The group's first commercial release was the single "Runaway" from its eponymous debut (1984), which had a modest success in the US. Its sophomore album 7800° Fahrenheit (1985) achieved bigger success than its predecessor being the band's first album to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipping 500,000 copies in the US.[6]
Bon Jovi achieved widespread global recognition with its third album Slippery When Wet (1986), which remains their best-selling album to date with over 28 million copies sold worldwide.[7] It reached number one in Australia, Canada, and the US, where it spent eight weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 and was certified 12× Platinum by the RIAA.[8] The album's first two singles "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[9] Bon Jovi's fourth album New Jersey (1988) achieved similar global success, producing five top-10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, of which "Bad Medicine" and "I'll Be There for You" topped the chart.[9]
Keep the Faith (1992) marked a change in the band's appearance and sound, eschewing the glam metal from its 1980s albums in a favor of a different hard rock sound.[10] The album debuted at number one in the UK and Australia, cracked the top 5 in the US and was certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA for shipping two million copies in the United States. The ballad "Bed of Roses" peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album's title track hit number one on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.[11] The greatest hits album Cross Road (1994) debuted at number one and was the best-selling album in United Kingdom for 1994. "Always", the first of the compilation's two new tracks, spent six months in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, was certified platinum in the US and became Bon Jovi's highest selling single.[12]
These Days (1995) was the group's first release after the departure of bassist Alec John Such. The record was a commercial success in the Asian and European markets, debuting at number one in the UK and spending four consecutive weeks at the top.[13] In Japan, the album topped the Oricon chart with first week sales of 379,000 copies, becoming the second fastest selling international album in chart's history.[14] Its lead single "This Ain't a Love Song" reached number 14 in the US and number six in the UK. Crush (2000) became the band's sixth and fifth consecutive number one album in Australia and the United Kingdom, respectively, and reached 2× Platinum in the US.[6] The success of the album was largely due to its lead single "It's My Life" which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group, while the album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2001 ceremony.[15]
Bounce (2002) and Have a Nice Day (2005) debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, Bon Jovi's highest debuts in the band's 20-year history up to that point.[16] The lead single "Have a Nice Day" was an international hit, reaching the top 10 in Australia, Europe and the UK. The second single "Who Says You Can't Go Home" reached number one on the BillboardHot Country Songs after being remixed into a country duet with Jennifer Nettles.[11] With success of the single, Bon Jovi was the first rock band to have reached the top spot on both the rock and country Billboard chart.[17] The song's success inspired the Nashville-influenced tenth studio record Lost Highway (2007). The album debuted at number one in the US, making it the band's first number one in its home country since the late eighties.[18] Although the album achieved great success, including a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album,[19] the band returned to its rock roots with the eleventh studio album The Circle (2009), which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.[18] The lead singles from both albums "(You Want to) Make a Memory" and "We Weren't Born to Follow" received Grammy nominations for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[19][20]
The second greatest hits album Greatest Hits (2010) was released as a single-disc version and as an enhanced double-disc version which features four new songs. It performed well in Australia, reaching 3× platinum in two months.[21] The album's first single was "What Do You Got?" and its accompanying music video was the first Bon Jovi music video to be filmed in 3D.[22]What About Now (2013) was the band's fifth release to reach the top of the Billboard 200, debuting at number one. Its lead single "Because We Can" was released two months before the album. This was followed by the album Burning Bridges (2015), which failed to enter the top 10 on the Billboard 200. This House Is Not for Sale (2016) debuted at number one in the US with sales mostly driven by a concert ticket promotion.[23] The album returned to the top spot two years later thanks to another concert tour, as the album was included in the ticket price.[24]
Albums
Studio albums
List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Reissue available with the bonus version of Crush in Japan and Australasia.[88] Charted at #36 in Japan.[85]
The Love Songs
2001
A very rare bonus CD, available only on Valentine's Day with purchases of the studio album Crush. Contains five Bon Jovi love ballads; "Thank You for Loving Me", "Bed of Roses", "Always", "I'll Be There for You" and "Never Say Goodbye".[89]
Bon Jovi – Target EP
2003
US-only Target exclusively released mini-album with demos and live recordings of tracks from Bounce and Crush era. Only available at Target retail stores for a limited time.[90]
An EP/Single featuring a live and studio version of "Breakout" along with a live version of "Runaway".[113]
"The Price of Love"
1985
A promo single released in Japan.
"Borderline"
1986
An EP/Single released alongside "Livin' on a Prayer" in Japan.[114]
"Let It Rock"
From the 1986 album Slippery When Wet. Single released as a 12" vinyl for promotional use only in UK.[115]
"I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas"
1993
Originally released as the B-side to the single "Keep the Faith" in 1992 and was included also as a B-side to the single "Please Come Home for Christmas". Since then, the song has been re-released as a holiday single in 1993, 2002 and 2011. The proceeds of the single go to the Special Olympics.[116][117]
"Cama De Rosas"
1993
The Spanish version of "Bed of Roses". Was released as a promo CD in both Spain and Mexico. It appears on some international versions of the studio album Keep the Faith.[118]
"Good Guys Don't Always Wear White"
1994
From the 1994 soundtrack The Cowboy Way. Also appears as a B-side to the single "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night" and on the 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong box set. As well as appearing on The Cowboy Way soundtrack it was intended to be the lead single for the band's 1994 Best Of album 'Cross Road' but was pulled from the compilation and only released as a single-track promotional CD in the US.[119] The song features a music video.[120]
"Wedding Day"
1995
Originally appears as a B-side to the single "This Ain't a Love Song". Released as a promo CD only in Germany.[121]
The Spanish version of "This Ain't a Love Song". It was released as a promo CD in Mexico and USA. Also appears on some South American versions of the studio album These Days.[122]
"Save the World"
2000
From the 2000 studio album Crush. Was released as a single-track promo CD in Japan.[123]
Promo single released only in Japan to promote the Japan-only released compilation album Tokyo Road: Best of Bon Jovi. It was also included as a bonus disc on a limited edition of the album. The live version of "Tokyo Road" would later appear on the 2010 Special Edition of 7800° Fahrenheit.[124]
"Wanted Dead or Alive (2003)"
2003
"Wanted Dead or Alive (2003)" was released as a promo single in various countries.
A^ As it had not been issued as a retail-available single in the US, "Never Say Goodbye" was not eligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100;[131] however, it peaked at number 28 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.[132]
B^ "Please Come Home for Christmas" was originally credited as a solo recording by Jon Bon Jovi when included on the Christmas compilation A Very Special Christmas 2 in 1992, but when released as a single in the UK, Ireland and Europe in 1994 it was released under the band name.[133]
"Do What You Can" (original version and with Jennifer Nettles version)
Island
2021
"Story of Love"
Island
2024
"Legendary"
Island
Dano Cerny
Notes:
A^ "Real Life" features all band members except David Bryan who was absent due to a serious hand injury.[175]
B^ "Wanted Dead or Alive 2003" was a reused music video from the promo single "Wanted Dead or Alive Live" from 2001. It was slightly reworked to match the reworked music of the song.
Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to June 12, 1988: Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 41. ISBN0-646-11917-6. N.B. there is a printing error in this book for "You Give Love a Bad Name" - its peak should be 32, not 23. The Kent Music Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and June 12, 1988.
Top 100 (ARIA) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 37.
"This House Is Not for Sale" (ARIA) peak: "CHART WATCH #382". auspOp. August 20, 2016. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
