Raise your hands, Slackers!

After being prompted by a listener to check out Thank you, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, this week I give my thoughts on this legendary band and try to answer the question, “were they a hair band or just lumped in with them”?

This is actually a really good question, and to be honest, it’s hard to ignore the time in which they broke through, the sound of albums like Slippery When Wet and New Jersey, and the bands they toured with, when making that assessment. I think a case can be made that they were a hair band, but they didn’t stay a hair band.

While some bands tried to radically change their sound and image, Bon Jovi managed to shift ever so slightly within the framework of their existing catalog and sound. These subtle shifts kept fans interested, maintained the band’s integrity, and allowed for them to continue producing platinum albums, with massive tours.

There are only a few bona fide stadium level acts these days, and by sheer hard work and determination, Bon Jovi has remained one of the top tier rock acts for over 30 years. Not bad for a “hair band” out of New Jersey!