#37 Appetite for Destruction

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

37

2011 Album Rank

39

Total Points

1473

Year Released

1987

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

1

Weeks at #1

5

RIAA Sales Certification

18,000,000 (Multi-Platinum)

Buy Album

Apple Music Amazon

Appetite for Destruction Album Details

Released on July 21, 1987, Appetite for Destruction is the explosive debut album that launched Guns N' Roses from L.A. street misfits to global rock legends. With a raw, aggressive blend of hard rock, punk, and sleazy blues, the album captured the danger, decadence, and desperation of life on the edge in late '80s Hollywood. From the opening scream of "Welcome to the Jungle" to the swagger of "Mr. Brownstone" and the anthemic "Sweet Child o' Mine", the record pulses with reckless energy and unapologetic attitude.

The band brought a gritty authenticity that stood in sharp contrast to the polished glam metal dominating MTV at the time. The lyrics dig into themes of addiction, alienation, lust, and survival, all delivered with a sense of chaos barely held in check. Appetite for Destruction became one of the best-selling debut albums in rock history, and its influence continues to ripple through hard rock and metal to this day.

Interesting Facts about Appetite for Destruction

• The album was initially slow to take off, but gained momentum after MTV began airing the video for "Welcome to the Jungle" at first only once, late at night.
• Appetite for Destruction has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling debut album of all time.
• "Sweet Child o' Mine", featuring Slash's iconic opening riff, was the band's only U.S. number one single.
• The original cover art by Robert Williams was banned for its graphic content, leading to the now-famous cross and skulls artwork featuring the band members.
• Despite its raw sound, the album was carefully crafted. Producer Mike Clink was chosen specifically for his meticulous approach to capturing the band's intensity without polish.
• Slash came up with the riff for "Sweet Child o' Mine" as a joke during rehearsal, which Axl overheard and quickly started writing lyrics to.
• Many of the songs reflect the band's real-life experiences with drugs, poverty, and street life in mid-'80s Los Angeles.
• "Paradise City" was written on a van ride while the band was on tour. The lyrics were improvised in the moment, with different band members shouting out lines.
• Axl Rose's wide vocal range and unpredictable stage presence became central to the band's image, he could reportedly span over 5 octaves.
• The album was a game-changer for hard rock, stripping away the glam and injecting a new level of grit and realism, paving the way for bands in the alternative and grunge movements that followed.
• Slash's guitar solo in "Sweet Child o' Mine" was ranked at number six on a 2022 list of the 50 greatest guitar solos of all time by Guitar World.
• The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2024 for its cultural and historical significance.

Appetite for Destruction Tracklist

1. Welcome to the Jungle - Reached #7 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
2. It's So Easy
3. Nightrain
4. Out ta Get Me
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City - Reached #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You
9. Sweet Child o' Mine - Reached #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
10. You're Crazy
11. Anything Goes
12. Rocket Queen

Sweet Child o' Mine Music Video

• Next Album: #36 Never Mind the Bollocks by The Sex Pistols
• Previous Album: #38 I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You by Aretha Franklin