Perth Amboy, NJ

March 2, 1962

After ushering in the era of pop-metal with their 1986 blockbuster Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi wound up transcending the big-haired '80s, withstanding changes in fashion to become one of the biggest American rock bands of their time and sustaining their popularity well into the new millennium. As the times changed, so did the band. They slowly peeled away the arena rock guitars of the '80s, scoring on the adult contemporary charts and sometimes singing country music without ever rejecting hard rock, a move that illustrated how they never abandoned their roots and became second only to Bruce Springsteen in defining the sound and spirit of New Jersey rock & roll. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine