Keith Richards belittles rap, metal

Hip-hop has come to dominate much of the music industry, but Keith Richards is definitely not among the converted.

The curmudgeonly Rolling Stones guitarist in an interview published Thursday said that hip-hop showed the large market for "people who can't tell one note from another."

"What rap did that was impressive was to show there are so many tone-deaf people out there," he told the New York Daily News.

"All they need is a drum beat and somebody yelling over it and they're happy," he said.

The 71-year-old Englishman also disparaged heavy metal.

"Millions are in love with Metallica and Black Sabbath," he was quoted as saying. "I just thought they were great jokes."

Richards has kept up his outspoken reputation in interviews as he prepares to release his first solo album in 23 years, "Crosseyed Heart," on September 18.

He renewed his criticism of The Beatles, seen as The Rolling Stones' great rivals.

Richards did not share the enthusiasm for The Beatles' 1965 concert at New York's Shea Stadium, which was considered a landmark in rock history for its arena venue and was turned into a documentary.

"As a band, they weren't in sync with each other," Richards said.

Former Beatle Paul McCartney has taken a different approach to hip-hop. He recently recorded a song with rap star Kanye West and singer Rihanna.

McCartney later explained that he was taken by hip-hop when he saw another giant of the genre, Jay Z, in concert last year at London's O2 arena.

"I hadn't until then got the urban poetry aspect," he told Britain's New Musical Express. "Like, Bob Dylan is a poet. And so is Jay Z, and Kanye."