Foreigner’s Lou Gramm has expressed concern about the current state of rock music on the charts, in comments shared via Classic Album Review.
Gramm explained that he dislikes what is being played on the radio today and questioned whether much of it even qualifies as rock. He predicted that it may take extraordinary circumstances to bring authentic rock back to radio play.
“Well, the rock that’s in the charts right now is not of my liking,” Gramm said. “I don’t even know if I would call it rock. It’s just… I don’t even know what to call it, but it’s just more commercial and middle of the road and poppy — very poppy.”
“And I think it’ll take almost a miracle to get real rock back on the radio, like it was years ago. I mean, [Foreigner’s classic track] ‘Hot Blooded’ and songs like that would never be played now — ever.”
These comments reflect Gramm’s view of how rock music has changed on commercial radio in recent times.
Gramm’s concerns about rock’s radio presence come as he prepares for the end of his performing career. He confirmed in July 2026 that he will retire from performing live at the end of that year, saying that knowing when to walk away is as important as putting your heart and mind into a great band.
The frontman has deep roots in rock’s golden era. He co-founded Foreigner in 1976 and helped lead them to become the first band since The Beatles to have their first eight singles crack the Billboard Top 20. “Hot Blooded,” released in June 1978, reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and became one of the band’s signature songs during a period when Foreigner dominated the charts with multi-platinum albums.
Gramm and his bandmate Mick Jones were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013, and Foreigner itself was honored with induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. Gramm released a new solo album, Released, in March 2026, marking his third solo album and first since 1989’s Long Hard Look, with a tour running from May 9 through October 10, 2026.
Rock music’s decline on radio reflects broader shifts in how audiences consume music. Rock’s audience, which is heavily Gen X and older Millennials, has increasingly moved to on-demand platforms like Spotify and YouTube instead of traditional radio. This shift has made rock radio less attractive to advertisers compared to formats like Top 40, Hot AC, and Country, resulting in fewer investment dollars and less programming innovation in the rock radio format.
