History of Bon Jovi in Timeline

Bon Jovi is an American rock band established in 1983 in New Jersey. Fronted by singer Jon Bon Jovi, its current lineup includes David Bryan, Tico Torres, John Shanks, Phil X, Everett Bradley, and Hugh McDonald. The band achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s and 1990s with hit albums like 'Slippery When Wet' and 'New Jersey,' known for anthemic rock songs. Former members include Alec John Such, who departed in 1994, and Richie Sambora, a long-time guitarist and co-songwriter, who left in 2013.

1975: Jon Bon Jovi's First Live Performance

In 1975, at the age of 13, Jon Bon Jovi began performing music live, playing piano and guitar with his first band, Raze.

1980: Formation of The Rest and First Single Recording

In 1980, Jon Bon Jovi formed another band called The Rest and opened for New Jersey acts. Also in 1980, Jon recorded his first single, "Runaway", in his cousin's studio.

1981: Initial Recording of Runaway

In 1981, Jon Bon Jovi made a rough early recording of what would later become the hit song "Runaway".

1982: Re-recording of Runaway

In 1982, Jon Bon Jovi re-recorded his song "Runaway" with local studio musicians, who he called the All Star Review.

1982: Job at Power Station Studios and First Professional Recording

In 1982, Jon Bon Jovi took a job at the Power Station Studios. His first professional recording was as lead vocals in "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas," which was part of the Christmas in the Stars album.

1982: Message's Album Lessons

In 1982, Richie Sambora played on the album Lessons, which was originally intended for release with the band Message, featuring Alec John Such on bass. The album was never officially released at the time, though Message was signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records label.

March 1983: Formation of Bon Jovi Band Members

In March 1983, after "Runaway" started gaining airplay, Jon Bon Jovi recruited David Bryan, Alec John Such, and Tico Torres to form a band. Dave Sabo played lead guitar for a short tour, and Richie Sambora was recommended by Alec John Such and Tico Torres.

1983: Bon Jovi Formation

In 1983, Bon Jovi was officially formed in Sayreville, New Jersey. The band's initial lineup consisted of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, and bassist Alec John Such.

1983: "Runaway" on WAPP Compilation

In 1983, Jon Bon Jovi visited WAPP radio station and, upon suggestion, included the song "Runaway" on the station's compilation album. The song had been re-recorded in 1982 with studio musicians.

January 21, 1984: Release of Debut Album 'Bon Jovi'

On January 21, 1984, Bon Jovi released their debut album, Bon Jovi, which included their first hit single, "Runaway". They also opened for Scorpions and Kiss.

1984: Debut Album Release

In 1984, Bon Jovi released their self-titled debut album. The album featured the single "Runaway," which reached the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

1984: Rock 9 Videos

In 1984, WAPP, the radio station that first played "Runaway," collaborated with WOR-TV in Secaucus, NJ, on a music video show called Rock 9 Videos for a brief period.

1984: 20th anniversary of first record release

In 2004, Bon Jovi commemorated the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's first record in 1984.

May 1985: Bon Jovi Headlining in Japan and Europe

In May 1985, Bon Jovi headlined venues in Japan and Europe. The band toured extensively following the release of their second album, 7800° Fahrenheit.

1985: Archived live performances for 'One Wild Night Live' compilation

In 1985, Bon Jovi began collecting recordings of their live performances while on tour. These recordings were later used in the album "One Wild Night Live 1985–2001".

1985: 7800° Fahrenheit record

In 1985, Bon Jovi released 7800° Fahrenheit record.

August 1986: Bon Jovi as Support Act

In August 1986, when Slippery When Wet was released, Bon Jovi was the support act for 38 Special. By the end of 1986, Bon Jovi began a six-month run of headline dates in arenas across America.

August 16, 1986: Release of Slippery When Wet

On August 16, 1986, Bon Jovi released Slippery When Wet, which spent eight weeks atop the Billboard 200. The album produced the hit singles "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer".

