[1] The Rolling Stones includes four songs recorded at two separate sessions in August and November 1963.

The Rolling Stones features R&B covers of some of the band's favourite artists, and some recent American hits.

The release was identical to the UK version including the picture sleeve along with the British label number DFE 8560.

Bruce Eder of AllMusic writes: "The real centrepiece was Arthur Alexander's 'You Better Move On,' an American-spawned favourite that the band had been doing in concert — this was their chance to show a softer, more lyrical and soulful sound that was every bit as intense as the blues and hard R&B they'd already done on record..."[1] "Bye Bye Johnny" and "Money" did not see official US release until 1972's retrospective More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies); "You Better Move On" was featured on 1965's December's Children (And Everybody's); and "Poison Ivy" was issued in 2002 on the remastered version of More Hot Rocks.

Unavailable for decades, The Rolling Stones was reissued on Compact Disc in 2004 on the Singles 1963–1965 box set through ABKCO Records.