2023 The Rolling Stones® Blue Vinyl - Hackney Diamonds® Sealed. Limited Edition. Alternate Cover - Tongues and Eyes Held by Hands.
Featuring Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Charlie Watts. Late drummer Charlie Watts featured on two tracks, "Mess It Up" and "Live By The Sword." "Live By The Sword" additionally features bass from former Stones bassist Bill Wyman.
‘Sweet Sounds Of Heaven’ featuring vocals from Lady Gaga and keys & piano from Stevie Wonder, "Bite My Head Off" with bass from Paul McCartney, and "Get Close" and "Live By The Sword" with piano from Elton John.
Limited edition store exclusive includes a gatefold sleeve with alternative cover art and heavyweight 180-gram blue vinyl.
First photo with blue album is a stock photo, these albums are sealed, mint.

Track Listings 1Angry2Get Close (Elton John)3Depending on You4Bite My Head Off (Paul McCartney)5Whole Wide World6Dreamy Skies7Mess It Up (Charlie Watts)8Live By the Sword (Elton John)9Driving Me Too Hard10Tell Me Straight11Sweet Sounds of Heaven (Lady Gaga - Vocals, Stevie Wonder - Piano)12Rolling Stone Blues (Muddy Waters)






















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Hackney Diamonds 16 languages Tools From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article or section is being created, or is in the process of extensive expansion or major restructuring. You are welcome to assist in its construction by editing it as well. If this article or section , please remove this template.
If you are the editor who added this template and you are actively editing, please be sure to replace this template with {{}} during the active editing session. Click on the link for template parameters to use. This article was  by  ( | ) 80 minutes ago. () Hackney Diamonds Cover to the standard edition of the album.  by  Released20 October 2023RecordedFebruary 2019, 2020, December 2022 – January 2023Studio  (Greenwich Village, New York City, New York, US)  (Los Angeles, California, US) /Germano (New York City, New York, US)  (London, England, UK) Sanctuary (Nassau, The Bahamas) Length48:23  ("Live by the Sword")  chronology
(2022)Hackney Diamonds
(2023) from Hackney Diamonds ""
Released: 6 September 2023 ""
Released: 28 September 2023 Alternate cover limited edition artwork

Hackney Diamonds is the 24th British and 26th American studio album by British rock band , released on 20 October 2023 on . It is the first studio album of original material by the band since 2005's  and the band's first following the 2021 death of drummer , who contributed to some tracks in 2019. The album features guest contributions from , , , , and former Rolling Stone bassist .

Hackney Diamonds received a generally positive critical reception, with some critics considering it the band's strongest album in decades. The release was promoted by the singles "" and "". Marketing for the album included publicity stunts and merchandising that included worldwide fashion retail , as well as cross-promotion with several sports teams.

Recording[]

"We had a lot of material recorded, but we weren't very excited with the results. Some of the songs were okay, but they weren't great. [Guitarist Keith Richards and I] said, 'We're going to work harder and we're going to set a deadline.' And that's when the magic started to happen. We recorded the whole thing in three or four weeks. We wanted to make the record fast and keep ourselves excited the whole time. And I think we achieved our goal."

—Vocalist  on recording Hackney Diamonds

The Rolling Stones last released a studio album in 2016 with the  covers album , which began with new material recorded with  but stalled. Some mitigating factors identified by guitarist  include vocalist 's lack of enthusiasm for making new music and Richards being forced to adapt his playing style due to . The band's last album of original material was  in 2005, but they continued to release occasional tracks, such as "" and "" for the compilation  in 2012 and the 2020 single "". For years, they toured, but when they met up as a group, it was only to rehearse for future performances, not record. The group again recorded sessions for a new album starting in 2020, but these were interrupted by the . Studio work in 2021 yielded several completed songs as well, but the band lost momentum and focus in the studio. Jagger was frustrated with the slow process of recording and proposed to Richards after their touring ended in August 2022 that they would choose 14 February 2023 as a due date for their new album. Richards credits drummer ' 2021 death as the impetus to become more serious about finishing an album's worth of material.

In mid-2022,  suggested to guitarist  the band look to  to continue their album and Jagger agreed, appreciating Watt's approach to producing new music from long-time acts. The band invited Watt to see them perform in  in late 2022 and he took over recording at  in Los Angeles by November of that year. Further recordings in late 2022 and early 2023 with Watt included McCartney playing bass guitar on two new Stones songs. Altogether, principal recording was about four weeks, followed by two weeks of overdubs, and Jagger's vocals recorded separately, only after the guitar work was finished. In June 2023, former bassist  announced that he had recorded with the band for the first time in 30 years based on a recommendation by Watt, and additional recordings with  are included on the release. The album includes 2019 sessions that have the last studio work by Watts and the band's first studio work with drummer . Final recording for the album began in December 2022, with 23 total tracks finished in January 2023 and mixing done in late February or early March. At the end, the band had enough material for a follow-up album, which vocalist  estimated was 75% done by the time that Hackney Diamonds was released. The recording process was included multiple studios across the world and captured by a  crew for the television special The Stones: Still Rolling.