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1986: Release of Slippery When Wet

In 1986, Bon Jovi achieved widespread success with the release of their third album, Slippery When Wet. The album included hit singles such as "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer," both of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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August 1987: Headlining Monsters of Rock Festival

In August 1987, Bon Jovi headlined England's Monsters of Rock festival. During their set, Dee Snider, Bruce Dickinson, and Paul Stanley guested to perform "We're an American Band".

September 1988: Release of New Jersey

In September 1988, Bon Jovi released their fourth album, New Jersey, which reached number one in multiple countries. The album produced five Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

1988: Release of New Jersey

In 1988, Bon Jovi released their fourth album, New Jersey. The album was commercially successful and featured five Top 10 singles, including the number ones "Bad Medicine" and "I'll Be There for You". The band also embarked on the New Jersey Syndicate Tour during this period.

June 11, 1989: Homecoming Concert at Giants Stadium

On June 11, 1989, Bon Jovi performed a sold-out homecoming concert at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.

August 1989: Moscow Music Peace Festival

In August 1989, Bon Jovi headed to the Soviet Union for the Moscow Music Peace Festival. The album New Jersey was legally released in the USSR.

1990: Continuation of Worldwide Tour

Throughout 1990, Bon Jovi continued their massive worldwide tour, visiting more than 22 countries and performing over 232 shows.

October 1991: Band Meeting in St. Thomas

In October 1991, the band traveled to St. Thomas to discuss future plans, after Jon Bon Jovi fired his management, business advisors, and agents.

January 1992: Return to Vancouver Studios

In January 1992, after resolving their differences, Bon Jovi returned to Vancouver Little Mountain studios to work on their fifth album with Bob Rock.

November 1992: Release of Keep the Faith

In November 1992, Bon Jovi released their fifth studio album, Keep the Faith, which marked a change in the band's sound and image with more mature sounds and lyrics.

1992: Release of Keep the Faith

In 1992, Bon Jovi released their double-platinum album Keep the Faith, which included the hit song “Bed of Roses”.

1993: Release of Keep the Faith: An Evening with Bon Jovi

In 1993, Bon Jovi's MTV Unplugged performance was released commercially as Keep the Faith: An Evening with Bon Jovi, featuring acoustic and electric renditions of classic hits and new material.

October 1994: Release of Cross Road greatest hits album

In October 1994, Bon Jovi released "Cross Road", a greatest hits album featuring new tracks "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night". "Always" became their highest-selling single, topping charts for six months. "Cross Road" was the bestselling album in the UK in 1994, and the band won a World Music Award for Best Selling Rock Band that year.

1994: Release of "Always"

In 1994, Bon Jovi released "Always", their biggest-selling and longest-charting single.

June 1995: Release of These Days Album and European tour

In June 1995, Bon Jovi released their sixth studio album, "These Days", while on a European tour. The album reached number one in the UK for four weeks, as well as in Ireland, Germany, Australia, and Japan. The first single, "This Ain't a Love Song", had a video filmed in Thailand and reached the top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100. The band sold out three nights at Wembley Stadium in London, which were documented in "Bon Jovi: Live From London".

1995: Release of These Days

In 1995, Bon Jovi released the album These Days, which was more successful in Europe than in the US and produced four Top Ten singles in the UK.

1999: Reunion and Recording of "Real Life"

In 1999, Bon Jovi reunited and recorded the song "Real Life" for the movie EdTV, while David Bryan recovered from a finger injury.

June 2000: Release of Crush and success of "It's My Life"

In June 2000, Bon Jovi released their seventh studio album, "Crush", marking a comeback. The first single, "It's My Life", became one of their most successful releases in a decade and introduced them to a younger audience. "Crush" received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album, and "It's My Life" was nominated for Best Rock Performance and won a My VH1 Music Award for My Favorite Video.

2000: Wembley Stadium concerts and One Wild Night Live album release

In 2000, Bon Jovi played two sold-out concerts at London's Wembley Stadium, the last before its demolition. The band performed for 1.1 million fans in North America, Europe, and Japan. They also released their first live album, "One Wild Night Live 1985–2001", a collection of performances from throughout their career.

2000: Release of Crush

In 2000, Bon Jovi released the album Crush, which successfully introduced the band to a younger audience, particularly with the lead single, "It's My Life".

