There is truly no rhyme, reason, or solidified career path in the pursuit of becoming a professional musician. Now, there are certainly more traditional ways, but most of the time, it seems aspiring professional musicians are just grasping at any opportunity that might lead to something fruitful. It’s a story that is both romantic and utterly discouraging, and Jon Bon Jovi would seemingly attest to that.
If you’ve seen movies or read memoirs, then you know that acquiring a record deal and or a musical vocation in a professional capacity takes persistence, a lack of pride, and no fear of shame. If pursuing this career, you will likely be turned down 100 times. However, you only need one person to say “yes”, and that is exactly how Jon Bon Jovi scored his first record deal.
Behind Jon Bon Jovi’s Shot in The Dark
The romanticized version of securing a record deal is not often the way it actually happens. However, in Jon Bon Jovi’s case, it kind of is. In 1982, Jon Bon Jovi wrote the hit song “Runaway”, but he had no takers. So, he crafted a plan to target the “loneliest man in the music business”—the DJ.
Recalling his plan, Bon Jovi told Virgin Radio UK, “[It’s] 1982. I write ‘Runaway.’ I can’t get a record deal. I can’t even get a band because, you know, original bands aren’t making any money. So, I think to myself, ‘Who is the loneliest man in the music business?’ The DJ.”
“And we had a brand-new radio station in New York. It was so new they didn’t have a receptionist. I banged on the glass…I said, ‘I’ve got a song you should hear.’…So, he listened to it after his show. He said, ‘That’s a hit song,’ and I said, ‘I know. Nobody else thinks so. So, they put it on the radio in New York, and that’s how I got a record deal back in 1983,” concluded Jon Bon Jovi.
While a tactic of this nature might not work in the 21st century, there is only one way to find out. To do it. So, if this Jon Bon Jovi story tells you anything, it should tell you to never view any action of growth as too absurd, because at the end of the day, you never know what will and what won’t work until you give it a try.
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