Paul McCartney Dismisses Rolling Stones As 'Blues Cover Band'

“I think our net was cast a bit wider than theirs,” the former Beatle told The New Yorker about the group's top musical rivals.

Mick Jagger may not get much satisfaction at this news: Former Beatle Paul McCartney says the Rolling Stones are little more than a “blues cover band.”

McCartney threw shade at the Beatles’ biggest rivals in a profile for The New Yorker, though he almost seemed to feel guilty about it.

Almost.

“I’m not sure I should say it, but they’re a blues cover band, that’s sort of what the Stones are,” he said. “I think our net was cast a bit wider than theirs.”

McCartney dismissed the Stones similarly in April 2020, Mediaite notes, when the “Cute Beatle” told Howard Stern that every song the Stones wrote is rooted in blues.

“We had a little more influences,” McCartney said by way of comparison. “There’s a lot of differences, and I love the Stones, but I’m with you. The Beatles were better.”

Jagger responded to McCartney’s mild mockery by pointing out that “the real big difference between these two bands” is that one “is unbelievably luckily still playing in stadiums and then the other band doesn’t exist,” according to Metro.

McCartney, 79, seems very interested in getting out what he considers to be his side of the story in the Beatles saga.

Recently, he told the BBC that, contrary to previous reports, he wasn’t the person who broke up that Beatles: That dubious honor, he insisted, goes to his songwriting partner John Lennon.

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Before You Go

Photos of Paul McCartney
Paul marries Nancy Shevell(01 of09)
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At 69, McCartney gets married, for the third time, to Nancy Shevell, 51, at the same London town hall where he was first wed. (credit:Andrew Parsons--Polaris Images)
Paul McCartney in Hamburg(02 of09)
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On its first trip to Hamburg, in 1960, the Beatles take on a harder look and sound, as well as rowdy new fans and an entourage of young Germans that includes photographer Astrid Kirchherr, who chronicles its rise with moody shots like these at the Hamburg fairground. (credit:Astrid Kirchherr--Courtesy of Vladislav Ginzburg)
Beatles in suits 1963(03 of09)
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The Beatles, with their new suits and haircuts in 1963, are restyled. Manager Brian Epstein has "changed the group from John Lennon's into Paul McCartney's. He's completely smoothed them out." (credit:Tom Hanley--Redferns--Getty Images)
Paul on stage UK touring winter 1963 with Helen Shapiro(04 of09)
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Paul wigs out on a U.K. tour. (credit:Paul Berriff--The Beatles Hidden Gallery)
Beatle fan holding photo of Paul at Velodromo Vigorelli, Milan 1965(05 of09)
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Fans hold an image of their icon, the "cute Beatle" at a Milan concert in 1965. (credit:Giorgio Lotti--Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
John and Paul appear on a TV show in 1965. (06 of09)
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John and Paul arms crossed on set at Granada TV program. (credit:Robert Whitaker--Getty Images)
Paul and wife Linda Eastman kiss at their wedding.(07 of09)
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Paul marries Linda in 1969, accompanied by her daughter Heather. Were his 1968 lyrics to "Hey Jude," far right, a foreshadowing? (credit:Daily Express--Archive Photos--Getty Images)
Paul and Billy Joel at Shea Stadium 2008(08 of09)
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At the last concert played at New York's Shea stadium, the scene of Beatlemania a generation earlier, Paul joins Billy Joel as a surprise guest. (credit:Henry Betrix--Retna Ltd.)
Paul photographs Ringo(09 of09)
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In a fun moment, Paul photographs Ringo. (credit:Popperfoto--Getty Images)