The Rolling Stones in China

Date: 2003

Region: North America

Subject: Explicit Sexuality Political/Economic/Social Opinion

Medium: Performance Art Music


Artist: The Rolling Stones (formed in 1962)

Confronting Bodies: Chinese Ministry of Culture

Date of Action: March 2003

Location: China, Beijing and Shanghai

Description of Artwork: The songs Brown Sugar, Honky Tonk Women, Beast of Burden, and Let's Spend the Night Together.

The Incident: The Chinese Ministry of Culture prohibited the Rolling Stones from playing the above songs in their concert, which were censored from their 40 Licks album in China. The concert was the first time China approved the band to play since it first petitioned the nation in 1970.

Results of Incident: The Rolling Stones did not play those songs.

Source: NCAC: from an article on apnews.com