Watch: THE ROLLING STONES Joined By LADY GAGA During Surprise Set At Album-Release Party

THE ROLLING STONES threw a party last night (Thursday, October 19) in New York to celebrate the release of the highly acclaimed "Hackney Diamonds", their first album of new material in eighteen years. The band took over the west side club Racket NYC, and packed it with friends, fellow musicians, actors, colleagues and friends.

Among the many notable guests in attendance were Jimmy Fallon, Trevor Noah, Daniel Craig, Mary Kate Olsen, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Chris Rock, Taylor Hill, Rachel Weisz, Christie Brinkley, Ed Burns, Keegan-Michael Key, Minka Kelly, Christy Turlington and Andrew Watt. Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson from Fallon's "Late Show" house band THE ROOTS turned in a hot DJ set to keep the crowd simmering.

But THE STONES were not content simply to mark the release of "Hackney Diamonds". They set out to demonstrate their fitness for the road. About 90 minutes into the evening, an announcer intoned "For one night only, THE ROLLING STONES!" Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Darry Jones and Steve Jordan, accompanied by keyboardist Matt Clifford and background singer Chanel Haynes, and blasted into one of their classic New York theme songs, "Shattered".

The band first blazed through a six-song set that included the "Hackney Diamonds" tracks "Angry", "Whole Wide World" and "Bite My Head Off", along with such STONES classics as "Tumbling Dice" and "Jumping Jack Flash".

For the encore, Lady Gaga, resplendent in a purple, spangled jump suit, emerged to deliver an electrifying duet with Jagger on the gospel ballad from "Hackney Diamonds", "Sweet Sounds Of Heaven". THE STONES' 40-minute set left the crowd transported.

THE STONES are clearly energized by their new material. They were loose and relaxed on stage, and tore into their new songs with impressive fervor. They clearly view "Hackney Diamonds" as the start of a new era for the band. As Jagger sings in "Whole Wide World", "You think the party's over, but it's only just begun."

The 12-track "Hackney Diamonds" was recorded in various locations around the world, including Henson Recording Studios, Los Angeles; Metropolis Studios, London; Sanctuary Studios, Nassau, Bahamas; Electric Lady Studios, New York; and The Hit Factory/Germano Studios, also in New York.

Last month, THE STONES launched the album at a globally livestreamed event from Hackney Empire in East London. The livestream was followed by the premiere of the video for "Angry" starring Emmy-nominated actress Sydney Sweeney ("The White Lotus", "Euphoria", "The Handmaid's Tale"),which to date has had over 19 million views.

"Hackney Diamonds" is THE STONES' first studio set of new material since 2005's "A Bigger Bang". Since then, THE STONES have continued to smash box office records for fun on a series of global sellout tours and released 2016's Grammy Award-winning "Blue & Lonesome", which featured their brilliant versions of many of the blues tracks that helped shape their sound, and topped album charts around the world. Last year, they thrilled European audiences totaling nearly a quarter of a million on the anniversary "Sixty" tour.

"Hackney Diamonds" marks THE ROLLING STONES' first collaboration with New York-born producer and musician Andrew Watt, who was named "Producer Of The Year" at the 2021 Grammy Awards and has worked with Post Malone, Iggy Pop and Elton John.

The bespoke artwork for "Hackney Diamonds" is by digital animator Paulina Almira.

THE ROLLING STONES' new LP is the first since Watts died in 2021.

THE ROLLING STONES released a new track, "Living In A Ghost Town", in 2020.

In 2016, the band released "Blue & Lonesome", a covers collection paying tribute to old-school blues.