Which song would you choose as a first single?

There is a lot of complaining about the bad choice for the first single. So what would be your choices??

I don't hate WWBTF as passionately as many of you do, I quite enjoy the song. I'd only remove the hundreds of layers with guitars and make it sound more live.

But when I listen to the album, there is no suitable song for being a first single. WWBTF is the best choice after all. And this is sad. I've always said that there is no song on this album which would stand out from the line. No song which would attract casual listeners to make them care about Bon Jovi.

I love Superman Tonight and I think it's the best choice for a second single in ages but it wouldn't work as the lead single. I'm afraid that it wouldn't save anything right now. It is just the obvious step to release a second single few weeks after the album is out.

I personally love Happy Now. It is the best track from the album (followed by When We Were Beautiful) for me. I also think it should be the opening song for the album but I can't see it as first single.

So what are your thoughts?

I agree with Johny. We Weren't Born To Follow is a good single. Not necessarily the best song of the album but the casual listeners do like it. People I know that don't like Bon Jovi really likes Born To Follow and says it's a great song !

And I think everyone understands that Born To Follow wasn't written for the die hards. No, just for the ordinary audience. And the song is catchy and is easy to remember.

If not Born To Follow I think Thorn In My Side or Love's the Only Rule would have been good singles !

The best first single would be BrokenPromiseland.Casual listener maybe likes WWBTF,but they would be amazed with Promiseland.Maybe not everyone,but rock fans,teens and students,a new generation would embrace it very well.Maybe it wouldn't be a massive hit but it isn't even supposed to be.With this song on XFactor and similar events,people who listened Jovi in the past and new kids would be in awe,because it's an excellent song with hooks and solo,it's a spot on where a modern Jovi right now should be.2nd single should be Love's the only rule because it's different and brave,and very radio friendly but original in some way too.It would stay in heavy rotation for a long time.And finally,Superman Tonight would be a ballad hit if marketed well and with a good music video and strong plan,it would become another classic Jovi ballad.

From a jovi-fan point of view I'd understand with you. But I think Brokenpromiseland isn't the most suitable. It has a long intro and making a single version with cutting it out would make the song much worse. I agree that it contains some modern rock features. It doesn't sound as much as Bon Jovi. Not everytime your favourite song would be the best single choice - same with me and Happy Now.

We Weren't Born To Follow was a terrible choice for a first single for a very simple reason. It sounds exactly like (practicly) everything else they've put out in the last 9 years, only weaker and more boring.

From the year 2000, when Bon Jovi had their resurgance, they've released five albums. The first single from the first 3 albums released this decade have all shared the same theme and same basic style. The story is just the same with WWBTF. Lyrically and themeaticly it is no different to the casual listener then It's My Life, Everyday or Have a Nice Day; musically it's the same stereotypical Bon Jovi sound. What's going to excite the casual listener here? What's going to hook in the new fan? Isn't it highly probable that the casual listener is going to hear this song and think, "here we go again with this band.....boring." And subsequently not give it a second thought?

Putting out a first single that sounds fresh yet quintesentially like that band can be a good idea but not when you've already saturated the market with this kind of thing. All you're going to achieve is, at best, to convince the listener that you're just going through the motions and creating the same product as you always have been, which will naturally be subject to deminishing returns. The performance of The Circle seems to justify this.

Now, lets say the decision makers had come to this conclusion, what should have been the first single? Well you'd have three choices really.

First, pick a song that sounds quintessentially like the band but fresh and origional. Wait a minute, I hear you say, isn't that what I've just argued against? Well, no. I've argued against saturating the market with the same product. Why not have chosen WORK FOR THE WORKING MAN? It's reminicent of Livin' On a Prayer in a number of ways yet still completely modern. The opening bass line will remind listeners of Prayer, and then take them somewhere new. It's aggresive, poigniant and socially and culturally relevant. This song would have got people's attention. It's something new and fresh and relevant from the band, yet completely rooted in the tradition of the band. A perfect choice for a first single.

Second, the decision makers could have gone with a ballad as a first single and chosen Superman Tonight. Wouldn't have been a bad idea at all as it's a great song, but it probably wouldn't have jivved with the talk of The Circle being a "back-to-our-roots-rock-record" shtick.

Third, taken a risk, gone with something completely different and unexpected, which represents the diverse nature of this album; Love's the Only Rule.

I've no doubt whatsoever that the album was done and the record company ordered Jon and Richie back into the studio to write a "first-single song" in the It's My Life vein. WWBTF simple doesn't sit with the other 11 songs on the album, it stands out like a sore thumb. The sad thing is Bon Jovi have created something brilliant with this album and something very unlike anything else they've done and they've sent the listening public exactly the opposite message with their first single.

And I say all of this as someone who likes WWBTF quite a lot.

If they wanted to play it safe while at the same time trying something a bit different single wise then I honestly don't think there is a better choice for an opening single that Thorn in my Side. It sounds like jovi but updated, a bit of a haunting melody. This song could have made a better impact I think.

There wasnt a song that was going to be good enough for a first single. There are no standouts on the album and WWBTF was the best song they could have run with.

Loves The Only Rule is a good song, and catchy enough that it might work. I'd have picked that one.

I think "Loves the only Rule" is a great song, different, but I love the drums and the vocals are outstanding in my opinon

WFTWM. Far from the best song on the album, but certainly would grab casual listeners.

I agree Working Man would have been the best choice. Superman is certainly smart for a second single. I would love to see Love's the only Rule and certainly Brokenpromiseland get the attention they deserve, but I have a feeling they won't.