We guess wild horses truly couldn’t drag them away. The Rolling Stones are adding yet another feather to the cap of their illustrious career, which has spanned more than six decades – yep, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood are releasing their 24th studio album, Hackney Diamonds, proving that they won’t stop – baby, they won’t stop. It will be their first album release in almost 20 years.
Now well into their septuagenarian eras (in fact, Mick just celebrated the big eight-oh), the band that formed in 1961 are returning with new music they’re saying will appeal to their old fans and new.
Launching on October 20, Hackney Diamonds aims to bridge the gap between original fans and their kids (or grandkids) by including notable collabs with artists like Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder. The lead single, ‘Angry’, has recently dropped, and the film clip features none other than current Hollywood darling Sydney Sweeney.
They’ve been tinkering away to create this album over a few years – in fact, drummer Charlie Watts passed away in 2021, after production began. “Ever since Charlie’s gone, it’s different, of course, he’s number four, he’s missing, he’s not there,” said Keith during a press conference announcing the album.
“Of course he’s missed, incredibly, but thanks to Charlie, we have Steve Jordan (an alternate drummer), who was Charlie’s recommendation for if anything should happen to him.”
In a market that’s often criticised for discarding talent once they hit a certain age, Mick and his merry men are bucking that trend. “You’ve got to keep everything moving when you get to our age,” said Mick. And with moves like Jagger, there's no one who does it better than him – at any age.
Hackney Diamonds will be released October 20, 2023. Will they be touring the album globally? That part is yet to be revealed.