View source for Rod Stewart

{{Short description|British singer-songwriter (born 1945)}}
{{redirect|Roderick Stewart|the politician|Rory Stewart}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix   = Sir
| name               = Rod Stewart
| honorific_suffix   = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100|CBE}}
| image              = Rod Stewart at Coca-Cola Amphitheater, Birmingham, Alabama 2025.jpg
| caption            = Stewart in 2025
| other_names        = Rod the Mod
| birth_name         = Roderick David Stewart
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1945|01|10}}
| birth_place        = [[Highgate]], London, England
| occupation         = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|record producer|musician}}
| years_active       = 1961–present
| spouse             = {{ubl|{{marriage|[[Alana Collins]]|1979|1984|end=divorced}}|{{marriage|[[Rachel Hunter]]|1990|2006|end=divorced}}|{{marriage|[[Penny Lancaster]]|2007}}}}
| partner            = {{plainlist|
* Susannah Boffey (1963–1964)
* Jennie Rylance (1965–1967)
* Dee Harrington (1971–1975)
* [[Britt Ekland]] (1975–1977)
* [[Kelly Emberg]] (1983–1990)
}}
| children           = 8; including [[Kimberly Stewart|Kimberly]], [[Sean Stewart (reality TV star)|Sean]] and [[Ruby Stewart|Ruby]]
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| embed             = yes
| background        = solo_singer
| genre             = {{flatlist| 
* Rock 
* pop
* [[blue-eyed soul]]
* [[blues rock]]
* [[folk rock]]
* [[soft rock]]
* [[disco]]
* [[traditional pop]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Silva |first=Carly |title=Rod Stewart Announces He's Switching Music Genres |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/rod-stewart-announces-he-s-switching-music-genres/ar-AA1cB3el?li=BBnb2gh |website=Parade |date=15 June 2023 |access-date=9 July 2023 |via=MSN}}</ref>
}}
| label             = {{flatlist|
* [[Mercury Records|Mercury]]
* [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
* [[J Records|J]]
* [[Universal Music Group|Universal]]
* [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]}}
| current_member_of = [[Faces (band)|Faces]]
| past_member_of    = {{flatlist|
* [[The Jeff Beck Group]]
* [[Shotgun Express]]
* [[Steampacket]]}}
| website           = 
}}
| signature          = Rod Stewart sig.svg
}}

'''Sir Roderick David Stewart''' (born 10 January 1945)<ref>{{cite news |last=Walsh |first=John |title=The Saturday Profile: Rod Stewart, Rock Star: Do ya still think I'm sexy? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/the-saturday-profile-rod-stewart-rock-star-do-ya-still-think-im-sexy-1189207.html |url-status=live |work=[[The Independent]] |location=London |date=23 October 2011 |access-date=26 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523171221/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/the-saturday-profile-rod-stewart-rock-star-do-ya-still-think-im-sexy-1189207.html |archive-date=23 May 2019}}</ref> is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice,<ref>{{cite web |last=Friedlander |first=Matt |title=Rod Stewart Says His Raspy Singing Voice May Be Due to a Broken Nose: "It's Just a Big Accident" |url=https://americansongwriter.com/rod-stewart-says-his-raspy-singing-voice-may-be-due-to-a-broken-nose-its-just-a-big-accident/ |work=American Songwriter |date=27 February 2024 |access-date=27 May 2024}}</ref> Stewart is among the [[List of best-selling music artists|best-selling music artists]] of all time, having sold more than 120 million records worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rod Stewart's Christmas Chart Topper Offers Music Business Lessons For 50-Year Career Survival |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/markbeech/2019/12/21/rod-stewarts-christmas-chart-topper-offers-music-business-lessons-for-50-year-career-survival/ |website=Forbes |access-date=24 June 2023}}</ref> His music career began in 1962 when he took up [[Street performance|busking]] with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined [[Jimmy Powell (singer)|the Dimensions]] as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined [[Long John Baldry]] and the [[All-Stars (band)|All Stars]] before moving to [[the Jeff Beck Group]] in 1967. Joining [[Faces (band)|Faces]] in 1969, he also launched a solo career, releasing his debut album, ''[[An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down]]'', that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, [[folk music]], [[soul music]], and R&B.<ref>{{cite web |last=Eder |first=Bruce |title=Truth: Review |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1564|pure_url=yes}} |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=1 May 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=Faces: Biography |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4218|pure_url=yes}} |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=1 May 2009}}</ref> His third album, 1971's ''[[Every Picture Tells a Story]]'', was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its single "[[Maggie May]]". His 1972 follow-up album, ''[[Never a Dull Moment (Rod Stewart album)|Never a Dull Moment]]'', also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "[[You Wear It Well]]", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.

After Stewart had a handful more UK top-ten hits, Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads, with "[[Sailing (Sutherland Brothers song)|Sailing]]", taken from the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album ''[[Atlantic Crossing]]'', becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. ''[[A Night on the Town (Rod Stewart album)|A Night on the Town]]'' (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "[[Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)]]" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. ''[[Foot Loose & Fancy Free]]'' (1977) contained the hit "[[You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)]]" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". ''[[Blondes Have More Fun]]'' (1978) and its disco-tinged "[[Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?]]" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 1970s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.

After a disco and [[New wave music|new wave]] period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a [[soft rock]]/[[Middle of the road (music)|middle-of-the-road]] style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "[[Rhythm of My Heart]]" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's ''[[Vagabond Heart]]'', becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with [[Bryan Adams]] and [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] on the power ballad "[[All for Love (song)|All for Love]]", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the [[Great American Songbook]].

In 2008, [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']] magazine ranked Stewart the 17th most successful artist on the "''Billboard'' Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-artists-20.shtml|title=Billboard Hot 100 Chart 50th Anniversary|magazine=Billboard|access-date=1 October 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929181345/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-artists-20.shtml|archive-date=29 September 2010}}</ref> A [[Grammy Award|Grammy]] and [[Brit Award]] recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in ''[[Q (magazine)|Q Magazine]]''{{'}}s list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060224054627/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=24 February 2006|title=The Music That Changed The World Q Magazine – 3 Special Editions Jan, Feb, March 2004|publisher=Rocklistmusic.co.uk|access-date=28 September 2014}}</ref>  As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1994, the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]] in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.<ref name="soloinduction">{{cite web|url=http://rockhall.com/inductees/rod-stewart|title=Rod Stewart: Inducted in 1994 – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum|publisher=Rockhall.com|access-date=28 September 2014}}</ref><ref name="facesinduction">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rod-stewart-ill-definitely-make-myself-available-for-a-faces-reunion-20111207|title=Rod Stewart: 'I'll Definitely Make Myself Available' for a Faces Reunion|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Andy|last=Greene|access-date=28 September 2014|date=7 December 2011}}</ref> He has had 10 [[List of artists by number of UK Albums Chart number ones|number-one albums]] and 31 top-ten [[UK Singles Chart|singles]] in the UK, six of which reached number one.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/searchsec.php |title=UK Top 40 Hit Database (Rod Stewart) |publisher=Everyhit.com |access-date=28 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012195559/http://www.everyhit.com/searchsec.php |archive-date=12 October 2008 }}</ref> Stewart has had 16 top-ten singles in the US, with four reaching number one on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. He was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] in the [[2016 Birthday Honours]] for services to music and charity.<ref name="knighted">{{London Gazette |issue=61608 |supp=y |page=B2 |date=11 June 2016}}</ref>

==Early life==
Roderick David Stewart was born at 507 Archway Road, [[Highgate]], North London, on 10 January 1945, the youngest of five children of Robert Joseph Stewart<ref name="auto">1939 England and Wales Register</ref> and Elsie Rebecca Gilbart.<ref name="nb-53">Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', p. 53.</ref> His father was Scottish and had been a [[master builder]] in [[Leith]], Edinburgh, while Elsie was English and had grown up in [[Upper Holloway]] in north London. Married in 1928, the couple had two sons and two daughters while living in Scotland, and then moved to Highgate.

Stewart was born at home during the [[Second World War]], eight years after his nearest sibling.<ref name="nb-53"/><ref name="eh-2-3">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 2–3.</ref>{{refn|group="nb"|For many years it was said that Stewart had been born half an hour after a German [[V-2]] missile warhead fell on the local Highgate police station.<ref name="eh-2-3"/>

In his 2012 autobiography, Stewart said that was "just one of those legends, fables, and downright lies told in the name of publicity" and that the V-2 hit and his birth were separated by some weeks.<ref>Stewart, ''Rod: The Autobiography'', p. 6.</ref> There was a deadly V-2 strike very near the southern end of the [[Archway Road]] on 5 November 1944,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://londonist.com/2009/01/london_v2_rocket_sitesmapped.php|title=London V2 Rocket Site ... Mapped|publisher=[[Londonist]]|access-date=10 December 2012|date=12 January 2009}} Expand map, click on target icon near Highgate, read entry "Archway 5 November 1944".</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbcattic.org/ww2peopleswar/user/33/u232633.shtml|title=BBC WW2 People's War – V2 Rockets|publisher=BBC|access-date=11 December 2012|archive-date=21 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921043221/http://www.bbcattic.org/ww2peopleswar/user/33/u232633.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> some two miles from the Stewart domicile.}} The family was neither affluent nor poor; Stewart was spoiled as the youngest, and has called his childhood "fantastically happy".<ref name="nb-53"/><ref name="eh-2-3"/> He had an undistinguished record at Highgate Primary School and failed the [[eleven-plus exam]].<ref name="eh-7">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', p. 7.</ref> He then attended the William Grimshaw Secondary Modern School (later [[Fortismere School]]), [[Muswell Hill]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Dafydd|last=Rees|author2=Crampton, Luke|title=Q Encyclopedia of Rock Stars|year=1996|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|isbn=0-7513-0393-3}}</ref> When his father retired from the building trade he bought a [[Newsagent's shop#United Kingdom|newsagent's shop]] on the [[Archway Road]] and the family lived over the shop.<ref name="nb-53"/><ref name="eh-2-3"/> Stewart's main hobby was [[railway modelling]].<ref name="eh-9-10">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 9–10.</ref>

The family was mostly focused on [[Association football|football]];<ref name="nb-54"/> Stewart's father had played in a local amateur team and managed some teams as well, and one of Stewart's earliest memories was of the pictures of Scottish players such as [[George Young (Scottish footballer)|George Young]] and [[Gordon Smith (footballer born 1924)|Gordon Smith]] that his brothers had on the wall.<ref name="eh-4-5"/><ref name="cby-374"/> Stewart was the most talented footballer in the family and was a supporter of [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] at the time.<ref name="eh-4-5">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 4–5.</ref><ref name="rs-2004-int"/> Combining natural athleticism with near-reckless aggression, he became captain of the school football team and played for Middlesex Schoolboys as [[centre-half]].<ref name="eh-4-5"/>
[[File:Grave of Rod Stewart's parents in Highgate Cemetery.jpg|thumb|Grave of Stewart's parents in [[Highgate Cemetery]]]]
The family were also great fans of the singer [[Al Jolson]] and would sing and play his hits.<ref name="nb-54">Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', p. 54.</ref><ref name="rs-timegoes"/> Stewart collected his records and saw his films, read books about him, and was influenced by his performing style and attitude towards his audience.<ref name="nb-54"/><ref name="cby-374">Moritz (ed.), ''Current Year Biography 1979'', p. 374.</ref><ref name="gray4-5"/> His introduction to rock and roll was hearing [[Little Richard]]'s 1956 hit "[[The Girl Can't Help It (song)|The Girl Can't Help It]]", and seeing [[Bill Haley & His Comets]] in concert.<ref name="rs-timegoes">{{cite news |last=Scaggs |first=Austin |author-link=Austin Scaggs |title=As Time Goes By: Rod Stewart |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rodstewart/articles/story/5936449/as_time_goes_by |url-status=dead |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=7 October 2003 |access-date=10 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910044727/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rodstewart/articles/story/5936449/as_time_goes_by |archive-date=10 September 2009}}</ref> His father bought him a guitar in January 1959; the first song he learned was the folk tune "[[Worried Man Blues|It Takes a Worried Man to Sing a Worried Song]]". The first record he bought was [[Eddie Cochran]]'s "[[C'mon Everybody]]".<ref name="eh-9-10"/> In 1960, he joined a [[skiffle]] group with school friends called the Kool Kats, playing [[Lonnie Donegan]] and [[Chas McDevitt]] hits.<ref name="eh-9-10"/><ref name="gray4-5">Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', pp. 4–5.</ref>

Stewart left school at the age of 15<ref name="eh-10-11">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 10–11.</ref> and worked briefly as a [[screen printing|silk-screen printer]].<ref name="gray4-5"/> Spurred on by his father, his ambition was to become a professional [[association football|footballer]].<ref name="rs-2004-int"/><ref name="eh-10-11"/> In summer 1960, he went for trials at [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]],<ref name="auto-19">Stewart, ''Rod: The Autobiography'', pp. 16–19.</ref> a [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] club at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/History/0,,10421,00.html |title=Brentford FC: History |publisher=[[Brentford F.C.]] |access-date=4 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217112853/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/History/0%2C%2C10421%2C00.html |archive-date=17 December 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Contrary to some longstanding accounts, Stewart states in his 2012 autobiography that he was never signed to the club and that the club never called him back after his trials.{{refn|group="nb"|Over the years, considerable backstory has accumulated about Stewart's involvement with Brentford F.C. It was said that he joined on as an apprentice with them,<ref name="eh-10-11"/><ref name="mojo95"/><ref name="BBC04"/> but disliked the early morning travel to [[London#West London|West London]] and the daily assignment to clean the [[First team (association football)#F|first team]]'s [[Football boot|boots]]. His playing effectiveness at [[centre-half]] was supposedly hindered by his slight build – {{convert|5|ft|11|in}} but only {{convert|9|st}} (126 lbs.) – and he pushed himself so much that he occasionally vomited at the side of the [[Association football pitch|pitch]].<ref name="eh-10-11"/>

One biography claimed he was there for two months including pre-season fixtures, that he left the team to the great disappointment of his father, and that he later reflected, "I had the skill but not the enthusiasm."<ref name="eh-10-11"/> Another biography gave an undated Stewart quote saying he was there for three weeks, paid £8 per seven-day week, but never played in any form.<ref name="nb-54"/> In a 2004 ''Rolling Stone'' interview, Stewart said he went three or four times a week and did play.<ref name="rs-2004-int">{{Cite news|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rodstewart/articles/story/6055929/football_and_fancy_free|title=Football and Fancy Free|last=Crandall|first=Bill|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=19 May 2004|access-date=4 May 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315140449/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rodstewart/articles/story/6055929/football_and_fancy_free|archive-date=15 March 2009}}</ref>

