Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet (1986)
Release Date: August 18, 1986
Label: Mercury / PolyGram
Producer: Bruce Fairbairn
Genre: Glam Metal / Hard Rock
Length: 43:49
Tracklist:
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Let It Rock – 5:33
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You Give Love a Bad Name – 3:42
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Livin’ on a Prayer – 4:10
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Social Disease – 3:15
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Wanted Dead or Alive – 5:10
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Raise Your Hands – 4:17
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Without Love – 4:30
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I’ll Be There for You – 5:42
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Wild in the Streets – 3:46
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Change of Heart – 4:44
Overview
Slippery When Wet is Bon Jovi’s third studio album and the record that catapulted them into superstardom. With anthems like “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “You Give Love a Bad Name,” the album perfectly captured the exuberant, melodic hard rock of the mid-1980s. Produced by Bruce Fairbairn, it refined the band’s sound into arena-ready hooks, big choruses, and soaring guitar riffs. The album became the best-selling release of 1987 in the U.S., ultimately selling over 28 million copies worldwide.
Fun Facts & Trivia
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Commercial Smash: The album hit #1 on the Billboard 200 and stayed in the charts for 129 weeks.
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Iconic Singles: “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “You Give Love a Bad Name” both reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Did You Know? “Livin’ on a Prayer” was co-written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and legendary producer Desmond Child. The talk box guitar effect became Sambora’s signature.
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Cover Controversy: The original cover featured a wet, teenage male-female silhouette; it was replaced with a simple black background and band logo after retailers deemed it too provocative.
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Pop Culture: The songs have appeared in countless films, TV shows, and commercials, solidifying the album’s place in 80s pop culture.
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Award Recognition: Bon Jovi received their first American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album due to this release.
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Live Energy: Tracks like “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “Let It Rock” became staples in stadium concerts worldwide.
Album Credits
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Jon Bon Jovi: Lead vocals
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Richie Sambora: Guitar, backing vocals, talk box
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David Bryan: Keyboards, backing vocals
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Alec John Such: Bass guitar, backing vocals
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Tico Torres: Drums, percussion
Production Team:
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Producer: Bruce Fairbairn
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Engineer: Bob Rock
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Mixing: Bruce Fairbairn & Bob Rock
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Mastering: Bob Ludwig
Mini Review (66 words)
Slippery When Wet is the definitive 1980s hard rock album, combining infectious hooks, soaring choruses, and iconic guitar riffs. Bon Jovi’s youthful energy, paired with Bruce Fairbairn’s polished production, created timeless anthems that dominated radio and MTV. From the stadium-ready power of “You Give Love a Bad Name” to the heartfelt storytelling of “Wanted Dead or Alive,” the album set a blueprint for melodic rock and cemented Bon Jovi as global superstars.
