LOS ANGELES – Buckle up, rock ‘n’ roll lifers: Bon Jovi just cranked the volume to 11 and dropped a 2026 world tour itinerary that’s got more stops than a Jersey diner crawl on a Friday night. We’re talking 35 dates – that’s right, 35 – spanning North American arenas, European mega-stadiums, and now a Down Under leg that’s got Aussies dusting off their air guitars already. The “Forever Tour,” tied to their freshly reimagined album, hits the road July 7, proving Jon Bon Jovi’s vocal cords aren’t just mended – they’re roaring back like a ’86 Camaro with a fresh V8.

The announcement landed like a power ballad drop on Thursday, expanding what started as a teased nine-night Madison Square Garden siege into a full-blown global assault. Produced by Live Nation, the tour’s first wave slammed U.S. ticket sites last month, selling out chunks of the MSG run in hours and forcing the band to add dates faster than you can yell “Whoa-oh!” Now, with Australia in the mix – think Sydney’s Accor Stadium and Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium – Bon Jovi’s clocking in at 35 shows, blending heartland anthems with fresh cuts from the “Forever (Legendary Edition)” album that dropped this week. That record’s a who’s-who of rock cameos: Bruce Springsteen growling on “Legendary,” Robbie Williams trading hooks on “We Made It Look Easy,” even Jelly Roll adding twang to “Living Proof.” It’s the kind of collab fest that screams “we’re not just surviving the comeback – we’re owning it.”

Jon Bon Jovi, the 63-year-old frontman who’s traded boardwalk busking for billionaire status, didn’t hold back in the reveal video splashed across bonjovi.com. “This tour is for the fans who’ve stuck with us through the highs, the lows, and that damn vocal cord nightmare,” he said, his voice hitting notes that silenced the doubters from his 2022 surgery saga. Remember the Hulu doc “Thank You, Goodnight”? It laid bare the terror: a torn vocal cord, a medialization procedure that could’ve sandpapered his signature rasp forever, and a band staring down the barrel of no more “It’s My Life” belters. Jon skipped their 40th-anniversary bash last year, opting for low-key tests – a MusiCares nod here, a phone-free Nashville jam there. But now? “I’m not just ready; I’m hungry,” he grinned in the clip, fist-bumping drummer Tico Torres like they were kids plotting their first garage gig.

The schedule’s a beast, kicking off stateside before hopping continents. North America’s anchored by that MSG marathon in New York: July 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, and 23 – eight nights straight, with a ninth teased for “overwhelming demand.” No repeat setlists, folks; Jon spilled to Rolling Stone they’re pulling deep cuts, rarities, and maybe a Springsteen cover or two, chatting up Metallica’s Lars Ulrich for inspo. From there, it’s a blitz: Chicago’s United Center on July 28 and 30, Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena August 2, Boston’s Fenway Park August 5 (outdoor vibes, baby), Detroit’s Little Caesars August 8, Philly’s Citizens Bank Park August 11, and a Dallas Cowboys Stadium double-dip August 14-15. That’s 15 North American dates alone, hitting the heartland where Bon Jovi’s blue-collar anthems still pack beer-soaked punch.

Europe’s where it gets stadium-sized epic. After a quick recharge, the band storms the pond for Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on August 28 – 67,000 seats of Scottish thunder. Next, Croke Park in Dublin August 30, where the Irish faithful will turn “Wanted Dead or Alive” into a U2-level singalong. Then, Wembley’s calling with September 4 and 6 dates in London, 90,000 strong each night, fireworks exploding over the twin towers like it’s ’89 all over again. Paris’ Stade de France gets September 10, Berlin’s Olympiastadion September 13, and Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff Arena September 16. That’s seven Euro blowouts, with whispers of Milan and Madrid add-ons if the resale market doesn’t implode first.

And now, the globe-trot capper: Australia’s snagged five dates, a first for this tour leg and a nod to Bon Jovi’s rabid antipodean crew. Sydney’s Accor Stadium lights up October 2 and 4, Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium October 7, Brisbane Entertainment Centre October 10, and Adelaide Oval October 12 – open-air glory under southern stars. “Aussies know how to party like it’s the end of the world,” bassist Hugh McDonald joked in a presale email blast. Total tally: 35 shows, from Jersey roots to kangaroo country, with Jon promising “no half-measures – full-throttle Bon Jovi every damn night.”

The band’s road-ready machine includes keyboard wizard David Bryan, sticks-man Tico Torres, Hugh on bass, guitar slingers Phil X and John Shanks, and percussion ace Everett Bradley. No Richie Sambora encore – the axe man’s been out since 2013 – but the groove’s tighter than ever, honed in those stealth 2025 warm-ups. Fans are losing it online; X lit up with #BonJovi2026 trending worldwide, one Jersey girl posting, “MSG nine times? I’ll sell my kidney for floor seats – worth it to hear Jon scream ‘Oh, we’re halfway there!’” Likes piled up at 120K, while a London lad quipped, “Wembley twice? Packing my Union Jack and my tears.” Even skeptics from the docuseries era are converting: “If he nails ‘Runaway’ post-surgery, it’s resurrection rock,” one Ultimate Classic Rock commenter typed, half-snark turning to hype.

Logistics? A battlefield. Tickets for the initial drop vanished like cheap seats at a Springsteen show – presales via bonjovi.com and the “Legendary Edition” bundle started October 27, general onsale hit October 31. Now, with Australia in play, StubHub’s flashing resale tags north of $800 for MSG nosebleeds, and Wembley scalpers are already at £600. Live Nation’s warning of dynamic pricing means your “Bad Medicine” budget could spike if demand surges. Travel hacks for transatlantic Jovi junkies: bundle flights with Ticketmaster packages, but brace for Brexit baggage fees hitting UK legs hard. And for Oz-bound Yanks, Qantas is teasing tour-tied fares – book now or regret it when “You Give Love a Bad Name” echoes over the Opera House.

This isn’t some nostalgia cash-grab; Bon Jovi’s legacy – 130 million albums, four Grammys, that Hall of Fame nod – demands more. They’ve headlined for 35 million fans across 50 countries, grossed over a bil in the last decade alone. But after the vocal apocalypse, it’s redemption wrapped in leather and denim. Jon’s journey, from atrophied cords to arena command, mirrors the band’s ethos: bounce back harder. “We skipped the anniversary to do this right,” he told Billboard. “No compromised Bon Jovi – just the real deal.”

Critics are buzzing too. Consequence called it “a phoenix-from-the-ashes slate,” praising the vocal rehab win. Entertainment Focus dubbed the dates “a powerful return,” while Loudwire’s tallying it among 2026’s must-sees alongside Metallica and Iron Maiden. One X thread from a Philly radio vet: “Bon Jovi’s not coasting on ‘Slippery When Wet’ fumes – this tour’s fresh fire.” And with “Forever (Legendary Edition)” climbing charts – that Springsteen track’s already a radio staple – the stage is set for hits like “Livin’ on a Prayer” to collide with new bangers like “Waves” featuring Jason Isbell.

As November chills hit, the countdown’s on. Bon Jovi’s proving rock gods don’t retire; they reload. From MSG’s concrete jungle to Sydney’s harbor glow, 35 nights of fist-pumps, lighters (or phone beams), and that unmistakable whoa-oh chorus await. Jon summed it best: “The party’s not over – it’s exploding worldwide.” So grab your tickets, lace up those boots, and get ready to pray you’re halfway there. Because in Bon Jovi’s world, the road goes on forever… and the tour’s just the start.