The Stones surprise with a blues album. With "Blue & Lonesome," the Rolling Stones released their first studio album in eleven years in 2016. It's the follow-up to 2005's "A Bigger Bang." And this time, the surprise is as great as the excitement surrounding the new record. Aside from a few teasers and pictures on their social media channels, Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Ronnie initially kept their fans in the dark. But now we finally have confirmation: "Blue & Lonesome" is the name of the new twelve-song album from the British rock legends – named after the Little Walter song of the same name. It's a blues album, for which the Stones have dedicated themselves to some of the greatest classics of Chicago blues, including songs by Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, Jimmy Reed, and many other blues legends. As an album teaser already revealed, the recordings for the new album took place with producer Don Was at Mark Knopfler's British Grove Studios in London. The band received support from their touring musicians Darryl Jones (bass), Chuck Leavell (keyboards), and Matt Clifford (keyboards). None other than Eric Clapton also made a guest appearance. In addition to the standard CD, "Blue and Lonesome" is available as a double LP and as a limited deluxe box set. This box set contains the album on CD, a hardcover book, and five art prints of the band. The surprise was definitely a success: With "Blue and Lonesome," the Rolling Stones presented their first studio album in more than a decade in 2016. A good year for all Stones fans: In addition to "Blue and Lonesome," the rock legends also released "Havana Moon," a recording of their legendary 2016 Cuba concert.