Appetite For Destruction

This is a tough one to rate. On the one hand, it is insanity to think that a debut album could contain this many hits. It is up there with Boston's debut in that regard. I feel that it almost deserves 5 stars simply for that. On the other hand, I am so sick of these songs. You cannot turn on a radio station without hearing at least one of these songs once a day. 40 years later and we are still absolutely inundated with Sweet Child O Mine. I can't see myself listening to the entire album on purpose again, so I cannot give it 5.

I hate this band. They were pumping out metal years after the genre should have been shot and pissed on. I I rented a place on the beach  at Lake Simcoe where the per capita Guns & Roses fans may be a Canadian record high. I played this outside as I was firing up some dead animal on the BBQ.  I was waiting for a neighbour to saunter over with a spliff glued to his lower lip and say " Fuckin Eh Man"   

A lot of the time, when I dislike an album, I question who it was made for. This time, I know exactly who this album is for and that somehow made it worse

Appetite for Destruction encompasses one of those conglomerations of genres that include hard rock, glam metal, and arena rock, making up mainstream rock of the 80s and 90s (would compete with "alternative rock" following grunge's popularity). For the years prior to this album, most of albums in this realm were fairly generic and full of filler beyond a couple great hits. The big names were doing ok. Def Leppard and Bon Jovi were doing alright with just a few filler. But Van Halen got a new singer, Motley Crue hadn't come back from their debut yet, Poison relied on just their singles for album sales, and then there are the hundreds of other long haired hard rock bands that would produce one generic hit that would get a ton of Mtv rotation and then the rest of the album would try to sound exactly like that one song. The subjects were drugs, women, money, fame, whatever. Rock star junk. But Guns n Roses changed everything. They made the transition from "glam" to "hard" in mainstream rock. It was less about catchy pop hooks and riffs, and more about cohesive songs where intense emotion and engagement was supported by the vocal style, melodic shifts, and direct or confrontational lyrics. And in this album in particular, Guns n Roses mocks the traditional rock star subjects. "Paradise City" is the perfect example of both of these points. The subject is looking back, not forward, and longs for this nostalgia of a once better time. You can hear it in his voice, his pleas, his cries. I think it's genius how this song incorporates the solos, the faster pace, and stripped-down chorus at the last two minutes to enhance the desperation. Oh and I love how some of these songs just end on a bang like this. So satisfying. The album is full of great tracks. "Welcome to the jungle" is a very fitting opening that is also a very good example of everything I described above, and also eases the audience into what the album will be about. The next few tracks are all superb. Love how every instrument has its moment. No one gets left behind. Some softer songs like "Mr Brownstone" and "Sweet Child O Mine" keep the flow going, diminishing the oversaturation of the hard sound that would otherwise feel repetitive. The latter song in particular has one of my favorite guitar melodies of all time. If you play me any two second incerpt of this song, I'll immediately know the song and how the rest of the melody goes. The track ends with another great track, "Rocket Queen." Love that shift in melody and subject in the second half of the song. Weaknesses? Yeah, I said the softer ballad-like songs help diminish the feeling the repetition, but yeah when you have so many hard songs back to back, it becomes a little exhausting. And besides the two I talked about, the second side is full of duds. "My Michelle" is ok but the other three are pretty generic and don't offer much if anything to the album. Do these two points detract from a perfect score? No, honestly I don't. The first point is intrinsic with hard rock and metal albums in general, and grows after several listens. And the second point, all albums have some fillers, and it's not like they're horrible or anything. This album is highly influential and innovative, and one of the best hard rock of the 80s and 90s has to offer.

One of the best rock albums of all time, even if a couple of tunes from it are way too overplayed on rock radio (paradise city, sweet child o mine) it's still just amazing. I'm more of a use your illusion kinda guy, but this is still getting a 5/5.

This was the first album I bought on CD and I know it front to back, though I haven’t listened to it all the way through for the best part of 30 years. What’s changed? I don’t remember noticing Izzy Stradlin’s fantastically louche rhythm guitar when I was a teenager. The misogyny was apparent to me even then, but I’m annoyed by it a lot more now. Some of the lyrics are smarter than I would’ve given credit for. This is a strong set of songs, if you can put up with the hackneyed LA sleazebag posturing: going through the track listing, the only song I couldn’t remember from the title was “Anything Goes”, and playing that again I thought it a fun, minor rocker. By my count, there are 7-8 songs I’d put in their top tier, and the rest aren’t far behind the others. Cartoonish fun, I have left this behind, but I cannot fault it for what it is.

