New Jersey or These Days, which do you prefer?

Shame....

Too close to call, pretty much joint No.1's for me. Some days I prefer NJ, the others These Days. Both totally different albums but both totally brilliant. I have more of a connection with These Days as I was a fan when it was released, in fact after Crossroad it was the first new Jovi album I experienced and played it to death on my teenage paper round. But then New Jersey has I'll Be There For You & Wild Is The Wind which are 2 of my favourite songs.

Abstained

The only song I'm not too bothered about on 'These Days' is 'Hearts Breaking Even'

Both amazing albums but both deliver something very different, making comparison difficult. NJ has its big sinaglong stadium anthems, huge syrupy ballads and some amazing solos. TD has that intospective, deep maturity that flourished after KTF and it gets pretty dark in some places.

For me, TD shows that the band could be mature and adapt their musical style whilst still producing an album that is Bon Jovi to the core. What I mean by that is that I can't imagine many other 80s bands could create an album as great as NJ then evolve their style to create a masterpiece of an album that sounds so different to it precursors yet is off similar or even better quality. There are elements of jovi there, ie the big hooks, some cliches, samboras guitarwork, tico and hughs rhythm section, but they are utilised in such a different way to other albums.

On a side note, that isnt to say no 80s band evolved their style or produced good albums in the 90s, but i think this is a definitve example of how to do it.

Ironically that's one of my favs

These Days, without a doubt.

New Jersey, while being a good Bon Jovi album, it too 80's for me. These Day's however is probably their most mature and meaningful release, ever. The song's deal with real life problems, not party music or feel-good lyrics. The song's stretched from everything from lost love, to lost faith.

Seriously, These Day's is probably the only Bon Jovi album I can sit through without skipping a single song. Every song on the album could have been a hit, IMO. It's that good. The title track is one of the best songs they have ever written and it's a shame they don't play more songs from the album.

New Jersey came out a little over a week after I had turned 17 and at a time when my BJ fandom was at its peak. I anxiously waited for the record to come out and I couldn't help but have very high expectations for it. And boy, did it deliver! Even now, with more than 500 records in my collection and BJ not getting a lot of plays anymore, I'd venture to guess that it's the record I've listened to most during my lifetime. The thing is, I still get an urge to spin it every now and then - I never grew tired of it which is kind of amazing. The complete realization of an 80s rock album if you ask me; utterly listenable from start to end and it even has a bit of an epic, cinematic feel to it, the way the tracks follow each other. I always regarded Love For Sale as the perfect, cheeky ending!

These Days I heard for the first time in 2002, well over ten years after my fangirl phase had withered and eventually died. The internet rekindled my interest in the band and so TD ended up in my collection eventually. It wasn't love at first listen, but I did end up loving the record a whole lot over time. I absolutely regard it as a classic now and it's right up there with NJ as far as my favourite Bon Jovi records go.

But...ya know...the memories associated with 'Jersey' will always be more vivid, dear and precious. Just thinking of the time NJ came out makes me smile... As brilliant as TD is, there's really only one choice for me.

^ Really nicely put.

So These Days it is then?

No competition for me, it's clearly "These Days". Their masterpiece. Their climax and peak. An musical orgasm of roughly 75 minutes. Every note in its own place. I would be a fan of this band if they never recorded this album (as I had already been a fan when it came out), but it is the one that justifies my fan-being the most...

Imo, until 1995 the band got better with each album, so my ranking would be
1. These Days
2. KTF
3. NJ
4. SWW
5. 7800
6. BJ

But KTF and NJ are also perfect albums for what they are, SWW is great but falls a bit flat compared to the top 3. I just like TD the most.