By LoffMusic
The Rolling Stones are not thinking of slowing down. More than sixty years into their career, with massive tours and a legacy that could sustain several lifetimes, the band is once again setting off all the alarms: 2026 could bring a new European tour and a new album already completed. This is what several internal voices of the group have let slip, and the pieces are starting to fit together.
The first to do so has been Chuck Leavell, pianist, musical director of the group and one of the people closest to the Jagger-Richards core. At an event to present the reissue of the classic Black and Blue (1976), Leavell made no secret that the group has ambitious plans for next year:
“They don’t want to hang up the rock ‘n’ roll shoes just yet. There’s no doubt in my mind. We’ve done a lot in the U.S. over the years, so the most logical thing to do would be Europe.”
These statements are joined by other voices that have been pointing in the same direction for months. Everything indicates that the return of the Stones to the old continent is a matter of time.
The tour that wasn’t… and the one that could be
During 2025, the band seriously contemplated a European tour that included cities such as Paris, Barcelona, Rome and up to four nights at London’ s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, logistical problems -availability of venues, prior commitments, saturated air routes- ended up discarding the plan.
But the Stones are not giving up easily.
The machinery is moving again and 2026 is already on the media horizon as the big year of the European comeback.
If confirmed, it would be the group’s first tour of the continent since 2022, when they performed at BST Hyde Park (two nights) and Anfield, Liverpool, plus a memorable concert in Madrid that earned five stars for its energy, precision and vitality.
The phrase that circulated then still applies:
“At this rate, nothing seems to be able to stop them.”
A new album in the works and……. “it’s done.”
The other half of the equation comes from inside the studio.
Ronnie Wood recently confirmed that a new Stones album is already finished and will arrive sometime in 2026.
His statement was not isolated:
- Marlon Richards, Keith’s son, said that the album is “almost done”, recorded between marathon sessions in London.
- Producer Andrew Watt, who previously worked on Hackney Diamonds (2023), acknowledged that they have been recording together again. “It’s like working for Batman,” he said, referring to the mystery and discipline of Camp Stone.
- Chuck Leavell again insisted, “I know there’s new music. And I’m sure it’s great.”
With these pieces on the table, the scenario is clear:
new album + European tour = key year for the Rolling Stones.
The eternal magnet and why the Stones remain indestructible
The Stones’ longevity is no accident:
is a mixture of discipline, obsession and musical hunger.
The 2022 and 2024 concerts proved that they are still performing with the same urgency they did decades ago: sharp sound, vibrant repertoire, and a Mick Jagger who resists any notion of time.
If in 2022 there was talk of “freshness”, in 2026 there is talk of “artistic resilience”.
They are not a band celebrating their past:
are a band writing their future.
2026 will be another Rolling Stone year
Between rumors, semi-official statements, studio tracks and family leaks, the picture is brightening:
- new album ready,
- European tour increasingly likely,
- and a band that wants to stay on the road.
The Rolling Stones are not saying goodbye.
They are preparing their next roar.
In the meantime, we leave you with a video and an album that we love in LoffMusic’s editorial office.
