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{{short description|American rock band}}
{{about|the band|their eponymous album|Bon Jovi (album){{!}}''Bon Jovi'' (album)|the lead singer|Jon Bon Jovi}}
{{Redirect|Bongiovi|other people with the surname|Bongiovi (surname)}}
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{{Infobox musical artist {{Infobox musical artist
| name = Bon Jovi | name = Bon Jovi
| image = Bon Jovi 1.jpg | image = Bonjoviband2013.png
| landscape = yes
| caption = Bon Jovi in Montreal in 2007 during the ]
| caption = Bon Jovi performing in ] in 2013. From left to right: ], ], ], ], and ].
| image_size = 250
| origin = ], U.S.
| landscape = Yes
| genre = {{flatlist|
| background = group_or_band
* ]
| origin = ], United States
* ]
| genre = ]<!-- Do NOT adjust the genres; consensus favors the current genre listed. Attempts to replace will be considered vandalism and reverted. If you want to adjust it, please discuss on the talk page before doing anything.-->
* ]
| years_active = 1983–present <small>(hiatuses from 1990-1991 and 1997-1999)</small>
* ]
| label = ], ], ]
| website = {{URL|http://www.bonjovi.com/}}
| current_members = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]
}} }}
| discography = {{hlist|]|]}}
| years_active = 1983–present
| label = {{flatlist|
* ]
* ]
* ]
}}
| website = {{URL|bonjovi.com}}
| current_members = * ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
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| past_members = * ]
* ]
* ]
}}
'''Bon Jovi''' is an American ] band formed in ] in 1983. The band consists of singer ], keyboardist ], drummer ], guitarists ] and ], percussionist ],<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Bain |first=Katie |date=2024-04-25 |title=Bon Jovi on the Band's New Doc, If They'll Ever Tour Again & Driving Around New Jersey With Bruce Springsteen |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/bon-jovi-documentary-thank-you-goodnight-jon-bon-jovi-tico-torres-1235665873/ |access-date=2024-10-10 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> and bassist ].<ref name="bon jovi historyking">{{cite web |title=Bon Jovi History |url=http://www.historyking.com/Music-History/Bon-Jovi-History.html |work=Historyking.com |access-date=June 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528161817/http://www.historyking.com/Music-History/Bon-Jovi-History.html |archive-date=May 28, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Original bassist ] left the band in 1994, and longtime guitarist and co-songwriter ] left in 2013.

In 1984, Bon Jovi released ], and its single "]" managed to reach the Top 40 of the ]. In 1986, the band achieved widespread success and global recognition with their third album, '']'', which included three Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, two of which reached No. 1: "]" and "]".<ref>{{cite web|last=Whitewood|first=Alan|title=Bon Jovi Keep the Faith|url=http://www.islandpulse.co.uk/b2/bon-jovi-keep-the-faith-10240/|publisher=Island Pulse|access-date=December 31, 2012|date=December 24, 2012|quote=Their first notable album was ''Slippery When Wet'', a USA No. 1 that stalled at No. 6 here in 1986. In all that album spawned four hit singles in the UK.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213182253/http://www.islandpulse.co.uk/b2/bon-jovi-keep-the-faith-10240/|archive-date=December 13, 2013}}</ref> Their fourth album, '']'' (1988), was also commercially successful, featuring five Top 10 singles, including the number ones "]" and "]". The band toured and recorded during the late 1980s, culminating in the 1988–90 ].


In 1992, the band returned with the double-platinum '']'', which included the hit “]”. This was followed by their biggest-selling and longest-charting single "]” in 1994. The album '']'' (1995), proved a bigger success in Europe than in the US, producing four Top Ten singles in the UK. Following a second hiatus, their 2000 album '']'', particularly the lead single, "]", successfully introduced the band to a younger audience. The platinum albums '']'' (2005) and '']'' (2007) saw the band incorporate elements of country music into some songs, including the 2006 single "]", which won the band a ] and became the first single by a rock band to reach No. 1 on the country charts. '']'' (2009) marked a return to the band's rock sound. The band further success touring, with the 2005–06 ] and 2007–08 ] ranking among the Top 20 ] of the 2000s. After releasing '']'' in 2013, lead guitarist ] left the band, just before a concert during the ] to spend more time with family. The band released their first studio album without Sambora, '']'', in 2015 and the follow-up album '']'' in 2016, ]. Their album '']'' was reworked to include songs inspired by the ] and ].
'''Bon Jovi''' is an American ] band from ]. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake ] (John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.), guitarist ], keyboardist ], drummer ], as well as current bassist ].<ref name="historyking">{{cite web| title=Bon Jovi History | url=http://www.historyking.com/Music-History/Bon-Jovi-History.html | work=Historyking.com | accessdate=2009-06-01}}</ref> The band's lineup has remained mostly static during their history, the only exception being the departure of ] in 1994, who was unofficially replaced by ]. The band became known for writing several rock anthems and achieved widespread recognition with their third album, '']'', released in 1986. After touring and recording non-stop during the late 1980s, the band went on hiatus after the ] in 1990, during which time Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora both released successful solo albums. In 1992, the band returned with the album '']''. Their 2000 single "]", which followed a second hiatus, successfully introduced the band to a younger audience. Bon Jovi has been known to use different styles in their music, which has included ] for their 2007 album '']''. Their latest album, '']'', was released on November 10, 2009 in the United States.


Throughout their career, the band have released eleven ]s, three ]s and one ], and have sold 130 million records worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bon Jovi ‘Hits’ collection out Tuesday with four new tunes|url=http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/11/06/entertainment/doc4cd4221167dfa777403506.txt|author=Gary Graff|date=November 6, 2010|publisher=]|accessdate=2010-11-18}}</ref> They have performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans,<ref name="Bon top40-charts.com">{{cite web| title=Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful | url=http://top40-charts.com/news/Metal-Hard-Rock/BON-JOVI-WHEN-WE-WERE-BEAUTIFUL--Documentary-Celebrates-Bands-25-Year-Career/47464.html | work=Top 40 Charts.com | publisher= | date=2009-04-06 | accessdate=2009-06-01}}</ref> and were inducted into the ] in 2006.<ref name="Bon Jovi to enter UK Hall of Fame">{{cite news| title=Bon Jovi to enter UK Hall of Fame | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6055938.stm | work=BBC News | publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation | date=2006-10-16 | accessdate=2009-06-01}}</ref> The band was also honored with the Award of Merit at the ] in 2004.<ref name="Bon Jovi honored at American Music Awards">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/11/15/1100384463983.html?from=storyrhs|title=Bon Jovi honored at American Music Awards | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=November 15, 2004}}</ref> Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were inducted into ] in 2009.<ref name="Jon SongHall">{{cite web|url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C6013 |title=Jon Bon Jovi inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame |publisher=Songwritershalloffame.org |date= |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref><ref name="Richie SongHall">{{cite web|url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C6014 |title=Richie Sambora inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame |publisher=Songwritershalloffame.org |date= |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref> Bon Jovi was nominated for the ] in 2010, but did not make it. Bon Jov has been credited with "bridging the gap between ], rock and pop with style and ease".<ref>{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |title=Bon Jovi {{!}} Biography & History |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bon-jovi-mn0000069534/biography |access-date=June 29, 2021 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref>The band has released 16 studio albums, five ] and three live albums. They have sold more than 130 million records worldwide,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/a3951c6c-d788-11e6-944b-e7eb37a6aa8e |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/a3951c6c-d788-11e6-944b-e7eb37a6aa8e |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Jon Bon Jovi on hard work, losing his wingman and US inequality|first=Ludovic|last=Hunter-Tilney |work=]|date=January 13, 2017|access-date=January 13, 2017}}</ref> making them one of the ],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/arts/music/rock-roll-hall-fame-bon-jovi-nina-simone-cars.html|title=Bon Jovi Leads 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: 'It's About Time'|first=Joe|last=Coscarelli|work=] |date=December 13, 2017|access-date=December 13, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7998847/bon-jovi-songs-best-hits-list|title=Bon Jovi's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks|first=Dan|last=Weiss|magazine=Billboard|date=October 24, 2017|access-date=December 13, 2017}}</ref> and performed 2,700 concerts in 50 countries for 34 million fans.<ref name="Bon top40-charts.com">{{cite web| title=Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful |url=http://top40-charts.com/news/Metal-Hard-Rock/BON-JOVI-WHEN-WE-WERE-BEAUTIFUL--Documentary-Celebrates-Bands-25-Year-Career/47464.html |work=Top 40 Charts.com |date=April 6, 2009 |access-date=June 1, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2012/11/bon_jovi_to_play_metlife_stadi.html|title=Bon Jovi to play MetLife Stadium in July|first=Tris|last=McCall|author-link=Tris McCall|newspaper=]|date=November 20, 2012|access-date=March 21, 2013}}</ref> Bon Jovi was inducted into the ] in 2006, and the US ] in 2018.<ref name="Bon Jovi to enter UK Hall of Fame">{{cite news| title=Bon Jovi to enter UK Hall of Fame |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6055938.stm |work=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=October 16, 2006 |access-date=June 1, 2009}}</ref> The band received the Award of Merit at the ] in 2004.<ref name="Bon Jovi honored at American Music Awards">{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/11/15/1100384463983.html |title=Bon Jovi honoured at American Music Awards Music |publisher=Smh.com.au |date= November 15, 2004|access-date=March 20, 2013}}</ref>


==History== ==History==
===Formation (1975–1983)===
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===Formation and "Runaway" (1980–1983)===
] began playing piano and guitar in 1975, at the age of 13, with his first band 'Raze'. At 16, Bon Jovi met ] and formed a band called ]. Still in his teens, Bon Jovi played in the band "John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones," playing local clubs like "The Fast Lane," and opening for known acts in the area. By 1980, he formed another band, "The Rest", and opened up for New Jersey acts such as ].
] where Jon Bon Jovi worked]]
] began performing music live in 1975, at the age of 13, playing piano and guitar with his first band, Raze.<ref name="love-it-loud">{{cite web |url=http://love-it-loud.co.uk/bon-jovi-the-early-years/ |title=Bon Jovi – The Early Years |publisher=Love It Loud |access-date=April 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501093204/http://love-it-loud.co.uk/bon-jovi-the-early-years/ |archive-date=May 1, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Michelle |last=Moore |url=http://roomthirteen.com/features/429/Jon_Bon_Jovi__a_talent_through_the_years.html |title=Jon Bon Jovi a talent through the years |publisher=Room Thirteen |date=April 23, 2007 |access-date=January 19, 2018}}</ref> At 16, Jon met ] and formed a band called Atlantic City Expressway.<ref name="love-it-loud"/><ref name="Jon Bon Jovi Biography">{{cite web |url=https://www.biography.com/people/jon-bon-jovi-9542512|title=Jon Bon Jovi Biography |publisher=Biography.com |access-date=April 30, 2018}}</ref> Still in his teens, Bon Jovi played in the band John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones at clubs such as the Fast Lane and opening for local acts.<ref name="Jon Bon Jovi Biography"/><ref>{{cite web |first=Stan |last=Goldstein |url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2013/07/asbury_parks_fast_lane_comes_to_a_dead_end.html |title=Asbury Park's Fast Lane, where Springsteen and Bon Jovi played, comes to a dead end |publisher=New Jersey On-Line |date=July 12, 2013 |access-date=April 30, 2018}}</ref> By 1980, he had formed another band, the Rest, and opened up for New Jersey acts such as ].<ref name="Jon Bon Jovi Biography"/><ref name="Bon Jovi Bio">{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/bon-jovi/biography|title=Bon Jovi Bio |publisher=rollingstone |access-date=August 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124071718/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/bon-jovi/biography |archive-date=January 24, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6745989/southside-johnny-the-veteran-jersey-boy-from-the-same-shore-as-springsteen-and|title=Southside Johnny, the Veteran Jersey Boy from the Same Shore as Springsteen and Bon Jovi|publisher=billboard}}</ref> Also in 1980, Jon recorded his first single, "Runaway" in his cousin's studio, backed up by studio musicians.<ref name="Jon Bon Jovi Biography"/> The song was played by a local radio station on a compilation tape.<ref name="Jon Bon Jovi Biography"/>


By mid-1982, out of school and working part-time at a women's shoe store, Jon Bon Jovi took a job at the ], a ] recording facility where his cousin Tony Bongiovi was co-owner. Bon Jovi made several ]—including one produced by ]—and sent them to record companies, though failing to make an impact. His first professional recording was as lead vocals in "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas," which was part of the ] album which his cousin co-produced. By mid-1982, out of school and working part-time at a women's shoe store, Jon Bon Jovi took a job at the ], a ] recording facility where his cousin ] was co-owner.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Manzoor |first=Sarfraz |date=2024-06-07 |title='I wish I had enjoyed success more': Jon Bon Jovi on megahits, marriage – and his fears for his career |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/jun/07/i-wish-i-had-enjoyed-success-more-jon-bon-jovi-on-megahits-marriage-and-his-fears-for-his-career |access-date=2024-11-16 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Jon made several ]{{snd}}including one produced by ]{{snd}}and sent them to record companies, though failing to make an impact.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Callahan |first=Erinn |date=2024-10-09 |title=Bon Jovi and Alice Cooper Songwriter Jack Ponti Dead at 66 |url=https://americansongwriter.com/bon-jovi-and-alice-cooper-songwriter-jack-ponti-dead-at-66/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=American Songwriter |language=en-US}}</ref> His first professional recording was as lead vocals in "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas," which was part of the '']'' album which his cousin co-produced.<ref name="Bon Jovi Bio"/>


Bon Jovi visited local radio station ] in ], New York. He spoke directly to the promotion director, John Lassman, who accepted the song "]" for inclusion on the station's compilation album of local homegrown talent. Bon Jovi was initially reluctant, but eventually gave them the song, on which Bon Jovi had used studio musicians to play on the track. The studio musicians who helped record "Runaway"—known as The All Star Review—were guitarist ], keyboardist ], drummer ], and bassist ]. In 1983, Jon visited a local radio station ] in ], to write and sing the jingles for the station.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Tracy |date=2022-06-06 |title=Bon Jovi: A look at the iconic rock band then and now |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bon-jovi-iconic-rock-band |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jon Bon Jovi |url=https://www.wapl.com/?artistProfile=1648 |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=105.7 WAPL {{!}} The Rockin' Apple |language=en}}</ref>He spoke with DJ Chip Hobart and to the promotion director, John Lassman, who suggested Jon let WAPP include the song "]" on the station's compilation album of local homegrown talent.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}<ref>{{Cite news |title=Jon Bon Jovi |url=https://thevogue.com/artists/jon-bon-jovi/ |work=The vogue}}</ref> Jon was reluctant, but eventually gave them the song, which he had re-recorded in 1982 (following a rough early recording in 1981) with local studio musicians whom he designated The All Star Review{{snd}}guitarist ], keyboardist ] (from ]’s ]), drummer ], and bassist ].<ref>{{cite web|last=Rivadavia|first=Eduardo|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bon-jovi-facts/|title=13 Facts You May Not Know About Bon Jovi|date=December 31, 2014 }}</ref>


The song began to get airplay in the New York area, then other sister stations in major markets picked up the song. In March 1983, Bon Jovi called David Bryan, who in turn called bassist ] (b. Alec John Such, November 14, 1952, Yonkers, New York, USA) ex-Phantom's Opera and an experienced drummer named ]. Tapped to play lead guitar was Bon Jovi's neighbor, ] (a.k.a. The Snake)—who later formed the group ]. Sabo was eventually replaced by ] (b. Richard Stephen Sambora, July 11, 1959, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA). Before joining the group, Sambora had toured with ], played with a group called ] and had been called up to audition for ]. He also played on the album ''Lessons'' with the band Message, which was re-released on ] through Long Island Records in 1995. Message was originally signed to ]'s ] label, although the album was never released. The song began to get airplay in the New York area, then other sister stations in major markets picked up the song.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} In March 1983, Bon Jovi called David Bryan, who in turn called bassist Alec John Such and an experienced drummer named ], both formerly of the band Phantom's Opera.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} Tapped to play lead guitar for a short tour supporting "Runaway" was Bon Jovi's friend and neighbor, ] ("The Snake"), though he never officially joined the band.<ref>L.M Matin. Jon Bon Jovi: The Sinner and the Saint.: The New Unauthorised Biography. BookBaby, August 20, 2013; Chapter 4</ref> He and Jon promised each other that whoever made it first, would help out the other. Sabo later went on to form the group ].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} Jon saw and was impressed with hometown guitarist Richie Sambora who was recommended by fellow bassist Alec John Such and drummer Tico Torres. Sambora had toured with ], played with a group called ] and had been called up to audition for ].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} He also played on the album ''Lessons'', originally intended for release in 1982 with the band Message for which Alec John Such was the bassist.<ref> Retrieved January 23, 2018.</ref> Message was originally signed to ]'s ] label, although the album was never officially released at the time.<ref name="Bon Jovi Bio"/> Meanwhile, WAPP, the station that had first played "Runaway" worked with WOR-TV (now WWOR-TV) in nearby Secaucus, NJ on a music video show, Rock 9 Videos, for a short time in 1984.<ref>{{cite web |last=Schonfeld |first=Zach |date=January 21, 2014 |title=On the 30th Anniversary of Bon Jovi's Debut, We Track Down the Guy Who Wrote 'Runaway' |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/01/on-the-30th-anniversary-of-bon-jovis-debut-we-track-down-the-guy-who-wrote-runaway/357110/ |website=]}}</ref>


