Bon Jovi have announced the forthcoming release of a new version of last year's Forever album, featuring vocals from Bruce Springsteen, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, Robbie Williams, Avril Lavigne, James Bay and more.
The revamped record, Forever (Legendary Edition), will be released on October 24.
"This album is more than just a collection of collaborations, it is an album borne out of necessity," Jon Bon Jovi says in a statement. "My vocal cord rehab was a well-documented journey that played out while releasing Forever in 2024. I was singing well in the studio for recording, but the vocal demands and rigors of touring were still slightly out of reach for me. Without an ability to tour at that time, I continued working in the studio and called on some friends, great singers, artists, musicians and also just great people.
"The result is an album with a new viewpoint and new spirit – a collaboration album that proves we all get by in this world with a little help from our friends. I feel tremendous joy and gratitude releasing this album and I think it shows in the music. I can say with certainty that there is always something bigger than ME, and that’s WE."
The album also features a new opening track, Red, White & Jersey.
The full tracklist is:
1. Red, White & Jersey
2. Legendary (feat. James Bay)
3. We Made It Look Easy (feat. Robbie Williams)
4. Living Proof (feat. Jelly Roll)
5. Waves (feat. Jason Isbell)
6. Seeds (feat. Ryan Tedder)
7. Kiss The Bride (feat. Billy Falcon)
8. The People’s House (feat. The War & Treaty)
9. Walls Of Jericho (feat. Joe Elliott)
10. I Wrote You A Song (feat. Lainey Wilson)
11. Living In Paradise (feat. Avril Lavigne)
12. My First Guitar (feat. Marcus King)
13. Hollow Man (feat. Bruce Springsteen)
14. We Made It Look Easy / Hicimos Que Pareciera Fácil (feat. Carin León)
Jon Bon Jovi publicly addressed his issues with his voice last February during a question-and-answer session at the Pollstar Live! music conference.
"I've had major reconstructive surgery in my vocal cords, and I never had anything like this ever," he told the audience at Pollstar Live! "So it's been a difficult road, but I found a doctor in Philadelphia who did something called a medialization, because one of my cords was literally atrophied. Sometimes people get nodules; that's a pretty common place. Sometimes deviated septums and things that they've done take its toll on the cords. The only thing that's ever been up my nose has been my finger.
"And so it was very difficult this last decade to have to contend with something that was out of my control, which was … the strong [vocal cord] was literally taking what was left of the weak one. So they put a plastic implant in it for the last almost two years now. I've been in this rehab, getting it back together, but I'm getting very close."
When Classic Rock spoke with JBJ last summer, he described his battle with his vocal issues as "the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with", adding, "it was fucking tough."
