Primary Wave Music has reached a partnership agreement with Mick Jones, co-founder and guitarist of Foreigner, announced on July 8, 2026. The deal covers Jones's music publishing and recorded music catalogs, along with Foreigner's name, image and likeness (NIL) and touring. Financial terms were not made public.
What changes hands
The announcement describes the agreement as a partnership rather than an outright purchase, and it does not state the size of any stake Primary Wave takes. The scope is broad: besides Jones's publishing and recording catalogs, it extends to the Foreigner brand and its touring activity. Primary Wave says it will support branding, digital, sync, and film and television projects to raise the band's profile worldwide. Jones is managed by Phil Carson and Stewart Young.
The catalog
- I Want to Know What Love Is: one of Foreigner's signature ballads.
- Waiting for a Girl Like You: another of the band's best-known hits.
- Cold as Ice and Juke Box Hero: staples of classic rock radio.
Foreigner formed in New York in 1977 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October 2024. For its 50th anniversary in 2026, the band is planning a live album and a film featuring original members Lou Gramm and Al Greenwood.
Why it matters
Primary Wave is one of the most active buyers in the market. It closed its acquisition of Kobalt on July 7, 2026, raised a fourth music fund of $2.225 billion in April, has deployed about $700 million across more than 65 single-artist catalogs, and signed a partnership with Pete Townshend in May 2026.
As with other heritage deals, pairing catalog rights with NIL and touring lets the buyer earn from the whole brand, not only from royalties. For rightsholders, a milestone anniversary is a strong moment to negotiate: new releases, films and tours create fresh demand that a partner can amplify, and a partnership structure can let the artist keep a role in how the legacy is managed.