The definite GNR album. I had no idea this was their debut. It's got the best of the best tracks on here too, as if it's a greatest hits. I wonder how a band or artist would feel when their first album is their best? This, obviously, rocks. There weren't too many deep cuts that I saved, but it's an enjoyable experience bolstered by the heavy hitters. I don't know if they had much depth or longevity though--I really only know the big three tracks. But I'm glad we got them all in one go; I'd be shocked if there was another GNR album on this list. Favorite tracks: Sweet Child of Mine, Paradise City, Welcome to the Jungle, My Michelle, Mr. Brownstone. Album art: This one's a classic too, definitely iconic for the band. The cross seems mildly sacrilegious, but it's also on the cover of the album that contains their holy trinity of hits, so who knows. The skulls for each band member are really cool though. 4/5

As a kid the intro to Welcome to the Jungle blew me away and for 54 minutes the album doesn’t let up. Through to the closer Rocket Queen Appetite delivers some of the iconic rock songs of all time. In an age when Rock and Roll still ruled the world, there were new kings in town.

So there are a lot of really dated and, frankly, cheesy tracks on this album. But it also has Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, and Sweet Child O' Mine which are such absolute monsters that you can't not give the album as a whole a 5.

Not listened in probably 20+ years. Was expecting it to feel dated and to not enjoy the main hits. Great fun, great riffs. Managed to get a few headbangs in with the kids. Happy days

For me, Guns & Roses falls into the same category as bands like AC/DC and Aerosmith. These are basic, meat and potatoes rock 'n roll bands that revel in obviousness and basic hooks. But from the very opening bars of Appetite for Destruction, the competence of Axl Rose and company is never in question. The band is extremely tight, as if they had been playing these songs in bars for the previous five years. The antics of Slash and Izzy Stradlin wouldn't make titans like Eddie Van Halen or Rhandy Rhodes lose any sleep, but their snarling leads never lack conviction and they're concise and tasty. You could say the same thing about the songcraft. I hate to sound like a broken record, but Appetite for Destruction is a consistent, perfectly realized, rock record of limited ambition. Personally, it bores me to tears, but there's no denying that it's accomplished.

Pretty average. The songwriting doesn't impress me too much, especially lyrically, but it does have an undeniable energy and some good riffs and detours. Nothing that excites me too much though, and I feel like a lot of the sound of this album had already been done before.

Hard to think of a better debut album. True shredder!

The singles, which are all bangers, aren't even the best songs on this record. It's really fucking spectacular.

Welcome To The Jungle has to be one of the best album opening tracks of all time. Totally sets the mood for a great album. I'm definitely not the world's biggest GnR fan, but I do like this album. It is also hugely influential. 9/10

Love it

I can't express enough how this album is awesome, a genre-changing moment when it was released. Although today i'm not a big fan of GnR and even listening to this album bores me to hell, I can't ignore the genius behind it. I don't know if any other band can rival a first album like this.

Slash is good, Axl can't sing tho

What great singles, and what forgettable deep cuts. This is an album that I always think more fondly of until I actually go and listen to it, and find out all over again how boring and repetitive many of the songs get. It's a shame considering how good Duff and Slash are, but at least I get to listen to the genuinely amazing songs from here on their own.

Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll...and little else...really that's it

I'm glad that's over. I don't do nearly enough coke to enjoy Butt Rock. I'll take AC/DC or Black Sabbath any day before G&R.

For me, Guns and Roses stand above other guitar driven bands in the 80s. The musicianship is better, the songwriting is better, and overall they are much better at avoiding some of the hair metal cliches that would not age well. While this album contains some filler, it also contains some of the best known rock songs of all time. It is gritty while maintaining a sensitive undertone and that vulnerability and confidence set it apart from your run of the mill 80s rock albums.

Sure. If I was planning an 80s themed pool party I’d play this. But I can’t fully endorse hair metal in general when I know they were such misogynistic assholes. (The Motley Crew movie is my evidence)

Axl Rose's vocals doesn't do this any favors but there are still solid rock songs scattered throughout

I'm only on sweet child of mine but this album pisses me off so much I have to rate it now all these bands, groups, singers, artists and albums sound the exact fucking same I had to search up who made "Run to the hills" because I they sound identical to half the songs on this album i want to rate it a 1 out of protest for how bad it is but it's still not Beatles tier bad but me rating it a 2 does not bring me joy the last straw was the WOAH WOAH WOAH MY MICHELLE MY MICHELLE MY MICHELLE MY MICHELLE and I'M THINKING ABOUT YOUU YOUUU UUU UUU UUU YOUUUUUU screaming

Highlights: "Welcome to the Jungle," "Sweet Child of Mine," "Mr. Brownstone" Axl Rose's falsetto is beyond parody. That has to be put aside before judging this. "Welcome to the Jungle" is a very well-constructed song, with all the makings of a hit. Can't say the same of the other hits on here. Van Halen and ACDC had been around for a decade; Metallica and Celtic Frost had been around for five years. It's just impossible to justify this pic unless this list were "1001 Singles You Have Probably Already Heard Before You Die". Slash's talent is holding this together, but the album is always some combination of samey, repugnant, and laughable.

