Reviews (page 3 of 9)
-1 point for that one moaning intro
Cant really be bothered with Livin' on a Prayer these days just because I've heard it so many times, but there are still some cracking tracks on this.
Really difficult to be completely objective about reviewing this because I know it so well from my youth. Hell, I can even sing along with the freaking guitar solos on the singles. For the fact that I was instantly transported back to my teens and, let's face it, the singles from this album are pure cheesy pop rock classics without a doubt, then it deserves a good score. I'd say 5 but most of the other tracks haven't aged that well. Maybe through lack of exposure, who knows. But ill take a point off for those. That's all. Cos let's face it. YGLABN WDOL and LOAP are certified cheesy bangers.
One of the biggest albums of the 80’s and the birth of stadium rock bands - is it cheesy yes but it also takes me back to being a teenager so its mark is purely based on nostalgia.
Bon Jobi. A good rock band. Solid rock. Great album.
Listening to this instantly brought me back to driving in the car with my dad while "Livin' on a prayer" is playing on the radio.. so fun
very well polished arena rock, headlined by quite good vocals. any individual song is high energy and fairly interesting, but the whole album is basically variations on the same fundamental plan. it's a pretty decent plan, though.
Listened Before? Y AWWWW Yeah! This was the literal first tape I ever owned. As far as hair metal goes, this is a pretty good overall represenation of the genre. JBJ has a good voice, and the lyrics are not over the top like some bands who jumped the shark at this time. Really solid record. Even the deep cuts are pretty good. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Social Disease
Ja sorry. Dit is de meest standaard witte boomer rock allertijden. Maar toch... Toch vind ik dit gewoon fun. Je ruikt gewoon bijna de haarlak. Het is Hair Metal in optima forma. Maar iedereen die dit kut vind liegt of ontkent dat Livin on a prayer VEEEEEEL te hard gaat bij karaoke. Dit is zo over the top, dat eigenlijk het eerste waar ik aan moest denken Meatloaf was. Dat gaf ik 4 sterren, dus dan dit ook? Kijk, ik kan lullen over dat het instrumentaal goed in elkaar zit. De solo's zijn lekker, bijvoorbeeld die piano solo op Wild In the streets. Ik kan zeggen dat de zang goed is, maar dan zou ik wel een beetje liegen. Ballads moeten ze echt niet doen, Never say goodbye is zó slecht, dat ik er bijna 3 sterren van maakte. Maar ja, dit album is gewoon fun. Mag soms ook wel eens, niet alles hoeft progrock's God's gift to this green Earth te zijn. Er is een tijd en een plek voor Bon Jovi, en die tijd en plek is de Casablance rond een uur of 3 's nachts met net ff te veel bier in je mik. Zuig het, we draaien nog een keer Livin on a prayer, laat de hele kroeg meebleren! FAVO: You give love a bad name, Livin on a prayer, Raise your hands, Wild in the streets
"Livin' on a Prayer," "Wanted Dead or Alive," and "You Give Love a Bad Name" (the first song I ever sang to the woman who has now been my wife for nearly 39 years!) are absolutely all-time bangers. But this is also the album that steered the direction of heavy metal toward its hair band phase of the late 80s. I almost feel like I could rate this album a 5 on the strength of the above-mentioned songs alone. But there are SEVEN more songs here keeping this solidly OUT of consideration as an al-time great.
Classics
classic
i feel like i shouldn't like this as much as i do
Energy, energy, energy. Probably one of the most testosterone-heavy hair metal albums out there. Everyone knows the hit songs that are overplayed, but there are a surprising number of hidden gems on this album as well. Very enjoyable overall, if a little too cliche for my taste. Top tracks: Let It Rock, Livin' on a Prayer, Wild in the Streets
The baby I babysit for loves Bon Jovi. They have a Bon Jovi cd and hes always putting it in the boom box so I feel like theres positive association from that. Fun enough energy but I dont think id really listen to any of these songs on my own, I think they are a bit boring. Also, Ive been locking in for finals and im now listening to more albums; realizing I haven't done an ounce of work this year and thats prolly why im so behind on albums. oops. 3/5 but plus one for baby Leo
A classic hair metal album. Suprised how I enjoyed some of the deep tracks. Rating: 7.5/10 Favorite Song: Wanted Dead or Alive
A whole star just for Livin' On A Prayer
Fun singles, not the best of the genere, but I'd agree on the placement in the list
Aunque este estilo de rock no es lo que suelo escuchar, me pareció un disco excelente. Está lleno de temazos que enganchan rapidísimo gracias a los riffs de guitarra, los sintetizadores y la fuerza enorme de las voces en los estribillos. Canciones como Livin' on a Prayer y You Give Love a Bad Name ya las tenía agregadas de antes; acá se lucen un montón marcando el ritmo general del álbum con unas armonías vocales súper pegadizas. Termina siendo un trabajo redondo que disfruté muchísimo.
It's hard not to enjoy something when you've heard so many of the songs before- this album is definitely one of the more iconic albums, and I enjoyed all of the songs that I'm not too familiar with. I shouldn't have put off listening to this as much as I did.
Starting the first track with an organ is a power move I can respect. It's hard not give this a high score when there are so many bangers on it, however I must caveat this rating with the acknowledgement that outside the undeniable hits the lyrics are unimaginative and instrumentation very similar. But it's Bon Jovi so whatever
Album was a bit mixed. However the first half was very good so drags this up to a 4 just about.
The bangers here make up for some of the drearier tracks
Full of classics even if I’m not a huge Bon Jovi guy
Me parece un álbum muy rock metal, en algunas canciones me recuerda a rainbow
The childhood memories flood back with this one. Some of the songs are best left in the 80s, but most are still bangers.
Can't hate it. It's super cheesy but it's so damn catchy.
9 year old me rocked the fuck out to this album and I carry a modest amount of shame about that. It’s reassuring at least to know those whammy bar skills still deliver. Fun fact: “Raise your hands” played in Spaceballs when Barf was eating in the Winnebago.
Imagine if Geese were even 10 percent this awesome
Late 60s rock. Legendary album. Debut. Established new guitar style. Super long album.
really coool, the song Livin' On A Prayer went viral on tt previously
me vuelve loca este album
Did air drums to this too many times to give it 3 stars, second half trails off but dead or alive is great
Queen may have popularized [[glam rock]] but Bon Jovi definitely added on to it. "Slippery When Wet" combines heavier guitar sounds with catchy refrains. Songs like "Livin On A Prayer", "Wanted Dead Or Alive", and "You Give Love A Bad Name", you can listen to these songs and instantly think of how loud an arena would be when everyone shouts those songs in unison.
People that don't enjoy this should really just let their hair down and pull down the windows and enjoy this cheesy glam rock album. There really are some great hits in this album, and some album tracks that you almost want to roll your eyes at, but this is the 80s at its peak.
My guy solid AF album it' like a 4.5 not a solid 5. Raining out now so we're going with a 4
Terrific guitar work and vocals. Some cheesy songwriting prevents the 5th star.
This style of 80s rock not my favorite but this album feels like the archetype with a bunch of classics in a row
I hate to say so, and call me basic if you like, but I've actually enjoyed so much listening to this album. Maybe this album (or Bon Jovi in general) is one of the reasons why metal started to become poppier and ultramainstream, and it's full of generic, basic, cliché and pretty predictable songs. But it's truly a lot of fun, and it flows pretty well. The songs never become too cloying, and it's a very well (over)produced album. Yes, of course it's made for the hits... But, call it a guilty pleasure, this album has very nice songs, and it sounds so good. Also, they have a very distinctive sound, which is not always something easy. Of course it's because of the stadium focus of this music, but it's part of the band's personality too. And... well, I've liked it. What else can I say?
It's incredibly uncool to admit that I kind of love this. It's unbelievably cheesy, over the top, and embarrassing. But it's also just infectiously fun, isn't it? Look, I grew up with this music. I felt the bitter shame when my dad would blast this album throughout the house as I was kid. Such incredibly ridiculous music, I hoped my friends wouldn't hear it. But now, as an adult, I kind of get it. At a certain point, you get older and stop caring so much about what other people think. Life is too short to resist what is obviously great (albeit also kind of dumb) feel good music. It's freeing to admit liking this and finally abandoning any attempt to be cool. It's not worth it. Sorry I made fun of this one, Dad.
Most of these songs haunt my dreams from overexposure. I'll still give 4 stars bc if songs live rent free in my subconscious mind, there is something undeniably special about their songwriting and performance.
