Appetite for Destruction

Appetite for Destruction is the first studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. It was released on July 21, 1987, through Geffen Records.

Appetite for Destruction
Studio album by Guns N' Roses
Released	July 21, 1987
Recorded	January 18 – June 23, 1987
Studio	Rumbo (Los Angeles) Take One (Burbank, California) Record Plant (Los Angeles) Can Am (Los Angeles)
Genre	Hard rock heavy metal hair metal
Length	53:52
Label	Geffen
Producer	Mike Clink
Guns N' Roses chronology
Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide (1986) Appetite for Destruction (1987) Guns N' Roses (EP) (1988)
Guns N' Roses studio album chronology
Appetite for Destruction (1987) G N' R Lies (1988)
Singles from Appetite for Destruction
"It's So Easy/Mr. Brownstone" Released: June 15, 1987 "Welcome to the Jungle" Released: September 28, 1987 "Sweet Child o' Mine" Released: June 21, 1988 "Paradise City" Released: January 10, 1989 "Nightrain" Released: July 25, 1989

When the album as released in 1987, it was not popular. Next year, in 1988, it became very successful after the band had toured and radio stations played the singles "Welcome to the Jungle", "Paradise City" and "Sweet Child o' Mine". It was first on Billboard 200 and became the best-selling debut album of all time, as well as the eleventh best-selling album of all time in the United States. With more than 30 million copies sold worldwide, it is also one of the best-selling records of all time.

Although critics at first had mixed feelings toward the album, Appetite for Destruction is now liked by critics and is considered as one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2018, it was re-released as a remastered box set with critics liking it too.

Background

Guns N' Roses first recordings were for a planned EP in March 1985. This was shortly after the band formed. The recording included a cover of "Heartbreak Hotel". "Don't Cry ", "Think About You" and "Anything Goes".^[1] The EP did not happen because original guitarist Tracii Guns left the band. He was replaced by Slash.^[2] Shortly afterward, a new lineup of Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, Slash, Steven Adler and Izzy Stradlin was confirmed.^[3] This is the classic lineup for the band.

After playing many shows in Los Angeles clubs, the group signed with Geffen Records in March 1986.^[4] In December 1986, the group released the four-song EP Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide, which was made to keep people interested in the band while it started work in the studio.^[5][6] The label also thought the band didn't have enough songs, so they made the EP.^[7]

Singer Axl Rose said that many of the songs on the album were written while the band was performing on the Los Angeles club circuit, and a number of songs that would be featured on later Guns N' Roses albums were considered for Appetite for Destruction, such as "Back Off Bitch", "You Could Be Mine", "November Rain" and "Don't Cry". "November Rain" was not put on the album because "Sweet Child O' Mine" is already on it. They only wanted one ballad.^[8][9]

Producer Spencer Proffer was hired to record "Nightrain" and "Sweet Child o' Mine" to test if he could work with the band.^[10] They eventually recorded nine songs during these sessions, including "Heartbreak Hotel", "Don't Cry", "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Shadow of Your Love".^[10] In mid to late 1986, the band recorded demos with Nazareth guitarist Manny Charlton,^[10] which were released in 2018. (See Below for more info) The band at first considered Paul Stanley of KISS to produce, but he was rejected after he wanted to change Adler's drum set more than Adler wanted.^[10] Robert John "Mutt" Lange was also considered, but the label didn't want to spend the extra money on a famous producer.^[10] Ultimately, Mike Clink (who had produced several Triumph records) was chosen,^[11] and the group recorded "Shadow of Your Love" first with Clink as a test.^[10]

In 1999, Rose re-recorded the album with the lineup at the time (Rose, Robin Finck, Tommy Stinson, Paul Tobias, Josh Freese, Dizzy Reed & Chris Pitman) to "spruce up" the album with new recording techniques.^[12] The re-recorded version of the album was never released, although an edited clip of "Sweet Child O' Mine" featuring the second half of the song using the re-recorded version was included over the credits of the movie Big Daddy in 1999.

Track listing

Original release

All songs written and composed by Guns N' Roses, except where noted. 

