Mick Jagger has revealed that he’s a fan of Sam Fender, hailing his album ‘Folks Watching’ as “wonderful”.
The Rolling Stones frontman was talking to NME forward of the discharge of the band’s new album ‘International Tongues’, which is about to reach on July 10 – pre-order it right here.
Requested about youthful artists he has been listening to lately, Jagger mentioned: “I’ve had my Sam Fender moments recently, as a result of I like numerous his stuff. That ‘Folks Watching’ album was gorgeous. Yeah, I assumed that album was wonderful, earlier stuff I favored, you recognize, ‘Seventeen Going Beneath’, there’s some good things on that album.”
“It’s at all times the identical whenever you hear songs for the primary time,” he continued. “It’s simply the overall vibe after which the grooves. It’s rock music, you recognize, however his songs have good choruses – which is a part of the sport. I believe numerous the lyrics are actually fascinating too and reflective of his expertise rising up.”
Jagger additionally famous that Fender’s writing has begun to maneuver past the working-class themes that helped outline his early materials.
“He’s clearly very pop oriented,” he mentioned. “He’s not solely doing working class songs. The track he did with Olivia Dean was very profitable.”
He then singled out ‘Crumbling Empire’ from ‘Folks Watching’ as “lyrically fascinating”.
NME put it to Jagger that Fender may very well be a becoming visitor at a future Stones present, maybe on ‘Tumbling Cube’. “Yeah, he may be actually good for that,” Jagger replied.
Fender launched ‘Folks Watching’ in February 2025, following 2021’s ‘Seventeen Going Beneath’. In a four-star assessment, NME described the album as “Reflective, analytical and susceptible”, concluding: “He approaches every monitor with sensitivity as he seems to be again on his life to this point – maybe even with an inkling of guilt – and contemplates who he could also be subsequent.”
The album went on to win the 2025 Mercury Prize, with Fender later donating his £25,000 winnings to Music Venue Belief.
Jagger’s feedback come after he lately mentioned a variety of youthful artists he has been listening to, together with Geese, who he hailed as “very experimental”, and Rosalía for her “conceptual” album ‘Lux’.
The Rolling Stones, in the meantime, have previewed ‘International Tongues’ with the singles ‘Tough And Twisted’, ‘In The Stars’, ‘Jealous Lover’ and ‘Divine Intervention’.
Chatting with NME about Paul McCartney’s look on the document, Jagger mentioned it was “very straightforward” working with the previous Beatle, who performs bass on ‘Coated In You’.
Robert Smith additionally options on ‘Divine Intervention’, though The Remedy frontman initially turned down the prospect to collaborate with the band as a result of he “wasn’t actually ready for it”.
The Stones have additionally launched a six-part podcast sequence, Talking In Tongues, exploring the making of the album.
Jagger additionally lately named ‘Sticky Fingers’, ‘Beggars Banquet’ and ‘Hackney Diamonds’ amongst his favorite Rolling Stones albums, whereas pointing to ‘Sympathy For The Satan’, ‘Begin Me Up’, ‘Angie’ and ‘Honky Tonk Ladies’ as amongst his favorite songs.