Ew, gross. I'm forced to hear this garbage every day on the butt rock radio station at work that a bitter old white trash coworker forces everyone to listen to. GnR is easily the worst of the hair metal bands, which is the worst genre of popular music of the last 70 years. This is worthless. This is one of the two worst albums I've had to listen to for this project so far.

Appetite for Destruction Questionable ethics and lyrics aside I love this album, the only hard rock album I actually like from start to finish. Obviously they are hair metal adjacent, but they always had some kind of alchemy that set them apart, the right blend of glam, punk, metal and blues with songwriting nous and a melodic ear. Rather than being slavishly devoted to purely metal influences their rock’n’roll bombast makes this a fun and exciting listen. Obviously Slash gets a lot of attention for his playing, but Izzy Stradlin is also great, his rhythm and occasional lead is such a big part of why this sounds as good as it does. McKagen is also a very good bassist with a nice tone and a sense of restraint. But I think Steven Adler is probably their secret weapon, he may not be the most technical, but he has a great swing to his playing, and he eschews ostentation or lumpen double kick drum metal cliche, giving the songs groove and motility, like the loping, broken pattern on Mr Brownstone or on Paradise City. Aside from the obvious bangers (Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City and Sweet Child o’ Mine), there are other excellent tracks; It’s So Easy, Nightrain, Out Ta Get Me, Mr Brownstone, My Michelle and Rocket Queen. And while Think About You, You’re Crazy and Anything Goes may not be at the same level as those other songs they are still decent enough album tracks, and don’t lack for energy or lasciviousness, and keep the mood of unpretentious fearful and angry griminess. Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City and Sweet Child o’ Mine would be enough on their own for this to be a classic, but well supported as they are by the rest of the tracks, this can only be a 5. 🔫🔫➕🌹🌹 Playlist submission: Sweet Child O’ Mine

