Jon Bon Jovi says he came close to ending his music career after suffering a serious vocal cord injury that left him unsure whether he would ever perform again. The 63-year-old rocker revealed that if his recovery had failed, he was ready to walk away from the stage altogether.
“I don’t do it for the applause. I’m not that applause junkie. I do it for the joy and I do it for the art,” Bon Jovi told USA Today in an interview on Thursday. “The rest of it is great because I’m good at it. But if you couldn’t do it from a place of joy, what’s the motivation?”
Despite his decades-long passion for music, Bon Jovi said it’s not the only thing that defines him. “I have other things in my life. It’s what I do. It’s not who I am,” he said.
The singer underwent major surgery in 2022 after doctors discovered one of his vocal cords had atrophied. “One of my cords was atrophied, and the strong one was pushing the weak one around, and this one was dying,” Bon Jovi explained. The procedure involved inserting an implant to strengthen his weakened cord.
“The road has been long. It’s been tough. But I persevered,” he said, noting that his recovery required months of consistent vocal therapy. Bon Jovi compared the process to athletic training, saying he now practices daily to maintain his stamina.
“It’s like training for a marathon,” he said. “Anyone can go for a run. Being able to go the distance is a whole different set of commitment. You have to physically, mentally, and spiritually be ready to do that again.”
After years of rehabilitation, the Livin’ on a Prayer singer said he’s finally back to full strength. “Now I can confidently say I’m able to go out and perform my two and a half hours night after night after night,” Bon Jovi said. “But I wouldn’t do it unless it was that.”
On Wednesday, Bon Jovi announced plans for a 2026 tour with his band, including seven dates across New York City and the UK.
Earlier this year, he had hinted at retirement if his voice didn’t recover. “If the singing is not great, if I can’t be the guy I once was … then I’m done,” he told The Times in April. “And I’m good with that.”
Bon Jovi joins artists like Adele and John Mayer, who have successfully recovered from vocal cord injuries. His determination to return to top form has reassured fans that he still has more music — and energy — left to give.
