Also known as GNR, Guns N’ Roses is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California. They are one of the most popular rock bands of the 80’s with hit songs like “Sweet Child o’ Mine”, “Live and Let Die”, “Paradise City”, and “Patience”. Guns N’ Roses has sold over 100 million records worldwide and they are in the 41st spot in the list of bestselling artists of all time.
Hit Songs
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Patience
- Paradise City
- Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
- Civil War
- You Could Be Mine
- Don’t Cry
- November Rain
- Live and Let Die
- Ain’t It Fun
- Since I Don’t Have You
- Yesterdays
Formation
Guns N’ Roses was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 by Axl Rose, Tracii Guns, Izzy Stradiin, Rob Gardner, and Ole Beich. They got the name Guns N’ Roses on Axl Rose’s old band named Hollywood Rose and Tracii’s old band L.A Guns. They combined the names and came up with Guns N’ Roses. They performed their first show entitled “L.A Guns and Hollywood Rose presents Guns N’ Roses” on March 26, 1985 but after the show, the other band members of Guns N’ Roses fired Ole Beich and replace him with Duff McKagan. After this, they released an EP album including the songs “Don’t Cry” and a cover version of the song “Heartbreak Hotel”. However, an argument struck between Tracii Guns and Axl Rose. Guns left the band and Axl Rose and Stradlin replaced Tracii Guns with their former Hollywood Rose member, Slash. Soon after that, Rob Gardner also decided to leave the band and was replaced with Steven Adler.
Albums
Appetite for Destruction
Appetite for Destruction was Guns N’ Roses’ debut studio album that was released on July 21, 1987 under Geffen Records. This album debut at the top spot of the Billboard 200 and hailed as one of the best selling debut album of 1987 selling over 30 million copies worldwide. It is also the 11th best selling album in the US. This album featured the hit singles “It’s So Easy”, Welcome to the Jungle”, “Paradise City”, “Nightrain” and the chart topping song “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. This album was accompanied by the Appetite for Destruction Tour.
GN’R Lies
Also known as Lies, G N’ R Lies was released in 1988. It was originally an extended play album but it was treated as a studio album when it was released. G N’ R Lies reportedly sold over five million copies in the US alone. This was Guns N’ Roses’ first album that featured Steven Adler as their Drummer. The song “Patience” was the only single that was released on this album. Nevertheless, it still debuted at the number four spot in the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Guns N’ Roses embarked on the G N’ R Lies tour to promote this album.
Use Your Illusion I
Released on September 17, 1991, just as the same time as its partner album Use Your Illusion II, Use Your Illusion I debuted at the number two spot on the Billboard charts. It has sold 685,000 copies on its first week and as of 2001, Use Your Illusion has over 5 million copies were sold in the United States alone. It has reached a seven times platinum status and was nominated for a Grammy award in 1992. This album featured the songs “Live and Let Die”, “Don’t Cry”, and “November Rain”.
Use Your Illusion II
Use Your Illusion II and its counterpart Use Your Illusion I was released in line with the Use Your Illusion Tour. Use Your Illusion II is a bit more popular than the first album because it sold 770, 000 copies on its first week and debuted at the number one spot in the US charts. Just like Use Your Illusion I, this album also reached a seven times platinum status in the US. It also climbed the number one spot in the UK Albums chart. This album featured the hit song “You Could Be Mine” and a cover of a Bob Dylan song “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”.
The Spaghetti Incident?
The Spaghetti Incident? was Guns N’ Roses’ fifth studio album. It is their first album to feature Gilby Clarke as their rhythm guitarist, but this is also their last album that featured their guitarist Slash and their drummer Matt Sorum. As of 2018, The Spaghetti Incident? has sold over six million copies worldwide. This is Guns N’ Roses only album that was not supported by a tour.
Chinese Democracy
Released on November 23, 2008, Chinese Democracy was Guns N’ Roses’ sixth album. Over the years between their album The Spaghetti Incident? and Chinese Democracy, Slash, Gilby Clarke, Duff Mckagan and Matt Sorum quit or were fired. Axl Rose and Dizzy Reed worked with Robin Finck, Paul Tobias, Tommy Stinson, Chris Pitman and Josh Freese on this album. Headed by the title track as the lead single, “Chinese Democracy” debuted at the number three spot in the Billboard 200 chart. Guns N’ Roses embarked on the Chinese Democracy Tour to promote this album. Even if it did not meet their sales expectations, it still reached a platinum status in the US and achieved international chart success.
Guns N’ Roses’ Legacy
GQ magazine included Guns N’ Roses in their list of the “50 Bands You Should See Before You Die” in 2002. Guns N’ Roses placed number nine on VH1’s “100 Greatest of Hard Rock” and grabbed the number 32nd spot on VH1’s “100 Greatest Artist of All Time”. Slash is also regarded as one of The 10 Best Guitarists of the 1990s because of his amazing guitar tone and melodic solos. Their first album Appetite for Destruction was included on Rolling Stone’s “The 500 Greatest Album of All Time”. Guns N’ Roses has sold over 100 million records worldwide and hailed as one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time.