The Rolling Stones brought London to life last night as they celebrated the release of their brand new album Foreign Tongues with a star-studded launch party and a spectacular 500-drone light show above the River Thames.

Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood hosted friends, guests and celebrity attendees at an exclusive celebration overlooking the Thames from the terrace of London’s newest luxury hotel, St. Clement. Guests included Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, Sam Fender, Sacha Baron Cohen, Simone Ashley, Christian Louboutin, John McEnroe, Glen Matlock and Vernon Kay.

The celebrations reached their peak as the London skyline was transformed by a first-of-its-kind drone display, with The Rolling Stones’ legendary tongue logo and artwork from Foreign Tongues appearing above some of the capital’s most recognisable landmarks, including the London Eye and Big Ben.

Set to the band’s new track ‘In The Stars’, the landmark Thames spectacle celebrated the arrival of Foreign Tongues and the group’s enduring connection to the city they have called home throughout their career. The display was created by internationally acclaimed designer Patrick Woodroffe, who described seeing the iconic Stones tongue suspended above the River Thames as a fitting tribute to a record made in London.

The event marked a new chapter for the band, who revealed that Foreign Tongues was created in under a month at Metropolis Studios in their hometown. The album captures the energy and spontaneity of the recording process, with the band describing the experience as “a lot of fun” and saying they hope fans love the record.

More than six decades after first becoming one of the world’s most influential rock bands, The Rolling Stones continue to make their mark on London, celebrating their latest release by turning the city’s skyline into a stage.

The Rolling Stones commented: 

“We put this album together in under a month at Metropolis Studios in our hometown of London - it was a lot of fun. The critics seem to like it, we hope everyone loves it!”

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and chief editor of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.