The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 13 showcased an eclectic mix of musical performances and special segments that once again gave CBS and GRAMMY Sunday increased ratings with 26.7 million viewers (up from 25.8 million last year), and delivered the largest audience in more than a decade, as well as topping all shows for the entire week. The 16 signature GRAMMY Moments showcased legends and newcomers throughout the three-and-a-half-hour show. Music's Biggest Night was up in adults 18–49, adults 18–34 and adults 25–54 from last year (the best demos since 2004).

GRAMMY Week events — including the annual MusiCares Person of the Year gala, GRAMMY Career Day, Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception, Clive Davis and The Recording Academy's Pre-GRAMMY Gala, Social Media Rock Stars Summit, and more — highlighted education, philanthropy, advocacy, diverse artists, and musical genres, and set records with increased guests and media attendance. Aggressive social networking and marketing and a user-friendly redesign helped increase traffic to GRAMMY.com, and the "GRAMMY Effect" the week following the show resulted in significantly increased album sales and digital song downloads for performers and GRAMMY-winning artists. Additionally, The Recording Academy furthered its efforts to present a greener GRAMMY Awards by once again reducing the environmental impact of the telecast and associated GRAMMY Week events.

"From our extraordinary GRAMMY nominees and recipients to the unique, special and historic performances, everyone can agree that one basic premise was clearly evident: the 53rd GRAMMY Awards was about the music. This is precisely what the GRAMMY Awards and The Recording Academy represent — excellence in recorded music," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "We are exceptionally proud to continue to offer unparalleled events throughout GRAMMY Week, which spotlight the best in music as well as highlight education, preservation and human services. It's also gratifying to see consumers and fans continue to engage with the GRAMMYs through our social networking sites and GRAMMY.com, demonstrating the power of Music's Biggest Night."

GRAMMY Awards Performers And Presenters
Building on the stunning opening tribute to Aretha Franklin featuring Yolanda Adams, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride, and Florence Welch, many other great GRAMMY Moments followed on this year's telecast, including Arcade Fire; Justin Bieber and Usher with Jaden Smith; B.o.B, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe; Drake and Rihanna; Eminem with Dr. Dre, Skylar Grey, Adam Levine, and Rihanna; Mick Jagger with Raphael Saadiq; Lady Antebellum; Cee Lo Green with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Jim Henson Company Puppets; Lady Gaga; Miranda Lambert; Muse; Katy Perry; Barbra Streisand; and Esperanza Spalding in a special segment with members of the GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles and GRAMMY Camp. Presenters included Marc Anthony, Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown, Miley Cyrus, Jamie Foxx, Selena Gomez, Neil Patrick Harris, Jewel, Norah Jones, Kris Kristofferson, John Legend, LL Cool J, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Clay Matthews, John Mayer, Nicki Minaj, Matthew Morrison, Paramore, Pauley Perrette, Seth Rogen, Ryan Seacrest, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Donnie Wahlberg, and will.i.am.

GRAMMY Nominees Album And The "GRAMMY Effect"
The 2011 GRAMMY Nominees album made its debut at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 album chart (tying the series' highest debut) and continued its success after the telecast by remaining in the Top 10. This year, The Recording Academy and Jive Records teamed to release the 17th edition of the best-selling series, which highlighted artists and songs nominated for the current GRAMMY year. A portion of proceeds from the sale of the CD benefits MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation. Additionally, post-GRAMMY telecast, numerous artists enjoyed the "GRAMMY Effect" with significant sales increases, including Esperanza Spalding (up 476 percent), Arcade Fire (238 percent), Lady Antebellum (205 percent), Mumford & Sons (169 percent), Cee Lo Green (96 percent), Eminem (60 percent), and Bruno Mars (55 percent), among others. Increases on the Digital Songs chart included Mumford & Sons' "The Cave" (205 percent), Cee Lo Green's "F*** You/Forget You" (178 percent), Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" (77 percent), and Justin Bieber featuring Jaden Smith's "Never Say Never" (67 percent), among others. The Academy was once again able to offer a number of this year's once-in-a-lifetime performances as video downloads on iTunes.

