Full Breakdown
Rolling Stones Release “Foreign Tongues,” Their 25th Studio Album
6/18/2026, 12:39:52 PM
Release Details
Foreign Tongues, the Rolling Stones’ 25th studio album, arrived July 10, 2024 with 14 tracks. Andrew Watt produced and co-wrote several songs. Guest contributors include Paul McCartney (bass), Robert Smith (synth), Steve Winwood (organ), Benmont Tench (organ), Bruno Mars (cowbell), Chad Smith (drums on “Beautiful Delilah”), and posthumous drums by Charlie Watts on “Hit Me in the Head.” The record follows 2023’s Grammy-winning Hackney Diamonds, the band’s first original album in almost two decades.
Background
After the death of longtime drummer Charlie Watts in 2021, the Stones continued touring and released Hackney Diamonds, which was praised as a comeback. Foreign Tongues was recorded with the same producer, Andrew Watt, to blend classic blues-rock with modern production.
Key Figures
Mick Jagger (vocals, 82) leads the band alongside guitarist Keith Richards, guitarist Ronnie Wood, bassist Darryl Jones and drummer Steve Jordan. Andrew Watt produces; guest artists add distinct instrumental textures.
Political Themes
The album tackles America’s state: “Ringing Hollow” laments a fading Liberty, “Divine Intervention” mixes apocalyptic humor with billionaire critique, and “Covered in You” attacks autocrats and missile threats. Musical styles span blues, country, disco and rock, pairing personal romance with sociopolitical commentary.
Reception
Critics describe the record as faithful blues-rock comfort food, praising its guitar focus and Jagger’s vocal stamina. Some note an overly slick Watt production and a lack of experimental jams, though tracks like “In the Stars” and “Never Wanna Lose You” are seen as stadium-ready.
Official Responses
In a MOJO interview, Jagger framed “Ringing Hollow” as “about America as an idea,” acknowledging the American Dream’s persistence for some and warning of imperial overreach and the absurd money spent on elections. He also recalled 19 years in New York, noting exposure to “clapped-out towns, the middle and the south.” Richards called the song “our way of saying: we love you,” recalling the 1950s blues influence that shaped the Stones.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Through the gloom, I asked her, ‘What’s my future?’/Well, she threw up,” — Mick Jagger, lyric, “Divine Intervention.”
- “Lady Liberty don’t look so good when there’s a tear in her gown,” — Mick Jagger, lyric, “Ringing Hollow.”
- “I wake up sick and tired of all these autocrats/You know, they seem to be breeding like a swarm of dirty rats with their missiles on parade.” — Mick Jagger, lyric, “Covered in You.”
- “mad mogul Mr. Musk.” — Mick Jagger, lyric, “Mr. Charm.”
- “I take Ringing Hollow to be about America when we were growing up in the ’50s,” — Keith Richards, interview, MOJO
- “The romance of it all: have a cocktail, smoke your cigarettes, play your jukeboxes. We were 14, 15 years old, dying for more black music from America, and slowly you go through the rock’n’rollers and realise that these cats all learned from Muddy Waters. Even now, if I’m stuck for an idea I’ll go back to the blues because the musical form is limited and that makes it all the more intriguing. You’re telling me you can get more out of this thing? Ringing Hollow is our way of saying: we love you.” — Keith Richards, interview, MOJO
Impact
At over 80, the Stones still produce politically aware music while preserving their blues-rock core. High-profile collaborators and a blend of classic styles show their relevance. Jagger’s hint that the record “may be the last time” frames Foreign Tongues as a possible closing chapter for rock’s longest-running act.
Gaps
Sources agree on facts; no major contradictions appear. The album’s commercial impact and listener response to its political messaging remain unreported.