News reports have indicated that the album's name is London slang for the shattered glass left behind after burglars have smashed a window to break in,  being an  area of London associated with a high crime rate. Richards stated it refers to broken glass left over in the morning after "a good Saturday night that went bad".

Long-time Stones bass guitarist  was reported to have worked on these sessions, but does not appear on the final album, making this the first album since 1989's  to not feature any recorded contributions from him.

Promotion and release[] Duration: 24 seconds.0:24Paul Smith on the Rolling Stones x Paul Smith promotional campaign

Hackney Diamonds has been promoted with an extensive, worldwide advertising campaign coordinated by  in London. On 17 August 2023, an advertisement appeared in the  teasing the album, referencing several Rolling Stones song titles and displaying their . On 22 August, social media profiles posted new artwork by Paulina Almira, and  debuted a website to promote the release, on which a countdown appeared and solicited questions for the band. The group posted links to this site on their social media accounts on 29 August and showed photos of their lip logo projected on various monuments around the world. These projections continued to 2 September, when the band previewed a short snippet of "Angry" on the website dontgetangrywithme.com, which experienced instability and frequent errors that some interpreted as being intentional.

On 4 September, the album was officially announced, as were the plans for a  with television host  where more information would be revealed and the  would be premiered. On 6 September, the livestream was broadcast on the Rolling Stones' official  while being filmed at the  in London. Fallon interviewed the band, who revealed the album's track list and release date, as well as alluding to various guest musicians, and answered questions sent in from fans. The music video for "Angry" premiered after the interview concluded, which features actress  being driven through  in a red convertible, with the band members singing to her from large billboards along the way.

"Sweet Sounds of Heaven" was teased by the band via an  post on 25 September, 2023, which played a short snippet of the track and revealed its release date; the single was released three days later. In early October, a fashion line designed by  was announced that would promote the album, and retail stores in London and Tokyo opened to sell Rolling Stones merchandise ahead of the album.

Shortly after the newspaper advertisement implying this album release, 12 songs were registered to the  under the names of , with three tracks co-written by Andrew Watt. The final track listing was released on 6 September and included "", a  song that gave their band their name; they had never covered it previously on a release and this was the sole recording for this album recorded to tape. This was also one of the songs that Jagger and Richards bonded over when connecting as youths, when Richards spotted Jagger carrying a copy of  on a train.

The limited edition vinyl LP cover art has a mass of eyeballs and tongues, and a retailer-exclusive edition has the cracked diamond heart surrounded by red limbs. Additional covers are made for every  team, featuring the  in each team's colors and a limited edition by KidSuper featuring the lips logo with red fingerprints around it. The day before the album release,  announced a  designed to promote it.

As the release date drew near, the band began rehearsing for a supporting tour, and raised the possibility of  avatars for future performances. While no tour dates were announced by the time of the album release, the band played a seven-song set in New York City with  as they made promotional television appearances.

Critical reception[] Professional ratingsAggregate scoresSourceRating7.8/1078/100Review scoresSourceRating

Editors at  aggregated the scores from 13 outlets and rated this release an 7.8 out of 10. According to the review aggregator , Hackney Diamonds received "generally favorable reviews" based on a  score of 78 out of 100 from 22 critic scores. Several critics have declared this the band's best album in decades. Most assessments of the album are positive, aside from a negative review published by .

