Rolling Stones Tease Foreign Tongues, Steve Jordan and Charlie Watts Both Feature

Steve Jordan is the name to watch on the Rolling Stones’ new album cycle, because Foreign Tongues is shaping up as a drummer’s record as much as a release from one of rock’s biggest bands. The 25th studio album is due July 10 and arrives with two early tracks, Rough and Twisted and In the Stars, a rollout that invites listeners to hear both the polished pop-rock edge and the rougher, bluesier side of the project.

That split makes the first listen especially useful for drummers. The Stones cut the 14-track album in less than a month at Metropolis Studios in West London with Andrew Watt back in the producer’s chair after Hackney Diamonds. Mick Jagger said the band moved as fast as it could, Keith Richards called the sessions “a month of concentrated punch,” and Ronnie Wood said the group was on top form and often nailed songs on the first take. Put that together and the record sounds built around feel, pocket, and quick decisions rather than studio overwork.

Jordan’s role matters because the Stones are still treating the drum chair as part of the band’s identity, not just the timekeeper’s spot. Since Charlie Watts died on August 24, 2021, at 80, Jordan has carried the live and studio load while keeping the groove recognizable as Stones music. Richards had already said in 2022 that Watts told him Jordan could take his seat anytime, which gives this album another layer of continuity instead of simple replacement.

Foreign Tongues also keeps Watts in the frame through one of his last recording sessions, making the album feel current and archival at the same time. That pairing is likely to be the biggest talking point for players: how Jordan handles the backbeat, how much restraint he brings to the songs, and whether the two-track launch signals a broader rhythmic split between the album’s brighter hooks and its dirtier, road-worn pulse.

The guest list widens the spotlight even further, with Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, Robert Smith of The Cure, and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith all aboard. The Brooklyn launch with Conan O’Brien underlined the size of the moment, and O’Brien said he had already listened to the album 25 times. After Hackney Diamonds reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, and won the Grammy for best rock album, Foreign Tongues arrives with real weight on its rhythm section and a clear challenge for Jordan: keep the Stones swinging without losing the band's old heartbeat.