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More than four decades after it first reached the top of the charts, Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is” continues to stand as one of the biggest power ballads in rock history.
Released in November 1984, the song became the British-American band’s first and only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, a milestone that remains unmatched in the group’s long career.
The song climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 on Feb. 2, 1985, where it stayed for two weeks. It also became a chart-topper in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden, turning the emotional ballad into a global success.
British-American rock group Foreigner, New York, USA, 7th February 1977. Clockwise from far right: drummer Dennis Elliott, keyboard player Al Greenwood, singer Lou Gramm, rhythm guitarist Ian McDonald, lead guitarist Mick Jones and bassist Ed Gagliardi (1952 – 2014).
For a band that produced numerous classic rock staples including “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Urgent,” “Juke Box Hero,” and “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “I Want to Know What Love Is” remains the only song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Foreigner scored 22 songs on the Hot 100 chart, including nine Top 10 hits, but only one reached the summit.
“I Want to Know What Love Is” served as the lead single from Foreigner’s fifth studio album, Agent Provocateur, released in 1984. The song was credited to guitarist and founding member Mick Jones and quickly became the band’s biggest commercial success.
The track featured lead vocals from Lou Gramm and memorable backing vocals from the New Jersey Mass Choir, giving the song its powerful and emotional finish. Singer Jennifer Holliday also contributed backing vocals and arrangements, while Thompson Twins frontman Tom Bailey provided keyboard work.
The song’s popularity did not end with its original chart run. “I Want to Know What Love Is” continued appearing on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary recurrent charts in the early 2000s, proving its lasting appeal with radio listeners.
Commercially, the ballad continued to perform well decades later. It achieved double-platinum certification in the United Kingdom in 2023 and remains one of Foreigner’s most streamed and recognizable recordings.
Its influence has stretched beyond radio as well. In 2020, Foreigner recorded a new performance of the song to celebrate its appearance in promotional material for Netflix’s romantic comedyThe Lovebirds, per Billboard.
The band’s connection to the song also continues during its milestone anniversary celebrations. Foreigner is currently marking 50 years since its formation in 1976 with an expanded 2026 tour that includes more than 90 concerts.
Today, the group features Mick Jones, Jeff Pilson, Michael Bluestein, Bruce Watson, Chris Frazier, Luis Maldonado and John Roth. Jones remains the band’s only original member still officially part of Foreigner.
The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, adding another major achievement to a career that has sold more than 80 million records worldwide.
Yet among all of Foreigner’s accomplishments, “I Want to Know What Love Is” remains the song most closely tied to the band’s legacy.
Related: 1975 Rock Song, Released by One of the ‘Best Rock Bands’ of All Time, Remains a Classic 51 Years Later