Tico Torres was also an experienced musician, having recorded and played live with Phantom's Opera, ], and ]. He appeared on 26 records and had recently recorded with ], a Jersey band with hit singles during the early 1980s. Tico Torres was also an experienced musician, having recorded and played live with Phantom's Opera, ], and ]. He appeared on 26 records and had recently recorded with ], a Jersey band with hit singles during the early 1980s.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}


David Bryan had quit the band that he and Bon Jovi had founded in order to study medicine. While in college, he realized that he wanted to pursue music full-time, and was accepted to ], a New York music school. When Bon Jovi called his friend and said that he was putting together a band, and a record deal looked likely, Bryan followed Bon Jovi's lead and gave up his studies. David Bryan had quit the band that he and Bon Jovi had founded in order to study medicine. While in college, he realized that he wanted to pursue music full-time, and was accepted to ], a New York music school. When Bon Jovi called his friend and said that he was putting together a band, and a record deal looked likely, Bryan followed Bon Jovi's lead and gave up his studies.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}


===''Bon Jovi'', {{proper name|''7800° Fahrenheit''}}, ''Slippery When Wet'' and ''New Jersey'' (1984–1989)===
===Early years (1984–85)===
], who signed Bon Jovi to their first record deal]]
Once the band began playing showcases and opening for local talent, they caught the attention of record executive ], who signed them to ] and who was part of the ] company. Because Jon Bon Jovi wanted a group name, Pamela Maher, a friend of Richard Fischer and an employee of ], suggested they call themselves Bon Jovi, following the example of the other famous two word bands such as ]. This name was chosen instead of the original idea of Johnny Electric. Pamela's suggestion of the name was met with little enthusiasm, but two years later they hit the charts under that name.
Once the band began playing showcases and opening for local talent, they caught the attention of record executive ], who signed them to ] and who was part of the ] company. Because Jon Bon Jovi wanted a group name, Pamela Maher, a friend of Richard Fischer and an employee of ], suggested they call themselves Bon Jovi, following the example of the other famous two-word bands such as ]. This name was chosen instead of the original idea of Johnny Electric. Pamela's suggestion of the name was met with little enthusiasm, but two years later they hit the charts under that name.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Henry |first=Big Joe HenryBig Joe |date=2020-06-26 |title=The time Bon Jovi almost named themselves Johnny Electric |url=https://nj1015.com/a-jersey-band-gets-signed-and-almost-calls-themselves-johnny-electric-this-week-in-music-history/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=New Jersey 101.5 |language=en}}</ref>


With the help of their new manager ] they recorded the band's debut album, '']'', which was released on January 21, 1984. The album included the band's first hit single, "]", reaching Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 followed by "]" which was a song Mercury requested Jon record and include on the album as part of his deal. To date, that song remains the only track that has ever been included on a Bon Jovi album for which Jon does not have any writing credit. With the help of their new manager ] they recorded the band's debut album, '']'', which was released on January 21, 1984. The album included the band's first hit single, "]", reaching the top forty on the ]. The album peaked at number forty-three on the ] album chart. The group soon found itself opening for ] in U.S. and for ] in Europe.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}


In 1985, Bon Jovi's second album, {{proper name|'']''}}, was released. The band released three singles: "]", "]" and the ballad "]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/7800%C2%BA-fahrenheit/id927202862|title=7800º Fahrenheit Bon Jovi|website=]|date=March 27, 1985 }}</ref> The album peaked at number thirty-seven on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified Gold by ].<ref name="Bon Jovi Bio"/> While the album did not sell as well as the band had hoped, it allowed Bon Jovi to get out on the road touring again. In May 1985, Bon Jovi headlined venues in Japan and Europe. At the end of the European tour, the band began a six-month run of U.S. tour dates supporting ]. In the midst of that tour, they appeared at the Texas Jam and Castle Donington's ] concerts in England. The band also performed at the first ] in 1985.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
The group found themselves opening for ] in U.S. and for ] in Europe. In August 1984 the band made an appearance at the Super Rock Festival as a special guest in Japan. However, "Runaway" became a hit and Bon Jovi attracted the attention in Japan. Bon Jovi got the very first gold disc for their first album in Japan. The album peaked at #43 on the Billboard 200 album chart in U.S. and a year after its release, it was certified Gold by RIAA.


]
In 1985, Bon Jovi's second album '']'' was released. The band released three singles "]", "]" and the ballad "]". The album peaked at #37 on Billboard 200 and certified Gold in U.S. While the album did not do as well as they'd hoped in terms of sales, it allowed Bon Jovi to get out on the road touring again. Their first Japanese performances as headliner which had been done immediately after the release of the album and eight shows in total became sold-out all, and the album hit the Top 5 and certified Gold in Japan.
After two moderately successful albums, the group changed its approach and hired professional songwriter ] as a collaborator. ] was chosen to produce and, in early 1986, Bon Jovi moved to Vancouver, Canada to spend six months recording a third album. They named it '']'' after visiting a ] in Vancouver.<ref name="TV">{{cite web |title=Bon Jovi: Summary |url=http://www.tv.com/bon-jovi/person/591904/summary.html |work=TV.com |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=June 1, 2009 |archive-date=March 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319090906/http://www.tv.com/people/bon-jovi/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> On August 16, 1986, ''Slippery When Wet'' was released and it spent eight weeks atop the ].<ref>{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName |artist=bon jovi |chart=all}} |title=Slippery When Wet – Bon Jovi|magazine=] |access-date=January 13, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.riaa.com/newsitem.php?content_selector=newsandviews&news_month_filter=9&news_year_filter=2000&id=8FE9018F-4FD8-8A99-C464-ED5774E23BF3 |title=Diamonds Are a 'Chicks' Best Friend |publisher=RIAA |access-date=September 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013203039/http://www.riaa.com/newsitem.php?content_selector=newsandviews&news_month_filter=9&news_year_filter=2000&id=8FE9018F-4FD8-8A99-C464-ED5774E23BF3 |archive-date=October 13, 2013 }}</ref> The first two singles from the album, "]" and "]", both hit number one on the ].<ref name=allmusicsingles>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p3734/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}}|title=Bon Jovi > Charts & Awards > ''Billboard'' Singles|publisher=]. ]|access-date=July 28, 2009}}</ref> ''Slippery When Wet'' was named 1987's top-selling album by '']'',<ref name="billboard">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1987/the-billboard-200 |title=1987 |magazine=Billboard.com |access-date=July 18, 2011 |archive-date=July 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720063231/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1987/the-billboard-200 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and "Livin' On A Prayer" won an ] for Best Stage Performance.<ref name="metrolyrics.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.metrolyrics.com/1987-mtv-video-music-awards.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722121932/http://www.metrolyrics.com/1987-mtv-video-music-awards.html|archive-date=July 22, 2011|url-status=unfit |title=Metrolyrics.com |publisher=Metrolyrics.com |date=September 11, 1987 |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref> The band won an award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band at the ]<ref name="american-music-awards">{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k_YaAAAAIBAJ&pg=3222,293008&dq=bon+jovi+american+music+awards |title=Rockin' on music awards night |date=February 2, 1988 |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref> and an award for Favorite Rock Group at the ].<ref name="1988 People's Choice Ödülleri">{{cite web|url=http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/index.jsp?year=1988 |title=1988 Pcavote.com |publisher=Peopleschoice.com |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref> When ''Slippery When Wet'' was released in August 1986, Bon Jovi was the support act for ]. By the end of 1986, Bon Jovi were well into six months of headline dates in arenas across America. In August 1987, they headlined England's ] festival.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} During their set, ], ] and ] guested to perform "]". The band ended the year having headlined 130 shows in the "Tour Without End", grossing $28,400,000.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} Asked what this breakthrough to worldwide fame meant, Jon Bon Jovi said, "Everything is bigger, and it moves twice as fast. You're recognized twice as often. This is bigger, the whole world gets bigger. You have to sell more records, be huger. You get smarter and you understand the business a little more, so it's more responsibility. You understand it now, and you want to make sure everything goes right".{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}


Determined to prove that the success of ''Slippery When Wet'' was not a fluke, Bon Jovi released their fourth effort, '']'', in September 1988 which peaked at number one in the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The album produced five Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Bon Jovi the record for the most Top 10 singles spawned by a hard rock album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ssmusic.tv/artist_profile.php?Opt=2&Language=&artId=20070500010|title=SS MUSIC > Bon Jovi|publisher=SS MUSIC|access-date=January 13, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530183755/http://www.ssmusic.tv/artist_profile.php?Opt=2&Language=&artId=20070500010|archive-date=May 30, 2008}}</ref> Two of the hits, "]" and "]", reached number one.<ref name=bjbio>{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=bon jovi|bio=true}}|title=Bon Jovi Biography > ''Billboard.com''|magazine=Billboard.com|access-date=January 13, 2010}}</ref> The album's three other singles, "]", "]", and "]", reached the top ten.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} Bon Jovi made the news when the video for "Living In Sin" was banned by MTV for sexual content; after the video was re-edited, MTV put it in heavy rotation.<ref name="Bon Jovi Bio"/> Bon Jovi mounted another huge worldwide tour that continued throughout 1989 and 1990. They visited more than 22 countries and performed more than 232 shows. On June 11, 1989, the band performed a homecoming concert at ] in New Jersey; the venue was sold out.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} In August 1989, the band headed to the Soviet Union for the ]. Bon Jovi were officially sanctioned by the Soviet government to perform in the Soviet Union, and '']'' was legally released in the ].<ref name="on this day historyking">{{cite web| title=On This Day |url=http://www.on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/music/aug14.htm |work=Historyking.com |access-date=June 1, 2009}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (]).|date=October 2024}}
In May 1985, Bon Jovi headlined venues in UK and Europe. 7800 Fahrenheit peaked at #28 in UK and #40 in Germany. At the end of the European tour, the band began a 6-month run of U.S. tourdates supporting ]. In the midst of that tour they managed to make appearances at the Texas Jam and Castle Donington's ] concerts in England. Jon Bon Jovi also did a solo appearance at the very first ] in 1985.


The exhaustion of recording ''Slippery When Wet'' and ''New Jersey'' back to back and going on highly paced world tours took its toll. By the end of the ''New Jersey'' tour, the band had 16 months of concerts under its belt. The bandmates were exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. Following the final tour date in Mexico, and without any clear plans for their future, the members of the band simply went home.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://melodic-hardrock.com/bios/bon-jovi/|title=Bon Jovi|website=Melodic-hardrock.com}}</ref> The band has since stated that there were few if any goodbyes between them. During the time they took off from the scene, members of the band retreated to ] and showed no desire to make another album.<ref name="Bon Jovi Bio"/>
===''Slippery When Wet'' (1986–87)===
{{Main|Slippery When Wet}}
In April 1986 Bon Jovi moved to Vancouver to record their third album.<ref name="TV">{{cite web| title=Bon Jovi: Summary | url=http://www.tv.com/bon-jovi/person/591904/summary.html | work=TV.com | publisher=CBS Interactive | accessdate=2009-06-01}}</ref> Six months of studio work resulted in '']''. The album, produced by ] and mixed by ], was released in August 1986 and became Bon Jovi's breakthrough album. The first single, "]", became the band's first #1 single on the U.S. ] singles charts. The follow-up single, "]" hit #1 as well, spending four weeks at the top position, both co-written with a young virtually unknown songwriter named ] (b. John Charles Barrett, 28 October 1953, Gainesville, Florida, USA) whose songwriting talents were recommended by KISS frontman, ]. The songwriting partnership of Jon Bon Jovi/ Richie Sambora/ Desmond Child has continued to the present day. The album's third single "]" was a major Top 10 hit and still remains to this day, the Bon Jovi "National Anthem".


===''Keep the Faith'', '' Cross Road'' and ''These Days'' (1992–1996)===
] wholeheartedly embraced Bon Jovi, whose camera friendly good looks and live concert videos helped catapult the band into superstardom. With the overwhelming success of ''Slippery When Wet'' Bon Jovi had become the worldwide musical superstars they had been dreaming of. Slippery When Wet reached number one in Australia, Canada, Norway, Finland, New Zealand, Switzerland and holds the record for the most weeks for a hard rock album at #1 in U.S., spending 8 weeks at #1 on ]. The album also hit the Top 10 in Austria, the Netherlands, Japan, and the United Kingdom, spending 107 weeks on ].
Disillusioned with the music business and unhappy with the status quo, Jon Bon Jovi fired his management, business advisers, and agents (including long-time manager Doc McGhee) in 1991.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} Jon took on the management responsibilities himself by closing ranks and creating ''Bon Jovi Management''. In October 1991, the band went to a ] of ] to discuss plans for the future.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} They managed to resolve their differences by allowing each member to speak about his feelings without interruption from each other.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} Upon resolving their issues, they headed back into the Vancouver Little Mountain studios with ] to work on the band's fifth album in January 1992.


Bon Jovi's fifth studio album '']'' was released in November 1992, representing "the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Bon Jovi" and marking a change in the band's sound and image.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The album turned away from heavy drums and wild guitar solos, but instead introduced a more mature sound of Bon Jovi and contained more serious lyrics. The media focused considerable attention on Jon Bon Jovi's hair. When Jon Bon Jovi cut his hair he made headlines on ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/jon-bon-jovi-vol-45-no-18/|title=Jon Bon Jovi|website=PEOPLE.com|language=en|date=May 6, 1996|access-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref> To promote ''Keep The Faith'' they returned to their roots playing a few dates at the small New Jersey clubs where they had started their career. The band appeared on '']'' but that was different from the other episodes of MTV Unplugged series. The performance captures Bon Jovi in an intimate, "in the round" experience, performing acoustic and electric renditions of classic hits (Bon Jovi and non-Bon Jovi tracks) and new material from ''Keep the Faith''. The concert was released commercially in 1993 as '']''. The album managed to reach Double Platinum status by the RIAA <ref name=riaa>{{cite web|url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Bon%20Jovi&format=ALBUM&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=50|title=RIAA Gold & Platinum|publisher=]|access-date=October 23, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6956C8ll4?url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Bon%20Jovi&format=ALBUM&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=50|archive-date=July 11, 2012}}</ref> and produced the Top 10 hit "]" while the ] hit number one on the ].<ref name=allmusicsingles/> Bon Jovi embarked on an extensive international world tour for the album, visiting countries the band had never seen before and headlining stadiums in South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. They visited 37 countries, performed 177 shows and seen them play to 2.5 million fans on the Keep the Faith Tour/].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
In 1987, Slippery When Wet was named the top selling album of the year by ]<ref name="billboard">{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/yearend_chart_display.jsp?f=The+Billboard+200&g=Year-end+Albums&year=1987 |title=1987 |publisher=Billboard.com |date= |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref> and "Livin' On A Prayer" won an ] for Best Stage Performance.<ref name="metrolyrics.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.metrolyrics.com/1987-mtv-video-music-awards.html |title=Metrolyrics.com |publisher=Metrolyrics.com |date=1987-09-11 |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref> In 1988, the band also won an award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band at the ]<ref name="american-music-awards">{{cite web|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k_YaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ikcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3222,293008&dq=bon+jovi+american+music+awards&hl=en |title=Rockin' on music awards night |publisher=News.google.com |date=1988-02-02 |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref> and an award for Favorite Rock Group at the ].<ref name="1988 People's Choice Ödülleri">{{cite web|url=http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/index.jsp?year=1988 |title=1988 Pcavote.com |publisher=Peopleschoice.com |date= |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref>


In October 1994, Bon Jovi released a ] album titled '']'', with two new tracks: "]" and "]". The first single from the album "Always" became Bon Jovi's highest selling single and stayed on top ten of the ] for six months.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} In the UK, ''Cross Road'' became the bestselling album of 1994. That year Bon Jovi won an award for ''Best Selling Rock Band'' at the ].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/Cross+Road+-+The+Best+of |publisher = officialcharts.com |access-date = May 14, 2012 |title = Chart Archive – Bon Jovi – Cross Road – The Best of }}</ref>
When ''Slippery When Wet'' was released in August 1986, Bon Jovi was the support act for ]. By the end of 1986, Bon Jovi were well into six months of headline dates in arenas across America. In August 1987, the band headlined England's "]" festival. During their set ], ] and Paul Stanley joined the band to perform "]". The band ended the year having headlined 130 shows in the "Tour Without End", grossing $28,400,000.