Ok... This is just the best album of all times according to me, so for the rest i will have absulutly not objectivities what so ever. #1 in the Billboard, 30+ millions sales, countless awards, a nearly perfect critical sucess, best and more sucessfull debut album of all times ect ect. THE most dangerous album ever made, it have so much to offer. This album was made in 1987 bythe best band of all times: Axl Rose, the unpredictable, insanly charismatic, energetic singer who could sing like no one and probably the best frontman (with Freddy Mercury). Slash, the badass, the man in the hat with long black hair, shades, a guitar genius, and the most iconic guitarist of the 80's. Izzy Stradlin the mysterius rythm guitar player, more reserved but yet so important in songwrting, he is behind a lot of their best songs. The Pirate style-punk guy: Duff "the king of beers" Mckagan, from Seattle he brings the touch of Punk rock that everybody need and he's just so cool and magnificent. Finanly the drummer Steven Adler wich i think is inseparable fo the sucess and perfection of this reccord, with his drums style, but he is just so cool, fun, good vibe and nonchalent, he's perfect too. All Togheter bring a unity and a colaboration of the best elements of the sunset strip at the time to create a monster of decadence and Rock N'Roll. Without talking about the music, this album have a very unique story and origin that make him even better when you know the context behind those songs. Before this album was made, Guns N'Roses was a struggling band, living in a house label "the hell house" bevause of all the decadence, drugs and depravation in it. They were starving, living gigs to gigs, but that create a chemestry so powerfull that explain why this album is so good and feel so real. They release it and nearly a year after its release the sell were bad, like 200 000, and Mtv won't play them, but their label convice Mtv to play the video of Welcome to the jungle at 4 am, and soon after it was the most require video of Mtv and they blow the fuck up music history with Sweet Child O'mine a couple week later alowing it to became so succesfull to this day. The cover is just iconic, the title fit so well the content of the album, and the cross was inspired by a tatoo of Axl who was himself inspired by Thin Lizzy. It was supposed to be a painting named Apetite For Destruction, but it was judged too violent and explicit so they changed it. It was a good move, this cross is so beautifull and well done. Track by track this album is good, like no song are there for nothing, they all mean something, have a story to share and bring more to Apetite. On the vinyl: Side G (Guns) song about violence, drugs, sex and their dangerous lifestyle with brutal riff and lyrics. Welcome to the jungle: When we think of GN'R we have to think of this song, this song just represent them at perfection. Musically is just pure hard rock with a soft bridge, brutal intro, solos, and the bass part, the drums, musically its perfect. The lyrics about the life in a big city like L.A, the drugs, the sex all other vices of a city who just feel like a jungle. This song is also one of their most famous and the diffusion of the video on MTV launch their carrer in 1988. Its so Easy: This is a badass song, about rock n roll lifestyle, and more specifically the sex and all the girls arounf them at a time they were more and more famous, but not yet rich, but they still manage to get all womens around them and have sex with groupies all the times. It was written by Duff, with a cool bass intro that start nearly all their gigs since 1987 and to this day. Some say its mysoginistic, but i think is just what they were living with brutal honnesty. Nightrain: An ode to alcool consumtion and cheap wine that get you drunk in a second. The music is so good and perfecly fit the subject, aparently one of Slash's favorite song to play live. Out ta Get me: A brutal song about Axl's judicial struggle when he was a teenager in Indiana. The riff is one of the more hard/ heavy of the album and show how talented and diverse they are. Mr. Brownstone`: A song about the habbits of the band, comming late to gigs, and their heroin (Browstone is a slang for heroin) addiction with lyrics about drug tolerance. This song is globaly on of the best, honnest and brutal drug song, just direct and no B.S. Musicaly this song is also one of the best with the magnificent intro, riff and solo. Paradise City: Another of their most famous song with an intro recognisable in a thousand, with extremely good guitars part. The verse are about the life in the street of L.A and the chorus is about life in the Midwest and show how they can have a major commercial hit, but will talking about their reckless lifestyle and their unique background (Axl and Izzy are from Indiana) Side R (Roses) While still talking about sex drugs and rock n roll but with a more romantic and semtimental side, like a rose. My Michelle: Its the life of a friend of the band Michelle Young, who have a very dark life, with drugs and death but tell with honnesty and truth that made their reputation. Think about you: "a quick song about Love, Sex, Drugs and Hollywood" -Izzy. A very underated song on the reccord, kind of a sentimental and softer version of Welcome to the Jungle. Sweet Child O'Mine: probably the reason why this album was so sucessfull, this song just show how this band could be sentimental with beautifull love lyrics but not in a cheesy way. The iconic intro, the perfeclty excuted solo, lyrics and the voice (inspired by Lynyrd Skynyrd) made this song still they most acclamed and know to this day. You're Crazy: Originally you're fucking crazy, a weird song probably about a crazy girl who was involved with the band, but still this song show theur reckless style of telling their stories. Anything Goes: Clearly about sex and sexuall submission, still a very badass way to exprim it as they so good to do it. Apparantly one of their oldest song from the Hollywood Rose era Rocket Queen: Rocket Queen: This song is incredible, seprate in two part with a briudge between them. The intro is so fucking cool, the riff is brutal, the bass is leading the song and the lyrics about Barbi Von Grief a girl who was helping the band to survive in their clubs days, it talk about her wish to have a band who was suposed to be call Rocket Queen. The bridge is the little thing that made this song, this reccord and this band the greatest of all times, in that bridge will the guitar solo rage on, we could ear the real sexual moanings of Adriana Smith, the girlfriend of Steven, she was mad after him and Axl propose to reccord while they have sex. The rest of the song in a poem about love and hope with a magic guitare solo at the end. 12 song that make this reccord the most dangerous album of all time, all those song were written by the best, in a very particular moment in times that make them so damn accurate. I think overall this album merge the best influences in rock history and combine them to create the perfect rock n roll reccord: The hard rock music of AC/DC, Kiss, Led Zeppelin or Aerosmith, the commercial sucess of glam metal band of the times like Van Halen, Mötely Crüe or Bon Jovi. But they come from the street of L.A, and they still keep the undergound vibe, the dark subject and dangerous lifestyle of undergound band like Hanoï Rocks, the Stooges and the New York Dolls. With Duff music and their rebel attitude they have a lot of punk influences like the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, The Damned or Johnny Thunders. Their sentimental and glam (rock) style is also inspired by Queen, David Bowie, T.Rex and others. I think they perflecy combine all thoses legendray bands, but still with thei unique indentify and style that they don't copy but create something ot thei own. They not enough space or enough world for me to descrivbe how much this reccord mean to me, i try the best in can to find anything bad to say about this album but i can't. GN'R is polarising, but no one can denied that this album change the game and blow up the rock scene at the time, this album gave us timeless classic and a way of Rocking that no one ever did before. Why this album is so much better than the other heavy metal album or band at the times (Skid Row, Poison, Mötley Crüe, Ratt and other) is because of all of this but more simple, they were just b etter, more honnest, more real, more bad boys, more good looking (with less makeup and flamboyent clothings), more charismatic and better musicians overall. That why i will give it 5/5, if it was one a hundred it would 100/100, 1000/1000 ect. I really hope that some of you will discover and fucking enjoy this reccord and forever remeber it.

Saved Prior: Welcome To The Jungle, Sweet Child O' Mine Unsaved: 12. Anything Goes 11. You're Crazy (a lot of reviews mentioned that the version on G N' R Lies is better. They would be right.) 10. Rocket Queen Cutting Edge: 9. Out Ta Get Me Saved: 8. My Michelle 7. It's So Easy 6. Paradise City 5. Think About You 4. Nightrain 3. Sweet Child O' Mine 2. Mr. Brownstone 1. Welcome To The Jungle (maybe the greatest album opener of all time in my book. Baba O'Riley and this one) Overall Notes: A shot of pure adrenaline. Out and out classic. Side A of this album may be the greatest side of classic rock ever.

Ending the 80s with a bang! I remember listening to this in my room with headphones so my parents wouldn't hear what I was listening to.

Fierce. Ferocious. The album that put the Metal in Hair Metal. From the opening notes of Welcome to the Jungle, you know you’re in for something special. The band hammers away at track after track of brutal, real hard rock. Slash is peak Slash, and Axl has never been more Axl.

incredible rocket queen is the best song imo

Very Guns and Roses. The most guns that ever roses. Reminds me of when I was 17 and GnR were my band. :D

Only really knew the hits off of this album and wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy the rest. But it’s a really fun album. Does what it says on the tin really. And although Sweet Child O’ Mine is now synonymous with nights out in Walkabout bars, it was good to hear it in the context of the album and still has one of the best guitar solos of all time.

It was ok.

🤢

I've heard the singles off this record so many times it makes me want to vomit. Trying to be open-minded about the other songs, we'll see how far I can make it... Update: Three tracks in and I cannot do this. Shitty lyrics, cheesy riffs, and over-indulgent guitar solos. I struggle to understand why this is so "acclaimed." An actual line from a review: "rock is at last being wrestled from the hands of the bland, the weak, the jaded, the tired, the worn, and being thrust back into the hands of the real raunch rebels." Oh thank god at last rock will be in the hands of horny white dudes who think rebelling means hitting on the waitress at Applebee's and then chugging beers in the garage while this plays on a piece of shit boom box.

One of the best Albums ever made. From start to finish pure energy and aggressive sound, with some of the most iconic riffs you have ever heard. I have no Idea how this is not in the top list of best Albums in the list.

great

Most of these songs have been waaaay overplayed over the years, but listening to it as an 'album' for first time in years, it again shows why it was a bit of a groundbreaker for the late 80's and a template for the dirty/grittiness to come.

A banger, no further comments

One of my favorite albums from high school! Know this one by heart ❤️!

A banger debut album and one of my favourites. Got this on vinyl for Christmas and had it pumping! It has so many hits and bangers on it, an easy 5 star!

Quintessential GNR album - starts off strong with Welcome to the Jungle, includes Paradise City and Sweet Child O' Mine - classic hits.

This album is somewhat nostalgic because its one of my dads all time favorites and I get it, literally every song was a banger. 0 skips. I cant believe this was my first time listening to it but I loved it!

Amazingly important to my high school years. Still know every note by heart, and only sick of one song ("Paradise City" I never need to hear again).

10 ★★★★★

This was a huge album for me when it came out in 1987. A lot of hard rock at that time had become pretty sanitized and formulaic, but I think GNR really sought to change that. The guitar parts and song structures were more creative, the lyrics were a darker version of the typical Sunset Strip party anthems you normally heard. Where Poison was singing "Nothin' but a good time", GNR were singing about prostitution, alcoholism, being strung out on heroin, and casually dropping f-bombs. They were like the Velvet Underground of hair metal. They also drew on a diverse set of influences, including punk and 70s pop, which was super cool for me at an age where I was just getting into music. Highlights for me are "It's So Easy", "Rocket Queen", "Mr. Brownstone", "Sweet Child O' Mine", and "You're Crazy". "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City" are definitely overplayed, but good songs if you haven't heard them in a while. The only real weak spot is "Anything Goes", but everything else is a jam. 5 stars.

Ultra classic, ultra blazing debut from the LA 5-piece with only about 30 million or so copies sold to testify for its popularity and endurance. Packs the best traditions of the Stones, Sex Pistols and Aerosmith with the sleaziest most thrilling and high-octane of 80s hair metal. Contains their greatest most legendary hits like Sweet Child O Mine, Paradise City and Welcome To The Jungle all in one place plus the songcraft eleswhere is simply super tight with so many other iconic riffs and lyrics. Musicianship, singing and frontmanship is blinding and sensational throughout with Axl Rose and Slash really at the peak of their powers here. Lengthy, multi-part, dark soap-operatic outro Rocket Queen is one of the songs that bangs relatively maybe not quite as much and still has Axl Rose banging the drummer’s girlfriend in the recording booth. That’s how high the bar is set for all of the songs on this record banging! So easily 5 stars.

best from L.A. Guns and Hollywood rose, great album made of singles

Okay, this is probably reputation suicide in this group (based on how previous, similar rock albums went), but ill give my genuine take anyway. This is likely the one of the best "hard rock" albums that I know of (Van Halen's 1984 is close). The lyrics are exactly as disgusting as you'd expect them to be and Im ignoring most of that because this is "fuck you" rock n roll where the lyrical content should be treated like the trash that it is. Sometimes I just like to scream about hot women or record people banging in the studio (brings me back to Prince's 1999 -- Lady cab driver) or how the drugs aren't strong enough -- fuck me right? (jonah hill meme) -- I thought this was America? These songs sound 10x fresher than Motley Crue or any of the cringey hair metal that came just a few years before it (not a hater, but its worth saying that the 80s were corny in a lot of ways and this still hits). Being their debut album and a sleeper for the first year, this feels as genuine of a work you can get in this genre. Not all the songs are completely trashy lyrically either. I think Mr Brownstown & My Michelle were great songs about drug addiction and shitty fathers, but that probably gets lost in the noise & misogyny. Last deet. I think we can all agree that Welcome To The Jungle is an All Timer™. Listen to this origin story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMZgq3stgPY You know where you are? You're in the Jungle baby...

One of those debuts where the band comes out fully formed and swinging. To this day after a forty year long career, these are some of their most iconic songs. Love or hate the bad boy image they build, you can’t deny that they do it better than anyone else (in this album anyway).

Sha-na-na-na-na-na-na-knees, I love it. I won’t lie and tell you I was a huge fan of GnR back in my teenage years, I was more into Nirvana and MetallicA. But this is a top album. Sometimes Axl’s voice grinds me and the dead awful dancing in their videos is cringe worthy, but you can’t take that away from this ground breaking record. Slash paved the way for many guitarists and remains to be one of the must influential pros out there. His blues prowess gives their tracks some really oomph, his solos are not to be sniffed at. The sound and energy is ace. With so many top hits in one album and all songs being enjoyable you really can’t give this less than a 5, whether you’re a fan or not. Come on!

WHO DEY

I love this album. The raw vocals of Axl Rose and the over-the-top guitar off the Slash, it's all here to enjoy. Fun silly manic energy that must have been so crazy to hear for the first time. I know like 3 songs of these are played to death but just IMAGINE it. Put yourself into the shoes of someone hearing these guys for the very first time.

Perfect Rock album with the perfect lineup of members. They could have just made this record and then disappeared from the face of the earth, and they would still be considered legends. For me personally, the album has enormous credit for completely changing the face of the Rock n Roll scene at the time, bringing the good old sound in a raw and naked way.

I've listened to this album front to back probably several hundred times. I have vivid memories of when this album was released. I remember my cousin and I going to The Wherehouse and him asking me "Have you heard the Guns N Roses album?" I had no idea what he was talking about. Fast forward a week and it was all I was listening to. Well, that and "Electric" by The Cult, which came out a couple months prior. Those two cassette tapes were constantly playing in my Walkman.

What a great hard rock album!! Thoroughly enjoyed the tracks - some I knew but most were new to me

It's so easy (to give this 5 stars)

Such strong 80's memories listening to this at scout camp with the big boys thinking it was height of rebellion. The singles are classic and still sound great.

I'm old enough to remember when *Appetite for Destruction* erupted onto the scene in 1987, it didn’t just challenge the glam-metal glitter dominating the airwaves—it detonated it. Guns N' Roses’ debut album was a visceral gut-punch of raw energy, blending punk ferocity, bluesy swagger, and unapologetic rock 'n' roll. It is a rare debut that transcends its era. It’s a album of contrasts—brutal yet poetic, chaotic yet meticulously crafted. Over three decades later, its songs still ignite mosh pits and singalongs, a testament to GN’R’s raw authenticity. For newcomers and devotees alike, this isn’t just an album; it’s a rite of passage.

