The Stones were great when they first started out. I got a video of them on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1965 and they sounded terrible. Richards was back there smilin' like a possum eatin' crap. IMHO he never has been much of a lead player. In fact I don't recall any of the Stones songs with good lead playing in them. But I guess when you got zillions of dollars you can play any way you want and sound any way you want and it don't make any difference. I never have thought Jagger could sing. He can't carry a tune in a 55 gallon barrell. I wonder what Simon Cowell would say about him?