In 1995, Brentford Deputy President Eric White was quoted as saying, "He trained with us for a week or two, and he may even have kicked a ball around with the juniors, but there is no record of Rod Stewart ever having signed to Brentford. Unfortunately, nobody at the club remembers his time here."<ref name="mojo95"/> In his 2012 autobiography, Stewart attributes all of this to a tale that took on its own life, partly and deliberately helped by statements he made in interviews, such as to talk show host [[Michael Parkinson]].<ref name="auto-19"/>}} In any case, regarding possible career options, Stewart concluded, "Well, a musician's life is a lot easier and I can also get drunk and make music, and I can't do that and play football. I plumped for music ... They're the only two things I can do actually: play football and sing."<ref name="nb-54"/><ref name="eh-10-11"/>

His parents are buried on the eastern side of [[Highgate Cemetery]], on the main north–south path, opposite the grave of [[Malcolm McLaren]].{{citation needed|date=September 2025}}

==Music career==
===1961–1963: Early work and The Dimensions===
Stewart worked in the family shop and as a [[paperboy|newspaper delivery boy]].<ref name="eh-12-13">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 12–13.</ref> He then worked briefly as a labourer for [[Highgate Cemetery]], which became another part of his biographical lore.{{refn|group="nb"|For many years it was said that Stewart had been a gravedigger at Highgate, partly to face a childhood fear of death.<ref name="eh-12-13"/> In his 2012 autobiography he said that was a tale he had gone along with, but that in fact he had only measured out plots with string during a couple of Saturdays.<ref name="auto-22">Stewart, ''Rod: The Autobiography'', p. 22.</ref>}} He worked in a [[North Finchley]] [[funeral parlour]]<ref name="eh-12-13"/> and as a fence erector and sign writer.<ref name="gray4-5"/> In 1961, he went to [[Denmark Street]] with [[The Moontrekkers|the Raiders]] and got a singing audition with well-known record producer [[Joe Meek]], but Meek stopped the session with a rude sound.<ref name="eh-14-16">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 14–16, 20.</ref><!--TBD alt story has it in a church hall -->  Stewart began listening to British and American topical folk artists such as [[Ewan MacColl]], [[Alex Campbell (singer)|Alex Campbell]], [[Woody Guthrie]], [[Ramblin' Jack Elliott]], and especially [[Derroll Adams]] and the [[Bob Dylan (album)|debut album]] of [[Bob Dylan]].<ref name="eh-14-16"/><ref name="cby-375">Moritz (ed.), ''Current Year Biography 1979'', p. 375.</ref>

Stewart became attracted to [[beatnik]] attitudes and [[left-wing politics]], living for a while in a beatnik houseboat at [[Shoreham-by-Sea]].<ref name="eh-14-16"/> He was an active supporter of the [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]] at this time, joining the annual [[Aldermaston Marches]] from 1961 to 1963 and being arrested on three occasions when he took part in sit-ins at [[Trafalgar Square]] and [[Whitehall]] for the cause.<ref name="gray4-5"/><ref name="eh-14-16"/> He also used the marches as a way to meet and bed girls.<ref name="eh-14-16"/><ref>Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', p. 57.</ref> In 1962, he had his first serious relationship, with London art student Suzannah Boffey (a friend of future model and actress [[Chrissie Shrimpton]]); he moved to a [[bed-sit]] in [[Muswell Hill]] to be near her.<ref name="eh-17-19">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 17–19.</ref> She became pregnant, but neither Rod nor his family wanted him to enter marriage; the baby girl was given up for adoption and Rod and Suzannah's relationship ended.<ref name="eh-17-19"/>

In 1962, Stewart began hanging around folk singer [[Wizz Jones]], [[busking]] at [[Leicester Square]] and other London spots.<ref name="eh-24-28">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 24–28.</ref> Stewart took up playing the then-fashionable harmonica.<ref name="nb-58"/> On several trips over the next 18 months Jones and Stewart took their act to [[Brighton]] and then to Paris, sleeping under bridges over the [[River Seine]], and then finally to [[Barcelona]],<ref name="eh-24-28"/> from where he was deported from Spain for [[vagrancy (people)|vagrancy]] in 1963.<ref name="BBC04">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3964169.stm|title=Enduring career of Rod the Mod|work=BBC News|date= 29 October 2004}}</ref><ref name="eh-24-28"/><ref>{{Cite book|last=Pareles|first=Jon|author-link=Jon Pareles|author2=Romanowski, Patricia|title=The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll|publisher=[[Rolling Stone Press]]/[[Summit Books]]|year=1983|isbn=0-671-43457-8|page=530}}</ref> At this time, Stewart, who had been at William Grimshaw School with three of the members of the embryonic [[The Kinks|Kinks]], was briefly considered as their singer.<ref name="eh-7"/><ref name="cby-375"/><ref name="allday">Hinman, ''The Kinks – All Day and All of the Night'', p. 9.</ref><ref name="notlike">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/raydaviesnotlike0000kitt|url-access=registration|author= Thomas M. Kitts|title=Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else|page=[https://archive.org/details/raydaviesnotlike0000kitt/page/21 21]|publisher=Routledge|date=13 December 2008|isbn= 9781135867959}}</ref><ref name="bbc6-keaveny">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p016zmyf|title=Rod Stewart joins Shaun Keaveny|publisher=[[BBC Radio 6 Music]]|date=28 March 2013}} Dark period quote at 2:01, autobiography effect at 4:17, Ray Davies quartet quotes at 11:40.</ref>

In 1963, Stewart adopted the [[Mod (subculture)|Mod lifestyle and look]], and began fashioning the spiky rooster hairstyle that would become his trademark<ref name="eh-21-23"/> (it was made possible with sugar water or large amounts of his sisters' [[hair lacquer]], [[backcombing]], and his hands holding it in place to protect it from the winds of [[Highgate Underground station]]).<ref name="eh-21-23"/><ref>Stewart, ''Rod: The Autobiography'', p. 33.</ref><ref>Wooldridge, ''Rock 'n' Roll London'', p. 109.</ref>) Disillusioned by rock and roll, he saw [[Otis Redding]] perform in concert and began listening to [[Sam Cooke]] records; he became fascinated by rhythm and blues and [[soul music]].<ref name="eh-21-23">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 21–23.</ref>

After returning to London, Stewart joined a rhythm and blues group, the Dimensions, in October 1963, as a harmonica player and part-time vocalist.<ref name="mojo95">{{Cite news|url=http://www.willbirch.com/Rod%20Stewart%20-%20The%20Graveyard%20Shift.htm|title=Rod Stewart – The Graveyard Shift|author=Birch, Will|magazine=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]|date=May 1995|access-date=4 May 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515012107/http://www.willbirch.com/Rod%20Stewart%20-%20The%20Graveyard%20Shift.htm|archive-date=15 May 2009}}</ref><ref name="Gray-7"/> It was his first professional job as a musician, although he was still living at home and working in his brother's painting and picture-frame shop.<ref name="eh-29-32">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 29–32.</ref><ref name="rs-intv-70">{{Cite book|title=The Rolling Stone Interviews: 1967–1980|first=Peter|last=Herbst|author-link=Peter Herbst|edition=reissued|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishing]]|year=1989|isbn=0-312-03486-5|pages=118–26}}</ref> A somewhat more established singer from Birmingham, Jimmy Powell, hired the group a few weeks later, and it became known as [[Jimmy Powell (singer)|Jimmy Powell & the Five Dimensions]] (which also included bassist [[Louis Cennamo]]), with Stewart as harmonica player.<ref name="mojo95"/><ref name="Gray-7">Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', p. 7.</ref> The group performed weekly at the famed Studio 51 club on Great Newport Street in London, where [[the Rolling Stones]] often headlined;<ref name="Gray-7"/> this was Stewart's entrée into the thriving London R&B scene,<ref name="rshist-377"/> and his harmonica playing improved in part from watching [[Mick Jagger]] on stage.<ref name="nb-58">Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', p. 58.</ref> Relations soon broke down between Powell and Stewart over roles within the group<ref name="eh-29-32"/> and Stewart departed. Contrary to popular legend, during this time Stewart probably did not play harmonica on [[Millie (singer)|Millie Small]]'s 1964 hit "[[My Boy Lollipop]]"; that was probably Peter Hogman of the Dimensions, although Powell has also claimed credit.<ref name="mojo95"/><ref name="eh-33-39"/> Powell did record and release a single during this period, though Stewart did not appear on it.<ref name="Gray-7"/>

===1964–1967: Steampacket and "Rod the Mod" image===
In January 1964,{{refn|group="nb"|A much-written-about happenstance, some sources give the date of the Stewart–Baldry rail station meeting as 5 January,<ref name="mojo95"/> some as 7 January (but that may be confusing it with the date of Cyril Davies' death), some imply that it is after 7 January,<ref name="Gray-8"/> while some sources give no specific date.}} while Stewart was waiting at [[Twickenham railway station]] after having seen [[Long John Baldry]] and the [[All-Stars (band)|All Stars]] at [[Eel Pie Island Hotel|Eel Pie Island]],<ref name="mojo95"/><ref name="eh-33-39">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', pp. 33–39.</ref><ref>Wooldridge, ''Rock 'n' Roll London'', pp. 65–66.</ref> Baldry heard him playing "[[Smokestack Lightnin']]" on his harmonica, and invited him to sit in with the group; when Baldry discovered Stewart was a singer as well, he offered him a job for £35 a week, after securing the approval of Stewart's mother.<ref name="eh-33-39"/> Quitting his day job at the age of nineteen, Stewart gradually overcame his shyness and nerves and became a visible enough part of the act that he was sometimes added to the billing as "Rod the Mod" Stewart,<ref name="nb-58"/><ref name="eh-33-39"/><ref name="Gray-8">Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', p. 8.</ref> the nickname coming from his [[dandy]]ish style of grooming and dress.<ref name="cby-375"/> Baldry touted Stewart's abilities to ''[[Melody Maker]]'' magazine and the group enjoyed a weekly residence at London's fabled [[Marquee Club]].<ref name="Gray-8"/> In June 1964, Stewart made his recording debut (without label credit) on "[[Up Above My Head]]", the B-side to a Baldry and Hoochie Coochie Men single.<ref name="Gray-9">Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', p. 9.</ref> While still with Baldry, Stewart embarked on a simultaneous solo career.<ref name="nb-59">Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', p. 59.</ref> He made some demo recordings,{{refn|group="nb"|The demo recordings <!--with?--> were later released in 1976, against Stewart's wishes.<ref name="Gray-10"/>}} was scouted by [[Decca Records]] at the Marquee Club, and signed to a solo contract in August 1964.<ref name="Gray-10">Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', pp. 10–12.</ref> He appeared on several regional television shows around the country and recorded his first single in September 1964.<ref name="nb-59"/><ref name="Gray-10"/>

Turning down Decca's recommended material as too commercial, Stewart insisted that the experienced session musicians he was given, including [[John Paul Jones (musician)|John Paul Jones]], learn a couple of [[Sonny Boy Williamson I|Sonny Boy Williamson]] songs he had just heard.<ref>Tremlett, ''The Rod Stewart Story'', as quoted extensively in Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', pp. 60–61.</ref> The resulting single, "[[Good Morning Little Schoolgirl]]", was recorded and released in October 1964. Stewart performed it on the popular television show ''[[Ready Steady Go!]]'', but it did not enter the charts. Also in October, Stewart left the Hoochie Coochie Men after having a row with Baldry.<ref name="Gray-10"/>

Stewart played some dates on his own in late 1964 and early 1965, sometimes backed by the [[Southampton]] R&B outfit the Soul Agents.<ref>Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', p. 13.</ref> The Hoochie Coochie Men broke up, Baldry and Stewart patched up their differences (and became lifelong friends),<ref name="eh-41">Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', p. 41.</ref> and music manager [[Giorgio Gomelsky]] put together [[Steampacket]], with Baldry, Stewart, [[Brian Auger]], [[Julie Driscoll]], [[Micky Waller]], [[Vic Briggs]] and [[Ricky Fenson]]; their first appearance was in support of the Rolling Stones in July 1965.<ref name="Gray-14">Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', p. 14.</ref> The group was conceived as a white soul revue, analogous to [[The Ike & Tina Turner Revue]], with multiple vocalists and styles ranging from jazz to R&B to blues.<ref name="nb-61">Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', p. 61.</ref> Steampacket toured with the Stones and [[the Walker Brothers]] that summer, ending in the [[London Palladium]];<ref name="nb-61"/> seeing the audience react to the Stones gave Stewart his first exposure to crowd hysteria.<ref>Pidgeon, ''Rod Stewart and the Changing Faces'', as quoted in Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', p. 61.</ref> Stewart, who had been included in the group upon Baldry's insistence, ended up with most of the male vocal parts.<ref name="nb-61"/> Steampacket was unable to enter the studio to record any material because its members all belonged to different labels and managers,<ref name="nb-61"/><ref name="amg-steam">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p20741|pure_url=yes}}|title=The Steampacket: Biography|website=AllMusic|first=Richie|last=Unterberger|author-link=Richie Unterberger|access-date=13 February 2010}}</ref> although Gomelsky did record one of their Marquee Club rehearsals.{{refn|group="nb"|These later surfaced in 1971 as part of Gomelsky's ''Rock Generation'' releases on [[BYG Records]]; the poorly recorded material has been repackaged as ''Rod Stewart and Steampacket'' many times since.<ref name="nb-61"/><ref name="amg-steam"/>}}

Stewart's "Rod the Mod" image gained wider visibility in November 1965, when he was the subject of a 30-minute [[Associated-Rediffusion|Rediffusion, London]] television documentary titled "An Easter with Rod" that portrayed the Mod scene.<ref name="BBC04"/><ref name="Gray-15-17">Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', pp. 15–17.</ref> His parallel solo career attempts continued on [[EMI]]'s [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia label]] with the November 1965 release of "The Day Will Come", a more heavily arranged pop attempt, and the April 1966 release of his take on [[Sam Cooke]]'s "[[Shake (Sam Cooke song)|Shake]]", with the [[Brian Auger Trinity]].<ref name="Gray-15-17"/> Both failed commercially, and neither gained positive notices.<ref>Ewbank and Hildred, ''Rod Stewart: The New Biography'', p. 56.</ref> Stewart had spent the better part of two years listening mostly to Cooke; he later said, "I didn't sound like anybody at all ... but I knew I sounded a bit like Sam Cooke, so I listened to Sam Cooke."<ref name="rs-intv-70"/> This recording solidified that singer's position as Stewart's idol and most enduring influence; he called it a "crossing of the water".<ref name="cby-375"/><ref name="rs-intv-70"/><ref name="nb-61"/>

