Am I the Only Person Who Still Likes Bon Jovi?

All the comments on Christian's recent Bon Jovi live review got me thinking: am I the only person who still likes Bon Jovi?

Now, that statement is a sweeping generalization and of course, the answer is no...but still. The negativity - on this site especially - really stunned me. Bon Jovi as a band are known to have some of the most loyal fans...period. They continue to sell out venues around the world and above all else, they've remained relevant since the 80s.

I am not of the persuasion that the guys in Bon Jovi steal songs although I do think they charge way too much for concert tickets. I don't think the band has necessarily “sold out” to other genres to stay famous. After all, music is a business and Jon Bon Jovi is a capitalist. If that means making some country tunes, well, I guess I don't have to listen to those particular songs.

So what is the main beef with Bon Jovi? Song theft? Ticket prices? Non Metal songs? Just curious on this cold Thursday.

Comments

[Brian Carvell]

yes.

[Kenny Ozz]

I loved them all the way up through the great 'Crush' and 'Bounce' records. After that they totally sold out.

[Shattered]

I was a huge fan. I think These Days was their last great album. Crush and Bounce had their moments but not the albums their predecessors were.
I don't want to say they sold out either. People change and the music they write, does too.
Blaze of Glory was a great album and it had a country "flavor" to it. I know it was Jon's solo album but...They obviously still have a huge fan base that wants to hear them and spend ridiculous amounts of money to see them.

[snoot]

YES!

[NIkkeSixx]

too commercial, the solos are gone

[$kwint]

i lost interest in them after New jersey - they just went off my radar and became a pop band.

[SMKnotSMF]

yes. bought one of the reason cds a couple years ago and found it unlistenable.

[mom2ross]

We saw them on the Circle tour in July. Sold out Soldier Field in Chicago. The show was incredible, we paid lots of money to be on the field. Walking in an out of the players' tunnel was pretty cool, too. We did it once, we're done. It was an experience, but we won't pay that much again. Christian's review was spot on. Jon Bon Jovi knows he can charge the prices he does and people will show up. Is he greedy? Planning for the future? Out of touch with the working man he so constantly sings about? Ummm...yes, yes and yes. Farewell, Jon - my copy of "Slippery When Wet" is good enough for me.

[GNR]

Bon Jovi needs to go Bruce Springsteen basically... Play the stadiums, but still mix it up and play smaller venues, acoustical, duet ?, solo ? stuff to keep relevant nowadays in my opinion. They are U2 and U2 blows...

You are not alone in liking Bon Jovi, he has some great stuff, even a "few" of his new tunes are tolerable, but this world revolves around me, lets make a showtime special about me ?, big stadium all the time, etc.... that Bon Jovi you might be alone in liking

[GNR]

BTW, my wife absolutely loves him....and here's a stone cold fact.

Summerfest, Milwaukee - 90+ degrees she goes to the merch tent after the show, ends up buying a embroidered scarf..... Enough said. Feel my pain ! :)

[Mike Haden]

Jon Bon Jovi's voice has changed. It's not smooth and strong like it used to be. It's become weak and thin and even whiney. It gives their songs a different sound. A sound I just can't find any pleasure in listening to. They've slowed the tempo down on the older songs when they perform them live. Basically, they've become a caricature of themselves. They seem to be posing as Bon Jovi rather than coming out and completely owning and being the Bon Jovi we all used to love.

[Bryon]

I lost interest after New Jersey and haven't cared a bit since. My wife likes them, and their new songs are generally quite good, but they just don't keep me interested. They remind me of the Goo Goo Dolls or Matchbox 20 -- good songs, very mainstream, but generally too polished for my tastes

[Brian L]

I like them, but not a big fan anymore. I do not buy any albums. I did see them after the Steelers won SB 40 at Heinz field, and they Rocked.

I applaud them for becoming a stadium band after all these yrs. If you can get that U2 status where a stadium is needed, then I guess you rule. Hate U2, by the way

[Hayseed]

This place is great for longing for the days of old. Maybe one day there will be another panty-throwing album like "Slippery When Wet", but I doubt it and certainly not by Bon Jovi. I still think they're great, just not in that same regard. The heat of 7800 degrees farenheit has been turned waaaaaaay down. And also...my fellow hair metal afficianados...have a happy and safe New Year's!

[Lucas Serpa]

I paid more than 1000US$ to see them at São Paulo....
they still rocks!!!!

Not like New Jersey's era... but they are still good enough!

The Circle isn't a great album....but is good!!!

Happy New Year hair metallers

[Roy]

Well I think everyone on knows my opinion. 'SAY NO TO BON JOVI'

[Christian]

Interesting that so many people like New Jersey and not Keep the faith, which I loved. BJ gets hate b/c they follow trends. We know music is a business, but we'd still like to think our favourite bands actually LIKE the genre they are playing, instead of genre hopping for a paycheck. They have a few good song still, as I said in my review, I 'discovered' some newer songs at the shows, but, nothing to compare with the old stuff. I guess that's often true, who loves the new Poison, but perhaps BJ's biggest crime is to be so good at chasing trends that there's kids to love BJ today and presumably tolerate the older stuff that's too fast and has too many solos in it, in their eyes. That is, perhaps the issue is that they are not 'our' band anymore, because they've continued to chase fashion succesfully.

[Gary]

Saw them in 1987 at the apex of their early popularity. Jon's voice was DOA from constant touring.Richie and Dave Bryan pretty much carried the bulk of the vocals "backing up Jon".(Sambora has an incredibly good voice I might add) The band rocked. That was 1987. The band and the songs stopped rocking in about 1990 IMHO.

And whats with the Alec's "replacement"? Poor bastard is never even acknowleged as being in the band. Guess Jon can pay him fucking minimum wage that way...Lol

[Christian]

I agree - the way they treat Hugh is another sign that BJ is a business more than a band.

[will]

The fans are the only ones that sell out. Bon Jovi has done an amazing thing. I saw them in Little Rock on the Keep the Faith tour in '93 with Extreme in front of a half empty Barton Coliseum. To be the top selling tour in 2010 by a wide margin averaging over 31,000 tickets sold each show is almost unbelievable

(http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/Charts2010/2010YearEndTop50NorthAmericanTours.pdf)

They are a business and a hugely successful one at that.