Original subtitles

(ambient music)

(upbeat rock music)

- [Jon] We always thought that it was most important

to be a songwriter, you know, and to write songs,

and especially writing a song

that's gonna be there for the ages.

- [Narrator] It's hard to overlook Bon Jovi

when it comes to big-haired rockers

who've stood the test of time.

- You know, when you start as a musician,

you don't really look for,

I can't see into the future, and we never have,

we just say "Let's just play, and play today."

- [Jon] You know, if we're healthy and we're out there,

you do it, it's fun, let's believe, that's about it.

I think the great thing that this band has

is the outlets that we have.

Richie makes solo records, Tico does his artwork.

I make movies, David's writing in a Broadway play.

And then we come back here.

Now that gives us four other outlets

to bring creativity home to this.

- [Narrator] Since the dawn of hair mousse,

the New Jersey based band has been producing hits

and selling millions of albums.

- [Jon] I think the reason that we're still around

is that, you know, you're our, our audience grows with us.

So, and we're writing about them essentially.

I mean, that's as a songwriter, you know, I think the,

the essence of songwriting is communication.

- [Narrator] Their ability to bridge the gap

between heavy metal and pop

is credited to their style and ease.

At the age of 13, Jon Bon Jovi began playing live music

with his first band, Raze.

Playing piano and guitar,

Jon met David Bryan at the age of 16

and formed a band called Atlantic City Expressway.

Jon played in the band,

Jon Bon Jovi and the Wild Ones at the Fast Lane

and open for local acts while still in his teens.

- I'm from New Jersey, you know, and,

this is a trick question,

I don't want to get into that one.

- [Narrator] Jon recorded his first single, "Runaway"

in his cousin's studio, accompanied by studio musicians.

A local radio station played the song on a compilation tape.

After his time in school had ended

and he was working part-time at a woman's shoe store,

Jon went to work for his cousin, Tony Bongiovi,

at Power Station Studios, a Manhattan recording facility.

Despite sending several demos,

including one produced by Billy Squier,

to record companies, Jon failed to gain any traction.

He recorded lead vocals on

"R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas"

for his cousin's "Christmas in the Stars" album.

Jon visited the radio station, WAPP 103.5FM "The Apple"

in New York to write and sing the station's jingles.

Upon talking with DJ Chip Hobart

and WAPP's Promotion Director, John Lassman,

John suggested that "Runaway" be included

on the compilation album of local talents.

Despite Jon's reluctance, he eventually gave them the song,

which he re-recorded after an early recording

with local musicians, he called the "All Star Review".

Guitarist, Tim Pierce,

keyboardist Roy Bittan,

drummer Frankie LaRocka,

and bassist Hugh McDonald.

As the song began to receive air play in the New York area,

other stations and major markets picked it up.

Jon called David Bryan,

who in turn called bassist Alec John Such

and drummer Tico Torres,

who are both formerly members of Phantom's Opera.

Jon's friend and neighbor Dave "The Snake" Sabo

was tapped to play lead guitar

for a short tour supporting "Runaway",

although he never joined the group.

They agreed that whoever made it first would help the other.

Sabo went on to form the group Skid Row.

Jon saw and was impressed with hometown guitarist,

Richie Sambora, who was referred to Jon by fellow bassist,

Alec John Such and drummer Tico Torres.

The musician had toured with Joe Cocker,

played with a group called Mercy, and auditioned for Kiss,

as well as playing on the album "Lessons".

He played bass for Message, a band featuring Alec John Such.

Torres was also an experienced musician,

recording and performing live with Phantom's Opera,

The Marvelettes and Chuck Berry.

He appeared on 26 records

and had recently recorded with Frankie and the Knockouts,

a Jersey band with hit singles during the early 1980s.

Brian quit the band he and Jon had formed

so that he could study medicine.

When he was in college,

he decided he wanted to pursue music full time

and applied to Juilliard School, a New York music school,

Jon called his friend and informed him

that he was putting together a band

and that a record deal seemed likely.

So Brian gave up his studies.

Having played showcases and opened for local acts,

The band caught the attention of Derek Shulman

who signed them to Mercury Records.

Jon wanted a name for the band,

so Pamela Maher, a friend of Richard Fischer

and an employee of Doc McGhee suggested Bon Jovi,

following the example of Van Halen

and other well known two word bands.

