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| {{Infobox musical artist | |||
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| | Name = Bon Jovi | |||
| | Img = Bon Jovi 1.jpg | |||
| | Img_capt = Bon Jovi in Montreal in 2007 during the ]. | |||
| | Img_size = 250 | |||
| | Landscape = Yes | |||
| | Background = group_or_band | |||
| | Origin = ], ], ] | |||
| | Genre = <!--NOTICE: do not add or change genres, if you would like your say into the group's genre then please consult the discussion page with your source provided.-->], ], ] | |||
| | Years_active = 1983-present | |||
| | Label = ], ], ] | |||
| | Associated_acts = | |||
| | URL = | |||
| | Current_members = ]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>] | |||
| | Past_members = ]<br>]<br>] | |||
| }} | |||
| '''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 line-up 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 following 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 have been known to use different styles in their music, which has included ] for their 2007 album '']''. Their latest album, '']'', was released on 10 November 2009 in the United States. | |||
| Throughout their career, the band have released eleven ]s, three ]s and one ], and have sold over 130 million records worldwide.<ref>http://www.bonjovi.com/story/news-live/bon_jovi_to_play_in_peru_in_september_2010</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 web| 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"></ref> and as songwriters and collaborators, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora inducted into ] in 2009.<ref name="Bon Jovi inducted at into ]"></ref> | |||
| ==History== | |||
| ===Formation (1982–83)=== | |||
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| ] began playing piano and guitar in 1975 at thirteen with his first band 'Raze'. At the age of sixteen Bon Jovi met ] and formed the 12-piece cover band ]. They played New Jersey clubs even though they were minors. 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 ]. | |||
| By mid-1982, out of school and working part time in a womens' 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 but failed to make an impact. | |||
| Bon Jovi visited the 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 "Runaway". The studio musicians who helped record "Runaway" – known as The All Star Review – were guitarist ], keyboardist ], drummer ], and bassist ]. | |||
| 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. | |||
| 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. | |||
| David Bryan had quit the band he and Bon Jovi founded in order to study medicine. While in college, he realized he wanted to pursue music full-time and was accepted to ], a New York music school. When Bon Jovi called his friend and said he was putting together a band and a record deal looked likely, Bryan followed Bon Jovi's lead and gave up his studies. | |||
| ===Early years (1984–85)=== | |||
| 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 she 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. | |||
| ].]] | |||
| 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. | |||
| The group found themselves opening for ] in U.S. and for ] in Europe. In August of 1984 the band made a 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. | |||
| In May 1985, Bon Jovi headlined venues in UK and Europe. 7800 Fahrenheit peaked at #28 in UK and #40 in Germany. At the and 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 Donnington's ] concerts in England. Jon Bon Jovi also did a solo appearance at the very first ] in 1985. | |||
| ===''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". | |||
| ] 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 ], ], ], ], ], ] 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 ], the ], ], and the ], spending 107 weeks on ]. | |||
| In 1987, Slippery When Wet was named the top selling album of the year by ]<ref name="billboard"></ref> and "Livin' On A Prayer" won an ] for Best Stage Performance.<ref name="metrolyrics.com"></ref> The band also won an award for Best Pop/Rock Band at the ]<ref name="american-music-awards"></ref> and an award for Best Rock Group at the ].<ref name="1988 People's Choice Ödülleri"></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. | |||
| 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". | |||
| 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. | |||
| ===''New Jersey'' (1988–90)=== | |||
| {{Main|New Jersey (album)}} | |||
| 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. | |||
| ''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 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. | |||
| {{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 Russia for the ''Moscow Music Peace Festival''. Bon Jovi were the first band officially sanctioned by the Russian government to perform in Russia 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 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. | |||
| ===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. | |||
| 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. | |||
| 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. That year "Blaze of Glory" won an award for ''Best Pop/Rock Single'' at the ] and awarded a ], as well. The song also earned Jon Bon Jovi an ] nomination and a ] nomination. | |||
| 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. | |||
| 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. | |||
| ===''Keep the Faith'' (1992–93)=== | |||
| {{Main|Keep the Faith}} | |||
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| Bon Jovi's fifth studio album '']'' was released in November 1992, represents "the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Bon Jovi" and marked 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. | |||
