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Originally Posted by Alphavictim
Great post.
I think it also boils down to: What does an artist do well, and what do they like to do? Jon had a great voice for the music they did in the 80s, and he enjoyed making party anthems. In the 90s, the focus shifted. He still had a great voice for that kind of music; arguably, the shift to deeper vocals in the 90s was actually a sound decision considering both the musical climate as well as his vocal development.
But you can't always strike gold, with the things you can do well, the things you want to do and the things that resonate with the cultural landscape being in perfect alignment.
Plus, in case of Bon Jovi: The changing tastes of the band members! I would argue that Jon and Richie were on the very same page musically in the 80s, or at least complemented each other brilliantly. They changed - not neccessarily in the same direction. The music they made became more of a compromise as a result. The strengths of everybody were not at the forefront as much anymore.
Bon Jovi in 2021 would need to take into account the limits of Jon's vocal, the expectations of the fans, the things the general public (who has not been a fan for 15+ years) would appreciate, the things the band can write, the things the band WANTS to perform... account for all that. It is not even just about whether the FANS want a Slippery or a These Days. They alone wouldn't make either a hit. But the band would also need to be able to deliver, and it would need to resonate as well. Slippery was not just a good record in a vacuum, it was a hit record. That changes the nature of the album.
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Well said. It's very nuanced and important to remember that our side of the sandbox liking doesn't mean it'll be a popular hit. If anything it stands to reason the opposite. If they recreate an old sound they're pandering, if they go in a new direction they're trend chasing.
All they can really do is keep going out and playing the hits. I commend them for at least playing the new songs live but let's see if they can pull it off without the "This was a number one album everyone loved" dog and pony show.