61 Years Since The Rolling Stones Debuted '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' In the U.S.
Wednesday marks 61 years since one of the most iconic songs in rock history made its debut on American television.
May 12 marked 61 years since The Rolling Stones recorded their future signature song, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" at RCA Studios in Hollywood, California. On this day 61 years ago, TV viewers in the U.S. first heard the future No. 1 hit.
On May 20, 1965, eight days after recording "Satisfaction," Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones brought their new tune to the Shindig! music show on ABC, as The Pop History Dig explained:
"For the Rolling Stones, 'Satisfaction' proved to be the breakthrough song; the one that set them apart and sent them on their way toward superstardom," the website wrote. "The group performed "Satisfaction" on American TV even before the single was released in the States. On May 20, 1965, they appeared on the ABC show Shindig! from Los Angeles."
Today in Rock History
— Rock History Live! (@KTrain939913) May 19, 2026
May 20, 1965
The Rolling Stones debut "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" on the American variety show Shindig!, ensuring blues legend Howlin' Wolf is also featured. They introduce his performance of "How Many More Years" in a nod to one of their musical… pic.twitter.com/ho3UkY02bH
The rest, as they say, is history. "Satisfaction" would become the Rolling Stones' signature song, reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart.
Keith Richards Initially Didn't Think Much of "Satisfaction"
In his 2010 memoir, Life, Keith Richards detailed how he came up with the idea for "Satisfaction" while he was sleeping (via History.com). Richards thought of an opening riff and made sure his tape recorder would capture it before he fell back asleep.
Even though Richards didn't think much of the riff, Jagger and the other bandmates thought there was something to work with. They began recording "Satisfaction" at Chess Records in Chicago, Illinois, on May 10, 1965, before finishing it two days later.
Had Richards not recorded the riff on his tape, and had he not presented it to his bandmates in the first place? There's no telling how much different rock history would have been.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 4:11 PM.