of writing.

Decent as comps go, at least it is coming from the source.

FOR FURTHER REVIEW:

Rolling Stones-Around and Around (1964)

Rolling Stones-Aftermath (1966)

Rolling Stones-Hot Rocks 1964-1971 (1971)

Rolling Stones-More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies) (1972)

Rolling Stones-Made In The Shade (1975)

Rolling Stones-Some Girls (1978)

Ron Wood-1234 (1981)

Mick Jagger-She's The Boss (1985)

Al Green-Let's Stay Together (1972)

Muddy Waters-Electric Mud (1968)