The Rolling Stones have announced their 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues, at a glitzy event in New York hosted by Conan O’Brien. The trio – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood – were joined by an audience including Leonardo DiCaprio, director Baz Luhrmann and actress Odessa A’zion for the preview.
The 14-track album follows 2023’s acclaimed Hackney Diamonds and again teams the band with producer Andrew Watt. Special guests include Steve Winwood, Paul McCartney, Robert Smith of the Cure and Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Jagger said the record spans multiple genres: “The Stones are a rock band that also has the capacity to do ballads, country music or dance music.”
O’Brien joked the band might “finally make it after decades of obscurity” and later declared the album “kicks ass”, comparing it to 1972’s Exile on Main St. Jagger described new track Ringing Hollow as a country tune inspired by Hank Williams, while Hit Me in the Head is “a real punk rocker” featuring parts recorded by late drummer Charlie Watts.
Recorded in just four weeks, Jagger said the tight schedule gave the record “an urgency”. Richards quipped about producer Watt: “When it’s not working, that’s when we bring in the referee. He kicks us up the arse.” The band also reflected on Watts’ death in 2021, with Richards stating simply: “When Charlie hit the bucket, he said: ‘Steve’s your man.’”
The cover art for Foreign Tongues is a painting by Nathaniel Mary Quinn, which Jagger jokingly called “Mr Ugly”. The singer added that it is “not computer-generated”, drawing cheers. With over 60 years in the business, Richards stressed the importance of staying fresh: “You don’t just want to sit on what you’ve done before. There is always something more in there.”