| 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 album achieved double platinum in United States and peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200. But in the other side of Atlantic, reaction was quite impressive. The album debuted at #1 in both UK and Australia and reached 5x platinum in Canada and 3x platinum in both the 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. | |||
| 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 '']''. | |||
| 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 ]/]. | |||
| ===''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 ]. | |||
| 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. 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." | |||
| {{listen | |||
| | filename = Bon Jovi- This Ain't A Love Song.ogg | |||
| | title = "This Ain't a Love Song" (1995) | |||
| | 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. | |||
| 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"></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. | |||
| 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. | |||
| ===Hiatus (1997–99)=== | |||
| 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. | |||
| 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 ]. | |||
| 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 ] 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> | |||
| ===''Crush'' and ''One Wild Night'' (2000–01)=== | |||
| {{Main|Crush (Bon Jovi album)}} | |||
| 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. | |||
| {{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 = ] | |||
| }} | |||
| 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. | |||
| {{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. | |||
| 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 ]. | |||
| 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. | |||
| ===''Bounce'' and ''This Left Feels Right'' (2002–04)=== | |||
| {{Main|Bounce (album)|Bounce (Bon Jovi song)}} | |||
| 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}}. | |||
| {{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. | |||
| {{Main|100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong}} | |||
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| 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. | |||
| In November 2004, Bon Jovi was honored with the Award for Merit at the ], where they performed a sneak preview of an unfinished song, "]". | |||
| ===''Have a Nice Day'' (2005–06)=== | |||
| {{Main|Have a Nice Day (Bon Jovi album)}} | |||
| 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 Best Rock Song at the ] 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 ]. 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 ]. | |||
| ===''Lost Highway'' (2007–08)=== | |||
| {{Main|Lost Highway (album)}} | |||
| 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. | |||
| 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></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> | |||
| ''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> | |||
| 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 web|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. | |||
| 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> | |||
| ===''The Circle'' and ''Greatest Hits'' (2009–present)=== | |||
| {{Main|The Circle (Bon Jovi album)|Greatest Hits (Bon Jovi album)}} | |||
| 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. | |||
| 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 ]. | |||
| 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 ]. | |||
| 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'', (3 uk number ones) 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." | |||
| Bon Jovi headed out on the road once again on February 19, 2010, embarking on ], their largest tour since the Jersey Syndicate tour in the late 1980s. When it concludes in 2011, the tour will have consisted of 135 shows in 30 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/news/bon-jovi-announces-meadowlands-concerts-1004029629.story|title=Bon Jovi Announces Meadowloands Concerts|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=2009-12-30}}</ref> | |||
| 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 ], ], 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 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. | |||
| 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>http://www.mcvuk.com/news/41231/Bon-Jovi-signs-up-for-Rock-Band-3</ref> | |||
| ==Band members== | |||
| ;Current members | |||
| *] – ], ], ] (1983–present) | |||
| *] – ], ], ] (1983–present) | |||
| *] – ], ] (1983–present) | |||
| *] – ], ], ] (1983–present) | |||
| with | |||
| *] – ], ] (1994–present) | |||
| ;Touring musicians | |||
| *] – ], ] (2003–present – live only) | |||
| *] – ], ] (2003–2005 – live only) | |||
| *] – ], ] (2003–2004 – live only) | |||
| *] – ], ] (2007-2009) | |||
| ;Former members | |||
| *] – bass guitar, backing vocals (1983–94). Returned for one live performance of "Wanted Dead or Alive" in New Jersey in 2001. | |||
| ==Discography== | |||
| {{Main|Bon Jovi discography}} | |||
| {{col-begin}} | |||
| {{col-3}} | |||
| ;'''Studio albums''' | |||
| *'']'' (1984) | |||
| *'']'' (1985) | |||
| *'']'' (1986) | |||
| *'']'' (1988) | |||
| *'']'' (1992) | |||
| *'']'' (1995) | |||
| *'']'' (2000) | |||
| *'']'' (2002) | |||
| *'']'' (2005) | |||
| *'']'' (2007) | |||
| *'']'' (2009) | |||
| {{col-3}} | |||
| ;'''Compilation albums''' | |||
| *'']'' (1994) | |||
| *''] (2001) | |||
| *'']'' (2003) | |||
| *'']'' (2010) | |||
| ;'''Live albums''' | |||
| *'']'' (2001) | |||
| ;'''Box Sets''' | |||
| *'']'' (2004) | |||
| {{col-3}} | |||
| {{col-end}} | |||
| ==Festival appearances== | |||
| List of Bon Jovi festival appearances <ref name="FanShake Festival Appearances">{{Cite web | |||
| | title = Bon Jovi Festival Appearances | |||
| | work = Bon Jovi | |||
| | publisher = FanShake | |||
| | url = http://www.fanshake.com/artists/bon-jovi/detail/ | |||