Johnny Electric was discarded in favor of this name.

Pamela's suggestion of the name was not well received

but two years later,

they hit the top of the charts under that name.

Their first hit single "Runaway"

was recorded on the band's debut album, "Bon Jovi"

with the help of their manager, Doc McGhee.

The album reached number 43

on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Soon, the group was opening for Scorpions in America

and Kiss in Europe.

♪ Oh she's a little runaway ♪

♪ Daddy's girl learned fast ♪

♪ All those things he couldn't say ♪

♪ Ooh, she's a little runaway ♪

♪ A different line every night ♪

♪ Guaranteed to blow your mind ♪

♪ I see you out on the streets ♪

♪ Call me for a wild time ♪

- [Narrator] Bon Jovi's second album,

"7800° Fahrenheit" featured three singles,

"Only Lonely", "In and Out of Love", and "Silent Night".

The Recording Industry Association of America

certified the album gold

after it reached number 37 on the Billboard 200.

Despite selling poorly the album allowed Bon Jovi

to get out on the road again.

The band played in Japan and Europe

and toured the US for six months supporting Rat.

The group changed its approach

after two moderately successful albums

and hired Desmond Child as collaborator

and Bruce Fairbairn for production.

During the recording of their third album,

Bon Jovi spent six months in Vancouver, Canada.

The band named the album "Slippery When Wet"

after a trip to Vancouver's strip club.

The album "Slippery When Wet"

topped the Billboard 200 for eight weeks.

Both "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer",

the first two singles from the album

reached number one on the Billboard hot 100.

- I ain't fooling around tonight.

Are you with me out there?

Oh yeah!

I smell trouble in the air in Vegas tonight.

And I say.

♪ Shot through the heart and you're to blame ♪

♪ Baby you give love a bad name ♪

♪ Here we go ♪

- [Narrator] The band won a People's Choice Award

for Favorite Rock Group

and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop Rock Band.

At the time of the album's release,

Bon Jovi supported 38 Special

but by the end of 1986 they performed headline shows

across America and were well into a six month tour.

Over 130 shows were headlined by the band

on the tour without end.

"Everything is bigger and it moves twice as fast"

said Jon when asked what this breakthrough meant.

"You recognized twice as often, this is bigger,

"the whole world gets bigger.

"You have to sell more records, be huger.

"You get smarter and you understand

"the business a little more, so it's more responsibility.

"You understand it now and you wanna make sure

"everything goes right."

As a way to prove that "Slippery When Wet"

was not a fluke, Bon Jovi released

their fourth album, "New Jersey", which peaked at number one

in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia.

- I like Bon Jovi, do you know what I mean?

"Livin' on a Prayer", "Slippery When Wet"

it's absolutely genius.

And he did that one for "Young Guns".

♪ On a steel horse I ride ♪

Unbelievable.

- [Narrator] On the Billboard Hot 100,

the album spawned five top singles

giving Bon Jovi the record for the most top 10 singles

spawned by a hard rock album.

MTV banned Bon Jovi's video for "Living in Sin"

due to its sexual content.

After it was reedited, MTV, put it on heavy rotation.

A massive world tour continued throughout 1989 and 1990.

More than 232 shows were performed in 22 countries,

including a sold out homecoming concert

at Giant Stadium in New Jersey.

As part of the Moscow Music Peace Festival,

The band traveled to the Soviet Union.

"New Jersey" was the first US album

legally released in the Soviet Union.

And Bon Jovi was the first band officially sanctioned

by the Soviet government to perform in the Soviet Union.

Going on highly paced world tours

and recording "Slippery When Wet"

in New Jersey back to back was exhausting.

The band had performed 16 months of concert dates

by the end of its New Jersey tour.

physically, mentally, and emotionally,

the band mates were exhausted.

As a result of the final tour date in Mexico,

and with no clear plans for the future,

the members of the band simply went home.

There were few, if any goodbyes, between the band members,

they all retreated to their own projects

and showed no interest in making another album.

- I burned my guys in the band out, they were exhausted

and I just got this burst of energy at the end of the tour

and when the opportunity came up, I wrote this stuff.

It was really a one off

and it's nothing I planned to do then

or plan to do in the future but should something come up,

I would, I had a great time, you know, being a part of this,

I wished that only that I could have been involved earlier,

I got in the project so late.

