You Give Love a Bad Name

"You Give Love a Bad Name"
Single by Bon Jovi
from the album Slippery When Wet
B-side
  • "Raise Your Hands" (US)
  • "Let It Rock" (UK)
ReleasedJuly 23, 1986
Recorded1986
Genre
Length3:42
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Bruce Fairbairn
Bon Jovi singles chronology
"Silent Night"
(1985)
"You Give Love a Bad Name"
(1986)
"Livin' on a Prayer"
(1986)

You Give Love a Bad Name is a 1986 song by American hard rock band Bon Jovi and is the first single from their third studio album Slippery When Wet. The song went to No. 1 in the United States (US), No. 2 in Canada and the Netherlands, No. 6 in Finland, No. 7 in New Zealand and No. 14 in the United Kingdom (UK).

Tracklist

  • 7" single
  1. You Give Love a Bad Name – 3:53
  2. Raise Your Hands – 4:17
  • 12" single
  1. You Give Love a Bad Name – 3:53
  2. Raise Your Hands – 4:17
  3. Borderline – 4:10
  • 7" picture disc single
  1. You Give Love a Bad Name – 3:53
  2. Let It Rock – 5:24
  • CD Video single

Audio

  1. Let It Rock – 5:24
  2. Raise Your Hands – 4:17
  3. Without Live – 3:32
  4. You Give Love a Bad Name – 3:53

Video

  1. You Give Love a Bad Name – 3:53

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[32] 5× Platinum 350,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[33] Gold 30,000
Canada (Music Canada)[34] Gold 50,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[35] Platinum 60,000
Germany (BVMI)[36] Gold 250,000
Italy (FIMI)[37] Platinum 100,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[38] 3× Platinum 90,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[39] Platinum 60,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] 2× Platinum 1,200,000
United States (RIAA)[41] 5× Platinum 5,000,000

^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Covers

You Give Love a Bad Name has been covered by various singers since its release. Some of them are independent bands, including the First To Eleven.[42] First To Eleven's cover version of the song has accumulated 1,538,188 views as of April 8, 2025.[42]

References

  1. * Popoff, Martin (2014). The Big Book of Hair Metal: The Illustrated Oral History of Heavy Metal's Debauched Decade. Voyageur Press. p. 110. ISBN 978-0-7603-4546-7.
  2. "Reviews > Singles > Pop > Recommended > Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name (3:53)". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 35. August 30, 1986. p. 83. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. Stosuy, Brandon (January 5, 2009). "VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  4. Donkers, Chuck. "Rock the First, Vol. 2 - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  5. "Australian Top 50 (ARIA) Singles Chart: Week ending 29th March, 1987". Retrieved September 18, 2015 – via Imgur.
  6. "Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  7. "Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  8. "Radio2 top 30: 13 december 1986" (in Dutch). VRT Top 30 Flanders. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0759." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  10. "European Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 38. September 27, 1986. p. 13.
  11. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – You Give Love a Bad Name". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bon Jovi" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  14. "Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  15. "Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name". Top 40 Singles.
  16. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (B)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  17. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  18. "Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name". Singles Top 100.
  19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  20. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  21. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  22. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending DECEMBER 6, 1986". Cash Box. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  23. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  24. "Jaaroverzichten 1986 (Flanders)" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  25. "Top 100 Singles of '86". RPM. July 17, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2023 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  26. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1986" (in Dutch). Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  27. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  28. "Top Pop Singles". Billboard. December 27, 1986. p. Y-21. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  29. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1986 – TOP 100 POP SINGLES (As published in the December 27, 1986, issue)". Cash Box. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  30. "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. July 17, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2023 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  31. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  32. "Brazilian single certifications – Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  33. "Canadian single certifications – Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name". Music Canada.
  34. "Danish single certifications – Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  35. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bon Jovi; 'You Give Love a Bad Name')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  36. "Italian single certifications – Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  37. "New Zealand single certifications – Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name". Radioscope. Retrieved December 17, 2024. Type You Give Love a Bad Name in the "Search:" field.
  38. "Spanish single certifications – Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  39. "British single certifications – Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  40. "American single certifications – Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  41. 42.0 42.1 ""You Give Love A Bad Name" - Bon Jovi (Cover by First To Eleven)". YouTube. October 5, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2025.