Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in 1983 in New Jersey. The band consists of lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald. Bon Jovi has released 15 studio albums, with their debut self-titled album Bon Jovi released in 1984. Over the years, Bon Jovi has had multiple members featured on the covers of their studio albums. Let’s take a look at who has been featured on the covers of Bon Jovi’s studio albums over the decades.
Bon Jovi (1984)
The cover of Bon Jovi’s self-titled debut album from 1984 features lead singer Jon Bon Jovi. On the cover, Jon is shown in black and white, looking off to the side with a microphone in front of him. This simple cover put the focus and emphasis on the new band’s lead singer and frontman as they embarked on releasing their first album.
7800° Fahrenheit (1985)
Bon Jovi’s second studio album 7800° Fahrenheit, released in 1985, also features lead singer Jon Bon Jovi prominently on the cover. This time, Jon is shown in color with his back to the camera, turning his head to look at the viewer over his shoulder. Jon’s famous long hair is seen flowing down his back. The album title is printed across the top in large letters.
Slippery When Wet (1986)
The band’s 1986 breakthrough third album Slippery When Wet featured lead singer Jon Bon Jovi along with guitarist Richie Sambora together on the cover. The two band members are shown shirtless, with wet hair, looking out intensely at the camera. This marked the first Bon Jovi album cover to feature two band members together. The image became iconic for representing the album’s mix of hard rock and pop metal.
New Jersey (1988)
For their fourth album New Jersey in 1988, Bon Jovi returned to featuring just lead singer Jon Bon Jovi on the album cover. Jon is pictured in black and white, wearing jeans and a leather jacket, turning around and flashing a brooding look at the camera. The simple but striking cover put the focus back on Jon as the band continued evolving their sound.
Keep The Faith (1992)
Keep The Faith, released in 1992, was the band’s fifth studio album and first without original bassist Alec John Such. The Keep The Faith cover features lead singer Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora together again, this time both dressed in black leather jackets. They stand back to back, with Jon looking off to the left and Richie looking off to the right. This cover captured the band’s darker, more mature tone on the album.
These Days (1995)
Bon Jovi displayed a different look for their sixth studio album These Days. The album cover features lead singer Jon Bon Jovi shown in black and white, sitting back in a chair staring off pensively to the side. Jon is dressed in all black and the moody vibe matched the album’s deeper lyrical themes.
Crush (2000)
After some time away from the spotlight, Bon Jovi made a comeback with their seventh studio album Crush in 2000. The album cover featured Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora together for the third time. On this cover, they are shot in color standing side by side, with Jon flashing a grin and Richie laughing next to him. The fun, upbeat cover reflected the band’s pop-influenced sound on the album.
Bounce (2002)
Bounce, released in 2002, was Bon Jovi’s eighth studio album. It was the band’s first album following the departure of bassist Alec John Such in 1994. The Bounce album cover is a live shot of lead singer Jon Bon Jovi mid-concert, clutching the microphone with his eyes closed singing intensely. It captured Jon’s powerful stage presence and vocal performance.
Have A Nice Day (2005)
Bon Jovi went for an artistic, symbolic cover for their ninth studio album Have A Nice Day. It features a smiley face logo with the initials “BJ” on a purple and red circle background. The simple but visually striking cover contained no photos of the band members. It leaned into more abstract, graphic design for this album cycle.
Lost Highway (2007)
The cover of Lost Highway, Bon Jovi’s tenth studio album released in 2007, gets back to basics featuring a headshot of Jon Bon Jovi wearing a black cowboy hat. Jon’s face is mostly obscured by the shadow of the hat’s brim. This straightforward cover tied into the country influences on the album and Jon’s cowboy look during this era.
The Circle (2009)
Bon Jovi brought back the pairing of lead singer Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora for the cover of their eleventh studio album The Circle. The black and white photo shows the two members sitting back to back, while each playing a different guitar. The image highlights the band’s two main creative forces coming together once again.
What About Now (2013)
The cover of 2013’s What About Now, Bon Jovi’s twelfth studio album, features a close up black and white photo of lead singer Jon Bon Jovi wearing sunglasses. Jon’s face and shades fill up most of the cover. The tight focus on Jon matched the album’s introspective themes looking back on the band’s long career.
Burning Bridges (2015)
Burning Bridges was categorized as a compilation album, but contained new Bon Jovi songs as well. The cover image shows lead singer Jon Bon Jovi standing and playing a flaming guitar, shot in black and white. The eye-catching depiction of Jon ties into the album’s title Burning Bridges as a metaphor for the band moving into a new era.
This House Is Not for Sale (2016)
Bon Jovi’s thirteenth studio album This House Is Not for Sale returned to the classic pairing of Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora featured together on the cover. The black and white photo shows the two members standing face to face, with Jon pointing a finger and Richie grimacing. The image conveys the band’s renewed unity and excitement working together again.
2020 (2020)
The cover art of Bon Jovi’s fifteenth and most recent studio album 2020 provides commentary on the state of the world. It features a photo of a reflective sculpture of lead singer Jon Bon Jovi’s face, cracked and fractured into pieces. This visually represents the fractured societal issues addressed on the album released during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Takeaways
Looking back on Bon Jovi’s 15 studio album covers over nearly 40 years:
- Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi has been featured on the most covers, appearing on a total of 11 out of 15.
- Guitarist Richie Sambora has been featured alongside Jon on 3 covers: Slippery When Wet, Crush, and This House Is Not For Sale
- Earlier covers focused solely on Jon as the frontman, while later covers incorporated Richie more to showcase both key band members
- The imagery often plays off Jon’s good looks and long hair, shown in emotional or intense expressions
- Later covers got more creative, using symbolic images or direct ties to the album themes
While Jon Bon Jovi has always been the focal point as lead singer, the covers reflect how guitarist Richie Sambora also became an integral part of Bon Jovi’s image and success over the years. The album covers provide a visual history of Bon Jovi evolving their musical style while managing to always highlight their legendary frontman.
Conclusion
Over nearly four decades and 15 studio albums, Bon Jovi’s album covers have primarily featured lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, reflecting his importance as the band’s voice and image. Earlier simplistic black and white portraits gave way to more conceptually creative images tied into the music. Guitarist Richie Sambora emerged more prominently later on, signaling him joining Jon as a key member of Bon Jovi. While Jon Bon Jovi has remained at the forefront throughout the band’s changing lineups and musical phases, the album covers document Bon Jovi building their identity as stadium rock icons. For fans, the covers are snapshots of the band’s journey and reminder of their unmatched success in rock history.