TBWA\Chiat\Day Marketing Campaign
The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards marketing campaign MusicIsLifeIsMusic — which featured print, outdoor, digital, TV, an interactive microsite, and the MusicMapper app, available on iPhone and Android devices — celebrated the songs that have significance in one's life and the places connected to those songs. Utilizing social networking and geolocation, music fans were able to map out their musical journeys and share them with others. The fully integrated campaign highlighted music fans' unprecedented impact in the current digital age. MusicIsLifeIsMusic told the stories of both nominees and music fans, and not only allowed users the opportunity to map their own respective musical journeys, they explored other MusicMapper tags through an augmented reality view that provided an innovative, real-life glimpse at how "music is life is music." By using a mobile device camera, users could see others' tags, Flickr photos and Foursquare check-ins associated with the space they enter. Additionally, fans had the ability to unlock exclusive GRAMMY content based on their physical location as determined by SimpleGeo. Via a QR Code Reader on all print material and outdoor advertisements, users accessed eight full-length GRAMMY performances from past shows. The microsite and iPhone and Android apps continue to live on beyond the telecast.

GRAMMY Live
For the second consecutive year, music fans worldwide had the opportunity to experience and participate in the color and excitement leading up to GRAMMY Sunday through GRAMMY Live — a real-time, innovative, three-day online broadcast of the VIP events leading up to the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. The GRAMMY Live stream of the road to Music's Biggest Night began on Friday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. PT and ran through Sunday, Feb. 13, and received 20 million views collectively between GRAMMY.com and YouTube.com/thegrammys. GRAMMY Live featured video, photos, blogs, tweets and retweets, as well as official news reports and personalized updates from hosts actor/comedian Ben Gleib, TV/Web personality Shira Lazar and veteran broadcast music journalist John Norris. Exclusive behind-the-scenes GRAMMY cams gave the audience an insider's view into GRAMMY Week events including the Social Media Rock Stars Summit; MusiCares Person of the Year tribute; Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception; Pre-GRAMMY Gala featuring the 2011 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons; and all the action on GRAMMY Sunday, including red-carpet arrivals, the Pre-Telecast Ceremony, and the official GRAMMY Celebration after-party. Additional behind-the-scenes footage offered viewers a "dual-screen" experience, complementing the GRAMMY telecast with red-carpet coverage, backstage interviews, exclusive photo sessions with winners (with renowned photographer Danny Clinch), press room sessions, and past GRAMMY moments.

GRAMMY Pre-Telecast Ceremony
The GRAMMY Pre-Telecast Ceremony — during which awards for a majority of the 108 categories were presented — took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center prior to the telecast and enjoyed its largest attendance to date. Once again, the ceremony was streamed live on GRAMMY.com and the stream was available for 30 days following the event. The Pre-Telecast live stream was viewed by more than 460,000 visitors, a 130 percent increase over last year. The ceremony was co-hosted by Bobby McFerrin and Esperanza Spalding and featured live performances by ChocQuibTown, Buddy Guy, Cyndi Lauper, Maria Muldaur, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Mavis Staples, Trombone Shorty, Kirk Whalum, and Betty Wright. GRAMMY Awards were presented by Laurie Anderson, Sara Bareilles, BT, Kathy Griffin, and Wayne Wallace. Overall, GRAMMYs in 46 out of 108 categories this year were awarded to independent artists and/or music released on an independent label.

GRAMMY Week Events
Official GRAMMY Week events presented a diversity of celebrations leading up to Music's Biggest Night. For the fourth year, The Producers & Engineers Wing presented an event that paid tribute to those "behind the glass," honoring legendary producer and 12-time GRAMMY winner T Bone Burnett. Titled Shaken Rattled & Rolled, the event was held at the Village recording studio in Los Angeles and celebrated the P&E Wing's 10th anniversary. With record-breaking attendance numbers, the Special Merit Awards Ceremony, held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Julie Andrews, Roy Haynes, Juilliard String Quartet, the Kingston Trio, Dolly Parton, the Ramones, and George Beverly Shea; Al Bell, Wilma Cozart Fine and Bruce Lundvall received the Trustees Award; and Roger Linn and Waves Audio Ltd. were Technical GRAMMY Award honorees.