At , Tim Cumming gave this album 5 out of 5 stars, for being "45 concentrated minutes of peak-level Rolling Stones, a bravura performance benefiting from the level of focus and detail the band, under the producer's baton of Andrew Watts, bring to it" and stating that "it feels like, for the first time in a long time, Mick and Keith are on the same mission". Alan Woodhouse of  wrote that "the impression this record gives is of a strident sense of purpose" and that the inclusion of the Muddy Waters cover could serve to bring the band's career full circle. Writing for , Ian Fortnam gave this release 4.5 out of 5 stars, continuing that the band "haven't delivered an album this quintessentially Stonesy in 40 years" and this one "only ever leaves the listener hungry for more". At , Robin Murray scored this album a 7 out of 10, writing that it "presents a group whose virility, ambition, and desire to connect remains undimmed".  of  gave this album 5 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as "a raucous and dirty modern rock classic" and that the band is as good as they were in the 1970s. Writing for , Martin Robinson called this an "excellent set of songs has a certain down and dirty rage that feels perfect right now" that also has praiseworthy ballads; he scored it 4 out of 5 stars. Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of  scored this release 4 out of 5 stars, writing that "against the run of expectation, the shift from stadium to studio has been accomplished".  of  gave this album 4 out of 5 stars and credited Andrew Watt by writing that the music "suggest[s] the presence of someone who knows how to make contemporary hits, and there's a light modern sheen to the production that prevents it sounding like a determined recreation of the Stones' past". In , Mark Beaumont scored Hackney Diamonds 4 out of 5 stars, opining that the band's guitarists sound young and vital, and the combination of older pop musician guest stars makes this release have "a sense of career closure".

In , James McNair gave Hackney Diamonds 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a self-aware, historically mindful party". 's Alex Flood also gave this album 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "an absolute barnstormer" that is "very enjoyable". At , Hackney Diamonds received 4.5 out of 5 stars and John Murphy called it and "astonishingly fresh album" that "sounds like classic Stones without ever sounding like a parody of themselves". 's Fiona Shepherd gave 4 out of 5 stars to this album, stating that the "Stones still excel in their field". Prior to its announcement, , chief rock and pop critic for , received early access to the entire album. Hodgkinson noted that Hackney Diamonds "sound[s] like a summation of all the things that make the Stones great" and is "unquestionably the Stones' best [album] since"  (1978). He later posted a second review close to the release date and gave Hackney Diamonds 5 out of 5 stars, calling it "a joy from beginning to end because it reminds us of the things we love about the Stones while still sounding like it belongs to the modern age". Sister publication  featured a track-by-track break-down by Dan Cairns, drawing parallels with many releases in the band's catalogue, particularly from the 1970s.

In , Edna Gundersen called this the best Rolling Stones album since 1981's , in part due to the guest stars. Editors at  rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, with critic  writing "at its heart, it's nothing more than the Rolling Stones knocking out some good Rolling Stones songs, which seems like a minor miracle after such a long wait". Jocelyn Noveck of the  emphasized that this album continues the partying vibes of Stones music. In 's The Front, Claire Harvey characterized this album as "astoundingly good", particularly for being so late in the band's career. Jonah Kreuger of  considers this the third in a series of albums that return to the band's  roots with music that is "solid, if inessential", he also criticizes the "uncanny sleekness" of the recording and recommends that the band's music would sound better with less studio polish, but also notes that there is "genuine excitement on a few choice cuts". In ,  called this music "a startling and unlikely triumph, a consistently solid and swaggering set of songs from a group still stretching the limits of what’s possible in rock n' roll". Daniel Sylvester of  gave this album a 7 out of 10, stating that the band are "better than they need to be" on this recording, continuing that "while many of these tracks come off like they were focus-grouped to sound like classic Rolling Stones, they nonetheless hit their desired mark, thanks to solid performances and some terrific musical choices". Jackson Maxwell of  praised the interplay between guitarists Keith Richards and , as well as Richards' choice of vintage musical gear for recording; he assessed it the band's finest guitar work in decades. In , Pat Carty gave a lengthy review, comparing this work to several of the band's previous albums, summing up, "Is this the best Rolling Stones record since...? It might be the best one since Keith Richards’ , the greatest Rolling Stones record that never was, and that's something. The old gods are with us still."

Writing for , Ed Power called this "a hugely enjoyable late-career rebound from Mick Jagger and the gang" and "a loud, lush and lusty reminder that, at full tilt, nobody shakes the foundations like the Stones" that he gave 4 out of 5 stars. John Meagher of  wrote that the band's "mojo has been awakened spectacularly" by Watt. ' Tony Clayton-Lea rated this work 4 out of 5 stars, writing that the music quality is high, particularly for being so deep into the band's career, but critiquing that "a few songs here are run of the mill". Mikeal Wood wrote in the  that "the songs blend the same ingredients the Stones have been using since the beginning—blues, rock, soul, country, gospel—but they're tighter and punchier than on any of the band's previous late-era LPs" and that the music is catchier than their recent releases. 's Michael Elliott called the star of the album vocalist Mick Jagger, who "sneers, growls, and draws out syllables to make his point". One rare negative review came from , with Grayson Haver Currin giving this album 4.5 out of 10, stating that "these titans of industry flail as they try to act their image rather than their age" and stating that some tracks "sound... like the  trying to be bland" and "like an advertisement for advertising placements, songs meant to be sold to sell something else".

