Album
These Days
These Days is Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, released in June 1995 on Mercury Records. It was the first they made after the dismissal of original bassist Alec John Such, so the band recorded officially as a quartet, with Hugh McDonald playing bass as a session and touring member. Peter Collins, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora produced it, and the mood is darker than the feel-good anthems and love ballads the band were known for.
It struck a chord, especially in Europe and Asia. It went to number one in the UK, replacing Michael Jackson's HIStory, and stayed there for four weeks, while four singles reached the UK Top 10. Q ranked it second among the best albums of 1995, and Kerrang! readers voted it album of the year. Many fans and critics still rate it as the band's best.
These Days: tracklist, credits and charts
14 tracks · 1:13:41Tracklist
- 1Hey GodJon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora6:11
- 2Something for the PainJovi, Child, Sambora4:48
- 3This Ain’t a Love SongJovi, Child, Sambora5:06
- 4These DaysJon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora6:28
- 5Lie to MeJon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora5:34
- 6DamnedJon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora4:33
- 7My Guitar Lies Bleeding in My ArmsJon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora5:42
- 8(It’s Hard) Letting You GoJon Bon Jovi5:52
- 9Hearts Breaking EvenJon Bon Jovi and Desmond Child5:07
- 10Something to Believe InJon Bon Jovi and Desmond Child5:25
- 11If That’s What It TakesJon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora5:17
- 12Diamond RingJovi, Child, Sambora3:47
- 13All I Want Is EverythingJon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora5:16
- 14Bitter WineJon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora4:34
- Produced by
- Jon Bon Jovi, Peter Collins, Richie Sambora
- Recorded at
- 16th Avenue Sound, A&M Studios, Bearsville Studios, Ocean Way Recording, Sixteenth Avenue Sound (Nashville, Tennessee), A&M (Hollywood, California), Bearsville (Woodstock, New York), Ocean Way (Hollywood, California), One on One (North Hollywood, California)
- Recorded
- 1994–1995
- Mixed by
- Bob Clearmountain
- Mixed at
- Mix This!
- Engineered by
- Nathaniel Kunkel, Ray Monahan, Obie O’Brien, Jay Schwartz, David Thoener, Gabe Veltri
- Labels
- Mercury Records, Mercury
- Length
- 1:13:41
Line-up
- Jon Bon Jovi · percussion, harmonica, background vocals, lead vocals
- David Bryan · keyboard, background vocals
- Jerry Cohen · keyboard
- Randy Jackson · bass
- Suzie Katayama · accordion
- Ed Manion · baritone saxophone
- Hugh McDonald · bass
- Mark Pender · trumpet
- Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg · trombone
- Richie Sambora · electric sitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals
- Tico Torres · percussion, drums (drum set)
- Jerry Vivino · tenor saxophone
- Rory Dodd · background vocals
- Tommy Funderburk · background vocals
- Jay Schwartz · guest
Singles
- “This Ain't a Love Song” · 23 May 1995
- “Something for the Pain” · 5 September 1995
- “Lie to Me” · 13 November 1995
- “These Days” · 26 February 1996
- “Hey God” · 24 June 1996
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| US Billboard 200 · 1995–1996 | 9 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| Austrian Albums · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| Canadian Albums (RPM) · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| Dutch Albums · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| European Albums (Billboard) · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| Finnish Albums · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| German Albums · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA) · 1995–1996 | 1 |
All 29 charts
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP) · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| Scottish Albums · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| Swiss Albums · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums · 1995–1996 | 1 |
| Estonian Albums (Eesti Top 10) · 1995–1996 | 2 |
| Hungarian Albums · 1995–1996 | 2 |
| Swedish Albums · 1995–1996 | 2 |
| Argentine Albums (CAPIF) · 1995–1996 | 3 |
| Belgian Albums (Flanders) · 1995–1996 | 3 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI) · 1995–1996 | 3 |
| Spanish Albums (AFYVE) · 1995–1996 | 3 |
| Chilean Albums (IFPI) · 1995–1996 | 5 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten) · 1995–1996 | 5 |
| Belgian Albums (Wallonia) · 1995–1996 | 6 |