Appetite for Destruction[13] Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Welcome to the Jungle"	4:31
2.	"It's So Easy" (Guns N' Roses, West Arkeen)	3:21
3.	"Nightrain"	4:26
4.	"Out ta Get Me"	4:20
5.	"Mr. Brownstone"	3:46
6.	"Paradise City"	6:46

Side two
No.	Title	Length
7.	"My Michelle"	3:39
8.	"Think About You"	3:50
9.	"Sweet Child o' Mine"	5:55
10.	"You're Crazy"	3:16
11.	"Anything Goes" (Guns N' Roses, Chris Weber)	3:25
12.	"Rocket Queen"	6:13
Total length:		53:52

Super deluxe edition

The "Locked N' Loaded" Edition and the "Super Deluxe Edition" have the same musical contents. Disc one is the original album.

All songs written and composed by Guns N' Roses, except where noted. 

Disc 2: B-Sides N' EP's
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Reckless Life"	3:21
2.	"Nice Boys"	3:02
3.	"Move to the City" (Live)	3:34
4.	"Mama Kin"	3:41
5.	"Shadow of Your Love" (Live)	3:03
6.	"You're Crazy" (Acoustic Version)	4:25
7.	"Patience"	5:54
8.	"Used to Love Her"	3:13
9.	"You're Crazy"	4:10
10.	"It's So Easy" (Live at the Marquee Club London / 1987)	3:54
11.	"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Live at the Marquee Club London / 1987)	4:59
12.	"Whole Lotta Rosie" (Live at the Marquee Club London / 1987)	4:06
Total length:		47:21

All songs written and composed by Guns N' Roses, except where noted. 

Disc 3: 1986 Sound City Session
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Welcome to the Jungle"	4:59
2.	"Nightrain"	4:49
3.	"Out ta Get Me"	4:01
4.	"Paradise City"	5:34
5.	"My Michelle"	4:21
6.	"Think About You"	3:50
7.	"You're Crazy"	3:21
8.	"Anything Goes" (Guns N' Roses, Chris Weber)	4:35
9.	"Rocket Queen"	6:06
10.	"Shadow of Your Love" (Rose, Stradlin, Paul Tobias)	2:38
11.	"Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley cover)" (Mae Boren Axton, Thomas Durden, Elvis Presley)	4:36
12.	"Jumpin' Jack Flash (The Rolling Stones cover)" (Jagger/Richards, Bill Wyman)	3:21
Total length:		52:11

Disc 4: 1986 Sound City Session N' More
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Shadow of Your Love"	3:05
2.	"Move to the City"	3:16
3.	"Ain't Goin' Down No More" (Instrumental Version)	3:30
4.	"The Plague"	0:54
5.	"Nice Boys"	2:58
6.	"Back off Bitch"	4:39
7.	"Reckless Life"	2:45
8.	"Mama Kin"	3:26
9.	"New Work Tune"	3:25
10.	"November Rain" (Piano Version)	10:18
11.	"Move to the City" (Acoustic Version)	3:41
12.	"You're Crazy" (Acoustic Version)	4:06
13.	"November Rain" (Acoustic Version)	5:00
14.	"Jumpin' Jack Flash" (Acoustic Version)	3:52
15.	"Move to the City" (1988 Acoustic version)	3:26
Total length:		58:21

All songs written and composed by Guns N' Roses, except where noted. 

Hidden bonus cassette: 1985 Mystic Studio Session
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Welcome to the Jungle"	4:52
2.	"Anything Goes" (Guns N' Roses, Weber)	5:03
3.	"Don't Cry" (Rose, Stradlin)	4:36
4.	"Back Off Bitch" (Rose, Tobias)	4:46
5.	"Think About You"	3:58

A fifth disc is included; a Blu-ray disc, which has 96 kHz 24-bit 5.1 Surround Sound & Remastered Stereo mixes, mixed by Elliot Scheiner and Frank Filipetti. It includes all of Appetite for Destruction, alongside bonus tracks "Shadow of Your Love", "Patience", "Used to Love Her", "You're Crazy", and "Move to the City (1988 Acoustic version)". In addition, it includes music videos for "Welcome to the Jungle", "Sweet Child O' Mine", "Paradise City", "Patience", and a previously unreleased video of "It's So Easy".^[14]

Deluxe edition

All songs written and composed by Guns N' Roses, except where noted. 