David Browne of  stated that this is an album worthy of multiple listens and praised Steve Jordan's drumming as well as the fact that the band has relevant lyrics without "the late-in-life introspection heard on recent records by some of the Stones’ peers". Writing for , Alan Corr gave this album 4 out of 5 stars, ensuring that this is "no novelty retread" and is their best album in decades. Online magazine  published a review from Kenneth Womack who called this music "pure rock 'n' roll" that could serve as an appropriate final album. Jeremy Winograd of  wrote that the "crisp, booming drums, hooky choruses, and livewire vocals have a radio-ready sheen without feeling forced, or compromising the Stones's essential traits" and that Watt managed to explore "long-dormant corners of their unparalleled stylistic range". In , editors chose this as a pick album and Gerrod Harris gave this release a 5 out of 5, calling it "a defining moment" for the band. Chris DeVille of  called this album a good and "genuinely enjoyable" release. The 's Nick Krewen called this "a return to form" with songs that "lack neither energy nor ambition; the loose thematic concept is examining numerous stages and circumstances of anger, a pretty topical subject considering the frustration most people are feeling about world issues at the moment". Writing for , Michael Gallucci stated that due to the success of , the band have "both nothing and, for the first time in decades, something to prove" on this album, continuing that "they step up for the occasion, delivering their most committed set of songs and performances in years". Jem Aswad of  called this The Rolling Stones' "liveliest work in 40 years", crediting producer Andrew Watt, as well as the band's guitarists. In the , Mark Richardson called this release "genuinely fresh" and praised the innovative mixing and sound that separates this from previous Stones albums. Chris Richards of  stated that the "Stones don’t sound like they’re trying to fulfill their own blues-pirate mythology" on this album and have "wisely found a way to be themselves" without excessively updating their sound.

Days before this album's release,  published a ranking of the Stones' studio albums, placing it at 17 out of 24. On the day of release,  of  compared Hackney Diamonds to several latter-period Stones studio albums, comparing it favorably to  (1986),  (1989) and  (2005).

Track listing[] Producer Andrew Watt co-wrote three songs on Hackney Diamonds

All songs written by , except where noted.

"" (Jagger–Richards, ) – 3:46 "Get Close" (Jagger–Richards, Watt) – 4:10 "Depending On You" (Jagger–Richards, Watt) – 4:03 "Bite My Head Off" – 3:31 "Whole Wide World" – 3:58 "Dreamy Skies" – 4:38 "Mess It Up" – 4:03 "Live by the Sword" – 3:59 "Driving Me Too Hard" – 3:16 "Tell Me Straight" – 2:56 "" – 7:22 "" () – 2:41 Personnel[] Drummer  (centre) with the Rolling Stones in 2018, months before his final studio sessions. guests on piano on the track "".

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.

The Rolling Stones

 – lead and backing vocals, guitar, percussion, harmonica on "Dreamy Skies" and "Rolling Stone Blues"  – guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Tell Me Straight"  – drums on "Mess It Up" and "Live by the Sword"  – guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel

Paulina Almira – illustration Ron Blake – trumpet on "Get Close" and "Sweet Sounds of Heaven".  – string  Matt Clifford – keyboards, piano,   –  at Metropolis Studios Karlos Edwards – percussion  –  at MixMaster Studios, Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States (except "Rolling Stone Blues")  – piano on "Get Close" and "Live by the Sword"  – drums  – saxophone on "Get Close" and "Sweet Sounds of Heaven".  – vocals on "Sweet Sounds of Heaven" Paul Lamalfa – mixing on "Rolling Stone Blues"  – bass guitar on "Bite My Head Off" Studio Fury –  and design  – additional  on "Live by the Sword"  – bass guitar, guitar, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals, string arrangement, mixing on "Rolling Stone Blues", production  – keyboards and piano on "Sweet Sounds of Heaven"  – bass guitar on "Live by the Sword"  – keyboards and organ on "Depending On You" Charts[] Chart performance for Hackney DiamondsChart (2023)Peak
positionAustralian Albums ()1Belgian Albums ( Flanders)1Belgian Albums ( Wallonia)1Dutch Albums ()1Finnish Albums ()3German Albums ()1Greek Albums ()2Icelandic Albums ()1Irish Albums ()1Italian Albums ()2Japanese Albums ()6Japanese Combined Albums ()5Japanese Hot Albums ()4Lithuanian Albums ()68New Zealand Albums ()1Norwegian Albums ()1 ()1Swedish Albums ()1 ()1