The Rolling Stones will reportedly earn £2 million from a new album.
The veteran rockers have reportedly had their contract renewed by their label Universal, and frontman Sir Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards, both 73, have recently been in recording studios in London and New York working on new material.
According to the Daily Mail newspaper, the group – which also includes Charlie Watts, 76, and 70-year-old Ronnie Wood – plan to release a live compilation album in time for this Christmas, and then a new studio LP will follow to coincide with the end of their upcoming European tour.
A source said: "Both Mick and Keith would rather be carried off stage in a coffin than give up their great love – writing and making music.
"They were experimenting in the studio earlier this year, and everything just gelled. They ended up with around 15 tracks which they have cut down to album-length, and when the label execs heard it they were thrilled.
"Age is no barrier to brilliant music, and there is no doubt the new stuff will sell."
The ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ hitmakers released a new album last year, ‘Blue and Lonesome’ – a collection of blues covers – and it went straight to the top of the charts.
Meanwhile, the band recently apologised for the lack of UK dates on their 13-date European tour – which will see them kick off their brand new set, at Hamburg’s Stadtpark on September 8 before wrapping up at the U Arena in Paris on October 22 – and promised to return in 2018.
They tweeted: "Sorry to our UK fans there are no UK dates on this, due to lack of available venues because of sporting fixtures. Hope to be here in 2018. (sic)"