Full Breakdown
Mick Jagger Reveals Favourite Rolling Stones Albums and Songs Ahead of ‘Foreign Tongues’ Release
6/29/2026, 3:04:44 PM
Interview Context and Upcoming Album
Mick Jagger, frontman of the Rolling Stones, discussed his favourite albums and songs in a Today interview ahead of the band’s 25th studio album, *Foreign Tongues*, due 10 July 2024. The new record follows 2023’s *Hackney Diamonds*, the first original-material release after drummer Charlie Watts’s 2021 death, and features 14 tracks produced by Andrew Watt with guest contributions from Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood and Chad Smith.
Principal Participants
Key participants include frontman Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards, bassist Ronnie Wood, late drummer Charlie Watts (posthumously featured), producer Andrew Watt, and guests Robert Smith, Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood and Chad Smith.
Albums, Tracks and Recent Singles
*Sticky Fingers* (1971) and *Beggars Banquet* (1968) are among Jagger’s preferred albums. *Hackney Diamonds* (2023) was the first new material since 2005, and *Foreign Tongues* contains 14 tracks, with singles “Rough And Twisted”, “In The Stars”, “Jealous Lover” and “Divine Intervention” already released.
Jagger’s Comments on Classics, Collaboration and Modern Music
Jagger called *Sticky Fingers* and *Beggars Banquet* “really good” and said *Hackney Diamonds* is “pretty good”. He noted the Stones’ range, citing “Sympathy For The Devil”, “Start Me Up”, “Angie” and “Honky Tonk Women”. He recounted meeting Robert Smith in the studio, which led to Smith’s guitar work on “Divine Intervention”. Jagger praised contemporary acts Geese and Rosalía while describing much current music as “rubbish”. He said a Rolling Stones biopic “interests” him, though choosing an era would be difficult.
Direct Quotes from Mick Jagger
- “I think ‘Sticky Fingers’ is really good.” — Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones frontman
- “There’s some Rolling Stones albums that have eight tracks. I mean, you only have eight tracks, and you were like 30 years old? Come on, what were you doing?” — Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones frontman
- “There’s this bloke standing there with his back to me with this long gown on… And when he turned around, he was covered in lipstick. And I said – I’d never met him before – ‘You’re Robert Smith of The Cure!’” — Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones frontman
- “Loads of current music is ‘rubbish’.” — Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones frontman
Unresolved Details
The interview does not identify a single definitive favourite song, offering only a list of examples. Details about the full tracklist of *Foreign Tongues* and the specific contributions of each guest artist remain undisclosed.
Future Releases and Podcast
*Foreign Tongues* will launch on 10 July 2024. The band will accompany the album with the six-part “Speaking In Tongues” podcast, narrated by Norah Jones, and will continue promoting new singles throughout the summer. The podcast, narrated by Norah Jones, will feature new interviews with Jagger, Richards, Wood and Watt, offering deeper insight into the album’s creation.