Stewart left Steampacket in March 1966,<ref name="Gray-15-17"/> with Stewart saying he had been sacked and Auger saying he had quit.<ref name="nb-61"/> Stewart then joined a somewhat similar outfit, [[Shotgun Express]], in May 1966 as co-lead vocalist with [[Beryl Marsden]].<ref name="nb-61"/><ref name="Gray-15-17"/> The other members included [[Mick Fleetwood]] and [[Peter Green (musician)|Peter Green]] (who went on to form [[Fleetwood Mac]]), and [[Peter Bardens]].<ref name="Gray-15-17"/> Shotgun Express released one unsuccessful single in October 1966, the orchestra-heavy "I Could Feel The Whole World Turn Round", before disbanding.<ref name="nb-61"/><ref name="Gray-15-17"/> Stewart later disparaged Shotgun Express as a poor imitation of Steampacket and said, "I was still getting this terrible feeling of doing other people's music. I think you can only start finding yourself when you write your own material."<ref name="Gray-15-17"/> By now, Stewart had bounced around without achieving much success, with little to distinguish himself among other aspiring London singers other than the emerging rasp in his voice.<ref name="rshist-377"/>

===1967–1969: Jeff Beck Group period===
Guitarist [[Jeff Beck]] recruited Stewart for his new post-[[the Yardbirds|Yardbirds]] venture,<ref name="carson-71">Carson, ''Jeff Beck'', pp. 71–72.</ref> and in February 1967, Stewart joined [[the Jeff Beck Group]] as vocalist and sometime songwriter.<ref name="Gray-18-21">Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', pp. 18–21.</ref> This would become the big break of his early career.<ref name="cby-375"/> There he first played with [[Ronnie Wood]]<ref name="nb-61"/> whom he had first met in a London pub in 1964;<ref name="Gray-10"/> the two soon became fast friends.<ref name="carson-71"/> During its first year, the group experienced frequent changes of drummers and conflicts involving manager [[Mickie Most]] wanting to reduce Stewart's role. They toured the UK and released a couple of singles that featured Stewart on their B-sides.<ref name="Gray-18-21"/><ref name="carson-78">Carson, ''Jeff Beck'', pp. 75, 78, 83–86.</ref> Stewart's sputtering solo career also continued with the March 1968 release of non-hit "Little Miss Understood" on [[Immediate Records]].<ref name="Gray-18-21"/>

The Jeff Beck Group toured Western Europe in spring 1968, recorded, and were nearly destitute. Then assistant manager [[Peter Grant (music manager)|Peter Grant]] booked them on a six-week tour of the United States starting in June 1968 with the [[Fillmore East]] in New York.<ref name="Gray-18-21"/><ref name="nyt061568"/><ref name="carson-81">Carson, ''Jeff Beck'', pp. 81–82.</ref> Stewart, on his first trip to America, suffered terrible stage fright during the opening show and hid behind the amplifier banks while singing. Only a quick shot of [[brandy]] brought him out front.<ref name="Gray-18-21"/> Nevertheless, the show and the tour were a big success,<ref name="cby-375"/><ref name="carson-81"/> with [[Robert Shelton (critic)|Robert Shelton]] of ''The New York Times'' calling the group exciting and praising "the interaction of Mr. Beck's wild and visionary guitar against the hoarse and insistent shouting of Rod Stewart",<ref name="nyt061568">{{Cite news|url=https://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F40711FD38541B7B93C7A8178DD85F4C8685F9|title=Jeff Beck Group Cheered in Debut|first=Robert|last=Shelton|author-link=Robert Shelton (critic)|newspaper=The New York Times|date=15 June 1968|page=38|format=fee required}}</ref> and ''[[New Musical Express]]'' reporting that the group was receiving standing ovations and pulling receipts equal to those of [[Jimi Hendrix]] and [[the Doors]].<ref name="Gray-18-21"/>

In August 1968, their first album, ''[[Truth (Jeff Beck album)|Truth]]'', was released, and by October, it had risen to number 15 on the [[Billboard 200|US albums chart]] but failed to chart in the UK.<ref name="Gray-18-21"/> The album featured Beck's masterly guitar technique and manipulated sounds as Stewart's dramatic vocalising tackled the group's varied repertoire of blues, folk, rock, and proto-[[heavy metal music|heavy metal]].<ref name="rshist-377"/><ref name="carson-78"/><ref name="amg-truth">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1564|pure_url=yes}}|title=Truth: Review|first=Bruce|last=Eder|author-link=Bruce Eder|website=AllMusic|access-date=14 February 2010}}</ref> Stewart also co-wrote three of the songs<ref name="amg-truth"/> and credited the record for helping to develop his vocal abilities and the sandpaper quality in his voice.<ref name="rs-intv-70"/> The group toured America again at the end of the year to a strong reception, then suffered from more personnel upheaval<ref name="Gray-18-21"/><ref>Carson, ''Jeff Beck'', p. 89.</ref> (something that would continue throughout Beck's career). In July 1969, Stewart left following his friend Wood's departure.<ref name="rs-intv-70"/><ref name="Gray-22">Gray, ''Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary'', p. 22.</ref> Stewart later recalled, "It was a great band to sing with, but I couldn't take all the aggravation and unfriendliness that developed.... In the two and a half years I was with Beck I never once looked him in the eye – I always looked at his shirt or something like that."<ref name="Gray-18-21"/>

The group's second album, ''[[Beck-Ola]]'', was released in June 1969 in the US and in September 1969 in the UK, bracketing the time the group was dissolving; it also made number 15 in the US albums chart and reached number 39 in the [[UK albums chart]].<ref name="cby-375"/><ref name="Gray-22"/><ref>{{cite web| url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1566|pure_url=yes}}|title=Beck-Ola: Review|first=William|last=Ruhlmann|website=AllMusic|access-date=14 February 2010}}</ref> During his time with the group, Stewart initially felt overmatched by Beck's presence, and his style was still developing; but later Stewart felt the two developed a strong musical, if not personal, rapport.<ref name="Gray-18-21"/><ref>''The New Rolling Stone Record Guide'', p. 34.</ref> Much of Stewart's sense of phrasing was developed during his time with the Jeff Beck Group.<ref name="rs-intv-70"/> Beck sought to form a new [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] with [[Carmine Appice]] and [[Tim Bogert]] (of the similarly just-breaking-up [[Vanilla Fudge]]) joining him and Stewart, but Stewart had other plans.<ref>Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', pp. 74, 76.</ref>

===1969–1975: Solo career established and Faces albums===
[[Mercury Records]] [[A&R]] man [[Lou Reizner]] had seen Stewart perform with Beck, and on 8 October 1968 signed him to a solo contract;<ref name="Gray-18-21"/> but contractual complexities delayed Stewart's recording for him until July 1969.<ref name="Gray-22"/><ref>Nelson and Bangs, ''Rod Stewart'', pp. 96–97, 100.</ref> Meanwhile, in May 1969, guitarist and singer [[Steve Marriott]] left English band [[the Small Faces]].<ref name="Gray-22"/> [[Ron Wood]] replaced him as guitarist in June and on 18 October 1969, Stewart followed his friend and became the band's new singer.<ref name="Gray-22"/> The two joined existing members [[Ronnie Lane]], [[Ian McLagan]], and [[Kenney Jones]], who soon decided to call the new line-up [[Faces (band)|Faces]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/06/arts/ronnie-lane-51-the-founder-of-small-faces-a-british-band.html|title=Ronnie Lane, the Founder Of Small Faces, a British Band|author=Jon Pareles|work=NY Times Archive|date=1997}}</ref>

''[[An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down]]'' became Stewart's first solo album in 1969 (it was known as ''The Rod Stewart Album'' in the US). It established the template for his solo sound: a heartfelt mixture of [[folk music|folk]], rock, and [[country blues]], inclusive of a British working-class sensibility, with both original material ("Cindy's Lament" and the title song) and cover versions ([[Ewan MacColl]]'s "[[Dirty Old Town]]" and [[Mike d'Abo]]'s "[[Handbags and Gladrags]]"). The backing band on the album included Wood, Waller and McLagan, plus [[Keith Emerson]] and guitarists [[Martin Pugh (musician)|Martin Pugh]] (of [[Steamhammer (band)|Steamhammer]], and later [[Armageddon (A&M band)|Armageddon]] and [[7th Order (band)|7th Order]]) and [[Martin Quittenton]] (also from [[Steamhammer (band)|Steamhammer]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rod-stewart-album-rod-stewart/73413?ean=731455805826|title=Rod Stewart Album by Umvd Special Markets, Rod Stewart – 731455805826 – CD – Barnes & Noble|author=JohnQ|date=1 October 2010|work=Barnes & Noble}}</ref>

[[File:Rod Stewart (1971).png|thumb|upright|Stewart in a trade advert for his 1971 album ''[[Every Picture Tells A Story]]'']]
Faces released their debut album, ''[[First Step (Faces album)|First Step]]'', in early 1970 with a rock and roll style similar to the Rolling Stones. While the album did better in the UK than in the US, the Faces quickly earned a strong live following. Stewart released his second album, ''[[Gasoline Alley (album)|Gasoline Alley]]'' that autumn. Stewart's approach was similar to his first album and [[mandolin]] was introduced into the sound. He then launched a US tour with the Faces. Stewart sang guest vocals for the Australian group [[Python Lee Jackson]] on "[[In a Broken Dream]]", recorded in April 1969 but not released until 1970. His payment was a set of seat covers for his car. It was re-released in 1972 to become a worldwide hit.

Stewart's 1971 solo album ''[[Every Picture Tells a Story]]'' made him a household name when the B-side of his minor hit "[[Reason to Believe]]", "[[Maggie May]]", (co-written with Martin Quittenton) started to receive radio play. The album and the single occupied the number one chart position simultaneously in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, a chart first, in September.<ref>Marcus, Greil. ''The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll.'' Second edition; Jim Miller, editor. New York: Random House, 1980, {{ISBN|0-394-51322-3}}, p. 379.</ref> ''Maggie May'' topped the single chart for five weeks in the US, and the UK and four weeks in Australia.  Set off by a striking mandolin part (by Ray Jackson of [[Lindisfarne (band)|Lindisfarne]]), "Maggie May" was also named in [[The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]'s ''500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll''. The rest of the album was equally strong, with "[[Mandolin Wind]]" again showcasing that instrument; "[[(I Know) I'm Losing You]]" adding hard-edged soul to the mix; and "[[Tomorrow Is a Long Time]]", a cover of a [[Bob Dylan]] song. But the ultimate manifestation of the early Stewart solo style was the Stewart-Wood-penned "Every Picture Tells a Story" itself: powered by Mick Waller's drumming, [[Pete Sears]]'s piano and Wood's guitar work in a largely acoustic arrangement; it is a song relating to the [[picaresque]] adventures of the singer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=every picture tells a story - Record Collector Magazine |url=https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/every-picture-tells-a-story |access-date=2025-05-03 |language=en}}</ref>

The second Faces album, ''[[Long Player (album)|Long Player]]'', was released in early 1971 and enjoyed greater chart success than ''First Step''. Faces also got their only US Top 40 hit with "Stay With Me" from their third album ''[[A Nod Is as Good as a Wink...To a Blind Horse]]'' released in late 1971.<ref name="BillboardChart"/> This album reached the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic on the back of the success of ''Every Picture Tells A Story''.<ref name="BillboardChart"/><ref name="Roberts">Roberts, David (2006). [[British Hit Singles & Albums]]. London: Guinness World Records Limited</ref> [[Steve Jones (musician)|Steve Jones]] from [[The Sex Pistols]] regarded the Faces highly and named them as a main influence on the British [[punk rock]] movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/The%20Sex%20Pistols_%20Steve%20Jones|title=The Sex Pistols' Steve Jones: 'I lost everything, hit bottom, and had to work my way back up.'|publisher=Gibson.com|access-date=11 December 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324183836/http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/The%20Sex%20Pistols_%20Steve%20Jones_|archive-date=24 March 2012}}</ref>

The Faces toured extensively in 1972 with growing tension in the band over Stewart's solo career enjoying more success than the band's. Stewart released ''[[Never a Dull Moment (Rod Stewart album)|Never a Dull Moment]]'' in the same year. Repeating the ''Every Picture'' formula, for the most part, it reached number two on the US album charts and number one in the UK,<ref name="RockHall"/> and enjoyed further good notices from reviewers. "You Wear It Well" was a hit single that reached number 13 in the US and went to number one in the UK, while "Twisting the Night Away" made explicit Stewart's debt to [[Sam Cooke]].

For the body of his early solo work Stewart earned tremendous critical praise. ''Rolling Stone'''s 1980 ''Illustrated History of Rock & Roll'' includes this in its Stewart entry:<ref name="rshist-377">Marcus, "Rod Stewart", in ''Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll'', p. 377.</ref>

<blockquote>Rarely has a singer had as full and unique a talent as Rod Stewart; rarely has anyone betrayed his talent so completely. Once the most compassionate presence in music, he has become a bilious self-parody – and sells more records than ever [... A] writer who offered profound lyricism and fabulous self-deprecating humour, teller of tall tales and honest heartbreaker, he had an unmatched eye for the tiny details around which lives turn, shatter, and reform [...] and a voice to make those details indelible. [... His solo albums] were defined by two special qualities: warmth, which was redemptive, and modesty, which was liberating. If ever any rocker chose the role of everyman and lived up to it, it was Rod Stewart.</blockquote>
[[File:Rod Stewart and Ron Wood - Faces - 1975.jpg|thumb|left|Stewart (right) while in [[Faces (band)|Faces]], with [[Ronnie Wood]] (left)]]
The Faces released their final album ''[[Ooh La La (Faces album)|Ooh La La]],'' which reached number one in the UK and number 21 in the US in 1973.<ref name="BillboardChart"/><ref name="Roberts"/> During the recording of the album, the rift between Stewart and the rest of the Faces grew further, as (according to [[Ian McLagan]]), Stewart did not participate until two weeks into the sessions, "and then complained that some songs were in the wrong key for him. So we recorded them again and waited a week for him to come back. We cut the track for 'Ooh La La' three times before he eventually passed on it, leaving it for [[Ronnie Wood|Woody]] to sing. [...] The week the album came out he did all he could to scuttle it and told anyone who would listen how useless it was."<ref name="mac-206">McLagan, Ian, ''All The Rage'' (2011), p. 206.</ref> The band toured Australasia, Japan, Europe and the UK in 1974<ref name="nzentgrafwoodworks">{{cite web|last=Zentgraf|first=Nico|title=Woodworks 1957–1975|url=https://www.nzentgraf.de/books/tcw/works1.htm|access-date=14 June 2008}}</ref> to support the album and the single "Pool Hall Richard".

