First Time Reaction To Bon Jovi - It's My Life 

I'm a hard core metal head from waaaay back, and I've always loved bon Jovi. Good music is good music. I remember when runaway dropped on the radio. Most metal heads that I knew, back then, loved it.

This is an 80's hair band almost 20 years after their debut evolving and surviving. Which very few of their peers were able to do. The hair, by the way, was cut 8 years before this, so they modernized well before the boy band craze. As mentioned, this is basically livin on a prayer part II.

♥ They sold over 120 million albums, performed live at more than 2,600 concerts around the world, and they are HOFers. I believe they earned their spot in rock and roll history. 😉♥

I have always loved bon jovi ...iam a metalhead as well. What I always loved about jovi is their positive messages in their songs. Especially in their 90s songs and lyrics.

FYI: the haircut ( updated) is around the time when Jon Bon Jovi was doing some acting - yes he's also an actor.

100,000,000 bon jovi fans can't be wrong 🤘

Another Metal fan here, I thought Bon Jovi was OK until I saw them live back in 1986. I was blown away by them, They definitely had a harder edge back then especially live but softened over the years. Some people hate when a band gets huge, If bands dont make a comercial success they dont survive its as simple as that.

This is a pop rock song. Came out on May 8, 2000. Did you notice that he said Tommy and Gina ( If you know Livin' on prayer same people referred to in that song. Not real people just fictional people that they used.) And when he said like Frankie said I did it my way he's talking about Frank Sinatra. Sorry have to disagree about the Nsync thing Bon Jovi are way better then Nsync there's no comparing the two. Check out blaze of glory or Always or I'll be there for you. If you want earlier work check out You give love a bad name.

I am 60, a metal head and love Bon Jovi

The guy in the video is the one that plays Jamie in the TV show Blue Bloods. Tommie and Gina is a reference back to their song Livin' on a prayer. Also the line Frankie said I did it my way is a reference to the Frank Sinatra song "My Way".

This is actually 2000. 16 years apart

The thing you have to know, is that some metalheads, more specfically those who are "elitist", hate on anything mainstream. And if you love metal, but also like stuff from the likes of Bon Jovi, or Green Day, you'll be regarded as a "poser", and not a "true metalhead". As someone who has loved rock and metal music since the late 80's, I've always found that idea ridiculous. To me, a poser is someone who isn't true to themselves, who sells themselves out just to fit in with a particular group. For me, there's just music I like, and music I don't like, what label the music has, or how popular (or not)a band is plays no part in how I view it.

You Give Love A Bad Name or Born To Be My Baby are two more great bangers from the 80s Bon Jovi TNT. Thanks for this great reaction.

Bon Jovi is Awesome, see their talent with your ears not your eyes.

No offense Tash, but Bon Jovi and INSYNC aren't even in the same ballgame! 😄🙂 Yes, this was more popish than some of their other work but far better than any boy band. Bon Jovi was an actor plus the rocker hairstyle had changed across the board for the most part. I'm a proud metal head and listen then and now to a huge range of rock and I love this band.

I always thought of the change in hair as a maturity thing. First, they probably didn't want to look stuck in the 80s. Second, long hair is a lot to deal with so I don't blame them.

Bon Jovi's styles has changed and evolved through the past THIRTY years. You need to keep going DOWN the rabbit hole. Their 80's, 90's and 2000's music ALL sounds different. They have INCREDIBLE hard rock songs, INCREDIBLE ballads, and many different styles in between. Check out You Give Love a Bad Name, Living on a Prayer, Lay Your Hands on Me, Born to Be my Baby, Always, I'll Be There for You, and Bad Medine.

I was more into hair metal growing up, but I loved Ozzy, Iron Maiden, and Metallica, but Bon Jovi was still one of those bands that just had good music for everyone.

Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Max Martin. The song is part 2 of Living on a Prayer: the talk box from the original song returns. Released in 2000. Livin' on a Prayer. Was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child. NSYNC reference. The co-writer Max Martin is the reason why! He wrote for Britney Spears, Kei$ha, Kelly Clarkson, others.

One of my favorite Bon Jovi songs is Social Disease from 1985’s Slippery When Wet. They’ve always been “pop rock” though. Whatever they’ve made has been extremely popular. And all my metal head friends would blast this along with everything else.

I thought you were way off base comparing them to boy bands like N’Sync. I love Bon Jovi and it’s interesting to me that so many reactors seem to think that every song by an artist or band should basically sound the same. Once you actually listen to more than a few songs from someone and get a grasp of what they can do as noted in their catalog of work will you be able to understand. If you listened to the Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and that’s all you knew from them, you would have one opinion and someone else who only heard “Come Together” for example, would see them quite differently. Multifaceted artists are the ones who have long lasting successful careers.

