Forever (Bon Jovi Album)

''Forever'' is the sixteenth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on June 7, 2024, through Island Records. It was preceded by the singles " Legendary" and "Living Proof".

Background and composition

The album is Bon Jovi's first since Jon Bon Jovi had vocal cord surgery in 2022, which was part of the band's 2024 Hulu docuseries ''Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story'', released in conjunction with the band's 40th anniversary. After his recovery, Bon Jovi regained his joy and confidence, inspiring him to start writing music again.

The album opens with the pop-rock song "Legendary", which reflects on the past while looking forward to the future. Bon Jovi explained: "I just feel that there's an opportunity for me to leave a legacy that was there to do some good and maybe just cause a little ripple in the sea." "Living Proof" is the first Bon Jovi song in 14 years that features the use of the talk box, being last used in their 2010 song " This Is Love This Is Life." This sound effect is famously known from their hits " It's My Life" and " Livin' on a Prayer".

"Kiss the Bride" is a wedding song written by Bon Jovi for his daughter, Stephanie Bongiovi. "Living in Paradise" is a collaboration song with British songwriter/singer Ed Sheeran. The song was composed during a weekend when Ed and his family were at Jon Bon Jovi's house. The composition began when Ed started asking for Jon's advice regarding his life experiences. "My First Guitar" is a song composed by Bon Jovi using his very first guitar, which he managed to repurchase from the person he sold it to 45 years ago.

Release and promotion

In October 2023, MusiCares announced that Jon Bon Jovi had been selected as the 2024 Person of the Year. During the gala event on February 2, 2024, the band performed "Legendary" for the first time. On March 12, a video titled "Bon Jovi Forever" was uploaded to the band's YouTube channel, announcing the album title and the release of the lead single "Legendary" on March 14. The video also included snippets of the songs "We Made It Look Easy", "Living Proof", and "Waves". On May 15, the band announced that the second single "Living Proof" would be released on May 17. On May 20, the band began posting track-by-track commentary and snippets of each song's chorus on their social media. The album was released on June 7.

Critical reception

''Forever'' received a score of 61 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on five critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that "as the first record Bon Jovi has made since their singer's surgery, it also functions as an unveiling of a revived band" and "this sense of refinement suits a group who knows they're a bit older and a bit slower than they were 40 years ago but they're grateful to still be happy doing what they're doing all these decades later." Steve Beebee of ''Kerrang!'' called ''Forever'' "an album by an artist who has much to celebrate and nothing left to prove" and found that the music "has a kind of open-road joy about it. The songs are reflective, certainly, and often chime with Bon Jovi classics of the past." Bryan Rolli of ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' wrote that "the guitars are sterile, the lyrics are treacly and you can telegraph exactly where the band's going to drop out for Bon Jovi to utter the hook—yet despite your best efforts, these songs will lodge themselves in your brain, because that's what this band does best."

''Classic Rock''s Philip Wilding wrote that unlike the "pretty much solo" ''2020'', "''Forever'' sounds like a Bon Jovi album. Rock songs, power ballads, it's a big-sounding record designed to be played to big rooms." Carla Feric, reviewing the album for ''The Independent'', concluded that "The album diverges from past material, but Jon Bon Jovi's powerful vocals have not faltered and the band's instrumentals keep the tracks catchy and fresh – making the listener want to keep this one on repeat."

Track listing

All tracks are produced by Jon Bon Jovi and John Shanks, except "Living in Paradise", produced by Bon Jovi, Shanks and Joe Rubel

Personnel

Bon Jovi
* Jon Bon Jovi – lead vocals, production (all tracks); background vocals (tracks 1, 10), engineering (10)
* Everett Bradley – background vocals (tracks 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), percussion (1, 4, 5, 7, 8)
* David Bryan – background vocals (1–3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), organ (1, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12), piano (1–4, 6–10, 12), synth pads (1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10–12), keyboards (3, 6, 9–11)
* Hugh McDonald – bass (all tracks)
* John Shanks – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, production (all tracks); synth pads (1, 3, 7, 12), background vocals (2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), drum programming (3, 7, 8), keyboards (11)
* Tico Torres – drums (all tracks), percussion (3, 9, 12)
* Phil X – electric guitar (tracks 1–5, 7–11), background vocals (1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), talk box (track 3)

Additional musicians
* Billy Falcon – background vocals (track 1)
* Bradley Giroux – drum programming (tracks 2, 3, 7)
* Ryan Tedder – background vocals (tracks 2, 5); drum programming, synth pads (2)
* Jason Isbell – background vocals, electric guitar (track 4); keyboards, organ, piano (5)
* Charlie Bisharat – violin (tracks 5, 6)
* Gerardo Hilera – violin (tracks 5, 6)
* Joel Pargman – violin (tracks 5, 6)
* Michele Richards – violin (tracks 5, 6)
* Natalie Leggett – violin (tracks 5, 6)
* Songa Lee – violin (tracks 5, 6)
* Neil Samples – violin (track 5)
* Philip Vaiman – violin (track 5)
* Cameron Stone – cello (track 5)
* David Mergen – cello (track 5)
* Paula Hochhalter – cello (track 5)
* Erik Rynearson – viola (track 5)
* Luke Maurer – viola (track 5)
* Tom Lea – viola (track 5)
* Joe Rubel – synth pads (track 10)

Technical
* Joe Rubel – production (track 10)
* Ted Jensen – mastering
* Chris Lord-Alge – mixing
* Obie O'Brien – engineering
* Bradley Giroux – engineering (tracks 1–9, 11, 12)
* Steve Churchyard – engineering (tracks 5, 6, 9)
* David Campbell – string arrangement (tracks 5, 6, 9)
* Lars Fox – editing
* Chris Grainger – mastering assistance
* Brian Judd – mixing assistance
* Greyson Smith – mixing assistance
* Katelyn Prieboy – engineering assistance
* Logan Taylor – engineering assistance (tracks 5, 6, 9)

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

References

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2024 albums
Albums produced by John Shanks
Bon Jovi albums
Island Records albums