British rock icons The Rolling Stones have ignited the next phase of their latest studio album cycle with the global premiere of the official music video for Mr. Charm, coupled with the wide...
British rock icons The Rolling Stones have ignited the next phase of their latest studio album cycle with the global premiere of the official music video for Mr. Charm, coupled with the wide commercial streaming debut of long-sought vault track Bad Luck Hideaway. The synchronized release, confirmed through Universal Music Group in early October 2026, presents both high-concept contemporary visual storytelling and historic archival substance.
Directed by Henry Scholfield and filmed against the stark desert vistas of Palmdale, California, the cinematic visual for Mr. Charm stars Emmy-winning actor Alexander Skarsgård. Skarsgård delivers an eccentric, magnetic performance perfectly attuned to Mick Jagger's razor-sharp vocal swagger and Keith Richards' crunchy blues riffs.
Skarsgård's commanding presence in Mr. Charm continues The Rolling Stones' storied history of pairing A-list acting talent with their visual projects. Scholfield balances neo-noir grit with dark comedic pacing, matching the swaggering syncopation driven by Ronnie Wood's rhythm guitar work and Jagger's harmonic phrasing.
The resulting short film re-energizes one of the most immediate rock cuts on their current LP, illustrating how the veteran group continuously commands mainstream cultural attention across multimedia formats six decades into their recording journey.
Simultaneously, the digital streaming debut of Bad Luck Hideaway carries profound emotional resonance for rock historians. Recorded during fertile tracking sessions at London's British Grove Studios, the song features authentic drum performances by the late, irreplaceable Charlie Watts, captured prior to his passing in August 2021.
Musically, Bad Luck Hideaway delivers a rare treat: an intertwined vocal exchange between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Watts' trademark pocket drumming—characterized by subtle hi-hat displacements and restrained, swing-infused backbeats—lays the unshakeable foundation over which Richards weaves raw open-tuning guitar voicings.
By pairing the lavish cinematic delivery of Mr. Charm with the heartfelt, archival preservation of Charlie Watts' timeless musicianship on Bad Luck Hideaway, The Rolling Stones once again demonstrate their unparalleled vitality at the summit of global rock music.
