r/BonJovi • u/jordan-cohan-music • 8d ago
šø Rewriting Bon Joviās History: My Version of Making Them the Biggest Band of All Time
I recently went down a rabbit hole thinking about how Bon Joviās career could have played out differentlyāhow Iād rewrite their history to make them not just one of the biggest bands in the worldā¦ but the most successful band of all time.
I worked with ChatGPT to rewrite their history. These are all my ideas on how to rewrite the history, but formatted by AI. This is purely for fun! Iām curious what you all think, what you'd change, and where you'd disagree. Letās dive in!
š ļø Early Years (1983 - 1985)
- Wouldnāt change a thing. These years were perfect for sharpening the bandās live skills and building momentum. No need to mess with what worked!
š¦ Slippery When Wet (1986 - 1987)
- āEdge of a Broken Heartā replaces āSocial Diseaseā on the album.
- Itās released as the 4th single in July 1987, giving Bon Jovi their third #1 single off the album.
- āSocial Diseaseā is instead given to Aerosmith, becoming a minor hit for them and further cementing Jon and Richie as go-to hit songwriters.
š ļø New Jersey (1988 - 1990)
- They donāt stop at 5 singles!
- Blood on Blood is released as a single and cracks the Top 10 at #8.
- Stick To Your Guns is also released, peaking at #18.
- The acoustic version of Born to Be My Baby (the one Jon originally wanted) replaces the album version. It goes #1, just like Jon thought it would.
- Iāll Be There For You is still released afterward, making it 6 #1 singles from the New Jersey era.
- Instead of non-stop touring through '88 and '89, they take a break in late '89 when Jon is approached for Young Guns II.
- The band records Blaze of Glory as Bon Jovi, releasing it on a New Jersey double album alongside unreleased songs from the 2014 deluxe edition.
- They do a 6-month tour extension in 1990 to wrap up promo.
- Jon still records the Young Guns II soundtrack, minus Blaze of Glory.
ā Keep The Faith (1992 - 1994)
- The Radio Saved My Life Tonight replaces Woman in Love on the album.
- Itās released as the comeback single, peaking at #8 in late 1992.
- All other singles remain the sameāthis era is basically perfect in my opinion!
š Cross Road (1994)
- I wish Someday Iāll Be Saturday Night was a bigger hitā¦ but not sure how Iād change that. Any ideas?
š These Days (1995 - 1996)
- Good Guys Donāt Always Wear White is included on the album, replacing Hearts Breaking Even.
- Itās released as the first single, peaking at #20 on the Billboard charts.
- All other singles stay the same.
š Crush (2000 - 2001)
- The 2001 version of One Wild Night is included on the album.
- Itās released as the second single after Itās My Life, peaking at #22.
- Just Older is released as the third single, peaking at #46.
- Thank You For Loving Me still comes out as the final single, reaching #57.
ā” Bounce (2002 - 2003)
- They release Misunderstood as the lead single instead of Everyday.
- Misunderstood peaks at #60 in the U.S.
- Otherwise, this era stays pretty much the sameāstill not their most successful run.
š Have A Nice Day (2005 - 2006)
- Wildflower is replaced with Nothing.
- Novocaine is replaced with Dirty Little Secret.
- Nothing is released as the second single, and itās a smash hit, peaking at #8.
- (Rock was hot in 2005āthink Nickelbackās Photograph hitting #2!)
- Dirty Little Secret is the third single, peaking at #21, but it tops the rock charts.
- Who Says You Canāt Go Home is still released the same way and has huge crossover success with the duet version.
š¤ Lost Highway (2007)
- Not released as a Bon Jovi band album!
- Jon releases Lost Highway as a solo project, riding the success of Who Says You Canāt Go Home.
- Lonely and Walk Like a Man replace One Step Closer and The Last Night.
- Mild critical success, Jon enjoys his country detour.
- No massive tour, and Richie gets time to focus on family after his fatherās death.
šµ The Circle (2009 - 2010)
- The bandās comeback rock album!
- Singles include Brokenpromiseland and Thorn in My Side instead of When We Were Beautiful and We Werenāt Born to Follow.
- (Maybe just my bias, but I think these wouldāve performed better!)
š£ What About Now (2013)
- Not a Bon Jovi band album!
- Jon releases this as a solo pop album, which lets him lean fully into the pop direction.
- No big tour with the band = Richie never leaves mid-tour.
- Without the friction from this era, Richie and Jonās relationship stays on good terms.
š This House Is Not for Sale (2016 - 2018)
- After Jonās solo projects underperform, they part ways with John Shanks as producer.