| | archiveurl = http://www.fanshake.com/artists/bon-jovi/detail/ | |||
| | archivedate = 2010-05-14 | |||
| | accessdate = 2010-05-14}}</ref> | |||
| <!-- Shows only --> | |||
| * HullabaLOU Music Festival, Louisville, KY, USA (July 23, 2010) | |||
| * Rock in Rio Festival, Madrid, Spain (June 2010) | |||
| * Summerfest 2009, Milwaukee, WI, USA (June–July 2009) | |||
| * New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, LA, USA (April 2009) | |||
| * Rock in Rio Festival, Lisbon, Portugal (May–June 2008) | |||
| * Live Earth 2007, East Rutherford, NJ, USA (July 2007) | |||
| * Summerfest 2007, Milwaukee, WI, USA (June–July 2007) | |||
| * Live 8, Philadelphia, USA (July 2, 2005) | |||
| * Heineken Jammin' Festival, Imola, Italy (June 14, 2003) | |||
| ==Tours== | |||
| *Bon Jovi Tour | |||
| *7800 Degrees Fahrenheit Tour | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ==In other media== | |||
| ===Musical theatre=== | |||
| The Bon Jovi song "]" appears in two on and off-Broadway productions, ] and ]. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==References== | |||
| * <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}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{Commons|Bon Jovi}} | |||
| *{{Official website|http://www.bonjovi.com/}} | |||
| {{BonJovi}} | |||
| {{Bon Jovi songs}} | |||
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Revision as of 19:59, 26 October 2010
| Bon Jovi |
|---|
Bon Jovi is an American hard rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake 'Jon Bon Jovi' (John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.), guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald. The band's line-up has remained mostly static during their history, the only exception being the departure of Alec John Such in 1994, who was unofficially replaced by Hugh McDonald. The band became known for writing several rock anthems, and achieved widespread recognition with their third album Slippery When Wet, released in 1986.
After touring and recording non-stop during the late 1980s, the band went on hiatus following the New Jersey Tour in 1990, during which time Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora both released successful solo albums. In 1992, the band returned with the album Keep the Faith. Their 2000 single "It's My Life", which followed a second hiatus, successfully introduced the band to a younger audience. Bon Jovi have been known to use different styles in their music, which has included country for their 2007 album Lost Highway. Their latest album, The Circle, was released on 10 November 2009 in the United States.
Throughout their career, the band have released eleven studio albums, three compilation albums and one live album, and have sold over 130 million records worldwide. They have performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans, and were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006. The band was also honored with the Award of Merit at the American Music Awards in 2004, and as songwriters and collaborators, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009.
History
Formation (1982–83)
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| Jon Bon Jovi | Richie Sambora | Tico Torres | David Bryan |
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Jon Bon Jovi began playing piano and guitar in 1975 at thirteen with his first band 'Raze'. At the age of sixteen Bon Jovi met David Bryan and formed the 12-piece cover band Atlantic City Expressway. They played New Jersey clubs even though they were minors. 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 Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.
By mid-1982, out of school and working part time in a womens' 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. Bon Jovi made several demos – including one produced by Billy Squier – and sent them to record companies but failed to make an impact.
Bon Jovi visited the local radio station WAPP 103.5FM "The Apple" in Lake Success, New York. He spoke directly to the promotion director John Lassman, who accepted the song "Runaway" 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 "Runaway". The studio musicians who helped record "Runaway" – known as The All Star Review – were guitarist Tim Pierce, keyboardist Roy Bittan, 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 (b. Alec John Such, November 14, 1952, Yonkers, New York, USA) ex-Phantom's Opera and an experienced drummer named Tico Torres. Tapped to play lead guitar was Bon Jovi's neighbor, Dave Sabo (a.k.a. The Snake) who later formed the group Skid Row. Sabo was eventually replaced by Richie Sambora (b. Richard Stephen Sambora, July 11, 1959, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA). Before joining the group, 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 with the band Message, which was re-released on CD through Long Island Records in 1995. Message was originally signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records label, although the album was never released.
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 he and Bon Jovi founded in order to study medicine. While in college, he realized 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 he was putting together a band and a record deal looked likely, Bryan followed Bon Jovi's lead and gave up his studies.
Early years (1984–85)
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 she 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 Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 followed by "She Don't Know Me" 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.
The group found themselves opening for Scorpions in U.S. and for Kiss in Europe. In August of 1984 the band made a 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 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 #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.