Pre-GRAMMY Gala And GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons
The Recording Academy once again partnered with Clive Davis to present the exclusive, star-studded Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Entertainment entrepreneur David Geffen was honored with the President's Merit Award for his indelible contributions to the music industry. The event featured performances by Mary J. Blige, Cee Lo Green, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Hudson, R. Kelly, Janelle Monáe, Matthew Morrison, Mumford & Sons, and Dionne Warwick. Attendees included Warren Beatty, the Black Eyed Peas, Jackson Browne, Cher, Diddy, Foo Fighters, David Foster, Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Adam Lambert, Ray LaMontagne, Barry Manilow, Bruno Mars, John Mayer, Martina McBride, Katy Perry, Usher, and Neil Young, among many others.

GRAMMY Celebration
The party continued immediately following the live GRAMMY telecast at the Los Angeles Convention Center with the largest-ever guest attendance at the 2011 GRAMMY Celebration, The Academy's official after-party. Live performances included Keri Hilson, the Roots, DJ Wayne, and members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles. Chef extraordinaire Wolfgang Puck once again treated guests to gourmet dishes and sweet delights throughout the three-and-a-half-hour party. Produced by Along Came Mary Productions, the exclusive invitation-only soiree took guests back to the '70s with a journey through a Night at Studio 54 and was one of the night's most sought-after parties.

GRAMMYs Get Greener
In an ongoing effort to reduce the environmental impact of the GRAMMY Awards, The Academy continued its greening initiative and found additional ways to utilize alternative energy resources to power the telecast and promote recycling and waste reduction. For the fourth consecutive year, the GRAMMY telecast was produced with renewable energy, which was purchased by The Recording Academy. Additionally, The Academy collaborated with Bonneville Environmental Foundation to balance the energy consumption over the course of the seven-day period of setup and tear down by investing in existing clean energy projects. The Academy continued its partnership with Waste Management to recycle waste from the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Other greening achievements included: a red-carpet made from 100 percent recycled materials (which were used at the 51st and 52nd GRAMMY Awards); for the second year in a row, all incoming GRAMMY ticket requests were processed electronically; recycled content paper was used for nearly all paper products (including 100 percent recycled content tickets, with 30 percent post-consumer content, and program books printed on recycled paper with 10 percent post-consumer content); recycling bins for aluminum, glass and plastic containers provided at both Staples Center and LACC, in addition to a number of other GRAMMY Week events; most set pieces and furniture were either rentals or stored for reuse; unused food from staff box lunches and the GRAMMY Celebration after-party were donated to local food banks; the Wolfgang Puck after-party menu incorporated locally grown and organic options.

For the first time this year, The Academy teamed with 100% Cork and ReCORK to recycle corks from wine bottles used at the GRAMMY Celebration. More than 1,000 corks were diverted from landfills and repurposed for various industrial, household and fashion goods. Also a first-year collaboration, The Academy teamed with ridesharing company Ride Amigos, allowing guests attending the 53rd GRAMMY Awards to connect with each other online and organize carpools to Staples Center.

GRAMMY Foundation
This year's GRAMMY Foundation GRAMMY Week events took guests and GRAMMY nominees through unique educational and cultural experiences. For the second year, the GRAMMY Foundation presented GRAMMY In The Schools Live! — which featured the GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles, student alumni from GRAMMY Camp and GRAMMY Signature Schools, with a special guest performance by Sara Bareilles. The Ensembles also performed at Spaghettini Italian Grill & Lounge in Seal Beach, Calif., with special guest artist Esperanza Spalding; the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute; and the GRAMMY Celebration after-party. Legendary Capitol Studios & Mastering was again provided by the EMI Music Group for the Ensembles to record an album that will join the lineup of previous Ensembles recordings available for purchase at online music outlets such as iTunes and Amazon.