It was almost done when I got involved.

I would do it again, if the opportunity was right.

I think the great thing that this band has

is the outlets that we have.

Richie makes solo records, Tico does his artwork,

I make movies, David's writing in a Broadway play.

And then we come back here.

Now that gives us four other outlets

to bring creativity home to this.

- [Narrator] Jon was disillusioned with the music business

and unhappy with the status quo.

So he sacked his management, business advisors and agents,

including longtime manager, Doc McGhee.

Jon closed ranks and formed Bon Jovi Management himself

to take on the management responsibilities.

To discuss future plans, the band traveled

to the Caribbean island of St. Thomas.

By allowing each member to talk about

his feelings without interruption,

they were able to resolve their differences.

Once their issues were resolved,

they headed back into the Vancouver Little Mountain Studios

with Bob Rock to record their fifth album.

- Work on the craft of songwriting

because that is the foundation.

And that's what gets to people, you know,

you have to be able to write a song that people,

it becomes a soundtrack to people's lives.

- [Narrator] The fifth studio album by Bon Jovi,

"Keep the Faith" marked a new chapter in the band's history

and marked a change in its sound and image.

- Write your songs, stay true to who you are.

Don't chase another fad, fashions do what's true to you.

And if, you know, if it's honest, people will find it.

- [Narrator] Instead of heavy drums and wild guitar solos,

the album introduced a more mature sound of Bon Jovi

and contained more serious lyrics.

Jon's hair attracted a lot of attention

and he made CNN headlines when he cut his hair.

The band played a few dates at the small New Jersey clubs

where they began their career to promote "Keep the Faith".

An "MTV Unplugged" episode featuring the band

was unlike any other.

Bon Jovi performed acoustic and electric versions

of classic hits, Bon Jovi and non Bon Jovi songs,

as well as new material from "Keep the Faith",

in a close up, in the round stage setting.

♪ It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not ♪

♪ We've got each other and that's a lot, for love ♪

♪ We'll give it a shot ♪

♪ Woah, we're half way there ♪

♪ Woah, livin' on a prayer ♪

♪ Take my hand, we'll make it I swear ♪

♪ Woah, livin' on a prayer ♪

- When we played acoustic

and started the unplugged craze back in the 80s,

that was just a situation where we thought that

the audience who were a bunch of our peers,

it was gonna be difficult to work that crowd, you know?

And so we thought,

well, let's just break it down to the way it all begins,

which is two acoustic guitars, barefoot,

sitting on the stage, and we did.

And the beauty of it is it was the anti production,

it was the anti big, you know,

moment that other artists were doing.

And it was the simplicity of the song that resonated.

- [Narrator] To promote the album,

Bon Jovi toured the world extensively,

visiting countries they had never been to before

and headlining stadiums

across South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

The band released their greatest hits album,

"Cross Road" in 1994.

The first single from the album

became the band's best selling single

and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six months.

A World Music Award was given to Bon Jovi

for Best Selling Rock Band.

- It's how you did it when you began,

you write a song for you

and if people love it, they'll find it.

It's really not about how many units,

you know, I mean, it really isn't.

We get to go out and play to the amounts of people

that we're accustomed to.

And you write songs that you wanna share with people.

So then what happens is out of our control,

but it is not frustrating.

- [Narrator] In the same year, Bon Jovi's bassist,

Alec John Such left the band.

The first lineup changed since the band began.

Hugh McDonald, who played bass on "Runaway",

unofficially replaced Such.

Jon said regarding the departure of Such,

"of course it hurts but I learned

"to accept it and respect it.

"The fact that I'm a workaholic, studio in studio out,

"stage on, stage off,

"wanna be dealing with music day and night,

"doesn't mean everyone else has to adjust to that pace."

- We get stronger because of the bond, you know,

it was us against the world when we started out

and then a lot of people joined the band

and came along for that ride.

And now we seem to have two generations of fans

for nearly three decades, a lot of friends.

- [Narrator] During the band's European tour,

their six studio album, "These Days" was released.

The song debuted at number one in the UK

and remained there for four consecutive weeks.

In the same year, the band won the Brit Award

for Best International Band

and the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Rock Group.

The band's "These Days" tour sold out three nights

at London's historic Wembley Stadium.

