Bon Jovi’s ‘New Jersey’ Turns 30 (+1)
September 19, 1988. Bon Jovi takes on the monumental task of following up Slippery When Wet with New Jersey, and they pretty much pull it off.
Actually, forget the “pretty much.” New Jersey debuted on the Billboard 200 at number eight, went to number one a week later, then stayed there for a month. Five singles on the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100, and two of them went to number one. Not too bad for a little glam-metal band from, um, New Jersey.
Take a cruise down the Jersey turnpike with those five hit singles below and be transported back to a time when it was still cool as hell to rock a mullet and acid wash jeans. And leather biker boots. Can’t forget the leather biker boots. You know, with the chains on ’em.
Adam 12 is the Program Director of Boston's ROCK 92.9, heard weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. He's been flexing his encyclopedic rock knowledge in New England for over 2 decades, both on-air and online, at WBCN, WFNX, Boston.com, and indie617. At ROCK 92.9, he keeps you in the know on the big stories from the Boston music scene and writes about great places to eat, drink (beer), and to spend time outdoors in and around Boston.