Why 'Angry' Was the Lead Single from 'Hackney Diamonds'

The Rolling Stones had a pretty clear strategy for Hackney Diamonds: re-introduce themselves as a vital rock band, not a nostalgia act. So they needed a single that hit like a fist and proved the band still had venom. “Angry” was the obvious pick — it’s got that classic Stones riff, a relentless groove, and the kind of swagger that immediately says “we’re back.” Plus the music video, with Sydney Sweeney speeding in a convertible, gave them a viral visual that younger audiences actually talked about.

The band and their label also wanted to avoid the trap of leading with a ballad or a deep cut. “Angry” is immediate and accessible, with a chorus that sticks after one listen. In interviews, Mick Jagger said they played a few contenders for the label and “Angry” got the biggest reaction. Keith Richards noted it had the “right kind of tension” — a little nasty, a little playful. That tension, plus its hook, made it the obvious front door to an album that needed to remind everyone the Stones could still be dangerous.