Photo Credit: Bill Bernstein
Warner Chappell Music has signed an exclusive global publishing deal with Mick Jones, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and founding member of the British-American rock band Foreigner. Warner Music’s Rhino Entertainment represents Foreigner’s catalog.
Formed in 1976, Foreigner has become one of the world’s best-selling groups, with worldwide sales exceeding 80 million. As the band’s primary creative force, Mick Jones is the songwriter behind such hits as “I Want to Know What Love Is,” “Urgent,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” and “Waiting For a Girl Like You.”
“I am thrilled to announce that Foreigner, Warner Chappell Music, and Warner Music Group have come full circle, returning to the very place where our story began. It all kicked off with ‘Feels Like the First Time,’ years ago,” says Jones.
“It is incredible to see Foreigner’s music and legacy now in the capable hands of this remarkable team, including my son, Alexander Dexter-Jones, serving as Executive Vice President of Somerset Songs, marking an important addition to this milestone in our musical odyssey.”
“Mick is a multi-generational songwriter whose extraordinary talent and distinctive guitar playing have defined an entire era of rock and roll. Today, he continues to elevate Foreigner as one of the world’s greatest bands with a catalog of songs for every occasion,” adds Guy Moot, Warner Chappell Music Co-Chair and CEO.
“This deal was made possible by our excellent team at WCM and Warner Music Group’s President of Global Catalog, Kevin Gore, as well as Mick’s manager and my good friends Stewart Young and Phil Carson. It’s both an honor and a privilege to represent Mick’s life’s work, and we look forward to exploring new opportunities together.”
Comprised of three Englishmen (Mick Jones, Ian McDonald, and Dennis Elliott), and three Americans (Lou Gramm, Al Greenwood, and Ed Gagliardi), Foreigner has released some of rock and roll’s most enduring classics, including “Juke Box Hero,” “Head Games,” “Say You Will,” and “Feels Like the First Time.” The band continues to chart on radio airplay and the Billboard 200 nearly 50 years later.
Foreigner embarked on its two-year Farewell Tour in July with a run of shows at Live Nation-sponsored amphitheaters. The second part of the tour will begin in June 2024 with 40 shows across North America.
Outside of his work with the band, Jones has maintained a solo career as a producer, working with the likes of Bad Company, Billy Joel, Van Halen, Eric Clapton, and Ozzy Osbourne.