That same year, bassist Alec John Such left the band, the first lineup change since Bon Jovi began.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} ] who was the bassist on "Runaway", unofficially replaced Such as bassist. Jon Bon Jovi said, regarding the departure of Such: "Of course it hurts. But I learned to accept and respect it. The fact that I'm a workaholic, studio in, studio out, stage on, stage off, want to be dealing with music day and night, doesn't mean everyone else has to adjust to that pace. Alec wanted to quit for a while now, so it didn't come as a complete surprise."<ref>{{cite web |title=Bon Jovi |url=https://en.slowradio.com/artists/bon-jovi |website=Slow Radio}}</ref>
Jon Bon Jovi was asked what all this astronomical success meant, to which he answered, "Everything is bigger, and it moves twice as fast. You're recognized twice as often. This is bigger, the whole world gets bigger. You have to sell more records, be huger. You get smarter and you understand the business a little more, so it's more responsibility. You understand it now, and you want to make sure everything goes right".


Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, '']'', was released in June 1995, during which time the band was on European tour.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The album debuted at number one in UK and spent four consecutive weeks at the top position.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The album also reached number one in Ireland, Germany, Australia, Japan and many other countries. The album's first single was the ] influenced ballad "]". With a video filmed in Thailand, "This Ain't a Love Song" reached top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the only significant U.S. hit from the album, however, the album produced four UK top ten hits ("This Aint A Love Song", "]", "]" and "]").{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} That year the band earned a ] for best international band and also won a ] for Best Rock. It was followed by These Days Tour. In June 1995, Bon Jovi sold out three-nights at London's historical '']''. The concerts were documented for ''Bon Jovi: ]''. Bon Jovi visited 43 countries and performed 126 shows on '']''.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
Following the group’s success, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were asked to assist in producing ]’s ‘comeback’ self-titled album in 1987. Jon and Richie co-wrote and sang backing vocals on Cher’s single "]" and also produced several other tracks on the album, later going on to co-produce Cher’s multi-platinum album '']'' in 1989.


Following the overwhelming success of the ''These Days Tour'', the members of Bon Jovi went their separate ways. But unlike the period following the New Jersey tour, tainted with uncertainty, this hiatus was a conscious group decision. The members of Bon Jovi agreed to a self-imposed two-year sabbatical from the band.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
===''New Jersey'' (1988–90)===
{{Main|New Jersey (album)}}


===''Crush'', ''Bounce'' and ''This Left Feels Right'' (1999–2003)===
Determined to prove that the success of ''Slippery When Wet'' was not a fluke, Bon Jovi released their fourth effort '']'' in September 1988. The resulting album was a commercial hit. ''New Jersey'' spent four consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard 200 and two weeks on UK Albums Chart.
Bon Jovi reunited in 1999 to record the song "]" for the movie '']''. David Bryan was recovering from an accident in which he nearly severed his finger.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}


After a nearly four-year hiatus, during which several band members worked on independent projects, Bon Jovi regrouped to begin work on their next studio album. In June 2000, '']'' was released as the band's seventh studio album and constituted something of a comeback. The first single "]" was noted as one of the group's most successful releases in a decade and most importantly, becoming a symbol of the band's longevity as they prevailed through many different changes in the mainstream rock scene with admirable success. "It's My Life" helped introduce them to a new, younger fan base. The band received two ] nominations for Best Rock Album ''Crush'' and Best Rock Performance by Duo/Group "It's My Life". The video for "It's My Life" won the ] for "My Favorite Video".{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
''New Jersey'' also holds the record for the hard rock album to spawn the most Top 10 singles, with five singles charting on the Top 10 of the ] Singles Chart in United States. "]" and the ballad "]", both of which hit #1 on Billboard Hot 100. The album's three other singles ("]", "]", and "]") reached the Top 10 and were huge hits on ]. Bon Jovi even made the news when the video for "Living In Sin" was banned by MTV for featuring some too racy romance/sex scenes. After that it was re-edited and MTV put it in heavy rotation.


Bon Jovi played two sold-out concerts at London's historic ] on August 19–20, 2000, becoming the last concerts held at the legendary venue before its demolition. That year the band played to 1.1 million fans in 40 arena and stadium venues across North America, Europe and Japan. While on tour, Bon Jovi released a collection of live performances from throughout their career in an album titled '']''.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} This was Bon Jovi's first-ever live album. The songs were culled from archives of recorded material the band had been collecting from their earliest days on the road right through the current tour. The band sold out two homecoming concerts at New Jersey's ] on July 27–28, 2001. The broadcast broke ratings records for the VH-1 network. At the end of the year Bon Jovi awarded for "Hottest Live Show" at the 2001 ].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
{{listen
| filename = Bon Jovi- I'll Be There For You.ogg
| title = "I'll Be There for You" (1988)
| description = 30 second sample of the Hot 100 #1 hit, "I'll Be There for You" by Bon Jovi
| format = ]
}}
Bon Jovi mounted another huge worldwide tour that continued throughout 1989 and 1990. They visited more than 22 countries and performed more than 232 shows before it was all over. The personal highpoint for the band was their June 11, 1989 sell-out homecoming at ] in New Jersey. In August 1989, the band headed to the Soviet Union for the ''Moscow Music Peace Festival''. Bon Jovi were the first band officially sanctioned by the Soviet government to perform in the Soviet Union and New Jersey was released on the state-owned record label, Melodiya, a privilege no Western artist had ever been granted before{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}. Monsters of Rock festival was cancelled in 1989 because of the deaths of two fans during the ] performance in 1988. It was replaced with another rock festival which took place in ] with Bon Jovi, ], ], and ] as participants.


The members of the band had anticipated a brief vacation before work would begin on the band's 8th studio album but on September 11 the world changed. Within days of the terrorist attacks, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora had filmed Public Service Announcements for the Red Cross, recorded "America The Beautiful" for the ] and performed as part of the historic '']'' live telethon.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} One month later, the band participated at two Monmouth County Alliance of Neighbors concerts in Red Bank, NJ to raise funds for the families close the band's hometowns, which were affected by the World Trade Center disaster. And on October 21, 2001, Bon Jovi performed at the monumental ''Concert For New York'' at ], raising relief funds and honoring those who worked to save lives during the attack.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
The non-stop touring was taking its toll on the band. By the end of the New Jersey tour, Bon Jovi had 16 months of concerts under their belt and the band members were exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. Finally, following the last tour date in Mexico, and without any clear plans for their future, the band members just went home.


In spring 2002, the group entered the studio to begin recording their eighth studio album. '']'' was influenced by the ], released on October 8, 2002.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The album debuted at number two in both the U.S. and UK, but was the first album to sell less than 6 million units since their 1985 record ''{{proper name|]}}''. The band went on the Bounce Tour for the album, during which they made history as the last band to play at ] in ] before it was torn down.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
===Solo albums (1990–91)===
Between 1990 and 1991 the band members went their separate ways. The exhaustion of recording both Slippery When Wet and New Jersey back to back, with highly paced world tours after each album, took its toll on the band. The band has since stated that there were few if any goodbyes between them at the end of the New Jersey tour. During the time they took off from the scene, the band retreated to their own interests and showed no desire for making another album.


Following the end of the Bounce Tour in August 2003, Bon Jovi embarked on a side project; originally intending to produce an album consisting of live acoustic performances, the band ended up rewriting, re-recording and reinventing 12 of their biggest hits in a new and much different light. Bon Jovi's <!--Please do not add "ninth studio album" this album is Bon Jovi's compilation album, not a studio album--> compilation album '']'' was released in November 2003.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
Jon Bon Jovi recorded a solo album, a soundtrack to the movie '']'' more commonly known as '']''. Having been originally approached by his friend ] to lend "Wanted Dead Or Alive" as the theme song for his upcoming Billy The Kid sequel, Jon Bon Jovi ended up composing an all new theme song for the film's soundtrack and delivering his first solo album.


The following year, the band released a box set titled '']'', with the title and cover being a homage to Elvis Presley's '']''. The set consisted of four CDs packed with 38 unreleased and 12 rare tracks, as well as a DVD. The box set marked the sales of 100 million Bon Jovi albums and also commemorated the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's first record in 1984. In November 2004, Bon Jovi was honored with the Award for Merit at the ].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
Released in 1990, the album featured high profile guests such as ], ] and ]. The album fared well commercially and received positive reviews. The title track, "]" hit #1 in United States. In 1991 "Blaze of Glory" won an award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single at the ]<ref name="american-music-awards 2">{{cite web|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VTgdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2aUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5690,6330505&dq=bon+jovi+american+music+awards&hl=en |title=Rappers dominate music awards |publisher=News.google.com |date=1991-01-28 |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref> and awarded a ], as well. The song also earned Jon Bon Jovi an ] nomination and a ] nomination.


===''Have a Nice Day'' and ''Lost Highway'' (2005–2008)===
Sambora, with the help of Tico Torres and David Bryan, released a solo album entitled '']'', in 1991. The album featured ] on the song "Mr. Bluesman". David Bryan recorded a soundtrack for the horror movie ''The Netherworld'', which was the brighter part of that year after he was hospitalized with an illness caused by a South American parasite. Alec John Such took a fall off of his motorcycle which injured his bass-playing hand, forcing him to develop a whole new way to hold and play his instrument.
The band's ninth studio album, '']'', was released in September 2005.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The album debuted at number two in both the U.S. and UK, reaching number one in fifteen countries. The title track was an international hit, reaching the top ten in the UK, Europe, Australia and Canada. The second single, "]", was released in early 2006. The song reached top forty on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} A duet version of "]" with country singer ] of the band ], peaked at number one on the Billboard ] and Bon Jovi became the first rock band to have a number one single on Billboard's Country Chart.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} On February 11, 2007, Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles won the ], for "Best Country Collaboration with Vocals" for "]". The band also won an award for Favorite Rock Song at the ] with "Who Says You Can't Go Home".<ref name="2007 People's Choice Ödülleri">{{cite web|url=http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/index.jsp?year=2007 |title=2007 Pcavote.com |website=Peopleschoice.com |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref>


Soon after the release of ''Have A Nice Day'', the band started gearing up for the new 2005–2006 worldwide ]. This tour, took the band to numerous stages and stadiums throughout the world.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The tour was a significant commercial success, as the group played to 2,002,000 fans, and the tour grossed a total $191 million. The tour was the third-highest-grossing tour of 2006 taking in just over $131 million, just behind ]' ] and ]'s ]. On November 14, 2006, Bon Jovi were inducted into the ] alongside ] and ].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
Disillusioned with the music business, despite all his success, and unhappy with the status quo, in 1991 Jon Bon Jovi fired his management, business advisers, and agents, including his long time manager, Doc McGhee. Jon took on the quarterbacking responsibilities himself by closing ranks and creating ''Bon Jovi Management''.


]]]
In October 1991 the band went to a ] of ] to discuss plans for the future. They managed to resolve their differences by allowing each member to speak about his feelings without interruption from each other. Upon resolving their issues, they headed back into the Vancouver Little Mountain studios with ] to work on the band's fifth album in January 1992.
In June 2007, Bon Jovi released their tenth studio album, '']''.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The album influences the band's rock sound with that of country music following the success of a country version of the band's 2006 single "Who Says You Can't Go Home".{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} To promote the new album, Bon Jovi made several television appearances, including the 6th annual ] Awards in Nashville, '']'', and MTV Unplugged, as well as playing at the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://liveearth.msn.com/artists/bonjovi |title=MSN.com |publisher=Liveearth.msn.com |access-date=July 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013011825/http://www.liveearth.msn.com/artists/bonjovi |archive-date=October 13, 2008 }}</ref> They also performed ten promotional gigs in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Japan. As part of the 'tour', Bon Jovi were the first group to perform at London's new ] (formerly the Millennium Dome) when it opened to the public on June 24, 2007. The 23,000-seater stadium sold out within 30 minutes of tickets being released.<ref name="BBC O2 story">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6575577.stm|title=Bon Jovi sell out first Dome gig|work=BBC News|date=April 20, 2007|access-date=July 8, 2009}}</ref>


The album, described by Jon Bon Jovi as a "Bon Jovi album influenced by Nashville", topped the charts in U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The album's third single "]" features ] and won the ] for the Collaborative Video of the Year in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cmt.com/microsites/cmt-music-awards/2008/winners.jhtml |title=2008 Winners |publisher=] |year=2008 |access-date=April 7, 2009 |archive-date=January 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100129161549/http://www.cmt.com/microsites/cmt-music-awards/2008/winners.jhtml |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="cmt">{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1585690/backstage-with-rascal-flatts-leann-rimes-robert-plant-and-alison-krauss.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420233402/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1585690/backstage-with-rascal-flatts-leann-rimes-robert-plant-and-alison-krauss.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 20, 2008 |title=Backstage With Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss |publisher=CMT |date=April 16, 2008 |access-date=April 7, 2009}}</ref> The song was also nominated for the ] for Vocal Event of the Year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbs.com/specials/43acma/ |title=43rd Academy of Country Music Awards |publisher=CBS |access-date=April 7, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322122349/http://www.cbs.com/specials/43acma/ |archive-date=March 22, 2009 }}</ref>
===''Keep the Faith'' (1992–93)===
{{Main|Keep the Faith}}
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Bon Jovi's fifth studio album '']'' was released in November 1992, representing "the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Bon Jovi" and marking a change in the band's sound. To promote ''Keep The Faith'' they returned to their roots playing a few dates at the small New Jersey clubs where they had started their career.


In October 2007 the band announced the ].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} Starting with the 10 shows to open the brand new, ] ], the band toured Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and then Europe, finishing in the summer of 2008. The tour was the highest-grossing tour of 2008 in Billboard's rankings, with ticket sales of $210.6 million, reported from November 14, 2007, through Nov.11, 2008.<ref name="bb121108">{{cite magazine| url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266123/bon-jovi-scores-2008s-top-grossing-tour |title=Bon Jovi Scores 2008's Top-Grossing Tour |author=Waddell, Ray |magazine=] |date=December 11, 2008 |access-date=December 13, 2008}}</ref> In all, 2,157,675 tickets were sold during 2008.<ref name="bb121108"/> Combined with $16.4 million in 2007 from the Newark shows, making a combined gross of $227 million in ticket sales. In ]'s calculus for North America, the Lost Highway Tour had the highest gross for 2008 at $70.4 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081230/music_nm/us_tours |title=Madonna biggest 2008 North American tour attraction |agency=] |publisher=] |date=December 30, 2008 |access-date=December 31, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101192456/http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081230/music_nm/us_tours |archive-date=January 1, 2009 }}</ref>
The musical tastes had shifted in the four years between New Jersey and Keep the Faith. Despite the industry's and audience's growing affinity for ], Bon Jovi's sound morphed itself to work in the 1990s music scene, and also their image changed. The media focused considerable attention on Jon Bon Jovi’s hair. When Jon Bon Jovi cut his hair he made headlines on ].


===''The Circle'' and ''Greatest Hits'' (2009–2011)===
The album went double platinum in United States and peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200. But on the other side of Atlantic, reaction was even more impressive. The album debuted at #1 in both UK and Australia and reached 5x platinum in Canada and 3x platinum in both Japan and Australia. Keep The Faith was also a huge success in Germany, and sold very well in both Asia and South America, two emerging and growing record markets.
]
In April 2009, Phil Griffin's documentary on the band, "]", debuted at the ], chronicling Bon Jovi's ups and downs over 25 years and following the band on their latest Lost Highway tour.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}


In June 2009, Jon Bon Jovi and ] were inducted into ]. That month they also recorded a cover of the song "Stand By Me" with Iranian singer ], to show solidarity for those affected by political unrest in Iran.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} Parts of the song were sung in ].
The band appeared on '']'' in late 1992 but that was different from the other episodes of MTV Unplugged series. The performance captures Bon Jovi in an intimate, "in the round" experience, performing acoustic and electric renditions of classic hits (Bon Jovi and non-Bon Jovi tracks) and new material from ''Keep the Faith''. The concert was released commercially in 1993 as '']''.