GRAMMY Career Day hosted 750 Los Angeles-area students at the USC campus where high school students were given insight into music business careers from artists including GRAMMY-winning producer Warryn Campbell; GRAMMY-winning songwriting team Angela Hunte and Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic; artist JoiStarr; songwriter/producer Claude Kelly; rapper Lecrae; GRAMMY-winning engineer Manny Marroquin; artists Mohombi and Kelly Price; multi-platinum producer RedOne; singer/songwriter Eric Roberson; and recording artist Jordin Sparks. Participating industry professionals included "Glee" music producer Adam Anders; Recording Academy Chair Emeritus, GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares Board member and five-time GRAMMY winner Jimmy Jam; "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" musical director Rickey Minor; Chair of the GRAMMY Foundation Board and Chief Marketing Officer of Coca-Cola North America Bea Perez; and MusiCares Board member and Head of Urban Music for EMI Music Publishing Jon Platt. A special highlight of GRAMMY Career Day was Best Buy's presentation of a check for $1.24 million to the GRAMMY Foundation in support of music education activities.

The Foundation's 13th Annual Music Preservation Project, Word Revolution: A Celebration Of The Evolution Of Hip-Hop, featured live musical performances and historical footage from preservation archives. Kevin Frazier of "Entertainment Tonight" and "Insider" was the evening's host and performers included Marsha Ambrosius; GRAMMY winners Arrested Development and Chrisette Michele; Beat Freaks from "America's Best Dance Crew"; DJ Beverly Bond; Brave New Voices; Everlast; DJ Jazzy Jeff; Kid Capri; Lil Mama; MC Lyte; Musiq Soulchild; Naughty By Nature; Phife from A Tribe Called Quest; DJ Skee; Paul Wall; and Young Chris, among others.

The annual Entertainment Law Initiative & Scholarship Presentation featured seven-time GRAMMY winner and GRAMMY Foundation Board member will.i.am as keynote speaker. The luncheon also honored John T. Frankenheimer, distinguished entertainment attorney, partner and co-chairman of Loeb & Loeb LLP, and chair of the firm's music industry practice group, as the recipient of the 2011 Service Award.

MusiCares Person Of The Year
Eight-time GRAMMY winner, Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award and GRAMMY Legend Award recipient Barbra Streisand was honored as the 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year with a tribute that raised a record-breaking $4.75 million to support MusiCares' programs and services for music people in need. The 21st anniversary of the gala, which was attended by a record audience of more than 2,400 guests, included a special reception, silent auction, dinner, award presentation, and a star-studded tribute concert that featured performances by Jeff Beck; Tony Bennett; Kristin Chenoweth; "Glee" cast members Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison and Darren Criss; Herbie Hancock; Faith Hill; Diana Krall; Leona Lewis; Barry Manilow; LeAnn Rimes; Seal; BeBe Winans; Stevie Wonder; and Nikki Yanofsky. Streisand closed the evening with her own special performance. Fran Drescher, Bill Maher and multi-GRAMMY-winning artists Prince and will.i.am were presenters at the tribute.

GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions
In celebration of the GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions offered approximately 100 exclusive items, including once-in-a-lifetime VIP experiences, memorabilia from world-renowned celebrities, and official GRAMMY merchandise signed by participating stars backstage during telecast rehearsals and show day. All proceeds benefited MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation.
 

Bon Jovi have officially been in the cultural conversation for five decades — and it looks like we'll never say goodbye. 

The band's self-titled debut album was unleashed upon the world in 1984, and lead single "Runaway" made some waves. Yet the New Jersey group didn't truly break through until their third album, the 12 million-selling Slippery When Wet. By the late 1980s, they were arguably the biggest rock band in the world, selling out massive shows in arenas and stadiums. 

