Cross Road is the first official greatest hits album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on October 11, 1994, by Mercury Records. The album contains hits from all previously released albums from their debut, Bon Jovi (1984) to Keep the Faith (1992). The album includes two new tracks: the hit singles "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", as well as "Prayer '94", a new version of "Livin' on a Prayer" only on the North American versions. "Runaway" was never recorded with the current band, though at that time there were plans to put a "Runaway '94" on the album but it was never recorded. The diner located on the cover of the album is the Roadside Diner in Wall Township, New Jersey, near the crossroads of Route 33 and Route 34.
The album's first single "Always" went top five in many countries. It spent six months in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and became Bon Jovi's biggest selling single in the United States. Its international success helped the album to peak at number one in 13 countries and made it Polygram Records' best-selling album of 1994.Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Albums, 3rd edition, Billboard Books, 1995, album facts + trivia between pp. 45+46. It is Bon Jovi's best selling album in many countries. It has sold over 21.5 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.
In 2005, Cross Road was re-issued as a 3-disc box set under the name "Deluxe Sound & Vision", which included the original remastered album, a bonus CD containing B-sides, rarities and fan favorites, and the Live from London DVD. The original remastered album was released in 1998. A video, also entitled Cross Road, was simultaneously released, containing 16 of the band's music videos.
Release and reception In the United States, the album debuted and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200 the week of November 5, 1994 The album was certified 7× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2024, ten years after release, and has sold over seven million copies in the United States.
In the United Kingdom, Cross Road debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of five non-consecutive weeks atop the chart, later becoming the best-selling album of 1994. The album was certified 6× platinum by the BPI. The album topped the charts in several other European countries, including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Switzerland. In 2007, it was certified 8× platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for selling 8 million copies across Europe.
The album became Bon Jovi's first number-one set in Japan, where it has sold more than 1.1 million copies. It spent two weeks at number one in Australia and in 2022 it was certified 13× platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments exceeding 910,000 copies. The album debuted at number three on the New Zealand Albums Chart, peaking at number one in its second week and later being certified 6× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand.
The album won Metal Edge's 1994 Readers' Choice Awards for "Album of the Year" and "Best Hits or Compilation Album". Its namesake home video was voted "Best Video Cassette," and the single "Always" was voted "Song of the Year" and "Best Video Clip".Metal Edge, June 1995
Track listing
Personnel Credits adapted from Cross Roads liner notes.Bon JoviJon Bon Jovi – lead vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, additional guitars Richie Sambora – lead guitars, backing vocals David Bryan – keyboards, backing vocals Alec John Such – bass, backing vocals Tico Torres – drums, percussionAdditional musicians' Hugh McDonald – bass, backing vocals Kenny Aronoff – drums and percussion on "Blaze of Glory" Jeff Beck – lead and slide guitars on "Blaze of Glory" Peter Berring – background vocals arrangements Roy Bittan – keyboards on "Runaway" Carole Brooks – background vocals on "In and Out of Love" Jeanie Brooks – background vocals on "In and Out of Love" Joanie Bye – background vocals Randy Cantor – synthesizer programming (credited as "synth programs") on "In and Out of Love" Lovena Fox – background vocals David Grahamme – background vocals on "Runaway" Phil Hoffer – background vocals on "In and Out of Love" Linda Hunt – background vocals Michael Kamen – strings orchestration, arrangement and conduction Randy Jackson – bass on "Blaze of Glory" Frankie La Rocka – drums on "Runaway" Cecille Larochelle – background vocals Sue Leonard – background vocals Tommy Mandel – synthesizers on "In and Out of Love" Myna Matthews – background vocals Guoudin Morris – percussion Aldo Nova – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, keyboards Tim Pierce – guitar on "Runaway" Jim Salamone – synthesizer programming (credited as "lynn programs") on "In and Out of Love" Mick Seeley – background vocals on "Runaway" Joanie Taylor – background vocals Benmont Tench – organ on "Blaze of Glory" Rick Valenti – background vocals on "In and Out of Love" Oren Waters – background vocals Julia Waters – background vocals Maxine Waters – background vocals John Webster – keyboards Production credits Bruce Fairbairn – producer Bob Rock – engineer, mixing, producer Tim Crich – assistant Randy Staub – engineer, mixing Obie O'Brien – engineer, additional recording Peter Collins – producer Kevin Shirley – engineer Bob Clearmountain – mixing Chris Taylor – assistant Danny Kortchmar – producer Jon Bon Jovi – producer Rob Jacobs – recording, mixing Brian "Mutt" Scheuble – recording, mixing Chad Musey – assistant Greg Goldman – assistant Rick Plank – assistant Richie Sambora – producer Lance Quinn – producer ("Runaway" and "In and Out of Love") David Thoener – mixing ("In and Out of Love") Fernando Kral – assistant Larry Alexander – engineer ("Runaway" and "In and Out of Love") Mal – engineer Bill Scheniman – engineer ("In and Out of Love") John Cianci – assistant ("In and Out of Love") Big Al Greaves – assistant Tony Bongiovi – producer ("Runaway") Arthur Mann – executive producer ("Runaway") Scott Litt – engineer Jeff Henderickson – engineer ("Runaway") John Babich – assistant Gary Rindfuss – assistant Bruce Lampcov – assistant Dave Greenberg – assistant Barry Bongiovi – assistant George Marino – mastering, remastering, digital remastering Dave Collins – mastering Greg Calbi – mastering ("In and Out of Love") John Kalodner – A&R co-ordination Anton Corbijn – photography Mark Wiess – additional photography Margery Greenspan – art direction Lili Picou – design
Charts
Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for Cross RoadChart (1994–2007)PeakpositionChilean Albums (IFPI)2Danish Albums (Nielsen Marketing Research)1Estonian Albums (Eesti Top 10)1European Albums (Music & Media)1Finnish Albums (Seura)1French Compilations (SNEP) Search for "BON JOVI" on the drop-down menu to see results.3Hungarian Albums Chart4Irish Albums (IFPI)2Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)1Japanese Albums (Dempa Publications, Inc)1Portuguese Albums (AFP)1Spanish Albums (AFYVE)2
Year-end charts +Year-end chart performance for Cross RoadChart (1994)PositionAustralian Albums (ARIA)3Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)17Canadian Albums (RPM)29Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)9German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)21Japanese Albums (Oricon)28New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)37Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)47UK Albums (OCC)1 Chart (1995)PositionAustralian Albums (ARIA)26Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)8Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)30Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)22Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)15 Europe (European Top 100 Albums)3German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)11Japanese Albums (Oricon)31Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)11UK Albums (OCC)38US Billboard 20041 Chart (2002)PositionCanadian Metal Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)40 Chart (2006)PositionUK Albums (OCC)189 Chart (2007)PositionUK Albums (OCC)158 Chart (2008)PositionUK Albums (OCC)175 Chart (2009)PositionUK Albums (OCC)156
Decade-end charts +Decade-end chart performance for Cross RoadChart (1990s)PositionAustrian Albums Chart9
Certifications and sales
See also Cross Road (videos) List of best-selling albums in Australia List of best-selling albums List of diamond-certified albums in Canada
References