1966 Hit Ranked Among ‘Best Rock Songs of All Time' Was a Controversial Chart-Topper

"Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones was recently voted No. 3 on Deezer's ranking of the greatest rock songs ever recorded-but it wasn't always the indisputable classic that it's considered as today.

The song was a massive success for the British rock band, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining on the chart for a further ten weeks. It was the Rolling Stones' third chart-topping hit in the United States, but also the one that caused the most controversy.

"Paint It Black" was a huge departure for the Rolling Stones. Instead of the typical rock-and-roll sound they were known for, the track incorporated elements of Indian and Middle Eastern instrumentation that caught many listeners by surprise.

The song was inspired by guitarist Brian Jones' fascination with the sitar. He'd improvised several melodies with the instrument and brought them to his bandmates, who helped transform them into "Paint It Black" by adding other unique instruments-such as a Hammond organ and castanets.

"Paint It Black" is generally considered one of the first ever psychadelic rock songs to break into the mainstream; it was the first song featuring a sitar to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

But despite this huge commercial success, many critics were skeptical of the song's originality. Reviews claimed that it was too derivative of bands like The Beatles, who had also experimented with Indian instruments on albums such as Rubber Soul, which came out the previous year.

While the Beatles had been praised as pioneers of this musical experimentation, the Rolling Stones were seen as coattail riders who were capitalizing on their success. A particularly scathing review from La Crosse Tribune accused the song of "going into a sort of distorted area of unpleasant sounds."

Thankfully, not all reviews were quite as harsh. NME claimed it was the Rolling Stones' best single since "I Can't Get No (Satisfaction)" topped the charts less than a year earlier, and Billboard praised the song's unique production while accurately predicting that Aftermath would become another huge hit for the Stones.

The song was later given the praise that it deserves for revolutionizing the rock genre and encouraging other classic rock groups to experiment with new sounds. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018, and has appeared on several lists of the greatest rock songs ever recorded.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 7:31 AM.