LOS ANGELES — In early 1984, Bon Jovi emerged from the wilds of New Jersey to make its first appearance on Billboard's Hot 100 with "Runaway," a synthed-up pop-metal jam that frontman Jon Bon Jovi essentially willed to success by badgering a Long Island disc jockey to spin it on his air.

Forty years later, you never have to wait too long to hear Bon Jovi on the radio.

Thanks to inescapable hits like "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Wanted Dead or Alive" and the whoa-oh-ing "Livin' on a Prayer," the band has sold more than 100 million records and played virtually every arena (and many of the stadiums) on the planet; in 2009, Jon Bon Jovi and his longtime creative partner, guitarist Richie Sambora, were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2018 the group joined the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Now the band is recounting how it all happened in a four-part docuseries that premiered Friday on Hulu. Directed by Gotham Chopra (son of the wellness icon Deepak Chopra), "Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story" covers the expected high points of the group's ascent, including all those poufy-haired videos on MTV and Jon Bon Jovi's turn as a Hollywood heartthrob. But it also goes behind the scenes to explore the singer's unconventional takeover of the band's business affairs in the early '90s, Sambora's departure in 2013 and Jon Bon Jovi's recent surgery to correct a problem with his vocal cords.

The 62-year-old frontman spoke about the series during a recent visit to Los Angeles, not long after the band performed for the first time since 2022 — and with an appearance by Bruce Springsteen — when Jon Bon Jovi was honored as MusiCares' Person of the Year. The group will release a new album, "Forever," on June 7.

Q: Why did you want to do this documentary?

A: To mark that milestone of 40 years. I started thinking about it in Year 38 and thought, Who knows if there'll be a 50th? Let's mark this one. I'd seen "Man in the Arena," Tom Brady's docuseries, and I said, Who made this? He had an interesting take. Then I realized it was Deepak's son. He was my first and only choice.

Q: I assume Brady is a friend of yours.

A: I'd like to think that I could call him my friend.

Q: How does the guy in that doc compare to the dude you know?

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