Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi is an American rock band that has always managed to defy the changing zeitgeist with albums such as Slippery When Wet, New Jersey and Keep the Faith.

Bon Jovi is essentially the quintessential American story of paperboy to millionaire, or in this case, errand boy to rock star. In the years before his breakthrough, singer Jon Bon Jovi was an ambitious musician who supported himself by working various jobs, from assistant in a women's shoe store to errand boy in his cousin Tony Bogiovi's studio. The latter position did allow him to record demos. One of the songs—"Runaway"—attracted interest from radio stations and record labels, leading to a contract. To create a first album, Jon Bon Jovi assembled a band consisting of keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, bassist Alec John Such, and guitarist Richie Sambora.

The first two albums, "Bon Jovi" (1984) and "7800° Fahrenheit" (1985), sold well, and "In and Out of Love" even scored a hit, but the high expectations weren't met. The albums that followed, however, did: "Slippery When Wet" (1986), "New Jersey" (1988), and "Keep the Faith" (1992). Thanks to the combination of catchy (hard) rock songs, soulful ballads, the band's impressive looks, and slick music videos, Bon Jovi became a top-tier band in just a few years. Remarkably, the band managed to hold its own even when the musical tide changed drastically. Grunge – with bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam – put a cruel end to the careers of many a hard rock band, but Keep The Faith delivered a handful of worldwide hits with songs like Bed Of Roses, Keep The Faith, In These Arms, I Believe and I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.

The secret was that Bon Jovi carefully adapted to the zeitgeist without compromising the essence of the band. In 1994, Cross Road, a compilation of Bon Jovi's most successful work, was released. That same year, bassist Alec John Such was fired. The band continued to roll with These Days (1995) and, after a hiatus, Crush (2000); the latter album featured the hit "It's My Life." In 2004, a hefty box set was released, 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong, the title of which, incidentally, was a direct reference to Elvis Presley's 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong album.

Bon Jovi continued to hold its own in the years that followed. The band remained one of the most successful live acts in the world and consistently reinvented itself musically. For example, the album Lost Highway (2007) featured country influences, tapping into a new audience, especially in America. In 2013, Richie Sambora left to pursue a solo career. Burning Bridges (2015) proved to be a collection of songs that had been left behind for various reasons. It was closely followed by the familiar-sounding This House Is Not For Sale (2016). A new album is planned for 2020.