On November 10, 2009, the band released their eleventh studio album, titled '']''.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The Circle is a return to rock n' roll after their ]-influenced album, ''Lost Highway''. The album debuted at number one in the U.S., Canada, Germany and Japan. Bon Jovi headed out on the road once again on February 19, 2010, embarking on ].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266967/bon-jovi-announces-meadowlands-concerts-world-tour|title=Bon Jovi Announces Meadowlands Concerts|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 30, 2009}}</ref> Bon Jovi kicked off the stadium leg of the Circle Tour by making history. They played the first ever show at the brand new ] in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The three sold-out shows on May 26, 27 and 29, 2010 were a huge success. Bon Jovi's 12 night run at London's O2 Arena grossed $18,178,036 and seen them play to 187,696 fans.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The Circle Tour was the highest-grossing concert tour of 2010 according to Billboard's annual Top 25 concert tours. So far the tour has played to 1,909,234 fans and has grossed $201.1 million from more than 80 venues reported to Pollstar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.standard.net/topics/features/2011/01/06/bon-jovi-world-tour-tops-ticket-sales-tough-10|title=Bon Jovi world tour tops ticket sales in tough '10|publisher=Standard.net|access-date=March 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511191941/http://www.standard.net/topics/features/2011/01/06/bon-jovi-world-tour-tops-ticket-sales-tough-10|archive-date=May 11, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> For the second time in three years, Bon Jovi ranked as Billboard's & Pollstar's Top Touring Act of the Year. Bon Jovi was also ranked second on '']'' magazine's list of the world's highest paid musicians, earning an approximate $125 million income that year.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/eeel45ehmg/2-bon-jovi-125-million |title=Bon Jovi ($125 million) – The World's 25 Highest-Paid Musicians 2011 |magazine=Forbes |date=June 15, 2011 |access-date=March 20, 2013}}</ref>
To mark the beginning of the band's next phase, Bon Jovi embarked on an extensive international tour, visiting countries the band had never seen before and headlining stadiums in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. They visited 38 countries and performed 177 shows on the ]/].


Bon Jovi released a '']'' with four new songs in October 2010.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} The album debuted at number one in Canada, Ireland, Europe, Australia and made the top five in twenty countries. At the ], Bon Jovi received the ]. In October 2010, Bon Jovi released the concert film, "The Circle Tour Live From Jersey" in U.S. theaters. At the same time, the band announced their upcoming tour. At the conclusion of 2011, the tour placed second on Billboard's annual, "Top 25 Tour", earning more than £790 million dollars.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/42159/top-25-tours-of-2011 |title=Top 25 Tours of 2011 |date=December 8, 2011 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |access-date=December 27, 2011|archive-url=http://www.freezepage.com/1324984111AELBCMOXWV?url=http://www.billboard.com/features/top-25-tours-of-2011-1005641362.story%23/features/top-25-tours-of-2011-1005641362.story |archive-date=December 27, 2011}}</ref>
===''Cross Road'' and ''These Days'' (1994–96)===
{{Main|Cross Road|These Days (Bon Jovi album)}}
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In October 1994, Bon Jovi released a ] album titled '']'', with two new tracks: "]" and "]". The first single off of the album, "Always", was a massive hit. "Always" spent six months on the top 10 of the ], hit the #1 in 21 countries certified platinum in the US, sold 3 million copies world wide and became Bon Jovi's highest selling single. That year Bon Jovi won an award for ''Best Selling Rock Band'' at the ].


===''Inside Out'', ''What About Now'' and Sambora's departure (2012–2014)===
That same year, bassist Alec John Such left the band, the first lineup change since Bon Jovi began. ] who was the bassist on "Runaway," unofficially replaced Such as bassist, with rumours that he had also recorded bass on previous albums (McDonald's website lists every Bon Jovi album, with the exception of 7800° Fahrenheit, in the Discography section).
In January 2012, Jon Bon Jovi stated that they were working on a twelfth studio album,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bonjovi.com/story/news-backstage_jbj/new-note-from-jbj|title=note from JBJ|access-date=February 26, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220125326/http://www.bonjovi.com/story/news-backstage_jbj/new-note-from-jbj|archive-date=February 20, 2012}}</ref> and in a live show in August 2012, Jon Bon Jovi played an acoustic version of a song that was announced to be on the upcoming album.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Sz4k4Tt1A| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211028/Z9Sz4k4Tt1A| archive-date=October 28, 2021|title=August Show on YouTube| website=YouTube|date=August 29, 2012 |access-date=September 1, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The album, '']'', was released on March 12, 2013, and reached number one in the U.S., Canada, Austria, Sweden, and Australia. On February 13, Bon Jovi launched ], a new world tour for 2013 in support of ''What About Now'', and visited North America, Europe, Africa, the Far East, Australia and Latin America.<ref name="BecauseWeCan">{{cite web|title=Announcing Bon Jovi: Because We Can – The Tour|url=http://www.bonjovi.com/en/news/34287336298.0/announcing-bon-jovi-because-we-can-the-tour|date=October 25, 2012|publisher=BonJovi.com|access-date=November 12, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212053521/http://www.bonjovi.com/en/news/34287336298.0/announcing-bon-jovi-because-we-can-the-tour|archive-date=December 12, 2013}}</ref>


On November 27, 2012, Bon Jovi released a new live video album, called '']'', made up of content from shows at the ], ], and ].<ref name="inside out"/> The album was first shown at movie theaters, with screenings preceded by a question-and-answer session with Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres streamed live from a theater in New York, and was subsequently made available for purchase on ].<ref name="inside out">{{cite news |url=http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-music-scene/2012/11/28/bon-jovi-discusses-new-album-tour-at-film-event/ |title=Bon Jovi unveils details about new album, tour at film event |newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=November 28, 2012 |access-date=December 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203112636/http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-music-scene/2012/11/28/bon-jovi-discusses-new-album-tour-at-film-event/ |archive-date=December 3, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Jon Bon Jovi said, regarding the departure of Such: "Of course it hurts. But I learned to accept and respect it. The fact that I'm a workaholic, studio in, studio out, stage on, stage off, want to be dealing with music day and night, doesn't mean everyone else has to adjust to that pace. Alec wanted to quit for a while now, so it didn't come as a complete surprise."


On March 14, 2013, Bon Jovi appeared on the results show of ''American Idol'' and played one song, "Because We Can", from ''What About Now''.<ref name="American Idol">{{cite web|url=http://www.americanidol.com |title=American Idol |date=March 14, 2013}}</ref>
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| description = 30 second sample from "This Ain't a Love Song" by Bon Jovi
}}


]
Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, '']'', was released in June 1995. This was the first album Bon Jovi released after the departure of bassist Alec John Such. Critics responded to ''These Days'' much as they had to ''Keep The Faith'', noting that the band had continued to mature lyrically and explore different styles of music, while keeping the music undeniably Bon Jovi. Jon Bon Jovi has stated that even though the album was their darkest, the band was in a very happy place at the time.
On April 2, 2013, Sambora departed the band's ongoing tour for unspecified "personal reasons"; Session guitarist ] filled in after previously replacing him for several 2011 dates.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} This time he stayed on for the remainder of the tour, amidst rumors that Sambora had been fired.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/08/22/richie-sambora-fired-bon-jovi-tour_n_3796742.html |title=Richie Sambora Fired From Bon Jovi World Tour Over Money (REPORT) |publisher=Huffingtonpost.ca |date=August 22, 2013 |access-date=April 25, 2014}}</ref> Both Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi later denied the claim.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216061638/http://au.news.yahoo.com/entertainment/a/20223268/richie-sambora-hasnt-been-fired-bon-jovi/|date=December 16, 2013}}</ref> Torres was also sidelined briefly due to emergency ] surgery; he was replaced by Rich Scannella from Bon Jovi's solo band, the Kings of Suburbia, from September 20 to October 6.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/earshot/bon-jovi-drummer-tico-torres-646446 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |title=Bon Jovi Drummer Tico Torres Returns to Tour After Surgeries |date=October 9, 2013}}</ref>


In 2014, to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary, the band's album '']'' was reissued with an additional CD with the ''Sons of Beaches'' demos on it.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
The album hit the Top 10 on Billboard 200 and managed to reach Platinum status by the RIAA in U.S. but fared better internationally than in the U.S. The album debuted at #1 in UK where it replaced ]'s album '']'' at number one on the ] and spent four consecutive weeks at #1.<ref name="UK Charts">{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/searchsec.php |title=UK Charts |publisher=Everyhit.com |date= |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref> In Japan, the album topped the ] chart with sales of 379,000 copies in first week, becoming then-fastest selling album by a non-Japanese artist in history of the country's chart.<ref name="Japanese fastest non-domestic releases">{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/73631/full/#rk_top3|title= 海外グループの歴代アルバム初動売上記録TOP3| work=oricon.co.jp| publisher='']''|accessdate= May 4, 2010}}</ref> The lead single ''This Ain't A Love Song'' reached #14 in the United States, and was the only significant US hit from the album. However, the album produced four UK Top 10 hits. That year the band earned a ] for best international band and also won a ] for Best Rock.


In June 2014, Sambora told a reporter "I love Jon and I certainly still foresee the possibility of a return. There is no bad blood with me now. I'm just taking the steps that I want, no, have to take."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://lflmagazine.nl/interviews/richie-sambora-ik-denk-dat-deze-stap-eindelijk-eens-de-juiste-geweest | title=Richie Sambora: "Ik denk dat deze stap eindelijk eens de juiste is geweest." | date=June 20, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2014/06/richie_sambora_bon_jovi_1.html | title=Richie Sambora explains Bon Jovi exit, says he can still return | date=June 25, 2014 }}</ref> In November 2014, Jon Bon Jovi told a reporter that Sambora had officially left the band, saying "He's quit. He's gone. No hard feelings."<ref name="musicfeeds">{{cite web|url=http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/its-official-jon-bon-jovi-says-richie-sambora-has-quit-bon-jovi|title=It's Official: Jon Bon Jovi Says Richie Sambora Has "Quit" Bon Jovi|date=November 14, 2014|work=Music Feeds|access-date=November 16, 2014}}</ref> That November, he also revealed that he was finishing writing songs for the band's next studio album, their first without Sambora, who was unofficially replaced by touring guitarist Phil X.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
The world tour that kicked off in India took the band though Asia, Europe, Australia and South America before the band's first-ever shows in South Africa. A career highpoint came in June 1995 when Bon Jovi sold out three-nights at London's historical '']''. With film crews in tow, the concerts were documented for ''Bon Jovi: ]'', a Grammy-nominated video of their record-breaking appearance. Bon Jovi visited 35 countries and performed 126 shows on ''These Days'' tour.


===''Burning Bridges'' and ''This House Is Not for Sale'' (2015–2018)===
===Hiatus (1997–99)===
On July 31, 2015, Bon Jovi released twin lead singles "We Don't Run" and "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning" for the compilation album '']''. "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning" had its premiere at the Austrian Radio Ö3 Hitradio on July 17, 2015, and "We Don't Run" premiered at the Brazilian radio Radio Rock on July 20, 2015. ''Burning Bridges'' was released August 21, 2015.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} According to Bon Jovi, the album serves as a "fan record" to tie in with an accompanying international tour: "It's songs that weren't finished, that were finished, a couple of new ones like the one we released as a single 'We Don't Run' ".<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|title=Bon Jovi Riddled Us This: 'Burning Bridges' Is The Band's 'Latest Album, But Not The Next'|url=http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2015/07/24/bon-jovi-burning-bridges-not-next-album/|publisher=CBS Local Media|access-date=July 31, 2015|date=July 24, 2015|archive-date=September 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928220059/http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2015/07/24/bon-jovi-burning-bridges-not-next-album/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Following the overwhelming success of the ''These Days Tour'', the members of Bon Jovi went their separate ways. But unlike the period following the New Jersey tour, tainted with uncertainty, this hiatus was a conscious group decision. The members of Bon Jovi agreed to a self-imposed two-year sabbatical from the band.


A Bon Jovi consultant confirmed that a new studio album was planned to be released in 2016 followed by a world tour. On September 30, 2015, Jon Bon Jovi announced during a press conference that the title of their upcoming album will be '']''. In the article, he said the following "The record is about our integrity. Integrity matters and we're at a place in our career where we don't have anything left to prove."{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
In 1997, Jon Bon Jovi landed lead roles in several movies. While he was free between filming different movies, Jon wrote what would become his second solo album, 1997's '']''. A short movie of the same name was recorded around the record's release, based entirely on the songs from the record and starring Jon Bon Jovi, ], ] and ].


The album's lead single, "]" featuring a music video, was released August 12, 2016, which also featured the promotion of unofficial members Hugh McDonald and Phil X to full-time band members.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/BonJovi/photos/a.126654481999.116377.7220821999/10153567092377000/?type=3 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/7220821999/10153567092377000 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |url-access=limited|title=Bon Jovi&nbsp;– Timeline |publisher=Facebook |access-date=November 4, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On November 4, 2016, the band officially released their 13th studio album, '']'' which debuted at number one on the ] with 129,000 ]s, of which 128,000 were pure album sales.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7573590/bon-jovi-sixth-no-1-album-billboard-200-charts-this-house-is-not-for-sale|title=Bon Jovi Earns Sixth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> The album was followed by their third live album, '']'', released on December 16, 2016.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
Tico Torres used the opportunity to further pursue his painting while David Bryan started writing and composing various musicals. In 1998, Richie Sambora released his second solo outing titled '']''.


]
Bon Jovi reunited in 1999 to record the song "]" for the movie '']'' minus Bryan who was recovering from an accident in which he nearly severed his finger. In 1999 Bon Jovi was ready to release a new album, under the working title ''Sex Sells'', however the album was suspended and only three of more than thirty songs written were used for '']''. (In the "Real Life" music video you can see some posters of this album).<ref name="everythingbonjovi">{{cite web| title=Everything Bon Jovi | url=http://www.everythingbonjovi.com/Discography/Albums/132-Sex-Sells}}</ref>
In November 2016, ] and ] released Bon Jovi's studio albums in remastered versions on ], spanning their 32-year career from '']'' (1984) up until '']'' (2013). On February 10, 2017, a 25-] ] titled ''Bon Jovi: The Albums'' was released.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} It consists of Bon Jovi's 13 studio albums, the compilation '']'' (2015), the two Jon Bon Jovi solo albums ('']'' and '']''), and an exclusive ''Extras'' album featuring "international rarities".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Payne |first=Chris |date=November 17, 2016 |title=Bon Jovi Is Re-Releasing Its Entire Catalog (Plus Rarities) in a Vinyl Box Set |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7581181/jon-bon-jovi-box-set-vinyl-reissue-2017 |magazine=]}}</ref>


On December 13, 2017, it was announced that Bon Jovi will be inducted into the ] in 2018,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rockhall.com/class-2018-inductees|title=Class of 2018 Inductees|publisher=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|date=December 13, 2017|access-date=December 13, 2017}}</ref> after winning the 2017 fan ballot with over 1.1 million votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/nation-now/2017/12/07/bon-jovi-rock-hall-fame-fan-votes/930372001/|last=Jordan|first=Chris|title=A million reasons why Bon Jovi might head to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|newspaper=]|date=December 7, 2017|access-date=December 13, 2017}}</ref> Jon Bon Jovi has invited Sambora and Such to appear with the band at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://teamrock.com/news/2017-12-14/bon-jovi-will-invite-richie-sambora-and-alec-john-such-to-rock-hall-celebration/|title=Bon Jovi Will Invite Richie Sambora and Alec John Such to Rock Hall Celebration|publisher=Team Rock|date=December 14, 2017|access-date=December 14, 2017}}</ref> In later February 2018, it was confirmed that Such and Sambora would perform with the band at the 2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/bon-jovi-set-reunite-original-line-rock-roll-hall-fame-induction-ceremony-2249005|title=Bon Jovi set to reunite with original line up for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony|publisher=NME|date=February 25, 2018|access-date=April 30, 2018}}</ref>
===''Crush'' and ''One Wild Night'' (2000–01)===
On April 29, 2018, the band performed at the ], in ], ], as the last ticketed event at the venue before the start of demolition in the summer of 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/04/29/review-bon-jovi-sends-milwaukees-bmo-harris-bradley-center-bang/562034002/|title=Review: Bon Jovi sends Milwaukee's BMO Harris Bradley Center out with a bang|publisher=Jsonline|date=April 29, 2018|access-date=April 30, 2018}}</ref>
{{Main|Crush (Bon Jovi album)}}


