Since its release, Bon Jovi"s hit single, "It"s My Life," has been a favorite among both rock and pop fans. But for many of us, this song isn"t the first Bon Jovi song to get onto our coveted MP3 list. Although most of us were more interested in He-Man and Barbie than MTV at the time, we recall the classic "Livin" On A Prayer." Maybe some are more "undercover" fans than others, but bust out with the "Livin" On A Prayer" chorus and I guarantee at least a few friends will sing along. As memorable as "Livin" On A Prayer" is, though, one can"t forget the album on which it appeared. Slippery When Wet was Bon Jovi"s third album and catapulted the band into super-stardom.

In addition to "Livin" On A Prayer," Slippery When Wet also features other hits such as "You Give Love A Bad Name," "Never Say Goodbye" and "Wanted Dead Or Alive." Granted, all these songs are very similar stylistically. And, as some would argue, all of Bon Jovi"s songs regardless of the album sound strangely alike. But it"s important to make a distinction between sound and mood. The tracks on Slippery When Wet may be related, but each song has a unique sound. As a whole, though, the album"s tracks are united in their feel-good mood and catchy choruses. Each song is simplistic in its format, but the very charm of Slippery When Wet lies in this simplicity. The lack of irony and bitterness that characterizes the grunge rock of the early "90s is undetectable.

Although it reached multi-platinum status, when Slippery When Wet was first released it was criticized for being more pop than heavy metal. In the long run, though, appealing to both teenyboppers and metal fans is what has allowed Bon Jovi to keep rocking the charts today. So, the next time you hear "It"s My Life" alongside Christina Aguilera or "N Sync on the radio, take a moment to dust off your old copy of Slippery When Wet. Sure, the album has the glossed-over "80s sound. It definitely doesn"t have the social value of 2Pac"s albums, or the sentimentality of Dido. But, at the very least, Slippery When Wet is bound to provide a fun listening experience.