September 11, 2001: Influence on 'Bounce' album after terrorist attacks

On September 11, 2001, the terrorist attacks influenced Bon Jovi's creative direction for their eighth studio album, "Bounce".

October 21, 2001: Performance at Concert For New York

On October 21, 2001, Bon Jovi performed at the Concert For New York at Madison Square Garden, raising relief funds and honoring those who worked to save lives during the attack.

2001: Homecoming concerts and Hottest Live Show award

In 2001, Bon Jovi performed two sold-out homecoming concerts at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, which broke ratings records for VH-1. At the end of the year, Bon Jovi was awarded "Hottest Live Show" at the 2001 My VH1 Music Awards.

October 8, 2002: Release of Bounce Album

On October 8, 2002, Bon Jovi released their eighth studio album, "Bounce", which was influenced by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The album debuted at number two in both the U.S. and UK.

August 2003: Beginning of acoustic side project

In August 2003, after the end of the Bounce Tour, Bon Jovi began a side project intended to produce an album of live acoustic performances.

November 2003: Release of This Left Feels Right Compilation Album

In November 2003, Bon Jovi released their compilation album "This Left Feels Right", which featured rewritten and re-recorded versions of their biggest hits in a new style.

November 2004: Award for Merit at the American Music Awards

In November 2004, Bon Jovi was honored with the Award for Merit at the American Music Awards, recognizing their contributions to music.

2004: Award of Merit at the American Music Awards

In 2004, Bon Jovi received the Award of Merit at the American Music Awards.

September 2005: Release of Have a Nice Day Album

In September 2005, Bon Jovi released their ninth studio album, "Have a Nice Day".

2005: Release of Have a Nice Day

In 2005, Bon Jovi released the platinum album Have a Nice Day, incorporating elements of country music.

2005: Start of the Have A Nice Day Tour

Soon after the release of Have A Nice Day, the band started gearing up for the new 2005–2006 worldwide Have A Nice Day Tour.

November 14, 2006: Induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame

On November 14, 2006, Bon Jovi was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame alongside James Brown and Led Zeppelin.

2006: Induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame

In 2006, Bon Jovi was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

2006: Grammy Award for Who Says You Can't Go Home

In 2006, Bon Jovi won a Grammy Award for the single "Who Says You Can't Go Home", which also became the first single by a rock band to reach No. 1 on the country charts.

2006: Country version of 'Who Says You Can't Go Home' success

In 2006, the success of a country version of Bon Jovi's single "Who Says You Can't Go Home" influenced the band to blend their rock sound with country music for their new album.

2006: Success of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" on Billboard charts

In early 2006, Bon Jovi released "Who Says You Can't Go Home" as the second single from the album. The song reached top forty on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., and the duet version with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, making Bon Jovi the first rock band to have a number one single on Billboard's Country Chart.

February 11, 2007: Grammy Award win for "Who Says You Can't Go Home"

On February 11, 2007, Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles won the Grammy Award for "Best Country Collaboration with Vocals" for their duet version of "Who Says You Can't Go Home". The band also won an award for Favorite Rock Song at the People's Choice Awards with "Who Says You Can't Go Home".

June 2007: Release of Lost Highway Album

In June 2007, Bon Jovi released their tenth studio album, "Lost Highway", which blended their rock sound with country music.

June 24, 2007: Performance at London's O2 Arena

On June 24, 2007, Bon Jovi performed at London's new O2 Arena (formerly the Millennium Dome) as the first group to perform there when it opened to the public. The stadium sold out within 30 minutes of tickets being released.

October 2007: Announcement of Lost Highway Tour

In October 2007, Bon Jovi announced the Lost Highway Tour. It started with 10 shows to open the Newark, New Jersey Prudential Center.

November 14, 2007: Lost Highway Tour ticket sales reporting

From November 14, 2007, through Nov.11, 2008, reported ticket sales for the Lost Highway Tour reached $210.6 million.

2007: Release of Lost Highway

In 2007, Bon Jovi released the platinum album Lost Highway, which continued the band's incorporation of country music elements.

