The Rembrandts “I’ll Be There for You” topped the Billboard airplay chart

I’ll Be There for You The Rembrandts

Writer(s): Allee Willis, Danny Wilde, David Crane, Marta Kauffman, Phil Sōlem (see lyrics here) Released: May 1, 1995 First Charted: May 19, 1995 Peak: 17 US, 18 CB, 18 RR, 17 AC, 23 MR, 3 UK, 15 CN, 3 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.93 UK, 1.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 26.2 video, 183.89 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: This was the theme song for the TV sitcom Friends, which ran on NBC from 1994 to 2004. Originally Warner Bros. Television asked R.E.M. to use their song “Shiny Happy People.” After they said no, the show’s creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman co-wrote “I’ll Be There for You” with help from songwriters Allee Willis and Michael Skloff. It was recorded by the Rembrandts, the only available band on Warner Bros. Records. She had written hits for Earth, Wind & Fire while he was married to Marta. The song played over the opening credits for the show with the six stars splashing around in a mock-up of a fountain in Central Park’s New York City. Jennifer Aniston said, “No one was really a big fan of that theme song…A fountain felt sort of odd, but we did it.” SF The six later ended up starring alongside the Rembrandts in the full-length video of the song. SF It was, however, originally less than a minute long. Charlie Quinn, a Nashville program director, and Tom Peace, a radio announcer and music director, looped it to to create a full-length track. They broadcast it on Nashville’s WYHY radio station and it became so popular that there was demand for an extended version. The Rembrandts’ Phil Sōlem and Danny Wilde added verses to make it into a three-minute song. That version was released in May 1995 to U.S. radio but not available originally as a single. It topped the Billboard airplay chart for eight weeks, but became the first song to not appear on the Billboard Hot 100. It wasn’t eligible for that chart since it hadn’t been released as a single. It was later released as a double-A side with “This House Is Not a Home” and reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100. Amusingly, Blender magazine called it one of the “50 Worst Songs Ever” even as other magazines, including Paste, Complex, and Observer, celebrated it as one of the best TV theme songs of all time. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for The Rembrandts SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 9/3/2022.

Bon Jovi: A Retrospective, 1984-1994

Bon Jovi A Retrospective: 1984-1994

Overview: Rock group formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. Considered one of the premiere “hair bands” of the 1980s, but have remained a top-selling rock group since. The Players: Jon Bon Jovi (vocals, various instruments: 1983-present) Everett Bradley (session and touring musician: 2003-04, 2016-24; percussion, backing vocals: 2024-present) David Bryan (keyboards: 1983-present) Hugh McDonald (session and touring musician: 1983-1994; bass: 1994-present) Phil X (guitar: 2013-present) Dave Sabo (guitar: 1983) Richie Sambora (guitar: 1983-2013) John Shanks (guitar, backing vocals: 2024-present) Alec John Such (bass: 1983-1994). Died in 2022. Tico Torres (drums: 1983-present) Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Bon Jovi BonJovi.com (official site) Facebook Wikipedia

Awards:

Studio Albums:

Compilations: CR Cross Road (covers 1984-94, released 1994) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

Bon Jovi Bon Jovi

Released: January 21, 1984 Peak: 43 US, 71 UK, -- CN, 39 AU Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.06 UK, 4.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: rock Rating: 2.849 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks: Runaway (2/11/84, 39 BB, 37 CB, 34 GR, 34 RR, 5 AR, 5 DF) CR Roulette She Don’t Know Me (5/5/84, 48 BB, 46 CB, 44 AR, 15 DF) Shot Through the Heart Love Lies Breakout Burning for Love (10/17/84, --) Come Back Get Ready

7800° Fahrenheit Bon Jovi

Released: March 27, 1985 Peak: 37 US, 28 UK, -- CN, 30 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.06 UK, 1.06 world (includes US + UK) Genre: rock Rating: 2.383 out of 5.00 (average of 5 ratings)

Tracks: In and Out of Love (7/6/85, 69 BB, 71 CB, 37 AR, 27 DF) CR The Price of Love Only Lonely (4/20/85, 54 BB, 57 CB, 28 AR, 29 DF) King of the Mountain Silent Night (10/22/85, 24 AR) Tokyo Road The Hardest Part Is the Night (8/21/85, 68 UK) Always Run to You To the Fire Secret Dreams

Slippery When Wet Bon Jovi

Released: August 18, 1986 Peak: 18 US, 6 UK, 18 CN, 16 AU Sales (in millions): 12.0 US, 1.2 UK, 28.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: rock Rating: 4.270 out of 5.00 (average of 32 ratings)

Tracks: Let It Rock You Give Love a Bad Name (7/23/86, 1 BB, 1 CB, 7 GR, 7 RR, 9 AR, 14 UK, 2 CN, 32 AU, 6 DF) CR Livin’ on a Prayer (10/25/86, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 1 AR, 4 UK, 1 CN, 3 AU, 2 DF) CR Social Disease Wanted Dead or Alive (11/1/86, 7 BB, 7 CB, 8 GR, 7 RR, 13 AR, 13 UK, 17 CN, 13 AU, 3 DF) CR Raise Your Hands Without Love I’d Die for You Never Say Goodbye (3/14/87, 28 BA, 35 RR, 11 AR, 21 UK, 26 AU, 29 DF) CR Wild in the Streets About the Album: Read more on the DMDB page for this album.

