Yup, and with his voice no longer being able to carry big choruses, I feel like that's the only way for him to ever make good music in the future.

Look at Robert Plant. That album with Alisson Kraus a few years ago was great! Yet everyone knows that his voice is too shot to make new Led Zeppelin songs (their recent live DVD proved it), but in a different environment he could still shine.

And then in a few years once all the water is under the bridge, they can get back together with Richie and sort of make a 'comeback'. Which likely won't be much better than their 2000s efforts, but at least it will seem like a big deal and general public will care about it to a bigger degree. Whereas a new Bon Jovi album today probably wouldn't even chart at no.1 spot in most places.