Bon Jovi is an American rock band that became popular shortly after its founding in 1983. The band is known for energetic guitar riffs, strong melodies, and emotionally charged power ballads. The original members were Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Richie Sambora, Alec John Such, and Tico Torres. After Such left in 1994, Hugh McDonald replaced him. In 2016, Phil X officially replaced Sambora, who had departed in 2013. Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

What type of music does Bon Jovi play?

Bon Jovi is an American rock band that gained recognition shortly after its founding in 1983. Their music incorporates energetic guitar riffs and strong melodies in emotionally charged power ballads. Bon Jovi achieved critical and commercial success through hit singles, live concerts, and popular studio albums.

When and where was Bon Jovi formed?

Bon Jovi, the American rock band, was formed in 1983. After Jon Bon Jovi made a demo tape with studio musicians in 1980 and gained a positive reputation in the music world, he formed his own band, which subsequently signed with Mercury Records. The original band members included Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, lead guitarist Richie Sambora, bassist Alec John Such, and drummer Tico Torres.

Who are the main members of Bon Jovi?

Bon Jovi, the American rock band, was founded in 1983. The original members were Jon Bon Jovi (lead singer), David Bryan (keyboardist), Richie Sambora (lead guitarist), Alec John Such (bassist), and Tico Torres (drummer). After Such left in 1994, Hugh McDonald replaced him. Sambora departed in 2013 and was officially replaced in 2016 by Phil X.

What are some of Bon Jovi’s most famous songs or albums?

Bon Jovi, formed in 1983, gained fame for its energetic guitar riffs and emotionally charged power ballads. Their breakthrough album, Slippery When Wet (1986), featured hit singles like " You Give Love a Bad Name ," " Livin’ on a Prayer ," and " Wanted Dead or Alive ," achieving number one on the Billboard 200 chart. New Jersey (1987) also achieved commercial success, with number one hits " I’ll Be There for You " and " Bad Medicine ". Cross Road (1994) included the hit song " Always ," which became one of the band’s most popular songs. In 2018, Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

How has Bon Jovi influenced rock music and popular culture?

Bon Jovi, formed in 1983, quickly gained recognition for its energetic guitar riffs, strong melodies, and emotionally charged power ballads. Their album Slippery When Wet (1986) achieved huge success, with singles like "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin’ on a Prayer" turning the band into a major concert draw. Bon Jovi became a star on MTV around the time of their New Jersey album (1987). Their crossover hit, "Who Says You Can’t Go Home," with Jennifer Nettles, marked the first time a rock band reached number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Chart and won a Grammy Award. In 2018, Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Bon Jovi

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Bon Jovi performs on a brightly lit stage at Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece, with a large crowd and giant video screens showing the band members.

Bon Jovi

American rock band

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Nov. 2, 2026 •History

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Bon Jovi announces 7 shows in 2027, here's how to get tickets • Oct. 28, 2026, 2:38 PM ET (USA Today)

Bon Jovi Add New 2027 Stadium Dates to Global Forever Tour • Oct. 19, 2026, 2:49 PM ET (Billboard)

Top Questions

Who is Bon Jovi?
Bon Jovi is an American rock band that became popular shortly after its founding in 1983. The band is known for energetic guitar riffs, strong melodies, and emotionally charged power ballads. The original members were Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Richie Sambora, Alec John Such, and Tico Torres. After Such left in 1994, Hugh McDonald replaced him. In 2016, Phil X officially replaced Sambora, who had departed in 2013. Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
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What type of music does Bon Jovi play?
Bon Jovi is an American rock band that gained recognition shortly after its founding in 1983. Their music incorporates energetic guitar riffs and strong melodies in emotionally charged power ballads. Bon Jovi achieved critical and commercial success through hit singles, live concerts, and popular studio albums.
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When and where was Bon Jovi formed?
Bon Jovi, the American rock band, was formed in 1983. After Jon Bon Jovi made a demo tape with studio musicians in 1980 and gained a positive reputation in the music world, he formed his own band, which subsequently signed with Mercury Records. The original band members included Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, lead guitarist Richie Sambora, bassist Alec John Such, and drummer Tico Torres.
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1. Bon Jovi
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Who are the main members of Bon Jovi?
Bon Jovi, the American rock band, was founded in 1983. The original members were Jon Bon Jovi (lead singer), David Bryan (keyboardist), Richie Sambora (lead guitarist), Alec John Such (bassist), and Tico Torres (drummer). After Such left in 1994, Hugh McDonald replaced him. Sambora departed in 2013 and was officially replaced in 2016 by Phil X.
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1. Bon Jovi
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some of Bon Jovi’s most famous songs or albums?
Bon Jovi, formed in 1983, gained fame for its energetic guitar riffs and emotionally charged power ballads. Their breakthrough album, Slippery When Wet (1986), featured hit singles like "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Livin’ on a Prayer," and "Wanted Dead or Alive," achieving number one on the Billboard 200 chart. New Jersey (1987) also achieved commercial success, with number one hits "I’ll Be There for You" and "Bad Medicine". Cross Road (1994) included the hit song "Always," which became one of the band’s most popular songs. In 2018, Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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1. Bon Jovi
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How has Bon Jovi influenced rock music and popular culture?
Bon Jovi, formed in 1983, quickly gained recognition for its energetic guitar riffs, strong melodies, and emotionally charged power ballads. Their album Slippery When Wet (1986) achieved huge success, with singles like "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin’ on a Prayer" turning the band into a major concert draw. Bon Jovi became a star on MTV around the time of their New Jersey album (1987).

