Bon Jovi Greatest Hits - The Ultimate Collection (2 CD Set with 2 Exclusive Additional Live Bonus Tracks) [Deluxe Edition, Extra tracks]

Bon Jovi | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Deluxe Edition, Extra tracks
• Label: Island Records
• ASIN: B004BG0AEA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,172 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Bon Jovi GREATEST HITS - THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION will be a 28-song two disc edition made up of the GREATEST HITS CD from the standard edition and a second disc featuring beloved fan favorites including "Bed of Roses," "Blood on Blood," "These Days," and "Keep The Faith" plus the third and fourth new tracks created for this project.

The four new songs ("The More Things Change," "No Apologies," "This Is Love, This Is Life" and the first single, "What Do You Got?") were written specifically for inclusion in this compilation.

This special limited edition of Bon Jovi's Greatest Hits also contains 2 additional exclusive bonus tracks: previously unreleased live versions of "Diamond Ring" and "We Weren't Born To Follow" recorded in New Jersey in May 2010.

Track listing:

Disc 1

1. Livin' On A Prayer

2. You Give Love A Bad Name

3. It's My Life

4. Have A Nice Day

5. Wanted Dead Or Alive

6. Bad Medicine

7. We Weren't Born To Follow

8. I'll Be There For You

9. Born To Be My Baby

10. Blaze Of Glory

11. Who Says You Can't Go Home (Duet with Jennifer Nettles)

12. Lay Your Hands On Me

13. Always

14. Runaway

15. What Do You Got?

16. No Apologies

Bonus tracks

Recorded live in New Jersey, May 2010.

17. Diamond Ring (live)

18. We Weren't Born To Follow (live)

Disc 2

1. In These Arms

2. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night

3. Lost Highway

4. Keep The Faith

5. When We Were Beautiful

6. Bed Of Roses

7. This Ain't A Love Song

8. These Days

9. (You Want To) Make A Memory

10. Blood On Blood

11. This Is Love This Is Life

12. The More Things Change

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

94 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Timeless, November 9, 2010

By 

Ryan Matthews "montvil" (Clifton, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bon Jovi Greatest Hits - The Ultimate Collection (Audio CD)

First let me say that I'm amongst the younger generation of Bon Jovi fans. I was born in 1985, so I wasn't an avid music fan until the 'Crush' album. From there, I had to work my way backwards, and though I've listened to every album (incl. '100,000,000 BJ Fans Can't Be Wrong') beginning to end, the fans that were listening to Bon Jovi while they were on the rise in the 80's and early 90's might be able to give you a more accurate depiction of how well this Greatest Hits album represents Bon Jovi through the years. However, I'm gonna take a stab at it.

The album is divided into two discs of which feature 16 and 12 songs, respectively. All but two songs on either CD are previously released songs/singles spanning Bon Jovi's 25+ years in the music business. The first thing I looked for was album representation, and I was disappointed to find that only nine of the band's eleven studio albums were featured. I'll quickly break it down for you:

Bon Jovi: 1 song - "Runaway"

7800º Fahrenheit - None

Slippery When Wet: 3 songs - "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Wanted Dead Or Alive"

New Jersey: 5 songs - "Bad Medicine", "Born To Be My Baby", "I'll Be There For You", "Lay Your Hands On Me", "Blood On Blood"

Keep The Faith: 3 songs - "In These Arms", "Keep The Faith", "Bed Of Roses"

These Days: 2 songs - "This Ain't A Love Song", "These Days"

Crush: 1 song - "It's My Life"

Bounce: None

Have A Nice Day: 2 songs - "Who Says You Can't Go Home (feat. Jennifer Nettles)", "Have A Nice Day"

Lost Highway: 2 songs - "Lost Highway", "(You Want To) Make A Memory"

The Circle: 2 songs - "We Weren't Born To Follow", "When We Were Beautiful"

- The other three previously released songs are "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", from the greatest hits album 'Cross Road' in 1994, and "Blaze Of Glory", first released in 1990 on Jon Bon Jovi's solo album of the same title.

You see it yourself. While the 'New Jersey' album is easily the highest regarded on this compilation, '7800º Fahrenheit' and 'Bounce' were not represented at all. While I understand neither was by any means a defining album for Bon Jovi, both needed to be recognized on here as part of the band's repertoire, especially "In & Out Of Love." Also, in my opinion, 'Bounce' could have been represented by either 'Everyday' or 'Misunderstood', preferably the latter if you ask me. While neither song was ever a major cog in the Bon Jovi machine (especially in the U.S.), both singles were present on various charts throughout the world and "Everyday" was even nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Group With Vocal.

