In an opinion column for Stereogum, critic Chris DeVille reflects on the coincidental release of new albums by both Jack White and The Rolling Stones on the same Friday, using the convergence to explore what audiences should expect from ageing rock institutions. He traces his personal history with The White Stripes, who exploded from a scruffy Detroit garage act in 2002 into mainstream stars, and draws parallels between their trajectory and that of the Stones, arguing that both bands drew on early 20th-century American blues, country and primitive rock 'n' roll.

The piece notes that The White Stripes' album White Blood Cells recently marked its 25th anniversary, and that Jack White — inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside Meg White last year — has become a widely recognised ambassador for the genre, appearing on Beyoncé's Lemonade and bringing out Eminem at a Thanksgiving halftime show. DeVille observes that once bands reach "classic rock" status, evolution becomes optional, with some fans even resenting creative progression. He suggests the octogenarian Stones, releasing Foreign Tongues via producer Andrew Watt, have little left to prove after their 2023 comeback Hackney Diamonds, and are among the few acts whose fanbase makes such releases worthwhile.