In late 1974, Stewart released his ''[[Smiler (album)|Smiler]]'' album. In Britain, it reached number one, and the single "Farewell" number seven, but only number 13 on the ''Billboard'' pop album charts and the single "Mine for Me" only number 91 on the ''Billboard'' pop singles charts. It was his last original album for Mercury Records. After the release of the double album compilation ''The Best of Rod Stewart'' he switched to [[Warner Bros. Records]] and remained with them throughout the vast majority of his career (Faces were signed to Warner Bros., and Stewart's solo releases in the UK appeared on the Riva label until 1981). In 1975, Faces toured the US twice (with Ronnie Wood joining [[the Rolling Stones]]' US tour in between).<ref name="nzentgrafwoodworks"/> With Ronnie Wood having released his second solo album in 1975 and also having joined the Rolling Stones (first as a temporary replacement for the departing [[Mick Taylor]], and later as a permanent member), as well as Stewart's own burgeoning solo career, it became impossible to maintain the Faces as a viable band, so the Faces broke up at the end of the year.<ref name="tioos-chronicle75">{{cite web|last=McPherson|first=Ian|title=The Rolling Stones Chronicle: 1975|url=https://www.timeisonourside.com/chron1975.html|access-date=14 June 2008}}</ref>

===1975–1988: Height of fame and critical reaction===
[[File:Rod-Stewart.jpg|thumb|upright|On stage in [[Dublin]], 1981]]
In 1975, Stewart moved to Los Angeles; that year, he released the ''[[Atlantic Crossing]]'' album for his new record company, using producer [[Tom Dowd]] and a different sound based on the [[Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section]]. ''Atlantic Crossing'' marked both a return to form and a return to the Top 10 of the ''Billboard'' album charts. The first single, a cover of the [[Sutherland Brothers]] song "[[Sailing (Sutherland Brothers song)|Sailing]]", was a number-one hit in the UK, charted high in other European countries and in Australia, but only reached the Top 60 of the US and Canadian charts. The single returned to the UK Top 10 a year later when used as the theme music for a BBC documentary [[Sailor (TV series)|series]] about {{HMS|Ark Royal|R09|6}}. Having been a hit twice over, "Sailing" became, and remains, Stewart's biggest-selling single in the UK. His [[Holland-Dozier-Holland]] cover "[[This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)#Rod Stewart and Ronald Isley version|This Old Heart of Mine]]" was also a Top 100 hit in 1976.<ref name="BillboardChart"/> In 1976, Stewart covered [[the Beatles]]' song "[[Get Back]]" for the musical documentary ''[[All This and World War II]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/all-this-and-world-war-ii-r230229/review|title=All This and World War II|website=AllMusic|access-date=4 December 2011}}</ref>

Later in 1976, Stewart topped the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] for eight weeks and the Australian [[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA]] chart with the ballad "[[Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)|Tonight's the Night]]", with an accompanying music video featuring actress [[Britt Ekland]].<ref name="BillboardChart"/> It came from the ''[[A Night on the Town (Rod Stewart album)|A Night on the Town]]'' album, which went to number two on the ''Billboard'' album charts and was Stewart's first album to go platinum. By explicitly marking the album as having a "fast side" and a "slow side", Stewart continued the trend started by ''Atlantic Crossing''. "[[The First Cut Is the Deepest]]", a cover of a [[Cat Stevens]] song, went number one in the UK in 1977, and top 30 in the US.<ref name="BillboardChart"/><ref name="RockHall"/> "[[The Killing of Georgie]] (Part 1 and 2)", about the murder of a gay man, was also a Top 40 hit for Stewart during 1977.<ref name="BillboardChart"/>

''[[Foot Loose & Fancy Free]]'' (1977) featured Stewart's own band, the original Rod Stewart Group that featured Carmine Appice, Phil Chen, Jim Cregan, Billy Peek, [[Gary Grainger]] and [[John Barlow Jarvis|John Jarvis]]. It continued Stewart's run of chart success, reaching number two. "[[You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)|You're in My Heart]]" was the hit single, reaching number four in the US.<ref name="BillboardChart"/>

"[[Hot Legs]]" achieved a lot of radio airplay as did the confessional "[[I Was Only Joking]]". In appearance, Stewart's look had evolved to include a [[glam rock|glam]] element, including make-up and spandex clothes. Stewart scored another UK number one and US number one single with "[[Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?]]", which was a crossover hit reaching number five on the ''Billboard'' black charts due to its [[disco]] sound.<ref name="BillboardChart"/> This was the lead single from 1978's ''[[Blondes Have More Fun]]'', which went to number one on the ''Billboard'' album charts and sold three million albums.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Rod+Stewart&ti=Blondes+Have+More+Fun|title=Recording Industry Association of America|website=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] }}(RIAA)®</ref>

A focal point of criticisms about this period was his biggest-selling 1978 disco hit "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?", which was atypical of his earlier output, and disparaged by critics.<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=song|id=t4062480|pure_url=yes}}|author=Mason, Stewart|title=Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?|website=AllMusic}}</ref> In interviews, Stewart, while admitting his accompanying look had become "tarty", has defended the lyrics by pointing out that the song is a [[third-person narrative]] slice-of-life portrayal, not unlike those in his earlier work, and that it is not about him. The song's refrain was identical to Brazilian [[Jorge Ben Jor]]'s earlier "Taj Mahal" and a lawsuit ensued. Stewart donated his royalties from "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" to [[UNICEF]], and he performed it with his band at the [[Music for UNICEF Concert]] at the [[United Nations General Assembly]] in 1979.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

Stewart moved to a more [[New wave music|new wave]] direction in 1980 by releasing the album ''Foolish Behaviour''. The album produced one hit single, "[[Passion (Rod Stewart song)|Passion]]", which reached No. 5 on the US ''Billboard'' Charts. In August 1981, MTV was launched in the US with several of Stewart's videos in heavy rotation. Later in 1981, Stewart added further elements of new wave and [[synthpop]] to his sound for the ''[[Tonight I'm Yours]]'' album. The title song reached No. 20 in the US, while "[[Young Turks (song)|Young Turks]]" reached the Top 5 with the album going platinum.<ref name="BillboardChart"/> On 18 December 1981, Stewart played the Los Angeles Forum, along with [[Kim Carnes]] and [[Tina Turner]], in a concert broadcast worldwide via satellite.<ref>{{cite web |title=1981 – Rod Stewart's concert at the Los Angeles Forum is beamed |url=http://www.thisdayinrock.com/index.php/general/1981-rod-stewarts-concert-at-the-los-angeles-forum-is-beamed/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017202701/http://www.thisdayinrock.com/index.php/general/1981-rod-stewarts-concert-at-the-los-angeles-forum-is-beamed/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=17 October 2017 |work=thisdayinrock.com |access-date=17 June 2017}}</ref>

[[File:Rod Stewart 86.jpg|thumb|upright|Stewart performing in Paris, 1986]]
Stewart was criticised by the [[Anti-Apartheid Movement|anti-apartheid movement]] for breaking a widely observed cultural boycott of [[apartheid]] South Africa by performing at the [[Sun City, North West|Sun City]] resort complex in Bophuthatswana as part of his [[Body Wishes]] (1983) and [[Camouflage (Rod Stewart album)|Camouflage]] (1984) tours.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Elton-John-South-Africa-tour-jogs-memories-of-Sun--30061905.html | title= Elton John South Africa tour jogs memories of Sun City gigs | work= The Nation | date= 11 January 2008 | access-date= 6 August 2019 | url-status=dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131219073038/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Elton-John-South-Africa-tour-jogs-memories-of-Sun--30061905.html | archive-date= 19 December 2013 }}</ref>

Stewart had four US Top 10 singles between 1982 and 1988; "Young Turks" (No. 5, carrying over from 1981 into 1982), "Some Guys Have All the Luck" (No. 10, 1984), "Infatuation" (No. 6, 1984) and "Love Touch" (No. 6, 1986, a Holly Knight/Mike Chapman collaboration). "[[Baby Jane (Rod Stewart song)|Baby Jane]]" reached No. 14 in 1983, but went to No. 1 in the UK, his final chart-topping single there to date.<ref name="BillboardChart"/> The corresponding ''[[Camouflage (Rod Stewart album)|Camouflage]]'' album went gold in the UK, and the single "Infatuation" (which featured his old friend Jeff Beck on the guitar) received considerable play on MTV. The second single "[[Some Guys Have All The Luck]]" reached No. 15 in the UK and No. 10 in the US.<ref name="BillboardChart"/>

A reunion with Jeff Beck produced a successful take on [[Curtis Mayfield]]'s "[[People Get Ready]]", but an attempt to tour together fell apart after a few dates. In the UK, "[[Every Beat of My Heart (Rod Stewart song)|Every Beat of My Heart]]" reached number two in 1986. In January 1985, Stewart performed to a large audience at the [[Rock in Rio]] festival in [[Rio de Janeiro]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Hundreds of thousands turn out for Rock in Rio festival |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20110924-brazil-rock-rio-music-festival-draws-thousands-katy-perry-rihanna |access-date=17 June 2017 |work=france24.com |date=24 September 2011}}</ref>

===1988–1994: Out of Order Tour, ''Vagabond Heart'' and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame===
In 1988, Stewart returned with ''[[Out of Order (Rod Stewart album)|Out of Order]]'', produced by [[Duran Duran]]'s [[Andy Taylor (guitarist)|Andy Taylor]] and by [[Bernard Edwards]] of [[Chic (band)|Chic]]. "[[Lost in You (Rod Stewart song)|Lost in You]]", "[[Forever Young (Rod Stewart song)|Forever Young]]", "Crazy About Her", and "[[My Heart Can't Tell You No]]" from that album were all top 15 hits on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and mainstream rock charts, with the latter even reaching the Top Five. "Forever Young" was an unconscious revision of [[Bob Dylan]]'s song of the same name; the artists reached an agreement about sharing royalties. The song reached No. 12 in the US.<ref name="BillboardChart">[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=rod stewart|chart=all}} Rod Stewart Album & Song Chart History]''Billboard'', 23 August 2011.</ref> In September 1988, Stewart performed "Forever Young" at the [[1988 MTV Video Music Awards]] at the [[Universal Amphitheatre]] in Los Angeles, and in 1989 he received a [[Grammy Award]] nomination for [[Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance|Best Male Rock Vocal Performance]] for the song.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/grammy/rockmale.htm|title=Grammy Awards: Best Rock Vocal Performance – Male|access-date=26 April 2010|work=Rock on the Net}}</ref>

In January 1989, Stewart set out on the South American leg of the [[Out of Order Tour]] playing to sell-out audiences throughout Americas. There were 80,000 people at his show at Corregidora Stadium, [[Querétaro]], México (9 April), and 50,000 at Jalisco Stadium, [[Guadalajara, Jalisco]] (12 April). In [[Buenos Aires]], the audience at the [[Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti|River Plate Stadium]], which seats 70,000+, was at over 90,000, with several thousand outside the stadium. Firehoses were sprayed on the crowd to avoid [[heat prostration]].{{citation needed|date=September 2025}}

Stewart's version of the [[Tom Waits]] song "[[Downtown Train]]" went to number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1990.<ref name="BillboardChart" /> This song was taken from a four-CD compilation set called ''[[Storyteller – The Complete Anthology: 1964–1990]]''.

Released in 1991, the ''[[Vagabond Heart]]'' album continued Stewart's renewal and inspiration.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Don McLeese|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/vagabond-heart-19910516|title=Vagabond Heart &#124; Album Reviews|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=16 May 1991|access-date=23 April 2014}}</ref> The lead single, "[[It Takes Two (Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston song)|It Takes Two]]", with [[Tina Turner]], was released in 1990 in advance of the full album's release, and reached number five on the UK charts, but did not chart in the US. The follow-up songs from ''Vagabond Heart'' both reached the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991, with "[[Rhythm of My Heart]]" peaking at No. 5 and "[[The Motown Song]]" peaking at No. 10.<ref name="BillboardChart"/> 
[[File:Rod Stewart concert ticket - 1993 - Stierch.JPG|thumbnail|Concert ticket, 1993]]

At the [[List of BRIT Awards ceremonies#1993|1993]] [[Brit Awards]] in London, Stewart picked up the prize for Outstanding Contribution to Music.<ref name="Brits">{{cite web|url=http://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1993|title=Brit Awards 1993|publisher=Brit Awards|access-date=28 September 2014|archive-date=20 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120095723/http://brits.co.uk/history/shows/1993|url-status=dead}}</ref> Stewart brought back the Faces on stage for an impromptu reunion.<ref name="Brits"/> In 1993, Stewart recorded "[[All for Love (song)|All For Love]]" with [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] and [[Bryan Adams]] for the soundtrack to the movie ''[[The Three Musketeers (1993 film)|The Three Musketeers]]''; the single reached number one in the US and number two in the UK.<ref name="Roberts"/> Also in 1993, he reunited with Ronnie Wood to record an ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'' special that included "[[Handbags and Gladrags]]", "[[Cut Across Shorty]]", and four selections from ''[[Every Picture Tells a Story]]''. The show featured an acoustic version of [[Van Morrison]]'s "[[Have I Told You Lately]]", which topped the ''Billboard'' adult contemporary chart and No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.<ref name="BillboardChart"/> A rendition of "[[Reason to Believe]]" also garnered considerable airplay. The resulting ''[[Unplugged...and Seated]]'' album reached number two on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] album charts.<ref name="BillboardChart"/>

Stewart was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1994, presented by [[Jeff Beck]].<ref name="RockHall">{{cite news|url=http://rockhall.com/inductees/rod-stewart/timeline|title=Rod Stewart: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum|newspaper=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame |publisher=Rockhall.com|access-date=28 September 2014}}</ref> On 31 December 1994, Stewart played in front of 3.5 million people on [[Copacabana (Rio de Janeiro)|Copacabana beach in Rio]], and made it into the ''[[Guinness Book of World Records]]'' for staging the [[List of largest concerts|largest free rock concert attendance in history]].

