Jon Bon Jovi: On the Cover of Rolling Stone

Every hardcore fans knows it: Jon Bon Jovi has been on the cover of two issues of Rolling Stone, numbers 500 (May 21, 1987) and 545 (February 9, 1989).

The first one is a headshot: Jon wears a leather jacket which has slipped off of one shoulder; he sports bling on his fingers and around his neck, a furry rug on his chest, and a highlighted mane of hair on his head. The caption declares him a "Hot Throb."

The second one is a full-body shot, Jon clad all in black: pants, sleeveless shirt, and cowboy hat. He is barefoot, and the Superman tattoo on his left arm is prominent. There is no jewelry, but he has the same mane of hair. A white horse behind him intensifies his goth-colored clothing. Whereas in the earlier photo, he was serious, in this one he is smiling. And this time, the caption declares him "Rock's Young Gun" (way before he had any association with the movie).

And after that? Nothing.

In 2010, the following people (among others) appeared on the cover of the US version of the magazine:

John Mayer
Shaun White
Jimi Hendrix
Black-Eyed Peas
cast of Glee
Robert Downey, Jr.
Russell Brand
Jay-Z
Lady Gaga
Leonardo DiCaprio

Where, oh where, is Bon Jovi?

During the first forty years of its publication, Rolling Stone mentioned Bon Jovi in at least 671 articles. In the past decade, the band has been hotter than ever. At the close of the decade, they have the highest-grossing tour in the world.

The magazine has been the pulse of music, politics, and pop culture for the past forty-plus years; for credibility's sake, they need to put Jon Bon Jovi on the cover again--and soon, especially with his recent honor of being appointed to a presidential council. It is long--very long--overdue.