Since, Bon Jovi releases have consistently topped album charts (six of their studio albums hit No. 1). A big reason for their continued success is that, unlike a majority of their ‘80s peers, frontman Jon Bon Jovi made sure that they adapted to changing times while retaining the spirit of their music — from the anthemic stomp of 1986’s "Bad Medicine" to the Nashville crossover of 2005’s "Who Says You Can’t Go Home." It also doesn’t hurt that the 2024 MusiCares Person Of The Year has aged very gracefully; his winning smile and charismatic personality ever crush-worthy.

Their fifth decade rocking the planet has been marked by many other milestones: The release of  a four-part Hulu documentary, "Thank you, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story"; Bon Jovi's 16th studio album Forever, and fan hopes for the return of original guitarist Richie Sambora who left unexpectedly in 2013. Despite all of these positive notes, there is an ominous cloud hanging over the group as their singer had to undergo vocal surgery following disappointing, consistently off-key performances on the group's 2022 U.S. tour. Even afterward, he remains unsure whether he’ll be able to tour again. But Bon Jovi remains popular and with Sambora expressing interest in a reunion, it's plausible that we could see them back on stage again somehow.

Jon Bon Jovi has also had quite a multifaceted career spun off of his success in music, as shown by the following collection of fascinating facts.

Jon Bon Jovi Sung With Bruce Springsteen When He Was 17

By the time he was in high school, Jon Bongiovi (his original, pre-fame last name) was already fronting his first serious group. The Atlantic City Expressway was a 10-piece with a horn section that performed well-known tunes from Jersey acts like Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

They regularly played The Fast Lane, and one night Bruce Springsteen was in the audience. To Bon Jovi’s surprise, The Boss jumped onstage to join them. The two later became good friends — during his MusiCares performance, Bon Jovi introduced Springsteen as "my mentor, my friend, my brother, my hero."

Although "Runaway" was the debut single and lone Top 40 hit from Bon Jovi's first two albums, it was recorded as a professional demo back in 1982. 

Bon Jovi got a gig as a gopher at Power Station, the famed studio co-owned by his second cousin Tony Bongiovi where artists like the Rolling Stones, Diana Ross, and David Bowie recorded. (He watched even watched Bowie and Freddie Mercury record the vocals for "Under Pressure.")

The future rockstar cut "Runaway" (which was co-written mainly by George Karak) and other demos with session musicians — his friend, guitarist Aldo Nova, Rick Springfield/John Waite guitarist Tim Pierce, Springsteen keyboardist Roy Bittan, bassist Hugh McDonald (a future Bon Jovi member), and Scandal drummer Frankie LaRocca. The song first appeared on a WAPP compilation under his name, but then it was placed on Bon Jovi’s debut album. When the video for "Runway" was created nearly two years later, members of Bon Jovi were miming to other people’s performances. 

Although it is a classic, original guitarist Richie Sambora hates it and never wants to play it again.

He Eloped With His High School Sweetheart In April 1989

During the band’s world tour in support of New Jersey, Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley spontaneously eloped in a quickie wedding in Vegas. His bandmates and management were shocked to find this out; the latter probably feared that his ineligible bachelor status would harm their popularity with their ardent female fans. But it simply played more into his more wholesome image that differed from other hard rockers of the time. 

In May 2024, Bon Jovi’s son Jake secretly married "Stranger Things" actor Millie Bobby Brown. It was like history repeating itself, except this time family was involved.

Listen: Revisit Jon Bon Jovi's Greatest Hits & Deep Cuts Ahead Of MusiCares' Person Of The Year 2024 Gala

Back in the ‘80s, parents often didn’t like their kids’ music. However, Bon Jovi’s parents completely supported his. Mother Carol Bongiovi often chaperoned his early days when he was an underaged kid playing local clubs and bars in New Jersey. Father Jon Sr. was the group’s hair stylist until their third album, Slippery When Wet. He created his son's signature mane. 

Jon’s brother Matthew started as a production assistant in the band’s organization, then worked for their management before becoming his brother’s head of security and now his tour manager. His other brother Anthony became the director of a few Bon Jovi concert films and promo clips. He’s also directed concert films for Slayer and the Goo Goo Dolls.