===1995–2001: New ventures and record labels===
[[File:Rod Stewart 1995.jpg|thumb|left|Stewart in Paris, 1995]]
By the early 1990s, Stewart had mostly abandoned creating his own material, saying that he was not a natural songwriter and that the tepid response to his recent efforts was not rewarding.<ref name="bbc122306">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6193284.stm|work=BBC News|author=Young, Kevin|title=Stewart goes beneath the covers|date=23 December 2006|access-date=1 January 2007}}</ref> In 1995, Stewart released ''[[A Spanner in the Works]]'' containing a single written by [[Tom Petty]], "[[Leave Virginia Alone]]", which reached the Top 10 of the adult contemporary charts. The latter half of the 1990s was not as commercially successful though the 1996 album ''[[If We Fall in Love Tonight]]'' reached number 8 in the UK and went gold and hit No. 19 on the ''Billboard'' album chart.<ref name="BillboardChart"/>

''[[When We Were the New Boys]]'', his final album on the [[Warner Bros.]] label released in 1998, contained versions of songs by [[Britpop]] acts such as [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] and [[Primal Scream]], and reached number two on the UK album charts. That same year, he recorded the song "[[Faith of the Heart]]", written by Diane Warren, for the film ''[[Patch Adams (film)|Patch Adams]]''. In 2000, Stewart left Warner Bros. and moved to [[Atlantic Records]], another division of [[Warner Music Group]].{{citation needed|date=June 2016}} In 2001, he released ''[[Human (Rod Stewart album)|Human]]''. The single "I Can't Deny It" went Top 40 in the UK and Top 20 in the adult contemporary. Stewart then signed to [[Clive Davis]]' new [[J Records]] label. ''[[The Very Best of Rod Stewart|The Story So Far: The Very Best of Rod Stewart]]'', a greatest hits album compiled from his time at Warner Bros., is certified four times platinum in the UK with over 1.2 million copies sold and reached number one in 2001 in Belgium and France.<ref>[https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/ “British album certifications – Rod Stewart – The Story So Far"]. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 August 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type The Story So Far in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter</ref>

===2002–2010: ''The Great American Songbook'' series and ''Soulbook''===
In June 2002, Stewart performed "[[Handbags and Gladrags]]" at the [[Party at the Palace]] held at [[Buckingham Palace Garden]], a concert which celebrated the [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II]] and featured stars from five decades of music.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2024042.stm|title=Partying at the palace|work=BBC News|date=4 June 2002|access-date=28 August 2014}}</ref>

By 2002, Stewart had sold over 100 million records during his career.<ref name="total-sales">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/dec/30/uk.monarchy2|title=Five decades of rocking and 62 hits|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=30 December 2006|location=London, UK|first=Matthew|last=Taylor|access-date=22 May 2010}}</ref> While growing up, he heard in his home classic songs written by songwriters such as [[Cole Porter]], [[Gus Kahn]] and [[George Gershwin|George]] and [[Ira Gershwin]]. Stewart joined others who had recorded the classic songs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=853792|title=Rod Stewart's Set of Standards|work=[[NPR]]|date=23 November 2002|access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref> He concentrated on singing 1930s and 1940s pop standards from the [[Great American Songbook]] with great popular success. These albums have been released on [[Clive Davis]]'s [[J Records]] label and have seen Stewart enjoy album sales equal to the 1970s.

The first album from the songbook series, ''[[It Had to Be You: the Great American Songbook]]'', reached number four on the US album chart, number eight in the UK and number ten in Canada when released in late 2002. The track "[[These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)|These Foolish Things]]" (which is actually a British, not American, song) reached number 13 on the [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|Billboard adult contemporary chart]], and "[[They Can't Take That Away From Me]]" went Top 20.<ref name="Adult">{{cite magazine|title=Adult Contemporary Charts|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/367145/rod-stewart/chart?f=341|magazine=Billboard|date=17 June 2016}}</ref>

The second series album, ''[[As Time Goes By: the Great American Songbook 2]]'', reached number two in the US, number four in the UK and number one in Canada. "[[Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered]]", a duet with [[Cher]], went Top 20 on the US adult contemporary charts. "[[Time After Time (1947 song)|Time After Time]]" was another Top 30 track on the US adult contemporary charts.<ref name="Adult"/> A musical called ''[[Tonight's The Night (2003 musical)|Tonight's The Night]]'', featuring many of Stewart's songs, opened 7 November 2003 at London's [[Victoria Palace Theatre]]. It is written and directed by [[Ben Elton]], who previously created a similar production, ''[[We Will Rock You (musical)|We Will Rock You]]'', with music by [[Queen (band)|Queen]].<ref>''We Will Rock You The Musical by Queen and Ben Elton: The Official Book''. pp. 10–27</ref> The musical tells about a "[[Goethe's Faust|Faustian]] pact between Detroit gas station mechanic Stu Clutterbuck and [[Satan]]."<ref>{{cite web|first1=Alan|last1=Bird|author-link1=Alan Bird|url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/tonights-the-night|title=Tonight's The Night|date=8 June 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20171102092622/https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/tonights-the-night|archive-date=2 November 2017|url-status=live|access-date=18 July 2021}}</ref>

In 2004, Stewart reunited with Ronnie Wood for concerts of [[Faces (band)|Faces]] material. A Rod Stewart and the Faces best of album, ''Changing Faces'', reached the Top 20 of the UK album charts. ''[[Five Guys Walk into a Bar...]]'', a Faces box set compilation, was released. In late 2004, ''[[Stardust: the Great American Songbook 3]]'', the third album in Stewart's songbook series, was released. It was his first US number one album in 25 years, selling over 200,000 albums in its first week. It also debuted at number one in Canada, number three in the UK and Top 10 in Australia. His version of [[Louis Armstrong]]'s "[[What a Wonderful World]]", featuring [[Stevie Wonder]], made the Top 20 of the world adult charts. He also recorded a duet with [[Dolly Parton]] for the album – "[[Baby, It's Cold Outside]]". Stewart won his first ever [[Grammy Award]] for this album.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=%22Rod+Stewart%22&title=&year=All&genre=All |title=Past Winners Search |work=[[Grammy Award|Grammy.com]] |publisher=[[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences|The Recording Academy]] |access-date=17 June 2016}}</ref>

2005 saw the release of the fourth songbook album, ''[[Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook 4]]''; it included duets with [[Diana Ross]] and [[Elton John]]. Within weeks of its release, the CD made it to number two on the Top 200 list. In late 2006, Stewart made his return to rock music and his new approach to country music with the release of ''[[Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time]]'', a new album featuring rock and southern rock milestones from the last four decades, including a cover of [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]]'s "[[Have You Ever Seen the Rain?]]", which was released as the first single. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard charts with 184,000 copies in its first week. The number one debut was helped by a concert in New York City that was on [[MSN Music]] and an appearance on ''[[Dancing with the Stars (U.S. TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]''. He performed tracks from his new album live from the Nokia Theater on 9 October. Control Room broadcast the event Live on MSN and in 117 cinemas across the country via National CineMedia. In November 2006, Stewart was inducted into the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]].<ref name="UKinduction">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5338196.stm|title=Led Zeppelin make UK Hall of Fame|publisher=BBC|access-date=28 September 2014}}</ref>
[[File:657105w.jpg|thumb|right|Performing in [[Zaragoza]], Spain, November 2006]]
On 1 July 2007, Stewart performed at the [[Concert for Diana]] held at [[Wembley Stadium]], London, an event which celebrated the life of [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Princess Diana]] almost 10 years after her death.<ref>{{cite news|title=What is the Concert for Diana?|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/webarchive/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fconcertfordiana%2Ffeatures%2Fabout.shtml|publisher=BBC|date=13 August 2015}}</ref><ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6257986.stm Diana concert a 'perfect tribute'] BBC News. Retrieved 12 April 2012</ref> He performed "[[Sailing (Sutherland Brothers song)|Sailing]]", "[[Baby Jane (Rod Stewart song)|Baby Jane]]" and "[[Maggie May]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6259822.stm|title=Old and new stars celebrate Diana|publisher=BBC|access-date=28 September 2014}}</ref> On 12 December, he performed for the first time at the ''[[Royal Variety Performance]]'' at the [[Coliseum Theatre|London Coliseum]] in front of HRH [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince of Wales]] and The Duchess of Cornwall, singing another Cat Stevens number, "Father and Son", and [[Bonnie Tyler]]'s song "[[It's a Heartache (song)|It's a Heartache]]". On 22 December 2006, Stewart hosted the 8th Annual ''A Home for the Holidays'' special on CBS at 8:00 pm (PST).

On 20 May 2009, Stewart performed "Maggie May" on the grand finale of ''[[American Idol]]'' season 8. On 2, July 2009 Stewart performed his only UK date that year at [[Home Park]], [[Plymouth]]. On 29 September 2009 a 4-CD, 65-track compilation entitled ''Rod Stewart Sessions 1971–1998'' was released; it is composed of previously unreleased tracks and outtakes from the bulk of his career. Stewart has also mentioned plans for a compilation of covers of soul classics, the possible release of another edition of the ''Great American Songbook'' album and a country covers album.<ref name="Rod Stewart living the good life">{{cite web|title=Rod Stewart living the good life |work=The Vancouver Sun |url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/Stewart+living+good+life/1872044/story.html |access-date=9 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090811130450/http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Stewart%2Bliving%2Bgood%2Blife/1872044/story.html |archive-date=11 August 2009 }}</ref>

On 17 October 2009, Stewart released the studio album ''[[Soulbook]]'' which was composed of covers of soul and Motown songs. On 14 November 2009, Stewart recorded a TV program in the UK for ITV that was screened on 5 December 2009.  The music in the programme featured tracks from his new album and some old favourites. On 14 January 2010, Rhino records released Stewart's ''Once in a Blue Moon'', a "lost album" originally recorded in 1992, featuring ten cover songs including the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday", Bob Dylan's "The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" and Stevie Nicks' "Stand Back", as well as Tom Waits' "Tom Traubert's Blues". On 19 October 2010, Stewart released another edition of his [[Great American Songbook]] series titled ''[[Fly Me to the Moon...The Great American Songbook Volume V]]'' on [[J Records]].

===2011–2012: Christmas album and autobiography===

In 2011, Stewart performed with [[Stevie Nicks]] on their Heart & Soul Tour. Starting on 20 March in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the tour visited arena concerts in North America – with performances in New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Tampa and Montreal, among others.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iknowjack.radio.com/2011/01/13/rod-stewart-stevie-nicks-announce-the-heart-soul-2011-north-american-tour/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709164512/http://iknowjack.radio.com/2011/01/13/rod-stewart-stevie-nicks-announce-the-heart-soul-2011-north-american-tour/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 July 2012 |title=Rod Stewart & Stevie Nicks Announce The Heart & Soul 2011 North American Tour }}</ref>

Stewart headlined the Sunday show at the [[Hard Rock Calling#Hard Rock Calling 2011|2011 Hard Rock Calling]] Festival on 26 June in London's [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/celebrity/festivals/celebrities-at-festivals/hard-rock-calling/rod-stewart-at-hard-rock-calling-2011|title=Hard Rock Calling|publisher=Glamourmagazine.co.uk|access-date=28 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823090600/http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/celebrity/festivals/celebrities-at-festivals/hard-rock-calling/rod-stewart-at-hard-rock-calling-2011|archive-date=23 August 2014}}</ref> Stewart signed on to a two-year residency at the [[Colosseum at Caesars Palace]], Las Vegas, commencing on 24 August.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rod-stewart-announces-two-year-las-vegas-residency-20110510|title=Rod Stewart Announces Two-Year Las Vegas Residency|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=28 September 2014|date=10 May 2011}}</ref><ref name="LasVegas"/> Performing his greatest hits, the residency also saw him perform selected tracks from his upcoming, untitled blues album.<ref name="LasVegas">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/events/live/471655/rod-stewart-to-begin-two-year-las-vegas-residency-in-august|title=Rod Stewart To Begin Two-Year Las Vegas Residency in August|date=10 May 2011|magazine=Billboard|access-date=28 September 2014}}</ref>

On 7 June 2012, Stewart signed a recording agreement with [[Universal Music Group]].<ref name="UMG Recording Agreement">{{cite web|title=Rod Stewart signs recording agreement with UMG|url=https://www.universalmusic.com/corporate/detail/2033|publisher=UMG|access-date=10 October 2012}}</ref> Stewart released his first Christmas album, titled ''[[Merry Christmas, Baby (album)|Merry Christmas, Baby]]'', on the [[Verve Music Group]] label (a division of Universal Music Group) on 30 October 2012. The album was produced by [[David Foster]] and contained several duets, as well as an original song written by Stewart, Foster and Amy Foster called "Red-Suited Super Man".<ref>{{cite web|title=Rod Stewart to release Christmas album|url=https://www.rodstewart.com/2012/09/04/stewart-to-release-debut-christmas-album-on-verve-music-group/|access-date=10 October 2012}}</ref> According to [[IFPI]], ''Merry Christmas, Baby'' was the seventh best-selling album worldwide in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifpi.org/best-sellers.php|title=Best Sellers|publisher=IFPI|access-date=15 February 2014|archive-date=7 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107201323/http://www.ifpi.org/best-sellers.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> In October 2012, Stewart's autobiography titled ''Rod: The Autobiography'' was released (exact dates vary worldwide).<ref>{{cite web|title=Random House announces global release of Rod Stewart's autobiography|url=https://www.rodstewart.com/2012/09/10/random-house-announces-global-release-of-rod-stewarts-autobiography/|access-date=21 October 2012}}</ref>

In November 2012, Stewart performed "[[Auld Lang Syne]]" from his Christmas album and his hit "[[Sailing (Sutherland Brothers song)|Sailing]]" at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] for the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, which was attended by [[Queen Elizabeth II]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Festival of Remembrance 2012|url=http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/calendar-of-events/general/festival-of-remembrance-2012|access-date=10 November 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015154447/http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/calendar-of-events/general/festival-of-remembrance-2012|archive-date=15 October 2012 }}</ref> Later that month, Stewart again performed at the Royal Albert Hall in front of the Queen during the 100th [[Royal Variety Performance]], singing "[[When You Wish upon a Star]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/theroyalvarietyperformance2012/default.html|title=Press releases|publisher=Itv.com|access-date=11 December 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201091533/http://www.itv.com/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/theroyalvarietyperformance2012/default.html|archive-date=1 December 2012}}</ref> On 26 November, Stewart's recording of "[[Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!]]" reached the top of the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Adult Contemporary Chart]]. Stewart had the number one song on this chart three times previously, the last being in 1993 with "[[Have I Told You Lately]]", giving him the second-largest hiatus between number ones in the history of the chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Trust|first=Gary|title=Rod Stewart Scores First AC No. 1 Since 1993 With 'Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow'|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/chartbeat/474019/rod-stewart-scores-first-ac-no-1-since-1993-with-let-it-snow-let-it-snow|magazine=Billboard|access-date=26 November 2012|date=26 November 2012}}</ref> The song remained in the No. 1 spot for five weeks, tying it for the longest-leading holiday title in the chart's 51-year history.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Trust|first=Gary|title=Chart Moves: 2012's Twelve Hot 100 No. 1s; Taylor Swift Back in Country Airplay Top 10; Dropkick Murphys Xmas Song Charts|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/chart-moves-2012-s-twelve-hot-100-no-1s-1008063472.story|magazine=Billboard|access-date=8 January 2013|archive-date=19 February 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219182556/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/chart-moves-2012-s-twelve-hot-100-no-1s-1008063472.story|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 10 December 2012, Stewart was a guest singer on [[Michael Bublé]]'s television ''Home for the Holidays'' Christmas special.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2012/12/10/michael-buble-welcomes-rod-stewart-carly-rae-jepsen-blake-sh.html|title=Michael Buble Welcomes Rod Stewart, Carly Rae Jepsen & Blake Shelton to Christmas Special|work=ABC News Radio online|access-date=11 December 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801085956/http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2012/12/10/michael-buble-welcomes-rod-stewart-carly-rae-jepsen-blake-sh.html|archive-date=1 August 2013}}</ref> Stewart was the tenth best-selling artist in Canada in the year 2012, according to year-end sales data from [[Nielsen Soundscan]] Canada.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Bliss|first=Karen|title=Adele, Gotye Top SoundScan Year-End Charts in Canada|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/global/adele-gotye-top-soundscan-year-end-charts-1008085162.story|magazine=Billboard|access-date=10 January 2013|archive-date=19 February 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219182325/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/global/adele-gotye-top-soundscan-year-end-charts-1008085162.story|url-status=dead}}</ref> In February 2013, Stewart was nominated for a Canadian [[Juno Award]] in the [[Juno Award for International Album of the Year|International Album of the Year]] category for his album ''Merry Christmas, Baby''.<ref>{{cite web|title=2013 Juno Award Nominees|url=http://junoawards.ca/nominees-winners|publisher=CARAS|access-date=20 February 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221085934/http://junoawards.ca/nominees-winners|archive-date=21 February 2013}}</ref>