In May 1985, Bon Jovi headlined venues in UK and Europe. 7800 Fahrenheit peaked at #28 in UK and #40 in Germany. At the and of the European tour, the band began a 6-month run of U.S. tourdates supporting Ratt. In the midst of that tour they managed to make appearances at the Texas Jam and Castle Donnington's Monsters of Rock concerts in England. Jon Bon Jovi also did a solo appearance at the very first Farm Aid in 1985.
Slippery When Wet (1986–87)
Main article: Slippery When WetIn April 1986 Bon Jovi moved to Vancouver to record their third album. Six months of studio work resulted in Slippery When Wet. The album, produced by Bruce Fairbairn and mixed by Bob Rock, was released in August 1986 and became Bon Jovi's breakthrough album. The first single, "You Give Love a Bad Name", became the band's first #1 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles charts. The follow-up single, "Livin' on a Prayer" hit #1 as well, spending four weeks at the top position, both co-written with a young virtually unknown songwriter named Desmond Child (b. John Charles Barrett, 28 October 1953, Gainesville, Florida, USA) whose songwriting talents were recommended by KISS frontman, Paul Stanley. The songwriting partnership of Jon Bon Jovi/ Richie Sambora/ Desmond Child has continued to the present day. The album's third single "Wanted Dead or Alive" was a major Top 10 hit and still remains to this day, the Bon Jovi "National Anthem".
MTV 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 Billboard 200. The album also hit the Top 10 in Austria, the Netherlands, Japan, and the United Kingdom, spending 107 weeks on UK Albums Chart.
In 1987, Slippery When Wet was named the top selling album of the year by Billboard and "Livin' On A Prayer" won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance. The band also won an award for Best Pop/Rock Band at the American Music Awards and an award for Best 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, the band headlined England's "Monsters of Rock" festival. During their set Dee Snider, Bruce Dickinson and Paul Stanley joined the band 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.
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".
Following the group’s success, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were asked to assist in producing Cher’s ‘comeback’ self-titled album in 1987. Jon and Richie co-wrote and sang backing vocals on Cher’s single "We All Sleep Alone" and also produced several other tracks on the album, later going on to co-produce Cher’s multi-platinum album Heart of Stone in 1989.
New Jersey (1988–90)
Main article: New Jersey (album)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. 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.
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 Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in United States. "Bad Medicine" and the ballad "I'll Be There for You", both of hit #1 on Billboard Hot 100. The album's three other singles ("Born to Be My Baby", "Lay Your Hands on Me", and "Living in Sin") reached the Top 10 and were huge hits on MTV. 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 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 Giants Stadium in New Jersey. In August 1989, the band headed to Russia for the Moscow Music Peace Festival. Bon Jovi were the first band officially sanctioned by the Russian government to perform in Russia and New Jersey was released on the state-owned record label, Melodiya, a privilege no Western artist had ever been granted before. Monsters of Rock festival was cancelled in 1989 because of the deaths of two fans during the Guns N' Roses performance in 1988. It was replaced with another rock festival which took place in Milton Keynes with Bon Jovi, Europe, Skid Row, and Vixen as participants.
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.
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.
Jon Bon Jovi recorded a solo album, a soundtrack to the movie Young Guns II more commonly known as Blaze of Glory. Having been originally approached by his friend Emilio Estevez 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.
Released in 1990, the album featured high profile guests such as Elton John, Little Richard and Jeff Beck. The album fared well commercially and received positive reviews. The title track, "Blaze of Glory" hit #1 in United States. That year "Blaze of Glory" won an award for Best Pop/Rock Single at the American Music Awards and awarded a Golden Globe, as well. The song also earned Jon Bon Jovi an Academy Award nomination and a Grammy nomination.
Sambora, with the help of Tico Torres and David Bryan, released a solo album entitled Stranger In This Town, in 1991. The album featured Eric Clapton 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.
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 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.
Keep the Faith (1992–93)
Main article: Keep the Faith|
Bon Jovi's fifth studio album Keep the Faith was released in November 1992, represents "the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Bon Jovi" and marked 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. 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 Grunge, 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 CNN. The album achieved double platinum in United States and peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200. But in the other side of Atlantic, reaction was quite impressive. The album debuted at #1 in both UK and Australia and reached 5x platinum in Canada and 3x platinum in both the 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. The band appeared on MTV Unplugged 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 Keep the Faith: An Evening with Bon Jovi. 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 Keep the Faith Tour/I'll Sleep When I'm Dead Tour. Cross Road and These Days (1994–96)Main articles: Cross Road and These Days (Bon Jovi album)
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