Did Mercury/UMG lowball Jon?
 

Does anyone know if Mercury/UMG made Jon a lowball offer for the next contract? Seems like something happened to make him feel insulted enough to write "Burning Bridges".

We really don't know the facts as to why Jon is no longer with them. Just a lot of speculation...

Was he dropped? Did he leave on his own due to a "low ball offer"? We don't know...

Burning Bridges the album was released to fulfill a contractual obligation and the song is an F U to them...

We've worn that question to tatters around here:
http://www.drycounty.com/jovitalk/bo...-label-t69187/

I myself am willing to bet on it simply because the absence of Richie -- the member who had at least as much to do with Bon Jovi's profitability to the label as Jon did -- put a big dent in Jon's bargaining power. You also have to factor in the new standard in major record deals: Instead of just record sales and publishing royalties, the label gets merchandising and touring income, too. But "360-degree" deals are mainly for new and up-and-coming bands, not internationally established veterans on whom the label has been getting more than rich enough on album sales alone. (Besides, convincing a band to share their non-record sales income is as simple as offering to pay the upfront expenses involved.)

Bon Jovi as we now know them are in a limbo of sorts -- no longer a sure thing profitability-wise on either the record sales or touring level. I think the label either offered Jon a 360 deal or asked for publishing rights as collateral, which he refused -- which is what they hoped he would do.