Bon Jovi commemorates the 40th anniversary of the self-titled debut

William Brown | January 25, 2024 | Release | No Comments

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Bon Jovi commemorates the 40th anniversary of its self-titled debut with the digital release of “Bon Jovi Deluxe Edition” on all streaming platforms today via Island/UMR with a special 40th-anniversary trailer. Additionally, the GRAMMY Award-winning band has announced the release of an exclusive limited-edition ruby colour vinyl LP on March 24 and a limited-edition cassette on April 5.

Over an illustrious career spanning more than three decades since their formation in 1983, Bon Jovi has earned their place among global rock royalty and was inducted into the Rock& Roll Hall of Fame as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame. With over 130 million albums sold worldwide, an extensive catalogue of hit anthems, thousands of concerts performed in more than 50 countries for more than 35 million fans, and ticket grosses well over $1 billion around the world in the last decade alone. Bon Jovi is the consummate rock and roll band.

“Bon Jovi Deluxe Edition” consists of the remastered original album in addition to a total of nine bonus tracks, including unreleased studio recordings and four rare live cuts. Jon Bon Jovi co-produced “Bon Jovi Deluxe Edition” alongside longtime sound engineer Obie O’Brien who also mixed the bonus material.

This expanded version showcases the evolution of “Runaway”—from Jon’s original cassette writing demo, the band’s early run-through and a full alternate take, to an extended version of the band’s first hit with a ripping second guitar lead. It also features an early incarnation of “Come Back” where Jon sings his idea for a guitar solo.

The live tracks were recorded during the group’s 1985 shows in Tokyo, which were first available on the CD release “Bon Jovi: Special Edition” in 2010. The live tracks have been newly mixed for “Bon Jovi Deluxe Edition” and will be available on DSPs for the first time.

Remastered from the original tapes, the limited-edition ruby colour vinyl of the band’s original 9-track LP boasts an alternate cover design, a high-end tip-on jacket, and an exclusive lithograph of an early Ross Halfin photo session.

Finally, the limited-edition cassette features all of the original album tracks with an enhanced design that now includes lyrics and the original band photo from the LP’s inner sleeve, elements missing from the original U.S. cassette release.

Exactly forty years ago, Bon Jovi released on January 24, 1984, introducing the band to the masses, and kickstarting their storied career. The record went double-platinum and housed such classics as “She Don’t Know Me” and “Runaway.” A signature hit, the latter has amassed nearly half a billion streams and counting.