Disc 1: Appetite for Destruction Remastered
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Welcome to the Jungle"	4:33
2.	"It's So Easy" (Guns N' Roses, West Arkeen)	3:22
3.	"Nightrain"	4:28
4.	"Out ta Get Me"	4:23
5.	"Mr. Brownstone"	3:48
6.	"Paradise City"	6:45
7.	"My Michelle"	3:39
8.	"Think About You"	3:51
9.	"Sweet Child o' Mine"	5:56
10.	"You're Crazy"	3:17
11.	"Anything Goes" (Guns N' Roses, Chris Weber)	3:26
12.	"Rocket Queen"	6:13
Total length:		53:41

All songs written and composed by Guns N' Roses, except where noted. 

Disc 2
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Reckless Life"	3:21
2.	"Nice Boys" (Rose Tattoo cover)	3:02
3.	"Move to the City" (Live)	3:34
4.	"Mama Kin" (Aerosmith cover)	3:41
5.	"Shadow of Your Love" (Live)	3:03
6.	"Welcome to the Jungle" (1986 Sound City Sessions)	4:59
7.	"Nightrain" (1986 Sound City Sessions)	4:49
8.	"Out ta Get Me" (1986 Sound City Sessions)	4:01
9.	"Paradise City" (1986 Sound City Sessions)	5:34
10.	"My Michelle" (1986 Sound City Sessions)	4:21
11.	"Shadow of Your Love"	3:05
12.	"It's So Easy" (Live at the Marquee Club London / 1987)	3:54
13.	"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Live at the Marquee Club London / 1987)	4:59
14.	"Whole Lotta Rosie" (Live at the Marquee Club London / 1987, AC/DC cover)	4:06
15.	"You're Crazy" (Acoustic version)	4:25
16.	"Patience"	5:54
17.	"Used to Love Her"	3:13
18.	"Move to the City" (1988 Acoustic version)	3:26
Total length:		1:13:27

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.^[13]

Guns N' Roses W. Axl Rose – lead vocals, synthesizer on "Paradise City", percussion Slash – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, talk box, backing vocals Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar, lead guitar, backing vocals, percussion Duff "Rose" McKagan – bass, backing vocals Steven Adler – drums, percussion, Production Mike Clink – production, engineering Steve Thompson, mixing Michael Barbiero – mixing George Marino – LP, cassette mastering Barry Diament – CD mastering Dave Reitzas – assistant engineer Micajah Ryan – assistant engineer Andy Udoff – assistant engineer Jeff Poe – assistant engineer Julian Stoll – assistant engineer Victor Deyglio – assistant engineer Adriana Smith – background vocals on "Rocket Queen" (uncredited) Ted Jensen – Boxed set mastering at Sterling Sound, NYC

Design Robert Williams – "Appetite for Destruction" painting Michael Hodgson – art direction and design Robert John – photography Jack Lue – photography Greg Freeman – photography Marc Canter – photography Leonard McCardie – photography Bill White Jr. – cross tattoo design Andy Engell – cross tattoo redrawing

Charts

Chart	Peak position	US Rolling Stone Top 200[15]	96

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[16]	3× Platinum	180,000^
Australia (ARIA)[17]	7× Platinum	490,000
Austria (IFPI Austria)[18]	Platinum	50,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[19]	Platinum	250,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[20]	Diamond	1,000,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[21]	Gold	25,000[21]
France (SNEP)[22]	2× Gold	200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[23]	Platinum	500,000^
Italy (FIMI)[24]	2× Platinum	100,000
Japan (RIAJ)[25]	Platinum	200,000^
Mexico (AMPROFON)[26]	Gold	100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[27]	5× Platinum	75,000^
Sweden (GLF)[28]	Gold	50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[29]	Platinum	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[30]	4× Platinum	1,200,000^
United States (RIAA)[31]	18× Platinum	18,000,000^
*sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone

Related pages

• List of best-selling albums
• List of best-selling albums in the United States
• List of best-selling albums in Argentina