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ You gotta raise your hands ♪

♪ When you want to let it go ♪

♪ Raise your hands ♪

♪ When you want to let a feeling show ♪

♪ Raise your hands ♪

♪ From New York to Chicago ♪

♪ Raise your hands ♪

♪ From New Jersey to Tokyo ♪

♪ Raise your hands ♪

- [Narrator] In the wake of "These Days" tours

overwhelming success, the members of the band separated.

However, unlike the period, following the "New Jersey" tour

tainted with uncertainty,

this break was a decision made consciously by the group.

The members of Bon Jovi agreed to take

a two year break from the band.

Bon Jovi reunited in 1999 to record the song "Real Life"

for the movie "EDtv".

- I think that movie people are opening up

more and more to music, and it's not the stepchild anymore,

you know and when, when we did it, I felt that it was,

it was just starting to open up.

You know, what is it, four years later

it's changed quite a bit.

- [Woman] Yeah and sometimes the movie soundtracks

actually sell more than like the movies do

theatrical instead. - Yeah, they do, they do.

It's good to see that the two melding,

record companies are getting wise to it

and movie companies are getting wise to,

it's about the time they got it together.

- [Woman] Yeah and some of the bigger labels might start,

you know, really getting in there with like

the Sony and the-- - They are, they are.

They are. - [Woman] Turning more,

is it bigger possibilities then for you do you think?

- I'm doing more and more music for movies, yeah, yeah.

It's fun to do.

- [Narrator] Following a nearly four year hiatus

during which several of the band members

pursued independent projects,

Bon Jovi regrouped to begin work on their next studio album.

The band's seventh studio album "Crush"

was sort of a comeback.

He's been happily married to Dorothea Hurley

since the beginning of his career.

Despite the appearance of his music

suggesting a bed jumping rocker lifestyle.

They run a chain of restaurants called JBJ Soul Kitchen,

where customers prepurchase food for homeless people

as a way to pay it forward.

While the two met in high school

and started dating in the early 80s,

they waited to get married

because Jon's rock and roll career was on the rise.

And it likely would've been too complicated

to tie the knot at the same time.

Jon married Dorothea, his high school sweetheart,

at Graceland Wedding Chapel in 1989.

Together they have four children, are a happy family

and Jon's rock and roll life hasn't torn them apart,

which is quite the achievement

when compared to the romances of other rock band members

who rose to stardom in the 1980s and 1990s.

- Look, when you hear that 300,000 people in New York City

are gonna be coming for a meal at a food bank

in the five boroughs,

this is New York City, this is America,

it's 2009 it's unacceptable.

And my foundation has been involved in

building affordable housing for five years now.

And we've provided housing to 140 families

as well as veterans home in Philadelphia

and the women's shelter over the Christmas holiday season,

we just built we're in the process of building

a 50 unit building in Newark.

To me, that's the satisfaction, you know,

putting a roof over a family's head,

helping them with job training and service providing.

Then when you see it's compounded

in these tough economic times, that people are going hungry,

this is the opportunity for us

to shine our light on America,

'cause people wanna to help,

said they sometimes just don't know how or who.

- [Narrator] Sambora was married to actress Heather Locklear

with whom he has a daughter.

They were married in 1994 but divorced in 2007

due to irreconcilable differences.

In the years following their highly publicized divorce,

Locklear struggled with personal issues,

but Sambora has continued to support his ex-wife

and mother of his daughter.

Sambora has a history of high profile relationships,

including Cher, Denise Richards, Nikki Lund

and a recent relationship with fellow guitarist Orianthi.

Along with recording as a solo artist

after leaving the band,

Sambora also released a collaboration with fashion designer,

Nikki Lund called White Trash Beautiful.

In 1983, shortly after Bon Jovi was formed,

Torres and his first wife divorced.

In 1996, Torres married Czech-born model Eva Herzigova

in front of their closest friends and family,

including members of Torres' band,

who serenaded the happy couple

through their dance with the hit single "Always".

They divorced two years later.

In 2001, Torres married his third wife, Maria Alejandra

and they have a son together.

Known as the "Hitman", Torres has also discovered

another talent, painting.

He has exhibited his work since 1994.

His first exhibition took place

at the Ambassador Galleries in New York.

A self-taught painter, Torres creates expressive pictures

that depict scenes from everyday life

and his life with the band.