They have a lot of fun music & they continue to change with the times. They are still performing & as for the hair? Jon's hair is about the same length as it is in this video, only he is a silver fox now. He started an amazing food kitchen charity & works in it himself often, too. It wild.

I don’t think they suck. I like a lot of their songs

Its my life is written by monster pop producer Max Martin that has third most nr 1 s on billboard. When Bon Jovi came to Max and asked for a new hit, Max said ”I will wright you a song that I - as a old fan - wants to hear you play”.

LOL, love bon jovi...always was great party music in the day! LOL

This might have been the last hit song by an 80’s band. Having a Top 40 hit in the year 2000 in the US. It was #1 in several other countries.

Never hated bon jovi. They contributed to 80s and early 90s music best experiences in life.

You just did the virtual bookends of this band - Runaway, their first hit, and this one 16 years later. Both good - but the sound had definitely changed. Did you notice the "For Tommy and Gina who never backed down" The protagonists of Livin' on a Prayer. For the record - they didn't really "sell out" and didn't suddenly started be hated on at that point - the hate and they suck goes back to their 80s music.

Bon Jovi has always been more pop rock than metal. Definitely not a boy band. I forgive you for saying that though. They were more radio friendly I guess you would say. I seen them 3 times and the concerts were absolutely unforgettable. They rocked their concerts like very few others.

Bon Jovi is amazing

As I'm sure will be suggested hundreds of times over... Their "harder" hits to check out next are Livin' On A Prayer, You Give Love A Bad Name, Wanted Dead or Alive, Bad Medicine, Lay Your Hands On me, Keep the Faith. And the reason they are disliked by metalheads, their ever popular power ballads including: Always, Bed of Roses, I'll Be There For You, Blaze Of Glory, Never Say Goodbye...

This isn’t my favorite Bon Jovi song but I don’t think they “sold out” either. It’s not unusual to change your look through the years. Check out some of these Bon Jovi songs that I think you guys will like: Livin’ On a Prayer Wanted Dead or Alive Blaze of Glory Bed of Roses Never Say Goodbye Lay Your Hands On Me I’ll Be There For You

The first time I heard this song was in a "Gentlemen's" Club. It was the perfect song for that "Dancer"😂.

*NSYNC didn’t make the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-Bon Jovi did. And a song that has over 1 billion views is iconic-just like Bon Jovi is.

This song was released in the early 2000's with the album Crush which is, for me, the beginning of the end for Bon Jovi. The best is everything that has maked before, not after, even if a few titles stand out a bit

Being a fan of heavy metal, I have also been a fan of Bon Jovi from the very beginning.

In and out of love is a great song from the 80's

Bon jovi even has music with country's Jennifer Nettles, " Who says you can't go home". Love all their types of genres.

Check "Blood on Blood", "Dry County", "Wanted Dead or Alive", "Bed of Roses"

Love your reactions together. Love Bon Jovi be it rockin or ballads.

Fun fact here - Jon Bon Jovi's uncle, Tony Bongiovi (as the name is actually spelled), was a recording engineer who worked on a few early Ramones records (among others).

Man, y'all jump from early to later.....explore the 80's. Wanted dead or alive., Bad medicine, or you give love a bad name!!!

Bon Jovi has such a huge catalog of music, I could not tell you what to do next.

This is probably Bon Jovi's most viewed songs on RU-vid at least. Maybe not their most popular overall (that's probably Livin on a Prayer), but as far as catchiness, production, lyrics, it's easy to see why this song is still played and loved today

Great Reaction as always.. I am just happy that u both are open minded, and not blinded by tunnel vision of one specific version of rock

80's bon jovi was awesome. Slippery when wet (cassette) was my gateway drug to 80's metal, which led to heavier stuff and eventually thrash. Just about anything off of slippery, or new jersey. I suggest ler it rock.

As a "metal head" I clearly prefer 80s Bon Jovi but their later stuff is still good.

"Runaway" was their first hit when they were complete unknowns and was released in 1984 when Jon Bon Jovi was 22 years old. Two years later in 1986 the band released the album "Slippery When Wet", which is the 40th best-selling album of all time. It was certified 12x Platinum and spent two months in the Number 1 spot of Billboard's Top 200 chart. The sound on this album was different and more in line with the times. Of course, like all things that are successful those that are "pure but poor" hate on it (the same thing happened to Metallica) but when you have that much money rolling in it doesn't really matter. Jon also had a very successful run of solo hits for a series of films and right about the time "It's My Life" came out was getting into acting. He and Wil Estes ("Tommy" in the video, who now stars in the CBS Series "Blue Bloods") starred together in the film "U-571" with Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey. "It's My Life was released in 2000, 16 years after "Runaway", when Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were in their mid-30's. Their sound had evolved and they really didn't care if it wasn't "metal". The message was important, and the video has 1.2 BILLION views as I type this. I think their ideas worked.