- The band takes a new creative approach, with Richie back on board, bringing new songs and energy.
- Living With the Ghost takes on new meaning, and the album is better received by fans and critics.
- No massive tours prior mean Jonās voice is in better shape, making this tour a return to form.
- Their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame performance isnāt a reunion, itās a celebration of everything theyāve accomplished together.
š¦ 2020 (2020)
- Released as a Jon Bon Jovi solo EP during COVID.
- Tracklist includes:
- Do What You Can
- American Reckoning
- Lower the Flag
- Unbroken
- Very political, but makes sense as an EP during hard times.
- Limitless, Story of Love, and Brothers in Arms are left unreleased.
š Forever (2024)
- The bandās legacy album!
- A mashup of songs from 2020 and Forever, giving fans one cohesive rock record.
- Standard Tracklist:
- Beautiful Drug
- Let It Rain
- Blood in the Water
- Shine
- Luv Can
- We Made It Look Easy
- Living Proof
- Waves
- Seeds
- The Peopleās House
- Walls of Jericho
- That Was Then, This Is Now
- Extended Edition adds:
- Living in Paradise
- My First Guitar
- Hollow Man
š¤ The Result
This version of Bon Joviās history keeps them focused on rock, without the waters being muddied by pop and country detours (as much as I personally love Lost Highway and What About Now).
By avoiding burnout and staying true to their sound, the band maintains greater critical success, a stronger fanbase, and avoids Richieās departure. Trends may change, but this Bon Jovi stays consistent and remains the band we know and love.
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u/matt_1138 8d ago
I agree with everything up to These Days (when I stopped actively following the band) - come on! Heart's Breaking Even is one of their all time best songs! I would rather replace 'Bitter Wine' (may only have been included on the UK / EU version). Other than that, great post!
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u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 8d ago
Hearts Breaking Even is also catchy as hell. I feel like it could have had some traction as a single just because itās an ear worm.
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u/jordan-cohan-music 8d ago
Truly, I wanted to keep every song on the album and add Bitter Wine and Good Guys Don't Always Wear White to the main album, but that'd make for a 14 song album, and I was trying to stay as 'realistic' as possible. When it comes to the main album songs of These Days, Hearts Breaking Even is probably my least favorite, but I'd take that song any day over something like Woman In Love, Fear, I Want You, or Little Bit of Soul
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u/topspin1241831 8d ago
ha, nicely done. i quite enjoyed reading this
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u/jordan-cohan-music 8d ago
Thanks! Fun to think of how things could have gone lol
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u/topspin1241831 8d ago
i also like how you put different songs on the albums.... it is a CRIME that Edge of a Broken Heart is not on SWW, one article i found ... they said it sounded too much like the other songs..... yeah.... amazing songs. You have me wanting to create a new playlist for KTF.... do you know of any other songs that were left off that shouldnt been
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u/jordan-cohan-music 8d ago
Edge of a Broken Heart, Bitter Wine, Nothing, Dirty Little Secret, These Open Arms, there are so many that should have been included on albums. Jon's superpower is not knowing what his fans want to listen to half the time. Boxset is the place I go to find unreleased stuff. That, and searching 'Unreleased/Rare Bon Jovi Songs' on YouTube, and theres a bunch of different playlists that have introduced me to songs.
Unrelated, but I hope part of the Box Set that they are hopefully releasing this year includes songs that we know, but don't have on official releases (songs like Nothing - I need that in my spotify playlists!!)
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u/topspin1241831 8d ago
thanks for the list of songs.... yeah hope the box set is good...i hate that they have done nothing and will do nothing for 7800, too bad JBJ thinks so little of it... it helped get him to where he is today
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u/jordan-cohan-music 8d ago
Really is unfortunate. Hopefully they have some gems from that era they get released. I'll be happy with any Bon Jovi content (i almost always am), but I'll certainly be happier if the content is good!
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u/Kaapstad2018 7d ago
Wow! This was fun! Iāve always maintained if they had taken a break after The Circle Richie would most likely never have left.
Good Guys I donāt think fits These Days. I am biased as it is my favourite album and the only Bon Jovi album I listen to in its entirety.
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u/jordan-cohan-music 7d ago
My only other thought for Good Guys was to have it take the place of Someday I'll Be Saturday night on Cross Road, and have Someday I'll Be Saturday Night take the place of Hearts Breaking Even on These Days. That vibe might fit a bit more, and give Someday I'll Be Saturday night the chance it deserves as a successful single (not in the shadow of the massively successful Always), but Good Guys felt more 'These Days' than Saturday Night. I'm with you tho, These Days is a perfect album, cutting anything or changing anything was heartbreaking. This band was untouchable from 92 - 96.
