We are now to the most recent Bon Jovi album, ‘Forever’. It is the band’s 16th studio album and was released on June 7, 2024. It was an album I wasn’t sure we would get. Jon had some serious vocal issues, so bad in fact he needed surgery. Back in 2022, Jon Bon Jovi went under the knife to fix his vocal cord problem that had been well documented by the cruel trolls of the internet. After watching the documentary, ‘Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story’, we got to see first hand how bad things were for Jon. It is amazing he is even able to still sing. However, will we ever see them live again? That is the question. One I hope will get a resounding yes, but if not, what a hell of a ride it has been.

‘Forever’ charted #5 on the Billboard chart in its first week of sales and then suddenly disappeared. It was the shortest stay of any Bon Jovi album on the chart. It is a weird thing and one that baffles me as the press on this was really great. People were saying it was a good album. Why the sudden drop. Has the world abandoned Bon Jovi except for the diehards that bought it the first week. Who knows. Whatever the reason, I think it is unwarranted and we will get to that in a minute.

The new album also sees a slightly different band. We have some new official members. First, there are the trio that has been there from the beginning including Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan and Tico Torres. Then the next group of Phil X and long time bassist Hugh McDonald. This time around, it looks like long-time producer (who I wish would stop producing) has wormed his way in to the band full time, a Mr. John Shanks. Lastly, we get Everett Bradley who is there to help with the background vocals and on percussion. I think that is great as the band is trying to help Jon as much as they can vocally. Smart move. If Richie was still in the band, that wouldn’t be needed (okay, last Richie comment…well…maybe not).

Before we get to the music, let’s talk about what I have in my collection regarding this album. I bought the CD, the Vinyl and even the Cassette. My CD came with an card inside that was signed by Jon and you can see it below. The vinyl is the Amazon exclusive with the 1/2 black. 1/2 transparent look and it looks awesome. You can see that further down in the post. The cassette, well, it is a cassette and still sealed. Not sure if I’ll break that seal yet. So, the only thing I need is the Japanese CD edition and not sure if it is worth paying for the album again for only one additional track, but who knows, I’ve done dumber things. Enough, let us talk about the music since that is why we are really here.

The opening track, which is also the first single, is “Legendary”. A song that pays tribute to this wife but is also a little nostalgic looking at the band’s past and looking in to the future as well. It is a song Jon has done a lot lately for opening tracks. A very uplifting, anthem like feel yet tempo is a little slower than some. The bridge/chorus is so catchy and you can’t help but get swept up in it. There is a line that mentions Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl” and it helps give the song some familiarity. It is a solid opening track and a great way to say that Bon Jovi is still alive and well.

“We Made It Look Easy” is as nostalgic as the opening track maybe even more so. It is Jon taking a look back at his youth and all the things he’s done. Another huge chorus, a great hook and some great Jon story telling…which I feel has been missing for years. Jon is sounding good so far and I am really happy for him. Not a heavy rocker at all, but a great soft rock song that makes you feel good looking back. One of the many writers on this song is Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic which I think is cool as he is pretty freaking talented himself.

Next up is “Living Proof” and it brings back the talk box which I don’t think we’ve seen in over decade. As cool as it is to have the talk box back, I will note that it doesn’t sound as cool as when Richie does it. I’m sorry, it just doesn’t. However, that doesn’t detract from the song as this is another killer track. A great driving beat, upbeat tempo and another feel good track. On ‘2020’, Jon really didn’t sing so much as speak sing the songs. This time, Jon is singing and I couldn’t be happier he seems to be doing better.

“Waves” sees Jon working with more outside writers and this time it is the greta Jason Isbell and I can hear his influence on the song for sure. It is slower tune while the chorus is louder and more upbeat. An AOR track for sure, but again more interesting lyrics and I am really digging what they are putting out here. Heck, we even get a half-way decent guitar solo, that is a surprise.

Then with “Seeds”, we get a similar song as “Waves”, but they fit well together. This one sees Ryan Tedder again and even more outside writers. A little more upbeat then “Waves”, but not by much. Tico’s drums on this are driving the beat, but his drums on this album so far have been very muted and that is massive disappointment as he is a pounder. Production wise that sucks (Shanks, I’m talking to you). More Tico is always a must. Sorry, tangent there. The song is really good and so far I am not disappointed in anything I’ve heard. Actually, it is very enjoyable.

