Bon Jovi, the New Jersey rock band, is one of the most successful bands in modern music. They have sold 120 million albums worldwide and their songs are played on radio around the world. They are also known for their popular tours and live performances.
The group was formed by lead singer Jon Bon Jovi and keyboardist David Bryan, who were both from Sayreville, New Jersey. Their first recording, “Runaway,” was an immediate hit on local radio and led to their first tour. During the tour, Bon Jovi and Bryan recruited other musicians to join their group. These included guitarist Dave Sabo, bassist Alec John Such and drummer Tico Torres.
Despite the group’s success, the band members struggled with their personal relationships and had a series of breakups. In 1996, the singer divorced his wife, Nancy. He has since remarried.
In 1999, Bon Jovi was married to actress Eva Longoria for a year and has two children. He is a Democrat and has campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.
He has also served as a member of the White House Council on Community Solutions and is a co-founder and majority owner of the Arena Football League team Philadelphia Soul. He is also a prominent philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to various charities throughout the world.
The Band’s Success & Failures
Bon Jovi began their career in the 1980s and are best known for their hard rock. Their songs contain energetic guitar riffs and strong melodies that combine to create emotionally charged power ballads. They have won numerous Grammy Awards, and their albums have sold over 100 million copies worldwide.
Their biggest hits include “Living on a Prayer,” “It’s My Life,” and “Save Me.”
The band’s early success was largely due to their massive juggernaut sound, which encompassed high-energy guitar riffs and a powerful vocal range. They were a major force in the late-1980s and early 1990s, establishing themselves as a band that could appeal to both young and old fans.
In 2004, the band released a box set, 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong. It included four CDs packed with 38 unreleased and 12 rare tracks, plus a DVD.
At the time of its release, it was the first album to sell 100 million units, which was a record at the time for an American group. It is considered to be a landmark album in the history of rock music, and remains a favorite amongst fans.
The band’s success continued in the 1990s, with several of their albums reaching the top ten in the U.S. They became particularly popular in Europe, with their albums Selling the Ritz and Slippery When Wet both topping the charts there.
They were also a huge hit in Japan with the album The Promise. This album, however, proved to be their only Japanese number-one.
Bon Jovi’s next record was Blaze of Glory, which reached number five in the US. It was their biggest-selling album and featured the hits “Blaze of Glory,” and “Miracle.”
During this period, Bon Jovi went on to become a movie composer. He wrote the soundtrack for the film Young Guns II, and his song “Wanted, Dead or Alive” was used as the title track. In addition, he had his first solo album, Destination Anywhere, released in 1997.