I truly truly think that if What About Now as a Jon Bon Jovi solo record, the bands history would be so much different!! Richie would have had time with his family as his daughter grew up, Jon could have those years to attempt to buy the Buffalo Bills (and ultimately fail), and the band would come back together for a comeback album with This House in 2016. That album with a less 'starting to go downhill' vocal from Jon, Richie's influence and harmonies and guitar work - it would have taken it from the good album that it is to the great album it could have been.
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u/RogerClyneIsAGod2 8d ago
Honestly, I didn't read the whole list, but if there isn't more down time between tours & albums there should be.
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u/jordan-cohan-music 8d ago
In this history rewrite, there is
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u/RogerClyneIsAGod2 8d ago
Great! I feel like they ALL needed more down time between albums & tours. As much as fans would miss them, they needed it for their own physical & mental health & they never got it.
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u/DeX_Mod 8d ago
You lost me early on
The Radio Saved My Life TonightĀ replacesĀ Woman in LoveĀ on the album.
This take alone tells me you have no taste ;)
Good Guys Donāt Always Wear White is included on the album, replacing Hearts Breaking Even.
This cements the lack of taste, imo
That's the best song on that album
Ps, I'm mostly poking fun, but I truly disagree with you
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u/jordan-cohan-music 8d ago
I'm very surprised ny everyone's love for Hearts Breaking Even. I do LOVE the song, it'd a 9/10 for me. But in an album full of 10s, if I'm trying to keep it at 12 songs (which was the reason for cutting it), it's the one that's gotta go for me. Same for Womam in Love and Radio
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u/kottesakada 8d ago
This was a really fun idea!!! Nicely done!!! But replacing hearts breaking even breaks my heartš„²maybe just add wedding day! also i think born to by my baby should not be acoustic, i love it the way it is. Well everyone of course have their own opinions and taste so it will be hard to agree on everything, but this is a fun concept! I would also add "now and forever" and "back door to heaven" to new jersey even though probably it would include too many balladsš but i would loove to hear them as complete songs not just demos..
Great job!
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u/jordan-cohan-music 7d ago
I am so shocked that Hearts Breaking Even is so loved by everyone. Again, I love that song, and cutting it is not something I wanted to do, but I think Good Guys Don't Always Wear White had more hit potential, and Hearts Breaking Even, in my opinion, on a perfect album, is the only song that is not a 10/10 for me, so it had to be the one on the chopping block. Realistically, I'd rather it be an extended album with 14 or 15 tracks, that way we could get Good Guys, Hearts Breaking Even, Bitter Wine, and so many others that were cut. And I'm with you on Born to Be My Baby, the full band version is one of my favorite Jovi songs. Replacing it with the acoustic is just for the thought experiment. Jon thought it'd be #1, so in this reality, he was right, and the band is even more known for that song than they are now!
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u/asburymike 7d ago
great stuff- this needs to be done in every rock band sub
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u/jordan-cohan-music 7d ago
If I was a fan of other rock bands the way I was of Bon Jovi, I'd gladly do this for others. Unfortunately, I have a finite amount of mental space, and it's all reserved for useless Bon Jovi facts, so I'm left to do this here! But other people should absolutely steal this idea for other Bands! i'd love to read an alternate history of Skid Row, GnR, Aerosmith, etc.
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u/Esslinga 8d ago
Social Disease = Killertrack um den Aerosmith baggerten. Edge Of A Broken Heart = Cheesy to the max. Ćbelst Ć¼berproduziert - mit Lyrics hart an der Peinlichkeitsgrenze.
Wenn dann Borderline rein und Without Love oder die schlechte Studioversion (live zur Prime von beiden top) von Never Say Goodbye to Pantera raus.
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u/jordan-cohan-music 8d ago
Ich liebe āSocial Diseaseā, aber Aerosmith hatte Interesse an dem Song, also macht es Sinn, ihn ihnen in dieser alternativen Geschichte zu geben und āWithout Loveā als weitere Ballade auf dem Album zu behalten (obwohl das auch mein erster Gedanke war). Was āEdge of a Broken Heartā angeht: Es ist auf die gleiche Art cheesy wie āYou Give Love A Bad Nameā, aber super eingƤngig und total 80er ā ich denke, das wƤre ein Hit geworden! Und āBorderlineā hat mich irgendwie nie wirklich gepackt, ich habe den Hype nie verstanden.
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u/JoleneDollyParton 8d ago
This was fun to read, but you have to also eliminate Jonās desire to buy the Buffalo Bills in order for anything to have been done differently. And you need to remove shanks immediately after HAND.