Top 5 Songs By Bon Jovi
As the iconic rock band are gearing up to perform at Croke Park in summer 2026, here is a list of their top five songs.
Top 5 Songs By Bon Jovi
As the iconic rock band are gearing up to perform at Croke Park in summer 2026, here is a list of their top five songs.
5. It’s My Life (2000)
Released as the lead single from Crush, It’s My Life reintroduced Bon Jovi to a new generation of fans. Co-written with Max Martin, it became a global hit thanks to its universal message of independence and resilience. Jon Bon Jovi explained the lyric “Like Frankie said, I did it my way” as a tribute to Frank Sinatra — another New Jersey icon. It’s since become an anthem of self-determination and one of the band’s biggest concert staples.
4. Always (1994)
Written for the soundtrack of an unreleased film called Romeo Is Bleeding, Always instead became a standalone single — and one of Bon Jovi’s biggest hits. Jon Bon Jovi has called it a song that “almost got lost,” but it became one of the best-selling singles of their career, topping charts in 10 countries. With soaring vocals and heartfelt lyrics, it showcased the band’s ability to blend power balladry with emotional sincerity.
3. Wanted Dead or Alive (1987)
Serving as a metaphor for life on the road, Wanted Dead or Alive draws parallels between the band’s touring lifestyle and the image of an outlaw cowboy. Jon Bon Jovi once said the song was his “love letter to the hard life of a rock musician.” The acoustic intro, blended with Sambora’s haunting guitar work, gave the track a rugged Western feel. It reached the Billboard Top 10 and remains one of the band’s most performed songs.
2. You Give Love a Bad Name (1986)
Another Slippery When Wet hit, You Give Love a Bad Name was Bon Jovi’s first No. 1 single in the U.S. Desmond Child originally wrote it for Bonnie Tyler, but when Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora got involved, they reworked it into something edgier and more playful. With its unforgettable opening line — “Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame” — the song became an instant classic and cemented Bon Jovi’s place in mainstream rock.
1. Livin’ on a Prayer (1986)
Arguably Bon Jovi’s most iconic song, Livin’ on a Prayer was released as the second single from their album Slippery When Wet. Co-written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child, it tells the blue-collar story of Tommy and Gina — a couple struggling to make ends meet but holding on to love and hope. The band initially dismissed it as “not strong enough” until Sambora added the now-famous talk box guitar effect. It went on to top the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and became a defining rock anthem of the 1980s.
