Rolling Stones and Marvel Team Up for Five Foreign Tongues Vinyl Variants

Five superhero-themed pressings on red vinyl arrive July 10 alongside the band's 25th studio album.

The Rolling Stones have partnered with Marvel to release five limited-edition vinyl variants of their forthcoming album Foreign Tongues, due July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music. Each pressing features exclusive cover artwork designed by Marvel illustrators and comes with a What If… comic insert recreating the album cover in comic-book form. The five heroes represented are Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Thor, and the Hulk. All variants are available for pre-order now.

What the Marvel Variants Include

Every one of the five collector's editions is pressed on red vinyl and contains the same 14-song record announced for the standard release. Each copy also includes a What If… comic insert in which Marvel illustrators reimagine the album cover as a comic-book cover, artwork created specifically for this collaboration.

The cover designs each incorporate a different version of the Stones' iconic mouth-and-tongue logo. The Hulk lifts a double-decker red bus in London with the logo on its side; Spider-Man shoots webs in the outline of the logo; Captain America crashes through a poster-covered wall bearing the design; Thor's lightning forms the logo around his hammer; and Wolverine stands in front of the logo.

Foreign Tongues: Album Details and Guest Appearances

Foreign Tongues is the Rolling Stones' 25th studio album and is scheduled for release on July 10. The record features Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood, alongside longtime collaborators Darryl Jones, Steve Jordan, and Matt Clifford.

Guest appearances include Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, Robert Smith of The Cure, and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album also includes music recorded by the late Charlie Watts during what the band describes as one of his final studio sessions before his passing in 2021.

Previously released singles ‘Rough And Twisted' and ‘In The Stars' are included on the record, as is a cover of the Amy Winehouse classic ‘You Know I'm No Good.' The full tracklist was revealed last month, with song titles initially appearing on streaming platforms in actual foreign languages.

Touring Plans Remain Uncertain

The band currently has no tour dates scheduled to promote Foreign Tongues. In late 2025, the Stones confirmed they had scrapped plans for a UK and European stadium tour in 2026 because Keith Richards was unable to commit to it. Richards has since hinted at a possible return to the road in 2027, and Jagger has said he ‘can't wait' to get back out with the group.

In the meantime, Jagger made headlines by playing a surprise impromptu gig with students at a pub in Oxford. Pre-orders for the regular edition, the yellow box set, and the five Marvel variant pressings of Foreign Tongues are all available now.

What we know

• The Rolling Stones and Marvel have announced five limited-edition vinyl variants of Foreign Tongues, each featuring a different Marvel superhero on the cover.
• The five heroes featured are Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Thor, and the Hulk.
• Each variant is pressed on red vinyl and includes a What If… comic insert with artwork designed by Marvel illustrators specifically for this release.
• Foreign Tongues is the Rolling Stones' 25th studio album and is set for release on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music.
• Guest appearances on the album include Paul McCartney, Robert Smith of The Cure, Steve Winwood, and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
• The album includes music recorded by Charlie Watts during what the band describes as one of his final studio sessions before his death in 2021.
• The album includes a cover of Amy Winehouse's ‘You Know I'm No Good' and previously released singles ‘Rough And Twisted' and ‘In The Stars'.
• The band scrapped plans for a UK and European stadium tour in 2026 because Keith Richards was unable to commit to it.

The take

Crossover merchandise between rock legacy acts and major entertainment brands has become a reliable tool for generating pre-release momentum, but the Stones-Marvel pairing carries a logic that goes beyond standard licensing. Both properties are built around characters who seem genuinely indestructible, and both have spent decades proving that longevity, handled correctly, only deepens cultural relevance rather than diluting it. Marvel's What If… imprint is a particularly smart vehicle here; the series is built on the premise of reimagining iconic figures in alternate contexts, which maps neatly onto the idea of the Stones rendered in four-color superhero mythology. Pressing the variants on red vinyl and limiting them to five designs keeps the collector appeal tight. For a band releasing its 25th studio album without a confirmed tour behind it, physical collectibles serve a real commercial function: they give fans a tangible reason to engage with the release cycle even when there are no concert tickets to buy. The Stones have navigated the post-touring landscape more carefully than most legacy acts, and pairing a high-profile album with a franchise that commands its own devoted collector base is a savvy way to extend reach beyond the core audience. The inclusion of Charlie Watts material adds genuine emotional weight to the release, which the Marvel packaging, however eye-catching, does not diminish.

Why it matters

For classic rock fans, Foreign Tongues already carries unusual stakes: it contains some of the last recorded work by Charlie Watts, and its guest list reads like a summit meeting of rock royalty. The Marvel variants add a pop-culture dimension that broadens the album's visibility well beyond the Stones' existing audience. At a moment when the band cannot confirm a tour, collectible physical releases become the primary touchpoint between the group and its fans, making this collaboration more than a marketing stunt. It is a meaningful part of how one of rock's greatest acts sustains its presence in 2026.

What's next

Foreign Tongues and all five Marvel variant vinyl editions are scheduled for release on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music. Pre-orders for the Marvel pressings, the standard edition, and the yellow box set are open now. The band has no tour dates confirmed for 2026; Keith Richards has hinted at a possible return to the road in 2027.

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