[MewFan]

Hi everydaybody

I have noticed that Bon Jovi don't have the same popularity in the US as they have in much of the rest of the world.

Critics and sales prove that they don't posses the popularity that they had in the 80'es. In Europe and the rest of the world this popularity has grown in the last decade and they are now more popular than ever.

I am curious of this development, and I am particularly interested in hearing from the American fans - how Bon Jovi are viewed over there?

It seems like Americans generally view them as old and instinct. Is this a wrong assumption?

I hope the new album will put them right on top again where they belong and that this nu-metal junk is just a phase.

See y'all later...

[Norm]

New, I sort of agree with you. I always thought about the popularity of Jovi overseas as being "greater" than what it is here in the states.

I am not saying they haven't been successful here, or don't have a legion of fans, because they do. Maybe it is the fact that there are so many bands out now that the guys get lost in the shuffle? Heck, I think that I could go out and get a record contract today. As David Lee Roth says about one-hit wonder bands: "Here today...gone later today!"

Anyhow, the fact of the matter is this. The guys still have a massive following here in the U.S. Proof of that was last year's "Crush" and "One Wild Night" tours. I was fortunate enough to see the live in Chicago at The World (now the Tweeter Center) in front of 36,000 people. A sold out show. It was simply amazing! Not only did I enjoy it, but every single person ate it up!

I commend the fans that are outside of the U.S. because they hang on even tighter when it comes to staying with the band. It's like a firm handshake, you guys squeeze a little harder. Not to say the American fans don't love the band just as much, but it seems like you guys have a deeper apprecation for them, and that should be recgonized. Good job! As of late though, people my age (16-24) don't have an attention span! That is the main reason there isn't as much "long-term" devotion to bands as their once was.

Look at "It's My Life." Terrific song. So many people that hadn't heard of Bon Jovi before jumped on the band wagon and claimed "oh man, this song is awesome!" But, that is where it stopped. After that, you could ask them if they liked Jovi and you got "eh...they're ok..."

Thankfully though, there are still us hardcore fans here in the states that will stay with them no matter what.

Take Care,
Norm

[Becky]

It goes in cycles. Crush was much more popular in the USA than These Days was, but These Days sold more albums worldwide, so apparantly, some of the global popularity waned for the Crush era. SWW, NJ, and Blaze were all rather big hits in the USA. KTF debuted in the Top 10 and sold around 2 million in the States (same as Crush). Cross Road, or Always as a single, anyway, was MASSIVE in the USA. It was in the Top 10 for six months. Most of the Crush and OWN shows were sold out in the USA, but most of the These Days and KTF shows were not.

The Top 40 US radio market is fickle and trendy. They follow fads. In the past twelve years we've seen grunge, dance, rap, country, angry women, and Latin trends. 2000 turned to more of a mixed bag, and "rock" has made sort of a comeback. Now, who knows how long that will last or what the next trend will be. There will always be radio stations catering only to rock, only to country, only to r&b, but Top 40 changes periodically.

For Crush it seemed that Bon Jovi was just as, if not more, popular in the USA than in other markets. I hope the momentum continues and the huge success they experienced world-wide in the 90's returns. It would be nice if they could be huge globally, don't ya think?

Becky

[Captain Crash]

Well, it depends on how you view the bands work. They just broke back in with CRUSH...and shortly after, a live album. They've made a lot of requested appearances all over the states.

Bon Jovi are still very popular. They're like any other rock band really. The guys have yet to become "an old band"....and as far as the Americans are concerned, Jon Bon Jovi is in his 20's..and the rest of the band probably is too. (That's what it looks like)..

[Wendy]

Well I always thought it was the opposite and that BJ were bigger in the US than they were here in the UK. There are loads of fans here in UK and the gigs are always sold out. Its just that radio don't play anything here unless its dance music or pop. Its something that has always annoyed me. I don't mind the nu metal fad just now as at least more rock is getting played. I don't think Everyday will be number one here while the radios still play junk and the charts are full of it.

Wendy

[MewFan]

What I meant was also that they had fairly much airplay on MTV Europe and you kinda get the feeling that in the US it is VH1 that plays Bon Jovi.

And it is no secret that VH1 is primarily for the "elder" generation in comparison to MTV.

In Europe It's My Life was played aggressively and Say it isn't also got its fair share of airplay. Thank you... and One Wild Night were played but not as much as the others.

I often wonder if Bon Jovi is played on MTV in the US.

I hope so...

[miek]

here in the Netherlands Bon Jovi isn't that popular. Yes there are many fans. But when I say in commend I like Bon Jovi, they all laugh at me.

VERY VERY HARD

LOL but it doesn't bother me... Because the music is FANTASTIC

[Taija]

Is there a place in the world where you can say you are a Bon Jovi fan without being laughed at? Maybe in Germany? I had a presentation in my English class about BJ and everybody was so surprised about the topic, the only one who seemed to like the band besides me was my teacher, she comes from USA and had even been a fan in the 80s. The other students were well educated young people about 20-25 years old, just like many of us in this board. But when I say I'm a BJ fan I'm considered as a teen-ager and especially when I say that I'm going to see many shows on the next tour. If I'd say I'm an Elvis fan and am going to Graceland to see the concert they are having there I guess no one would think that's a "teen" thing to do. Even if Elvis is dead!! I really don't know what's wrong in being a Bon Jovi fan They sell a lot of records here, Crossroad even broke some records I think, but there are not so many real fans... Actually I know very many Finnish BJ fans, I'm so confused now myself. What do you other Finns think?

Taija

[Brijovi]

i dont know about america, but i know aht goes on here in the frozen north, lol. it's very strange here like the cases from Finland and the Netherlands. ur laughed at for liking them, u get weird looks for purchasing their cd's, it's horrible. but i wouldnt have it any other way. i guess that makes bon jovi fans like a special breed or something, an endangered species, lol. i was just stating whats goin on over here, its just the same as most other cases, they're just not liked, and r looked down upon. i guess thats the way it'll always be, cya round,

brijovi, ROCK AND ROLL EVERYDAY!

[Damien]

Here in canada (at least in winnipeg) It's my Life and thank you... were played on the top 40 station but not the rock stations One Wild Night got decent play and say it isn't so wasn't released as a single here. These days got play but not like crush singles did. Thigs here are really based on trends when I said i liked Bon jovi in 1999 people laughed, I said i liked BJ in 2001 people said oh IML is great but most people didn't give any thought to there being any other BJ songs out there because they were not on top 40 radio at the time.