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Why Mick Jagger Called Journalists “So Boring” in 1975
There was a time when Mick Jagger couldn’t open a newspaper without discovering what he supposedly thought, felt, or planned next. Fame may have come with sold-out tours and hit records, but it also attracted headlines that often valued drama over accuracy. In 1975, while The Rolling Stones were preparing for another huge chapter, Jagger offered a refreshingly blunt opinion about journalism that still feels surprisingly relevant today. His remarks weren’t about settling scores—they were about the strange relationship between celebrities and the stories written around them, where facts occasionally seem to take an extended vacation.
“They’re so boring. They’re so pathetic, all those journalists. Most of them are. Most of those kind that write gossip stuff, and most of it’s gossip. Things are just invented about your personal life and you just have to take that. It’s bullshit. People believe it, though. They just believe everything they read.”
When Mick Jagger turned the spotlight on the press
Rock stars are used to being criticized. Mick Jagger, however, occasionally decided to return the favor. In 1975, the Rolling Stones frontman delivered a remarkably candid assessment of the media, arguing that too many journalists covering music had settled into predictable routines instead of bringing genuine curiosity to their work. Rather than challenging readers with fresh ideas or thoughtful observations, many articles, in his view, simply recycled familiar narratives. Fame had taught Jagger that headlines often preferred easy controversy over meaningful conversation, and after more than a decade of interviews, he had little patience left for lazy reporting. His comments weren’t aimed at every writer, but at what he considered a culture of unimaginative journalism—one that reduced artists to convenient stereotypes instead of exploring the creativity, ambition, and constant evolution behind the music. If journalists expected honesty from musicians, Jagger clearly believed the standard should work both ways.
Beyond the headlines
By the mid-1970s The Rolling Stones had experienced virtually every form of media attention imaginable. Their records topped charts around the world, their tours generated enormous publicity, and nearly every public appearance attracted reporters eager to produce the next eye-catching story. Yet Jagger often felt that many writers focused on sensational details while overlooking the music itself.
His frustration reflected a broader concern about how popular culture was being documented. Instead of examining songwriting, artistic growth, or the changing landscape of rock music, too much coverage seemed content to repeat familiar clichés. The result, Jagger suggested, was journalism that entertained without offering genuine insight.
Calling much of the press “boring” and “pathetic” was undeniably blunt, but the criticism carried a larger point. He wasn’t simply complaining about negative reviews or intrusive questions; he was questioning whether cultural journalism was fulfilling its purpose. For someone who constantly pushed himself creatively, predictable reporting represented another form of complacency.
More than five decades later, his observations remain surprisingly relevant. Modern technology has transformed the way audiences consume news, but the temptation to favor quick headlines over thoughtful analysis has hardly disappeared. Whether discussing rock music, film, or politics, the balance between substance and sensationalism continues to shape public conversation.
Jagger’s remarks ultimately reveal another side of his personality—one less concerned with image than with intellectual engagement. He expected the same originality from journalists that audiences expected from musicians. In his view, documenting culture required imagination, critical thinking, and a willingness to look beyond the obvious. Judging by his comments in 1975, he believed that too many writers were content to stop at the surface, and he wasn’t shy about saying so.
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