===''2020'', the death of Alec John Such and rumors of Sambora's return (2019–2023)===
After a nearly four-year hiatus, during which several band members worked on independent projects, Bon Jovi regrouped in 1999 to begin work on their next studio album. In June 2000, '']'' was released as the band's seventh studio album. The first single "]" was noted as one of the group’s most successful releases in a decade and most importantly, becoming a symbol of the band's longevity as they prevailed through many different changes in the mainstream rock scene with admirable success. The album helped introduce them to a new, younger fan base. That year the band received two ] nominations for Best Rock Album ''Crush'' and Best Rock Performance by Duo/Group "It's My Life". The video for "It's My Life" won the ] for "My Favorite Video". ] also featured the band on the episodes of '']'' in 2000.
On March 9, 2019, Jon Bon Jovi announced via social media that the band is back in the studio recording its fifteenth studio album, which was to be released in early 2020.<ref name="Inq-20190311">{{cite news |url=http://www.inquisitr.com/5336789/jon-bon-jovi-teases-hotly-anticipated-new-music-on-instagram |title=Jon Bon Jovi Teases Hotly Anticipated New Music On Instagram |work=] |date=March 11, 2019 |access-date=March 11, 2019 }}</ref> In August 2019, he announced that the album would be called '']''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bon Jovi Announces Title of Next Album |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/bon-jovi-2020-album |website=] |date=August 27, 2019 |access-date=October 22, 2019 }}</ref> The release date was scheduled for May 15, 2020, but Jovi announced in an interview with ] that the album and its accompanying tour, Bon Jovi 2020 Tour, had been postponed due to the ].<ref name="V-20200415">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/jon-bon-jovi-howard-stern-interview-album-delay-new-song-1234581387 |title=Coronavirus Crisis Delays 'Bon Jovi: 2020' Album, but Also Inspires New Song |last=Angermiller |first=Michele |date=April 15, 2020 |work=] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416054031/https://variety.com/2020/music/news/jon-bon-jovi-howard-stern-interview-album-delay-new-song-1234581387 |archive-date=April 16, 2020 |access-date=April 17, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="UCR-20201415">{{cite web |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/bon-jovi-album-delayed-tour-postponed-covid-19 |title=Bon Jovi Album 'Delayed,' Tour 'At Least Postponed' by COVID-19 |last=Irwin |first=Corey |date=April 15, 2020 |website=] |access-date=April 17, 2020 }}</ref> On April 20, 2020, Bon Jovi announced that the Bon Jovi 2020 Tour had been canceled due to the ]. The album ended up being released in October.<ref name="V-20200420">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/bon-jovi-cancels-2020-tour-fans-refund-1234584911 |title=Bon Jovi Cancels 2020 Tour, Rather Than Postponing: 'This Will Enable Ticketholders to Get Refunds' |last=Angermiller |first=Michele |date=April 20, 2020 |website=] |access-date=April 20, 2020 }}</ref> On January 7, 2022, the band announced a tour in April.<ref>{{cite news|last=Melas|first=Chloe|title=Bon Jovi will be back on the road with a new tour|url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/07/entertainment/bon-jovi-2022-tour/index.html|url-status=live|access-date=January 7, 2022|website=CNN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107195000/https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/07/entertainment/bon-jovi-2022-tour/index.html |archive-date=January 7, 2022 }}</ref> Critics and social media users discussed the quality of Jon Bon Jovi's vocal performances during the tour, with many believing that it was poor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jordan |first=Chris |title=Jon Bon Jovi vocal issues: What is going on and how can it be fixed? |url=https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/05/09/jon-bon-jovi-voice-vocal-issues-bad-singing/9661274002/ |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=Asbury Park Press |language=en-US}}</ref>


During the ], a viral video appeared where residents in ], Ukraine, prepared for a Russian attack while a drummer played to the Bon Jovi hit "It's My Life". Bon Jovi supported this video and shared it with their followers, with the comment "This is for the ones who stood their ground... Odessa, Ukraine. #SlavaUkraini".<ref>, Newsweek, March 23, 2022</ref>
{{listen
| filename = Bon Jovi- Thank You For Loving Me.ogg
| title = "Thank You For Loving Me" (2000)
| description = 30 second sample from "Thank You For Loving Me" by Bon Jovi
| format = ]
}}


The death of founding member Alec John Such was announced by the band on June 5, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Angermiller |first1=Michele Amabile |title=Alec John Such, Bon Jovi's First Bassist, Dies at 70 |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/alec-john-such-bon-jovi-bassist-dead-1235285223/ |website=Variety.com |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=June 5, 2022}}</ref> It was later revealed that he had died of a heart attack.<ref>{{Cite web |title=JBJ Statement on Sirius Bon Jovi Radio About Alec's Passing |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CeePWUWr8En/ |access-date=June 7, 2022 |website=Instagram.com}}</ref>
Bon Jovi played stadiums in Japan and Europe over the summer of 2000 including two sold-out concerts at London's historic ], becoming the last ever concerts held at the legendary venue before its demolition. That summer the band played to more than one million fans in less than 30 shows. Upon their return to the U.S. the band did a sold-out arena tour in the Fall of 2000, followed in the Spring of 2001 with a sold-out arena–amphitheatre run of dates in America. They revisited stadiums in Japan and Europe including their first date in Wales at The Millenium Stadium. After this they had one more lap of shed dates in America. Bon Jovi sold out two homecoming concerts at New Jersey's ]. Concerts were not only fulfilling career and personal highlights for the band but the broadcast broke ratings records for the VH-1 network.


In February 2023, former guitarist ] noted that he was in talks about potentially rejoining the band: "We're talking about it. I don't think there's any reason not to at this point. I mean, we did something... there's not a lot of bands that did what we did. We have to get out there and do it for the fans really."<ref name="NMESambora">{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/richie-sambora-in-talks-to-return-to-bon-jovi-3400690 |title=Richie Sambora in talks to return to Bon Jovi |last=Robinson |first=Ellie |date=February 18, 2023 |work=] |access-date=March 17, 2022}}</ref> However, in May 2024, Bon Jovi confirmed that there were no plans for Sambora to rejoin and that a reunion was unlikely.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/jon-bon-jovi-richie-sambora-reunion-2024|title="He wasn't kicked out, he quit. And he hasn't made any great overtures about coming back": Jon Bon Jovi says a reunion with Richie Sambora isn't happening any time soon|author=Matt Owen|date=May 29, 2024|website=Guitarworld.com}}</ref>
{{Main|One Wild Night Live 1985–2001}}
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While on tour, Bon Jovi released a collection of live performances from throughout their career in an album entitled '']''. This was Bon Jovi's first-ever live album. The songs were culled from archives of recorded material the band had been collecting from their earliest days on the road right through the current tour.


===''Thank You, Goodnight'' and ''Forever'' (2024–present)===
The band awarded for "Hottest Live Show" at the 2001 ] At this awards show, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora surprised a live theatre full of attendees and a live television audience with a beautiful rendition of "]" as a tribute to ].
In October 2023, guitarist Phil X revealed in an interview that the band was heading to Nashville for a month to record a brand new album.<ref name="AbsuryParkNews">{{cite web |last=Jordan |first=Chris |date=October 16, 2023 |title=Bon Jovi recording new album in Nashville after pre-production in New Jersey |url=https://eu.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/10/16/bon-jovi-new-album-recording-nashville-phil-x/71205645007/ |access-date=October 16, 2023 |work=]}}</ref> On November 17, 2023, the band released a holiday themed single called "Christmas Isn't Christmas". This was the band's first release since the 2020 album and a preparation towards the new album coming out in 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/1bSjH8cgr3IIYCbNInKqt6?go=1&sp_cid=881989e6-5caf-4ca7-b4d0-234b440de841&nd=1|title=Christmas Isn't Christmas by Bon Jovi|website=]|date=November 17, 2023 |access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref> On March 14, 2024, the band released the single, "Legendary", the lead single from their 16th album, '']'', released on June 7, 2024.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Ilana|last=Kaplan|url=https://people.com/bon-jovi-announces-new-album-forever-new-single-legendary-release-date-8609195|title=Bon Jovi Announces New Album 'Forever' and Debuts Anthemic Lead Single 'Legendary'|magazine=]|date=March 14, 2024|access-date=March 14, 2024}}</ref> The album's second single, "Living Proof", was released May 17.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rapp |first=Allison |date=2024-05-17 |title=Listen to Bon Jovi's New Single, 'Living Proof' |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/bon-jovi-living-proof-single/ |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |language=en}}</ref>


In April 2024, a four-part documentary series on the band, ''Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story'', premiered on ] and ].<ref name="Disney+Press">{{cite web |url=https://press.disney.co.uk/news/its-now-or-never-teaser-unveiled-for-thank-you-goodnight-the-bon-jovi-story-premiering-april-26th-exclusively-on-disney+-in-the-uk |title=T'S NOW OR NEVER. TEASER UNVEILED FOR "THANK YOU, GOODNIGHT: THE BON JOVI STORY" PREMIERING APRIL 26TH EXCLUSIVELY ON DISNEY+ IN THE UK|last= |first= |date=February 21, 2024 |work=] |access-date=June 3, 2024}}</ref> Directed by ], the series chronicles the band's entire history, with interviews with the members of the band along with those who worked with them while following the current line-up of the band on its 2022 tour as they "chart out their future".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Bain |first=Katie |date=2024-04-25 |title=Bon Jovi on the Band's New Doc, If They'll Ever Tour Again & Driving Around New Jersey With Bruce Springsteen |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/bon-jovi-documentary-thank-you-goodnight-jon-bon-jovi-tico-torres-1235665873/ |access-date=2024-10-10 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>
When the Crush and One Wild Night tours were complete, the members of the band had anticipated a brief vacation before work would begin on the band's 8th studio album. But on September 11, the world changed. Within days of the terrorist attacks, Jon and Richie had filmed Public Service Announcements for the Red Cross, recorded "America The Beautiful" for the ] and performed as part of the historic '']'' live telethon. One month later, the band participated at two Monmouth County Alliance of Neighbors concerts in Red Bank, NJ to raise funds for the families close the band's hometowns, which were affected by the World Trade Center disaster. And on October 21, 2001, Bon Jovi performed at the monumental ''Concert For New York'' at ], raising relief funds and honoring those who worked to save lives during the attack. Bon Jovi also released a second greatest hits album titled Tokyo Road in 2001.


==Musical style==
===''Bounce'' and ''This Left Feels Right'' (2002–04)===
Bon Jovi's musical style has generally been characterized as ],<ref name="Moskowitz">{{cite book|editor-first= David V. |editor-last= Moskowitz |title= The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time: A Guide to the Legends Who Rocked the World |year= 2015 |publisher= ] |volume= 1 |chapter= Bon Jovi |isbn= 978-1-4408-0340-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first= Thomas |last= Harrison |title= Music of the 1980s |year= 2011 |pages= 48, 53, 60 |publisher= ABC-CLIO |isbn= 978-0-3133-6600-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first= Tris |last= McCall |title= Bon Jovi announces new album and tour dates |newspaper= ] |date= October 25, 2012 |access-date= October 9, 2016 |url= http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2012/10/bon_jovi_announces_new_album_a.html}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite book |first= Joe S. |last= Harrington |title= Sonic Cool: The Life & Death of Rock 'n' Roll |year= 2002 |page= |publisher= ] |isbn= 0-634-02861-8 |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/soniccoollifedea00harr/page/392 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first= Emma |last= Forrest |title= On the road with Big Jon |newspaper= ] |date= June 23, 1995 |access-date= October 9, 2016 |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/on-the-road-with-big-jon-1587826.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first= Benjamin |last= Smith |title= Revisiting America's Hard 100 (25–1) |publisher= ]. ] |date= November 11, 2013 |access-date= October 9, 2016 |url= http://www.vh1.com/news/51890/americas-hard-100-list-25-1/}}</ref> ]<ref name="Moskowitz"/><ref>{{cite news|first= Gene |last= Stout |title= Bon Jovi will make a local band's day at Monday's KeyArena concert |newspaper= ] |date= March 2, 2006 |access-date= October 9, 2016 |url= http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/music/article/Bon-Jovi-will-make-a-local-band-s-day-at-Monday-s-1197334.php}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first= Richard |last= Harrington |title= Jon Bon Jovi Is Rock's Mr. Nice Guy |newspaper= ] |date= December 16, 2005 |access-date= October 9, 2016 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/15/AR2005121500510.html}}</ref> and ].<ref name="Moskowitz"/><ref>{{cite news|first= Jon |last= Pareles |author-link= Jon Pareles |title= Heavy Metal, Weighty Words |newspaper=] |date= July 10, 1988 |access-date= October 9, 2016 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/10/magazine/heavy-metal-weighty-words.html}}</ref>
{{Main|Bounce (Bon Jovi album)|Bounce (Bon Jovi song)}}


The band's first four albums blended the glam metal and hard rock genres. Their first two albums used a heavier mixture of glam metal and hard rock while their follow ups, '']'' and ''],'' featured a more commercialized mixture of glam metal and hard rock.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} They shed the glam metal sound by their fifth studio album, '']'', and their sixth, '']'', utilizing a more mature hard rock sound. '']'' was characterized as "far enough into ] to actually stand a chance of getting airplay", while '']'' was described as "heavy, serious rock". '']'' was also characterized as being heavier than ''Crush''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-a-nice-day-r790894 |title=Have a Nice Day – Bon Jovi |website=] |date=September 20, 2005 |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref>
In spring 2002, the group entered the studio to begin recording their eighth studio album, the title, '']'' was a reference not only to New York City's and the United States' ability to bounce back from the World Trade Center attacks as a nation but, it also referred to Bon Jovi, the band's ability to bounce back again and again, over the years. Bounce represented a return to Bon Jovi's "roots" with Richie Sambora playing heavily distorted guitars, gravelly vocals by Jon, keyboard effects and piano's by David Bryan and booming drums by Tico Torres. Jon Bon Jovi noted that "Bounce" was mainly a "Jon and Richie album". However, this return to a more "classic Bon Jovi" sound, while a relief to some fans{{Who|November 2009|date=November 2009}}, also brought out some critics that accused the band of being too "formulaic", a criticism that had been leveled at the band in the past {{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}.


The band altered their sound dramatically in their next release, '']'', blending influences from ] and ], a sound Jon Bon Jovi described as "a Bon Jovi album influenced by Nashville.”{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} Bon Jovi returned to a more typical rock sound on '']'', which was described by Allmusic as "conjured by echoed, delayed guitars, shimmering keyboards, and spacious rhythms."<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-circle-r1675189 |title=The Circle – Bon Jovi |website=AllMusic |date=November 10, 2009 |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref>
{{Main|This Left Feels Right}}
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The first single off the album "]", nominated at the ] for ]. The band went on the ] for this album, during which they made history as the last band to play ] in ] before it was torn down. Following the end of the Bounce Tour in August 2003, Bon Jovi embarked on a project; originally intending to produce an album consisting of live acoustic performances, the band ended up rewriting, re-recording and reinventing 12 of their biggest hits in a new and much different light. '']'' was released in November 2003.


