Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey, in 1983. The group consists of lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, guitarist Phil X, bassist Hugh McDonald, and keyboardist David Bryan. The band was a hit with many of their fans, and they have gone on to become one of the most popular groups of all time. In their music, they play classic rock and blues tunes that are hard to forget.
Their third album, Slippery When Wet, catapulted them to global fame. This album produced three #1 singles by Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, and featured two collaborations with hitmaker Desmond Child. Their music was full and lush, and the band incorporated classic 80s sound effects like reverb on the snare drum. In the following decade, they’d become one of the biggest American rock bands of all time.
In the 2000s, Bon Jovi began pursuing solo projects. The singer Richie Sambora released a solo album, ‘Aftermath of the Lowdown’, in 2012. The band also released a live album for video, ‘Inside Out’, in November 2012, featuring performances at London’s O2 Arena and New York’s Madison Square Garden. In 2013, Bon Jovi released ‘What About Now,’ which was similar to ‘The Circle’, and it went on to chart at number one on the Billboard Top 200. In Australia, Canada, and the U.K., it reached number two.
In addition to the award, Bon Jovi was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Their songs have been a staple of rock for four decades. Jon Bon Jovi’s silver hair is still coiffed, and he refers to longtime Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora as “Dirty Richie.” While Sambora publicly struggled with substance abuse for many years, the band remained unified and stronger than ever.
The name ‘Bon Jovi’ was derived from Jon Bongiovi, the lead singer of the band. Jon had previously played in small Jersey bands with David Bryan. His father, Tony Bongiovi, owned the New York recording studio Power Station. After hours, Jon wrote and recorded demos in the studio. The band also included guitarist David Sabo and drummer Tico Torres. These musicians have been credited with bringing the band to fame and success.
The lineup of the band changed after 15 years. The band went after changing tastes of the ladies. Hair Metal has always been about the ladies, so Jon Bon Jovi tapped into that fact. While “Keep The Faith” was ironically titled, Crush was more pop-oriented and mushier than its predecessors. Jon Bon Jovi had reached a half-way point when the band released their album, “Crossroads”.
After several years, the band reunited and recorded their fifth studio album. Although not a blockbuster, “Keep the Faith” did well in the United States and Europe. Although the album was not a big hit, it produced new singles and sustained the band’s popularity. Their best-selling greatest-hits album, Cross Road, was released commercially in 1994 and spawned “Always,” another Top Ten hit.