Loud, silly, cheesy - and fun!
Classic!! 4.5
Very nice rock album
Boy am I sick of "Living on a Prayer" but I'd be an idiot to deny that this album was one of the most groundbreaking works of music to come out of the 80s, and therefore rightfully belongs on this list. This album pretty much encapsulates hair metal as a sound & genre. It's loud, dumb fun. While not meant to be taken *too* seriously, Bon Jovi and the full band are all solid musicians, and the finished product (while dated in some areas) is quite satisfying.
The non-singles were better than I was anticipating.
Banger, Banger noch ein Banger. Rest auch okay!
You know what, it’s got a good flow and a lot of bangers 🤘
3.5 rounded up for all the hits!
I enjoyed this
Brilliant 80/90s soft rock with standouts. Love it
Ok, it's dated. The production isn't the best, the sound feels somehow flat. Their hits still work, and the rest of the album is not far behind, if you're just looking for some fun.
Þetta er kjánalegt en fílaða. Jon er fínn náungi með hjartað á réttum stað. Þetta rokk er auðvitað ekkert svakalega menningarlegt en það má alveg dilla sér við þetta.
+You Give Love A Bad Name +Livin' On A Prayer +Wanted Dead Or Alive +Never Say Goodbye
I was pondering on this one for a while. On ome hand I used to like this much more then I was a kid and it has few legendary tracks. On the other hand, I don't really listen to them anymore. Still Wanted dead or alive holds up to me to this day and album has a few very good album tracks so all in all, considering 4 stars.
Standouts Let it Rock You Give Love a Bad Name Livin' on a Prayer Wanted Dead or Alive
Absolute Classic.
Coldplay left me well, cold
Always thought of Bon Jovi as the sound of 80s rock, but never thought of him as a crossover artist combining hair metal and pop. Kinda fun.
Ålreit, så får jeg stå fram som Bon Jovi-fan. Har alltid likt både SWW og New Jersey. Lenge før jeg oppdaga Bob Dylan og Beatles var det metal og hardrock fra 80-tallet som gjaldt for meg. Mye pga foreldrene mine, og sikkert litt pga V-Rock i Vice City også ("Let It Rock" burde 100 prosent vært med) Men ja, Bon Jovi er harry, men faen som de kan skrive låter! Jeg vil nesten kalle de gruppemedlemmene som har gitt plata 1 for feige, som ikke kan anerkjenne the might of "You Give Love A Bad Name" og "Livin' On A Prayer". For å være fair så er det ikke alle låtene som har blitt tidløse klassikere og har tålt tidens tann. "Social Disease" virker veldig utdatert pga den rævva blåsersynthen feks. "Raise Your Hands" er litt i grenseland pga sin synth, men fortsatt en bop. En låt hvor 80-tallssynthen fremdeles funker er "I'd Die For You" Ja, også vrir det seg litt når de synger "I'm a cowboy" på "Wanted Dead or Alive", men låta i seg selv er fet (Shoutout til Richie Sambora). Slippery When Wet gir meg lyst til å ta lappen. Det er kjørerock. Eventuelt GTA-rock, om det får være en egen sjanger. Hadde jeg vurdert plata i 1986 hadde den sikkert fått full score fra meg, og jeg hadde ønsket meg "Never Say Goodbye" som klinelåt på skoleballet. Men som nevnt har den fått noe wear gjennom årene. Men fortsatt et godt bidrag til glam/hair metal som sjanger.
Kinda mad that I liked this so much but honestly great time
Livin on a prayer!
There's a reason this album rules karaoke nights. Even if these songs sound dated they have a charm to them and mostly well written. Frankly, they're also well performed.
we so back
Actually surprised by this. Not a bad album at all. Truly a 3.5 but bumping it up to 4 as it is higher than most 3 albums I’ve reviewed.
Contrary to popular critical opinion, Bon Jovi—and 'Slippery When Wet' in particular—was never truly a heavy metal band. At most, they fall under hard rock, more commonly filed into the glam metal or arena rock subgenre. That distinction matters, because in their earliest incarnation Bon Jovi was arguably one of the most popular and radio-friendly rock bands of the latter half of the 1980s. It was nearly impossible to go anywhere in 1986 or 1987 without hearing one of their three massive hits—“You Give Love a Bad Name,” “Livin’ on a Prayer,” or “Wanted Dead or Alive”—whether it was on Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 or in relentless rotation on MTV. This album is deeply nostalgic for me, which makes it difficult to listen with a completely critical ear nearly forty years later. Oddly enough, my first instinct when revisiting it is always that the opening track feels wrong—but that’s purely a quirk of memory. The kid up the street who first played the record for me put on Side B instead of Side A, so in my mind the album has always opened with “Raise Your Hands” (yes, the same song that introduces Barf and Lone Star in Spaceballs) rather than “Let It Rock.” I may have forgotten that kid’s name decades ago, but that sequencing error is permanently burned into my brain. Reevaluated today, 'Slippery When Wet' easily earns a 4.5 out of 5. It probably never quite reaches a perfect score, largely because the album burns through its three biggest singles in the first half, which causes a noticeable dip in momentum. Even so, it remains an incredible record and unquestionably deserves its place on the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list.
Goeie powerrock maken is een kunst en Jon Bon en z'n vriendjes zitten erop. Dikke gitaren, over-de-top romantische ontboezemingen, snoeiharde drums en bam. Het betere werk, kortom.
It’s an iconic hard rock/metal album. I love it so much and listened to it twice today. This is the only Bon Jovi album on the list and I wish there were more. It’s an easy listen — kind of pop metal and very accessible, though not everyone enjoys it, and that's fine. I was shocked while reading reviews because there are so many snobby reviews with low ratings. Some people call it outdated or annoying, but I think it’s just a chill, fun and classic album. 4/5 ———————————— Liked songs: — You Give Love A Bad Name — Livin’ On A Prayer — Wanted Dead Or Alive
There’s a dude on here who’s favorite album is Kid A and he submitted a fucking Bjork album and went on this diatribe about how special he is for not liking this album and I’ve never wanted to give a person a swirlie more. What a fucking nerd. I’m not gonna pretend this is a perfect album. But it is fucking good. It’s catchy. It’s FUN! You’re allowed to have FUN YOU FUCKS.
Very good Album’s best : Let it Rock
An enjoyable album if you don't take it too seriously. Cheesy lyrics, big choruses, guitar solos and relentless horniness - it's not ground-breaking but can't deny Bon Jovi are fun
A quintessential 80's album that screams of an open window road trip. Some of his greatest hits on here
Great listen. So many hits and just makes you wanna sing along.
I was never much of a fan, but they're fun (honestly, who doesn't like to rock out to Living on a Prayer???) and they definitely popularized pop hair metal, so they get a solid 4 for influence.
This album (or at least the hits) lifted my spirits in 1986 and it still makes me smile. A few thoughts: 1. They have hair, but this is not metal; it's pop rock. There was plenty of hard rock/metal out there in the 80s, but it had the disadvantage of alienating half the population. Bon Jovi's great contribution was to make rock music that was appealing to girls. 2. Don't blame Jon and Richie if you don't like the songs, blame Desmond Child. 3. If you are inclined to knock off a point when the artist is an asshole (Clapton, Morrissey, Kid Rock, et al) you could consider that JBJ is a living saint. Unlike certain other NJ denizens who talk a big game but don't do anything, Jon and Dorothea are out there building housing and feeding people. All in all that's a 4. I know I'm in the minority among civilized people.
Not a fan of Bon Jovi, but hard to deny how much staying power this album has. So many hits.
Yeah!
Éste último tiempo he tenido una escucha errática de los discos del reto pero acá estamos. Firmes. Como los pelos de Jon Bon Jovi. Álbum completamente hitero. Marida muy bien con un paseo en bici en una mañana de verano y levanta cualquier reunión. Hasta mañana y gracias
This album just felt like the 80s in a really good way, I enjoyed every song and it just felt really polished. I recognized so many of these songs so I think it was just a nostalgic experience all around. 4/5, idk if I’d recommend it to people tho
Great album. Nothing more to really say.
Minus one for cringe from Social Disease, but this is still one of the great albums of the 80s.
****An good album, fun and high energy
Much respect for a big sound that can their guitar talk.
I didn't think I cared about Bon Jovi but I guess he's pretty good because several of the songs on this album are sing-along good.