That was until we get to “Kiss the Bride” that Jon wrote with Billy Falcon. A song for Jon’s daughter who was getting married. That is sweet. But it is too sweet, to sugary, it is causing my teeth to ache and head to hurt as a result. Sorry, it is a little dreadful. One thing I’ve noticed lately, is Bon Jovi’s ballads aren’t very good anymore. The song will make you cry, but not for the right reasons.

“The People’s House” saves they day. With a “Keep the Faith” bass line (best on the album), we get a charged up, energy filled track. Well, as much energy as they muster nowadays. It is solely written by Jon and it is nice to see he can still do a good song without the help of other people. Since this is one of the better tracks on the album…maybe he should do that more often. A great song to start up the second half of the album with.

The good feeling was shortly lived as up next is “Walls of Jericho”. A very painful song. It opens with some cheesy gang vocals chanting out the cheesy lyrics with a country twang on the guitar. Shoot me now. There is nothing more I want a say about this one, it is too painful.

“I Wrote You A Song” is another ballad and some more David on piano. I mentioned earlier that Bon Jovi doesn’t do ballads well anymore. I will be the first to admit I was wrong, but sadly I’m not. This one is as bad as the other. It is woefully inadequate to garner any caring emotions or oohs & ahhhs. You race to skip it then listen to it.

The next track is an unusal matchup. It is Jon writing with Ed Sheeran…yeah, you read that right…Ed Sheeran. Ed was staying at Jon’s house as Ed wanted some advice from Jon. Somehow, this strange pair works well. The song “Living in Paradise” is the result and is a fun upbeat track. Not the best on the album, but it is memorable and catchy. Another great big chorus and Bon Jovi is the king of big choruses. How about a full Ed and Jon album…come on…let’s do it.

Now we get to one of my favorite songs on the album and that is “My First Guitar”. Jon has been reunited with his very first guitar after he purchased it back from the guy he sold it to 45 years ago. How cool is that. I guess you could say this is a love song and a ballad and it is amazing. So, I was wrong. Bon Jovi can still do a good ballad. Even if it is a love song about his love for his first guitar. There is something cool about this song, the chorus is simple but says it all. “I’m in love with my first guitar”. And who isn’t. It also mentions playing old Kiss records. Kudos Jon…good job! And written solely Jon. See, need more of that.

I am wrong again, Jon’s songs that written entirely by him aren’t always good. As “Hollow Man” proves. The final song on the album is one of the worst on the album. It is a slow, acoustic track and goes nowhere. There is no real heart or soul to it. It feels flat, one-dimensional and that country sound doesn’t help. It is actually a little grating. Not the best song to go out on.

Track Listing:

1. Legendary – Keeper
2. We Made It Look Easy – Keeper
3. Living Proof – Keeper
4. Waves – Keeper
5. Seeds – Keeper
6. Kiss the Bride – Delete
7. The People’s House – Keeper
8. Walls of Jericho – Delete
9. I Wrote You A Song – Delete
10. Living in Paradise – Keeper
11. My First Guitar – Keeper
12. Hollow Man – Delete

The Track Score is 8 out of 12 Tracks or 75%.  I will admit, this is a good album…not a great one though.  The production is a little weak as Tico’s drums are so lifeless throughout the album. Did they drug him?  He is a pounder and yet none of that here.  Big disappointment. If you are looking for any real rockers, there aren’t any.  But what there is, is worth hearing for the most part. There are some really good songs. I feel the story telling was better than it has been and I love the nostalgic feel of some of the songs.  Nostalgia is always good.  Jon’s vocals will never be where they were, but they are better than where they were on ‘2020’.  I couldn’t be happier for him that he is on the mend.  My Overall Score is a 3.0 out of 5.0 Stars.  As I said, this is a good album, not a great one. A vast improvement over the last one and a step in the right direction.  I hope it isn’t the last.

NEXT UP: BON JOVI – THE ALBUMS RANKED WORST TO FIRST

THE BON JOVI COLLECTION SERIES:

