NewsRolling Stones issue brand new studio recording ‘Living In A Ghost Town’
New song, released early for lockdown
The Rolling Stones have released a surprise new song this evening called, rather appropriately, Living In A Ghost Town.
The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and Mick explains that “the Stones were in the studio recording some new material before the lockdown and there was one song we thought would resonate through the times that we’re living in right now. We’ve worked on it in isolation”
Keith is slightly more forthright, pointing out that “we cut this track well over a year ago in L.A. for part of a new album, an ongoing thing, and then shit hit the fan.” The pair then decided the song “really needed to go to work right now and so here you have it.”
Living In A Ghost Town is being made available on 10-inch orange vinyl. A purple vinyl or CD edition is exclusive to The Rolling Stones online store. Physical formats are released on 26 June (vinyl) respectively.
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I’m not a Stones fan and they were one of the bands I wanted to see at least once. I did in 2017 on the No filter tour in Düsseldorf and I’m STILL impressed. I get their legacy now. This new track… it has ‘Stones’ all over it so I ordered both colored 10″ and just for the fact that CD singles are not standard anymore I ordered that too. Rather a 1 track CD single than an invisible download :-) I just love that tongue artwork !
Not related to this here song, just curious:
what did folks think of Jaggers “Gotta Get A Grip” / “England Lost” single.
Me?
I liked it. the best song ever? nope, but I wiggled my tootsie and danced in my ginch around the kitchen.
I liked that Jagger “double A side” download single. Not bad at all. Did find it strange that he didn’t hold on to either song for a future Stones release, but I guess 100% of royalties from a smaller target market beat however the split works on bigger sales under the band name!
I like it but there’s some heavy auto tuning going on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ2oXzrnti4
The Specials – Ghost Town –
it’s NOT another Stones’ plagiarism!!!
Titles are similar – but nothing else..
Got an email from Recordstore yesterday afternoon stating that all versions were 93% sold out. I always take these emails from them with a pinch of salt. Previous examples show that the extra few percent seems to take a while to sell out if indeed they do.
Sometimes they show the actual number of copies left. The recent Iggy Pop 500 copy signed boxset sold out pretty quickly but once people realised that it was not Iggy signing it a lot of people cancelled their orders and suddenly there was stock available again. A few days ago they stated 24 left in stock. That has now disappeared and it available to pre order with no stock number showing. Similarly with the Jarvis Cocker’s new album and their exclusive yellow vinyl “limited to 750 copies. About 5 weeks ago they showed around 100 left but for weeks now it just shows “pre order”. Makes you wonder how many of these are actually being made. At the initial rate the stock sold at according to their figures both would have sold out long ago.
Here’s sincerely hoping that this was rush-released owing to its relevancy to our present times and not, as I fear, because it’s been deemed the strongest of their new, unreleased material.
A good song, very Stones-y and thank you for making it available on CD! Is there a b-side?
Is it a one sided single ?
Yes. A one side 10″ and a 1 track CD.
I like it a lot.
Ordered, thanks.
As a Stones fan from 1971 i listened this once and i think it was enough. Miss the days when new Stones single was something like Jumping Jack Flash, Honky Tonk Women or Brown Sugar. I think i listen them again to cheer me up!
It’s interesting to see how this is polarising opinion. Some feel it’s a rather weak effort, subjected to sonic tampering, and probably not a patch on their peak years material. Others feel it’s rather good, and are thankful that the group is still around to release such quality material in 2020, more than 50 years after they started. Personally, I think it’s great; irrespective of the current situation, and the age of the protagonists, Indeed, I think it’s the best thing I’ve heard in quite a while. But, yes, I do find some solace in the fact that these old pals of ours are still here, reminding us of former times, but delivering something new and worthwhile at the same time. Vinyl ordered.
Good enough track but diabolical corporate brand tongue cover. I’ll wait for the deluxe Goats Head Soup myself.
ummm… the tongue is from Rolling Stones Records, and they’ve kept it…
fun story: when I lived in china and ppl there insisted, INSISTED the tongue was a new fashion brand and the stones were being trendy. the Ramones and Misfits were in the same boat
Nice enough track. Now go and finish that album you’ve been promising us for some years….
Thanks Paul for keeping the site going with some innovative content. Well done Mick et al its not perfect but at least they’ve made the effort in these troubling times also I was wondering if hes been listening to The Specials famous track? Waiting for some inspirational music to help us all out cue Springsteen, Dylan or an undiscovered artist?
Dylan has released 2 singles since this all started.
I didn’t;t know it was a competition
is it a competition?
I like it. It was a real boost for me yesterday to first read the rumours on forums such as IORR and Shidoobeeland in the morning and then to actually get the new song in the afternoon. The Stones have been my favourite band ever since my Dad took me to see them back in 1995 when I was 13, so to get this from them at this time has been an amazing treat.