Icon of the genre. Plays like an arena anthem karaoke greatest hits
This album had all the hits. Bon Jovi songs may be a bit cheesy and anthemy but they're just too good not to love.
First, the Black Album and now Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet. It’s almost the two extremes of hard rock in that era, and I was way into both albums. Slippery When Wet, I had on cassette because CDs weren’t the big thing yet. Plus, they were super expensive. Slippery When Wet was about 3 years before I began to transition over to CDs, but I digress. Bon Jovi became a huge monster at this time because of this album, and it was only their second album. They would go on to become even bigger. I'm listening to this album for the first time in probably 35 years, and I can hear why I was way into it back in middle school. And, as a 51-year-old man, I can look back at my 12-year-old self and say, “What an idiot," well, kind of. Slippery When Wet came out in 1986, and the first single was You Give Love a Bad Name. It was undeniable, and I bought the album almost immediately. Then you discover what may be the best song on the album Wanted Dead or Alive, though Let It Rock is a banger too. As a kid, I’m sure I thought the whole album was great. It was filled with lyrics of rocking and sex, and the hooks were big and the guitars loud. I'm quite certain I thought I was listening to the heaviest of metal at the time. However, as the listens continued, even as a kid, I knew the keyboards and keyboardist David Bryan were goofy as hell. That may be what stopped me from buying the follow-up album, New Jersey. The four singles from this album are easily the best songs on the album: You Give Love a Bad Name, Livin’ on a Prayer, Wanted Dead or Alive and Never Say Goodbye. A few of the songs are just bland filler tracks like Social Disease and Without Love. Songs like those you’d hear on every new hair metal band that popped up two to three years later. However, the album has a second tier of songs that I believe are could have been as good as the singles. Songs like Raise Your Hands, I’d Die For You, and Wild In the Streets. Raise Your Hands is a particularly great jam, though, again, Bryan’s keyboards turn a great rocker into just an okay rocker. I could have sworn that was a single, but Wikipedia would never steer me wrong. So, if you haven’t heard Slippery When Wet, and you want to try to get a feel for what it was like back in 1986 when this juggernaut really exploded on the scene, then Slippery When Wet is your time machine. Honestly, I’m surprised I enjoyed re-listening to it as much as I did, to be honest. Maybe I wasn't an idiot back then after all.
# Playlist Track - You Give Love a Bad Name # Notes - Oh boy, this takes me waaay back. When I was studying English as a kid, my teacher had us listen "You Give Love" a bunch of times and write down the lyrics. I eventually got a tape copy of the song. - This also have "Livin' on a Prayer" which is arguably on of the most iconic rock song openings of all time. - From there on, is more of a mixed bag. Dead or Alive is a bit too silly, and closing up the album with "Wind in the streets" was probably a poor decision. - Still, pretty decent record. Recommended.
80s stadium rock at its finest. 3.5/5
Man, what a fun album Fave track: You give love a bad name
You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin' On A Prayer, Wanted Dead Or Alive, Never Say Goodbye
It’s just one of those 80’s albums were you are going to know some big songs from
This was fun. Two massive songs and the rest were pretty fun to listen to.
Classic
This is an easy 4 star. 3 massive hits. The rest of the album is listenable.
Favorite Track: Dead or Alive
Me agrado, no le puse tanta atención como quisiera
All the best Bom Jovi on here and a childhood classic for Goof - many roadtrips spent singing this at the top of her lungs alongside the rest of her family. Nice nostalgia trip alongside quality music.
good album, many iconic songs
Absolute classic. Rocks from start to finish. Wanted is a fucking banger.
Liked it! Reminded me of my childhood from when they'd switch from the country to the rock radio station. If that makes sense lol
7/10 It’s fine, but doesn’t feel as awesome as some other hard/arena rock out there
I was a senior in high school when this came out, listening to alternative, indie and new wave music. And, yet, this pop metal, hair band, anthem-style album just rocked. Today,I listen to classic vinyl and jam bands. And, still, this album just rocks. It's undeniably nostalgic 80s rock that is still fun today.
Bon Joni packs nearly every cliche you can think of into one album that runs under 45 minutes. It's sound is big, dumb and a lot of fun. It rocks. If you were born in North America and are of a certain age, it's likely you were conceived to this album in the back of a Chevy or Ford sometime between the summer of 1986 & the summer of 1988. If you born in the UK or Australia between the second part of 1987 to the end of the decade same goes for you minus the Chevy or Ford. He said he would die for you - you smiled and said nothing as you pulled down your Victoria's Secret panties, and he turned up went the music. Later that night you fed each other French fries, laughing at anything and everything & making big dumb promises to each other. It fucking rocked.
Lots of great songs. Fun to listen to, even decades later.
This was one of the first CDs I owned and I remember loving it. I still think some of the songs are great: "Living on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead Or Alive". The album as a whole sounds more dated than I expected. Still, there's enough to put it into 4-star territory.
Great 90s rock
Me likey, a few super iconic songs and the rest of the album was solid
80s glam rock all sounds kinda the same to me. That’s not to say I dislike it though. And Bon Jovi brings the hits.
Of all the bromances Len Houmous has had over the years. The one I was always most on board with was with Jon Bon Jovi. The two of them used the have the most fun! Always harmless. Mostly involved afternoon teas but you could always tell when Len had spent some time with Jon! 4.4 5/10 Wanted Dead or Alive
....
Street cred be damned, Slippery When Wet has brought me decades of memories, all of them wistful and good. What more could I possibly want? Recall the group of boys clumped together, fists in the air, sing-shouting "Shot through the heart!" Recall two buddies speeding down a country road in the summer with a broken air conditioner, windows down, cigarettes in hand, sing-shouting "Woah-OH! Livin' on a prayer!" Recall brightly lit karaoke rooms, a few small beers in, sing-shouting, with all the passion of a half-drunk invincible kid in his early 20s, "I'm a cowboy... on a STEEL horse I ride..." Just because glam metal / hair metal was almost immediately a parody of itself doesn't mean that there weren't sensational moments. Music doesn't all have to be challenging and deeply personal. Music that makes me feel this much joy has *immense* value.
Bon Jovi is fun!
sólido 7
Turn your brain off and forget the world is burning.
I thought I wouldn't like this but I forgot how rockin' Living On A Prayer is. I also thought I would like Boston but I actually preferred this album. For some reason I always thought Bon Jovi was 70s rock but I guess it's 80s, so I learned something new today too. 3.5
a classic, the non singles dont hold up as well but every song is at least good
How many no 1 hits on this album?
I’m not sure what the general consensus is on Bon Jovi, but this album has a bunch of bangers. I had a good time throughout the playthrough, even if a few of their songs started to blend together. Favorite tracks: - You Give Love A Bad Name - Livin’ On A Prayer - Wanted Dead Or Alive - I’d Die For You
This is the album that brought Bon Jovi to the popular fore. Big sound, big venues, big hair. And that's not even counting the picture my wife has taped to her vanity mirror of Jon, wearing tight jeans and carrying his plumbing tools into Ally McBeal's bathroom.
Undeniably a good album, but just a little bit too American for me.
Great album to listen through the weekend. :)
Classic but repetitive.
Way better than that era usually offers. The entire album has aged gracefully and there isn't a single bad song on it.
Iconic album
Absolute classics! Songs to scream to. Songs to cry to. Songs to rock out to! Winner!
Cool but too metallic for my taste tho
Got some bangers all on one album
I thought this would for sure be a 5 but I don’t think it’s worthy. The hits are great, the rest is…less great. 4.5 rounded down.
Is it high art? Not really. It doesn't really push any boundaries or really do anything new. But it's really fun and I had a much better time listening to this than I did a lot of the albums on the list.
Classic - heavy metal becomes hair metal
Good
Förvånansvärt starkt ändå, bra power och ett par riktiga klassiker!
Nostalgic but slightly cringey
Its not a 5 but its not far off
Bon Jovi is a lot better then I thought based on overplayed hits
A dumb fun 80's hair metal album and probably in contention for the best album of the kind along with 1984? Anyways, there are some absolute classics here obviously, along with serviceable album cuts, so it's getting a 4.
It's not clever, but it sure is big. What a rush all those singles are, almost impossible to pick a fave. The thing that stood out for me throughout is what a terrific voice JBJ has. It's allied to really good musicians and songwriting, plus very OTT production, but he really holds his own.