Hearing this Song leaves me Yearning for the BackStreet Boys ... As Long As You Love Me ... January 18 2023 (0040 hrs)

Anything off (slippery when wet.) Or' the song " blaze of glory " from Young Guns . I'm a Metal Head, but Bon Jovi did Rock early in there career.

It's between this song, and Misunderstood that's my favourite Bon Jovi song

i gotta disagree with T. I don't think that theme is the same. Runaway theme is one of a misguided and rebellious youth to a fault It's My Life is more about a celebration of living life to the fullest, taking some risks to be free and liberated, and not letting life pass you by before its too late.

I've never been a huge Bon Jovi fan, but this was one of a handful of songs of his that I liked. Would love to see you react to the country song "I Let Her Talk" by Erin Enderlin

You both are lucky but man , you are a lucky dude. Love you guys reactions and this song of course.

I remember when I was a teenager in the 80s I was at my brother's place. His wife's sister, who was close to my age, was there as well. For some reason she thought it would be funny to make fun of my favorite band, KISS. Well, I had to stick up for my boys and since her favorite band was Bon Jovi, who were a chick band to begin with, I just started trashing them to her. I don't remember anything I said but I do remember in less than 5 minutes, she was full on in tears. Can't mess with my boys!

Love love Bon Jovi! Somebody is crazy!!😂♥️

There is certainly a segment of metal fans that can be prima donnas. They think that if it's not metal it all sucks - as if the albums Taylor Swift sells don't count for anything, except money, fame, notoriety - you know the stuff that comes with success. Bon Jovi was a hairband - they never claimed to be metal. Their stuff is fine and sometimes poppy.

This video is also an homage to Run, Lola, Run a german film... the diting, the style is like that.

This song came out, I believe 2001 or maybe 2000

I´ve been a Rock/Metal fan since 1978. Love Bon Jovi' s music since the start. To me there is only two types of music. Songs I like or songs I don´t like. Doesn´t matter if it´s Journey, Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden or Slayer. It´s only music just enjoy it :)

He was a teenage idol for teen girls. Best song was "Livin on a Prayer".

Runaway was their very first single back in 1984

To me, this is long after Bon Jovi was on top of his game. To me, he was the last rock star. I did not like the Grunge era and what came after. I like the song and message, but it's not prime Jovi. Really liked Blaze of Glory. I also liked the video for Lay Your Hands on Me, which reminded me of Prince in that the song was like gospel, but rock. For me, Van Halen was the beginning of a rock era that ended with Bon Jovi and Scorpions Wind of Change. It's humbling to think about it, but it was probably about 84-94, just 10 years where glam rock and hair metal ruled. I loved it though.

It’s like the kid in the video is in a Mission Impossible scene.😂

My favorite band! Soooo many good songs. U should try their best ballad, bed of roses. Enjoy your weekend :-)

Its my life was released in 2000...bon jovi first hit living on a prayer was in 1984

Bon Jovi we don’t run! Absolute favorite!

Bon jovi is excellent!!!!

"Wanted Dead or Alive"

This was their Aerosmith "i dont wanna miss a thing" both were released same year (2000)

You should check out his new songs too, Legendary and Living Proof are amazing. In my opinion, at least. I mean not on the level of his old songs but still better than some hits out there.

Bon Jovi never sucked. What they did was bring metal to a female audience, with a smiley image, bad boy long hair and denim, and ballads. Unfortunately that formula of bad boys singing ballads was pushed by the record companies into a deluge of regrettable-forgettable hair bands. It became common to blame Bon Jovi for starting this. Not helped by the massive overplaying of Livin' on a Prayer

