The Rolling Stones Foreign Tongues
Released Jul 10, 2026 Polydor Records
Established consensus 6 professional reviews Updated Oct 1, 2026
Mostly positive consensus
The Rolling Stones's Foreign Tongues lands as a weathered, occasionally thrilling late-career statement that balances bluesy stomp with crafty pop sheen — critics generally find it worth hearing.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
Divine Intervention
3 critic mentions
“Divine Intervention’ hurtles toward its dystopian vision of contemporary decay with a devil-may-care boogie gospel” — Far Out Magazine
Mr Charm
2 critic mentions
“the ear-worm rock ‘n’ soul of ‘Mr Charm’ is as catchy as some of the gems in their vast back catalogue” — Hot Press
Hit Me In The Head
5 critic mentions
“the album includes one of his final recording sessions from 2021 on the hard rocking ‘Hit Me In The Head” — Hot Press
Full critic consensus
The Rolling Stones's Foreign Tongues lands as a weathered, occasionally thrilling late-career statement that balances bluesy stomp with crafty pop sheen — critics generally find it worth hearing. Across six professional reviews the record earned a 70.17/100 consensus score, with praise for moments of raw vitality and occasional frustration over uneven songwriting and glossy production choices.
Reviewers consistently point to standout tracks as proof the band still sparks: “Hit Me In The Head”, “Divine Intervention”, “Rough And Twisted” and “Ringing Hollow” recur as the best songs on Foreign Tongues, each singled out for muscular riffs, lyrical bite or intimate tenderness. Critics note a recurring theme of aging rock veterans confronting mortality and nostalgia while leaning into blues and country influences, guest collaborations and a mix of classic and contemporary production that sometimes invigorates and sometimes smooths the rough edges. Several writers applaud the record's moments of room-playing joy and band chemistry, even as others call out leftover-session filler and patchy sequencing.
Taken together the critical consensus reads as mixed-to-positive: the record is not uniformly essential, but it offers enough standout songs and sparks of renewal to recommend to fans and curious listeners. For readers searching for a quick verdict on whether Foreign Tongues is good and what the best songs are, the critical take highlights the energetic highs and the uneven lows — a record that reminds us why The Rolling Stones still provoke and occasionally exhilarate.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Rough And Twisted
In The Stars
Jealous Lover
Mr Charm
Divine Intervention
Ringing Hollow
Never Wanna Lose You
Hit Me In The Head
You Know I'm No Good
Some Of Us
Covered In You
Side Effects
Back In Your Life
Beautiful Delilah
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 6 critics who reviewed this album
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Critic's Take
The Rolling Stones sound improbably vital on Foreign Tongues, and the best songs - notably “Hit Me In The Head” and “Covered In You” - show they can still rock with swagger and sly humor. John Walshe's tone is celebratory and slightly cheeky, noting how guest turns and late-era contributions invigorate tracks without smothering the band. He highlights the hard-rocking pulse of “Hit Me In The Head” and the snappy shuffle of “Covered In You” as standouts, while also praising the sinuous opener “Rough And Twisted” for its old-school R&B roots. The review reads like a delighted fan’s field report, answering what are the best tracks on Foreign Tongues by pointing to energy, hooks, and tasteful guest flourishes.
Key Points
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The best song is high-energy guest-assisted rock like 'Hit Me In The Head', praised for its hard-rocking final Watts session.
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The album’s core strengths are vitality, smart guest contributions, and reverent nods to rock and roll roots.
Themes
Critic's Take
In a typically wry, observant tone, The Rolling Stones on Foreign Tongues toss between raucous blues and tender confession, making tracks like “Rough And Twisted” and “Ringing Hollow” the best songs on Foreign Tongues by marrying old‑school swagger with present‑day urgency. The reviewer lingers on the joyous room‑playing captured by Andrew Watt and the album’s willingness to tackle politics, which helps explain why “Covered In You” and “Hit Me In The Head” stand out as vital moments. There is also praise for quieter sparks - “Back In Your Life” and “Some Of Us” - which show emotional depth and give the record surprising tenderness. Overall, the best tracks on Foreign Tongues feel both celebratory and clear‑eyed, proof the band can still blaze and reflect in equal measure.
Key Points
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Ringing Hollow is the best single for its sublime honky tonk melody and political bite.
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The album’s core strengths are its joyous band interplay, genre variety, and surprising tenderness amid political urgency.
Themes
Critic's Take
The Rolling Stones sound surprisingly vital on Foreign Tongues, and the review savours the album’s best songs as proof of that rekindled spark. The reviewer singles out “Jealous Lover” for Jagger’s lithe falsetto and disco-hued charm, and praises “Ringing Hollow” and “Some Of Us” as quieter highlights that actually breathe. There is also admiration for the raw adrenalised burst of “Hit Me In The Head” and a warm note on the closing “Beautiful Delilah”, all presented with the writer’s wry, measured tone that balances reverence and clear-eyed critique.
Key Points
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The best song, “Jealous Lover”, stands out for Jagger’s lithe falsetto and disco-hued charm.
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The album’s core strengths are rooted in seasoned interplay, blues-country textures, and moments of genuine vulnerability.
Themes
Critic's Take
The Rolling Stones sound like a band begrudgingly enjoying their own reinvention on Foreign Tongues, where hooksmith Andrew Watt polishes rough edges into pop-ready moments. The review highlights “Rough And Twisted” and “In The Stars” as brash bookends - a Vegas blues romp and a riff-nicking strut that expose the album's uneasy marriage of swagger and craft. Stuart Berman's voice relishes the comic and the sincere, noting that “Jealous Lover” aims for falsetto disco thrills but settles for a stately soul ballad, which both charms and frustrates.
Key Points
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The best song succeeds when Stones swagger collides with Andrew Watt’s pop-savvy production.
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The album’s core strength is its blend of classic archetypes and contemporary songwriting precision.
Themes
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Critic's Take
Tom Phelan finds that The Rolling Stones on Foreign Tongues still hit sparks when they let loose, and he lifts “Mr Charm” and “Divine Intervention” as the best songs on the record. He praises the album’s ramshackle energy and Mick Jagger’s renewed lyrical bite on “Divine Intervention”, while calling “Mr Charm” a standout for its punky, bluesy stomp and topical barbs. Phelan also notes the muscular impact of “Hit Me In The Head” for its riffs and Ronnie Wood solo, but warns that cuts like “In The Stars” and “Never Wanna Lose You” fall into pedestrian territory.
Key Points
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‘Mr Charm’ is the best song for its punk-pastiche energy and sharp topical lyrics.
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The album’s core strength is the band’s chemistry and ramshackle energy that makes standout tracks sing.