| French Albums (SNEP) · 1995–1996 | 7 |
| Norwegian Albums · 1995–1996 | 7 |
| New Zealand Albums · 1995–1996 | 11 |
| Icelandic Albums (Tonlist) · 1995–1996 | 19 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia · 1995 | Platinum |
| Austria | Platinum |
| Belgium · 1995 | Gold |
| Canada | 2× Platinum |
| Finland | Platinum |
| France · 1996 | 2× Gold |
| Germany | Gold |
| Japan · 1995 | Million |
| Netherlands | Platinum |
| New Zealand | Gold |
| Spain · 1996 | 2× Platinum |
| Switzerland | Platinum |
| United Kingdom | 2× Platinum |
| United States | Platinum |
| Europe · 1997 | 3× Platinum |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
77.4
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
5.4k
ListenBrainz listeners
74k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
32k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 27 June
Every year →
More from Bon Jovi
Full discography →
Bon Jovi
1984
7800° Fahrenheit
1985
Slippery When Wet
1986
New Jersey
1988
Born to Be My Baby
1988
Hard & Hot
1991
Keep the Faith
1992
Bon Jovi Keep the Faith: An Evening With Bon Jovi 1993
Keep the Faith: An Evening With Bon Jovi
1993
Cross Road
1994
Crush
2000
One Wild Night: Live 1985–2001
2001
Bounce
2002
This Left Feels Right
2003
100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong
2004
Have a Nice Day
2005
Live From the Have a Nice Day Tour
2006
Lost Highway
2007
Lost Highway: The Concert
2007
The Circle
2009
Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection
2010
Inside Out
2012
What About Now
2013
Burning Bridges
2015
This House Is Not for Sale
2016
This House Is Not for Sale: Live From the London Palladium
2016
2020
2020
Forever
2024
The best of 1995
All of 1995 →
The Bends
Radiohead · 1995
(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
Oasis · 1995
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins · 1995
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters · 1995
Insomniac
Green Day · 1995
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains · 1995
Adrenaline
Deftones · 1995
Ballbreaker
AC/DC · 1995
Ozzmosis
Ozzy Osbourne · 1995
Made in Heaven
Queen · 1995
Herzeleid
Rammstein · 1995
The X Factor
Iron Maiden · 1995
More on Mercury Records
The label →Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi · 1986
Hysteria
Def Leppard · 1987
New Jersey
Bon Jovi · 1988
The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re‐Revisited
Metallica · 1987
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi · 1984
Crush
Bon Jovi · 2000
Adrenalize
Def Leppard · 1992
Beyond Magnetic
Metallica · 2011
Bounce
Bon Jovi · 2002
7800° Fahrenheit
Bon Jovi · 1985
America’s Least Wanted
Ugly Kid Joe · 1992
Burning Bridges
Bon Jovi · 2015
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia 1995-06-27 vs 1995-06-02 (musicbrainz), 1995-06-19 (wikidata)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 2 June 1995 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 27 June 1995 | |
| Wikidata | 19 June 1995 | |
| US release | 27 June 1995 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 2 June 1995 | earliest UK or European date |
23 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | XW | Island | 731453811928 | other |
| 1995 | XE | Mercury Records | 731452824820 | other |
| 1995 | US | Mercury Records | 731452818126 | other |
| 1995 | AU | Mercury Records | 731452824820 | other |
| 1995 | CA | Mercury Records | 731452818126 | other |
| 1995 | DE | Bertelsmann Club | 357657 | other |
| 1995 | FR | Mercury Records | 731452841421 | other |
| 1995 | US | Mercury Records | other | |
| 1995 | US | Mercury Records | other | |
| 1995 | AR | Mercury Records | 731452824929 | other |
| 1995 | CA | Mercury Records | other | |
| 2 June 1995 | GB | Mercury Records | 731452824820 | original |
| 12 June 1995 | JP | Mercury Records | 4988011346064 | other |
| 23 June 1995 | ZA | Mercury Records | 6001210785736 | other |
| 27 June 1995 | US | Mercury Records | 020831130127 | other |
| 1996 | AU | Mercury Records | other | |
| 10 May 1996 | JP | Mercury Records | 4988011348884 | other |
| 1 June 1996 | GB | Mercury Records | 731453264427 | other |
| 1998 | GB | Mercury Records | 731453803626 | other |
| 26 December 2007 | JP | Mercury Records | 4988005499578 | other |
| 23 June 2010 | JP | Island | 4988005611154 | deluxe |
| 18 October 2011 | JP | Mercury Records | 4988005676597 | deluxe |
| — | — | — | other |
Cover art sources
itunes · native: native 1500x1500
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| itunes ✓ | 1500×1500 | native: native 1500x1500 |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |