Bon Jovi
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Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. The band consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley,[unreliable source?] and bassist Hugh McDonald. Original bassist Alec John Such left the band in 1994, and longtime guitarist and co-songwriter Richie Sambora left in 2013.

In 1984, Bon Jovi released their self-titled debut album, and its single "Runaway" managed to reach the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. In 1986, the band achieved widespread success and global recognition with their third album, Slippery When Wet, which included three Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, two of which reached No. 1: "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer". Their fourth album, New Jersey (1988), was also commercially successful, featuring five Top 10 singles, including the number ones "Bad Medicine" and "I'll Be There for You". The band toured and recorded during the late 1980s, culminating in the 1988–90 New Jersey Syndicate Tour.

In 1992, the band returned with the double-platinum Keep the Faith, which included the hit "Bed of Roses". This was followed by their biggest-selling and longest-charting single "Always" in 1994. The album These Days (1995), showcased a more mature sound. Following a second hiatus, their 2000 album Crush, particularly the lead single, "It's My Life", successfully introduced the band to a younger audience. The platinum albums Have a Nice Day (2005) and Lost Highway (2007) saw the band incorporate elements of country music into some songs, including the 2006 single "Who Says You Can't Go Home", which won the band a Grammy Award and became the first single by a rock band to reach No. 1 on the country charts. The Circle (2009) marked a return to the band's rock sound. The band further success touring, with the 2005–06 Have a Nice Day Tour and 2007–08 Lost Highway Tour ranking among the Top 20 highest-grossing concert tours of the 2000s. After releasing Because We Can in 2013, lead guitarist Richie Sambora left the band, just before a concert during the supporting tour to spend more time with family. The band released their first studio album without Sambora, This House Is Not for Sale in 2016, touring it in 2017–19. Their album 2020 was reworked to include songs inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd protests.

Bon Jovi has been credited with bridging "the gap between heavy metal and pop with style and ease". The band has released 16 studio albums, five compilations and three live albums. They have sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling American rock bands, and performed 3000 concerts in 50 countries for 34 million fans. Bon Jovi was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. The band received the Award of Merit at the American Music Awards in 2004.

Jon Bon Jovi began performing music live in 1975, at the age of 13, playing piano and guitar with his first band, Raze. At 16, Jon met David Bryan and formed a band called Atlantic City Expressway. Still in his teens, Bon Jovi played in the band John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones at clubs such as the Fast Lane and opening for local acts. By 1980, he had formed another band, the Rest, and opened up for New Jersey acts such as Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Also in 1980, Jon recorded his first single, "Runaway" in his cousin's studio, backed up by studio musicians. The song was played by a local radio station on a compilation tape.

By mid-1982, out of school and working part-time at a women's 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. Jon made several demos – including one produced by Billy Squier – and sent them to record companies, though failing to make an impact. His first professional recording was as lead vocals in "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas," which was part of the Christmas in the Stars album which his cousin co-produced.

In 1983, Jon visited a local radio station WAPP 103.5FM "The Apple" in Lake Success, New York, to write and sing the jingles for the station. He spoke with DJ Chip Hobart and to the promotion director, John Lassman, who suggested Jon let WAPP include the song "Runaway" on the station's compilation album of local homegrown talent. Jon was reluctant, but eventually gave them the song, which he had re-recorded in 1982 (following a rough early recording in 1981) with local studio musicians whom he designated The All Star Review – guitarist Tim Pierce, keyboardist Roy Bittan (from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band), 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.[citation needed] In March 1983, Bon Jovi called David Bryan, who in turn called bassist Alec John Such and an experienced drummer named Tico Torres, both formerly of the band Phantom's Opera. Tapped to play lead guitar for a short tour supporting "Runaway" was Bon Jovi's friend and neighbor, Dave Sabo ("The Snake"), though he never officially joined the band. He and Jon promised each other that whoever made it first, would help out the other. Sabo later went on to form the group Skid Row. Jon saw and was impressed with hometown guitarist Richie Sambora who was recommended by fellow bassist Alec John Such and drummer Tico Torres. 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, originally intended for release in 1982 with the band Message for which Alec John Such was the bassist. Message was originally signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records label, although the album was never officially released at the time. Meanwhile, WAPP, the station that had first played "Runaway" worked with WOR-TV (now WWOR-TV) in nearby Secaucus, NJ on a music video show, Rock 9 Videos, for a short time in 1984.

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