Livin’ on a Prayer — and Big Hair! 16 Totally Epic Photos of Bon Jovi on Tour in the 1980s to Take You Back

The band’s first major headlining tour supported their ever-popular ‘Slippery When Wet’ album

Bon Jovi in 1987. Photo: Birmingham Post and Mail Archive/Mirrorpix/Getty

It doesn’t get more ’80s than this.

In 1986, the members of Bon Jovi — Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Alec John Such, Tico Torres and David Bryan — embarked on their Slippery When Wet Tour, traveling the globe in support of their hit album of the same name. After kicking off in Canada, the group traveled to Japan and Australia, through Europe and to just about every city in America to belt their hits like “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

“We thought we had a really good record,” frontman Jon Bon Jovi recalled on a 2021 episode of the Rockonteurs with Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt podcast. It was: the album itself went 12-times Platinum and the tour was a major financial success for the group.

Grab your neon leggings, crimp your hair and take a trip back to the late 1980s with some incredible photos of the band on the Slippery When Wet Tour.

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With the Band

Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Alec John Such, Tico Torres and David Bryan of Bon Jovi.Lester Cohen/Getty

Bandmates Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Alec John Such, Tico Torres and David Bryan celebrated their record achieving gold status in 1986.

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Hair Apparent

Jon Bon Jovi.Ross Marino/Getty

Ahead of the band’s Detroit tour stop in 1987, frontman Jon Bon Jovi posed for this glamour shot.

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Let It Rock

Alec John Such and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi.Ross Marino/Getty

Alec John Such and Richie Sambora rocked it out onstage in Detroit in 1987.

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Wild in the Streets

David Bryan and Jon Bon Jovi.Ross Marino/Getty

Taking off after their Detroit show, David Bryan and Jon Bon Jovi played a game of cards on their private plane.

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Livin’ on a Prayer

David Bryan, Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Tico Torres and Alec John Such of Bon Jovi.Birmingham Post and Mail Archive/Mirrorpix/Getty

At the 1987 Monsters of Rock festival at England’s Castle Donington, David Bryan, Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Tico Torres and Alec John Such posed in all their glory.

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You Give Love a Bad Name

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora.Ross Marino/Getty

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora had some fun on stage during one of their 1987 tour stops.

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Wanted Dead or Alive

Tico Torres, Richie Sambora, Alec John Sutch, Jon Bon Jovi and David Bryan of Bon Jovi.Ilpo Musto/Shutterstock

While on the road in 1987, the group posed for another iconic portrait.

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I’d Die for You

Jon Bon Jovi.Trevor James Robert Dallen/Fairfax Media via Getty

On stage in Sydney in 1987, Jon Bon Jovi showed off his signature smile.

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Without Love

Jon Bon Jovi.Ross Marino/Getty

Frontman Jon Bon Jovi managed to have fun backstage at a show in 1987, too!

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Slippery When Wet

Jon Bon Jovi.Bill Marino/Sygma via Getty

Is Jon Bon Jovi’s hair also slippery when wet?

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Edge of a Broken Heart

Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi.Ross Marino/Getty

Guitarist Richie Sambora was always one for on-stage theatrics.

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Social Disease

Jon Bon Jovi.Ross Marino/Getty

Jon Bon Jovi’s late-’80s tour style included glimmering jackets and lots of hair accessories.

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Raise Your Hands

Jon Bon Jovi. Trevor James Robert Dallen/Fairfax Media via Getty

Jon Bon Jovi was doing aerial tricks even before Pink!

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Picture Perfect

Ross Marino/Getty (2)

Backstage on a 1987 tour stop, the band took these amazing portraits. Here’s keyboardist David Bryan and Jon Bon Jovi.

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Take Two

Ross Marino/Getty (2)

And feast your eyes on guitarist Richie Sambora and drummer Tico Torres.

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Never Say Goodbye

David Bryan, Tico Torres, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Alec John Such of Bon Jovi. Paul Natkin/Getty

Never stop rocking, guys.