In 1990, Bryan married his high school sweetheart,

April McLean, but they divorced in 2004.

The couple has three children together.

He later married Lexi Quaas in 2010.

He has also collaborated with Joe DiPietro

on a number of musicals, including "Memphis"

for which he won the Tony Award for Best Original Score.

"The Toxic Avenger", "Chasing the Song"

and the most recent "Diana".

- We always thought that it was most important

to be a songwriter, you know, to write songs

and especially writing a song it's going to be there

for the ages you know,

you write those kind of songs that generations sing,

it's the greatest gift there is.

(rock music)

And in a strange way,

I don't think we've achieved our highest moment yet.

You know, just to be able to do it at this level

is fantastic and every step along the way,

believe me, we thought that was the big time, you know,

getting a record deal to "Slippery When Wet",

to "Keep the Faith" to the resurgence with "Crush",

you know, to being here today.

Every time you, you know, you do another project,

it seems to take you to another level

and I don't think there is any end in sight.

- [Narrator] In addition to becoming

a symbol of the band's longevity,

as they overcame many changes in the mainstream rock scene

with great success,

their single "It's My Life" was one of the group's

most successful releases in a decade,

as well as introducing the band to a new younger fan base.

♪ It's my life ♪

♪ It's now or never ♪

♪ I ain't gonna live forever ♪

♪ I just want to live while I'm alive ♪

♪ It's my life ♪

♪ My heart is like an open highway ♪

♪ Like Frankie said, I did it my way ♪

♪ I just want to live while I'm alive ♪

- When you take the, the CD package home

from a retail outlet,

if you put it up on your wall, not only will the app work,

but we're gonna update that,

living, breathing piece of paper

every night throughout the course of the tour.

So actually for me, as a fan,

I'd rather have the CD jacket sitting on that wall.

I think it just,

it makes it that much more engaging for,

the younger fan who isn't as old as I am

that used to hold that album cover.

You know, when that mattered,

when the "Sticky Fingers" album cover or, you know,

the gate folds and those kinds of things,

you know, so it's to reengage artwork again.

(peaceful music)

- [Narrator] Bon Jovi played two sold out concerts

at London's Wembley Stadium before it was demolished.

During their tour,

the band released an album of live performances

from throughout their career entitled "One Wild Night Live".

Those songs were selected from Bon Jovi's

archive of recorded material from their earliest days

on the road, right up to their current tour.

The band expected a brief vacation

before beginning work on the eighth studio album.

But the world changed on September 11th, 2001.

Both Jon and Sambora recorded

"America the Beautiful" for the NFL, as well as filming

public service announcements for the Red Cross.

They also participated in the historic benefit concert,

Monmouth County Alliance for Neighbors concerts

in Red Bank, New Jersey one month later,

to raise money for families living

close to the band's hometowns,

they were affected by the World Trade Center disaster.

In addition to performing at Madison Square Garden,

Bon Jovi also raised relief funds and paid tribute

to those who worked to save lives during the attack.

Their eighth studio album "Bounce"

was influenced by the terrorist attacks.

- So a lot of these stories I think were born

and these babies were kind of pushed out

of the things that are happening,

actually in the world, you know,

and as you become a grown up songwriter,

I think you're almost, you know,

you're gonna write about that kind of stuff

and that's what's gonna come out.

But for us, it's in a very, very human way.

It's in a very personal way.

How, maybe, you know, that couple that's next door to you,

how are they feeling about it?

Or the people that come to see you in concert,

you kind of put yourself in that kind of position

and you kind of be, write from a place of the observer.

- [Narrator] A duet version of their single,

"Who Says You Can't Go Home"

included on the band's ninth studio album, "Have A Nice Day"

was recorded with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland.

This version top the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart,

making Bon Jovi, the first rock group to reach number one.

♪ Who says you can't go home ♪

♪ There's only one place they call me one of their own ♪

♪ Just a hometown boy born a rolling stone ♪

♪ Who says you can't go home? ♪

♪ Who says you can't go back? ♪

♪ Been all around the world and as a matter of fact ♪

♪ There's only one place left I wanna go ♪

♪ Who says you can't go home? ♪

- [Narrator] Following the release of the album,

the band went on a worldwide tour.

Over 2 million people attended the tour,

which was a significant commercial success.