Earlier in this project I probably would have given this a lukewarm 5, but over 500 albums in, hearing some amazing and some terrible ones, this is a solid 4. Lots of Bon Jovi’s best songs are on this album, and it’s a great 80s rock record that really captures the sound at the time. Some filler songs, but overall a really fun record.
classics that made me who i am
Like Boston, this is designed to hit those pleasure centers in the brain. Shot Through the Heart, Livin on a Prayer, and Wanted Dead or Alive are undeniable ear worms and a crazy 3 singles to have on one album. That said, they’re so transparently catchy that I found it took me out of it a bit. The lyrics are absurd and the rest of the album is filler. Maybe on another day I’d give this a 5 but it’s a 4 for me.
Generally not a hair metal fan but it's hard not to like this poppy/rock sound. Singalong songs for stadiums and arenas. Three of their best songs on the first side of this record.
I'd never heard this album in full before and it rocked. I can't believe that "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Living On A Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive" appear back to back to back. Wow. I also never really thought of Bon Jovi as a hair metal band since they moved beyond that eventually, but they most certainly were!
Solid record.
Good time rock and roll. More solid than expected.
80s hair band with talent
A lot of hits, but it’s still Bon Jovi.
There are some stinkers on here, but still, I managed to see the fun in it all. Perfect sing-a-long album.
Some great songs on here but overall the album feels too dated for me to really love it. I can only imagine how amazing this must have been at the time.
Just a little generic for my liking and lacking that creative extra. But at least it's real music unlike most of today's pop garbage.
WHAT THE FUCK IS A KILOMETER
Bon Jovi goes HARD.
Que diversão! A banda em plena forma aqui e detonando! TRN Conch.
For what it is, it's pretty undeniable. Plenty of songs beyond the hits (which are plenty) to rock out to. Guitars, drums, synths, screamy melodies and I'm pretty sure I can hear the hair as well.
this album is crazy and wet- el karlaum
Banger
The singles are great. The rest is pretty filler.
Bon Jovi has so many epic glam/hard rock songs under his belt that are no less than anthems in the music world. A good few of those hit songs are right here on this album. And even still, the non-hits still listen like huge arena anthems. Bon Jovi just has a knack for making music sound BIG, and this album encapsulates that. There's nothing particularly deep about this music, it just really rocks, pun fully intended.
Tons of classics
Way better than I remembered.
Some 3 star songs with a few bangers makes up for a solid 4 star album! Really solid performance, makes sense Bon Jovi is so well known. And literally everybody knows Livin' on a prayer.
Big hair rock at its finest. Some epic rock ballads that you can’t help but sing along with like Wanted Dead Or Alive (used both in Young Guns Soundtrack and Deadliest Catch opening theme song) and Living On A Prayer(who hasn’t belted out “ohhh we’re half way there…”), both mammoth hits; along with the second track- You Give Love A Bad Name, another massive hit. The rest was just okay filler for me, but still fun to think about having those big long locks of hair and banging your head to the beat.
I didn’t realize how many of these I knew! Fun listen.
What a fun time. Starts stronger than if finishes and the skit in Social Disease is regrettable but at least self depreciating which almost saves it. I knew I'd enjoy it but didn't expect to like it as much as I did.
Nice 80s rock. Simple, powerful, loud but gorgeous!
It’s cheesy, but everything is well put together and it’s full of big songs. I like it despite myself.
Damn. This album has like all Bon Jovi's hits. This ruled. Does it make me think they were maybe a one album band? Yes. Was it still an amazing album? Also yes. Need to go track this CD down to blast it in the car, this was everything you want a classic rock album to be, even past the three major hits.
Not really my thing but the album felt very kind of definitive of that genre of cheesy 80s pop rock, certainly felt like a relevant album and was enjoyable enough
this slaps in a way bruce springsteen fucking wishes he ever could
Slippery When Wet is often seen as a classic among classic rock albums and after listening to it, i can absolutely see why because it genuinely is great. I thought these songs had already lost their luster seeing as i have heard the singles like You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin' On A Prayer and Wanted Dead Or Alive on classic rock stations quite a lot but they were all seriously great songs and the others are still no slouches in the slightest. And this goes without saying that there was not a bad song in sight on this album as they are all greats in their own way. I do think that something is preventing me from 5 staring this album but it is still a great one regardless. Best Song: I'd Die For You Worst Song: Never Say Goodbye
Sounds like J-Pop for me for some reason! Love most songs, especially let it rock, and wanted dead or alive. Sometimes I felt there’re too much grit.. sometimes I was just impressed by his belting technique..he could easily reach D#5, and I believed he could still go much higher than that. Im being picky but many songs are more like ballad? It lacks one unique element to push it to five. It’s a nice album but what about his artistic personality and originality. It’s a perfect commercial album but this doesn’t make it a five. Still very very good tho. I enjoyed it a lot.
I’ve been listening to a lot of Bruce Springsteen recently and wanted to try some more Bon Jovi. This album hit me at a time when I would likely appreciate it more than other times. Not quite a 5 but very solid given the catalog. Added a couple new songs to the setlist but mostly it’s the big 3 here, and that’s okay because they’re all bangers.
so fun fact, i grew up absolutely fucking hating bon jovi. my mother is on the younger side, and was an absolute 80's hair metal band groupie. whitesnake, poison, motley crue, def leppard, warrant, you name it, she was listening to it. and then of course, there was Bon Jovi. we listened to that man everywhere we went. it was constantly playing where i actively avoided him and his music for so long. i still to this day can't really stomach is 'Have a Nice Day' era of music (mid-2000's release). that being said, i was not glad that this came up on the list, but i went in with an open mind and was actually pleasantly surprised. 'you give love a bad name', 'livin on a prayer', and 'wanted dead or alive' are very good songs. theyve stood the test of time, and they're bangers for sure. the rest of the album, especially the back half, still feels like its feeling out how poppy they can go in their third album without losing their core audience but also getting more radio play. wild in the streets brought it back, but overall i think the back half lost its gusto. high 3, low 4 for me. ill bump it to the four stars for 3 banger tracks that have stood the test of time.
Had no idea all three of these massive hits are on one album. The production and editing of these songs is very interesting because it’s enough polish to make them “radio hits” but not over done which still gives it an authentic rock/head banging feel. Wanted dead or alive comes in a nice spot as the #5 track to slow it down some and change up the vibe as the first four songs are all relatively up beat with a similar tempo. Even some of the songs I didn’t know sound just very confident and feel like they could have been a single as well. Excellent album to see on this list.
Hell yeah, brother. Rocks from front to back and was a blast to listen to. Three massive hits on this album as well, so it’s an easy four. Only negative thing is the corniness from this era of rock not holding up is there sometimes.
Another 9/10 album for me. Some all time songs on here! Hearing everyone in a stadium sing "Livin On A Prayer" together is an amazing experience. I can't hear "Wanted Dead or Alive" without thinking of Deadliest Catch. The not top songs are pretty good, but their all very similar. This was close to 5 stars for me.
Jam packed with radio singles. Bon Jovi has never been a band i listen to but you can't deny why this album made them so popular. A little corny but a fun listen. 3.7 rounded to a 4.
Halfway through this album, I wondered why I thought I don't like Bon Jovi. What on Earth! This album is absolutely full of bangers.
Lots of great hits.
surprised!
There are some absolute heaters on this album
A begrudging 4 stars. Good job, Jon B. More like Blippery Bhen Bet. I don’t know.
I was actually once really into hair metal for five minutes, and specifically this Bon Jovi album, then somebody gave me a mix tape with the Buzzcocks, Joy Division, Pixies and Stiff Little Fingers, and that was the end of that😆 Still an enjoyable nostalgic listen for me ⭐⭐⭐⭐
80s hair metal as distilled I think than it ever could be. Bangers here.
Love it
Oh man, "Livin' on a Prayer" is such an anthem! It's one of those songs my body is hardwired to react to. I can't not sing along and pump my fist when it's on. "You Gave Love a Bad Name" is another banger, and "Wanted Dead or Alive" is a fun one too. And I wasn’t as familiar with “Raise Your Hands” but it’s just as much of a rock anthem. The rest of the album is excellent. There’s a power ballad with lyrics about banging in the back of a car (“Never Say Goodbye”), a top shelf Springsteen knockoff (“Wild in the Streets”), and a bunch of open-hearted, hair metal songs about love. “I’d Die For You” is particularly good. It’s a great pop album all around.
I will always love this album 😂 First half is top notch
Bon Jovi to jednak kozak granie jest. "Living on a Prayer" to totalny banger. Dla mnie wciąż piosenką dzieciństwa będzie "It's my life", ale jak teraz trochę uważnie przysłuchałem się "Living...", to jeszcze bardziej doceniłem. Słuchając tego albumu miałem mnóstwo najróżniejszych skojarzeń i asocjacji. Od "The Final Countdown" Europy, przez Aerosmith, X-Japan, big bandowy jazz, aż po jakąś muzykę w stylu Castelvani (otwierające "Let It Rock"). Glam rock to mega przyjemna muzyka rozrywkowa, a w wykonaniu Bon Joviego niesamowicie buja. Do tej pory znałem w sumie trzy jego hity ("Living...", "It's my life" i "You Give Love a Bad Name", nic zaskakującego), ale chętnie posłucham trochę więcej. Ciekawostka, którą odkryłem na Wikipedii - w Japonii ten album wydano jako "Wild in the streets" (nazwa ostatniego utworu z albumu), a "You Give Love a Bad Name" nazywa się "Zabroniona miłość" (かっこ禁じられた愛).
It's like a Bon Jovi of Rock Music.
Classic 80s
Boy, did I ever play this one a lot at that time. Still a fun listen all these years later.
7/10 Nostalgia takes this one. This was the only album my Dad had in his jeep when I was learning how to drive. Still incredibly listenable if not my cup of tea normally 3-12-2025
Oh what a crazy good album! Bon Jovi has always been a favorite of mine growing up listening to all the music! It has some of their best songs! Classic album from a classic band! One of the best hair bands and albums from the 80s
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! There are some real classics on this album, and the rest of the album is fairly consistent. Not something I'd return to, but I'll give credit where it's due.
Poodle rock at its best! Monty is definitely a fan 🐩. I love this album because it reminds me of a time long, long ago. I saw them at MK bowl and they were fabulous - lots of singing along and people generally having a great time. Some songs are (very) silly (Wild in the Streets!) But I love the nostalgia of this album - I was in my first job and generally having a jolly time ... wild in the streets, indeed 😅
Very enjoyable. Very fun. Some absolute bangers on it, along with some great hidden gems.
8.5/10. ICL this is kinda goated. So much fun all the way through, the only tiny thing I can say is that maybe towards the end of felt a tad too poppy for me. But this album literally has three all time classics including one of my favourite rock tunes ever 'Wanted Dead or Alive'. This stuff is just full of energy, great vocals, solos and riffs, a blueprint for rock music. I did originally give this a 5 but I think upon further thought it has to knock down to a four purely because it's replay value as an album is less than my other 5s.
Still a pleaser (minus a dumb song or two). I might be over “the hits” but I can’t hold that against an album.
It's a bit dumb, but it's fun. It's packed with hits, and they're all fun. I'm not sure why it gets the Nickelback treatment.
this one's for the cougars
Solid hair metal, not perfect but more hugs than misses and the actual radio hits are very strong.
Enjoyed the album cuts more than the famous singles. Bon Jovi gets really old for me otherwise
A fun listen with bags of hits. All those years listening to and recording the charts paid off and I knew most of the lyrics.
Really enjoyed this album if truth be told. It came as a timely respite coming on the back of another painfully worthy Elvis Costello album. Be warned there are 6 (SIX) of them lurking within the generator. Some may describe this as 'hair metal' or bubble gum pop or whatever. I think what they are griping against this album because it has, shock/horror, melodic choruses! And that is why I rate it higher than any stoner/shoe gazing trite nonsense from, Sound Garden, My Bloody Valentine etc... A joyful music experience, long may they rock! 4 stars
Easy one right, have to hate “hair metal” derogatory term in itself. Yeah it’s a dated sound, but most things do sound of their time. It will kill your cholesterol levels,but it's music for fun, and sometimes that's enough. Rather listen to this at the right time than many of the "listen to how serious I am" brigade. 4 Stars sometimes music can be just entertainment.
I usually walking to work and back. 20 mins there, 20mins to get home. For the first half of this I was so on board. Great fun. Karaoke killer. Stop the snobbery, embrace the absurd! Second half I’m back to being a grumpy middle age music snob. I think the strength of the singles can carry it through to four stars though.
What can i say? It's bon jovi
Look. I'm not going to pretend that this album is a masterpiece or anything. Bon Jovi's 1986 album Slippery When Wet is the definition of cheesy 80s hair metal. But it is some damn good cheesy 80s hair metal. This is a good album. Admittedly, my enjoyment of this album could be attributed to some level of nostalgia. "Livin' On A Prayer" was one of the first rock songs I ever fell in love with after I sang it with my fifth grade class for my elementary school's choir festival like 7 years ago. This song is special to me. It's also just a great fun song, as is the album's other huge hit, "You Give Love A Bad Name." The other songs aren't as amazing as those two, but there's some bangers in here. The style is fun and VERY 80s. I would understand if someone told me this album's aged poorly, but I don't care. Besides, the album at least has writing that isn't offensive. The writing's fairly basic all things considered, but it serves its purpose well. Jon Bon Jovi's vocals are strong too. They fit the vibe very well. Admittedly, this isn't a super complex album, but this kind of music has a special place in my heart. Sure, I can absolutely appreciate the "hipster shit" of the world. Some of my favorite albums from the project have been the most unconventional. But I also have to admit that I really like cheesy 80s hair metal, and it's hard to get much better in that regard than Bon Jovi. 4/5.
GOAT album
Peak glam rock
I'm so wet when listening to the first half, then it's a slippery slope.
bangers
Damn, what bangers, all on one album. I knew all of the songs, just didn't know they all came out on this.
This is basically Van Halen for teenaged girls. It might not be capital A art, but it’s a whole lot of fun. 3.8/5
really enjoyable rock album
“Metal” made safe for the masses through masterfully crafted pop songs. And they’re all here.
Koko levyn ajan pysyy I’m wanted dead or alive -asenne, eli kunnon meininkiä! Pidän siitä, ettei edes balladeissa aivan pysähdytä. Kasari parhaimmillaan.
Parents loved Bon Jovi, listened to a lot of this growing up. Only recognised the big hitters though, think a greatest hits was typically on rotation. He does the 80s rock and roll thing pretty well but after van halen and aerosmith recently I need a rest from this type of thing. Nostalgia carried this up to a 3.5 for me but I think it's probably at least a point below that.
One of my car CDs. Picked it up for one euro a few years ago. Very decent - some filler, but the big and popular songs are varied enough - You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin' On A Prayer, Wanted Dead or Alive, and I'd Die For You are excellent. Much better rock voice than most give him credit for, even if this approaches easy-listening rock.
“WOAH! WERE HALFWAY THERE WOAH!! LIVIN ON A PRAYER!!! TAKE MY HAND WELL MAKE IT I SWEAR WOAH! LIVIN ON A PRAYER!!!!!!” With the extended number of albums on the 1001 list I’m probably only about a tenth of the way there but colossal everlastingly brill hair metal anthemry such as this does make it easier. Social Disease the one main iffier cut plus a few forgettable ones near the end and Raise Your Hands, Let It Rock and Wild In The Streets other top drawer songs besides the huge, hella fun hits.
While mostly just simple songs about girls and partying, hair metal still kicks all kinds of ass, and these tracks are no exception. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
Still sounds pretty good for all my reservations about them. A very good pop rock album with great singles - with a sound that hasn’t dated much. And doesn’t outstay it’s welcome.
4.25
Glemte at rate for lang tid siden, men det var fedt, god stadionsrock og har nogle virkelig virkelig ikoniske sange
I wasn’t a huge Bon Jovi fan in the Eighties but they’ve really grown on me. Nearly gave this a 5!
Baby you give love, a bad name!!
Classic.
Cheesy 80s rock. Wanted to hate it, but actually quite enjoyed it. Feel-good tunes with good production.
Overly commercial, borderline silly and not my genre at all - yet Slippery When Wet just rocks. Richie Sambora is phenomenal and the songwriting is some of the best this genre has to offer. You just have a good time in the company of this.
## In-Depth Review of *Slippery When Wet* by Bon Jovi Released in 1986, Bon Jovi's *Slippery When Wet* marked a pivotal moment in rock history, propelling the band to superstardom and defining the sound of the 1980s. The album is characterized by its catchy hooks, anthemic choruses, and relatable lyrics, which resonate with themes of love, resilience, and the struggles of everyday life. This review explores the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and presents a balanced view of its pros and cons. ### **Lyrics Analysis** The lyrics of *Slippery When Wet* exemplify Bon Jovi's storytelling prowess and emotional depth. The album features several standout tracks that convey powerful narratives: - **"You Give Love a Bad Name"**: This song captures the essence of betrayal in a toxic relationship. The vivid metaphors and sharp imagery illustrate the pain of deception, making it relatable to anyone who has experienced heartbreak. - **"Livin' on a Prayer"**: Perhaps the most iconic track from the album, it tells the story of Tommy and Gina, a working-class couple facing financial hardships. The song's hopeful message and sing-along chorus have made it a timeless anthem for perseverance. Jon Bon Jovi's ability to create characters that resonate with listeners is evident here, as Tommy and Gina symbolize countless couples striving for a better life. - **"Wanted Dead or Alive"**: This track draws parallels between the life of a touring musician and that of an outlaw. It reflects on loneliness and freedom while using cowboy imagery to enhance its narrative. The line "I'm a cowboy on a steel horse I ride" evokes feelings of nostalgia for the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. - **"Never Say Goodbye"**: A poignant ballad about enduring love and parting, this song evokes nostalgia and longing. Its heartfelt lyrics resonate with anyone who has experienced loss or separation. The lyrical themes throughout *Slippery When Wet* revolve around love, struggle, and resilience. The characters portrayed in these songs reflect broader societal issues faced by many during the 1980s, making them timeless. ### **Musical Composition** Musically, *Slippery When Wet* is a blend of glam metal, hard rock, and pop elements. The production features polished instrumentation that enhances its commercial appeal: - **Instrumentation**: The album showcases Richie Sambora's exceptional guitar work, particularly his use of the talk box in "Livin' on a Prayer," which adds a unique texture to the song. Sambora's guitar solos are prominent throughout the album, providing both melodic hooks and emotional depth. - **Production Quality**: Produced by Bruce Fairbairn, the album benefits from a high production quality that captures the band's energetic live sound. Fairbairn's expertise in creating anthemic rock tracks is evident in songs like "Raise Your Hands," which features an infectious rhythm and crowd-pleasing choruses. - **Vocal Performance**: Jon Bon Jovi's vocal delivery is both powerful and emotive. His ability to convey vulnerability in ballads like "Never Say Goodbye" contrasts with the bravado found in more upbeat tracks such as "You Give Love a Bad Name." ### **Themes** The central themes of *Slippery When Wet* reflect both personal experiences and broader societal narratives: - **Resilience**: Many songs focus on overcoming adversity, as seen in "Livin' on a Prayer." The message encourages listeners to hold on through tough times. - **Love and Relationships**: The complexities of love are explored through various lenses—betrayal in "You Give Love a Bad Name," nostalgia in "Never Say Goodbye," and youthful passion in "I’d Die for You." - **Identity and Freedom**: Tracks like "Wanted Dead or Alive" explore themes of identity within the rock lifestyle. The juxtaposition of fame with loneliness creates a relatable narrative for many artists. ### **Production Insights** The production process for *Slippery When Wet* was crucial to its success: - **Collaboration with Desmond Child**: The partnership with songwriter Desmond Child was instrumental in crafting hit singles that combined catchy melodies with relatable lyrics. Child’s influence helped shape many tracks into radio-friendly hits. - **Recording Environment**: Much of the writing occurred in Richie Sambora’s mother’s basement, reflecting a grassroots approach to songwriting. This humble beginning contributed to the authenticity found in their music. - **Audience Testing**: Before finalizing tracks, Bon Jovi sought feedback from local fans at a pizza place in Sayreville, New Jersey. This engagement ensured that their music resonated with their target audience. ### **Influence and Legacy** *Slippery When Wet* not only defined Bon Jovi’s career but also had a lasting impact on rock music: - **Cultural Impact**: The album became emblematic of 1980s rock culture, influencing countless artists across genres. Its blend of glam metal aesthetics with relatable storytelling set a template for future rock bands. - **Commercial Success**: With over 28 million copies sold worldwide, it remains one of the best-selling albums of all time. Its singles dominated radio airplay and MTV rotation during its release. - **Enduring Popularity**: Songs from *Slippery When Wet* continue to be staples at concerts and remain relevant across generations. Their themes resonate with new audiences while maintaining nostalgic value for long-time fans. ### **Pros and Cons** #### Pros - **Catchy Melodies**: The album is filled with memorable hooks that make it accessible to a wide audience. - **Strong Singles**: With multiple chart-topping hits like "Livin' on a Prayer" and "You Give Love a Bad Name," it showcases Bon Jovi’s ability to create anthems. - **Relatable Themes**: The lyrics address universal experiences such as love and struggle, allowing listeners to connect deeply with the music. - **High Production Quality**: The polished sound enhances both radio playability and live performances. #### Cons - **Filler Tracks**: Some critics argue that certain songs like "Social Disease" lack depth compared to the stronger singles. - **Predictability**: The formulaic approach to songwriting may feel repetitive for some listeners accustomed to more experimental music. - **Overexposure**: Due to its immense popularity, some tracks may feel overplayed or clichéd among certain audiences today. ### Conclusion Bon Jovi's *Slippery When Wet* stands as a landmark album that encapsulates the spirit of 1980s rock music while addressing timeless themes through engaging storytelling. Its blend of catchy melodies, powerful performances, and relatable lyrics has secured its place in music history as one of the defining albums of its era. While it does have its shortcomings—such as some filler tracks—the overall impact of *Slippery When Wet* remains profound, influencing generations of musicians while continuing to resonate with fans worldwide.
It's fun and full of bops
# 370 : Great album, I liked it. The perfect Hair Metal album. This might be one of the their best albums. I forget how great this stuff is, It's a bit overplayed these days but still awesome. Not a bad track in the bunch.
Aww yeah. Absolutely love me some hair metal.
Great album! I remember my older sister listening to this and I thought it was the heaviest music I could imagine. There couldn't possibly be anything heavier, this was it. Obviously I was wrong but I still like the album and think that it rocks. It flashes me back to thinking about how cool my sister was listening to this super heavy music.
takes me back a bit, some memorable, if dated tunes
solid background music
Full of hits and punchy. Each song individually is easy to listen to. Relentlessly high tempo and upbeat until Never Say Goodbye, then right back to it. Honestly I could have done with more variety. I can entirely see why this album was such a commercial success though.
The non hit tracks were better than I was expecting. Solid album
I'm certainly not a biggest fan of Bon Jovi, but I c'mon you gotta give it to him. It's a banger of an album with bangers of songs. It's pure fun. They had fun recording it, I'm having fun listening to it. 4.5/5.
Definitely some classics on here, but also some cheesy 80s music on here.
Već vidim kako će se svi posrati po ovome 😅 But not me, još nešto na što sam kao klinka otkidala (znam album napamet 😂) i iako sad naravno gledam drukčije na kvalitetu glazbe, teško ću biti nepristrana i posrat se po ovome kao da čujem nešto prvi put. Iako, sigurno nije isto kao kad sam tada slušala, tako da me baš zanima kako će mi sad sjesti. Jao kakav blast from the past, ono kad se vidiš kako upadaš negdje u grmlju nakon jednog piva. 😁 Izuzetno mi je bio zabavan uvijek ovaj album u tom vremenu i mogla sam ga stvarno puno puta poslušati, što se i dogodilo. 😂 Mislim, klavijature su mi apsolutni vrh, ostalo iz sadašnje perspektive i ne toliko, ali kužim zašto mi se i tada ovo sviđalo - jednostavno volim taj zvuk. Osim dosta hitova, ali nekako oduvijek posebno volim Wanted Dead or Alive. Ima isto pjesama tu koje su mi dosadne tipa Raise Your Hands i Without Love. Šta ja znam, uspjela sam zavajbati iako ne slušam to više. Neka kaže tko šta hoće, ali po meni ovaj album zaslužuje biti tu. Istovremeno, bilo je tu i drugih njegovih albuma koji su mi jednako napeti bili. Mislim da bi me bolilo da ne dam dobru ocjenu. Tako da će biti 4/5 ili 7/10.
Fun album! It was nice to hear some other Bon Jovi tracks aside from the ones I've already been exposed to, though I could see why those were so popular to begin with. Great instrumentals, but I didn't love the vocals in all tracks, just a few. 'Wanted Dead or Alive' slaps heavy and wins my fave.
Surprisingly good 80 s hard rock
Fun album. The great songs - Livin' on a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name, and Wanted Dead or Alive - are classics. The rest of the songs are more forgettable.
It was kind of fun to go back and revisit this album, however, it’s not something that will make its way back into my regular rotation, primarily because I’ve heard it so many times since I was a kid. Despite its undeniable classic status, it feels like it’s more of a nostalgic trip than a staple for my current playlist.
It's all fun and catchy but then Never Say Goodbye happens. It sounds like a schlager dressed as a rock ballad and it's so disastrously bad that I kinda want to lower the mark to 3/5
good classic rock. a lot of classics on this album, and some that don't really keep up with the rest. still good tho
This is undeniable
Wataguy!
Cracking album, with some big tunes, as rock music started making its comeback in a difficult decade dominated by pop, electro, and the end of disco. A good listen.
Great 80a rock.
pop metal
It’s amazing that their best songs are all on one album.
Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. This album was way better than I was expecting it to be. I was surprised by the number of songs that I recognized, a good majority of them I've destroyed on Guitar Hero. Pretty darn solid from start to finish.
I used to rock this on cassette when I was a kid, but haven't listened to it in decades. It holds up pretty well. The hit singles are always great, but hearing Raise Your Hands after all these years was awesome; that song still slaps. Not a fan of the monster ballads on here, but the I think the high points of this album more than carry the lows.
Sexy AF
Liked the banger songs, and there are 3 classics on here. I'm pretty tired of the innuendo throughout by now. Rest of the album didn't stand out.
turns out i did NOT know who Bob Jovi was. the amount of hits on this one record is astounding for a band i didn’t attribute any of them too. for that alone 3 stars and it was also a good listen so up to 4
3.6
They had three of their biggest hits on one album, good for them.
I forgot how “proggy” this album started off; for a moment I thought it was Rush. Made me chuckle, considering the pop-rock vibe it really is all about. So cheesy in places, (“You lost more in my back seat, baby” in the bridge to “Never Say Goodbye” is 70s seduction cheese a decade too late 🙄), but I couldn’t care less. I have SO many fond memories of this album, coming my first year in college at F.I.T. in NYC. It’s just a silly, fun rock album, with anthems like “Wild in the Streets” built for yelling at the top of your lungs with a group of friends, which we did endlessly. Good memories indeed…
This is 80’s rock and Bon Jovi. If you would go see Bon Jovi live this album would be 75% of the set. If you go to a disgusting Hair Ball or Rock of Ages cover-band shit show you would probably hear 3 songs off this album. And you probably would hear at least one poor sole doing their best to one of these at your local karaoke night.
Great stuff
I went into this album expecting it to have one or two good songs and be typical 80's hair metal. While it is the latter, it is absolutely filled with bangers... way more than I remember. This album genuinely surprised me with how good it was.
Huge album. Pup Bon Jovi on the map.
A good album, I liked the songs Let It Rock, You Give Love A Bad Name and Lovin' On A Prayer the most.
Excellent
This is the best album by Mr. Bovine Joni. Great album.
Ok - this has some banger songs on it. I feel like this is probably the perfect guilty pleasure album for suburban parents who grew up when hair bands were a thing. Can honestly say if any band started a set with Let It Rock or Raise Your Hands I’d probably laugh and sing along. Almost all the hits on one album too. Wanted Dead or Alive still holds up as a band on the road song. Damn it I don’t want to give it 4 stars, but I think it’s warranted.
Hits hits hits.
Nice one.
Solid album but also boomer-tier
Hard to go wrong with this album, fun to listen to.
Yeah this was good. Never really listened to Bon Jovi, I enjoyed it, hasn’t sparked any interest in perusing more of their stuff but maybe I’ll warm to them more in the future. Obviously a few bangers in there.
I never really considered myself a fan of Bon Jovi, but my mind definitely changed with this record.This album is about as hair metal as it gets, but I think they did it the best. I really enjoyed the latter half of the album, after they played all the hits (which of course, are obviously good). The mixing was great, there was just enough guitar solos in there that it felt rock enough, and the lyrics were on point. This is a really good album, I can't see myself coming back to it in a hurry, just because I'm not huge on hair metal, but this is definitely a solid listen.
fantastic classic album with a lot of bangers!
Hair rock of the 80s was great tbh, and some of the songs really do hold up well. Infant like the classics of course, and for an 8 week old managed to fist pump to the beat of living on a prayer, that’s pretty good eh? 4/5
Very nostalgic album for me, though I can tell which songs my mom skipped. It's kind of crazy that in between Livin' On a Prayer and Wanted Dead or Alive is a song that starts with literal pornographic moaning. Regardless, the guitars are strong and driving and the drum beats/fills are excellent. A very solid 80s "hair metal" album.
Let it Rock - opening with an electric organ is very cool. They rest of the track was quite good, standard 80s rock fare. You Give Love A Bad Name & Livin on a Prayer - Quintessential 80s arena rock, iconic. If you want to blow your voice out singing karaoke on the beers, Livin on a Prayer is the way to do it. Vocals and instrumentals just spectacular on both of these Social Disease - glad I had headphones on for the start of this one Wanted Dead or Alive - Incredible start to the song, very cool and I wish it continued along the same vein. Instrumentals are excellent throughout the rest of the track. I imagine the lyrics made very coked out 80s guys in Corvettes feel really cool. A lot of the songs in this album start in a very interesting and unique way and then Bon Jovi remembers he's making an 80s album and Hollywood movies need to use his songs for cheesy montage scenes for the next 10 years, and then again 30 years later but ironically. The album is like eating a whole cake that's all icing, it's so over the top and jacked up, it gives me a headache. Everyone likes icing though.
YEA BABY BACK TO SEX OFFENDER MUSIC!!! IVE WAITED TOO LONG!!! Never listened to anything beyond Bon Jovi’s hits - his non hit music is the same shit really, just less catchy hooks to the same overdriven power chords and basic but groovy basslines. Gotta say let it rock got my feet tapping. The lyrics may as well be absent except for the element having a vocal track adds to the song. Creative complexity of finger painting. Really just music for fucking to. Man cunts in the 80s just did not know how to end songs. Just do a hard stop instead of fading out like a coward for real. We’re on the first hit now. More songs about fucking, an age old classic. You give love a bad name is obviously a hit and I’ve heard it so many times from a makita site radio being back announced by Dave and fucko before more chat about FOOTY. Fading out again like a coward for real man one of these songs needs to have an actual ending. This album is a bit of a hits album I was not aware livin on a prayer was on this too. Hearing this gives me flashbacks to drinking a lukewarm ice coffee on a concrete slab at some sort of industrial facility while some retarded tradesman talks about how much he hates paying tax. I really like the bassline in livin in a prayer. It’s so damn groovy. Bring back fucked up overdrive guitars. A relic of the 80s that has sadly gone out of fashion along with CFC hairspray and lead paint. So this song literally starts with sex noises. Random brass section kinda helps. I really can’t say anything bad about this music man. It might be music for fucking retards but I am proudly retarded. See they actually ended love is a social disease properly. No more fade outs. I am envisioning scooby doo 2 motorcycle jousting as soon as I hear that guitar sting. It permeates my brain like so much black mould. Raise your hands was eh. Without love slightly better. I feel like we’re getting into filler territory. Okay so Jon Bon Jovi was 24 in 1986 so this motherfucker is singing about prom 6 years after he would have graduated what a fuckin dork lmao. MFs at UQ talking about what OP they got in 4th year. Overall this album has some fuckin heaters, and some songs that could generously be described as filler. I liked this album, music by retards, for retards.
Honestly this shit rocks HARD, You give love a bad name, Livin'on a prayer, WANTED (wanteeeed) dead or alive, all fucking banger classics. Never listen to the whole album and honestly there wasn't a song I was like eh, all were pretty solid. Overall some great bangers on here and would happily listen to the whole album again, even if it is just for a few songs. 4/5.
There is the cringe/based horseshoe theory. Someone can be so based that they end up being cringe (Sam Hyde). The opposite is true of Jon Bon Jovi. A pioneer in the genre of cocaine pop-rock, Bon Jovi makes corny music that is so true to itself (cringe) that it comes around the horseshoe and becomes certifiably BASED in the truest sense of the word (being true to oneself and beliefs). I first became aware of this album's existence in Bill and Ted when they make a joke about this being Beethoven's favourite album. I first decided to listen to it when I was 14 and I heard 'Raise Your Hands' in Spaceballs in the scene where they introduce Lonestar and Barf in the Space Winnebago. 13 years later I have developed a disdain for Bon Jovi for being a corny hair-pop-rock band, and then later got over myself and learned to embrace his music for what it is. Let It Rock is a solid opener and a good representation of exactly what you're gonna get for the rest of the album. You Give Love A Bad Name was ruined for a long time for me by How I Met Your Mother (Gen Y brainslop garbage television for dickheads) but this song fucks. What really is there to say about Livin' On A Prayer? You can't say anything bad about this song? "Wah wah it shit talks unions" grow up, this isn't On The Waterfront, nobody can even understand the lyrics outside the chorus. Social Disease has great production and decent instrumentals but it drags on and the lyrics aren't really that special. Wanted Dead Or Alive AKA the song that plays at the funeral of a young man who died in a quadbike accident. This song is the musical manifestation of the cringe/based horseshoe theory. The lyrics are lame, the instrumentals make me think of a TapOut singlet and oakleys, but goddamn this song is so fucking good man. 'Loaded six string on my back'? Tom Waits wishes he could write shit like this. Raise Your Hands, because of my memory associating it with Spaceballs, is probably my favourite song on this album and is what plays in my head when I slam Fireball against the advice of my friends who care for me (fuck you). This album is frontloaded, the rest of the songs on the album are not bad. They are all technically competent songs, well-produced with decent instrumentals. The songs vary from pop-rock (Without Love) to ballad (Never Say Goodbye), it's just a bit forgettable. The album mainly suffers from a lack of consistency, not in quality but in theme. I don't think a song like Wild In The Streets should be on the same album as Livin' On A Prayer. Actually I looked up the producer of this album, Bruce Fairbairn, to see if he worked with Bryan Adams because this song (especially the guitar solo with the sliding piano) sounds like some shit he would do. Is this album commercial as fuck and creatively bankrupt? Yes. Is it enjoyed by people whose hairspray use is responsible for a hole in the ozone layer? Yes. But goddamn this album is a lot of fun. Also the album cover is a personal favourite and I am glad they didn't go with the original one (it's just a chick with massive tits).
jugenderinnerungen pur - und sicher eines der besseren Bon Jovi alben.
This is full of bangers! Livin on a prayer slaps even Cubs fans secretly think so :) At the time and for many years this music was just amazing. But now it hours different. We blame Disney princesses for problematic views in relationships but I would say this type of music influenced me and generations way more! All it takes is an I love you and that excuses all bad behavior. Or sex in my back seat makes up for our flight and me being a jerk. Not saying a don't love it but maybe just problematic
This album has so many hits. Are they cheezy and cliche or is it sentimental and catchy? It doesn't really matter, I'm still going to sing along to Living on a Prayer in any bar. Bon Jovi was my first rock concert (Skid Row opened).
Well this was quite nostalgic. This was the first “official” album I ever owned on cassette tape and I was so damn proud of this thing, lol. Was fun to hear the lesser known songs again. It’s probably been almost 35 years. Wowza. Lots of classics on here, but aside from the tried and true, it’s not THAT outstanding of an album. It still has plenty of the typical hair band sound. Want to give it a 5 just because of my connection to it, but musically I gotta knock it down a star.
4/5
Overall good.
Mr Bonvine Joni really understood what it took to make a good classic rock song back in the 80s. Some light synth guitar with one short solo for each hit song. Some grandiose production and vocals. Not every song on this album landed but to have 3 hits that go down as all time classics in one album, that's pretty impressive.
Heh heh heh. What a stupid album. Stupid. GLORIOUS. Album. Why all the Bon Jovi hate on here? Obviously they're not achingly hip, or genre defining or using revolutionary production values. But let's neck some shots, strap on some leather strides, swish our outrageously long hair and punch the air with a group mates enjoying an assault of power chords and songs about girls. If you can't enjoy that, then you're the problem, not the music
This is my first time listening to Bon Jovi and I don’t know what I expected. The instrumentation on ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ is every Western-y. Bon Jovi sings really well, so I understand the appeal. It’s not my favorite genre but definitely don’t hate it. The introduction to ‘Social Disease’ is wilddd and caught me off guard.
Back in the day, to like Bon Jovi was to be considered a pussy and you don’t like real music. It still kinda is that way but Bon Jovi got you through relationships. Especially the Bed of Roses years. All in all, this is a solid late 80’s album. I dare anyone to not like at least one song from this album. You have ballads, sing alongs and just rock on here. Choice cut: Livin on a Prayer
4/5. This was a great album after some depressing and slow albums but also, as its own, crazy how this was still very enjoyable. It doesn't have to be serious or even innovative to be good music. Sometimes, it can just be nice to listen to and that's it. Plus, like the obvious inspiration of Aerosmith, The Who, and Rolling Stones, there are also some very heartfelt songs right next to sexy rock songs. 5 years ago, I would have said I hated Bon Jovi but only because it was popular. That's always the incorrect reason to not like something. There were some songs I might skip but overall, a pretty good one front to back. Best Song: Wanted Dead Or Alive, Livin' On A Prayer, I'd Die For You
great album with some absolutely great songs but, lyrically allot of the songs had simalar meaning.(I WOULD RATE 4.5 soo nearly a 5)
Unapologetically 80's power ballads with some fairly shallow lyrics. That being said, I enjoyed this album for what it is. High energy, easy to listen to, and pretty much the right length. Feels like a good album to listen to while drinking 3 dozen beers in a van in October...
Never been the biggest Bon Jovi fan, but the hit making on this album is undeniable.
If hair metal is going to be on this list it might as well be John Bon
Such a great 80’s rock album.
I always thought that Bon Jovi were another overrated American stadium glam-rock band more interested in their appearance than their music. That said, this album is not too bad and it contains some of their biggest hits including "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' on a Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive".
Oh, Bon Jovi. I have a complicated relationship with Bon Jovi's music. There are a couple Bon Jovi songs that I really enjoy: "Run Away" and "Bad Medicine," neither of which appears on this album. I used to listen to a lot of classic rock and eighties music on the radio, and those two songs never got as much airplay as the singles from this album. I've never listened to this album from start to finish before, but I know those four singles really well. And that's where my complicated relationship with Bon Jovi emerges. These songs got tons of airplay when I listened to a lot of classic rock and eighties on the radio. I assume they still do. I usually have no desire to listen to the singles off of this album, especially "You Give Love a Bad Name." But the only reason that I'll usually avoid those songs is because I've heard them so much, which is no fault of Bon Jovi, and honestly speaks to the lasting popularity of this album. I'll still fuck with "Livin' on a Prayer" if I'm in the right mood, but that's it. Well, enough chit chat, let's get into the album. For starters, I liked this album a lot more than I thought I would. Yes, I'm still not really into the singles on this album, but some of the other songs, especially those on Side B, were surprisingly fun. The guitar playing on "Raise Your Hands" was some of my favorite on the whole album, and the backing vocals gave the song a massive sound. "Without Love" and "I'd Die For You" had some fantastic keyboard playing, which really set them apart from the rest of the album. "I'd Die For You" has a really gritty feel to it (okay, gritty for Bon Jovi) that I really enjoyed. It feels like it could have been used in a movie that took place at night in a major city in the eighties. "Wild In The Streets" had some great keyboard playing too, although I could have done without the cheesy sexual lyrics. For the record, the line 'remember when we lost the keys, and you lost more than that in my backseat baby' has to be one of the most cringeworthy lines in all of popular music. Woof. I did enjoy the ballad-y guitar playing though. Speaking of ballads, "Wanted Dead Or Alive" is pretty fun as well. The song really kicks into another gear about half way through, and it hits its stride, thankful to some excellent backing vocals. I still don't care for "You Give Love A Bad Name" though. I can't tell if it's my over-familiarity with the song, or if it's just legitimately bland and predictable. Last, but not least, there's "Livin' On A Prayer." That opening bass line and the talk box are awesome, and the when the keyboard kicks in, it just perfects the sound. I think my problem with this song is that I hate hearing other people sing along to it, and good luck hearing this song in a setting where there aren't other people around. Jesus, this song really does attract the most insufferable people. Alright, this is really good album. I had a lot of fun listening to it, and I really appreciated the keyboard playing on it. That's enough to set Bon Jovi ahead in a crowded field of one-hit wonders that were cranking out hair metal jams during the late eighties. This album isn't without its faults, but in terms of its place in pop culture history, it's definitely worthy of this list. It was a smash hit when it came out, and it's had some incredible staying power over the years. I never thought I'd write a full-blown essay on a Bon Jovi album, but here we are.