Mick Jagger Dismisses AI Album Ideas as Rubbish Ahead of July 10 Release

Q: With posthumous drumming and A-list guests, is the Stones' new album a tribute or a new beginning?

It is both, but it reads more as a new beginning built on tribute. The tribute element is unmistakable. “Foreign Tongues” includes posthumous Charlie Watts drumming on “Hit Me In The Head,” recorded in 2021, giving the album a direct link to the band’s last era with its late drummer. The record also leans into the Stones’ roots, from its blues and R&B core to its closing Chuck Berry cover, reinforcing the sense of continuity and homage. But the stronger story is momentum, not memorial. The album follows the creative rebound of “Hackney Diamonds” and reunites the band with producer Andrew Watt, suggesting a deliberate second act rather than a farewell lap. Jagger’s comments about raising the bar, and the band’s continued interest in future work and possible live dates, point to an active, forward-facing project. The guest list supports that reading. Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood, Chad Smith and Bruno Mars are not there simply to decorate a legacy act; they broaden the record’s palette and place the Stones in a current musical conversation. The songs also appear more topical than purely nostalgic, with “Ringing Hollow” reflecting on America’s changing image while other lyrics reportedly address contemporary power and celebrity. So while Watts’ presence gives “Foreign Tongues” emotional weight as a tribute, the album’s ambition, collaborations and topical writing make it feel less like a memorial than a fresh chapter from a band still intent on moving forward.

3 articles · Updated · Salon · Jul 5

Mick Jagger said a large language model gave him "such rubbish" when he asked it for album title ideas before the Rolling Stones' 2023 release "Hackney Diamonds."
The singer told the Times of London that AI ultimately did not help the band's creative process, though he said bad suggestions can still boost confidence by confirming an artist's own instincts are stronger.
The comments come days before the Stones release their 25th studio album, "Foreign Tongues," on July 10, even as the band recently used de-aging technology in a music video.
Jagger and Keith Richards also used the interviews to frame new song "Ringing Hollow" as a nostalgic but disappointed look at the United States, with Jagger citing talk of American decline and Richards calling the country "a bit of a disappointment at the moment."