The Rolling Stones may be teasing a new album.
An ad recently appeared in an English newspaper called the Hackney Gazette for a company called “Hackney Diamonds.” The accompanying text, which references a few Stones songs, reads: “Our friendly staff promises you satisfaction. When you say gimme shelter, we’ll fix your shattered windows.” Just above the “i” in “Hackney Diamonds” is the Stones’ logo; at the bottom, it reads “Est. 1962,” the year the band was formed.
The ad also says “Opening September 2023.”
A website has also appeared, which includes a mailing list from Universal Music, the Stones’ label. On the site, an address is listed for Mare Street in the Hackney borough of London.
Anyone see this? An ad ran in Hackney Gazette for a company called Hackney Diamonds teasing Rolling Stones song titles. Their est. date is 1962, same year Stones formed. Website seems to be run by Universal Music, the Stones’ label. A clue their long-awaited new LP is on its way? pic.twitter.com/DFSnb2WE48
— Simon Harper (@Simon__Harper) August 21, 2023
It’s not clear what is going on here, or even if the Stones are involved, but fans believe that “Hackney Diamonds” could be the title of the band’s new album. Keith Richards said that the Stones were working on new music in 2022; it would be their first record since the death of Charlie Watts.
“It’ll be interesting to find out the dynamics now that [drummer] Steve [Jordan]’s in the band,” Richards admitted at the time. “It’s sort of metamorphosing into something else. I was working with Mick [Jagger] last week, and Steve, and we came up with some, eight or nine, new pieces of material. Which is overwhelming by our standards.”
In early 2023, it was confirmed that Paul McCartney played bass on one of the new songs. Richards has also been spotted going into New York’s Electric Lady Studios, and the entire band was recently seen in New York doing a photoshoot.