Mick Jagger on Why Live Concerts Should Be Entertainment, Not Politics: The Stones' Philosophy on Separating the Stage from the Message

Mick Jagger recently shared some candid thoughts about what he believes a live performer actually owes their audience, and it’s worth paying attention to. In an appearance on The New York Times’podcast“The Interview,”the Rolling Stones frontman explained that his primary job during concerts is pure entertainment. When people spend their money and time to come to a show, they deserve to leave their worries at the door for two hours and just enjoy the moment. Jagger compares it to attending a sports event—you show up, you’re in the zone, and everything else fades away. He’s not interested in lecturing crowds or pushing a political agenda from the stage. That’s not what they’re there for.

What makes Jagger’s stance particularly interesting is how it contrasts with his songwriting approach. The Rolling Stones released their new album“Foreign Tongues”in July, and it’s filled with political and social commentary. But instead of writing obviously political songs, Jagger uses what he calls a“trick”—he weaves political verses into tracks that are primarily about personal relationships. This way, the message gets across without turning the album into a sermon. It’s a smart distinction between the two forms: live performance is about giving people an escape and an experience, while recorded music becomes a vehicle for deeper, more complex commentary. Collaborators on the album include Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood, and Chad Smith, all legends still creating relevant work decades into their careers.

So where does your own perspective fall on this? When you go to a live show, are you looking to escape the world for a few hours, or do you want artists to speak out about issues that matter? What would your ideal concert experience look like?