After writing songs for the Golden Globe-winning "Young Guns II soundtrack (released as the solo album Blaze Of Glory) and getting a cameo in the Western’s opening, Bon Jovi was bitten by the acting bug. He studied with acclaimed acting coach Harold Guskin in the early ‘90s, then appeared as the romantic interest of Elizabeth Perkins in 1995's Moonlight and Valentino.

In other movies, Bon Jovi played a bartender who’s a recovering alcoholic (Little City), an ex-con turning over a new leaf (Row Your Boat), a failed father figure (Pay It Forward), a suburban dad and pot smoker (Homegrown), and a Navy Lieutenant in WWII (U-571). The band’s revival in 2000 slowed his acting aspirations, but he appeared for 10 episodes of "Ally McBeal," playing her love interest in 2002. 

Elsewhere on the silver screen, the singer has also portrayed a vampire hunter (Vampiros: Los Muertos), a duplicitous professor (Cry Wolf), the owner of a women’s hockey team (Pucked), and a rock star willing to cancel a tour for the woman he loves (New Year’s Eve). He hasn’t acted since 2011, but who knows when he might make a guest appearance?

Jon Bon Jovi Once Co-Owned A Football Team

In 2004, Bon Jovi became one of the co-founders and co-majority owner of the Philadelphia Soul, which were part of the Arena Football League (AFL). (Sambora was a minority shareholder.) The team name emerged in a satirical scene from "It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia" during which Danny DeVito’s character tries to buy the team for a paltry sum and twice butchers the singer’s name.

Jon stuck with the team until 2009, a year after they won Arena Bowl XXII, defeating the San Jose SaberCats. He then set his eyes on a bigger prize, the Buffalo Bills, aligning himself with a group of Toronto investors in 2011. One of his biggest competitors? Donald Trump, who ran a smear campaign alleging that the famed singer would move the team to Toronto. 

In the end, neither man purchased the team as they were outbid by Terry and Kim Pegula, who still own the Bills today.

Having cranked out massive hits with songwriter Desmond Child, Bon Jovi and Sambora decided to write or co-write songs for and with other artists. 

In 1987, they co-wrote and produced the Top 20 hit "We All Sleep Alone" with Child for Cher, and also co-wrote the Top 40 hit "Notorious" with members of Loverboy. In 1989, the duo paired up again Loverboy guitarist Paul Dean for his solo rocker "Under The Gun" and bequeathed the New Jersey outtake "Does Anybody Really Fall in Love Anymore?" (co-written with Child and Diane Warren) to Cher. 

The Bon Jovi/Sambora song "Peace In Our Time" was recorded by Russian rockers Gorky Park. In 1990, Paul Young snagged the New Jersey leftover "Now and Forever," while the duo penned "If You Were in My Shoes" with Young, though neither song was released. In 2009, Bon Jovi and Sambora were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for their contributions to music.

Jon Bon Jovi Once Ran His Own Record Label

For a brief time in 1991, he ran his own record label, Jambco, which was distributed through Bon Jovi’s label PolyGram Records. The only two artists he signed were Aldo Nova and Billy Falcon, a veteran singer/songwriter who became Bon Jovi's songwriting partner in the 2000s. Neither of their albums (Aldo Nova’s Blood On The Bricks and Billy Falcon’s Pretty Blue World) were big sellers, and the label folded quickly when they began losing money.

Still, the experience gave Bon Jovi the chance to learn about the music business. That experience helped after he fired original manager Doc McGhee in 1991 and took over his band’s managerial reins until 2015.

Bon Jovi's Vocal Issues Aren't New

Although Jon Bon Jovi's vocal problems have become a major issue recently, they stem back to the late 1980s. It's doubtful as to whether Jon had proper vocal training for a rock band at the start. 

The group did 15-month tours to support both the Slippery When Wet and New Jersey albums. Near the end of the grueling Slippery tour, Bon Jovi was getting steroid injections because his voice was suffering.