==Band members==
{{Main|100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong}}
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'''Current members'''
The following year, the band released a box set entitled '']'', the title being a homage to Elvis Presley's '']''. The set consisted of four CDs packed with 38 unreleased and 12 rare tracks, as well as a DVD. The box set marked the sales of 100 million Bon Jovi albums and also commemorated the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's first record in 1984.
* ]&nbsp;– lead vocals, rhythm guitar, ]s, harmonica (1983–present)
* ]&nbsp;– keyboards, piano, backing and occasional lead vocals (1983–present)
* ]&nbsp;– drums, percussion, occasional backing and lead vocals (1983–present)
* ]&nbsp;– bass, backing vocals (2016–present; session musician 1983–1994 and touring musician 1994–2016)
* ]&nbsp;– lead guitar, ], backing and occasional lead vocals (2016–present; session and touring musician 2013–2016; touring substitute 2011)
* ]&nbsp;– percussion, backing vocals (2024–present; session and touring musician 2003–2004, 2016–2024)
* ]&nbsp;– rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2024–present; session musician 2004–2024 and touring musician 2016–2024)
'''Former members'''
* ]&nbsp;– lead guitar, backing vocals (1983)
* ]&nbsp;– lead guitar, talk box, backing and occasional lead vocals (1983–2013; one-off guest appearance in 2018)
* ]&nbsp;– bass, backing vocals (1983–1994; one-off guest appearances in 2001 and 2018; died 2022<ref>{{cite tweet|user=jonbonjovi|number=1533521497544970240|title=Alec, you will be missed|date=June 5, 2022|access-date=March 2, 2024}}</ref>)
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'''Former touring musicians'''
In November 2004, Bon Jovi was honored with the Award for Merit at the ], where they performed a sneak preview of an unfinished song, "]".
* ]&nbsp;– rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2005–2015)
* ]&nbsp;– violin, ], cello, backing vocals (2005–2009, 2015)
* ]&nbsp;– ], keyboards, backing vocals (2005–2006; one-off show in 2010; substitute 2010)<ref>{{Cite web |last=maxare |date=June 13, 2010 |title=Bon Jovi – O2 Arena, London – June 13, 2010 |url=http://www.wechameleon.com/post/BON-JOVI-e28093-O2-ARENA-LONDON-e28093-JUNE-13-2010_en.aspx |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=Wechameleon.com}}</ref>
* Kurt Johnston&nbsp;– ], ], ], backing vocals (2006–2008)
* Rich Scannella&nbsp;– drums, percussion (2013)
* ]&nbsp;– rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2015)<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6686104/bon-jovi-new-guitarist |title=Bon Jovi Adds New Guitarist to Touring Lineup |author=Michele Amabile Angermiller |magazine=] |date=9 September 2015}}</ref>
* Greg Mayo&nbsp;– keyboards (2020)<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2020/11/26/happy-thanksgiving-bon-jovi-2020-film-also-features-classics-behind-scenes/6424889002/|title=Happy Thanksgiving from Bon Jovi: '2020' film also features classics, behind the scenes|first=Chris|last=Jordan|work=Asbury Park Press|date=November 27, 2020|access-date=March 20, 2021}}</ref>
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'''Timeline'''
===''Have a Nice Day'' (2005–06)===
{{#tag:timeline|
{{Main|Have a Nice Day (Bon Jovi album)}}
ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:100 bottom:120 top:10 right:40
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:03/01/1983 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}}
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1984
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1984


Colors =
Bon Jovi participated in ] on July 2, 2005, where they debuted the full, final version of "Have a Nice Day", alongside "Livin' on a Prayer" and "It's My Life". Bon Jovi's ninth studio album, '']'', was released in September 2005. "]", the first single off the album. The second single, "]", was released in the U.S. in early 2006. In the U.S., a duet version of "]" with country singer ] of the band ] was released, they also released "]" as the third single. And in May 2006, Bon Jovi became the first Rock & Roll Band to have a #1 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Chart. On February 11, 2007, Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles won the ], for "Best Country Collaboration with Vocals" for "]". The band also won an award for Favorite Rock Song at the ] with "Who Says You Can't Go Home".<ref name="2007 People's Choice Ödülleri">{{cite web|url=http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/index.jsp?year=2007 |title=2007 Pcavote.com |publisher=Peopleschoice.com |date= |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref>
id:LVocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals,_maracas,_harmonica
id:BVocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals
id:RGuitar value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitar
id:Guitar value:teal legend:Lead_guitar,_talk_box
id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:Keyboards value:purple legend:Keyboards,_piano
id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:percussion value:claret legend:Percussion
id:Session value:yellow legend:Session/touring_musician
id:studio value:black legend:Studio_album


LineData =
Soon after the release of ''Have A Nice Day'', the band started gearing up for the new 2005–2006 worldwide ]. This tour, being shorter than previous ones with only seventy-five shows originally planned, took the band to numerous stages and stadiums throughout the world. The tour was a significant commercial success, as the group played to 2,002,000 fans, and the tour grossed a total $191 million. The tour was the third-highest-grossing tour of 2006 taking in just over $131 million, just behind ]' ] and ]'s ]. On November 14, 2006, Bon Jovi were inducted into the ] alongside ] and ].
layer:back
color:studio
at:01/21/1984
at:04/12/1985
at:08/18/1986
at:09/30/1988
at:11/03/1992
at:06/27/1995
at:06/13/2000
at:10/08/2002
at:09/20/2005
at:09/08/2007
at:11/10/2009
at:03/08/2013
at:08/21/2015
at:11/04/2016
at:10/02/2020
at:06/07/2024


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===''Lost Highway'' (2007–08)===
bar:Jon text:"Jon Bon Jovi"
{{Main|Lost Highway (Bon Jovi album)}}
bar:Dave text:"Dave Sabo"
bar:Richie text:"Richie Sambora"
bar:Phil text:"Phil X"
bar:John text:"John Shanks"
bar:Alec text:"Alec John Such"
bar:Hugh text:"Hugh McDonald"
bar:David text:"David Bryan"
bar:Tico text:"Tico Torres"
bar:Everett text:"Everett Bradley"


PlotData=
In June 2007, Bon Jovi released their tenth studio album, '']''. The album influences the band's rock sound with that of country music following the success of a country version of the band's 2006 single "Who Says You Can't Go Home", a duet with Jennifer Nettles.
width:11


color:LVocals
To promote the new album, Bon Jovi made several television appearances, including the 6th annual ] Awards in Nashville, '']'', and MTV Unplugged, as well as playing at the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://liveearth.msn.com/artists/bonjovi |title=MSN.com |publisher=Liveearth.msn.com |date= |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref> They also performed ten promotional gigs in the U.S., Canada, the UK and Japan. As part of the 'tour', Bon Jovi were the first group to perform at London's new ] (formerly the Millennium Dome) when it opened to the public on June 24, 2007. The 23,000-seater stadium sold out within 30 minutes of tickets being released.<ref name="BBC O2 story">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6575577.stm|title=Bon Jovi sell out first Dome gig|publisher=BBC News|date=April 20, 2007|accessdate=July 8, 2009}}</ref>
bar:Jon from:start till:end
color:Guitar
bar:Dave from:start till:05/02/1983
bar:Richie from:05/02/1983 till:04/02/2013
bar:Phil from:04/02/2013 till:08/12/2016 width:7
bar:Phil from:08/12/2016 till:end


color:RGuitar
''Lost Highway'' topped the charts in United States, The Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Europe, and Canada. The album was nominated for ] and the albums first single "]" was nominated for ] at the 2008 Grammy Awards. The albums third single "]" won the ] for the Collaborative Video of the Year in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/microsites/cmt-music-awards/2008/winners.jhtml |title=2008 Winners |publisher=] |year=2008 |accessdate=2009-04-07}}</ref> Presenter LeAnn Rimes accepted the award on behalf of the band, as Bon Jovi was not at the awards ceremony.<ref name="cmt">{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1585690/backstage-with-rascal-flatts-leann-rimes-robert-plant-and-alison-krauss.jhtml |title=Backstage With Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss |publisher=CMT |date=2008-04-16 |accessdate=2009-04-07}}</ref> The song was also nominated for the ] for Vocal Event of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbs.com/specials/43acma/ |title=43rd Academy of Country Music Awards |publisher=CBS |accessdate=2009-04-07}}</ref>
bar:Jon from:start till:end width:3
bar:John from:09/15/2016 till:01/01/2024 width:7
bar:John from:01/01/2024 till:end


color:Bass
In October 2007 the band announced the ]. Starting with the 10 shows to open the brand new, Newark, New Jersey Prudential Center, the band toured Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and then Europe, finishing in the summer. In early December 2007 the band took time off from their Canadian tour to become the first ever American band to headline the ] in Liverpool, England, performing in front of the Queen herself.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7080509.stm|title=Bon Jovi top Royal Variety bill|date=2007-11-06|accessdate=2007-11-10|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> While the band was on tour in Australia, Bon Jovi have landed eight albums in ARIA Charts in the wake of their first tour in 12 years.
bar:Alec from:start till:03/15/1994
bar:Hugh till:03/15/1994 from:08/12/2016 width:7
bar:Hugh from:08/12/2016 till:end


color:Drums
The tour was the highest grossing tour of 2008 in Billboard's rankings, with ticket sales of $210.6 million, reported from November 14, 2007 through Nov.11, 2008.<ref name="bb121108">{{Cite news| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/bon-jovi-scores-2008-s-top-grossing-tour-1003921575.story | title=Bon Jovi Scores 2008's Top-Grossing Tour | author=Waddell, Ray | publisher='']'' | date=2008-12-11 | accessdate=2008-12-13}}</ref> In all, 2,157,675 tickets were sold during 2008.<ref name="bb121108"/> Combined with $16.4 million in 2007 from the Newark shows, making a combined gross of $227 million in ticket sales. In ]'s calculus for North America, the Lost Highway Tour had the highest gross for 2008 at $70.4 million.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081230/music_nm/us_tours | title=Madonna biggest 2008 North American tour attraction | agency=] | publisher=] | date=2008-12-30 | accessdate=2008-12-31}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
bar:Tico from:start till:end


color:Keyboards
===''The Circle'' and ''Greatest Hits'' (2009–present)===
bar:David from:start till:end
{{Main|The Circle (Bon Jovi album)|Greatest Hits (Bon Jovi album)}}
color:Percussion
bar:Tico from:start till:09/15/2016 width:7
bar:Everett from:09/15/2016 till:01/01/2024 width:7
bar:Everett from:01/01/2024 till:end


color:Session
In April 2009, ]'s documentary on the band, "]", debuted at the ], chronicling Bon Jovi's ups and downs over 25 years and following the band on their latest Lost Highway tour.
bar:Phil from:04/02/2013 till:08/12/2016
bar:John from:09/15/2016 till:01/01/2024
bar:Hugh till:03/15/1994 from:08/12/2016
bar:Everett from:09/15/2016 till:01/01/2024


In June 2009, Jon Bon Jovi and ] were inducted into ]. That month they also recorded a cover of the song "Stand By Me" with Iranian singer ], to show solidarity for those affected by political unrest in Iran. Parts of the song were sung in ].


color:BVocals width:3
On November 10, 2009, the band released their 11th studio album, entitled '']''. The album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 163 000 copies in its first week. The album is a return to rock n' roll after their Nashville influenced album, ''Lost Highway''. To promote the album, Bon Jovi performed "]", the first single off the album, on the result show of the rock week of the TV show, '']''. The song also was performed during the Fest der Freiheit on November 9 in Berlin, a memorial for the ].
bar:Richie from:05/02/1983 till:04/02/2013
bar:Alec from:start till:03/15/1994
bar:David from:start till:end
bar:Tico from:start till:end
bar:Phil from:04/02/2013 till:end
bar:John from:09/15/2016 till:end
bar:Everett from:09/15/2016 till:end
bar:Hugh from:03/15/1994 till:end


On December 12, 2009, Bon Jovi were ranked #9 on Billboard's top 25 touring artists of the decade after grossing (US)$419,481,741 from 249 shows, of which 244 were sellouts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/#/features/top-touring-artists-of-the-decade-1004053065.story|title=Top 25 Touring Artists of the Decade|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=2009-12-30}}</ref>


}}
On January 31, 2010, Bon Jovi performed for the first time at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards. They performed the songs “We Weren’t Born to Follow” off their new album ''The Circle'', “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” from their album ''Have a Nice Day'', and fans voted for the last song and chose “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Bon Jovi was nominated for a 2010 Grammy for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for "We Weren't Born To Follow."


==Awards and nominations==
Bon Jovi headed out on the road once again on February 19, 2010, embarking on ]. In 2011, the tour morphed into ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/news/bon-jovi-announces-meadowlands-concerts-1004029629.story|title=Bon Jovi Announces Meadowlands Concerts|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=2009-12-30}}</ref>
{{main|List of awards and nominations received by Bon Jovi}}

On April 11, 2010, Bon Jovi played in ]. A short stream of this show was available through the band's website, and viewers were able to buy tickets to three of their shows in Toronto, Chicago, and ] all of which would happen this coming summer.

On April 19, it was announced that special editions of Bon Jovi albums from 1984 to 2007 will be released. These albums will feature new artwork and photos from the time period of when the albums were released. They will also feature live recordings of select songs on the album recorded on the tour that supported the album. The albums were released on May 11.

Bon Jovi had planned to release a greatest hits album in 2009, but the project got sidelined after the group came up with enough material for a brand new studio album, Jon commenting that "the state of the world at this point in time gave us a lot to write about". That doesn't mean the best-of set has been put on hold forever, Jon says "it will come out in 2010". Along with a few never-before-released songs, the compilation will also feature tracks not featured on Bon Jovi's 1994 ''Cross Road'' greatest hits. "It'll be a new greatest hits because the last one was 15 years ago in '94. So you had everything from These Days forward. And what is this my fifth album in this decade? So at least six studio records and a solo thing. And then I'm sure you'll still end up having to put 'Living On A Prayer' on it but there won't be 'Runaway' on it. It won't have the early early stuff because we'll have had more hits since then."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.therockradio.com/2009/11/bon-jovi-plans-new-greatest-hits-for.html|title=Bon Jovi plans new greatest hits for 2010}}</ref>

In July 2010 Bon Jovi posted pictures on their Facebook page from the photo shoot for the ''Greatest Hits'' album. The first single from the ''Greatest Hits'', titled "]" was released on August 27, 2010.

On September 28, 2010, Bon Jovi was nominated for the ].

On October 22, 2010, and October 25, 2010, full versions of the remaining three new songs were released on bonjovi.com.

It has been confirmed that the new ''Greatest Hits'' album will be made available as downloadable content for '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/41231/Bon-Jovi-signs-up-for-Rock-Band-3|title=Bon Jovi signs up for Rock Band 3|author=Christopher Dring|accessdate=October 30, 2010}}</ref>

On October 31, 2010, Bon Jovi performed on the British version of the '']'', alongside ] and ]. They were joined by contestants during the performance.

On December 13, 2010, Bon Jovi reopened the ] on October 1, with ], which was recognized by '']'' magazine as the group with the most profitable tour of 2010. The tour has raised $146,507,388 and a total audience of 1,591,154.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latercera.com/noticia/entretencion/2010/12/661-330384-9-bon-jovi-realizo-la-gira-mas-exitosa-del-ano.shtml |title=Bon Jovi realizó la gira más exitosa del año &#124; Entretención |publisher=La Tercera |date= |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref>

==Musical style/genres==
Bon Jovi's musical style has generally been characterized as ']', ']', ']' and ']', although they have also experimented and varied from these genres at times.<ref name="Allmusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bon-jovi-p3734/biography|title=Allmusic|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|accessdate=13 April 2011}}</ref>

The band's first four albums blended the pop metal and hard rock genres, although they had mostly shed the pop metal sound by their fifth studio album, '']'', and their sixth, '']'', utilizing a more mature hard rock sound. '']'' was characterized as "far enough into pop/rock to actually stand a chance of getting airplay", while '']'' was described as "heavy, serious rock". '']'' was also characterized as being heavier than ''Crush''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/have-a-nice-day-r790894 |title=Have a Nice Day - Bon Jovi |publisher=AllMusic |date=2005-09-20 |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref>

The band altered their sound dramatically in their next release, '']'', blending influences from ] and ], a sound Jon Bon Jovi described as "a Bon Jovi album influenced by Nashville". Bon Jovi returned to a more typical rock sound on '']'', which was described by Allmusic as "conjured by echoed, delayed guitars, shimmering keyboards, and spacious rhythms."<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-circle-r1675189 |title=The Circle - Bon Jovi |publisher=AllMusic |date=2009-11-10 |accessdate=2011-07-18}}</ref>

==Band members==
;Current members
*] – ], ] (1983–present)
*] – ], backing vocals (1983–present)
*] – ], ] (1983–present)
*] – ], ] (1983–present)

;Additional musicians
*] - ] (1994-present)

;Past members
* ] - ], background vocals (1983–1994)
* ] - ] (1983)


==Discography== ==Discography==
{{Main|Bon Jovi discography}} {{Main|Bon Jovi discography|List of songs recorded by Bon Jovi}}


'''Studio albums'''
*'']'' (1984)
{{col div}}
*'']'' (1985)
*'']'' (1986) * '']'' (1984)
* {{proper name|'']''}} (1985)
*'']'' (1988)
*'']'' (1992) * '']'' (1986)
*'']'' (1995) * '']'' (1988)
*'']'' (2000) * '']'' (1992)
*'']'' (2002) * '']'' (1995)
*'']'' (2005) * '']'' (2000)
*'']'' (2007) * '']'' (2002)
*'']'' (2009) * '']'' (2005)
* '']'' (2007)

* '']'' (2009)
==Awards and Nominations==
* '']'' (2013)
===]===
* '']'' (2015)
{| class="wikitable"
* '']'' (2016)
|-
* '']'' (2020)
!Year
* '']'' (2024)
!Nominated work
{{col div end}}
!Award
!Result
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Best Music Video, Long Form
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Best Rock Album
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]" with ]
|Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
|{{won}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Best Pop Album
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
|{{nom}}
|}

===]s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Nominated work
!Award
!Result
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|]
|{{won}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|]
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"Bon Jovi"
|]
|{{won}}
|}

===]'s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Nominated work
!Award
!Result
|-
|align=center|]
|"Bon Jovi"
|Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group
|{{won}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Favorite Pop/Rock Album
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Favorite Pop/Rock Single
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"Bon Jovi"
|Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"]"
|Favorite Pop/Rock Single
|{{nom}}
|-
|align=center|]
|"Bon Jovi"
|Award of Merit
|{{won}}
|}


