The Circle | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 10, 2009 | |||
Recorded | 2008–09 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 52:49 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
Bon Jovi chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from The Circle | ||||
|
The Circle is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi. Released on November 10, 2009, the album was produced by John Shanks. [1] The album debuted at number 1 in several countries, including the U.S., where it sold 163,000 copies in its first week. [2]
The Circle marks the band's return to their hard rock sound after a brief venture into country music with their previous album Lost Highway .
In an interview given to Rolling Stone , former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora says the album is a return to "rock and roll" and said "There’s going to be some big choruses on there. It sounds like Bon Jovi, but it sounds fresh. We experimented with a lot of new sounds and had a really good time working with John Shanks, who is also a really good guitar player, so he and I did a lot of ‘weaseling’ with the guitar sounds. There are a lot of really good guitar sounds and new kind atmospheres on the new Bon Jovi record, that I think makes it really modern. I think people are going to dig it, man. And it rocks hard." [3]
In an interview on UK radio station Absolute Radio, Jon Bon Jovi stated the album title has multiple meanings. It stands for the fact that a circle is never ending, and that it also refers to Bon Jovi's inner circle – stating that "in this organization, the circle is very difficult to get into, and even more difficult to get out of." [4]
The lead single, "We Weren't Born to Follow" is about the tough times we are experiencing in this economic crisis. "Superman Tonight" was released as the second single followed by "When We Were Beautiful" as the third single, all of which featuring music videos. Work For The Working Man which was released as a promo single was also written about the DHL plant that closed in Ohio. Before the official release of the album, U.S. President Barack Obama's chief adviser David Axelrod had the lyrics to "Work for the Working Man" framed and hung in his White House office. [5]
The album is the first record since 1988's New Jersey not to feature bonus tracks (all the subsequent albums from 1992's Keep The Faith through to 2007's Lost Highway have included songs not available in the United States). Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi has stated that there were one or two songs that he left off the album that could have been bonus tracks which he wanted to keep for the Greatest Hits album.[ citation needed ]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 52/100 [6] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [7] |
Billboard | [8] |
Entertainment Weekly | C [9] |
Los Angeles Times | [10] |
Rolling Stone | [11] |
The Boston Globe | (mixed) [12] |
The Circle received mixed reviews from critics. At Metacritic , which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 52 out of 100, which indicates "mixed or average reviews" based on 10 reviews. [6] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic gave the album 2 stars out of 5 stating that "A knack for oversized choruses remains hardwired in Bon Jovi, but in this gloomy context, they act as reminders that they once sounded like they were a working band for working men instead of rich men fretting about a world they've long left behind". [7] Gary Graff from Billboard gave the album 4 out of 5 stars saying that "The New Jersey group gets back to the business of rocking on its 11th studio album, The Circle". [8] Whitney Pastorek from Entertainment Weekly gave the album C grade by saying "Between cliches and Jon's strained voice, The Circle just feels tired". [9] Mikael Wood from Los Angeles Times gave the album 1.5 stars out of 4 stating that "The Circle shows off Bon Jovi's still-sharp knack for wedding blandly optimistic sentiments to predictably soaring choruses. Unfortunately, it's getting pretty hard to tell one song from the next". [10] Christian Hoard from Rolling Stone gave the album 3 stars out of 5 by saying "It does rock--if your idea of rock is Aerosmith doing Diane Warren songs". [11] Scott McLennan from The Boston Globe made a mixed review about the album stating that "Slick production and beer-ad bombast grease these 12 tracks. Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi has yet to meet a cliche he can’t work into a song". [12]
The album topped the Billboard 200 chart when it debuted, but by the next week, it suddenly dropped to number 19.
The Circle debuted at the number-one position with sales of around 67,000 copies on the Japanese Oricon weekly album charts, becoming their fifth number-one album on the Japanese chart. Because of the album's number-one debut, Bon Jovi tied the Oricon charts' record for having five number-one albums as a Western artist, which was held by Mariah Carey and Simon & Garfunkel. [13]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "We Weren't Born to Follow" | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | 4:03 |
2. | "When We Were Beautiful" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Billy Falcon | 5:18 |
3. | "Work for the Working Man" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Darrell Brown | 4:04 |
4. | "Superman Tonight" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Falcon | 5:12 |
5. | "Bullet" | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 3:50 |
6. | "Thorn in My Side" | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:05 |
7. | "Live Before You Die" | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:17 |
8. | "Brokenpromiseland" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, John Shanks, Desmond Child | 4:57 |
9. | "Love's the Only Rule" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Falcon | 4:38 |
10. | "Fast Cars" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child | 3:16 |
11. | "Happy Now" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child | 4:21 |
12. | "Learn to Love" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child | 4:39 |
Total length: | 52:47 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "We Weren't Born to Follow" (Jason Nevins Remix) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:03 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "We Weren't Born to Follow" (Live) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:02 |
14. | "When We Were Beautiful" (Live) | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Falcon | 5:21 |
15. | "Superman Tonight" (Live) | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Falcon | 5:24 |
16. | "Love's the Only Rule" (Live) | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Falcon | 8:59 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [55] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada) [56] | Platinum | 80,000^ |
Germany (BVMI) [57] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Japan (RIAJ) [58] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [59] | Gold | 15,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [60] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [61] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | November 4, 2009 | Island | CD | UICL-1092 [62] |
March 20, 2013 | Universal Music International | SHM-CD | UICY-20458 [63] | |
November 18, 2016 | Island | double LP | 470-3095 [64] |
New Jersey is the fourth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on September 19, 1988, by Mercury Records. The album was produced by Bruce Fairbairn and recorded at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The album was the follow-up to the band's third album, Slippery When Wet, and reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart in its second week of release after debuting at number eight. It remained at the top for four consecutive weeks and was Bon Jovi's last album to do so until Lost Highway (2007).
