Consider that the sessions for Beggar's Banquet ran from March 17th through July 26th 1968, but the album wasn't released until December 6th. For the 1960s, and for the Stones at the time, that is an awfully long time between completion of the record and its release. Anyone know why the record took almost half a year to come out after it was done?

TSMR's sessions finished on October 23rd 1967 and the record came out on December 8th.

BTB's sessions on December 30th 1966 and it came out January 20th 1967.

Aftermath's sessions finished March 9th, 1966 and the record came out on April 15th 1966.

There was some trouble between Decca and the Stones about the album's cover that the band originally intended to come up with. You know, the toilet pic. Back in 1968 that was considered to be a bit too heavy by Decca.
But I don't know if that was the real reason why it took so long to be released.
Just my 2 cts.

For the Christmas shopping season?

Or Possible the "unwritten no competition clause" with the Beatles?
The White album did come out just 2 weeks earlier though...and Yellow Submarine quickly followed in Jan 69 so maybe not that...

philgood wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2018 at 5:51am:

There was some trouble between Decca and the Stones about the album's cover that the band originally intended to come up with. You know, the toilet pic. Back in 1968 that was considered to be a bit too heavy by Decca. But I don't know if that was the real reason why it took so long to be released. Just my 2 cts.

Honestly I've never liked either cover. The gatefold picture of the band should've been the cover. Would've made the best Mk. 1 Stones cover IMO.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a66/GLIMMERBOY/GLIMMERBOY%202/GLIMMERBOY%203/GLIMMERBOY4/BEGSHOT.jpg

It was because of the cover. Decca wouldnt release it, the Stones insisted on the toilet wall cover being used and after a few months of stalemate, eventually the Stones relented.

Jagger's argument was based along the lines that they'd released a Tom Jones album a couple of years earlier called 'A-Tom-Ic Jones' which featured an image of an atom bomb exploding which he insisted was in poorer taste.

https://img.discogs.com/YG7xwuu2NNr5a_8S78_ZFL6GL9M=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-1222599-1318866694.jpeg.jpg

It was another nail in the coffin for the band's relationship with the label and one which probably hastened them setting up one of their own.  They did get their revenge with the 'Cocksucker Blues' contractual obligation episode two years later

The US version:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/98/A-Tom-ic_Jones_%28US_cover%29.jpeg

Because...I'm Doctor LOVE!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWGwxM8-h2g

Beatles LP release date conflict?

Beggars and the White Album came out two weeks apart, so if anything the delay didnt do the Stones any favours.

Beggars reached number 3 in the UK (the third album in a row to do so following on from Between the Buttons and Satanic Majesties whereas 3 of their first four UK albums had been number 1's with the other ( 'Out of Our Heads' ) being only kept off the number one slot by "Help!" The compilation 'Big Hits' had also reached #3.

It reached number 5 in the US, which was relatively poor by Stones' standards (their  previous US albums up to that point had reached 11, 3, 5, 1 (Out of Our Heads), 4, 2, 2 and 2 (Big Hits and Flowers had both reached #3 and even the barely listenable 'Got Live if you want it' had got to #6)