Photo illustration by Ryan Olbrysh

PHOTO SOURCES: SHUTTERSTOCK, STOCK.ADOBE.COM

THE NEWS that AARP would be sponsoring the Rolling Stones’ 2024 American tour struck more than a few outside observers as unusual when it was announced last November.

But it was clear to both sides that it was an opportunity too good to miss.

“When they approached us as tour sponsor, it was a no-brainer; the band’s legendary status, longevity and timeless appeal across generations makes this fun for everyone, whether it’s their first Stones concert or their 50th,” says Martha Boudreau, AARP’s Chief Communications and Marketing Officer.

As the tour’s late-April kickoff approached, the feeling that the collaboration was a great fit continued to build. “On the heels of AARP’s 65th anniversary, it’s a unique opportunity to celebrate the Rolling Stones’ more than 60 years of recording and performing,” Boudreau says. AARP members agreed– buying out a huge bloc tickets offered exclusively to them late last year.

AARP will join the Rolling Stones at all 17 U.S. shows of its North American tour culminating in Santa Clara, California, on July 17. And AARP will have a spot inside the stadium concourses at each show, as well as being featured on the big screen before the band plays.

Nestled by merch stands, concertgoers will find AARP’s tour exhibit, where among other things they can take a humblebrag photo in front of a green screen of tour branding and Rolling Stones imagery.

One thing that makes the AARP sponsorship serendipitous is the connection between music and brain health, a topic explored deeply in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of this magazine. Music, for example, is one of the few established tools for helping people with Alzheimer’s, a disease that affects an estimated 6.7 million Americans over 65. (Find out more about music’s effect on the brain at AARP’s Brain Health center at aarp.org/health/brain-health.)

The band’s lineup has changed through the years but is still anchored by the duo of singer Mick Jagger, 80, and guitarist Keith Richards, 80. And longtime group guitarist Ronnie Wood, 76, will be along. To find out more about the tour, visit aarp.org/rollingstones2024. AARP will bring you more excitement this summer.

Can’t make the Stones’ tour? AARP will be hosting several free virtual concerts throughout the summer. And beyond music, you’ll also find virtual live cooking and fitness classes. To check this year’s lineup, visit the AARP Virtual Community Center at local.aarp.org/virtual-community-center.

AARP’s sponsorship of the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) continues this summer through Labor Day. The tour will stop in New York, Southern California and Chicago. The events introduce America's fastest-growing sport to AARP members and guests. Find out more at aarp.org/pickleball.

Join us at the movies this summer. AARP’s Movies for Grownups will host free screenings of feel-good classics and fun rom-coms chosen for grownup film lovers. Visit aarp.org/freemovies to find online and in-person screenings near you.