Former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora once again addressed music journalist Mitch Lafon’s post about Bon Jovi allegedly “booting Bruce Springsteen to the curb” to claim the No. 1 spot in America. He shared his new statement on X (formerly Twitter).
Sambora had previously responded to Lafon’s claim, firmly pushing back on the framing and expressing deep admiration for Springsteen. In his latest post, he doubled down on that stance, clarifying the facts and calling out what he described as deliberate misinformation.
“Whoever you are right nobody does,” Sambora said. “The week before he was No. 1. I got hero worship for the guy.”
Sambora went on to dismiss the narrative being pushed around his earlier comment, directing his words squarely at those he felt were stirring up unnecessary conflict.
“You’re making something out of nothing,” he continued. “Dude, trouble maker man. No need. Absurdly not true. Stay off my site filling people with lies. Thank you.”
This latest response follows Sambora’s earlier reply to Lafon’s post, in which he had written: “Hey… nobody boots Bruce to the curb… a lifetime of dedication to his craft, commitment to his fans, a songwriter and performer that changed people’s lives. Profoundly… for all time.. certainly mine. So not here.” The exchange highlights Sambora’s consistent and strong admiration for Springsteen, while firmly rejecting any suggestion of rivalry or ill will between the two camps.
Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet was released in August 1986 and became one of the defining commercial achievements of the decade. The album spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was named the top-selling album of 1987, with over 28 million copies sold worldwide. It produced era-defining hits including “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “Livin’ on a Prayer,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.”
The album’s rise to the top of the charts was a natural progression of its massive commercial momentum. Springsteen had held the No. 1 position the week prior, and the chart movement was simply the normal ebb and flow of the music industry. Sambora’s point was straightforward: one album succeeding another at the top of the charts is not a story of rivalry.
Sambora’s reverence for Springsteen has never been a secret. He has described Springsteen as “a songwriter and performer that changed people’s lives” and made clear that his admiration is personal and lasting. For Sambora, framing Bon Jovi’s chart success as coming at Springsteen’s expense is not just inaccurate — it runs counter to everything he has publicly expressed about the man.
Both Bon Jovi and Springsteen were at the peak of their commercial powers in the mid-to-late 1980s. Their simultaneous dominance of the charts reflected a thriving rock landscape rather than any competition between them. Sambora’s repeated pushback makes clear he has no interest in allowing a false narrative to take root — particularly one that diminishes an artist he holds in the highest regard.
