Top 10 Guns N' Roses Songs

This power ballad was one of the last four songs off Guns N’ Roses’ sophomore effort. Featuring acoustic guitars, the album’s only single surprised fans who were used to the band’s more raw, loud and electric sound. Despite this, “Patience” charted within the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 and helped G N’ R Lies sell over five million copies in the U.S.

Inspired by their heroin addictions, Slash and Izzy Stradlin came up with the lyrics for this heavy metal and hard rock number on a whim. Though it was only released as a single in the UK, “Mr. Brownstone” is an Appetite for Destruction standout thanks to its use of the Bo-Diddley beat and its almost-permanent place in Guns N’ Roses live sets.

This Appetite for Destruction single really made us want to go “where the grass is green and girls are pretty.” With the help of a synthesizer and the Slash-conceived riff, “Paradise City” also became a top five track and a concert staple. And let’s not forget that killer guitar solo.

The theme song to “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” was accompanied by one of MTV’s most popular videos and for good reason: by featuring the T-800 alongside the band, it perfectly blended the worlds of movies and music into a memorable short film. Also appearing on Use Your Illusion II, the single hit the U.S. top 30 and the UK top five.

Fueled by their real-life experiences, Guns N’ Roses wrote this protest song to criticize all types of war. After donating the track to a charity album in 1990, they later released it as a single off Use Your Illusion II. “Civil War” is particularly notable for referencing multiple sources, like “Cool Hand Luke” in the intro.

Use Your Illusion I may feature one of Slash’s best guitar solos as found at the end of the Izzy Stradlin-penned “Double Talkin’ Jive,” but it’s “November Rain” that’s got us hooked. With sweeping orchestral elements, Slash’s unforgettable axe skills, and its symphonic power balladry, the single hit the Billboard top 3. It was also accompanied by an elaborate music video.

Guns N’ Roses mixed progressive rock, blues rock, hard rock and heavy metal to create this nine-minute-plus power ballad for Use Your Illusion II. “Estranged” also set itself apart thanks to its guitar melodies, piano solo, lack of a definitive chorus and an epic music video.

Clocking in at four-and-half-minutes long, the band wrote this track in homage to a wine called Night Train. With both Slash and Izzy Stradlin playing lead guitar, the anthemic rocker oozes such energy and rhythm that it seems destined for live play. Don’t believe us? Check it out for yourself.

Though its original and brilliant riff was conceived as a joke, “Sweet Child o’ Mine”’s chart-topping success was anything but. Featuring one of Slash’s best guitar solos, and arguably one of rock’s best guitar solos ever, the glam metal power ballad really set the stage for the band’s later work. The American chart-topper is also a pop culture staple and one of their signature tunes.

It may not have hit number one on the charts, but “Welcome to Jungle” is still number one in our hearts. With lyrics taking on life on Hollywood’s streets, Axl Rose’s trademark vocals and raw energy, killer guitars and so much more, the hard rock and heavy metal track is often cited as one of the best songs of the genre.

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