After a prolific year in music, everything indicates that in 2023 the exponential journey of the new urban sounds massified by the latest technology of the digital age will continue. However, various rumors confirm that two iconic groups are producing their new albums for this year. Hailing from the British Isles, the legendary English band The Rolling Stones and the iconic Irish quartet u2they will say present in these months.
An incredible coincidence that dates back to the rivalry between the two groups in the 90s. At that time, “Their Satanic Majesties” reemerged from the dramatic conflicts of the past decade, with the successful albums Voodoo Lounge (1994) and Bridges to Babylon(1998). Meanwhile, the leaders of Irish alternative rock turned to commercial pop, in a box-office fashion, with records Achtung Baby (1991), zoorope (1993) and Pop (1997).
But the challenge among the musicians was not so much in album sales. The business of world tours grew dizzyingly due to these two bands that set absolute records in number of countries, dates and collections in the last decade of the 20th century. Both the tours Zoo TV Y popmartcaptained by the group led by Bono, like the tours Voodoo Lounge Tour Y Bridges to Babylon Tour of the Stones, positioned the bands as the most commercially successful of the 90s. A historical fact that seems to be refloating today.
This year, the novelties of the self-proclaimed “World’s Greatest Rock Band” they would start with a new album with original material. Something that hasn’t happened since Bigger Bang of 2005, the last album of the integrated group, at that time, for Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Charlie Watts. Although it has not been officially confirmed by the label, guitarist Ronnie Wood confirmed to the British outlet The Sun that they are working on a new album and that it will be released this year.
“We are recording the new album now and we are going to Los Angeles in a few weeks to carry it out and finish it,” the former Faces guitarist had stated in mid-December, adding: “Charlie is on some of the songs and so is drummer Steve Jordan”. In this conversation with The Sun it was announced that previously unreleased recordings of the late drummer Charlie Watts will also be included on some tracks. The historic musician and founding member of the legendary London band died on August 24, 2021.
On the other hand, the Irish U2, who have not been very active since they released a Christmas EP at the end of 2021 and who Bond published his memoirs, it is expected that this year they will give birth to two albums: a compilation of remixed greatest hits and another with previously unpublished songs. “We’re almost done with this album, but we’re going to put out a rock ‘n’ roll album. So we are not going to release this, for the moment, but I tell you that it is incredible”, the vocalist anticipated in an intriguing way to the media regarding the two musical projects.
Finally, the Irish singer concluded: “With the band, I thought, this is not what we do, and we can only do those things if we have the songwriting chops. So we went to songwriting school, we came back and we’re good! During those two albums, ‘Songs Of Innocence and Experience’, our songwriting came back. Now we have to put the rock ‘n’ roll firepower back on.”.
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