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.