Keep the Faith is the fifth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on November 3, 1992, by Mercury Records. It is Bon Jovi's last studio album to feature all five original band members as bass guitarist Alec John Such was dismissed from the band in 1994. It is Bon Jovi's first album since 1985's 7800° Fahrenheit not to be produced by Bruce Fairbairn. The album was produced by Bob Rock and was recorded at the Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia. Keep the Faith marked a change to a "more serious interpretation of the band's pop-metal groove". It is also Bon Jovi's longest album to date, clocking in at 66 minutes.
These Days (stylized as (these Days)) is the sixth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on June 27, 1995, by Mercury Records. This was the first album Bon Jovi released after the dismissal of original bass guitarist Alec John Such, and their first album to be recorded officially as four-piece band (without an official bassist, but featured Hugh McDonald as a session/touring member on bass guitar). The album, produced by Peter Collins, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, is praised by many critics and fans as their best album. These Days is overall a darker album in contrast to the band's usual brand of feel-good, inspiring rock songs and love ballads.
Crush is the seventh studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was released on June 13, 2000, by Island Records. It was produced by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Luke Ebbin. The album marks the longest timespan between studio albums for the band, with five years between the release of These Days (1995) and this album. After the initial plan to team up with producer Bruce Fairbairn fell through because of his death a year earlier, Bon Jovi and Sambora hired Luke Ebbin to update their sound with a smattering of loops and impressive arrangements.
Bounce is the eighth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on October 8, 2002 through Island Records. Produced by Luke Ebbin, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, the album was recorded at Sanctuary II Studio in New Jersey.
This Left Feels Right is an album featuring new versions of Bon Jovi songs from previous albums. It was released in 2003 and charted at No. 14 on The Billboard 200. It's a "trip down memory lane" as Jon Bon Jovi described the album. It features revamped versions of many of Bon Jovi's biggest hits, often in a more somber style. Many of the 80's hard hitting chart-rockers are presented in a different light as soulful ballads.
Cross Road is the first official greatest hits album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on October 11, 1994, by Mercury Records. The album contains hits from all previously released albums from their debut, Bon Jovi (1984) to Keep the Faith (1992). The album also features two new tracks: the hit singles "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", as well as a new, updated rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer" entitled "Prayer '94" available only on the North American versions.
Have a Nice Day is the ninth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on September 20, 2005. Produced by John Shanks, the album was recorded at Sanctuary Sound II in New Jersey, and Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood, California.
Destination Anywhere is Jon Bon Jovi's second solo studio album released June 16, 1997 and features music from the film Destination Anywhere released in the same year. It follows his successful 1990 soundtrack Blaze of Glory, from the film Young Guns II.
"I'll Be There for You" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi, released as the third single from their 1988 album, New Jersey. The power ballad was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. The single reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Album Rock Tracks chart.
"Keep the Faith" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child. It was released on October 7, 1992, as the lead single from Bon Jovi's fifth album of the same name. It is characterized by its driving bass line and is a live staple for the band. "I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas" appeared as a B-side to the song in the United States. In the US, the song reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. Worldwide, "Keep the Faith" topped the charts of Norway and Portugal and reached number five in the United Kingdom.
"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was released on July 26, 1993, as the fourth single from their fifth studio album, Keep the Faith (1992). The song was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child. "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" reached No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 97 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and No. 29 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks charts. The grave of the Doors' lead singer Jim Morrison was featured in the song's music video.
Lost Highway is the tenth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on June 19, 2007, in the US through Island Records. Produced by John Shanks and Dann Huff, the album was recorded at Black Bird Studios, Nashville and NGR Recording, Hollywood.
"I Believe" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, it was released in September 20, 1993, as the fifth single from their fifth studio album, Keep the Faith (1992). The single reached number 11 in the United Kingdom and number 40 in Australia.
"Hey God" is a song from American rock band Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, These Days (1995), released as the album's fifth and final single on June 24, 1996. Although it did not chart in the United States, it became a moderate hit in Canada and several European countries.
Tokyo Road: The Best of Bon Jovi – Rock Tracks is the third overall greatest hits compilation album by American rock band Bon Jovi, exclusively released in Japan in 2001, where it charted at number five. The album has sold more than 400,000 copies in Japan and been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).
"Miracle" is the second solo single by American rock singer Jon Bon Jovi. It was released in 1990 from his debut album, Blaze of Glory, the soundtrack album from the film Young Guns II. The song charted at No. 12 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box and No. 20 on the Album Rock Tracks charts.
"We Weren't Born to Follow" is the first single released in August 2009 from Bon Jovi's eleventh studio album, The Circle. The single premiered on radio on August 17, 2009. The single was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
What About Now is the twelfth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi. Produced by John Shanks, the album was released on March 8, 2013 in Australia and March 12, 2013 in the United States. The album was promoted throughout the band's 2013 Because We Can: The Tour. It is the last album to feature lead guitarist Richie Sambora before his departure from the band the following month.
Burning Bridges is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi consisting of new songs, as well as formerly unreleased and unfinished songs. Released on August 21, 2015 by Mercury Records. Produced by John Shanks, it was the first release since the departure of former guitarist Richie Sambora in 2013, with Shanks handling the lead guitar parts. Burning Bridges is their last album to be released through Mercury, marking the end of their 32-year relationship with the label. According to Jon Bon Jovi, the album serves as a "fan record" to tie in with an accompanying international tour: "It's songs that weren't finished, that were finished, a couple of new ones like the one we released as a single 'We Don't Run'." Burning Bridges was followed by This House Is Not for Sale, the band's fourteenth studio album released in 2016 which featured all new songs.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)