While his voice held up into the 2000s, it has become apparent over the last decade that his singing is rougher than it used to be. As shown in the Hulu new documentary, the singer has been struggling to maintain his voice. It’s natural for older rock singers to lose some range — it’s been very rare to hear him sing any of the high notes in "Livin’ On A Prayer" over the last 20 years — but he admitshe is unsure whether he can ever tour again, even with recent surgery.

Back in the 1980s, the upbeat Bon Jovi made it clear that they were not going to be a toned-down political band. But in the ‘90s, he and the band toned down their look, evolved their sound, and offered a more mature outlook on life. 

Reflecting this evolved viewpoint,  the band started an annual tradition of playing a December concert in New Jersey to raise money for various charitable causes; the concert series began in 1991 and continued with the band or Jon solo through at least 2015. The group have played various charitable concert events over the years including the Twin Towers Relief Benefit, Live 8 in Philadelphia, and The Concert For Sandy Relief. 

By the late 2000s, Jon and Dorothea founded the JBJ Soul Kitchen to serve meals at lower costs to people who cannot afford them. COVID-19 related food shortages led the couple to found  the JBJ Soul Kitchen Food Bank. Their JBJ Soul Foundation supports affordable housing and has rebuilt and refurbished homes through organizations like Project H.O.M.E., Habitat For Humanity, and Rebuilding Together.

While he may be a superstar, Jon Bon Jovi still believes in helping others. For his considerable efforts, he was honored as the 2024 MusiCares Person Of The Year during 2024 GRAMMY Week.

Listen: Revisit Jon Bon Jovi's Greatest Hits & Deep Cuts Ahead Of MusiCares' Person Of The Year 2024 Gala

The Recording Academy’s GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honor celebrates the music industry's leading lights and biggest supporters. Ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs, Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt will become the latest honoree.

The GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honor is awarded during the invitation-only Pre-GRAMMY Gala, an annual celebration hosted by the Recording Academy and music industry icon Clive Davis that takes place the night before the annual GRAMMY Awards. Held on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, and sponsored by Hilton, IBM and Mastercard, the Pre-GRAMMY Gala has become one of the music industry's most distinguished events for the innovative and influential creators and professionals it draws. Jon Platt is certainly among them.

"One of the most influential figures in the industry, Jon has consistently set the bar for leadership in music," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement. “His ongoing commitment to equity, his dedication to quality, and his advocacy for artists across all crafts and genres have been an inspiration to music leaders everywhere. We look forward to an incredible evening dedicated to honoring his incredible impact.”

“Jon Platt is one of the music industry’s most illustrious leaders and I am thrilled that he will be this year’s Salute to Industry Icons honoree,” Clive Davis said in a statement. “Jon’s longtime trailblazing commitment to supporting songwriters across the music spectrum as well as his staunch dedication to advocacy, diversity and equality in the music business are exemplary. Artists and the industry at large are fortunate to have his insight and passion at the helm.”

Read More: Clive Davis On His Famed GRAMMY Party, The Future Of The Industry & Whitney Houston's Enduring Legacy

Since his appointment as Chairman and CEO of leading global music publisher Sony Music Publishing (“SMP”) in 2019, Platt has worked to revitalize the company’s Songwriters First mission. His efforts have focused on emphasizing service and transparency at every level, prioritizing equity, and reshaping the company’s administration services.

During Platt's tenure, Sony Music Publishing has strengthened both its legacy and its future, creating historic partnerships with songwriting legends like Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Ashley Gorley; signing the next generation of superstars like Olivia Rodrigo, Jack Harlow, Latto, Anitta, Central Cee, Kane Brown, and the Kid LAROI; and delivering opportunities for DIY creators through a landmark deal with BeatStars.

Throughout his career, Platt advocated for fair compensation for songwriters. Under his direction, Sony Music Publishing has focused on improving the lives of songwriters by putting more money in songwriters’ pockets, and getting that money in their pockets sooner. In an increasingly global music business, the company has also expanded its leading presence internationally into India, Indonesia and Nigeria.