==Tours== ==Tours==
{{col-begin}}
*]
{{col-break|width=50%}}
*]
*] (1986–87) *Runaway Tour (1983–1984)
*] (1988–90) *7800 Fahrenheit Tour (1985)
*] (1993) *] (1986–1987)
*] (1993) *] (1988–1990)
*] (1994) *Keep the Faith Tour (1993)
*] (1995–96) *I'll Sleep When I'm Dead Tour (1993)
*] (2000) *Crossroad Promo Tour (1994)
*] (2001) *] (1995–1996)
*] (2002–03) *Crush Tour (2000)
*] (2005–06) *] (2001){{col-break|width=50%}}
*] (2007–08) *Bounce Tour (2002–2003)
*] (2005–2006)
*] (2007–2008)
*] (2010) *] (2010)
*] (2011) *] (2011)
*] (2013)
*] (2015)
*] (2017–2019)
*Bon Jovi 2022 Tour (2022){{col-end}}


== Solo tours == ==See also==
*]
* ] (1997–98)
*]


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}}
* <cite id=refDimery2006>{{Cite book| last=Chow |first=Jason |editor-first=Robert |editor-last=Dimery |title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |publisher=Quintet Publishing Limited |year=2006 |isbn=0-7893-1371-5}}
** <cite id=refBuckley2003>{{Cite book|last=Buckley |first=Peter |title=The Rough Guide to Rock |publisher=Rough Guides |year=2003 |location=London |isbn=1-85828-201-2}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Sister project links|d=Q259254|n=no|v=no|voy=no|b=no|s=no|wikt=no|m=no|mw=no|species=no}}
{{Commons|Bon Jovi}}
*{{Official website|http://www.bonjovi.com/}} *{{Official website|http://www.bonjovi.com/}}
*{{allmusic}}
*{{Facebook|bonjovi|Bon Jovi}}
* {{IMDb name|1654945}}


{{Portal bar|United States|New Jersey|Biography|Music|Rock music|Pop music|1980s|1990s|2000s|2010s}}
{{Bon Jovi}}
{{Bon Jovi songs}} {{Bon Jovi|state=expanded}}
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{{Japan Gold Disc Award for Artist of the Year}}
{{Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award}}
{{MTV Europe Music Award for Global Icon}}
{{2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{Billboard Year-End number one albums}}
{{UK best-selling albums (by year) 1990–2009}} {{UK best-selling albums (by year) 1990–2009}}
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American rock band This article is about the band. For their eponymous album, see Bon Jovi (album). For the lead singer, see Jon Bon Jovi. "Bongiovi" redirects here. For other people with the surname, see Bongiovi (surname).

Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi performing in Hyde Park, London in 2013. From left to right: Phil X, Hugh McDonald, Jon Bon Jovi, Tico Torres, and David Bryan.Bon Jovi performing in Hyde Park, London in 2013. From left to right: Phil X, Hugh McDonald, Jon Bon Jovi, Tico Torres, and David Bryan.
Background information
OriginSayreville, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Discography
Years active1983–present
Labels
Members
Past members
Websitebonjovi.com

Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. The band consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley, and bassist Hugh McDonald. Original bassist Alec John Such left the band in 1994, and longtime guitarist and co-songwriter Richie Sambora left in 2013.

In 1984, Bon Jovi released their self-titled debut album, and its single "Runaway" managed to reach the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. In 1986, the band achieved widespread success and global recognition with their third album, Slippery When Wet, which included three Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, two of which reached No. 1: "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer". Their fourth album, New Jersey (1988), was also commercially successful, featuring five Top 10 singles, including the number ones "Bad Medicine" and "I'll Be There for You". The band toured and recorded during the late 1980s, culminating in the 1988–90 New Jersey Syndicate Tour.

In 1992, the band returned with the double-platinum Keep the Faith, which included the hit “Bed of Roses”. This was followed by their biggest-selling and longest-charting single "Always” in 1994. The album These Days (1995), proved a bigger success in Europe than in the US, producing four Top Ten singles in the UK. Following a second hiatus, their 2000 album Crush, particularly the lead single, "It's My Life", successfully introduced the band to a younger audience. The platinum albums Have a Nice Day (2005) and Lost Highway (2007) saw the band incorporate elements of country music into some songs, including the 2006 single "Who Says You Can't Go Home", which won the band a Grammy Award and became the first single by a rock band to reach No. 1 on the country charts. The Circle (2009) marked a return to the band's rock sound. The band further success touring, with the 2005–06 Have a Nice Day Tour and 2007–08 Lost Highway Tour ranking among the Top 20 highest-grossing concert tours of the 2000s. After releasing Because We Can in 2013, lead guitarist Richie Sambora left the band, just before a concert during the supporting tour to spend more time with family. The band released their first studio album without Sambora, Burning Bridges, in 2015 and the follow-up album This House Is Not for Sale in 2016, touring it in 2017–19. Their album 2020 was reworked to include songs inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd protests.

Bon Jov has been credited with "bridging the gap between heavy metal music, rock and pop with style and ease".The band has released 16 studio albums, five compilations and three live albums. They have sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling American rock bands, and performed 2,700 concerts in 50 countries for 34 million fans. Bon Jovi was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. The band received the Award of Merit at the American Music Awards in 2004.

History

Formation and "Runaway" (1980–1983)

The Power Station where Jon Bon Jovi worked

Jon Bon Jovi began performing music live in 1975, at the age of 13, playing piano and guitar with his first band, Raze. At 16, Jon met David Bryan and formed a band called Atlantic City Expressway. Still in his teens, Bon Jovi played in the band John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones at clubs such as the Fast Lane and opening for local acts. By 1980, he had formed another band, the Rest, and opened up for New Jersey acts such as Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Also in 1980, Jon recorded his first single, "Runaway" in his cousin's studio, backed up by studio musicians. The song was played by a local radio station on a compilation tape.

By mid-1982, out of school and working part-time at a women's shoe store, Jon Bon Jovi took a job at the Power Station Studios, a Manhattan recording facility where his cousin Tony Bongiovi was co-owner. Jon made several demos – including one produced by Billy Squier – and sent them to record companies, though failing to make an impact. His first professional recording was as lead vocals in "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas," which was part of the Christmas in the Stars album which his cousin co-produced.

In 1983, Jon visited a local radio station WAPP 103.5FM "The Apple" in Lake Success, New York, to write and sing the jingles for the station.He spoke with DJ Chip Hobart and to the promotion director, John Lassman, who suggested Jon let WAPP include the song "Runaway" on the station's compilation album of local homegrown talent. Jon was reluctant, but eventually gave them the song, which he had re-recorded in 1982 (following a rough early recording in 1981) with local studio musicians whom he designated The All Star Review – guitarist Tim Pierce, keyboardist Roy Bittan (from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band), drummer Frankie LaRocka, and bassist Hugh McDonald.

The song began to get airplay in the New York area, then other sister stations in major markets picked up the song. In March 1983, Bon Jovi called David Bryan, who in turn called bassist Alec John Such and an experienced drummer named Tico Torres, both formerly of the band Phantom's Opera. Tapped to play lead guitar for a short tour supporting "Runaway" was Bon Jovi's friend and neighbor, Dave Sabo ("The Snake"), though he never officially joined the band. He and Jon promised each other that whoever made it first, would help out the other. Sabo later went on to form the group Skid Row. Jon saw and was impressed with hometown guitarist Richie Sambora who was recommended by fellow bassist Alec John Such and drummer Tico Torres. Sambora had toured with Joe Cocker, played with a group called Mercy and had been called up to audition for Kiss. He also played on the album Lessons, originally intended for release in 1982 with the band Message for which Alec John Such was the bassist. Message was originally signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records label, although the album was never officially released at the time. Meanwhile, WAPP, the station that had first played "Runaway" worked with WOR-TV (now WWOR-TV) in nearby Secaucus, NJ on a music video show, Rock 9 Videos, for a short time in 1984.

Tico Torres was also an experienced musician, having recorded and played live with Phantom's Opera, The Marvelettes, and Chuck Berry. He appeared on 26 records and had recently recorded with Franke and the Knockouts, a Jersey band with hit singles during the early 1980s.

David Bryan had quit the band that he and Bon Jovi had founded in order to study medicine. While in college, he realized that he wanted to pursue music full-time, and was accepted to Juilliard School, a New York music school. When Bon Jovi called his friend and said that he was putting together a band, and a record deal looked likely, Bryan followed Bon Jovi's lead and gave up his studies.

Bon Jovi, 7800° Fahrenheit, Slippery When Wet and New Jersey (1984–1989)

Derek Shulman, who signed Bon Jovi to their first record deal

Once the band began playing showcases and opening for local talent, they caught the attention of record executive Derek Shulman, who signed them to Mercury Records and who was part of the PolyGram company. Because Jon Bon Jovi wanted a group name, Pamela Maher, a friend of Richard Fischer and an employee of Doc McGhee, suggested they call themselves Bon Jovi, following the example of the other famous two-word bands such as Van Halen. This name was chosen instead of the original idea of Johnny Electric. Pamela's suggestion of the name was met with little enthusiasm, but two years later they hit the charts under that name.

With the help of their new manager Doc McGhee they recorded the band's debut album, Bon Jovi, which was released on January 21, 1984. The album included the band's first hit single, "Runaway", reaching the top forty on the Billboard Hot 100. The album peaked at number forty-three on the Billboard 200 album chart. The group soon found itself opening for Scorpions in U.S. and for Kiss in Europe.

In 1985, Bon Jovi's second album, 7800° Fahrenheit, was released. The band released three singles: "Only Lonely", "In and Out of Love" and the ballad "Silent Night". The album peaked at number thirty-seven on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by RIAA. While the album did not sell as well as the band had hoped, it allowed Bon Jovi to get out on the road touring again. In May 1985, Bon Jovi headlined venues in Japan and Europe. At the end of the European tour, the band began a six-month run of U.S. tour dates supporting Ratt. In the midst of that tour, they appeared at the Texas Jam and Castle Donington's Monsters of Rock concerts in England. The band also performed at the first Farm Aid in 1985.

Producer Jonathan King with Jon Bon Jovi in 1987

After two moderately successful albums, the group changed its approach and hired professional songwriter Desmond Child as a collaborator. Bruce Fairbairn was chosen to produce and, in early 1986, Bon Jovi moved to Vancouver, Canada to spend six months recording a third album. They named it Slippery When Wet after visiting a strip club in Vancouver. On August 16, 1986, Slippery When Wet was released and it spent eight weeks atop the Billboard 200. The first two singles from the album, "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer", both hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Slippery When Wet was named 1987's top-selling album by Billboard, and "Livin' On A Prayer" won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance. The band won an award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band at the American Music Awards and an award for Favorite Rock Group at the People's Choice Awards. When Slippery When Wet was released in August 1986, Bon Jovi was the support act for 38 Special. By the end of 1986, Bon Jovi were well into six months of headline dates in arenas across America. In August 1987, they headlined England's Monsters of Rock festival. During their set, Dee Snider, Bruce Dickinson and Paul Stanley guested to perform "We're an American Band". The band ended the year having headlined 130 shows in the "Tour Without End", grossing $28,400,000. Asked what this breakthrough to worldwide fame meant, Jon Bon Jovi said, "Everything is bigger, and it moves twice as fast. You're recognized twice as often. This is bigger, the whole world gets bigger. You have to sell more records, be huger. You get smarter and you understand the business a little more, so it's more responsibility. You understand it now, and you want to make sure everything goes right".

Determined to prove that the success of Slippery When Wet was not a fluke, Bon Jovi released their fourth effort, New Jersey, in September 1988 which peaked at number one in the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. The album produced five Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Bon Jovi the record for the most Top 10 singles spawned by a hard rock album. Two of the hits, "Bad Medicine" and "I'll Be There for You", reached number one. The album's three other singles, "Born to Be My Baby", "Lay Your Hands on Me", and "Living in Sin", reached the top ten. Bon Jovi made the news when the video for "Living In Sin" was banned by MTV for sexual content; after the video was re-edited, MTV put it in heavy rotation. Bon Jovi mounted another huge worldwide tour that continued throughout 1989 and 1990. They visited more than 22 countries and performed more than 232 shows. On June 11, 1989, the band performed a homecoming concert at Giants Stadium in New Jersey; the venue was sold out. In August 1989, the band headed to the Soviet Union for the Moscow Music Peace Festival. Bon Jovi were officially sanctioned by the Soviet government to perform in the Soviet Union, and New Jersey was legally released in the USSR.

The exhaustion of recording Slippery When Wet and New Jersey back to back and going on highly paced world tours took its toll. By the end of the New Jersey tour, the band had 16 months of concerts under its belt. The bandmates were exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. Following the final tour date in Mexico, and without any clear plans for their future, the members of the band simply went home. The band has since stated that there were few if any goodbyes between them. During the time they took off from the scene, members of the band retreated to their own projects and showed no desire to make another album.

Keep the Faith, Cross Road and These Days (1992–1996)

Disillusioned with the music business and unhappy with the status quo, Jon Bon Jovi fired his management, business advisers, and agents (including long-time manager Doc McGhee) in 1991. Jon took on the management responsibilities himself by closing ranks and creating Bon Jovi Management. In October 1991, the band went to a Caribbean island of St. Thomas to discuss plans for the future. They managed to resolve their differences by allowing each member to speak about his feelings without interruption from each other. Upon resolving their issues, they headed back into the Vancouver Little Mountain studios with Bob Rock to work on the band's fifth album in January 1992.

Bon Jovi's fifth studio album Keep the Faith was released in November 1992, representing "the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Bon Jovi" and marking a change in the band's sound and image. The album turned away from heavy drums and wild guitar solos, but instead introduced a more mature sound of Bon Jovi and contained more serious lyrics. The media focused considerable attention on Jon Bon Jovi's hair. When Jon Bon Jovi cut his hair he made headlines on CNN. To promote Keep The Faith they returned to their roots playing a few dates at the small New Jersey clubs where they had started their career. The band appeared on MTV Unplugged but that was different from the other episodes of MTV Unplugged series. The performance captures Bon Jovi in an intimate, "in the round" experience, performing acoustic and electric renditions of classic hits (Bon Jovi and non-Bon Jovi tracks) and new material from Keep the Faith. The concert was released commercially in 1993 as Keep the Faith: An Evening with Bon Jovi. The album managed to reach Double Platinum status by the RIAA and produced the Top 10 hit "Bed of Roses" while the title track hit number one on the Mainstream Rock Tracks. Bon Jovi embarked on an extensive international world tour for the album, visiting countries the band had never seen before and headlining stadiums in South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. They visited 37 countries, performed 177 shows and seen them play to 2.5 million fans on the Keep the Faith Tour/I'll Sleep When I'm Dead Tour.

In October 1994, Bon Jovi released a greatest hits album titled Cross Road, with two new tracks: "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night". The first single from the album "Always" became Bon Jovi's highest selling single and stayed on top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 for six months. In the UK, Cross Road became the bestselling album of 1994. That year Bon Jovi won an award for Best Selling Rock Band at the World Music Awards.

That same year, bassist Alec John Such left the band, the first lineup change since Bon Jovi began. Hugh McDonald who was the bassist on "Runaway", unofficially replaced Such as bassist. Jon Bon Jovi said, regarding the departure of Such: "Of course it hurts. But I learned to accept and respect it. The fact that I'm a workaholic, studio in, studio out, stage on, stage off, want to be dealing with music day and night, doesn't mean everyone else has to adjust to that pace. Alec wanted to quit for a while now, so it didn't come as a complete surprise."

Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, These Days, was released in June 1995, during which time the band was on European tour. The album debuted at number one in UK and spent four consecutive weeks at the top position. The album also reached number one in Ireland, Germany, Australia, Japan and many other countries. The album's first single was the rhythm and blues influenced ballad "This Ain't a Love Song". With a video filmed in Thailand, "This Ain't a Love Song" reached top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the only significant U.S. hit from the album, however, the album produced four UK top ten hits ("This Aint A Love Song", "Something for the Pain", "Lie to Me" and "These Days"). That year the band earned a BRIT Award for best international band and also won a MTV Europe Music Award for Best Rock. It was followed by These Days Tour. In June 1995, Bon Jovi sold out three-nights at London's historical Wembley Stadium. The concerts were documented for Bon Jovi: Live From London. Bon Jovi visited 43 countries and performed 126 shows on These Days Tour.

Following the overwhelming success of the These Days Tour, the members of Bon Jovi went their separate ways. But unlike the period following the New Jersey tour, tainted with uncertainty, this hiatus was a conscious group decision. The members of Bon Jovi agreed to a self-imposed two-year sabbatical from the band.

Crush, Bounce and This Left Feels Right (1999–2003)

Bon Jovi reunited in 1999 to record the song "Real Life" for the movie EdTV. David Bryan was recovering from an accident in which he nearly severed his finger.

After a nearly four-year hiatus, during which several band members worked on independent projects, Bon Jovi regrouped to begin work on their next studio album. In June 2000, Crush was released as the band's seventh studio album and constituted something of a comeback. The first single "It's My Life" was noted as one of the group's most successful releases in a decade and most importantly, becoming a symbol of the band's longevity as they prevailed through many different changes in the mainstream rock scene with admirable success. "It's My Life" helped introduce them to a new, younger fan base. The band received two Grammy nominations for Best Rock Album Crush and Best Rock Performance by Duo/Group "It's My Life". The video for "It's My Life" won the My VH1 Music Awards for "My Favorite Video".

Bon Jovi played two sold-out concerts at London's historic Wembley Stadium on August 19–20, 2000, becoming the last concerts held at the legendary venue before its demolition. That year the band played to 1.1 million fans in 40 arena and stadium venues across North America, Europe and Japan. While on tour, Bon Jovi released a collection of live performances from throughout their career in an album titled One Wild Night Live 1985–2001. This was Bon Jovi's first-ever live album. The songs were culled from archives of recorded material the band had been collecting from their earliest days on the road right through the current tour. The band sold out two homecoming concerts at New Jersey's Giants Stadium on July 27–28, 2001. The broadcast broke ratings records for the VH-1 network. At the end of the year Bon Jovi awarded for "Hottest Live Show" at the 2001 My VH1 Music Awards.

The members of the band had anticipated a brief vacation before work would begin on the band's 8th studio album but on September 11 the world changed. Within days of the terrorist attacks, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora had filmed Public Service Announcements for the Red Cross, recorded "America The Beautiful" for the NFL and performed as part of the historic America: A Tribute to Heroes live telethon. One month later, the band participated at two Monmouth County Alliance of Neighbors concerts in Red Bank, NJ to raise funds for the families close the band's hometowns, which were affected by the World Trade Center disaster. And on October 21, 2001, Bon Jovi performed at the monumental Concert For New York at Madison Square Garden, raising relief funds and honoring those who worked to save lives during the attack.

In spring 2002, the group entered the studio to begin recording their eighth studio album. Bounce was influenced by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, released on October 8, 2002. The album debuted at number two in both the U.S. and UK, but was the first album to sell less than 6 million units since their 1985 record 7800° Fahrenheit. The band went on the Bounce Tour for the album, during which they made history as the last band to play at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia before it was torn down.

Following the end of the Bounce Tour in August 2003, Bon Jovi embarked on a side project; originally intending to produce an album consisting of live acoustic performances, the band ended up rewriting, re-recording and reinventing 12 of their biggest hits in a new and much different light. Bon Jovi's compilation album This Left Feels Right was released in November 2003.

The following year, the band released a box set titled 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong, with the title and cover being a homage to Elvis Presley's 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong. The set consisted of four CDs packed with 38 unreleased and 12 rare tracks, as well as a DVD. The box set marked the sales of 100 million Bon Jovi albums and also commemorated the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's first record in 1984. In November 2004, Bon Jovi was honored with the Award for Merit at the American Music Awards.

Have a Nice Day and Lost Highway (2005–2008)

The band's ninth studio album, Have a Nice Day, was released in September 2005. The album debuted at number two in both the U.S. and UK, reaching number one in fifteen countries. The title track was an international hit, reaching the top ten in the UK, Europe, Australia and Canada. The second single, "Who Says You Can't Go Home", was released in early 2006. The song reached top forty on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. A duet version of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" with country singer Jennifer Nettles of the band Sugarland, peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Bon Jovi became the first rock band to have a number one single on Billboard's Country Chart. On February 11, 2007, Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles won the Grammy Award, for "Best Country Collaboration with Vocals" for "Who Says You Can't Go Home". The band also won an award for Favorite Rock Song at the People's Choice Awards with "Who Says You Can't Go Home".

Soon after the release of Have A Nice Day, the band started gearing up for the new 2005–2006 worldwide Have A Nice Day Tour. This tour, took the band to numerous stages and stadiums throughout the world. The tour was a significant commercial success, as the group played to 2,002,000 fans, and the tour grossed a total $191 million. The tour was the third-highest-grossing tour of 2006 taking in just over $131 million, just behind The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang World Tour and Madonna's Confessions Tour. On November 14, 2006, Bon Jovi were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame alongside James Brown and Led Zeppelin.

Bon Jovi in Montreal in 2007 during the Lost Highway Tour

In June 2007, Bon Jovi released their tenth studio album, Lost Highway. The album influences the band's rock sound with that of country music following the success of a country version of the band's 2006 single "Who Says You Can't Go Home". To promote the new album, Bon Jovi made several television appearances, including the 6th annual CMT Awards in Nashville, American Idol, and MTV Unplugged, as well as playing at the Live Earth concert at Giants Stadium. They also performed ten promotional gigs in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Japan. As part of the 'tour', Bon Jovi were the first group to perform at London's new O2 Arena (formerly the Millennium Dome) when it opened to the public on June 24, 2007. The 23,000-seater stadium sold out within 30 minutes of tickets being released.

The album, described by Jon Bon Jovi as a "Bon Jovi album influenced by Nashville", topped the charts in U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan. The album's third single "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore" features LeAnn Rimes and won the CMT Music Award for the Collaborative Video of the Year in 2008. The song was also nominated for the Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Event of the Year.

In October 2007 the band announced the Lost Highway Tour. Starting with the 10 shows to open the brand new, Newark, New Jersey Prudential Center, the band toured Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and then Europe, finishing in the summer of 2008. The tour was the highest-grossing tour of 2008 in Billboard's rankings, with ticket sales of $210.6 million, reported from November 14, 2007, through Nov.11, 2008. In all, 2,157,675 tickets were sold during 2008. Combined with $16.4 million in 2007 from the Newark shows, making a combined gross of $227 million in ticket sales. In Pollstar's calculus for North America, the Lost Highway Tour had the highest gross for 2008 at $70.4 million.

The Circle and Greatest Hits (2009–2011)

Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi at 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

In April 2009, Phil Griffin's documentary on the band, "When We Were Beautiful", debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival, chronicling Bon Jovi's ups and downs over 25 years and following the band on their latest Lost Highway tour.

In June 2009, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame. That month they also recorded a cover of the song "Stand By Me" with Iranian singer Andy Madadian, to show solidarity for those affected by political unrest in Iran. Parts of the song were sung in Persian.

On November 10, 2009, the band released their eleventh studio album, titled The Circle. The Circle is a return to rock n' roll after their Nashville-influenced album, Lost Highway. The album debuted at number one in the U.S., Canada, Germany and Japan. Bon Jovi headed out on the road once again on February 19, 2010, embarking on The Circle Tour. Bon Jovi kicked off the stadium leg of the Circle Tour by making history. They played the first ever show at the brand new New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The three sold-out shows on May 26, 27 and 29, 2010 were a huge success. Bon Jovi's 12 night run at London's O2 Arena grossed $18,178,036 and seen them play to 187,696 fans. The Circle Tour was the highest-grossing concert tour of 2010 according to Billboard's annual Top 25 concert tours. So far the tour has played to 1,909,234 fans and has grossed $201.1 million from more than 80 venues reported to Pollstar. For the second time in three years, Bon Jovi ranked as Billboard's & Pollstar's Top Touring Act of the Year. Bon Jovi was also ranked second on Forbes magazine's list of the world's highest paid musicians, earning an approximate $125 million income that year.

Bon Jovi released a Greatest Hits with four new songs in October 2010. The album debuted at number one in Canada, Ireland, Europe, Australia and made the top five in twenty countries. At the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards, Bon Jovi received the Global Icon Award. In October 2010, Bon Jovi released the concert film, "The Circle Tour Live From Jersey" in U.S. theaters. At the same time, the band announced their upcoming tour. At the conclusion of 2011, the tour placed second on Billboard's annual, "Top 25 Tour", earning more than £790 million dollars.

Inside Out, What About Now and Sambora's departure (2012–2014)

In January 2012, Jon Bon Jovi stated that they were working on a twelfth studio album, and in a live show in August 2012, Jon Bon Jovi played an acoustic version of a song that was announced to be on the upcoming album. The album, What About Now, was released on March 12, 2013, and reached number one in the U.S., Canada, Austria, Sweden, and Australia. On February 13, Bon Jovi launched Because We Can, a new world tour for 2013 in support of What About Now, and visited North America, Europe, Africa, the Far East, Australia and Latin America.

On November 27, 2012, Bon Jovi released a new live video album, called Inside Out, made up of content from shows at the O2 Arena, MetLife Stadium, and Madison Square Garden. The album was first shown at movie theaters, with screenings preceded by a question-and-answer session with Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres streamed live from a theater in New York, and was subsequently made available for purchase on iTunes.

On March 14, 2013, Bon Jovi appeared on the results show of American Idol and played one song, "Because We Can", from What About Now.

Bon Jovi performing in Hyde Park in 2013

On April 2, 2013, Sambora departed the band's ongoing tour for unspecified "personal reasons"; Session guitarist Phil X filled in after previously replacing him for several 2011 dates. This time he stayed on for the remainder of the tour, amidst rumors that Sambora had been fired. Both Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi later denied the claim. Torres was also sidelined briefly due to emergency gallbladder surgery; he was replaced by Rich Scannella from Bon Jovi's solo band, the Kings of Suburbia, from September 20 to October 6.

In 2014, to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary, the band's album New Jersey was reissued with an additional CD with the Sons of Beaches demos on it.

In June 2014, Sambora told a reporter "I love Jon and I certainly still foresee the possibility of a return. There is no bad blood with me now. I'm just taking the steps that I want, no, have to take." In November 2014, Jon Bon Jovi told a reporter that Sambora had officially left the band, saying "He's quit. He's gone. No hard feelings." That November, he also revealed that he was finishing writing songs for the band's next studio album, their first without Sambora, who was unofficially replaced by touring guitarist Phil X.

Burning Bridges and This House Is Not for Sale (2015–2018)

On July 31, 2015, Bon Jovi released twin lead singles "We Don't Run" and "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning" for the compilation album Burning Bridges. "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning" had its premiere at the Austrian Radio Ö3 Hitradio on July 17, 2015, and "We Don't Run" premiered at the Brazilian radio Radio Rock on July 20, 2015. Burning Bridges was released August 21, 2015. According to Bon Jovi, the album serves as a "fan record" to tie in with an accompanying international tour: "It's songs that weren't finished, that were finished, a couple of new ones like the one we released as a single 'We Don't Run' ".

A Bon Jovi consultant confirmed that a new studio album was planned to be released in 2016 followed by a world tour. On September 30, 2015, Jon Bon Jovi announced during a press conference that the title of their upcoming album will be This House Is Not for Sale. In the article, he said the following "The record is about our integrity. Integrity matters and we're at a place in our career where we don't have anything left to prove."

The album's lead single, "This House Is Not for Sale" featuring a music video, was released August 12, 2016, which also featured the promotion of unofficial members Hugh McDonald and Phil X to full-time band members. On November 4, 2016, the band officially released their 13th studio album, This House Is Not for Sale which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 129,000 album-equivalent units, of which 128,000 were pure album sales. The album was followed by their third live album, This House Is Not for Sale – Live from the London Palladium, released on December 16, 2016.

Bon Jovi at Madison Square Garden in 2017

In November 2016, Island Records and Universal Music Enterprises released Bon Jovi's studio albums in remastered versions on vinyl, spanning their 32-year career from Bon Jovi (1984) up until What About Now (2013). On February 10, 2017, a 25-LP box set titled Bon Jovi: The Albums was released. It consists of Bon Jovi's 13 studio albums, the compilation Burning Bridges (2015), the two Jon Bon Jovi solo albums (Blaze of Glory and Destination Anywhere), and an exclusive Extras album featuring "international rarities".

On December 13, 2017, it was announced that Bon Jovi will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, after winning the 2017 fan ballot with over 1.1 million votes. Jon Bon Jovi has invited Sambora and Such to appear with the band at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. In later February 2018, it was confirmed that Such and Sambora would perform with the band at the 2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. On April 29, 2018, the band performed at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the last ticketed event at the venue before the start of demolition in the summer of 2018.

2020, the death of Alec John Such and rumors of Sambora's return (2019–2023)

On March 9, 2019, Jon Bon Jovi announced via social media that the band is back in the studio recording its fifteenth studio album, which was to be released in early 2020. In August 2019, he announced that the album would be called 2020. The release date was scheduled for May 15, 2020, but Jovi announced in an interview with Howard Stern that the album and its accompanying tour, Bon Jovi 2020 Tour, had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 20, 2020, Bon Jovi announced that the Bon Jovi 2020 Tour had been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The album ended up being released in October. On January 7, 2022, the band announced a tour in April. Critics and social media users discussed the quality of Jon Bon Jovi's vocal performances during the tour, with many believing that it was poor.

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, a viral video appeared where residents in Odesa, Ukraine, prepared for a Russian attack while a drummer played to the Bon Jovi hit "It's My Life". Bon Jovi supported this video and shared it with their followers, with the comment "This is for the ones who stood their ground... Odessa, Ukraine. #SlavaUkraini".

The death of founding member Alec John Such was announced by the band on June 5, 2022. It was later revealed that he had died of a heart attack.

In February 2023, former guitarist Richie Sambora noted that he was in talks about potentially rejoining the band: "We're talking about it. I don't think there's any reason not to at this point. I mean, we did something... there's not a lot of bands that did what we did. We have to get out there and do it for the fans really." However, in May 2024, Bon Jovi confirmed that there were no plans for Sambora to rejoin and that a reunion was unlikely.

Thank You, Goodnight and Forever (2024–present)

In October 2023, guitarist Phil X revealed in an interview that the band was heading to Nashville for a month to record a brand new album. On November 17, 2023, the band released a holiday themed single called "Christmas Isn't Christmas". This was the band's first release since the 2020 album and a preparation towards the new album coming out in 2024. On March 14, 2024, the band released the single, "Legendary", the lead single from their 16th album, Forever, released on June 7, 2024. The album's second single, "Living Proof", was released May 17.

In April 2024, a four-part documentary series on the band, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, premiered on Hulu and Disney+. Directed by Gotham Chopra, the series chronicles the band's entire history, with interviews with the members of the band along with those who worked with them while following the current line-up of the band on its 2022 tour as they "chart out their future".

Musical style

Bon Jovi's musical style has generally been characterized as hard rock, glam metal, arena rock and pop rock.

The band's first four albums blended the glam metal and hard rock genres. Their first two albums used a heavier mixture of glam metal and hard rock while their follow ups, Slippery When Wet and New Jersey, featured a more commercialized mixture of glam metal and hard rock. They shed the glam metal sound by their fifth studio album, Keep the Faith, and their sixth, These Days, utilizing a more mature hard rock sound. Crush was characterized as "far enough into pop/rock to actually stand a chance of getting airplay", while Bounce was described as "heavy, serious rock". Have a Nice Day was also characterized as being heavier than Crush.

The band altered their sound dramatically in their next release, Lost Highway, blending influences from country music and country rock, a sound Jon Bon Jovi described as "a Bon Jovi album influenced by Nashville.” Bon Jovi returned to a more typical rock sound on The Circle, which was described by Allmusic as "conjured by echoed, delayed guitars, shimmering keyboards, and spacious rhythms."

Band members

Current members

  • Jon Bon Jovi – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, maracas, harmonica (1983–present)
  • David Bryan – keyboards, piano, backing and occasional lead vocals (1983–present)
  • Tico Torres – drums, percussion, occasional backing and lead vocals (1983–present)
  • Hugh McDonald – bass, backing vocals (2016–present; session musician 1983–1994 and touring musician 1994–2016)
  • Phil X – lead guitar, talk box, backing and occasional lead vocals (2016–present; session and touring musician 2013–2016; touring substitute 2011)
  • Everett Bradley – percussion, backing vocals (2024–present; session and touring musician 2003–2004, 2016–2024)
  • John Shanks – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2024–present; session musician 2004–2024 and touring musician 2016–2024)

Former members

  • Dave Sabo – lead guitar, backing vocals (1983)
  • Richie Sambora – lead guitar, talk box, backing and occasional lead vocals (1983–2013; one-off guest appearance in 2018)
  • Alec John Such – bass, backing vocals (1983–1994; one-off guest appearances in 2001 and 2018; died 2022)

Former touring musicians

Timeline

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Bon Jovi

Discography

Main articles: Bon Jovi discography and List of songs recorded by Bon Jovi

Studio albums

Tours

See also

References

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