‘Hackney Diamonds’ reviews: the Stones’ surprising late-career triumph, but not without a few cracks

Critics mostly agreed: Hackney Diamonds (2023) was a genuine late-career victory lap, not just a nostalgia cash-in. Aggregate scores landed around 80 on Metacritic — strong for a band 60 years in. The consensus called it their most vital album since Tattoo You (1981), with punches that felt urgent, not geriatric. Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, and Elton John guest spots were cited as high points, not gimmicks.

But some reviews pushed back on the idea of a flawless triumph. A handful of tracks — especially the ballad “Depending on You” — were called formulaic, and a few critics noted the mixed-bag production from Andrew Watt (who also worked with Eddie Vedder and Iggy Pop) felt too slick for a band built on grimy blues. The biggest critique? That the Stones leaned too hard on guest stars to mask moments where Keith Richards’ riff supply ran thin. Even so, most concluded: for a band that could have coasted, they still delivered the year’s most welcome surprise.