Guns N’ Roses

Guns N' Roses formed in Los Angeles in March 1985, when Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin and Tracii Guns joined forces with players from L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose, the two bands whose names they merged. The classic line-up settled that June: Rose, Slash, Stradlin, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler. Their sound is hard rock with a glam metal edge, and it took them from local club favourites to one of the best-selling acts around, with estimated sales of over 100 million records.

Appetite for Destruction (1987) is the one to start with. It produced "Welcome to the Jungle", "Paradise City" and their only number one, "Sweet Child o' Mine". The twin Use Your Illusion albums followed in 1991, along with the "November Rain" video. After years of upheaval, Chinese Democracy arrived in 2008. Slash and McKagan returned in 2016 for a huge reunion tour, and new singles have followed since 2021.