The Rolling Stones Face Feminist Backlash (1976)

By Marcelo Sonaglioni on August 18, 2025

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**The Black and Blue Boycott: Women Against Violence vs. The Rolling Stones**

WHEN THE ROLLING STONES SPARKED A FEMINIST UPROAR
Back in ’76, the Rolling Stones stirred major controversy with their Black and Blue ads. A huge Sunset Boulevard billboard showed model Anita Russell tied up, with text like, “I’m ‘Black and Blue’… and I love it!” Feminist groups, especially WAVAW, called it out for glamorizing violence against women. They claimed it pushed harmful stereotypes and made abuse seem acceptable. The backlash made the album unforgettable—and notoriously infamous.

Women Against Violence was a group that called for a boycott of Warner Communications albums on April 21, 1976 because of the cover and promotional campaign for the Black and Blue album. Three years later, the boycott ended when it was agreed that the group could meet with the art and marketing departments of Warner Bros. Records regarding future album and advertising art.

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rolling stones black and blue women violence ad 1976

rolling stones black and blue women against violence ad 1976

**More about Women Against Violence vs. The Rolling Stones: When Feminists Took on the Black and Blue album**

*By Marcelo Sonaglioni

The Rolling Stones did not tour the U.S. immediately after the release of Black and Blue in April 1976, but the album’s promotion sparked intense controversy. One of the most provocative elements was an advertisement in the Rolling Stone magazine, dated July 1, 1976. The ad featured model Anita Russell bound with rope, her face marked with dark makeup to simulate bruising, positioned on top of an unfolded Black and Blue LP. The image was highly provocative, drawing widespread criticism.

Controversy on Sunset Boulevard

Adding to the uproar was a giant billboard on Sunset Boulevard, which showcased the same image of Russell and the album, but included the text, “I’m ‘Black and Blue’ from the Rolling Stones – and I love it!” The provocative combination of imagery and text led to fierce reactions, with many finding the ad and billboard distasteful. The controversy only fueled the public’s attention towards the band’s new album, turning the marketing campaign into a memorable moment in the Stones’ storied history.

Feminist Backlash Against Black and Blue

In the August 1976 issue of a newsletter by the Houston-based feminist group Breakthrough, Julie London, the Los Angeles coordinator of Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW), strongly criticized the Rolling Stones’ Black and Blue advertising campaign. She argued that the ad exploited and sensationalized violence against women to boost album sales. London emphasized that the image, which portrayed model Anita Russell bound and bruised, perpetuated harmful stereotypes. She contended that the ad implied women enjoy being beaten, and it fostered a dangerous, permissive attitude toward the abuse and brutalization of women.

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