Honestly, the fact that we’re even talking about a Rolling Stones new album 2025 feels like some kind of glitch in the matrix. Mick Jagger is 82. Keith Richards is 81. Most people their age are struggling with the TV remote, yet these guys are reportedly pulling 2:00 AM shifts in a London studio.
They’re still doing it.
If you thought Hackney Diamonds was a one-off victory lap, you haven't been paying attention to how Keith Richards operates. He doesn't believe in "last albums." He believes in "the next one until we drop." And according to basically everyone in their inner circle, the next one is already baked and ready to be served.
The Carnaby Street Leak
It wasn't a press release from Universal Music Group that broke the news. It was Ronnie Wood being Ronnie Wood. While promoting his own compilation, Fearless, at the Stones' RS No. 9 shop in London, he basically spilled the beans to anyone with a notebook. "Yes, you will be getting a new album next year," he told The Sun. Then he added the kicker: "It is done."
That’s a big deal.
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Usually, Stones projects are shrouded in "maybe" and "we’ll see." But "it is done" sounds remarkably final. Producer Andrew Watt, the guy who breathed new life into the band for Hackney Diamonds, is back at the helm. He’s described working with them like "working for Batman"—when the signal goes up, you just show up and start recording.
What’s actually on the tracklist?
We aren't just guessing here. During the marathon sessions for their last record, the band apparently cut enough material for two full albums. Keith’s son, Marlon Richards, recently mentioned that the band has been holed up in Chiswick, West London, finishing off what was left over.
- The Charlie Watts Factor: There are still unreleased tracks featuring the late, great Charlie Watts on drums. It’s highly likely at least one of these makes the cut for the 2025 release.
- The Macca Connection: Rumors have been swirling for months about a second collaboration with Paul McCartney. We saw him on "Bite My Head Off," but there’s allegedly more in the vault.
- The Bill Wyman Cameo: Don't be surprised if the original bassist pops up again. He’s been seen around the sessions, and the band seems keen on honoring their full history right now.
Why the Rolling Stones New Album 2025 Matters More Than You Think
Most legacy acts release "new" music just to justify a tour. They play two new songs, and the audience goes to the bathroom or the beer stand. But Hackney Diamonds changed that narrative. It actually sounded like a Rolling Stones record—mean, lean, and surprisingly modern without being desperate.
Winning a Grammy for Best Rock Album in 2025 (which they did) seems to have lit a fire under them. Marlon Richards said the band got "all hyped up" on the win. They realized people actually want to hear what 80-year-old rock stars have to say when they aren't just playing "Start Me Up" for the 5,000th time.
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The studio vibe is still chaotic
Marlon’s description of the sessions is pure Stones lore. He says they still maintain "ridiculous hours." They start after lunch and grind until 2:00 in the morning. For Keith, that’s probably just a light afternoon, but for the rest of the world, it’s insane. They aren't mailing this in from separate houses over Zoom. They’re in the room, making noise, and presumably arguing about the bridge of a song until the sun starts to peek over the Thames.
The Tour That Wasn't (and the One That Might Be)
Here is where things get a bit messy. Originally, 2025 was supposed to be the year they brought their massive stadium show to the UK and Europe. Fans were ready. The credit cards were out. Then, silence.
Logistical snags and stadium booking issues apparently killed the 2025 summer tour. It was a massive disappointment for European fans who watched the US leg of the Hackney Diamonds tour from across the ocean.
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Is Keith okay?
There’s been a lot of chatter—some of it pretty dark—about Keith Richards' health. Reports from American Songwriter and Variety suggested that a 2026 tour was also looking shaky because Keith wasn't "keen" on a four-month grind. Some sources pointed to his long-term battle with arthritis.
But let’s be real: people have been predicting Keith’s retirement (or demise) since 1975. Just last month, he was playing a three-song set at the Soho Sessions, ripping through "Key to the Highway" and "You Got the Silver." He might not want to spend 120 days on a private jet anymore, but the man still has the riffs.
What to Expect Next
If the album is truly "done," as Ronnie says, we are likely looking at a spring or autumn 2025 release. The band tends to like the "October surprise" window, but a May release would line up perfectly with a potential late-year residency or a smaller run of shows.
There's also talk of a "Sphere" residency in Las Vegas. If a massive stadium tour is too much for Keith’s joints, staying in one place for a month and letting the fans come to them makes a lot of sense. U2 and The Eagles proved it works.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Watch the RS No. 9 Store: The band’s official London shop is often the first place physical pre-orders and cryptic "clues" appear before the mainstream press gets them.
- Ignore the "Farewell" Rumors: Every Stones album since Steel Wheels has been called their "final" one. Don't buy into the hype. Just enjoy the music as it comes.
- Check the "Black and Blue" Reissue: To tide you over, the band is dropping a 50th-anniversary version of Black and Blue in November 2025. It’s got fresh cuts and remixes that give a hint of the "vintage but polished" sound they’re chasing with Andrew Watt.
- Sign up for IORR: The "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" fan forum is where the real die-hards track flight patterns and studio bookings. If Mick Jagger sneezes in a London recording booth, someone there knows about it five minutes later.
The Rolling Stones don't need the money. They don't need the fame. At this point, they’re just doing it because they don't know how to stop. And honestly? We’re lucky they haven't figured it out yet.