Jon Bon Jovi isn’t ready to let Forever be forgotten—or to close the curtain on his touring career just yet.
The band’s latest album, released in June 2024, made a brief impact on the charts, debuting at No. 5 before vanishing from the Top 200 within a week. With the frontman still recovering from vocal cord surgery, Bon Jovi were unable to take the record on the road, leaving Forever without the live momentum that has long been the band’s lifeblood.
But for Jon Bon Jovi, the story isn’t over. Instead of moving on, he’s set on giving the album a second wind—this time with some help from a few famous friends.
“This is an album that we’re very proud of, and I think it’s the best Bon Jovi record since (Lost Highway, 2007) or at least (Have a Nice Day, 2005),” he told Sound on Sound magazine. “We love every song on it, and it was a joy to make this album, but I just wasn’t ready to go and book shows post-surgery recovery. So, I reached out to a number of friends and I said, ‘If you guys would sing a verse here and there, it’ll give this great album another life.’”
Bon Jovi have already dipped a toe into this approach. In August 2024, they released a new version of Forever’s The People's House, featuring The War and Treaty. Whether that track will be part of the larger re-release—and who else will join the band in this second iteration of the record—remains to be seen. The details, including a release date, are still under wraps.
Meanwhile, Bon Jovi remains optimistic about a return to the stage. “My focus moving forward is on the re-release of Forever, and, God willing, getting back out on the road and running that project through its life,” he said.
The outlook for a tour is promising, according to longtime guitarist Phil X, who has been with the band for nearly a decade. Speaking to Ultimate Guitar, he offered an encouraging update. “The last thing I heard was, retirement isn’t in the picture,” he said. “We’re getting ready to do some rehearsals, and it looks like we’ll be playing this year, so I’m excited about that.”
For now, Forever is getting its second chance, and if all goes according to plan, so is Bon Jovi’s place on the stage.