One of my favourite parts of recorded music in general comes at about 1:53 into Nightrain, when Rhythm Guitarist Izzy Stradlin gets to play his only solo of the album, delivers 8 bars of the most underwhelming pentatonic nonsense ever recorded, panned to the left side of the mix as if they engineer was saying ‘It’s alright, this is just the Rhythm Guitarist’ before Slash comes in, blows Stradlin away with like two bends, and basically doesn’t stop shredding for the rest of the fucking song

Welcome to the Jungle is one of the best opening tracks to an album. All the hits like Sweet Child of Mine, Paradise City, and WttJ are true classics. It's So Easy was easily my most disliked track. Sounded like a different band.

Genre: Hard Rock 3/5 Guns n' Roses, a group that simultaneously conjures up images of strip clubs as well as BBQs and television commercials, released their best album they ever made, Appetite for Destruction, in 1987. Utilizing tried-and-true hard rock arrangements and instrumentation, GnR made a few HOT singles, 3 of the best songs the decade has to offer (Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, and Sweet Child o' Mine). However, the rest of the album plays out about as you'd expect, raunchy and energetic, but not very interesting. The 3 singles from this album, though, are all great tracks. Overplayed in their own right, as they've become cultural touchstones, but they are undeniable hard rock classics. Axl Rose's voice is in peak condition here, and Slash's lead guitar playing is as good as it ever was. But songs like My Michelle or You're Crazy are total duds, reminiscent of filler you'd find in a lot of 80s rock and roll albums (Def Leppard, Scorpions, Thin Lizzy), but way worse and way more bland. Give 'em credit for 3 great tunes, and the rest is generally skippable. Not bad.

They may have been the best hair metal band, but they’re still a hair metal band. …“a rose by any other name”, and all that.

This week I have been firmly stuck in the 86-95 vortex. I dunno, aside from these three songs, November Rain and the Wings cover (which are all admittedly brilliant), are there any good GunsnRoses songs? Of those 5 good ones, the three present here are obviously the most overplayed. Please god don't subject me to either Use Your Illusion album later in this project. My Michelle is ok I guess but you still have to put up with Axl being annoying. Didn't really enjoy anything new here. However if you told me at the start that I'd be rating Guns n Roses lower than TLC and Goldie I would have... ...probably not been that surprised actually as my opinion on GnR has been pretty solidified for the last few decades.

A good example of an album with radio hits not equalling up to being a "good album". Despite the competent musicianship of the band and relatively quality mixing, Axl Rose's singing is entirely unpalatable, only growing more and more grating over time. In addition, nearly every song concerns either women/sex or drugs, and has nothing particularly deep, interesting or notable to say about either. The album feels longer than it is, with only Rose's screeching preen and the literal sounds of fucking to keep you company. It is telling that the longer I reflected on this album, the more it offended my sensibilities.

Very pop rocky and songs had a clear formula that got extended for wayy too long, obviously has insane classics, maybe 3-4 songs are actually enjoyable

If I had a boner in the 80s, I might have been into this. Never liked Guns N Roses. Still don't! 2/5.

Pre-listening notes: Ok I got eager and looked at my new album at midnight and boy oh boy I let myself down hard. This album fucking OPENS with welcome to the jungle, one of my least fav songs of all time. However, I will give it the benefit of having Sweet child o mine, which is a really great song. I do not think I will enjoy this album tho. Guns N’ Roses is not for me lol. I have now made the vow to only look at my new album in the morning because I don't want to wake up dreading what I have to listen to lol. Post/during listening thoughts: I skipped Welcome to the jungle bc I just... cannot. That song will knock this album down a point alone. It's So Easy and Nightrain are like... good but yeah very Guns n' roses. I think that's how I'll feel about most of this album. Like is it objectively good? Yeah! Is it for me? No! Also let me say I HATE this album cover. Sorry, it's ugly. Mr Brownstone was pretty good, nice melody line. Ohhhh yup I know Paradise City lmao. It has a really nice start to it. I hate My Michelle. Jesus. Sweet Child O' Mine is a classic BUT only bc I think of Stepbrothers. Listen it may sound like I'm actively trying to dislike this album and that's not true. I'm trying so hard to LIKE it. I just cannot stand Axl Rose's voice. Tf is the moaning in Rocket Queen?! Yeah it's exactly what I expected. Gotta listen to some music I enjoy more to cleanse my palette. 3/10. Top Tracks: Mr Brownstone, Paradise City, Sweet Child O' Mine

This has to be one of the most overrated albums of all time. The fact that this has sold 30 million puts into context the 74 million Americans who voted for Trump. Clearly a large chunk of the country is filled with mindless trolls that want to drink Bud Light, listen to Paradise City and objectify women. Sweet Child of Mine is probably the only decent song despite its ubiquity. Everything else sounds like a rip off of better bands that came before.

fucking state of this cunt's voice man

I do not like 80s rock

I am not hair metal fan. I think they sound like a lot of other genre music that comes out of the 80s. The music reminds me of what my uncles would be listening to on a Saturday Night looking for something to do -- with mullets and mustaches and stale cigarettes, fake photo IDs, leaning on the bar, air guitar. Breakin' a bottle to start an unnecessary fight near the billiard tables. I can't relate. Probably revolutionary for the 80s, but did not age well? It just sounds like the quintessential sound of that period -- or maybe because I grew up around it as a kid, I just don't understand the appeal. Only songs I like is Welcome to the Jungle & Sweet Child O' Mine. Period. Because of childhood nostalgia and Rock Band.

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First one star rating. "Welcome to the Jungle" is okay, but not even that's a redeeming quality to save it from a low score. The rest of the album just sounds really generic, and many of the tracks are so overplayed on the radio that I just get sick of them.

I grew up with this one.

Ummm ROCK TF ON

listened before

a true classic!! no complaints i feel like im on top of the world when i listen to this one

Excellent, raw debut album from Guns N' Roses. It blew the lid off of everything when it was released and cemented their place in music history. Wish the rest of their albums were half as good as this one...

Bangers front to back, though ya kinda have to be in a specific mood to want to listen to Guns N’ Roses

My approach to listening to albums at this stage in my life, and especially in regards to the RS Top 500 list, is generally trying to be as unbiased one way or the other as possible. With that in mind, and having it surrounded by some of the other most lauded albums ever, this particular listen left me really impressed with it in a number of ways. To start, let’s get them out of the way.. Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, and especially Sweet Child O’ Mine are great songs. Boldened by tight production and hooks at every turn. Are they the very best songs on the album? They’re certainly up there. But what I am certain of is that Slash’s guitar solo in Sweet Child O’ Mine is the album’s centerpiece, and what I consider the band’s signature moment. Moving away from the album’s biggest hits.. Some people might find it hard to believe, but the majority of this album is genuinely really fucking good. Some songs are catchy, thoughtful, and melodic (Think About You, the second half of Rocket Queen) while others are aggressive, curse-laden pitfalls providing a deeper view into some of the real experiences of the band and their contemporaries (It’s So Easy, the first half of Rocket Queen). Just about every track on this album is backed by a thick but unobtrusive rhythm section playing with unique charisma of their own and some particularly fat pockets on tracks like Mr. Brownstone and My Michelle. Duff McKagen is one of the real MVP’s of Appetite for Destruction and Steven Adler’s drumming is a performance worthy of a “Recorded Rock Drumming Hall of Fame”. Guns N’ Roses, like the guitar/vocal icon groups that laid the path before them (Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, the Stones) would not have been able to produce this magnum opus without the immense contributions of their overshadowed drum and bass department.. Appetite for Destruction was one of the first full albums I listened to by one of the very first musical ensembles I was ever intrigued by. As a result it’s a record I’ve returned to over the years with mixed feelings and to varying degrees of enjoyment. But with this listen and the few before it being overwhelmingly positive, I’m buying this album’s “classic” stock. 9/10

She's got a smile that it seems to me reminds of childhood memories~~ Bangers

some bands would be lucky to have 1 song of the calibre of Sweet Child O'Mine, Welcome to the Jungle or Paradise City in their entire career

One of the greatest albums ever made

The best!!!!

Great

What a debut! A classic of the hard rock history

Solid rock&roll

I listened to this album all day! honestly, several bangers on this one

Best intro to a rock album ever - this album broke us all out of the glam-hair-metal of the late 80’s and brought rock back.

5 - one of the greatest debuts of all time

The classic 99s album.

This album makes me want to become a stripper. One of the greatest debut albums of all time. Turn it up & shake your moneymaker!

Banger after banger on this album. This will never get old

4.5.

This is the album that first got me into harder rock music, therefore it will always have a special place in my heart. I am aware it is not perfect, but for this reason I can't give it anything less than a 9/10. Fave track: Paradise City? It's so easy? IDK.

Excellent first album! Welcome to the jungle, baby!