badmouse, I'm not understandng what you're trying to say. Are you saying that Beatles + Beatles solo works makes the Stones look much better?
I think that it gives the Stones a better percentage of great songs in the life-time output category.
The Beatles as a group had a lot of great stuff. When you add in the after-Beatles work by the four dudes, the percentage of great stuff vs not-so-hot goes down. Since you're comparing the Stones' lifetime output to the Beatles from a much shorter length of time, it's only fair to add in the post-Beatles work. Either that, or say "Stones" during the same years as "Beatles."
This is not even remotely important and I'm going to listen to my favorites no matter what.
Here's another fun question: Best Stones song vs Best Beatles song? My choice of Best Stones would be Satisfaction, off the top of my head, and Best Beatles, Can't Buy Me Love. Zingo, the Stones have it by a little bit.
Just my opinion.