The tour ranked third behind The Rolling Stones'

A Bigger Bang World Tour and Madonna's Confessions tour

Bon Jovi was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame

in 2006, alongside James Brown and Led Zeppelin.

- You know what, if you're smart every day is a memory.

There are things you just gotta see 'em flying by, you know,

it's being a songwriter, it's the closest thing

to immortality that we're ever gonna see.

- You know, I've never felt a competition.

I guess, as even as an artist,

I think I've never really felt a competition

with anybody else, I think that,

we're running our own race, interestingly enough.

I think if you, it's almost like you're being,

if you get into that competition race with somebody else,

you're not really being yourself.

You're kind of like,

you're kind of drifting into their lane a little bit,

you know what I mean?

So, I mean, all you can do is really the best you can do.

So if you look at, I mean, personally,

that's the way I've always looked at it,

if you're doing it that way.

And then, you know,

if somebody jumps ahead of you in that particular race,

well, they do and then a year later,

you're ahead of, you know, it's just,

you know, it's about how people are,

how the songs are affecting people

and that's what's going on, so I, you know.

- [Narrator] Following the success

of their previous singles version with Jennifer Nettles,

Bon Jovi's tenth studio album "Lost Highway"

combined the rock sound with country music,

Bon Jovi performed 10 promotional concerts

in the US, Canada, the UK and Japan

as part of their album promotion.

The band was the first to perform

at the new O2 Arena in London when it opened in 2007.

- We opened up this building, which was a big honor.

We have a habit of doing that.

We just opened up the new Meadowland Stadium in New Jersey.

We sold our four nights there, which is great.

We closed Wembley and we've had a habit

of doing these kind of things, which is,

which is kind of like a statement but we,

I think it's enjoyable because it becomes

folklore, culture, history, things like that.

And what we did on a roof today

was kind of like the same thing.

You know, we like to make statements like that.

And I think people remember things like that

so it makes it just kind of cool.

- [Woman] Most bands would just put up posters,

maybe take out a few adverts to say

they were coming to town, not Bon Jovi.

- [Woman] Kicking off their 12 night residency

at the O2 tonight, this was not so much a performance

as a statement of intent.

♪ Shot through the heart ♪

♪ And you're to blame ♪

♪ You give love a bad name ♪

- You know, people have always said about Bon Jovi,

we'll play anywhere and if, you know,

if you don't have electricity, don't worry,

we'll bring our own.

Case in point the roof of the O2.

So we wanted to do something fun,

something different and get a good view from the top.

Well, we spent a month in London

just doing the O2 this past summer,

with the knowledge that we'd be back at, you know,

in the summertime this year to go back outdoors.

So we had a grand old time staying there for a month

and having everybody come to us

instead of us having to go to everybody, which is.

- A novel idea. - I like that.

- At lot less packing.

- So, you know I think this summer's tour

is gonna be fantastic.

- [Narrator] Described by Jon

as a Bon Jovi album with Nashville influences,

the album contained another collaboration,

"Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore"

featuring LeAnn Rimes and was nominated for the

Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Event of the Year.

- I think that we let some of the influences

from of those other songs in, you know,

and I think that's okay

because it's just,

it's like if you're looking at a song like

"Livin' on a Prayer" it's Tommy and Gina growing up,

you know, using those two characters

that we put in that particular song, you know,

how they grew up through the years

of making records now for 30,

the 30 years that we've been together

and Jon and I have been writing songs together.

I think that for me,

it never bothered me that we used another set of characters

that almost resembled a bit of them.

- [Narrator] In 2009, Phil Griffin's documentary

"When We Were Beautiful" premiered

at the Tribeca Film Festival,

chronically Bon Jovi's ups and downs over the past 25 years,

as well as following the band on a recent tour.

The same year, Jon and Sambora

were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

(crowd cheering)

- I don't think we put any pressure on ourselves

in those situations you know,

that'd be the last thing you'd want to do.

We were given this wonderful accolade

and we said, okay, let's make it special.

Let's invite everybody to a bar the night before

and play for a while, you know,

just in a party atmosphere.

So I hope you're all coming

but then tomorrow is just,

a means to the way back, you know,

west we're heading back home.

So tonight's more of the celebration and the party.

Tomorrow is look good for the cameras,

hope they don't unplug the monitors

and then, you know, journey on.

I don't think you can put that kind of pressure on yourself.

