After a long hiatus, the iconic rock band, The Rolling Stones, has returned with “Hackney Diamonds,” marking their first original studio album since “A Bigger Bang” in 2005.
The worldwide debut of this long-awaited LP is scheduled for Wednesday, and it will be exclusively livestreamed on YouTube. This special event will feature Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood engaging in a lively discussion on stage with Jimmy Fallon, all from the vibrant neighborhood of Hackney in London—a location described as “at the heart of” the new album, according to the band’s official press release. They’ll be delving into the fresh music and the exciting era ahead.
The announcement follows an intriguing teaser campaign that included a sneak peek of one of their songs, titled “Don’t Get Angry With Me.” Ironically, this promotion caused some frustration among fans, as the website where the snippet was supposed to be available kept crashing. However, one can only presume that YouTube is well-prepared to handle the expected high demand.
In a conversation with Rolling Stone last year, Richards revealed that the forthcoming project would include the final recordings of the band’s long-serving drummer, Charlie Watts, who sadly passed away in 2021. Steve Jordan, who had temporarily replaced Watts for live performances, stepped in to contribute to the album in Watts’ absence. Before this, the Stones surprised the world with the release of “Living in a Ghost Town” in April 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the planet. Jagger later mentioned that the pandemic had disrupted their progress toward completing a full album.
There’s also speculation that “Hackney Diamonds” might feature a guest appearance by Paul McCartney, although reports suggesting that Ringo Starr participated in recording sessions have not been verified.
Despite Richards and Wood both being in their late 70s and Jagger turning 80 in July, The Rolling Stones showed no signs of slowing down. They embarked on a European tour last summer to celebrate their 60th anniversary, and with another record on the horizon, it seems they are poised to hit the road once again next year, delighting fans with their timeless classics while supporting their latest release.
Jagger and The Rolling Stones crew visited Jamaica last year February to record new music according to Geejam studio owner Jon Baker. “The Rolling Stones recorded at Panorama, because they weren’t looking for a traditional studio set up, they were looking for more of a ‘loungy’ environment surrounded by nature and the great environment that was very natural and secluded.”
