What year was the song "Brown Sugar" released?

The Rolling Stones released “Brown Sugar” in 1971.

The song came out as a single on 16 April 1971 and served as the lead single from the album Sticky Fingers, released that same year. It was written primarily by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and became one of the band’s biggest hits, reaching number one in both the United States and Canada.

A common mix-up comes from the recording date: the main sessions took place in December 1969 at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. The song therefore existed for more than a year before its official release, while the Stones dealt with delays surrounding their record label and the album’s artwork.

“Brown Sugar” remains musically celebrated but lyrically controversial because it addresses slavery, racism, sex and drug use. The Stones removed it from the set list for their 2021 US tour, although it had long been a concert staple.