Bon Jovi is a hard rock band that bridged the gap between heavy metal and pop with style. The group, led by singer Jon Bon Jovi, is known for its hits like Livin’ on a Prayer and Wanted Dead or Alive. It has sold over 120 million albums worldwide. Bon Jovi has become one of the most popular modern bands of all time.
Jon Bongiovi was born in Sayreville, New Jersey, in 1962 and started playing music at the age of 13. He played on the local club circuit in New Jersey as a bass player before taking up guitar. He joined a rock band, but eventually realized that he wanted to focus on his own material. So, he began to write his own songs and formed Bon Jovi. He worked a day job as a gopher at a recording studio and would stay late to record demos of his work.
He began to tour and build a fan base. After the success of their first album, Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi became a household name. The hit singles You Give Love a Bad Name, Wanted Dead or Alive and Livin’ on a Prayer exploded onto the scene and became the inescapable soundtrack to the 1980s.
As the decade came to a close, Bon Jovi began to shift away from heavy metal and work with songwriter extraordinaire Desmond Child on more commercial sounding albums. The resulting Blaze of Glory and Slippery When Wet sold even more records.
By the end of the decade, the band had become one of the most popular in the world. Bon Jovi sold more than 130 shows in one year and was voted the Hottest Live Act at the My VH1 Music Awards.
After the tragic events of September 11, Bon Jovi was called on to perform at the Concert for New York at Madison Square Garden and raise money for those affected. It was a monumental show, selling out both the arena and the surrounding streets.
In the early 2000s, Bon Jovi continued to tour and release albums. They also expanded into acting, with Jon appearing in the movies Moonlight and Valentino and the television series Ally McBeal until the show’s finale in 2002.
Bon Jovi has had a long-standing feud with Donald Trump and has often criticized him publicly. In 2018, he even used his song “Blood in the Water” to take aim at the President. The track warns that a storm is coming and his days are numbered.
Bon Jovi is a Democrat and supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. He has also performed for Joe Biden and is a regular guest at New Jersey governor Phil Murphy’s fundraisers. Jon is also active in charity work, performing for the Wounded Warriors Project and Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. He has also lent his voice to the cause of animal rights, and has been involved in numerous relief efforts after natural disasters.