Their crossover hit, "Who Says You Can’t Go Home," with Jennifer Nettles, marked the first time a rock band reached number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Chart and won a Grammy Award. In 2018, Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1 Britannica Source
1. Bon Jovi
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

The American rock band Bon Jovi became well known to music audiences soon after its founding in 1983. Incorporating energetic guitar riffs and strong melodies in its emotionally charged power ballads, Bon Jovi has enjoyed critical and commercial success through its many hit singles, live concerts, and popular studio albums. The band’s original members included its eponymous founder and lead singer Jon Bon Jovi (the professional byname of John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.), keyboardist David Bryan, lead guitarist Richie Sambora, bassist Alec John Such, and drummer Tico Torres. After Such left the band in 1994, he was replaced by Hugh McDonald. Sambora departed Bon Jovi in 2013 and was officially replaced in 2016 by Phil X (Theofilos Xenidis).

Meet Bon Jovi

Original band members

Bon Jovi (b. March 2, 1962, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, U.S.)
David Bryan (b. February 7, 1962, Edison, New Jersey)
Richie Sambora (b. July 11, 1959, Perth Amboy)
Alec John Such (b. November 14, 1951, Perth Amboy)
Tico Torres (b. October 7, 1953, New York, New York)

Later band members

Hugh McDonald (b. December 28, 1950, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Phil X (b. March 10, 1966, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Throughout his teenage years, Jon Bon Jovi played in several different bands. In 1980 he made a demo tape with studio musicians. After several radio stations in New York City and other areas began playing one of the demo songs, “Runaway,” he gained a positive reputation in the music world. Based on that success, he formed his own band, which subsequently signed a deal with Mercury Records. The band released its first, self-titled album (Bon Jovi) in 1984 and its second, 7800° Fahrenheit, in 1985. In the meantime Bon Jovi was touring and achieving success on the concert circuit.

Bon Jovi’s third album, Slippery When Wet (1986), was a huge success and stayed at number one on the Billboard 200 chart for multiple weeks. Singles such as “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “Livin’ on a Prayer,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” helped the band become a sought-after main act for concerts across the globe. Bon Jovi’s next album, New Jersey (1987), which featured the number one hit singles “I’ll Be There for You” and “Bad Medicine,” was also a commercial success. About this time the band became a star on the popular music video network MTV. Amid this success, however, Bon Jovi’s members became exhausted and entered an unplanned hiatus in the early 1990s. During this period Jon Bon Jovi released his first solo album, Blaze of Glory (1990); its title song, featured in the movie Young Guns II, won a Golden Globe Award in 1991. His second solo album, Destination Anywhere, appeared in 1997.

The band returned to the music scene with the album Keep the Faith (1992), which featured the single “Bed of Roses.” The commercially successful album Cross Road (1994) contained the hit “Always,” which became one of the band’s most popular songs. These Days (1995), a darker album, broadened the group’s artistic style.

After taking another hiatus, Bon Jovi members reunited and released the album Crush in 2000. “It’s My Life,” the album’s major single, helped win the group a younger audience. Several albums followed in quick succession: Bounce (2002), This Left Feels Right (2004), and Have a Nice Day (2005). The latter included the single “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” a crossover hit performed with country singer Jennifer Nettles of the band Sugarland. This song marked the first time that a rock band landed as number one on Billboard magazine’s Hot Country Chart. The song also won a Grammy Award for Bon Jovi and Nettles for best country collaboration with vocals. Bon Jovi’s next album, Lost Highway (2007), had a decided country music influence. The Circle appeared in 2009, the same year that Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful, a documentary covering the evolution of the band, was released. What About Now, Bon Jovi’s 12th album, appeared in 2013.

During the next 11 years Bon Jovi produced four more studio albums: Burning Bridges (2015), This House Is Not for Sale (2016), Bon Jovi 2020 (2020), and Forever (2024). In 2024 the band celebrated its more than 40-year history in a four-part documentary, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.

In 2009 Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2018 the band itself was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Brian Duignan.

Bon Jovi

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