For me they started to lose it after Sticky Fingers when they replaced the guitar god Mick Taylor for the mediocre Ron Wood. Just compare the beginning riff of “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” to anything Wood ever did. Mick’s riff rivals any R&R riff anywhere.
Actually I think that was Keith and his Telecaster in open G doing that riff ....> Stones-Live
Taylor, young, soft-spoken, faithful to his wife, fled the Stones in part because he didn't want to be party to their indulgant lifestyle and also because he was treated horribly by the band, particularly Richards, who was jealous of his virtuoso guitar skills. Ron Wood was a lackluster choice to play lead. Their music was never again as exciting. Where would the Stones have gone had they decided to replace Taylor with the late Rory Gallagher, an Irishman with incendiary guitar skills, as they were considering at the time? Sadly, Wood, whose best work was behind him, was recruited instead.
Actually, that churning riff belongs to Richards, but otherwise, point taken.
I also feel that the Stones best three albums are Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, and Sticky Fingers with Exile On Main Street getting honorable mention.
Sticky Fingers was the last Stones album I bought . Coinicidentally , for whatever reason , just yesterday I was thinking how much more I dug the earlier Rolling Stones music .
Actually, they didn't get Woody until the 4th album after Sticky. And although RW's style is very different than Taylor's, he's still a helluva guitarist. Woody also fit in much better with the band, personality-wise. Taylor always felt like an outsider. ...uncomfortable. ...overwhelmed.