Personally, I never cared for the Stones unless they were playing their more obscure music (v/s their 'top 10 hits') I have the album Exile on Main Street. Stones were heavily influenced by the blues.
Elton John is another. Bubblegum music however, 3 songs (imho) from his earlier work shows the talent: Madman across the water; All the Young Girls Love Alice; A Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.
Metallica....an acquired taste. Some excellent, some not. Bowie, same thing.
There was an old joke about Richards: LIVE! It's the Rolling Stones! plus Keith Richards :O
Elton John had the best backing band in the world in the 70s.