Slippery When Wet is the third studio album by Bon Jovi, released in August 1986 by Mercury Records. Slippery When Wet was an instant commercial success. The album features songs that are today considered as Bon Jovi's most well-known tracks such as You Give Love A bad Name , Livin' On A Prayer and Wanted Dead Or Alive . It spent eight weeks at number one on Billboard 200. Slippery When Wet is the band's best-selling album to date, with over 12 million copies sold in the United States and over 28 million copies worldwide, and received diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. It was named the top selling album of 1987 by Billboard. and is currently the 21st best-selling studio album of all time. The album is featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.