Jon Bon Jovi is one of rock’s most enduring figures. The Jersey native and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has sold over 130 million albums worldwide over four decades. He’s also an accomplished philanthropist who supports causes and organizations like Project H.O.M.E, Habitat for Humanity, and more. In 2024, he was named MusiCares Person of the Year, and for good reason. The man knows how to make an arena-rock anthem, but he’s also got a few power ballads that tug at the heartstrings as well.
With his sly smile, big hair, and signature black sunglasses, Bon Jovi is a pop culture icon, but his music transcends just that. The band’s classic sound split the difference between hair metal and the E Street Band, resulting in some of the steeliest heartland rock ever recorded. Whether it’s the anthemic stomp of 1986’s Slippery When Wet or the Nashville crossover of New Jersey in 1988, their best songs are both bombastic and intimate.
After a pair of moderately successful self-titled records, Bon Jovi hit the jackpot with their third album, New Jersey. Led by the massive hits “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead or Alive,” it was a turning point for the band as they shifted gears from glam metal to more mature fare. It was the first time that the band used a producer who wasn’t their usual collaborator, Max Martin (who had previously worked with Britney Spears and The Backstreet Boys).
From there, the band churned out another two dozen top five hits over the course of the 1990s before taking a brief hiatus to focus on Jon’s acting career and writing soundtracks for movies like Young Guns II and Miracle. It was during this period that they began to experiment with more soft rock, and it resulted in a top 10 hit in 1989 with “I’ll Be There for You.” It’s the first time in their catalog that the band had a soft song go top 10, and it was a sign of things to come.
Bon Jovi’s soaring power ballads set them apart from most of their ’80s peers, and it was here that they made their biggest statement with “I’ll Be There for You.” While they had plenty of other such songs, this one stands out because it isn’t really about love. It’s about the need to be there for someone in a hard time, and it’s an important message that anyone can relate to. The lyrics are touching without coming off as cheesy, and Jon’s vocals on the track are incredible. The song was even a Top 20 hit in the UK.