Warner Chappell Music signs global publishing deal with Mick Jones, founding member of Foreigner

14 December 2023 - Press release

Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has signed an exclusive global publishing agreement with Mick Jones, a Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, and Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated rock legend. Jones, also a recipient of the prestigious British Ivor Novello Songwriter Award for “The Flame Still Burns,” the soundtrack for the film Still Crazy, is the founding member of the British-American rock band Foreigner. Warner Music’s Rhino Entertainment represents Foreigner's catalog. 

Jones is the creative force behind iconic rock and roll hits such as “I Want to Know What Love Is,” “Urgent,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” and “Waiting For A Girl Like You.” Formed in 1976, Foreigner has become one of the world's best-selling groups, with global sales exceeding 80 million.

Mick Jones conveyed his enthusiasm: "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. 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."

Jones was represented in the deal by Jonas Herbsman of Herbsman Hafer Weber & Frisch.

Guy Moot, WCM Co-Chair and CEO, said: “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. 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 managers 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.”

Michael Leslie Jones, known professionally as Mick Jones, was born and raised in England. He began playing the guitar as a teenager and formed his own blues/rock band. After opening for The Rolling Stones in South London pubs, Jones got his first significant break working for French hitmaker Sylvie Vartan, with whom he opened for The Beatles at the Olympia in Paris. He also accompanied Jimi Hendrix on tour in France.

Jones then became the musical director and songwriter for French rock icon Johnny Hallyday, contributing to some of Hallyday’s biggest hits. Jones continued to work in France until 1971. George Harrison had encouraged him to move to New York, after which he reformed Spooky Tooth with Gary Wright and played with The Leslie West Band and George Harrison himself.

In 1976 Jones formed Foreigner. The group, comprised of two other Englishmen, Ian McDonald and Dennis Elliott, and three Americans, Lou Gramm, Al Greenwood, and Ed Gagliardi, went on to release some of rock and roll’s most enduring classics, including “Cold As Ice,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Long, Long Way From Home,” “Juke Box Hero,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Head Games,” “Say You Will,” and the global No. 1 hit, “I Want To Know What Love Is.” 

With more top 10 hits than Journey and as many as Fleetwood Mac, and 10 multi-platinum albums, Foreigner continues to chart on radio airplay and the Billboard 200 almost five decades later.

Outside of his work with the band, Jones has maintained a solo career as a producer, working with Bad Company and producing the best-selling albums of Billy Joel (Storm Front) and Van Halen (5150). He co-wrote the Grammy Award-winning song “Bad Love” with Eric Clapton and “Dreamer” with Ozzy Osbourne.

This past July, Foreigner commenced its two-year Farewell Tour with a spectacularly successful headline run at Live Nation amphitheaters. The second part of the tour will begin in June 2024 with a 40-show adventure across America. 

Recordings of classic Foreigner songs by the current band line-up will now come under a new licensing agreement between Rhino, Mick Jones, and Trigger Productions.