2008: CMT Music Award for Collaborative Video of the Year

In 2008, Bon Jovi's song "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore", featuring LeAnn Rimes, won the CMT Music Award for the Collaborative Video of the Year. The song was also nominated for the Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Event of the Year.

2008: Lost Highway Tour as highest-grossing tour of the year

The Lost Highway Tour was the highest-grossing tour of 2008 in Billboard's rankings, with ticket sales of $210.6 million and a total of 2,157,675 tickets sold.

April 2009: Premiere of "When We Were Beautiful" documentary

In April 2009, Phil Griffin's documentary on the band, "When We Were Beautiful", debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival. The documentary chronicled Bon Jovi's ups and downs over 25 years and followed the band on their latest Lost Highway tour.

June 2009: Induction into Songwriters Hall of Fame and collaboration with Andy Madadian

In June 2009, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. That month they also recorded a cover of the song "Stand By Me" with Iranian singer Andy Madadian, to show solidarity for those affected by political unrest in Iran.

November 10, 2009: Release of The Circle Album

On November 10, 2009, Bon Jovi released their eleventh studio album, titled "The Circle".

2009: Release of The Circle

In 2009, Bon Jovi released The Circle, marking a return to the band's rock sound.

February 19, 2010: Start of The Circle Tour

On February 19, 2010, Bon Jovi started The Circle Tour. The band kicked off the stadium leg of the Circle Tour by playing the first ever show at the brand new New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

October 2010: Release of Greatest Hits album and The Circle Tour Live From Jersey concert film

In October 2010, Bon Jovi released a Greatest Hits album with four new songs. At the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards, Bon Jovi received the Global Icon Award. In October 2010, Bon Jovi released the concert film, "The Circle Tour Live From Jersey" in U.S. theaters.

2011: The Circle Tour ranks second on Billboard's Top 25 Tour

At the conclusion of 2011, the Circle Tour placed second on Billboard's annual, "Top 25 Tour", earning more than £790 million dollars.

January 2012: Announcement of work on twelfth studio album

In January 2012, Jon Bon Jovi stated that they were working on a twelfth studio album.

August 2012: Jon Bon Jovi plays acoustic version of song from upcoming album

In August 2012, Jon Bon Jovi played an acoustic version of a song from the upcoming album at a live show.

November 27, 2012: Release of live video album "Inside Out"

On November 27, 2012, Bon Jovi released their live video album, "Inside Out", which featured footage from shows at the O2 Arena, MetLife Stadium, and Madison Square Garden. The album was initially screened in movie theaters and later made available on iTunes.

March 12, 2013: Release of What About Now Album

On March 12, 2013, Bon Jovi released "What About Now", their twelfth studio album.

March 14, 2013: Bon Jovi Performance on American Idol

On March 14, 2013, Bon Jovi performed their song "Because We Can" from the album What About Now on the results show of American Idol.

April 2, 2013: Departure of Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi Tour

On April 2, 2013, Richie Sambora departed from Bon Jovi's tour due to unspecified "personal reasons". Phil X replaced him as the guitarist for the remainder of the tour.

2013: Richie Sambora Leaves Bon Jovi

In 2013, lead guitarist Richie Sambora left Bon Jovi just before a concert during the supporting tour to spend more time with his family.

June 2014: Sambora expresses openness to return

In June 2014, Richie Sambora indicated he was open to rejoining Bon Jovi.

November 2014: Jon Bon Jovi confirms Sambora's departure

In November 2014, Jon Bon Jovi announced that Richie Sambora had officially left the band and that he was writing songs for a new album, their first without Sambora.

2014: Reissue of "New Jersey" album

In 2014, Bon Jovi's album "New Jersey" was reissued with an additional CD featuring the Sons of Beaches demos to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary.

July 17, 2015: "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning" premiere

On July 17, 2015, Bon Jovi's song "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning" premiered on Austrian Radio Ö3 Hitradio.

July 20, 2015: "We Don't Run" premiere

On July 20, 2015, the Bon Jovi song "We Don't Run" premiered on Brazilian Radio Radio Rock.