- Yeah, it's never a pressure,

it's a pleasure to play, it's fun.

- [Narrator] After their Nashville influenced album,

the band released their 11th studio album, "The Circle",

which returned to rock and roll.

The Circle tour saw Bon Jovi head out on the road again.

In New Jersey, the band made history by performing

the first show in the brand new Meadowland Stadium.

- I'm on the road now,

we're finishing our residency here

at the O2 on Saturday evening.

This is probably, we're somewhere in the show,

number 52 or 53 of our tour at this point,

we're looking at probably 150 shows.

So I have another a hundred shows left

in 30 countries, all over the world.

There'll be a new greatest sets package coming out

with five new songs for Christmas.

And we'll be back in Europe for the summer of 2011,

I think we have 40 stadiums that are booked right now,

and I'm sure that'll grow.

So, you know, for me, the music side is pretty busy.

♪ Whoa, there's nowhere to run ♪

♪ No one can save me ♪

♪ The damage is done ♪

♪ Shot through the heart ♪

♪ And you're to blame ♪

♪ You give love a bad name ♪

♪ I play my part and you play your game ♪

♪ You give love a bad name ♪

♪ You give love ♪

- I think that, you know,

you have to increasingly,

the way the music business is changing

on such a quick pace and, you know,

speaking about it from my terms,

it's impossible to know the impact of your record.

You know, you cannot, it's not by sales anymore.

You know what I mean?

What is it, how many people hear it?

Is it three times, is it six times, is it 12 times?

Who knows?

There's no way, there's no way to have that data

to actually know how much you're impacting.

You know, I think that, you know,

doing the interactive thing that we've done with this record

and the app,

in a way we've tried to trick people into nostalgia

to actually get the physical copy of the record

because it's gonna change every show that we're on the road,

there's gonna be some new thing

that's gonna be coming out of that,

which I just thought was a brilliant idea.

And it wasn't mine, (chuckling) unfortunately, rats, but,

you know, I think that's for me,

you know, I'd love having that album cover,

I couldn't wait to get it and see what the credits were

and who produced it and who played what

and what happened here and what happened there.

And maybe this'll put people into that mode again, you know,

but that's our generation, you know,

particularly I think, and maybe maybe one behind us

or hopefully two behind us.

But now, I mean, you know, speaking about my daughter,

who's 15 and a half years old,

the whole album experience is almost gone.

It's all a playlist of cherry picking songs that she likes

off a specific artist's record.

Not that that it's wrong or right,

it's just the way how the business has now shifted.

You know, and you know,

I mean, album to me,

an album is a whole work of art,

in a way, for a musician.

And, you know, that's the only way I know how to do it.

I have to surround the concept of what I was trying to do.

You know, my last sola album,

I made it a very specific, I do,

I did a whole limited edition run with,

the whole record on vinyl, obviously.

- [Narrator] In early 2012, Jon announced that the band

was working on a 12th studio album

and in a live performance,

Jon played an acoustic version

of one of the songs that would appear on the album.

(upbeat rock music)

The new concert album by Bon Jovi called "Inside Out"

featured content from previous tours.

The album was screened at movie theaters,

along with the question and answer session

with the band members.

- We have performed in snow, rain, dire heat.

- [Man] Every extreme that there is.

- Bon Jovi has brought rain to deserts. (laughing)

The elements are of no concern here, you know.

- [Man] It will be glorious no matter what.

- Actually it was a partnership

with Interactive from Washington DC,

and it was done, and I was drawn to it

because I think that the internet and everything goes on,

you want to pass on knowledge.

That's what it's about.

Also, if you're a Bon Jovi fan or Richie Sambora fan,

definitely let you into the life of who I am.

You can access videos from Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora also,

you know, private photos and things like that.

So it's quite informative.

- [Narrator] By 2013, Sambora departed

the band's ongoing tour for unspecified reasons.

Sessions guitarist, Phil X filled in.

Phil X, previously replaced Sambora for several 2011 dates,

despite rumors that Sambora had been fired,

Phil X stayed on for the remainder of the tour.

Both Sambora and Jon later denied the claim.

- I have just come from doing my solo album.

I was just here in London, you know,

right before the end of the year doing my solo tour.

It's interesting, 'cause it seems like I haven't stopped.

