Bon Jovi Inducted into the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame

After the most decisive victory in the competition's history, Bon Jovi is the newest inductee into the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame.

To call this an ass-kicking would be an understatement. This was Germany-vs-Brazil-in-the-World-Cup devastation. The veteran rock band from New Jersey simply annihilated Poison in our fan-voted finals, taking slightly more than 92 percent of the vote. Maybe it was a smart decision for Poison to say from the outset that they don't need nothin' but a good time, because they're walking away from this empty-handed.

So how did Bon Jovi get so huge? Let's start with its namesake. By 1983, Jon Bon Jovi had been kicking around the music business for a few years when a song of his cut with some session pros, 'Runaway,' became a hit in the New York area. Bolstered by its success, he formed a band around guitarist/co-writer Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, bassist Alec John Such and drummer Tico Torres. They were quickly signed to Mercury and, while their first two records sold respectably, it was their third album that blew the doors wide open.

Boasting three Top 10 singles, two of which hit No. 1, 1986's 'Slippery When Wet' made them global superstars set the template for the genre that would become known as "hair metal" -- a mixture of good-time rockers, arena roof-raising anthems and power ballads with modern, high-gloss production values. Its follow-up, 'New Jersey,' kept the momentum going, with all five of its singles reaching the Top 10.

And while most of its sonic compatriots were wiped out in the '90s by the rise of alternative rock, Bon Jovi were able to hold on to a good percentage of their audience with three Top 10 albums (one of which was a compilation). They emerged from the decade with another smash hit, 'It's My Life,' and have continued to release new albums and tour the world on a fairly regular basis ever since, with their most recent work, 'What About Now,' arriving in 2013.

Congratulations to Bon Jovi on their induction into the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame!

See the Yearbook Photos of Jon Bon Jovi and Other Rock Stars