Could Butch Walker or Johnny Rzenik 'save' the next Bon Jovi album?

[gtrjay]

Both are great songwriters and we can debate all day that their earlier stuff is better than recent songs for soccer moms (soccer moms = MILFS most of the time). Jovi needs help in writing new hit songs. What better way to get Butch, Johnny, and perhaps Desmond Child back in the mix for a retirement album/tour? If not Butch/Johnny who? Not Shanks for sure.

[DonJuanDeMarco]

I’m going with the obvious answer. Get Richie back, write some songs with Desmond. Bruce Fairbairn is long gone, so get Bob Rock to produce it. Or Peter Collins that did These Days.

Definitely lose Shanks.

In the documentary Jon mentioned there are still lots of unreleased songs. Maybe a few new ones and a few dusted off old songs. That worked for Springsteen with The Promise and The River box sets. They seemed to rejuvenate him.

[Anthrax442]

It might just be time for them to hang it up. There doesn't need to be a next Bon Jovi anything. Let Jon move onto charity work, sports team ownership, etc.

I liked the last Dokken album, but the vast majority of Dokken fans will never hear it. Same goes for Bon Jovi. I haven't listened to a Bon Jovi album all the way through since These Days (technically One Wild Night, but that doesn't count).

[Brainy Lane]

It might just be time for them to hang it up. There doesn't need to be a next Bon Jovi anything. Let Jon move onto charity work, sports team ownership, etc.

I liked the last Dokken album, but the vast majority of Dokken fans will never hear it. Same goes for Bon Jovi. I haven't listened to a Bon Jovi album all the way through since These Days (technically One Wild Night, but that doesn't count).

This.
The only way Jovi could have a hit now is if Dua Lipa does a medley type song ala Elton John.

[Danzig in the Dark]

His biggest handicap isn't the songwriting. Unless one of them donates his vocal cords or has pull with some deity, it's beyond them.

[VinnieVincentsVag]

It might just be time for them to hang it up. There doesn't need to be a next Bon Jovi anything. Let Jon move onto charity work, sports team ownership, etc.

I liked the last Dokken album, but the vast majority of Dokken fans will never hear it. Same goes for Bon Jovi. I haven't listened to a Bon Jovi album all the way through since These Days (technically One Wild Night, but that doesn't count).

This.
The only way Jovi could have a hit now is if Dua Lipa does a medley type song ala Elton John.

[BlackieVanHolmes]

I’m going with the obvious answer. Get Richie back, write some songs with Desmond. Bruce Fairbairn is long gone, so get Bob Rock to produce it. Or Peter Collins that did These Days.

Peter Collins passed away this year unfortunatley.

[aznsquirt]

The crazy thing is, it's been 25 years since they already basically did what you're talking about. Bring Max Martin in, write a great pop song, throw a talkbox effect on it so it "sounds like Bon Jovi" and profit.

Yeah, 25 years ago.

If you're talking about a return to commercial success, that's how far this ship has sailed. Maybe some kind of duet with a cool, modern artist could work, but I don't think anyone's in the mood for it and I don't think anyone at the record companies would think its a good idea.

The years of having Joe Perry come up and break into Walk This Way in the middle of every current pop star's half time performance are long gone.

If you're just talking about making a "return to form" album that makes 50 somethings go "hell yeah Bon Jovi is BACK", the best you can hope for is some kind of VH/Different Kind of Truth situation where they pull up a bunch of old material or something.

Tall order, IMO.

[DangerZone]

yes, from heterosexuality

[Dyslexicheart]

I like Johnny, but he's a lightweight acolyte of Paul Westerberg, who is the true genius songwriter. I'm sure Johnny would agree with this.

[Wild Obsession]

Maybe if Butch and Johnny handle all the vocals.
Bon Jovi has been releasing adult contemporary pap for over 30 years, there is no "return to form".

[Ozzy Stradlin]

Maybe if Butch and Johnny handle all the vocals.

This is the correct answer.

[Zinny]

Will it be a spoken word record since Jon can’t sing anymore?

[Jason Jennifer Leigh]

Desmond wrote some songs with Jon for “Forever” but obviously not good enough for Shanks.

[Spongie]

Butch Walker? Johnny Rzenik? Bon Jovi? This thread reads like a promo for Ram Ranch. Why not throw in Andy Biersack and Ronnie Radke and watch Curse of the Queerwolf?

[Anthrax442]

Desmond wrote some songs with Jon for “Forever” but obviously not good enough for Shanks.

It's easy to blame Shanks, and I do think he's a large part of the reason Jon feels like he doesn't need Richie anymore, but he wasn't involved with Bounce or Crush, and those two albums already solidified them on their adult contemporary path (not to mention they were already half way there...sigh...on These Days).

If Shanks was there to JUST produce, and they reused a lot of old material, like whatever he did for the previously mentioned ADKOT, then they could maybe come up with something, but the thing is, I have to wonder if the cupboard is already bare after they released 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong. Those would have been exactly the songs to tune up for something like this.

[Rocker4Real]

Speaking of Bon Jovi, there are tons of clickbait 2025 tour announcements on social media. Follow the official stuff for real info.

[greengoblinrulz]

Im a big Bon Jovi guy in the 90s & 2000s. Liked enough stuff off each album to enjoy & buy the stuff.
After Richie left, I gave em a shot but there hasnt been a single song that is noteworthy.
Band would tour & play 7-8 new songs every tour, very different but also very cool & helped sell the album. Tours now is just boring with the 7-8 new songs & 4-5 songs without Richie inbetween the hits.
Unless they got back to a pure rocking album without the midtemp/ballads including......possibly it would get some fans back
They are a touring juggernaut now & can Jon recover enough to get back out on the road??

[joey78]

I always believed Richie was the rock guy in BJ, but look at some of the pop crap he has released on his solo records of late