I was starting to lose hope in the rumours of them working on a new album, but seeing them in the studio in the video has got me excited for what might come!
Needless to say, I ordered the CD and the orange vinyl straight away, but I suspect that purple one will get another order at some point soon… Well, we all need cheering up don’t we!
Good track but i’ll wait till it’s on the next greatest hit album thats bound to be out for christmas!
Vinyl is out 26th June not 29th May
Thanks. CD is out on 29 May though. Amended.
But eh…do I hear some auto-tuning? (around 1.52 it’s quite clear).
It’s on purpose and throughout the track. Auto-tune isn’t just used to ‘fix’ problems, it’s also used as an effect in its own right. For example: the track that made auto-tune fasionable… Believe by Cher.
Yeah, quite disgusting and unnecessary…
Exactly. I may be old-fashioned. But auto-tune just doesn’t belong in rock ‘n roll, in my humble opinion, ever. But it’s a can of worms …
I think this is great. It unbelievable that this band is still putting out decent tunes. Doom and Gloom is still one of the best modern day rock songs. Also really dig the ‘40 Licks’ style artwork.
It´s a great track, it grows on ya and stays in your head. It has a feeling from days of Some Girls but also with ingredients from later albums. I guess there was no time to create an album cover art in this rushrelease schedule…but I agree on some of the comments here, I also miss the creative Stones-album covers from earlier decades. On the other hand the Stones “icon” type of logo is visually effective in any small size anywhere, on any (media) pages. Thank you Stones for a really great track!
I immediately thought of the Some Girls period as well!
Great, ordered
Fun! Sorely needed. Elements of so many past LPs. Appears that their simplistic garage-style Stones rock has turned out to be a formula for longevity. Entertaining and well done! Anticipating the next LP.
It is decent. A nice surprise. I will probably not go back for a lot of listens but it is cool to hear, like Doom and Gloom was. I would be more curious now about what that whole new album might be or have been like.
They should donate ALL proceeds to a good cause related to the pandemic. They’ve got millions and many people right now are in need.
I imagine the proceeds will be pretty minimal unless it’s a huge hit (which it won’t be). Do any artists earn much from sales of physical singles these days?
Like the song but $10 for one song? sorry.
You’re getting a collectible item rather than just one song.. you can buy the one song for 99p if you just want the song.
Yeah, a collectable. Pretty much everything that’s wrong with the industry at this point.
First impression? It’s a pretty decent track, all things considered. After playing it four times, it definitely improves with each listen and I’m now thinking it’s great!
It sounds like nobody but the Stones. A sleazy groove with strong verses and chorus.
Jagger’s vocals are incredible, considering his age. I wonder if he went and got some of those injections Roger Daltrey’s been raving about to improve his voice? ;)
as usual a terrible cover. no b side ? medicore song. why no lead guitar solo ? i will pass.
Is a guitar solo mandatory?
if there was a guitar solo, then there’s be lies of “more cowbell”
* lighthearted comment alert
It’s lockdown and some people still don”t get it: You Can’t Always Get What You Want…
FYI, the tongue and lips is the bands logo, has been for a couple or three years.
it’s been the logo since the ’70s. It’s iconic. You can put it anywhere and someone will recognize it
Am not their biggest fan but this is really good. Jagger sounds superb for a man who will soon turn 77. Not sure how much Keith is on this. Someone told me Jagger plays more guitar on their stuff than you might think. Glad they’re still putting stuff out. We’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Spettacolare!!!
Ordered cd, purple, orange vinyl
Sorry will hear no negative comments , yes artwork derivative it probably isn’t new music … but they are still here they are having a go and after nearly sixty years they are magnificent. We will miss them when they are gone , there is nothing to replace them .
Couldn’t agree more Andrew, well said.
Surely there must be some out of work designers out there that could have made something better than a tweak to the Blue & Lonesome album cover?
The Stones were responsible for some of the most memorable LP covers and 45 sleeves ever. It seems like they literally don’t even think about it anymore.
Are the proceeds going to the NHS as much as a massive stones fan I dont think they need the money ????
shop.musicvaultz.com has orange vinyl, purple vinyl and a CD [single]. And 20% off if not previously used.
At last . Good ” black n blue” sound and a touch of “keefs reggae influences” . I’ll wait for album though .
Ordered the CD.
Is it just me, I too have the CD & it sounds like crap.. it’s very poor audio, maybe my disc is defective?
Has a bit of an Emotional Rescue sound to it. I like it.
I want a new studio album of original songs. It’s only been 14 years since “A bigger bang”!
funny that, there IS an album in the works. wheeeeeeee
So is this a one track single? No B-side?!
Appears to be the case
Just ordered cd version from Stones store (for Canada)
Great news! – Thanks again, Mr. Sinclair
Heard it on Radio 2 this afternoon..pretty good on first listen. Some overlap with Ghost town by The Specials.
HA! I had the same reaction, maybe someone will do a mash-up!!