'It kicks ass': Rolling Stones unveil 'Foreign Tongues' at star-studded New York bash — 60 years in, they're still rolling

5 May 2026 | New York, New York

NEW YORK – Seven decades. Two hundred and fifty million albums. And they are still not done.

On Tuesday afternoon in New York, the Rolling Stones gathered friends, journalists, and fellow artists for a preview of their forthcoming 25th album, Foreign Tongues. The event was part album listening party, part lovefest – and a reminder that rock and roll's greatest survivors are showing no signs of slowing down.

Before the trio stepped on stage, host Conan O'Brien deadpanned that perhaps, finally, this is the album where the band will "finally make it after decades of obscurity." The audience – which included Leonardo DiCaprio, director Baz Luhrmann, and actor Odessa A'zion – laughed appreciatively.

'It Kicks Ass': Conan's Verdict

"It kicks ass," O'Brien declared of the new album, adding that it is reminiscent of the band's 1972 classic Exile on Main St. He confessed he had listened to the record "25 times" since receiving it a few days ago. "There's a vibrancy, an urgency to it."

The urgency may come from the recording process. The album was tracked in about a month, said Jagger: "Only having four weeks gave us an urgency. We're having fun most of the time in the studio, but it's a lot of concentration too – you've really got to make [a song's] five minutes count."

On Foreign Tongues, the band once again team up with Hackney Diamonds producer Andrew Watt (Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber), as well as a slew of special guests including Steve Winwood, Paul McCartney, the Cure's Robert Smith, and Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers.

From Country to Punk: The Many Tongues of the Stones

At the New York event, Mick Jagger said that Foreign Tongues' 14 songs would span numerous genres: "The thing about this record is – the Stones are a rock band that also has the capacity to do ballads, country music or dance music. So we don't get stuck in one kind of style."

Jagger described new song Ringing Hollow as a "country tune" inspired by his and Richards's lifelong love of Hank Williams, while Beautiful Delilah draws from the delta blues. The singer also teased Hit Me in the Head, "a real punk rocker" with parts recorded by Watts before his death.

"When it's not working, that's when we bring in the referee," said Keith Richards, pointing at producer Andrew Watt, who laughed along. "He kicks us up the arse."

On stage, the three-piece were in good spirits and spry, with Jagger happy to play along when O'Brien joked that the singer's striped blazer was "from the estate of Willy Wonka."

Charlie's Baton: Remembering the Late Drummer

The band also reflected on the loss of longtime drummer Charlie Watts with affection and humor. Watts died in 2021, but his spirit looms large over Foreign Tongues. Parts of Hit Me in the Head were recorded by Watts before his passing.

"Charlie handed the baton to Steve [Jordan]," said Ronnie Wood, of the Stones' new drummer, Steve Jordan. Richards was more blunt, saying: "When Charlie hit the bucket, he said: 'Steve's your man.'"

The moment was vintage Richards – irreverent, loving, and perfectly in character. The audience laughed. But there was also a catch in the throat. Charlie Watts was gone, but the Stones are keeping his memory alive – one kick-ass riff at a time.

Keith on Riffs: 'You Can't Force Them'

When asked how he keeps his octave-spanning singing voice in tip-top shape, Jagger said wryly: "I was taking a lot of drugs in 1968 … so it's practice." The audience howled.

"Riffs, you can't force them," said Richards. "They come to you." Meanwhile, guitarist Ronnie Wood compared the interplay with his fellow guitarist to "an ancient form of weaving" – a description that captures the telepathic understanding between two musicians who have played together for half a century.

Mr. Ugly: The Cover Art

The cover art for Foreign Tongues is a painting by New York-based artist Nathaniel Mary Quinn, who described the image as an "amalgamation" of the band. "I call it Mr. Ugly," joked Jagger. "It's not computer-generated," he added, to whoops and applause from the audience. In an age of AI-generated art, the Stones are sticking with human creativity.

Why the Stones Keep Rolling

Recent years have seen the group – now a three-piece in the wake of Charlie Watts's death – creatively re-energized. Hackney Diamonds, their 2023 album, was praised by the Guardian's Alexis Petridis as a return to form that "crackles with a sense of purpose." Foreign Tongues appears to continue that momentum.

More than 60 years into their career, the band said that it was important for them to keep things fresh. "You don't just want to sit on what you've done before," reflected Richards. "We put it together, we love to do it, and there is always something more in there."

Always something more. After 60 years, 25 albums, and more than 250 million records sold, the Rolling Stones are still hungry. Still curious. Still kicking ass.

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