Bon Jovi, the iconic rock band led by Jon Bon Jovi, has been a powerhouse in the music industry for decades, capturing the hearts of fans worldwide with their timeless hits. While their early work propelled them to stardom, every artist encounters moments of reflection and self-assessment throughout their career. In the case of Bon Jovi, their second album, ‘7800° Fahrenheit,’ holds a special place in their journey. However, what might surprise fans is that Jon Bon Jovi himself admits to making a significant mistake with this particular release.
A Solid Start: Bon Jovi’s Debut Album
In 1984, Bon Jovi released their self-titled debut album, which propelled the band into the music industry limelight. The album featured chart-topping hits like “Runaway” and “She Don’t Know Me.” Many bands experience a fleeting moment of fame with their debut album, only to fade into obscurity. Fortunately, Bon Jovi did not succumb to the dreaded sophomore slump.
‘7800° Fahrenheit’: A Follow-up Success
Just a year after their debut, Bon Jovi delivered their eagerly anticipated second album, ‘7800° Fahrenheit’. The album did not disappoint fans, with standout tracks such as “Only Lonely” and “In and Out of Love.” ‘7800° Fahrenheit’ achieved Platinum status, matching the success of its predecessor and setting the stage for Bon Jovi’s groundbreaking third album, ‘Slippery When Wet’, in 1986.
A Key Mistake: Jon Bon Jovi’s Revelation
Despite the success of ‘7800° Fahrenheit’, lead singer Jon Bon Jovi admits that he could have approached the album’s creation differently. In an interview with American Songwriter, he revealed that he may have been overly protective of the music he and the band wrote for their second album.
Jon Bon Jovi reflects, “With ‘7800° Fahrenheit’, I was a novice in the field. The first album takes your whole life to write. The second album, you’ve got six weeks. I read in a magazine how artists X, Y, and Z would shelter their tapes, lock them up in a closet so no one could hear them. So I said, ‘that’s what you’re supposed to do.’ I never played the second album for anyone until it was done. Big mistake.”
Despite Jon Bon Jovi’s self-proclaimed mistake, ‘7800° Fahrenheit’ served its purpose by maintaining the band’s momentum and proving that they were more than just a one-album wonder. Nevertheless, fans might wonder if Bon Jovi could have achieved even greater success with a different approach.
While Bon Jovi hasn’t released an album since ‘2020’, there is exciting news for fans. Speculation about Richie Sambora, the band’s longtime guitarist and songwriter, returning to Bon Jovi has been circulating. Sambora himself hinted at the possibility during an interview with Absolute Radio in 2023, stating, “We’re talking about [me] coming back. I don’t think there’s any reason not to at this point. I mean, [Jon and I], we did something… there’s not a lot of bands that did what we did. […] We have to get out there and do it for the fans really.”
