What did Jon Bon Jovi and the band do to stay relevant for so long, when most of the band was playing clubs?
Here are five reasons why Bon Jovi still reigns supreme in 2005:
5. They only like you and me!
While the band’s latest record satisfied a few rambunctious boys — the title track from 1986’s Slippery When Wet — Bon Jovi quickly established a following that remains to this day. It was essentially a tour for the Born in the U.S.A. era of Bruce Springsteen.
The band’s songs, their popularity, their simple lyrics (loved, broken up, thank you for being loved) turned into fun songs. They were all famous, but they remained in New Jersey, the city that gave the band access to the Midwest.
4. Fits Many Genres
Jon Bon Jovi has also become one of the longest-lasting sex symbols of his generation. His smoldering eyes, smile and hair give off all the signs of a very attractive guy. He has also shared his acting career with roles in (Moonlight and Valentino, U-571, Ally McBeal).
It helps the entire band find their niche. They are a metal band that never forgets to carry hair gel on tour and they always hire the best hair stylists to make them look good in a short time.
3. The band’s history is free
In the past two decades, Bon Jovi has had a change when bassist Alec John Such left the group in 1994. Before that, the band’s career was dramatic. That means no lead singers (a la Van Halen), near-fatal drug overdoses (Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx), alcoholic guitarists (Def Leppard), gambling drummers (Def Leppard, again), years of unreleased hits (Guns N’ Roses) or random murders (Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas Dingley’s indiscretions with Motley Crue’s Vince Neil).
2. Keeping the Faith
Unlike most of their contemporaries, Bon Jovi became a rock band after the musical landscape changed in the early ’90s. They spent the decade releasing two commercial albums (Keep the Faith and These Days), along with the Crossroads compilation.
The 21st century, meanwhile, saw a flurry of Bon Jovi releases, including three studio albums, a non-electronic CD and a rare recording set. They work with trendy producers (like John Shanks, the man behind Ashlee Simpson’s latest record Have a Nice Day) but remain true to the group’s original sound.
1. Know how to get cheap seats
As Jon Bon Jovi said in a recent interview: “We like to give people what they pay for.”