July 31, 2015: Release of lead singles "We Don't Run" and "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning"

On July 31, 2015, Bon Jovi released the two lead singles "We Don't Run" and "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning" from their upcoming compilation album, Burning Bridges.

August 21, 2015: Release of "Burning Bridges" album

On August 21, 2015, Bon Jovi released the compilation album "Burning Bridges", which the band described as a "fan record" to coincide with their international tour.

September 30, 2015: Announcement of the new album "This House Is Not for Sale"

On September 30, 2015, Jon Bon Jovi announced during a press conference that Bon Jovi's upcoming album would be titled "This House Is Not for Sale."

2015: Release of Burning Bridges

In 2015, Bon Jovi released their first studio album without Richie Sambora, titled Burning Bridges.

August 12, 2016: Release of "This House Is Not for Sale" single and music video

On August 12, 2016, Bon Jovi released the lead single and music video for "This House Is Not for Sale", featuring Hugh McDonald and Phil X as official band members.

November 4, 2016: Release of "This House Is Not for Sale" album

On November 4, 2016, Bon Jovi officially released their 13th studio album, "This House Is Not for Sale", which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

November 2016: Remastered versions of Bon Jovi's albums released on vinyl

In November 2016, Island Records and Universal Music Enterprises released remastered versions of Bon Jovi's studio albums on vinyl, covering their career from 1984's Bon Jovi up to 2013's What About Now.

December 16, 2016: Release of "This House Is Not for Sale – Live from the London Palladium" live album

On December 16, 2016, Bon Jovi released their third live album, "This House Is Not for Sale – Live from the London Palladium."

2016: Release of This House Is Not for Sale

In 2016, Bon Jovi released the album This House Is Not for Sale, and they toured it from 2017-2019.

February 10, 2017: Release of "Bon Jovi: The Albums" box set

On February 10, 2017, Bon Jovi released a 25-LP box set titled "Bon Jovi: The Albums", which included their 13 studio albums, the compilation Burning Bridges (2015), the two Jon Bon Jovi solo albums, and an exclusive Extras album.

December 13, 2017: Bon Jovi inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

On December 13, 2017, it was announced that Bon Jovi would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 after winning the 2017 fan ballot.

2017: This House Is Not for Sale Tour

From 2017 to 2019, Bon Jovi was on tour promoting their album, This House Is Not for Sale.

February 2018: Confirmation of Sambora and Such performance at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony

In February 2018, it was confirmed that Richie Sambora and Alec John Such would perform with Bon Jovi at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

April 29, 2018: Performance at the BMO Harris Bradley Center

On April 29, 2018, Bon Jovi performed at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the last ticketed event at the venue before demolition.

2018: Induction into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

In 2018, Bon Jovi was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

March 9, 2019: Announcement of New Album Recording

On March 9, 2019, Jon Bon Jovi announced via social media that Bon Jovi was back in the studio recording its fifteenth studio album.

August 2019: Announcement of "2020" album title

In August 2019, Jon Bon Jovi announced that the band's upcoming album would be called "2020".

April 20, 2020: Cancellation of Bon Jovi 2020 Tour

On April 20, 2020, Bon Jovi announced that the Bon Jovi 2020 Tour had been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 15, 2020: Initial Release Date of "2020" Album (Postponed)

The release date for Bon Jovi's album "2020" was originally scheduled for May 15, 2020, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Release of 2020 Album

In 2020, Bon Jovi's album 2020 was reworked to include songs inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd protests.

January 7, 2022: Announcement of 2022 Tour

On January 7, 2022, Bon Jovi announced a tour starting in April.

June 5, 2022: Death of Alec John Such

On June 5, 2022, the band announced the death of founding member Alec John Such, who later was revealed to have died from a heart attack.

2022: Bon Jovi supports Ukrainian Resistance

In 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a viral video showed residents in Odesa preparing for an attack while a drummer played "It's My Life". Bon Jovi shared the video with the comment "This is for the ones who stood their ground... Odessa, Ukraine. #SlavaUkraini".