80s teen, Bon Jovi fan and metal head here will take my crack at explaining some of the Bon Jovi hate. To understand the hate, you first need to understand that in the 80s, hard rock/metal were not the popular music of the day. The harder the music, the less popular it was (especially among teen girls) so fans of the music had a strong outsider feeling and identity as a group against the current of mainstream popular music. When hair bands like Bon Jovi or Poison, that were called “metal” by media and the music industry, achieved a measure of popular success and widespread radio play, the outsider metal heads rejected the bands even if they liked the songs they heard. Metal wasn’t popular so if you were popular, by definition, you weren’t metal to metal heads. This was doubly so for Bon Jovi who were “pretty boys” that teen girls went nuts over. But the bands were considered “metal” by popular-music fans (who didn’t know the difference anyway) and only outsiders liked metal so they also wouldn’t claim to like those bands even if they liked the songs they heard. For both groups of fans, it was uncool to like the bands even though the objective evidence shows how many people actually liked the music. You also need to factor in the innate Gen-X desire for “authenticity” and distrust / distaste for anything that smacked of “selling out.” And to Gen-X at the time there was no bigger sign of a sell-out than achieving widespread popularity. This helps explains why so many people in my generation will only claim to like a band’s “early stuff,” i.e. before they became popular. I grew up in central Jersey where Bon Jovi started and they were “our” local band; we claimed them before they blew up with the release of their 3rd album, Slippery When Wet. So I will admit to being a Bon Jovi fan even though I would agree with those who don’t think Bon Jovi (or most “hair bands”) was “metal.” But that’s a discussion for another time.

Did anybody notice that "Tommy" is "Jamie" from Blue Bloods?

I always have to watch and see if a reactor catches the line in the hook that references Frank (Frankie) Sinatra in the hook. I’ve seen 2 so far that caught it and they were about the same age of these two, so I can’t say it’s because of age, but rather just a general knowledge of music. I’m surprised they thought it reminiscent of NYSNC, and I literally lol’d. 😂😂😂😂😂

This is the last great Bon Jovi song. BTW, I grew up when metal ruled the world and in that mid to late '80s period, Bon Jovi was considered hard rock/metal. The first time I saw them was when they opened for Ratt. I still like classic Bon Jovi, but have no use for anything they did after this song.

I remember the first time I heard this song. I was in Bergen Norway in 2000 in this cool ass bar.

Who says you can’t go home with Jennifer Nettles! JBJ and wife are very philanthropic

Ummmm...no. Just a Bonjovi evolution. This song was HUGE.....JUST HUGE..

La mejor banda del World....

They look like this from 1992, NSYNC came in '95. So... Check Bon Jovi - Keep the Faith, from 1992.

When I first heard this song, I thought the same that it sounded like an Insync song (especially the keyboards) but it’s not a bad song.

Dude I want to please ask you to do 2 songs from Bon Jovi. First one is Hey God. It is a more angry Bon Jovi. Second is please do the live 1989 MTV awards performance that created the unplugged craze. It's amazing and you get to see what Richie Sambora meant to the Jovi sound

*Not just girls loved that song. If you want the harder stuff of BON JOVI : "Everyday", "Bounce", "If I Was Your Mother", "Good Guys Don't Always Wear White", "Unbreakable", "Dry County", "Hey God", "Undivided",...........* ⬅🎸🎵💿🔊🔥😈

This song came out year 2000 and i think they naild it knowing wat Time it was Back then i mean Eminem for example came out whit the Song with out me two year later

Tasha, you've heard this song in commericals, movies, on tv, everywhere. And whoever says this band sucks, or that She's a lil runaway sucks, been smoking meth.

I love Bon Jovi!

This comment is out in left field but I want to suggest a song while it’s in my mind because it just hit me and thoughts fall out of my brain as quickly as they pop in lol. The song is White Trash Beautiful by Everlast

Not pop. But, more like pop rock. lol Close enough.

When i listen and watch Bon Jovi i never see Nsync

I love the song, but I'm not too fund of the video. Also, this song brings back (a younger version of) Tommy and Gina from the song "Livin' On A Prayer," which also features the talkbox guitar Richie Sambora uses in this song. Like I said, Bon Jovi changes with the times. He used a more country music sound for the album "Lost Highway"

❤

I mostly listen to deathcore, death metal, hardcore shit and I still love Bon Jovi. I mean, 1984? You can’t deny that album, idc who you are. Also, I’m a country fan. But I grew up as the only white kid in my neighborhood so I’m intimately familiar with 80’s and 90’s R&B, hip-hop & rap. If you’re a “metalhead” but downplay Bon Jovi we can’t be friends.

Please react to WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE. This song by them was a time that began the decline for them even though they had a couple songs. 80s and 90s is where you need to get their music from

Good choice. When you get around to it check out Kiss -- Its My Life.

There was no hopping on the gravy train and N-Sync comparisons. Bob Jovi was around LONG before those boy bands

I think you guys are a little off on Bon Jovi, they've always had a little bit of a POP appeal and that's a good thing. NSYNC... no, if we were all together on one thing it was our disgust for Boy bands. In the 70's and 80's we had a lot of variety, so a POP appeal only offended hard core head bangers.

Please pleaseeee do Bon Jovi " Always "

You guys should check out I'll be there for you, you give love a bad name, and numerous others

It's pop rock , yes that genre exist and they're here since 80's 🤦🏻‍♂️ and it never sucked.