Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival; Guns N’ Roses

When thinking of Rock ‘n’ Roll, how could Guns N’ Roses not come to mind? This all American band is one of the trailblazers of hard rock. They are at the forefront of the genre, having been around since their formation in 1985. Many credit the band with reviving the mainstream popularity of rock ‘n’ roll, in a time where dance music and techno were becoming increasingly popular, while rock was slowly declining in popularity.

The original band consisted of Axl Rose (vocals), Slash and Izzy Stradlin (guitar), Duff McKagan (bass) and Steven Adler (drums). The band boast a whopping 100 million records in sales worldwide, 45 million of which were in the United States alone. This figure becomes even more remarkable when you realize that the band produced only six studio albums, making them one of the best selling groups of all time.

Appetite for Destruction

Released in 1987, it only took a year for it to snag Billboard’s number 1 spot. Much of the success of this album can be attributed to the single “Sweet Child of Mine” which rocketed straight to the top of the charts. With sales of over 30 million copies across the world, 50% of which were in the United States alone, the album soon became the best selling debut album of all time in America.

G N’ R Lies

The eight song album that followed the roaring success of the debut album. Released in 1988, it soon reached number two on the Billboard charts.

Use your Illusion I and II

The next album that was released was not one, but two twin albums. They were both released in 1991 and debuted at number one and two respectively. Combined record sales exceeded 14 million domestically and 35 million worldwide.

The Spaghetti Incident

Sadly the last album featuring Slash and McKagan emerged in 1993 two years after the twin albums.