1978 Disco-Soaked Anthem From the ‘World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band' Became a Surprise No. 1 Hit
On this day in 1978, "Miss You" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, and nothing about its arrival sounded like "business as usual" for The Rolling Stones.
You have to remember, this was a time when disco was dominating the airwaves. So, instead of resisting the moment, the Stones leaned in, fusing their gritty rock edge with a sleek, dance-floor pulse that stunned, even alienated, longtime fans. What followed, however, was one of the most unexpected reinventions in rock history and a No. 1 hit that would define the summer of 1978.
Established as legendary rockers, the Stones shifted their sound during their Some Girls era, with the disco-tinged "Miss You" proving to be as dynamic as the band itself. Cited by Billboard as part of the band's "last perfect album," the 1978 single helped yank the group out of a "creative slump" and propel the album to the top spot on the Billboard 200. The album also nabbed the band its only Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.
"A lot of those songs like ‘Miss You' were heavily influenced by going to the discos," drummer Charlie Watts revealed, via Far Out. "You can hear it in a lot of those four-on-the-floor rhythms and the Philadelphia-style drumming. Mick and I used to go to discos a lot. … It was a great period."
Penned by band's songwriting duo, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, during a jam session, the track got a little help from some friends, including Fifth Beatle Billy Preston on the keyboard and Bill Wyman on the bassline; although, Wyman will be the first to tell you the iconic bassline is the product of Preston's genius.
Though the finished product may have been debated by fans and critics for its change in musical direction, the track with a disco twist ultimately paid off, as it became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and solidified itself as one of the band's era-defining, signature hits.
Today, the track still rocks. From Jagger's stellar vocal phrasing to its timeless rhythm section and effortless swagger, "Miss You" remains a bridge between two worlds, feeling as fresh on a dance floor as it does on a streaming playlist. And when that iconic "Ah, ah, ah-ah-ah" kicks in, it's hard not to sing along. We know you want to. Because we do, too.
So, when The Rolling Stones refer to themselves as the "World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band," it's really hard to argue, innit?
Related: 1985 Feel-Good Rock Anthem Just Passed a Major Milestone Despite Never Hitting No. 1
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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 5:44 PM.