Jersey Rockers Bon Jovi An Admirable If Mildly Surprising Choice For VH1's Top '80s Song

Hope you enjoyed the majesty of VH1's countdown of its Top 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s as much as I did. Certainly there are songs that shouldn't have been included and many others that should have been, but in this case only the viewers who voted online can be blamed for that. Omissions and missteps are subjects for another entry; for now I'd like to focus on the apparent kings of the mountain, Bon Jovi, whose undeniably classic tune "Livin' on a Prayer" received top honors on the list.

Peering across the landscape of '80s pop and rock, it's difficult to come up with another act whose output was more consistent or solid during the decade than Bon Jovi's. As such, perhaps four or five of the band's best tracks would have been reputable choices for the top spot, a distinction few of the group's contemporaries could boast. I know it's feeble by comparison to VH1's mammoth list, but please check out my list of the top 10 '80s songs contributed by this enduring and unique heartland/pop metal hybrid of a rock band.

• Bon Jovi Profile
• Top 10 Bon Jovi Songs of the '80s
• Sample or download Bon Jovi tunes here.
• Compare prices on Bon Jovi CDs here.