New Jersey is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Bon Jovi, released on 19 September 1988 through Mercury Records. The album was produced by Bruce Fairbairn and recorded at the Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, Canada. The album was the follow-up to the band's 1986 breakthrough album, Slippery When Wet, and reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in its second week of release after making its debut at No. 8. It remained at No. 1 for four consecutive weeks. by William Ruhlmann
Bon Jovi had perfected a formula for hard pop/rock by the time of New Jersey, concentrating on singalong choruses sung over and over again, frequently by a rough, extensively overdubbed chorus, producing an effect not unlike what these songs sounded like in the arenas and stadiums where they were most often heard. The lyrics had that typical pop twist -- although they nominally expressed romantic commitment, sentiments such as "Lay Your Hands on Me" and "I'll Be There for You" worked equally well as a means for the band and its audience to reaffirm their affection for each other.