Reflecting Platt’s commitment to artist development and his long-held belief that it’s better to grow hits than to chase them, SMP has built out its services for songwriters and composers at every stage of their careers. Songwriters Forward — a global initiative — has seen SMP providing mental health and wellness support to its roster through the Songwriter Assistance Program. SMP’s Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program has offered new financial opportunities to legacy songwriters. And SMP has provided over $1 million in grants to working songwriters in collaboration with organizations such as the 100 Percenters, Songwriters of North America (SONA) and Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).

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Jon Platt’s career in the music business began in the mid-‘80s, when, as a DJ in his hometown of Denver, he was credited with breaking records from Public Enemy and Arrested Development in the Midwest. He brought the same passion for spotting hits-in-the-making to his career in music publishing, signing and collaborating with some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B, including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Drake, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams and Usher. Platt is widely credited for elevating how hip-hop and R&B artists are respected and compensated as songwriters. 

Platt has consistently shared his belief in building a music business every bit as diverse as the music it represents. He has increased diversity across senior leadership teams throughout his career, and supported the development of a pipeline of female executives with SMP’s global Women’s Leadership Program. His commitment to equity and inclusion extends to empowering the next generation of songwriters and composers with initiatives like SMP’s Screen Scoring Diversity Scholarship at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. 

Platt previously served as chairman & CEO of Warner Chappell and led the company’s turnaround. He also spent 17 years at EMI Music Publishing, where he cemented his reputation for recognizing icons-in-the-making by signing Jay-Z on the release of his 1996 independent debut album, Reasonable Doubt.

Platt sits on the boards of Berklee College of Music, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Motown Museum, Living Legends Foundation, and the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), and his numerous recognitions include City of Hope’s prestigious Spirit of Life Award, SONA’s Warrior Award, NSAI’s President’s Keystone Award, SESAC’s Visionary Award, Billboard’s Power 100, Variety’s Variety500, and Morehouse College’s Candle Award. In 2005, he launched The Big Jon Platt Scholarship Program for college-bound students from his Denver community in Montbello. 

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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The GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons is a universally distinguished honor for people at the music industry's highest echelon — and now, two more names can be added to that pantheon.

Recognized for their dynamic leadership and revolutionary creativity, Atlantic Music Group Chairman and CEO Julie Greenwald and Atlantic Records Chairman and CEO Craig Kallman, are the 2023 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honorees.

The Recording Academy and Clive Davis will celebrate Greenwald and Kallman's accomplishments at the Pre-GRAMMY Gala on Sat, Feb. 4, 2023. The illustrious event preceding the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, is returning for the first time since 2020.

"Respected across the music community, Julie and Craig have fostered the careers of an incredible range of talent," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. "They both have a passion and love for music, and they are constantly pushing the music industry forward with their transformative work with the artist community. We are so honored to celebrate these two industry titans at this year's Pre-GRAMMY Gala."

"I've personally known Julie and Craig for many years and it's so very exciting to celebrate their exceptional creativity and achievements at this year's Pre-GRAMMY Gala," said Davis. "What a special night it will be spotlighting them and their incredible music and artists! They both fully deserve an unforgettable evening."

In 2023, Atlantic Records will celebrate its 75th anniversary, and Greenwald and Kallman can look back on two decades of industry-leading accomplishments. The duo has presided over a new golden age in the history of one of the world's most iconic labels.

Under their watch, Atlantic Records has regularly ranked as the top company in the industry. The combination of Greenwald's artist-focused marketing and culture-building savvy with Atlantic has seen success after success due to Kallman's deep musical knowledge and A&R and producing expertise.

The recently formed Atlantic Music Group, which includes the Atlantic and 300 Elektra label families, garnered nearly 40 GRAMMY nominations this year. This achievement exemplifies the company's focus on long-term artist development.

Keep watching this space for more exciting news involving this illustrious honor — and the rest of GRAMMY week in 2023!

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List