1984 Power Ballad Among the 'Top Soft Rock Songs' of All Time Hit No. 1

Gabriela SilvaSat, April 25, 2026 at 9:36 PM UTC

0

By the '80s, radio waves were dominated by hard rock hits, dance tracks, soft rock songs, and hard-hitting power ballads. The band Foreigner released in 1984 what would become one of their signature tracks with the help of a Dreamgirls star and Thompson Twins frontman.

UltimateClassicRock provided a list of the best soft rock tracks to be released, with Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is" making its way to No. 18. They called the track "a stigma-busting triumph" as the lines between soft rock and power ballads began to blur and became No. 1 successes. "I Want to Know What Love Is" was released as part of the band's fifth studio album, Agent Provocateur, as its leading single.

The track would end up topping the Billboard Hot 100 charts at No. 1 and the Mainstream Rock charts. It landed at No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart and was a No.1 hit across. Among fans, the track became known as a strong power ballad that tapped into a deeply universal desire to understand real love. Instead of celebrating love, the track focused on searching for it and resonated with people still figuring things out.

When it comes to the track's creation, Foreigner guitarist and co-founder Mick Jones has no idea where it came from. He recalls the time it was created while working late nights, as he usually did, and the phone stopped ringing.

“I Want To Know What Love Is came up at three in the morning sometime in 1984. I don’t know where it came from. I consider it a gift that was sent through me. I think there was something bigger than me behind it. I’d say it was probably written entirely by a higher force," he said, according to Louder.

Advertisement

Related: 1988 Hit Ranked Among ‘Greatest Power Ballads’ Became a No. 1 Heartbreak Anthem

Jones went on to explain that he wrote the track during a tumultuous period in his life over the past three years. He had gone through a divorce and was ready to marry someone else, as well as pressure from their record label and brewing tensions with frontman Lou Gramm. Jones also recalls developing the title, opening chords, and chorus before waking his then-fiancée with his new track idea. He even got her out of bed to the studio to listen and recalls, "You always know when you’ve got something strong, and this song definitely moved me."

To finish the track, Jones discovered the New Jersey Mass Choir to give it a spiritual edge, Dreamgirls star Jennifer Holliday as backing vocals, and keyboardist Tom Bailey. Jones called the choir's recording session "emotional" to witness. Foreinger got messages from fans and non-fans expressing how they found comfort in the track.

"I Want to Know What Love Is" was Foreigner's biggest hit, but experienced a snag when Gramm disowned the track and the band's status as balladers. He also asserted that he should be credited for its creation, while bassist Rick Willis has claimed Jones is the sole writer. The track has since been ranked in Rolling Stone's "Greatest Song of All Time" multiple times.

This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”