[Becky]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...art-3-bon-jovi

Rather long-winded new article.

[zero_zero_UFO]

The '90s weren't a great decade for Bon Jovi. The band released only two albums of original material, 1992's Keep the Faith and 1995's These Days. Neither came close to approaching the success of Bon Jovi's late-'80s albums. It's possible that even Bon Jovi fans weren't aware that these records even existed; the world that Bon Jovi ruled had been all but wiped away.

Keep the Faith? These Days? He's right, never heard of them.

[Spidey5150]

Originally Posted by zero_zero_UFO

Keep the Faith? These Days? He's right, never heard of them.

Obviously those of us here will have heard of them. The most casual of fans though possibly wouldn't. More focus should have been spent on their success outside of NA in the 90's, but otherwise it's a fine enough retrospective.

[Becky]

Originally Posted by Spidey5150

Obviously those of us here will have heard of them. The most casual of fans though possibly wouldn't. More focus should have been spent on their success outside of NA in the 90's, but otherwise it's a fine enough retrospective.

I agree. They actually sold twice as many albums in the 90's as the sold in the 80's. Of course some of that was 80's albums still selling, but they were not without success in the 90's. Even in the USA, Always spent 6 months in the Top 10 of the AC charts.

[rocknation]

Originally Posted by Becky

Rather long-winded new article.

Long-winded? You're being too kind:

Jon Bon Jovi was in his element. The 50-year-old self-described steel horse–riding cowboy stood backstage at Madison Square Garden as tens of thousands of people waited in the arena to hear him sing about imaginary New Jerseyans. It was a task he'd executed many times since his mid-20s. Only this time — this time being the star-studded 12/12/12 Hurricane Sandy benefit concert — he wasn't going to sing about his pretend Garden Staters, at least not at this particular moment. Frustrated fictional ex–dock worker Tommy and his girl Gina would have to wait for Bon Jovi's set in another hour.

That's the opening paragraph, and I'm already gasping for air!

[zero_zero_UFO]

Originally Posted by Spidey5150

Obviously those of us here will have heard of them. The most casual of fans though possibly wouldn't. More focus should have been spent on their success outside of NA in the 90's, but otherwise it's a fine enough retrospective.

Well he said fan. Fans would know. Keep the Faith is probably one of the top 5 most known Bon Jovi songs. It still often gets a play on radio.

[Johny]

The author is probably American so he measures the succes according to US sales and not globally.

[rocknation]

It turns out that this article, written by one Steven Hyden, will be one of seven:

Originally Posted by http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8821559/the-winners-history-rock-roll-part-1-led-zeppelin

...I'm going to be writing about...Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Metallica, Linkin Park, and the Black Keys...I picked these bands because they rank among the most popular of their respective eras, and...they also represent turning points in rock history that haven't always been appreciated or remarked upon all that much...I'd argue that these bands are important in ways that few other rock bands in the 21st century — even the ones I adore and passionately push on people at parties — seem to be.

I give Hyden credit for seeing that Metallica and Bon Jovi have played important roles in rock history -- after all, I came to the same conclusion twenty years earlier, LOL!

Originally Posted by High Voltage, 1993

I am a Bon Jovi fan...I know that's a terrible thing for a "serious" rock writer to say...

Though Slippery When Wet sold at the rate of 100,000 copies a week, and Richie won a couple of guitar magazine's reader's polls, their success was still condemned as yet another triumph of sex appeal over talent. But Bon Jovi has done a lot to give rock a good name...most important, exposing hard rock and metal to an audience who thought they feared it. Can you imagine Poison, Slaughter, Whitesnake, Guns N Roses and especially Metallica getting a shot a multiplatinum status if Slippery When Wet hadn't done what it did? The fact is, Bon Jovi may be more influential than some bands would want to admit.

And ten years earlier:

Originally Posted by rocknation

I think Slippery is one of the two MOST IMPORTANT rock albums of the 80's because it opened the door for all the other non-commercial hard/heavy rock bands. I think the other album is Master Of Puppets, because it blew that door off its hinges!

[rolo_tomachi]

Originally Posted by zero_zero_UFO

Well he said fan. Fans would know. Keep the Faith is probably one of the top 5 most known Bon Jovi songs. It still often gets a play on radio.

"bed of roses" and "always" were big hits, still sound in some radios. And don't forget Blaze of Glory.

[Alphavictim]

Originally Posted by rolo_tomachi

And don't forget Blaze of Glory.

Richie's solo is awesome in that one.