Foreigner

Foreigner's story begins with a name that doubled as a statement of fact. Formed in New York City in 1976 and led by English guitarist Mick Jones, the group mixed British and American players, so that wherever they performed, several members would count as outsiders. That mix has translated into commercial scale: worldwide sales are reported above 80 million records, with 38 million in the US, placing the band among the best-selling acts of all time. Rick Wills replaced original bassist Ed Gagliardi in 1979.

The 1977 debut produced "Feels Like the First Time" and "Cold as Ice", both US Top 10 hits. Double Vision (1978) and Head Games (1979) followed, the latter carrying "Dirty White Boy" into the US Top 20. The fourth album, 4, spent ten weeks at No. 1 in the US in 1981 and proved their breakthrough in Britain. Agent Provocateur (1984) gave them "I Want to Know What Love Is", their biggest hit, which topped the charts in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.