Bon Jovi have announced their 16th studio album, Forever, will be released on June 7 via EMI.
To accompany the news, the veteran rock band have released lead single Legendary, plus its music video.
Lead singer, co-founder and namesake Jon Bon Jovi comments on the new album: “This record is a return to joy. From the writing, through the recording process, this is turn-up-the-volume, feelgood Bon Jovi.” The artwork and track listing are available below.
Forever will be the first Bon Jovi album since the release of 2020 four years ago, and features the same lineup of Jon Bon Jovi (vocals), David Bryan (keyboards), Tico Torres (drums), Hugh McDonald (bass) and Phil X (guitars), alongside live musicians Everett Bradley (percussion) and John Shanks (guitars). It will also be their first album since the death of original bassist Alec John Such, who was part of the band from 1983 to 1994 and passed away in 2022.
Jon Bon Jovi commented shortly after Such’s death: “He was an original. As a founding member of Bon Jovi, Alec was integral to the formation of the band. To be honest, we found our way to each other through him – he was a childhood friend of Tico and brought Richie [Sambora, former guitarist] to see us perform.”
Last year, Sambora, who joined the band in 1983 and departed 30 years later, was reported as being interested in a Bon Jovi reunion. However, as of Forever’s announcement, nothing has been confirmed.
Sambora told Absolute Radio in February 2023: “We’re talking about it. I don’t think there’s any reason not to [return to Bon Jovi] at this point.”
He later added: “I don’t know when Jon’s going to get his voice together and [when a Bon Jovi reunion featuring Sambora is] going to happen, but we have to get out there and do it for the fans really. I feel a second obligation. I’ve had such a privilege and an opportunity – and this is not bullshit, it’s really true – my life is pretty good, always has been, and I get to do what I love to do for a living. And it’s a damn good living. And I never really stopped, really.”
A four-part docu-series about the career of Bon Jovi, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, will premiere at the SXSW Conference tonight (March 14). The series will be released on April 26 via Hulu (US) and Disney Plus (UK).
At time of publication, Bon Jovi have no live concerts announced.
Bon Jovi – Forever track listing
1. Legendary
2. We Made It Look Easy
3. Living Proof
4. Waves
5. Seeds
6. Kiss The Bride
7. The People’s House
8. Walls Of Jericho
9. I Wrote You A Song
10. Living In Paradise
11. My First Guitar
12. Hollow Man