So my chops are up,

at the end of the last Bon Jovi tour,

you know, 18 months, 52 countries,

I took two weeks off and I started writing my solo album,

"Aftermath of the Lowdown" and recorded that,

and somewhere in the middle of that,

Jon and I started to write

and somewhere I found a place to actually record that record

and also do a solo tour,

which brought me up to speed right about over here.

- Jon told a reporter that Sambora

had officially left the band

and that the band was nearing the end of writing songs

for their next studio album.

Their first, without Sambora.

♪ You smile is what you sell ♪

♪ You promise me heaven, then put me through hell ♪

♪ Chains of love got a hold on me ♪

♪ When passion's a prison, you can't break free ♪

♪ Oh, you're a loaded gun, yeah ♪

♪ Whoa, there's nowhere to run ♪

♪ No one can save me, the damage is done ♪

♪ Shot through the heart and you're to blame ♪

♪ You give love a bad name ♪

♪ I play my part and you play your game ♪

♪ You give love a bad name ♪

♪ You give love, a bad name ♪

- [Narrator] Bon Jovi released twin lead singles

for the compilation album "Burning Bridges" in 2015.

According to Jon,

the album served as a fan record

to tie in with an accompanying international tour.

Bon Jovi's consultant said the band plans

to release a new studio album and go on tour in 2016.

Hugh McDonald and Phil X

were also promoted to full-time band members

as a result of the albums lead single,

"This House Is Not For Sale" featuring a music video.

♪ No time for lookin' back, the wolf is at the door ♪

♪ This heart, this soul, this house is not for sale ♪

♪ I set each stone and I hammered each nail ♪

♪ This house is not for sale ♪

♪ Where memories live and the dream don't fail ♪

♪ This house is not for sale ♪

♪ Coming home, I'm coming home ♪

- [Narrator] The studio albums of Bon Jovi,

spanning their 32 year career

have been remastered for vinyl release by Island Records

and Universal Music Enterprises.

- You know, when you start as a musician,

you don't really look for,

I can't see in the future and we never have to just say,

let's just play and play today.

You know, if we're healthy and we're out there,

you do it, it's fun.

- [Narrator] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

announced in 2017 that Bon Jovi would be inducted in 2018

after winning the final ballot with over 1.1 million votes.

At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony,

Jon invited Sambora and Such to appear with the band.

- [Jon] That's pretty great, you know, I mean,

it goes to show you that stick around long enough

and you know, I just feel great, we work very hard.

We realize that songs are really what it's all about.

And for us, it's that simple.

It's just writing songs that are now part of the patchwork

of American pop culture.

("You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi)

- I think the reason that we're still around is that,

you know, your, our audience grows with us.

So, and we're writing about them essentially.

I mean, that's as a songwriter, you know,

I think the essence of songwriting is communication.

You're trying to communicate or you're trying to reach out

and find some common ground

with who's listening to the song

and if they get it,

then it becomes the fabric

and the soundtrack to their lives, which for me,

many songs and many artists become the soundtrack

of my life and today it still continues,

it never stops, hopefully.

You know, if you're a music lover

and an avid music listener,

you're always gonna get hit in the heart by someone,

man, I feel like that, or that feels like me,

you know, that's kind of thing.

So when an artist been a songwriter

and an artist to be able to hit that kind of plateau,

it's a fantastic thing, it's a privilege really.

- [Narrator] In 2019, Jon announced on social media

that the band planned to begin recording

its 15th studio album.

However, it was postponed

along with many other artists projects

because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

A tour is scheduled for April 2022.

It's hard to imagine a world without Jon Bon Jovi's music.

He formed his band over 40 years ago

and quickly took the world by storm.

- Nearly three decades, it's two generations of fans.

It's these hundred plus millions of albums sold with,

it's beyond our wildest dreams.

But if it's a dream, don't wake me.

You know, it's very, very grateful.

- [Narrator] One of the most successful

American rock bands of all time,

the band sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

- You know, if you didn't really have the gratitude

for that situation, you know,

you get to do what you love to do for a living

and have people receive you with all that love.

(upbeat rock music)

- You know, when you start as a musician,

you don't really look forward,

I can't see in the future and we never have to just say,

let's just play and play today.

You know, if we're healthy and we're out there, you do it.

It's fun, let's believe, that's about it.

(upbeat rock music)