Mick Jagger doesn’t appreciate the Harry Styles comparisons
Mick Jagger is the holy grail of frontmen, and being mentioned in the same breath is the ultimate compliment for many singers. Naturally, due to Harry Styles‘ stage persona and sartorial taste, the former One Direction member has been likened to The Stones frontman on a number of occasions, but that doesn’t mean the veteran rocker appreciates the comparisons.
The comparisons began to ignite in 2016 when it was rumoured that Styles would be portraying Jagger in a biopic. According to reports at the time, the planned movie was based on a book by Rob Greenfield and was given the working title, Exile On Main Street: A Season In Hell With The Rolling Stones.
Richard Branson purchased the rights to Greenfield’s book in 2012, and it seemed as though the feature film was in the works. However, plans appear to have now gone cold. The Daily Star (via The Line of Best Fit) claimed Styles was in line to play the rocker and said a source told them: “He’s about ten years too young, but make-up and special effects can sort that out.”
Furthermore, when Styles appeared on The Graham Norton Show in 2017, he was quizzed about the potential biopic and didn’t rule out the possibility. Instead, the musician responded by raising a wry smile and staying tight-lipped over the role.
Around the same time, Styles added more fuel to the speculation during an appearance on Saturday Night Live when he dressed up as the legendary Stones singer and impersonated him. While talk of the film has died down, the comparisons between the two musicians remain rife.
Jagger finally weighed into the discussion during an interview with The Sunday Times. Although the frontman revealed they are friends, he highlighted the differences in their musicianship and claimed the only similarities they shared were on a “superficial” level.
“I like Harry, we have an easy relationship,” Jagger told the publication. “I mean, I used to wear a lot more eye make-up than him. Come on, I was much more androgynous. And he doesn’t have a voice like mine or move on stage like me; he just has a superficial resemblance to my younger self, which is fine — he can’t help that.”
While Jagger’s comments seem uncharacteristically harsh, he’s right to hold himself in such high artistic esteem and not accept that Harry Styles is his reincarnation. Musically, the two figures are incomparable, and even Styles will admit he has a long way to go before being mentioned in the same breath as Mick Jagger.
Watch the footage below of Styles impersonating Jagger on Saturday Night Live.