1. Bon Jovi – The Albums Box Set (2017)
2. Jon Bongiovi – The Power Station Sessions (1980-1983) (2001)
3. Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi (1984)
4. Bon Jovi – Shot Through the Heart: Live in Cleveland, OH March 17, 1984 FM Broadcast (Bootleg)
5. Bon Jovi – “Burning For Love” – 12″ Single – Japanese Edition (1984)
6. Bon Jovi – 7800° Fahrenheit (1985)
7. Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet (1986)
8. Bon Jovi – “Borderline” – 12″ Single – Japanese Edition (1986)
9. Bon Jovi – New Jersey (1988)
10. Bon Jovi – New Jersey: Super Deluxe Edition – Disc 2/DVD (1988)
11. Bon Jovi – “I’ll Be There For You” – Cassette Single (1988)
12. Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze of Glory (1990)
13. Jon Bon Jovi – “Blaze of Glory” – Cassette Single (1990)
14. Richie Sambora – Stranger in this Town (1991)
15. Bon Jovi – Keep the Faith (1992)
16. Bon Jovi – “Keep the Faith” – CD Maxi Single (1992)
17. Bon Jovi – “I Believe” – 7″ Single (1992)
18. Bon Jovi – Cross Road (1994)
19. Bon Jovi – “Please Come Home for Christmas” – CD Single (1994)
20. Bon Jovi – These Days (1995)
21. Bon Jovi – Live From London – DVD (1995)
22. Jon Bon Jovi – Destination Anywhere (1997)
23. Richie Sambora – Undiscovered Soul (1998)
24. Bon Jovi – Crush (2000)
25. Bon Jovi – Live From Osaka E.P. (2000)
26. Bon Jovi – “Thank You For Loving Me” – CD Single (2000)
27. Bon Jovi – The Crush Tour – DVD (2000)
28. Bon Jovi – The Love Songs E.P. (Promo) (2001)
29. Bon Jovi – Tokyo Road: Best of Bon Jovi (2001)
30. Bon Jovi – One Wild Night Live: 1985-2001 (2001)
31. Bon Jovi – Bounce (2002)
32. Bon Jovi – Unauthorized: Rock ‘n Roll Legends – Bootleg DVD (2002)
33. Bon Jovi – Target E.P. (2003)
34. Bon Jovi – This Left Feels Right (2003)
35. Bon Jovi – Wild in the Streets: Unauthorized – Bootleg DVD (2003)
36. Bon Jovi – This Left Feels Right – DVD (2004)
37. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Part 1) – (2004)
38. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 1, Part 2) – (2004)
39. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 2, Part 3) – (2004)
40. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 3, Part 4) – (2004)
41. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 4, Part 5) – (2004)
42. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 5 & 6, Part 6) – (2004)
43. Bon Jovi – Have a Nice Day (2005)
44. Bon Jovi – Live from the Have a Nice Day Tour (Walmart Exclusive) (2006)
45. Bon Jovi – Lost Highway (2007)
46. Bon Jovi – Lost Highway: The Concert (2007)
47. Bon Jovi – The Circle (2009)
48. Bon Jovi – When We Were Beautiful Documentary DVD (2009)
49. Bon Jovi – Live at Madison Square Garden – DVD (2009)
50. Bon Jovi – Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection (2009)
51. Bon Jovi – Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Video Collection – DVD (2010)
52. Bon Jovi – Inside Out – DVD (2012)
53. Richie Sambora – Aftermath of the Lowdown (2012)
54. Bon Jovi – What About Now (2013)
55. Bon Jovi – Live E.P. (RSD – 2013)
56. Bon Jovi – Live 2 E.P. (RSD – 2014)
57. Bon Jovi – Burning Bridges (2015)
58. Bon Jovi – This House is Not For Sale (2016)
59. Bon Jovi – This House is Not For Sale – Live From the London Palladium (2016)
60. Bon Jovi – The Albums Box Set – The Extra LP (2017)
61. RSO – Radio Free America (2018)
62. Bon Jovi – 2020 (2020)
63. Bon Jovi – “Legendary” – 7″ Single (2024)
64. Bon Jovi – Forever (2024)
65. The Albums Ranked Worst To First
66. Bon Jovi – 40th Anniversary Box Set (TBA – I Hope it is out by the time we get here)

We’ve reviewed a bunch of pieces already over the years and won’t review again. They are as follows:

1. Bon Jovi – The Brotherhood Tour Book (1988-1990)
2. Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi Tour 2011 – Tourbook
3. Bon Jovi – The Rock History – Bootleg CD
4. Bon Jovi – “You Give Love A Bad Name” – 12″ Single
5. Bon Jovi – “You Give Love a Bad Name” – 7″ Single
6. Bon Jovi – Red Hot & 2 Parts Live E.P. – 12″ Single
7. Bon Jovi – “Wanted Dead or Alive” – 7″ Single
8. Bon Jovi – “Bad Medicine” – 7″ Single
9. Bon Jovi – “Born to Be My Baby” – 7″ Single
10. Bon Jovi – “I’ll Be There For You” – 7″ Single
11. Bon Jovi – “Lay Your Hands on Me” – 7″ Single
12. Bon Jovi – “Living in Sin” – 7″ Single