New Jersey Bon Jovi

Released: September 19, 1988 Peak: 14 US, 12 UK, 1 CN, 12 AU Sales (in millions): 7.0 US, 1.2 UK, 15.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: rock Rating: 3.957 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Tracks: Lay Your Hands on Me (5/27/89, 7 BB, 5 CB, 6 GR, 9 RR, 20 AR, 18 UK, 17 CN, 23 AU, 19 DF) CR Bad Medicine (9/3/88, 1 BB, 1 CB, 1 GR, 2 RR, 3 AR, 17 UK, 5 CN, 4 AU, 23 DF) CR Born to Be My Baby (10/8/88, 3 BB, 2 CB, 3 GR, 2 RR, 7 AR, 22 UK, 7 CN, 30 AU, 31 DF) Living in Sin (10/7/89, 9 BB, 9, CB, 8 GR, 10 RR, 37 AR, 35 UK, 19 CN, 64 AU, 24 DF) Blood on Blood Homebound Train Wild Is the Wind Ride Cowboy Ride Stick to Your Guns I’ll Be There for You (1/28/89, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 2 GR, 1 RR, 5 AR, 18 UK, 2 CN, 23 AU, 30 DF) CR 99 in the Shade Love for Sale About the Album: Read more on the DMDB page for this album.

Blaze of Glory: Young Guns II (soundtrack) Jon Bon Jovi

Released: July 26, 1990 Peak: 3 US, 2 UK, 1 CN, 2 AU Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.1 UK, 2.1 world (includes US + UK) Genre: rock Rating: 3.465 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks: Billy Get Your Guns Miracle (10/6/90, 12 BB, 12 CB, 11 GR, 13 RR, 20 AR, 29 UK, 36 DF) Blaze of Glory (7/20/90, 1 BB, 1 CB, 2 GR, 3 RR, 1 AR, 13 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU, 8 DF) CR Blood Money Santa Fe Justice in the Barrel Intro Never Say Die You Really Got Me Now Bang a Drum Dyin’ Ain’t Much of a Livin’ Guanno City [Alan Silverstri]

Keep the Faith Bon Jovi

Released: November 3, 1992 Peak: 5 US, 11 UK, 8 CN, 11 AU Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.6 UK, 9.5 world (includes US + UK) Genre: rock Rating: 3.131 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks: I Believe (9/25/93, 11 UK, 40 AU) Keep the Faith (10/13/92, 29 BB, 21 CB, 7 GR, 11 RR, 1 AR, 5 UK, 5 CN, 10 AU, 24 DF) CR I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (7/10/93, 97 BB, 31 GR, 29 AR, 17 UK, 47 CN, 24 AU) In These Arms (4/17/93, 27 BB, 24 CB, 3 GR, 9 RR, 32 AR, 9 UK, 6 CN, 10 AU) CR Bed of Roses (1/15/93, 10 BB, 4 CB, 3 GR, 4 RR, 39 AC, 25 AR, 13 UK, 2 CN, 10 AU, 31 DF) CR If I Was Your Mother Dry Country (3/26/94, 9 UK, 31 AU) Woman in Love Fear I Want You Blame It on the Love of Rock & Roll Little Bit of Soul

Cross Road Bon Jovi

Recorded: 1984-1994 Released: October 10, 1994 Peak: 8 US, 15 UK, 1 CN, 12 AU, 8 DF Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 1.87 UK, 21.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: rock > hair band Rating: 4.427 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Livin’ on a Prayer (2) Keep the Faith (3) Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night (4) Always (5) Wanted Dead or Alive (6) Lay Your Hands on Me (7) You Give Love a Bad Name (8) Bed of Roses (9) Blaze of Glory (10) In These Arms (11) Bad Medicine (12) I’ll Be There for You (13) In and Out of Love (14) Runaway Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Always (9/20/94, 4 BB, 3 BA, 3 CB, 1 GR, 2 RR, 4 AC, 2 UK, 1 CN, 2 AU) CR Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night (2/4/95, 7 UK, 18 CN, 10 AU) CR About the Album: The international version of the album included “Never Say Goodbye” and U.S. version included “Prayer ’94,” a rerecorded version of “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Bon Jovi Dave’s Music Database: Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists Wikipedia page for Cross Road First posted 3/9/2011; last updated 5/9/2024.