Rolling Stones to release 25th studio album Foreign Tongues

Sixty-four years into their legendary run, the Rolling Stones show zero signs of slowing down. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood hit the red carpet in Brooklyn on Tuesday to unveil their 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues.

The surviving trio celebrated the upcoming release at the Weylin, a landmark venue in New York City, where they posed for photos and sat down for an interview with comedian Conan O'Brien.

Slated for a 10 July debut, the 14-track record follows their 2023 Grammy-winning comeback, 'Hackney Diamonds'. Its title cleverly nods to the band's iconic lips-and-tongue logo. The cover art, painted by Nathaniel Mary Quinn, matches that bold energy – it features a vibrant, almost surreal composite portrait that blends the exaggerated facial features of all three members into a single, distorted image.

To build momentum, the band dropped the lead single In the Stars digitally on Tuesday, with a physical release set for 15 May. Fans also got a taste of the opening track, Rough and Twisted. Hardcore followers might recognise it from April, when it was quietly released on vinyl under the Cockroaches – an old pseudonym the band used to drum up early buzz. The Telegraph's chief music critic Neil McCormick described the track as a "stomping, raucous, frayed and tattered blues belter" that echoes the gritty vibe of their 1972 classic 'Exile on Main Street'.

Foreign Tongues marks only their second studio project since the passing of founding drummer Charlie Watts in 2021. However, promotional materials confirm Watts makes a special appearance on the new record. The core rhythm section is anchored by drummer Steve Jordan and bassist Darryl Jones.

Producer Andrew Watt returns to the helm, bringing in a star-studded roster of guest musicians. The album features contributions from Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, Robert Smith of The Cure, and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Speaking at the launch event, Jagger revealed that the producer had tried to get him and McCartney to co-write a track.

Despite their ages – Jagger and Richards are both 82, and Wood is 78 – this 25th release might not be their final curtain call. Will Hodgkinson, chief rock and pop critic for The Times, reported last month that the band has already stockpiled at least 10 unused tracks from these recent sessions, hinting that yet another album could be on the horizon.