Richie Sambora and his band Bon Jovi built a really strong base in the early 80’s, but it was the band’s third album Slippery When Wet, released in August 1986 which spent 8 weeks at Number 1 in the US and was the best-selling album of 1987 which helped the band achieve much more widespread success and global recognition. It features many of Bon Jovi’s best known songs Wanted Dead or Alive, You Give Love A Bad Name and it also features arguably the bands signature song Livin’ On A Prayer, which has been cited as one of the most recognisable songs in the world.

The next album, New Jersey, charted at Number 1 and produced five Top Ten US hits and gave the band their first Number 1 album in the UK. The Keep The Faith album came in 1992 featuring the big Bon Jovi hits Keep The Faith and In These Arms, followed by the 1995 album These Days. This release enjoyed particularly strong success in the UK, hitting the Number 1 spot, staying there for four weeks and produced four Top Ten singles there. The band released the album Crush in 2000. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammys as well as being nominated for Best Rock Performance with Vocal for the Sambora written It’s My Life song.

Major congratulations must go to Sambora who, alongside his band members from Bon Jovi, was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 as well as receiving the Special International Award at the Ivor Novello Awards with Apple Music in September 2021.