===2013–2015: Return to songwriting – ''Time'' and ''Another Country''===
[[File:Rod Stewart at Xcel Center DSC 0456 (14905955393).jpg|thumb|upright|Performing in [[Hamburg]] in September 2013]]
In May 2013, Stewart released ''[[Time (Rod Stewart album)|Time]]'', a rock album of his own original material. It marked a return to songwriting after what Stewart termed "a dark period of twenty years"; he said that writing his autobiography gave him the impetus to write music again.<ref name="bbc6-keaveny"/> The album entered the [[UK Albums Chart]] at number 1, setting a new British record for the longest gap between chart-topping albums by an artist.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/rod-stewart-enjoys-first-number-1-album-in-nearly-40-years-__3044/|title=Rod Stewart enjoys first Number 1 album in nearly 40 years!|website=Officialcharts.com|language=en|access-date=7 March 2019}}</ref> Stewart's last No. 1 on the chart had been ''[[Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (Rod Stewart album)|Greatest Hits Volume 1]]'' in 1979 and his last studio album to top the chart was 1976's ''[[A Night on the Town (Rod Stewart album)|A Night on the Town]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kreisler|first=Lauren|title=Rod Stewart enjoys first Number 1 album in nearly 40 years!|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/rod-stewart-enjoys-first-number-1-album-in-nearly-40-years-2227/|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=19 May 2013}}</ref>

In September 2013, Stewart presented his friend [[Elton John]] with the first [[Brit Awards|Brits Icon award]] in a special show at the [[London Palladium]], recognising John's "lasting impact" on UK culture. Stewart quipped that John was "the second-best rock singer ever", before the two performed a duet on stage.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23935217|title=Sir Elton John wins first Brits Icon award|work=BBC News|date=2 September 2013|access-date=18 September 2013}}</ref>

A new studio album, ''[[Another Country (Rod Stewart album)|Another Country]]'', was released on 23 October 2015. The video for the first single "Love Is" is available on his Vevo account.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rodstewart.com|title=Rod Stewart official website|access-date=7 November 2015}}</ref>

===2016–present: Continuing to record – ''Blood Red Roses'' and ''The Tears of Hercules''===
Stewart recorded vocals with [[Joe Walsh]] on the [[Frankie Miller]] album ''[[Frankie Miller's Double Take]]'', which was released on 30 September 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dingwall |first=John |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/music/music-news/music-greats-unite-help-stricken-8665777 |title=Music greats unite to help stricken singer Frankie Miller storm charts with lost album |work=Daily Record |access-date=18 September 2016 |date=21 August 2016}}</ref>{{better source needed|reason=tabloid|date=December 2021}} He sang his cover of the [[Beatles]]' "[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (song)|Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]" as Sgt. Pepper for ''[[Beat Bugs]]'' episode 17b, which debuted 18 November 2016 on [[Netflix]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7453530/rod-stewart-jennifer-hudson-beat-bugs-beatles|title=Rod Stewart, Jennifer Hudson & More Added to 'Beat Bugs' Beatles Kids Series|magazine=Billboard|access-date=7 March 2019}}</ref> At the same, Stewart was quoted responding to [[John Lennon]]'s 1980 assertion that Stewart's hit "The Killing of Georgie (Part 1 and 2)" plagiarised his song "[[Don't Let Me Down (Beatles song)|Don't Let Me Down]]", declaring to ''[[The Guardian]]'': "It does sound like it, [...] Nothing wrong with a good steal!".<ref>{{cite web|first1=Eric|last1=Schaal|url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-beatles-song-john-lennon-accused-rod-stewart-of-plagiarizing.html/|title=The Beatles Song John Lennon Accused Rod Stewart of Plagiarizing|date=21 October 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200104013855/https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-beatles-song-john-lennon-accused-rod-stewart-of-plagiarizing.html/|archive-date=4 January 2020|url-status=live|access-date=18 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Jenny|last1=Desborough|url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1355622/John-Lennon-Rod-Stewart-feud-what-happened-The-Beatles-evg|title=John Lennon and Rod Stewart feud: What happened between Beatles star and Sir Rod?|date=6 November 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201104083216/https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1355622/John-Lennon-Rod-Stewart-feud-what-happened-The-Beatles-evg|archive-date=4 November 2020|url-status=live|access-date=18 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Claudio|last1=Pezzella|url=https://www.r3m.it/2020/04/13/beatles-quella-volta-john-lennon-accuso-rod-stewart-plagio/|title=Beatles: quella volta che John Lennon accusò Rod Stewart di plagio|trans-title=Beatles: when John Lennon charged Rod Stewart of plagiarism|language=Italian|date=13 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718134125/https://www.r3m.it/2020/04/13/beatles-quella-volta-john-lennon-accuso-rod-stewart-plagio/|archive-date=18 July 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 28 September 2018, Stewart released his 30th studio album, ''[[Blood Red Roses]]'', on [[Republic Records]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hear-rod-stewart-preview-new-album-with-stirring-didnt-i-701252/ |title=Hear Rod Stewart Preview New Album With Stirring 'Didn't I' |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=19 July 2018 |access-date=4 August 2018 |author=Blistein, Jon}}</ref> He duets with Welsh singer [[Bonnie Tyler]] on the track "Battle of the Sexes" from her 2019 studio album, ''[[Between the Earth and the Stars (Bonnie Tyler album)|Between the Earth and the Stars]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/bonnie-tyler-speaks-out-ahead-15394159 |title=Bonnie Tyler speaks out ahead of very first Coventry gig |last=Sandford |first=Elis |publisher=[[Coventry Telegraph]] |date=10 November 2018 |access-date=18 January 2019}}</ref> Stewart collaborated with the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]] for the release of ''[[You're in My Heart: Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra|You're in My Heart]]'' in November 2019. The album contains new versions of the hit songs "[[Maggie May]]", and "[[It Takes Two (Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston song)|It Takes Two]]" with [[Robbie Williams]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Rod Stewart Preps New Orchestral LP 'You're in My Heart |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rod-stewart-orchestral-album-youre-in-my-heart-886997/ |access-date=21 November 2019 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref>

On 22 November 2019, Stewart released ''[[You're in My Heart: Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]]'', produced by [[Trevor Horn]]. The album contains vocal tracks from UK number one hits "Sailing", "[[I Don't Want To Talk About It]]" and "The First Cut is the Deepest" with new arrangements performed by the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rod Stewart {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/20537/rod-stewart/|access-date=19 May 2021|website=Officialcharts.com|date=4 September 1971 }}</ref> as well as 1971 chart toppers in both the UK and US "[[Maggie May]]" and "[[Reason to Believe|Reasons to Believe]]". The release of ''You're In My Heart'' coincided with Stewart's biggest-ever UK stadium tour throughout November and December 2019, a continuation of his successful summer stadium tour. ''You're In My Heart'' also included "Stop Loving Her Today", a new song, as well as a new recording of "[[It Takes Two (Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston song)|It Takes Two]]" featuring Robbie Williams.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Reed|first=Ryan|date=19 September 2019|title=Rod Stewart Preps New Orchestral LP 'You're in My Heart'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rod-stewart-orchestral-album-youre-in-my-heart-886997/|access-date=19 May 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref> ''You're in My Heart'' topped the [[UK Albums Chart]], staying in the number one position for three weeks and making it his tenth UK chart-topping album.<ref>{{Cite web|title=You're in My Heart {{!}} Full Official Chart History|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/you%27re%20in%20my%20heart/|access-date=19 May 2021|website=Officialcharts.com|language=en}}</ref> Stewart released his 31st studio album ''[[The Tears of Hercules]]'' in November 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 September 2021|title=Sir Rod Stewart album news! 'The Tears of Hercules' MarkMeets|url=https://markmeets.com/music/sir-rod-stewart-album-news-the-tears-of-hercules/|access-date=16 September 2021|language=en-US}}</ref> Stewart is only the fifth British act in UK chart history with 10 or more number-one albums, and BPI Certified – Gold.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rod Stewart sees off Stormzy and Harry Styles to score Christmas Number 1 album|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/rod-stewart-sees-off-stormzy-and-harry-styles-to-score-christmas-number-1-album__28034/|access-date=19 May 2021|website=Officialcharts.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Rod Stewart claims tenth Number 1 album|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/rod-stewart-claims-tenth-number-1-album-with-youre-in-my-heart-and-sets-a-new-chart-record__27970/|access-date=19 May 2021|website=Officialcharts.com|language=en}}</ref>

In June 2022, Stewart performed at the [[Platinum Party at the Palace]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/diana-ross-lin-manuel-miranda-alicia-keys-nile-rodgers-queen-platinum-jubilee-party-palace-1235038504/|title=Platinum Jubilee: Diana Ross, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alicia Keys, Nile Rodgers Join UK Stars For Party At The Palace|work=Deadline|first=Caroline|last=Frost|date=4 June 2022|access-date=23 May 2023}}</ref> In November 2022, he said that he had refused to perform in Qatar the year before, despite an offer of "over $1m", citing the country's [[Human rights in Qatar|human rights record]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Dua Lipa: Singer denies she is performing at Qatar World Cup |work=BBC News |date=14 November 2022 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-63620686 |access-date=14 November 2022}}</ref> In 2023, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked Stewart at No. 49 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=1 January 2023|title=The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/rod-stewart-10-1234643124/|access-date=24 August 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref> In May 2023, Stewart performed at the [[Jeff Beck]] tribute concerts held at the [[Royal Albert Hall]], sharing the stage with Ronnie Wood, [[Eric Clapton]], [[Kirk Hammett]] and [[Johnny Depp]] among others.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eric Clapton Leads Jeff Beck Tribute Concerts in London |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/eric-clapton-jeff-beck-tribute-concerts-london-2023/ |access-date=23 May 2023 |work=Ultimate Classic Rock}}</ref>

In late 2023, [[Warner Music]] announced a new album, ''[[Swing Fever (album)|Swing Fever]]'', recorded with [[Jools Holland]]'s Rhythm And Blues Orchestra, for 23 February 2024 release. A single from the album, "[[Almost Like Being in Love]]", was released on 5 December.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/in-music-there-aren-t-any-rules-rod-stewart-jools-holland-unveil-swing-fever/088935 | title='In music, there aren't any rules': Rod Stewart & Jools Holland unveil Swing Fever }}</ref>

In February 2024 [[Irving Azoff]]'s Iconic Artists Group acquired Stewart's catalogue for close to $100M.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Geraghty |first=Hollie |date=16 February 2024 |title=Rod Stewart sells back catalogue for near $100million |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/rod-stewart-sells-back-catalogue-for-near-100million-3588728 |access-date=18 February 2024 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rod Stewart Reportedly Sells Rights to His Song Catalog for Nearly $100 Million |url=https://people.com/rod-stewart-sells-rights-song-catalog-nearly-100-million-8584062 |access-date=18 February 2024 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}}</ref>

In November 2024 Stewart was confirmed to play the Glastonbury Legends slot in 2025, 23 years after his last appearance at the festival.<ref>{{cite news|last=Savage |first=Mark |title=Rod Stewart to play Glastonbury's legends slot |date=26 November 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy1zv753v2o |website=BBC News |access-date=26 November 2024}}</ref> In June 2025 he cancelled a string of US concerts as he recovered from [[flu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2j3ljw3ejo|title=Rod Stewart cancels US gigs ahead of Glastonbury legends slot|date=7 June 2025|website=BBC News}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In May 2000, Stewart was diagnosed with [[thyroid cancer]], for which he underwent surgery the same month. It had been previously reported he suffered from a benign vocal cord nodule.<ref name=thyroid>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-02-22-stewart-thyroid.htm|work=[[USA Today]]|title=Rod Stewart faces thyroid cancer|first=Mike|last=Falcon|date=22 February 2001|access-date=22 May 2010|archive-date=16 September 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180916093810/https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-02-22-stewart-thyroid.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Besides being a major health scare, the resulting surgery also threatened his voice, and he had to re-learn how to sing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/03/stewart|title=Rod Stewart's cancer battle|work=[[CNN]]|date=3 February 2001|access-date=28 September 2014|archive-date=6 June 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190606082250/http://edition.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/03/stewart/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since then he has been active in raising funds for [[City of Hope National Medical Center|The City of Hope Foundation]] charity to find cures for all forms of cancer, especially those affecting children.<ref name=thyroid/> In September 2019, Stewart revealed that he had been diagnosed with [[prostate cancer]] in 2017, and had been given the all-clear after treatment.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beaumont-Thomas |first1=Ben |title=Rod Stewart given all-clear following secret cancer treatment |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/16/rod-stewart-given-all-clear-following-secret-cancer-treatment |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=16 September 2019|date=16 September 2019 }}</ref>

Before returning to the UK, Stewart played for his LA Exiles team, made up of mostly English expatriates, plus a few celebrities, including [[Billy Duffy]] of [[the Cult]], in a senior soccer league in [[Palos Verdes, California]].<ref>[http://www.palosverdesrealty.net/462020.html Palos Verdes Football ground], palosverdesrealty.net; accessed 14 June 2016. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121055223/http://www.palosverdesrealty.net/462020.html |date=21 November 2008 }}</ref>

Despite his father having been a supporter of [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFqjVjN4DDc&t=29m26s| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211028/oFqjVjN4DDc| archive-date=28 October 2021|title=Rod Stewart.Loose Women.|publisher=YouTube|date=5 November 2012|access-date=9 July 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Stewart is a supporter of [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]], which he mentions in "[[You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)|You're in My Heart]]". He supports the [[Scotland national football team|Scotland national team]] and follows [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] as his English side, and he explains his love affair with both Celtic and Manchester United in Frank Worrall's book, ''Celtic United''.<ref>Worrall, Frank (2008). "Celtic United". [[Mainstream Publishing]], 2008<!-- ISSN/ISBN, page(s) needed --></ref> Stewart clarifies this more in his 2012 book (pp.&nbsp;163–64), ''Rod: The Autobiography'', mentioning he "only had an attachment to Manchester United in the 1970s, but that was because they had so many great Scottish players in the 1970s, including [[Denis Law]] ... When I did eventually click with a team, it was Celtic". He presented Celtic with the trophy after they won the [[2015 Scottish League Cup Final]].<ref name=bbcfinal>{{cite news|title=Dundee Utd 0–2 Celtic|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/31785677|access-date=15 March 2015|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date=14 March 2015|first=Richard|last=Wilson}}</ref>

Stewart is a [[model railway]] enthusiast. His {{cvt|23|x|124|ft}} [[HO scale]] [[model railroad layout|layout]] in his Los Angeles home is modelled after the [[New York Central]] and the [[Pennsylvania Railroad|Pennsylvania]] Railroads during the 1940s. Called the Three Rivers City, the layout was featured in the cover story of the December 2007, December 2010, February 2014, June 2017, December 2024 and January 2025 issues of ''[[Model Railroader]]'' magazine. In the 2007 article, Stewart said that it meant more to him to be in a model railroad magazine than a music magazine. The layout, which has a mainline run of {{cvt|900|ft}}, uses code 70 flextrack and a [[Digital Command Control]] (DCC) system made by Digitrax.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3668740/Rod-Stewart-is-a-model-railway-enthusiast.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3668740/Rod-Stewart-is-a-model-railway-enthusiast.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|location=London, UK|title=Rod Stewart is a model railway enthusiast|first=Nigel|last=Reynolds|date=24 October 2007|access-date=22 May 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Swanson|first=Carl|title=Rod Stewart Reaches a Milestone|journal=[[Model Railroader]]|date=February 2014|pages=52–59|publisher=[[Kalmbach Media|Kalmbach Publishing]]|location=Waukesha, WI, US}}</ref> Stewart has a second, smaller layout at his UK home, based on Britain's [[East Coast Main Line]]. In a sidebar<ref>{{cite journal|last=Swanson|journal=Model Railroader|title=Rod Stewart sidebar|date=February 2014|page=56}}</ref> to the 2014 ''Model Railroader'' article, Stewart confirmed (in an anecdote about having unwittingly mixed red scenery texturing material into a "turf" mix he used around the bases of buildings) that he is [[color-blind|colour-blind]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.factfiend.com/rod-stewart-accidentally-revealed-color-blind/|title=How Rod Stewart Accidentally Revealed he was Color-Blind|first=Karl|last=Smallwood|date=13 April 2016|work=factfiend.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.skynews.com.au/culture/showbiz/music/2015/07/29/singer-rod-stewart-is-colour-blind.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801004321/http://www.skynews.com.au/culture/showbiz/music/2015/07/29/singer-rod-stewart-is-colour-blind.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 August 2015|title=Singer Rod Stewart is colour blind|work=[[Sky News Australia|skynews.com.au]]}}</ref> In a 2019 interview with ''[[Railway Modeller]]'' magazine, he said that the hobby is "addictive" for him.

Stewart has admitted to taking cocaine in the past.<ref name="TimeDean2022">{{cite news |last1=Dean |first1=Jonathan |title=Rod Stewart: pint-puller, HRT campaigner, pothole-filler |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/music/article/young-turk-rod-stewart-relatable-musician-hrt-potholes-latest-2x2l0nd6f |work=[[The Times]] |date=8 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

A car collector, Stewart owns one of the 400 [[Ferrari Enzo]]s. In 1982, Stewart was [[car-jacked]] on Los Angeles' [[Sunset Boulevard]] while he was parking his $50,000 [[Porsche]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rodstewartfanclub.com/about_rod/article/EEEukplkykxYNuyRiZ.php|title=About Rod|work=Rodstewartfanclub.com|access-date=2 January 2012}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=September 2025}} The car was subsequently recovered. In March 2022, Stewart and others personally filled in some potholes on the country lane near his [[Essex]] residence, claiming that an ambulance had burst a tyre and his Ferrari could not get through. Dominic Zaria, one of Stewart's neighbours, praised the singer's action and said the lane had "a massive crack" and could be dangerous when it was dark and wet. In response, the county council cautioned that potholes should be reported and repaired by professionals, adding residents making their own repairs "could become liable for any problems or accidents".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gair |first1=Kieran |title=Rod Stewart fills in potholes to stop his Ferrari getting stuck |url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/driving/article/sir-rod-stewart-tackles-potholes-on-country-lane-w6cqqh3dl |work=[[The Times]] |date=14 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

In September 2002, Stewart's son Sean was sentenced to three months in jail and required to pay compensation and attend anger management, drug and alcohol treatment courses for attacking a man outside a restaurant in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite news |last=Poole |first=Oliver |title=Rod Stewart's son given jail sentence for kicking stranger |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1407196/Rod-Stewarts-son-given-jail-sentence-for-kicking-stranger.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1407196/Rod-Stewarts-son-given-jail-sentence-for-kicking-stranger.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=17 June 2017 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |date=14 September 2002}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Rod Stewart was appointed [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) in the [[2007 New Year Honours]] for services to music. At his investiture in July 2007, at [[Buckingham Palace]], Stewart commented: "It's a marvellous occasion. We're the only country in the world to honour the common man."<ref name="BBC2007">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6897017.stm|title=Stewart rocks up to collect CBE|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=28 September 2014}}</ref> He was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] in the [[2016 Birthday Honours]] for "services to music and charity".<ref name="knighted"/>

Stewart was estimated to have a fortune of £215 million in the ''[[Sunday Times Rich List]]'' of 2021, making him the 12th wealthiest person in the British music industry.<ref name="wealth">{{cite news |title=Sir Rod Stewart net worth — Sunday Times Rich List 2021 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/rod-stewart-net-worth-sunday-times-rich-list-vp7whjjgc |access-date=22 May 2021 |work=[[The Times]] |date=21 May 2021}}</ref> He lives with his wife in the [[Listed building#Grade II|Grade II listed]] Durrington House, a £4.65 million property in Essex.<ref name="wealth"/> During his time in California, he was previously the owner of the modernist [[Wave House]], said to have inspired [[Sydney Opera House]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burke |first1=Kelly |title=California home thought to have inspired Sydney Opera House sells for US$20m less than asking price |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/sep/03/california-wave-house-sydney-opera-house-sale-harry-gesner-jorn-utzon |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=25 March 2025 |date=3 September 2024}}</ref>

In February 2023, it was announced that Stewart had paid for a day's worth of MRI scans for patients at [[Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow|Princess Alexandra Hospital]] in [[Harlow]] in order to aid in reducing waiting lists.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 February 2023 |title=Rod Stewart pays for scans at NHS hospital to cut waiting lists |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News Online|BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-64759060 |access-date=24 February 2023}}</ref>

===Political views===
In 1970, Stewart expressed support for the anti-immigration [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] politician [[Enoch Powell]], saying that the United Kingdom was "overcrowded".<ref>{{cite journal |title=Rod the Mod |journal=International Times |date=17-31 December 1970 |issue=94 |page=17 |url=https://www.internationaltimes.it/archive/index.php?year=1970&volume=IT-Volume-1&issue=94&item=IT_1970-12-17_B-IT-Volume-1_Iss-94_017}}</ref> In January 2023, Stewart described himself as having been "a [[Tory]] for a long time" but called on [[Rishi Sunak]]'s [[Premiership of Rishi Sunak|Conservative government]] to stand down and give the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] "a go" at governing. He called [[Brexit]] "an enormous mistake and we're realising it too late", and said [[Scottish independence]] would be "a shame".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64417054 |title=Rod Stewart: Tories should stand down and give Labour a go |work=[[BBC News Online|BBC News]] |date=27 January 2023 | access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref> In June 2025, he expressed support for [[Reform UK]] and its leader, [[Nigel Farage]], having previously criticised Farage for saying that the West had provoked the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rod Stewart tells people to 'give Farage a chance' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/glastonbury/rod-stewart-nigel-farage-reform-glastonbury-b2778559.html |first=Greg|last=Evans|access-date=28 June 2025 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=27 June 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

===Relationships and family===

Stewart has eight children, by five mothers:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Duration !! Partner !! Child(ren) !! Note
|-
| 1963–1964 || Susannah Boffey<ref name=penny>Gannon, Louise. [https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/rod-stewart-i-burst-into-tears-when-penny-791737/ "Rod Stewart: I burst into tears when Penny said she was pregnant"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163430/https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/rod-stewart-i-burst-into-tears-when-penny-791737 |date=16 April 2021 }}, ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' (London), 1 November 2010.</ref> || Sarah Streeter<br />(born 1964) London<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rod Stewart Chose Adoption in 1964 |url=https://texasrighttolife.com/rod-stewart-chose-adoption-in-1964/ |access-date=30 January 2025| website=texasrighttolife.com |date=28 October 2010 |language=en}}</ref>
| Daughter Sarah was raised by her adoptive parents, Gerald and Evelyn Thubron.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12500132|title=Rod Stewart fathers eighth child|work=[[BBC News Online|BBC News]]|access-date=28 September 2014}}</ref>
|-
| 1965–1967 || Jennie Rylance || ||
|-
| 1971–1975 || Dee Harrington || ||
|-
| 1975–1977 || [[Britt Ekland]] || || Ekland stated in 1981 that she ended her relationship with Stewart because he was unfaithful.<ref>{{cite news |title='True Britt' is Ekland tell-all |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19810529&id=ZKwfAAAAIBAJ&pg=1301,4904733 |access-date=26 November 2019 |work=[[The Gadsden Times]] |date=29 May 1981}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''First marriage'''<br />1979–1984 || rowspan="2" | {{Nowrap| [[Alana Stewart]]}} || [[Kimberly Stewart|Kimberly Alana Stewart]] (born 1979) || rowspan="2" | On 21 August 2011, daughter Kimberly gave birth to her first child, a daughter, with actor [[Benicio Del Toro]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/kimberly_stewart_benicio_del_toros_baby/264719|title=Benicio Del Toro & Kim Stewart Newborn's Future Secured|last=Garvey|first=Marianne|date=19 September 2011|publisher=[[E! News]]|access-date=19 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/momsbabies/news/kimberly-stewart-gives-birth-to-baby-girl-2011218|title=Kimberly Stewart Gives Birth to Baby Girl!|date=21 August 2011|journal=[[Us Weekly]]|access-date=21 August 2011}}</ref>
|-
| [[Sean Stewart (reality TV star)|Sean Roderick Stewart]] (born 1980)
|-
| 1983–1990 || [[Kelly Emberg]] || [[Ruby Stewart]] <br/>(born 1987) ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Nowrap|'''Second marriage'''}}<br />1990–2006 || rowspan="2" | [[Rachel Hunter]] || Renee Cecili Stewart<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rachel Hunter and Rod Stewart's daughter Renee on rejecting fame|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/112544053/rachel-hunter-and-rod-stewarts-daughter-renee-on-rejecting-fame|first=Emily |last=Brookes|website=[[Stuff (company)|Stuff]]|date=7 May 2019|language=en|access-date=30 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Rod Stewart Has One Big Family — Meet the Legendary Singer's 8 Kids|url=https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/rod-stewarts-children-meet-the-legendary-singers-8-kids/|date=4 January 2020|website=[[Closer (magazine)|Closer Weekly]]|language=en-US|access-date=30 April 2020}}</ref> <br/>(born 1992) || rowspan="2" | Stewart and Hunter separated in 1999 and divorced in 2006. Son Liam played major [[junior ice hockey]] with the [[Spokane Chiefs]] of the [[Western Hockey League]], has played in the Elite Ice Hockey League with the Coventry Blaze and Guildford Flames, and plays professional hockey with the [[Milton Keynes Lightning]] of the United Kingdom's [[National Ice Hockey League#National League|National League]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/ice-hockey/15186524|title=Young players key for Scottish ice hockey|first=Craig|last=Anderson|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date=5 October 2011|access-date=5 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=145188 |title=Liam Stewart hockey stats |work=Internet Hockey Database |access-date=11 November 2019}}</ref>
|-
| Liam McAlister Stewart (born 1994)
|-
| rowspan="2"|'''Third marriage'''<br/>Since 2007||rowspan="2"| [[Penny Lancaster|Penny Lancaster-Stewart]] || Alastair Wallace Stewart<ref name="msn.com">{{Cite web|title=Rod Stewart rings in the New Year with wife Penny Lancaster and six of his children|url=https://www.msn.com/en-au/entertainment/celebrity/rod-stewart-rings-in-the-new-year-with-wife-penny-lancaster-and-six-of-his-children/ar-BBYxUJX|website=[[MSN|Msn.com]]|access-date=30 April 2020}}</ref> (born 2005 in London) || rowspan="2" |The couple began dating in 1999 and married in the cloistered [[Cervara Abbey|medieval monastery La Cervara]] in [[Portofino]] on 16 June 2007 and honeymooned on board the yacht ''Lady Ann Magee'' moored in the Italian port of Portofino.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sansoni|first1=Silvia |last2=Perry|first2=Simon |url=https://people.com/celebrity/rod-stewart-marries-penny-lancaster-in-italy/|title=Rod Stewart Marries Penny Lancaster in Italy – Weddings, Rod Stewart|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date=1 December 2020|access-date=6 May 2013}}</ref>
|-
|Aiden Patrick Stewart<ref name="msn.com"/> (born 2011)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/parents/rod-stewart-welcomes-a-son/|title=It's a Boy for Rod Stewart|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=28 September 2014}}</ref>
|}

In reference to his divorces, Stewart was once quoted as saying, "Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/profiles/43421 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513020514/http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/profiles/43421 |url-status=dead |title=Rod Stewart|last=Smithies|first=Grant |date=28 October 2007|work=[[Sunday Star-Times|Sunday Star Times]]|access-date=24 June 2008|archive-date=13 May 2012}}</ref>

