SamboraBlog

(Sept. 28, 2005 – New York, NY) Boosted by a non-stop week of television, radio, satellite and Internet media events, Island recording group Bon Jovi debuts with a blaze of glory on the Billboard 200 Albums chart this week, as HAVE A NICE DAY enters at #2 with first week sales of 201,881 units, besting the band’s previous first-week peak of 159,000 units for Bounce in 2002.

"Bon Jovi's record-setting first week sales for HAVE A NICE DAY is proof that there is no substitute for having the most loyal, steadfast fan base in the world on your side," said Steve Bartels, president, Island Records & COO, Island Def Jam Music Group. "At the same time, the IDJ staff across the country and around the world has pushed open every door to insure that the new album's exposure would be second-to-none in Bon Jovi history. All the elements came together and the results are the talk of the industry in North America, Europe and Asia. Rock lives!"

Around the world, sales results indicate an equally impressive first week. HAVE A NICE DAY was certified platinum overnight in Japan, and enters at #1, making Bon Jovi one of only three international acts to achieve three # 1 albums in that country (Beatles, Bay City Rollers). The album also debuts at #1 in Australia, Holland, Austria, Germany and Canada, and #2 in the U.K., while the song, “Have A Nice Day” is #6 on the Billboard Europe chart and #14 most-played on the European airplay chart. Overall, the single is top 10 in Australia, Austria, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K.

Bon Jovi’s “Have A Nice Day” single arrived at radio on July 18th, and the video premiered at AOL “First View” a month later. After receiving the Diamond Award at the World Music Awards in August, the band rolled into September – performing a sold-out concert at the Nokia Theater Times Square, which was simulcast via Network Live to AOL and XM Radio, and was beamed to more than 100 movie theaters across the country. Also that night from Nokia, the band taped a performance and special message that aired during ABC’s “Monday Night Football” to help the network raise funds for Hurricane Katrina victims.

Bon Jovi was seen and heard throughout September on Clear Channel Online Music and Radio’s “Sneak Peek,” CMT’s “Crossroads” (with Sugar­land), “The Howard Stern Show,” “The Today Show,” and “The CBS Early Show.” “AOL Sessions” is slated for October.

Bon Jovi’s hour-long Oprah appearance during the show’s 20th season premiere week opened with performances of “It’s My Life” and “You Give Love a Bad Name,” and closed with “Have A Nice Day.” In between, Jon’s interview with Oprah was enhanced by taped segments of the Jersey native in some of the places closest to his heart; in Philly with members of his Philadelphia Soul Arena Football team; the band’s recording studio at Jon’s New Jersey home; and the Northern Home For Children where Jon donates time and resources. In appreciation for Oprah’s coverage of Hurricane Katrina and in the spirit of giving that defines them, Jon presented Oprah with a million dollar check on behalf of the entire band to aid her Angel Network’s ongoing hurricane relief efforts. The show concluded with the audience receiving tickets to the HAVE A NICE DAY World Tour concert in Chicago on November 4th (itinerary below).

A massive promotion on MLB.com – representing 31 major league baseball sites (as well as the MinorLeagueBaseball.com home page) – ran in September leading up to the in-store date. An estimated 150,000,000 visitors were treated to song previews, free downloads, a full-length video stream of “Have A Nice Day,” and access to photos, wallpaper, autographed memorabilia, contests, auctions, polls, and a baseball cap purchase offer. They were also able to register to win free album download vouchers and a grand prize ‘fly-away’ sweepstakes to opening night of the tour. Meanwhile, Smirkwatch.com provides the band’s CD-cover image to fans who have spread the image around the Internet.

A special deluxe limited edition Dual Disc configuration of HAVE A NICE DAY is the first Dual Disc ever issued by the Island Def Jam Music Group. The two-layer (CD and DVD) Dual Disc technology features the entire album in High Resolution 5.1 Surround Sound stereo on the CD layer. The DVD layer will contain five songs in-concert from Bon Jovi’s home state of New Jersey, in 2004; as well as the “Have A Nice Day” video clip, and an EPK that takes you behind the scenes.

At www.bonjovi.com, the video for “Have A Nice Day” may be viewed and fans can also hear the full-length version of “Last Man Standing.” There is also information on purchasing the “Have A Nice Day” download, as well as Realtone for cell phones, and other news and surprises.

HAVE A NICE DAY is Bon Jovi’s first album of new material since 2002’s Bounce. In 2003, the band released This Left Feels Right, an acoustic/eclectic reworking of their biggest hits. The band’s most recent release was November 2004’s 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong… a career-spanning deluxe 5-disc box set (4 CDs plus bonus DVD), comprised almost entirely of never-before-released materials culled from the band’s extensive archives.

The first batch of dates for the upcoming HAVE A NICE DAY Tour have been announced.

Date City Venue
Nov. 2 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
4 Chicago, IL United Center
8 Cleveland, OH Gund Arena
9 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
11 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
16 Madison, WI Kohl Center
18 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
26 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
28-29 New York, NY Madison Square Garden

Dec. 2-3 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
6 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena
9 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
12 Albany, NY Pepsi Arena
14 Montreal, Que. Bell Centre
17 Washington, DC MCI Center
19 & 21 E. Rutherford, NJ Continental Airlines Arena

Jan. 18 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
20 Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena
23 Toronto, Ont. Air Canada Centre

(Details regarding local on-sales will be announced in the weeks ahead; Additional concert dates to be announced in the U.S. as well, including shows in Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Milwaukee, Nashville, Houston, San Jose, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.)