Four other songs I thought should've made the cut:

** "Raise Your Hands" from 'Slippery When Wet' - Also one of, if not the best live song the band does, in my opinion (from the two times I saw Bon Jovi live)

** "Never Say Goodbye" from 'Slippery When Wet' - This is probably the most glaring exclusion on the album; reached #11 on the U.S. Mainstream rock charts in '87

** "Dry County" from 'Keep The Faith' - It never quite reached the level of popularity I think it deserved, probably because of its length (nearly 10 minutes), but I personally think this is the most underrated single, maybe even song, the band has ever released

** "I Love This Town" from 'Lost Highway' - It was never released as a single, but I've heard it used in various promos/TV spots over the past few years, most notably for me by Major League Baseball

The biggest problem isn't really a problem at all. I went to a Bon Jovi concert in New Jersey when he was on The Circle Tour, and he played about thirty songs (a massive set that lasted over three hours); yet when my friend and I were leaving the stadium, she was talking about some of the songs she wished the band had played. Well... the same thing goes for this album; this band has so many hits that no matter how you pick and choose your favorites, something is going to be left off and somebody is going to be disappointed.

Now, personally, I thought "Blood On Blood" was a take it or leave it song. Of course I could, and probably will, be in the minority. But either way, it's a great problem to have when you actually have too many hits for a 2-disc set. I've always thought when you're releasing an album of songs already released before, you should fill up as much of the CD as possible. There's no logical reason why an even thirty songs couldn't have been used here. When you do a 'Greatest Hits', especially (as some reviewers have noted prior to me), an >"Ultimate"< Greatest Hits, you should spare none of the essential cuts. This could very well be the album that teenagers are buying twenty years from now when they're first introduced to Bon Jovi's music. You don't want them to miss out on anything.

Now, onto the new songs.

"What Do You Got" - A mid-tempo love song, classic Bon Jovi. It didn't really catch on with me 'til recently. I like it, but it's quite not in that "repeat" zone for me. 8/10

"The More Things Change" - Sounds like something that would've fit very well onto 'The Circle' album. Kind of a retro-ed up modern rock song. Again, it didn't quite hit me as anything spectacular, but I've grown fond of it over a few listens. 8/10

"This Is Love This Is Life" - This song struck me from the first listen. Great up-tempo song, great for concerts. I will even go as far as to say it's an anthem in the making. It's very, very vintage 80's Bon Jovi. I fell in love with it by the end of the first chorus. 9.5/10

"No Apologies" - Very quirky song from a pretty polished band. I don't even know how to really describe it. It's a song that has momentum and finds its way on a creative pace and a great guitar solo from our good man, Richie. 8.5/10

Bands like Bon Jovi last so long that by the time they're finally done doing their thing, they may have two or three different Greatest Hits albums. For all we know (and I hope this is the case), Jon and Richie could write another five albums and we'll see the "Ultimate Super Hits" Bon Jovi collection in 2025.

For now, this album has some imperfections, but it's still one of the most complete GH albums I've ever come across from a band whose career spans more than a decade. There's very little to complain about, at least from my perspective. My only gripes I made a point of on here (because everyone needs to hear both the pros and the cons), but what it boils down to is you're getting 28 of the best songs this band has written over a quarter of a century. This is where listeners first getting into Bon Jovi need to start.

Highly recommended.

A-

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hit After Hit After Hit..., November 9, 2010

By 

Rudy Palma "The Writing Fiend" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Bon Jovi Greatest Hits - The Ultimate Collection (Audio CD)

Some claim Jon Bon Jovi is single-handedly responsible for the hole in the ozone layer, citing all that unfortunate 80s hairspray. More importantly, others have tirelessly repeated that Bon Jovi is consummately overrated and that their winning streak is sure to hit a wall.

Their fame, however, has long outlasted that classic 15 minutes. They are still around, and the reasons for that cover this record from top to bottom. Like it or not, the songs in this "Greatest Hits" package - especially the first disc - have been and will continue to be unavoidable. In the supermarket, on terrestrial radio, at frat parties and weddings, hits like "Living on a Prayer," "It's My Life," "Wanted Dead or Alive" and "We Weren't Born to Follow" will continue to superimpose themselves upon our lives.

They have catchy choruses and memorable melodies that continue to endure, and "Greatest Hits" fuses them into one convenient package, released - in no coincidence of circumstance - right in time for the holidays.

The single disc edition is ideal for the casual fan and has all the hallmark hits those listeners would be interested in, including the recent and excellent "Who Says You Can't Go Home," although the second disc has some fine deep cuts - the highly listenable 1995 single "This Ain't a Love Song," for instance. Other smaller hits that are missing - 2003's "Everyday," for instance - should not bother the average fan.

The new songs provide further incentive to take a look at "Greatest Hits," although "What Do You Got," chosen as the single from this release, is the least interesting of them with its paint-by-numbers choruses and bridges. It is not worth too many repeat spins, especially compared with the hits.

"No Apologies" recycles the same old Bon Jovi themes of take-no-prisoners independence and living life to the fullest, but it still rocks solidly.

The other new tracks only accompany the 2-disc version, but they are far better than the aforementioned. "This Is Love This Is Life" is similar to "No Apologies" but has far better lyrics, more impassioned vocals and rocks even harder. It would make an awesome concert opener.

"The More Things Change" aptly rounds out with its bittersweet, hard-won retrospection. It is a triumphant moment - a moment of looking back at the past and taking stock of the present, both its trappings and its treasures:

"Yesterday keeps coming round - it's just reality/It's the same damn song with a different melody..."

"Greatest Hits" offers up a nice selection of hits and a few new offerings that forecast future endeavors for the band - truth in advertising, for certain.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What Made Bon Jovi, November 9, 2010

By 

Michael Kerner "Michael Kerner" (Brooklyn, New York U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bon Jovi Greatest Hits - The Ultimate Collection (MP3 Download)

It has been nearly 30 years since Bon Jovi broke out of New Jersey, and have driven many rock fans to tears and cheers. Since then, they've made mostly not just the cornerstones of arena rock that we've seen today, but honestly some of the most timeless songs that are still just as exciting to hear today, as they were back in their success days in the 80's and 90's. Hard to believe, they've still shown that they've got it after those eras as well. But when it has came down to it, they just keep getting better with age not just with new fans, but for those hard core fans who've owned their first copies of Slippery When Wet when they were first released back in the 1986. But, yet witha soon to be possible induction into the Rock & Roll Hall OF Fame, they have released a pair of hits albums not just to remind new fans and hard core that they weren't just born to follow, they were born to hit home runs.

Bon Jovi Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection double album is a simple and straight-forward hits collection that delivers mostly well for all-around fans that've loved Bon Jovi through thick and thin. The collection does show it mostly well by including their prime cuts into one nice hits package. The songs have been remastered well, and feel like a new breath of fresh air, ina industry that stopped making really strong acts, and stronger songs. The Ultimate Collection sums up the over quarter-century that Bon Jovi has delivered with hits like Always, the driven Cruch smash It's My Life, the groups breakthroughs' from the 80's like Wanted Dead Or Alive, Lay Your Hands On Me, and Bad Medicine to just name a few. The collection handles very well, at showcasing the primes of Jon, Richie, Tico and David's strengths of songs, even with some of their most recent songs like We Weren't Born To Follow and Who Says You Can't Go Home. While the collection handles strongly, I was surprised that there were still a few great songs from the group that weren't delivered here like Something For The Pain, Misunderstood & Everyday from 2003's Bounce, and Superman Tonight from last years' The Circle. I was honestly surprised when they included the overshadowed This Ain't A Love Song from 1995's These Days was put into the mix, but some of their other bright gems weren't.

Still, despite a few great overlooked tracks, Bon Jovi Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection is a great reflection to why Bon Jovi became one of the biggest bands in the world, and took the power ballads for all audiences into the stratosphere. The collection is a great buy for anyone who has never-owned a Bon Jovi album before, or for anyone that wants something a bit of Jon into their MP3 Player, and its still Bon Jovi's life. There have been very few greatest hits albums that've shown to be worth their money that came out this year, and this is honestly one of them. So lay your hands on Bon Jovi: Greatest Hits - The Ultimate Collection.

Songs: B 1/2+

Price: B+

Remastering: B 1/2+

Overall: B 1/2+