Like what you see? Help keep it going! This ad-free site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh content coming your way every day. Thank you!

Today in Rolling Stones history: May 6

*Click for DAILY ROLLING STONES CHRONOLOGY 1962-present

Rock history doesn’t always arrive with fireworks—sometimes it sneaks in through a contract signature or a half-asleep riff. On May 6 The Rolling Stones flip the script: from handing over control to Andrew Loog Oldham to accidentally birthing (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction in a Florida hotel room, chaos somehow becomes strategy. Toss in Mick Jagger linking up with The Jacksons for State of Shock, and you get a day where luck, instinct, and timing collide—because apparently, that’s how legends multitask.

May 6, 1963: The Rolling Stones officially enter a new chapter as they sign a management contract with Andrew Loog Oldham and Eric Easton, a partnership that would prove pivotal in shaping their early image, sound, and rapid rise within the British music scene.

May 6, 1965: Jack Russell Stadium, Clearwater, FL, USA. Also that day, in their hotel room, Mick and Keith work out the opening guitar riff of (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction following Keith’s purchase of a Gibson fuzz-box earlier that day.

That’s when Keith Richards woke up in the middle of the night with a riff in his head. Half-asleep, he grabbed his cassette recorder, played the riff once, and went back to sleep. That simple late-night moment became one of rock’s most iconic songs. Mick Jagger later wrote the lyrics, and the Stones recorded the track soon after. It was a huge turning point, giving the band their first U.S. No. 1. Hard to believe such a legendary anthem started in a hotel room in Clearwater, born out of a dream and a fuzzy recording. Right, rock history can be wild like that…

May 6, 1976: Forest National, Brussels, Belgium
Honky Tonk Women/If You Can’t Rock Me-Get Off Of My Cloud/Hand Of Fate/Hey Negrita/Ain’t Too Proud To Beg/Fool To Cry/Hot Stuff/Star Star/You Gotta Move/You Can’t Always Get What You Want/Band introduction/ Happy/Tumbling Dice/Nothing From Nothing/Outa Space/Midnight Rambler/ It’s Only Rock’n Roll/Brown Sugar/Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Street Fighting Man

May 6, 1984: Mick records the song State of Shock with The Jacksons at the A & R Studios, in New York City.

In 1984 Michael Jackson teamed up with Mick Jagger for the hit single State of Shock. Originally meant to be a duet with Freddie Mercury, scheduling issues got in the way, so Jagger stepped in. The track was raw, loud, and full of energy—perfect for the mid-’80s vibe. It was released under The Jacksons‘ name and became a Top 10 hit. Jagger’s gritty vocals paired surprisingly well with Jacko’s powerhouse high-pitched style. It might’ve been a one-off, but it showed two icons from different worlds could collide and create something pretty wild.

Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you! 

COPYRIGHT © ROLLING STONES DATA
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS WEBSITE IS COPYRIGHT OF ROLLING STONES DATA. ALL CONTENT BY MARCELO SONAGLIONI.
ALL SETLISTS AND TICKET STUBS TAKEN FROM THE COMPLETE WORKS OF THE ROLLING STONES. 
WHEN USING INFORMATION FROM ROLLING STONES DATA (ONLINE OR PRINTED) PLEASE REFER TO ITS SOURCE DETAILING THE WEBSITE NAME. THANK YOU.