In January 2020, Stewart and his 39-year-old son Sean were arrested, and both were charged with battery following an incident at a Florida hotel.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jan/04/rod-stewart-charged-alleged-altercation-florida-hotel|title=Rod Stewart charged over alleged altercation at Florida resort|last=Thorpe|first=Vanessa|date=4 January 2020|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=5 December 2020}}</ref> The case was resolved in 2021, with both Stewarts pleading guilty to simple battery in a plea agreement that included no jail time, no probation, and no fine.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rock Icon Sir Rod Stewart, Son Resolve Florida Hotel Assault Case |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/rock-icon-rod-stewart-son-resolve-florida-hotel-assault-case/ |work=[[CBS]] |date=17 September 2021}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition==
[[File:Los Angeles (California, USA), Hollywood Boulevard, Rod Stewart -- 2012 -- 5024.jpg|thumb|right|Stewart's star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]]]
* Silver Clef at 1991 [[Silver Clef Award]]
* [[Brit Award]] for [[List of BRIT Awards ceremonies#1993|Outstanding Contribution to Music]], 1993.<ref name="Brits"/>
*Received a Legend Award from the [[World Music Awards]], 1993.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sandler|first=Adam|date=3 June 1993|title=1993 World Music Awards|url=https://variety.com/1993/tv/reviews/1993-world-music-awards-1200432580/|access-date=16 December 2020|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>
* Inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]], 1994 (as a solo artist.)<ref name="soloinduction"/>
* Received the first ever [[Chopard Diamond Award]] from the [[World Music Awards]] for over 100 million records sold worldwide, 2001.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gallo|first=Phil|date=21 May 2011|title=Rod Stewart: no "magicians or midgets" in Vegas show|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-rodstewart-idUSTRE74K08220110521|access-date=16 December 2020}}</ref>
* [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]], 2005, ''Stardust ... The Great American Songbook Volume III''.
* On 11 October 2005, Stewart received a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] for his contributions to the music industry, located at 6801 [[Hollywood Boulevard]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/rod-stewart|title=Rod Stewart {{!}} Hollywood Walk of Fame|website=Walkoffame.com|access-date=21 September 2016}}</ref>
* Inducted into the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]], 2006.<ref name="UKinduction"/>
* According to Stewart, soul singer [[James Brown]] called him music's "best white soul singer" in September 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/James+Brown-23437.html|title=Brown Names Stewart 'best White Soul Singer'|publisher=Femalefirst.co.uk|access-date=11 December 2012}}</ref>
* Awarded [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in the [[2007 New Year Honours]].<ref name="BBC2007"/>
* Appointed [[Knight Bachelor]] in the [[2016 Birthday Honours]].<ref name="knighted"/>
* Icon Award at 2007 Silver Clef Awards
* Received the [[ASCAP]] Founders Award in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=ASCAP Founders Award recipients|url=http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/founders/index.aspx|access-date=10 October 2012|archive-date=2 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302203512/http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/founders/index.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2012 (as a member of Faces).<ref name="facesinduction" />
* Inducted into the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame, 2013.<ref>{{cite web | title = Rod Stewart, Lewis Capaldi and Paolo Nutini honoured at Scottish Music Awards | url = https://ultimateclassicrock.com/rod-stewart-hall-of-fame-inductee/ | date = 4 November 2013 | access-date = 25 June 2025 | website = ultimateclassicrock.com }}</ref>
* To date, Stewart has received seven various Canadian [[Juno Award]] nominations.<ref>{{cite web|title=Artist Summary: Rod Stewart|url=http://junoawards.ca/awards/artist-summary/?artist_name=Rod+Stewart&submit=Search|publisher=CARAS|access-date=25 February 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717111630/http://junoawards.ca/awards/artist-summary/?artist_name=Rod+Stewart&submit=Search|archive-date=17 July 2014}}</ref>
*[[Goldene Europa]] 1991 Best International Singer<ref>{{cite web|title=Goldene Europa Award recipients|url=http://web.ard.de/ard-chronik/index/46?year=1991&month=3|access-date=9 July 2019|archive-date=15 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115213006/http://web.ard.de/ard-chronik/index/46?year=1991&month=3|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[American Music Awards]] 1994 International Artist Award<ref>{{cite web | title = 21st American Music Awards | url = http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1994/amas.htm | date = 25 May 2025 | access-date = 25 June 2025 | website = rockonthenet.com }}</ref>
*[[Ivor Novello Awards]] 1999 Lifetime Achievement Award<ref>{{cite web|title=Ivor Novello Award recipients|url=https://ivorsacademy.com/awards/|access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref>
*American Music Awards 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award<ref>{{cite web | title = Rod Stewart to be Recognized with Lifetime Achievement Award | url = https://www.theamas.com/2025/05/rod-stewart-to-be-recognized-with-lifetime-achievement-award/ | date = 25 May 2025 | access-date = 25 June 2025 | publisher = [[American Music Awards]]}}</ref>
* Outstanding Achievement in Music award at 2022 [[Scottish Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Rod Stewart, Lewis Capaldi and Paolo Nutini honoured at Scottish Music Awards | url = https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/rod-stewart-lewis-capaldi-and-paolo-nutini-honoured-at-scottish-music-awards-3907327 | date = 6 November 2022 | access-date = 25 June 2025 | newspaper = [[The Scotsman]]}}</ref>

==List of bands==
During his career, Rod Stewart has been a member of a number of groups including:
* [[Jimmy Powell and the Five Dimensions]] (1963)
* The Hoochie Coochie Men (1964{{ndash}}1965)
* [[Steampacket]] (1965{{ndash}}1966)
* Soul Agents (1965{{ndash}}1966)
* [[Shotgun Express]] (1966–1967)
* [[The Jeff Beck Group]] (1967{{ndash}}1969)
* [[Faces (band)|Faces]] (1969{{ndash}}1975, 1986, 1993, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021{{ndash}}present)

==Discography==
{{Main|Rod Stewart discography}}

===Studio albums===
{{div col}}
* ''[[An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Gasoline Alley (album)|Gasoline Alley]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Every Picture Tells a Story]]'' (1971)
* ''[[Never a Dull Moment (Rod Stewart album)|Never a Dull Moment]]'' (1972)
* ''[[Smiler (album)|Smiler]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Atlantic Crossing]]'' (1975)
* ''[[A Night on the Town (Rod Stewart album)|A Night on the Town]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Foot Loose & Fancy Free]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Blondes Have More Fun]]'' (1978)
* ''[[Foolish Behaviour]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Tonight I'm Yours]]'' (1981)
* ''[[Body Wishes]]'' (1983)
* ''[[Camouflage (Rod Stewart album)|Camouflage]]'' (1984)
* ''[[Every Beat of My Heart (Rod Stewart album)|Every Beat of My Heart]]'' (1986)
* ''[[Out of Order (Rod Stewart album)|Out of Order]]'' (1988)
* ''[[Vagabond Heart]]'' (1991)
* ''[[A Spanner in the Works]]'' (1995)
* ''[[When We Were the New Boys]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Human (Rod Stewart album)|Human]]'' (2001)
* ''[[It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook]]'' (2002)
* ''[[As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time]]'' (2006)
* ''[[Soulbook]]'' (2009)
* ''[[Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album]]'' (2010)
* ''[[Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V]]'' (2010)
* ''[[Merry Christmas, Baby (album)|Merry Christmas, Baby]]'' (2012)
* ''[[Time (Rod Stewart album)|Time]]'' (2013)
* ''[[Another Country (Rod Stewart album)|Another Country]]'' (2015)
* ''[[Blood Red Roses]]'' (2018)
* ''[[The Tears of Hercules]]'' (2021)
* ''[[Swing Fever (album)|Swing Fever]]'' (with [[Jools Holland]]) (2024)
{{div col end}}

==Tours==
{{Div col|colwidth=28em}}
*Foot Loose & Fancy Free Tour (1977)
*[[Blondes 'Ave More Fun Tour]] (1978–1979)
*Foolish Behaviour Tour (1980–1981)
*Worth Leavin' Home For Tour (1981–1982)
*[[Body Wishes Tour]] (1983)
*[[Camouflage Tour]] (1984–1985)
*[[Every Beat of My Heart Tour]] (1986)
*[[Out of Order Tour]] (1988–1989)
*Vagabond Heart Tour (1991–1992)
*A Night to Remember Tour (1993–1994)
*A Spanner in the Works Tour (1995–1996)
*All Rod, All Night, All the Hits Tour (1998–1999)
*Human Tour (2001)
*Live in Concert Tour (2002)
*From Maggie May to the Great American Songbook Tour (2004)
*Tour (2005)
*Rockin' in the Round Tour (2007)
*Rocks His Greatest Hits Tour (2008–2009)
*One Rockin' Night Tour (2009)
*Soulbook Tour (2010)
*Heart & Soul Tour (2011–2012) {{small|with [[Stevie Nicks]]}}
*[[Live the Life Tour]] (2013)
*[[The Voice, The Guitar, The Songs Tour]] (2014) {{small|with [[Santana (band)|Santana]]}}
*The Hits Tour (2014–2015)
*Hits 2015
*[[Hits 2016 (Rod Stewart tour)|Hits 2016]]
*[[From Gasoline Alley to Another Country: Hits 2016]] (2016–2017)
*Summer Tour 2017 {{small|(with [[Cyndi Lauper]])}}
*Summer Tour 2018 {{small|(with [[Cyndi Lauper]])}}
*Blood Red Roses Tour (2019)
*Rod Stewart The Hits 2020
*Rod Stewart The Hits (2021–)
*One Last Time Tour (2025)
{{Div col end}}

===Residency show===
*[[Rod Stewart: The Hits]] (2011–2024)

==See also==
* [[Hacienda Arms Apartments#Rod Stewart years|Coronet Apartments]]
* [[Crooner]]
* [[List of artists who reached number one in the United States]]
* [[List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart]]
* [[List of Billboard number-one dance club songs|List of ''Billboard'' number-one dance club songs]]
* [[Lists of Billboard number-one singles|Lists of ''Billboard'' number-one singles]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2|group="nb"}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{Cite book| last=Bradley | first=Lloyd | author-link=Lloyd Bradley | title=Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story: The Illustrated Biography | publisher=[[Aurum Press]] | location=London | year=1999 | isbn=1-85410-657-0}}
* {{Cite book| last=Burton | first=Peter | title=Rod Stewart: A Life on the Town | publisher=[[New English Library]] | year= 1977 | isbn=0-450-03429-1}}
* {{Cite book | title=Jeff Beck: Crazy Fingers | first=Annette | last=Carson | publisher=[[Hal Leonard Corporation]] | year=2001 | isbn=0-87930-632-7 | url=https://archive.org/details/jeffbeckcrazyfin00cars }}
* {{Cite book| last=Coleman | first=Ray | author-link=Ray Coleman | title=Rod Stewart – The Biography | publisher=[[Pavilion Books]] | year=1994 | isbn=1-85793-586-1}}
* {{Cite book| last=Cromelin | first=Richard | title=Rod Stewart: A Biography in Words & Pictures | publisher=Sire Books | year=1976}}
* {{Cite book| last1=Ewbank | first1=Tim | last2=Hildred | first2=Stafford | title=Rod Stewart: The New Biography | publisher=[[Citadel Press]] | year= 2005 | isbn=0-8065-2644-0}}
* {{Cite book| last=Giuliano | first=Geoffrey | author-link=Geoffrey Giuliano | title=Rod Stewart: Vagabond Heart | publisher=[[Carroll & Graf Publishers]] | year=1993}}
* {{Cite book| title=Rod Stewart: The Visual Documentary | first= John |last=Gray | year=1992 | publisher=[[Omnibus Press]] | location=London | isbn=0-7119-2906-8}}
* {{Cite book| title=Rod Stewart: Live, Private, Backstage: Photos 1970–1980 | first1=Wolfgang | last1=Heilemann | first2=Sabine | last2=Thomas | publisher=[[Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf]] | year=2005 | isbn=3-89602-647-X}}
* {{Cite book| last=Hinman | first=Doug | title=The Kinks – All Day and All of the Night: Day-By-Day Concerts, Recordings and Broadcasts, 1961–1996 | publisher=[[Hal Leonard Corporation]] | year=2004 | isbn=0-87930-765-X}}
* {{Cite book | last=Jasper | first=Tony | title=Rod Stewart | publisher=[[Octopus Books]] | year=1977 | isbn=0-7064-0666-4 | url=https://archive.org/details/rodstewart0000jasp }}
* {{cite book | last=Kitts | first=Thomas M. | title=Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else | publisher=[[Routledge]] | year=2008 | location=New York | isbn=978-0-415-97768-5 | url=https://archive.org/details/raydaviesnotlike0000kitt }}
* {{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/rollingstoneillu00mill |url-access=registration |title=The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll | editor-first=Jim | editor-last=Miller | publisher=[[Random House]]/[[Rolling Stone Press]] | year=1980 | edition=Revised and Updated | isbn=0-394-73938-8 | format=paperback | first=Greil | last=Marcus | author-link=Greil Marcus | chapter=Rod Stewart | pages=[https://archive.org/details/rollingstoneillu00mill/page/377 377]–380 | access-date=7 March 2016}}
* {{Cite book| editor-first=Dave | editor-last=Marsh | editor-link=Dave Marsh | editor2-first=John | editor2-last=Swenson | title=The New Rolling Stone Record Guide | publisher=[[Random House]]/[[Rolling Stone Press]] | year=1983 | isbn = 0-394-72107-1| title-link=The New Rolling Stone Record Guide }}
* {{Cite book| last=Melly | first=Jim | title='Last orders, please': Rod Stewart, the Faces and the Britain we forgot | publisher=[[Ebury Publishing|Ebury Press]] | year=2003 | isbn=0-09-188618-X}}
* {{Cite book| editor=Moritz, Charles | title=Current Biography Yearbook 1979 | publisher=[[H. W. Wilson Company]] | location=New York | year=1980 <!-- book has no ISBN -->| title-link=Current Biography Yearbook }}
* {{Cite book| last1=Nelson | first1=Paul | author-link=Paul Nelson (critic) | last2=Bangs | first2=Lester | author-link2=Lester Bangs | title=Rod Stewart | publisher=Delilah Books | location=New York | year=1981 | isbn=0-933328-08-7}}
* {{Cite book| last=Pidgeon | first=John | title=Rod Stewart and the Changing Faces | publisher=[[Panther Books]] | year=1976 | isbn=0-586-04650-X}}
* {{cite book | last=Stewart | first=Rod | title=Rod: The Autobiography | publisher=[[The Random House Group|Century]] | location=London | year=2012 | isbn=978-1-78089-052-4 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/rodautobiography0000stew_c6m7 }}
* {{Cite book| last=Tremlett | first=George | title=The Rod Stewart Story | publisher=[[Futura Publications]] | year=1976 | isbn=0-86007-351-3}}
* {{Cite book| title=Rock 'n' Roll London | first=Max | last=Wooldridge | publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers]] | year=2002 | isbn=0-312-30442-0 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Rod Stewart}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://archive.org/search?query=rod+stewart Rod Stewart] on the [[Internet Archive]]
* {{IMDb name|0005465}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/content/articles/2005/04/15/rod_stewart_biog_person_profile.shtml BBC Derby profile]
* [https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-50403561 BBC: Sir Rod Stewart reveals his epic model railway city]
* [https://archive.today/20080220043655/http://www.classicrockcentral.com/classic_rock_gimme5-Display.cfm?week=23 Five audio interview clips from 1981]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060224054627/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm#100_Greatest_Singers ''Q'' magazine's "100 Greatest Singers" list]}}

{{Rod Stewart}}
{{Rod Stewart songs}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Rod Stewart
|list =
{{1994 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{Billboard Year-End number one singles 1960–1979}}
}}
{{The Jeff Beck Group}}
{{Faces}}
{{Portalbar|Biography|Rock music|United Kingdom}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Rod}}
[[Category:Rod Stewart| ]]
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