Ranking the Albums of Foreigner with Pete Pardo and Martin Popoff!

[@nobleeffort2.4]

1. Double vision 2. Inside information 3. Head games 4. 4 5. Debut 6. Agent provocateur 7. Mr moonlight 8. Unusual heat 9. Can't slow down I feel like I'm the only person in the world that absolutely loves Inside information. The chorus in Can't wait is outstanding. Lou sang so brilliantly in the 80's and 90's

[@Doobie1975]

My review for their first four albums from my most favorite to least favorite 1. Foreigner (1977), this is a strong album with lots of great cuts, the singles while good I feel most of their later singles were better than the singles released off of this album, the album cuts IMO are great some of my favorite album cuts are on this album, I find "Starrider", "The Damage Is Done" and "At War With The World" to be the best songs off of the album 2. Foreigner "4" (1981), another great album, I find the singles (with the exception of "Luanne") are IMO superior to the singles off of their debut album, the best album cuts IMO don't reach the heights off of the album cuts off of their debut album, I find "Urgent", "Waiting For A Girl Like You" and "I'm Gonna Win" to be the best songs off of the album. 3. Foreigner "Double Vision" (1978), I think this album has the best singles off of any Foreigner album, sadly the album cuts are a little more hit and miss as I'm not a big fan of "Tramontane" and "I Have Waited So Long", I find "Hot Blooded", "Double Vision" and "Love Has Taken Its Toll" to be the best songs off of the album 4. Foreigner "Head Games" (1979), another very good album, I especially love the heavy feel of this album, I find the album cuts to be a little more consistent than the Double Vision album although I do not like "Blinded By Science" but the singles to be less great than the Double Vision album, I find "Head Games", "Love On The Telephone" and "Seventeen" to be the best songs off of the album.

[@65mule]

Foreigner was my 2nd show on the Double Vision tour at the Spectrum in Philly. Dec 1, 1978 and The Cars opened up. What a great show that was.

[@atlasking6110]

Saw that tour in Buffalo, great show! Starrider was amazing live.

[@frankies9465]

Saw em in 78 at the world series of rock here in Cleveland. Kicked ass. The first 4 albums are the best, but I have to go with Martin on this one. Head Games. Underrated heavy album. Seventeen, head games, dirty white boy, Rev on the red line. Funny that Martin said this is his worst one , but Rev is in my top 5 songs ever by foreigner

[@Skycladatdusk78]

My ranking : 1. Head Games 2. Double Vision 3. Foreigner 4. 4 5. Inside Information 6. Agent Provocateur 7. Mr. Moonlight 8. Can't Slow Down 9. Unusual Heat

[@jameslynn3439]

Great show again tonight guys. Very enjoyable & informative.

[@TheBerndude]

1. Foreigner 2. 4 3. Double Vision 4. Head Games 5. Agent Provocateur Everything else

[@digmacdiggydoo]

Love the first three albums. After that, lost interest when they went from 6 to 4 members. Thanks to the internet years later, learned why.

[@nathanwelbourne116]

Such a fantastic band! Lots of great famous songs and some killer deep cuts. 1) 4 2) Double Vision 3) Foreigner 4) Inside Information 5) Head Games 6) Agent Provocateur 7) Mr. Moonlight 8) Unusual Heat 9) Can’t Slow Down

[@Doobie1975]

Of Foreigner's two love ballads I find "Waiting For A Girl Like You" to be superior to "I Want To Know What Love Is".

[@jameshuseby9931]

Number 1 is the first album it's also the first album I every bought😊

[@franciskocher200]

4 is my favorite Foreigner album...

[@johncamp5697]

1. Head Games, 2. Foreigner, 3. Agent Provocateur, 4. Double Vision, 5. 4. I have the pleasure to have seen them with all the different lead singers for a total of 8 times plus Lou Gramm on his solo tour. Of course they are my favorite band!

[@garyjoyce2160]

Wow. The EXACT same order as Pete. Exact. Thx trio. Great stuff 👍💯

[@Doobie1975]

I've only listened to their first six albums, my favorites are 1. Foreigner (s/t) 2. Foreigner 4 3. Double Vision 4. Head Games 5. Inside Information 6. Agent Provocateur I'm torn between their debut and the 4 album because I thought the 4 album had better singles while the debut album had better album tracks, the reason why I rank Inside Information higher than Agent Provocateur is because I find "Say You Will" and "The Beat Of My Heart" are great songs, I totally dislike "I Don't Want To Live Without You" and the intro and outro portion to the title track.

[@ericwalker6068]

Saw them on the Agent Provocateur tour with Joe Walsh. I don’t own any without Lou. Foreigner 4 remains my favorite-Woman In Black, Girl On The Moon, and Don’t Let Go is a great way to end an album. Inside Information got some hate, but Out Of The Blue is an excellent tune.

[@747jono]

Super entertaining as always

[@douglashanau3339]

First concert I ever saw. 1978 msg with nick gilder

[@tlmass81]

My rankings: 1. Head Games 2. 4 3. Double Vision 4. Inside Information 5. Can't Slow Down 6. Foreigner 7. Unusual Heat 8. Agent Provocateur 9. Mr. Moonlight

[@minsterhill]

1. Foreigner 2. Double Vision 3. Head Games 4. 4 5.everything else. However, they still belong in the HOF for the first four records!

[@Nazman06]

The HOF is a joke.

[@willyhwang1059]

agree with you guys on i wanna know what love it. but disagree on that was yesterday. it's a great song. short, concise, punchy, and great lyrics and message. my favorite foreigner song

[@jeffrose8632]

Foreigners debut is one of the best of all time. No duds. Great stuff. Nuff said.

[@atlasking6110]

Heard Lou Gramm's solo single "Midnight Blue" at the dentist's office yesterday. Now that's a great song that I had completely forgotten about!

[@user-zq5eb2hj9o]

I love that song!

[@roblake9856]

Over the last few years I've revisited the first 3 Foreigner albums and really love them all over again. I hate their ballads from later albums but somehow embraced them early on....maybe because they're dark or gritty, while later ballads are just so sappy. So, was stoked to see what you guys thought. Hack, so true about Mick's kid scribbling randomness. I Need You is a great example. The little jam session in the song is outstanding but while I like the guitar solo in it, it strays over to disoriented-land as it winds down the jam. Really odd, yet I still love the tune.

[@jasheton]

I love Foreigner! My favorites: 1. Agent Provocateur. The song writing is excellent. Extremely consistent from beginning to end, and vocally…Lou Gramm’s best! 2. 4. (Four) They streamlined the democracy within the band, focused on Gramm-Jones compositions, they are improving as songwriters, and Mutt Lange…doesn’t hurt. 3. Double Vision. As eclectic as this album is, it is extremely cohesive. I think even better than the debut! 4. Head Games. The riff on Dirty White Boy is enough! The title track is killer, and overall, their pop, melodic tendencies are emerging. 5. Foreigner (debut). Cold as Ice is arguably one of the greatest rock songs ever written, but to me, this album is all over the place. 6. Inside Information. Some good melodic rock songs here, but…you KNEW they were running on fumes, and this record is testimony to that. Too bad, cause Heart Turns to Stone…is great.

[@archibaldsalyards926]

Im surprised Martin doesnt know the history behind Juke Box Hero.. dont dismiss the actual motivation behind its writing... epic truth telling! Thank you all for a great show!!

[@747jono]

Great show guys. Debut favourite and their best guys. Got to say Lou years the best.

[@waltersimmons946]

I like Unusual Heat with Johnny Edwards and I still listen to that album a lot. "Ready for the rain" is the song 🎵 that got Johnny the lead singer spot replacing Lou Gramm.

[@melprophet1936]

Martin's right about how Head Games was perceived when it came out. Critics said the band was misogynistic due to the album cover and the song "Women". They got heavily criticized for both of those things.

[@gabrielheftye973]

My favorite is Head Games, then Double Vision and next the debut album. 4 was ok but not my top album.

[@magnuswettermark8293]

Agree totaly.

[@DeliRevv]

1. Head Games 2. Double Vsion 3. Foreigner 4. 4 5. Everything else

[@MichaelABruce-ew8zs]

I seen them in 1985 Giuffria opened

[@froggy5935]

100% spot on with Martin's assessment that Unusual Heat sounds like Brian Howe era Bad Company.

[@csabacsernak7445]

My top 3: 1. Mr Moonlight 2. Inside information 3. Can't slow down

[@Nazman06]

Dang.

[@richarddixon7890]

Debut for me number one as it was the first lp I ever bought, 4th grade!! Still have it. And I disagree with Martin - I think they were best with this lineup and having some of the prog. The Damage is Done is my number one of all foreigner songs.

[@rafaelcruz4176]

My ranking 9. Can't Slow Down (2009) 8. Mr. Moonlight (1995) 7. Unusual Heat (1991) 6. Inside Information (1987) 5. Agent Provocateur (1984) 4. Foreigner (1977) 3. Double Vision (1978) 2. Head Games (1979) 1. Foreigner 4 (1981)

[@gavinbruce-thegreyrunner5581]

I like Foreigner and always will but I have always thought Mick Jones, as talented as the man is, was always about the money.

[@brettengland192]

The first four are great.

[@willyhwang1059]

Can’t believe the hate on inside information Lou didn’t care at that point But still not bad

[@Hecatecrossways]

One of my favorite Heavy Metal bands

[@JCStorm76]

They’re definitely not heavy metal

[@damienfoyer]

One of my favourite Death Metal bands

[@JCStorm76]

@@damienfoyer Lol

[@Hecatecrossways]

@@JCStorm76 They most definitely are Heavy Metal. The songs Long Way From Home, and Double Vision are Heavier than anything else available in the 1970s.

[@Hecatecrossways]

@@JCStorm76 You obviously don't know much about music

[@JCStorm76]

Inside Information is better than you guys say, really surprised Hack had it dead last! id rank it 5th, what’s so bad about it? it’s much better than anything after it especially Mr Moonlight which is mostly a snoozefest, and probably the 84 album too, it rocks harder also. Say You Will is a classic by the way. Just as good as all their other hits.

[@miaajaniss]

I agree with you

[@Skycladatdusk78]

I agree, it's my favorite after the first four. I think Can't Wait and Heart Turns To Stone are two of their best tunes. I'll gladly take big late 80s production over boring post-grunge modern production.

[@JCStorm76]

@@Skycladatdusk78 Yep it’s so tiresome hearing 80s music and production getting bashed all the time. It’s way better than Mr Moonlight I stand by it. Pete said he wondered why that album was ignored, I can give him a quick answer. Because it’s no good other than Little White Lie

[@Skycladatdusk78]

@@JCStorm76 Yes, Little White Lie and Under The Gun are the only two on Mr. Moonlight I like. I really enjoy the big production on 1985-1990 era albums, it's sad a lot of great music gets ignored from that era just because of a beef with the production.

[@mkendra29]

I really like Inside Information too. "Heart Turns to Stone" is one of their usual great up-tempo openers. I will say that "I Don't Want to Live" kills its momentum, it might have worked better on the back side. Perhaps Foreigner should have done what Rod Stewart used to do with a rocking side one then a mellow side two, or vice versa.

[@DCToonTime]

Agree that the debut is their best album. Never felt that the band was “finding their way” to me. Seems fully formed especially for a first album from a group cobbled together from other bands. EVERY song is fantastic with plenty of variety throughout the album. On the other hand, I can’t stand the song Hot Blooded, really for the lyrics which sound like they were written on the toilet in five minutes.

[@andyshelton4889]

“ I Want To Know What Love Is” would have made better if it had been done in a Robin Trower blues style .😀❤️

[@franciscocardenas9074]

Face the heat album cover, it's like the predator watching.

[@jackofhearts1056]

I could see the veins pop out on Pete's forehead when Martin started talking about Billy Joel. :)

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

I love Billy Joel !

[@jackofhearts1056]

@@seaoftranquilityprog Oh I know, as do I. That's what I meant. I thought everybody did but it appears Martin is not. 🙂

[@willyhwang1059]

there's guitar in their songs? never noticed

[@randyhenderson6166]

If you search "Foreigner starrider 21st century symphony," there is a great live version of Starrider on KZbin.

[@13down13]

Can't believe all the hate for Inside Information. It's got Lou Gramm in his prime! Sure the band was splintering because of Mick's big ego - according to Lou's recent interview which is on KZbin, but it rocks in places. My ranking is pretty straight forward and boring because it goes in reverse chronilogical order with their debut being my #1. I noticed this time you guys didn't go through how you first came to the band. I guess because it's pretty obvious. It's how I was introduced too, and that's through the hits on the radio. I'm 54, so I was listening to the radio in the 70's.

[@Skycladatdusk78]

Inside Information is great, I rank it at #5, much better than the usual reviews for it. I think Can't Wait and Heart Turns To Stone are two of their best songs and the rest of the album is solid too. Lou sounds amazing on it.

[@waltersimmons946]

Lou didn't like INSIDE INFORMATION because the album (keyboards and ballads) to him was too" adult contemporary and easy listening" sounding. Lou was also cut out of the songwriting for that album and actually refused to tour to promote that album in 1988. Bud Prager (their original manager) calmed Lou down, and the tour in Lous estimation was nothing like previous tours for previous albums. Lou actually wanted out of Foreigner as a result. There is a audio full concert of Lou with Foreigner in 1988 performing SAY YOU WILL/CANT WAIT and HEART TURNS TO STONE. They're on KZbin. Lou never performed I DONT WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU on stage. He strongly hated that song. He even said he under-sang that song and had no love for singing it in the studio when it was recorded. Yet it charted at #5 on Billboard in 1988.

[@steveramsey6562]

Not really sure I understand Martin's rant, how does any artist wake up and decide what to write. How did Lennon and McCartney decide what kind of songs to do? Sounds like he was putting those artists down. I'm sure a lot of mainstream music fans probably wonder the same thing about heavy metal, why are they doing that type of music? I noticed Pete was pretty quiet, probably not getting Martin's strange take either.

[@Rockstardust69]

Never seen a band with worse album covers

[@bluejayfan5584]

Double Vision, Hot Blooded ..Blue Morning 3 great songs on one record. I don't like their records after that. Its their subject matter. Juke box Hero?

[@joshuaricketts4847]

amazing how guys from the 80s always badmouth the 80s what a bunch of trend jumpers

[@scottrap]

Foreigner 4 was too poppy/commercial for me. I only bought the first three albums and moved on.

[@JCStorm76]

Your loss, it’s a classic and not even that much more commercial. What’s wrong with commercial anyway? Never understood the negativity around that word. Pretty much all the greatest bands of all time were commercial

[@waggz04]

Love the harder stuff, 4 is great though