Mark Ronson is biased, but he think Foreigner definitely deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The “Cold As Ice” rockers earned their first nomination for enshrinement at the Hall in Cleveland this year despite being eligible since 2002 and in an Instagram video posted on Tuesday (Feb. 20), Ronson recruited some heavy hitters to help stump for his stepdad’s band.
“Everything that made me want to be a record producer came from being in the studio watching Foreigner make records. I’m still completely in awe of the sound of those first five albums. Guitars with swagger and bite. Heavy drums that groove like a mutha with the bass. Wide layers of synths. And then there’s that voice. And those songs. It’s really crazy,” Ronson wrote in the post alongside a video touting some of the band’s bona fides, including sales of more than 80 million albums and their status as one of the most-played artists on classic rock radio.
“It’s also kind of crazy that this is the first time they’ve ever been on the ballot for the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame – after 20 years of eligibility,” Ronson added, with a “WTF???” exclamation point to drive the point home.
The arena rock “Juke Box Hero” band were formed in New York in 1976 by Ronson’s stepfather, guitarist Mick Jones, singer Lou Gramm, drummer Dennis Elliott, keyboardist Al Greenwood, multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald and bassist Ed Gagliardi. The band went on a chart-topper tear from jump with their 1977 self-titled debut album, which featured the hit singles “Cold as Ice,” “Feels Like the First Time” and “Long, Long Way From Home.” They kept the streak going on 1978’s Double Vision, which spun off rock radio staples “Hot Blooded,” “Double Vision” and “Blue Morning, Blue Day.”
The hits kept coming on 1979’s Head Games, thanks to such hits as “Dirty White Boy,” “Head Games” and “Women” and 1981’s smash 4, which included “Urgent,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and “Juke Box Hero.” In total, the band had nine top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (and 22 songs total on the tally), released six multi-platinum albums and have long been considered one of the Hall’s biggest annual snubs, with fans waging campaigns for their inclusion for many years.
Despite all those hits, the band has never been nominated before, so Ronson corralled some A-list pals to stump for the the band in the accompanying video, including Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, Jack Black, GNR’s Slash, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Queens of the Stone Age singer Josh Homme.
“You want to know what love is? Love is putting Foreigner in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame… Foreigner should absolutely be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” Homme says in the video, with Grohl adding that he’s “loved Foreigner since I got their debut record… There’s one drum riff that I have used in more than a few songs,” he notes before cueing up said beat.
“I can’t believe they’re not in already, oh my God,” Smith says, as video unspools of the always excitable Black singing along to “Feels Like the First Time” before sending a personal message, complete with hand heart, “Hey, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, open the door! Foreigner’s waiting outside. Let ’em in.”
When the nomination was announced last month, Jones told Billboard, “I deeply appreciate the recognition from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (nominating) committee. It is wonderful that Foreigner has maintained its presence all these years and brought the music to our fans. Getting this news is an incredible endorsement of what we have achieved over time.”
Ronson appears in the video as well, saying there is “no way” he’d be the record producer he is today without Foreigner. The Grammy-winning producer (Amy Winehouse, Barbie soundtrack) ended his post with a list of Foreigner’s achievements, including: “Foreigner are the most played band on classic rock radio to not be in the hall of fame. They’ve been sung by our fave characters from the Simpsons, The Office, I, Tonya, Stranger Things and Wet Hot American Summer. They’ve been covered by Diana Ross and Mariah Carey (what the rock band can boast that??). They were sampled and turned into HOT FIRE by M.O.P. (remember that ‘Cold As Ice’ joint?) and Tone-Loc who used them to concoct some ‘Funky Cold Medina.’ Yes, Mick is my stepdad and I love him more than anything. But I’m also a MEGA fan just like Dave, Jack, Slash, Chad and Josh (shown here). Enjoy this video and VOTE BABY VOTE!”
The other class of 2024 RRHOF nominees include: Ozzy Osbourne, Jane’s Addiction, Dave Matthews Band, Oasis, Mary J. Blige, Eric B. & Rakim, Kool & the Gang, Sade, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sinead O’Connor, Peter Frampton, A Tribe Called Quest and Cher.
Check out Ronson’s video below.
