Could a reunited GnR have a hit song?

[Tom2112]

Any band at any time could have a hit song. The songwriting team of Axl and Slash is proven, so there's no reason why it's not possible. They won't be writing anything that is gonna challenge the hits though, regardless of quality the hits hold too much nostalgia for fans for any new song to be given the same respect. When I say fans, that's a generalisation, of course there are fans that will quite happily rate new stuff up against old stuff.

For the final part "would the song last" well, it depends entirely on the song being good / great... if it's a really good song people will request it on radio and the band would keep it on their set lists making it a classic of sorts. Agreed most bands new albums don't seem to have much impact, first few months out of the gate, great! after that there's a huge dip.

Edited September 26, 2015 by Tom2112

[BreakDown2014]

If they did another SCOM, a song in that kind of direction, maybe.... but I agree it's very unlikely

[Tom2112]

It's possible they could have a hit song but rare when a reunited band does have one (or any band that has members in their 50s and 60s). That's even asking a lot from pop artists over 30.

Look at take that, arguably bigger than when they first started. split when they were huge and came back later on with a slew of hugely successful albums and a lot of "classic" songs for their set. It is rare though, the majority don't manage it.

Guns could easily have a huge rock radio hit, and they would make some waves on pop radio but the market for rock on radio is small even for the biggest bands.

[Tom2112]

If it sounded like old GNR, no. Hard rock songs aren't hits.

Unless you're one of those idiots who thinks the rock charts matter.

But if it sounded like NewGNR or it sounded like a hip-hop song from GNR?

yeah, that would be a maaaajor hit

That's not what I said, you fucking idiot.

If GNR reunited and by some force of nature, actually released new music, chances are it'd sound like old GNR, and there's no chance it'd be a hit.

The ONLY chance of a hit would be if they rerecorded SCOM with some new gimmick to make people want to hear it again. Like a collaboration with Fergie or something.

That's not true, there is a chance they could have a hit. Look at it this way, the people that grew up with Guns are now one of the few markets still buying music, it's quite conceivable that if they saw a reunited Guns album or heard a new song that they would support it in the name of nostalgia and their fading youth.

Entirely possible, but I still would't be putting bets on it happening. I think a great rock song can get air time, now do they have a truly great rock song in them? we'd have to have to wait and see. Judging by the last Slash release or even CD I think there could be some exciting rock songs but not worldwide hit singles.

[Gackt]

Probably not, radios will continue to just play the classics

[bacardimayne]

If it sounded like old GNR, no. Hard rock songs aren't hits.

Unless you're one of those idiots who thinks the rock charts matter.

But if it sounded like NewGNR or it sounded like a hip-hop song from GNR?

yeah, that would be a maaaajor hit

That's not what I said, you fucking idiot.

If GNR reunited and by some force of nature, actually released new music, chances are it'd sound like old GNR, and there's no chance it'd be a hit.

The ONLY chance of a hit would be if they rerecorded SCOM with some new gimmick to make people want to hear it again. Like a collaboration with Fergie or something.

That's not true, there is a chance they could have a hit. Look at it this way, the people that grew up with Guns are now one of the few markets still buying music, it's quite conceivable that if they saw a reunited Guns album or heard a new song that they would support it in the name of nostalgia and their fading youth.

Entirely possible, but I still would't be putting bets on it happening. I think a great rock song can get air time, now do they have a truly great rock song in them? we'd have to have to wait and see. Judging by the last Slash release or even CD I think there could be some exciting rock songs but not worldwide hit singles.

So how about all of the people who listened to Aerosmith, Crüe and other bands from that time period? Why aren't they making their recent music into hits?

Because they're a small, irrelevant section of the world.

[Free Bird]

To create a song as successful as Slither or Fall To Peaces is not unrealistic, IMO.

Of course it's all speculative but I think they can come up with something great. It won't be as successful as something of their hayday, nor as successful as something from Taylor Swift for example, but I believe it would be in the same league as Sabbath or ACDC.

Edit: Still I don't believe they'll reunite.

Edited September 26, 2015 by Free Bird

[maynard]

Actually I think they could. Not like pop artists but within the rock genre. The hype is just too big. People involved are charismatic, interesting... The ingredients are there.

They all would have to step up a bit though. Slash's music sounds bland and his tone is far from perfect. Axl needs to use his raspy voice. If the song is good, it can become a hit. Maybe hiring a producer with a more modern approach?

Never gonna happen though. Axl won't reunite. He prefers to stick to his solo project which he calls gnr.

[Tom2112]

If it sounded like old GNR, no. Hard rock songs aren't hits.

Unless you're one of those idiots who thinks the rock charts matter.

But if it sounded like NewGNR or it sounded like a hip-hop song from GNR?

yeah, that would be a maaaajor hit

That's not what I said, you fucking idiot.

If GNR reunited and by some force of nature, actually released new music, chances are it'd sound like old GNR, and there's no chance it'd be a hit.

The ONLY chance of a hit would be if they rerecorded SCOM with some new gimmick to make people want to hear it again. Like a collaboration with Fergie or something.

That's not true, there is a chance they could have a hit. Look at it this way, the people that grew up with Guns are now one of the few markets still buying music, it's quite conceivable that if they saw a reunited Guns album or heard a new song that they would support it in the name of nostalgia and their fading youth.

Entirely possible, but I still would't be putting bets on it happening. I think a great rock song can get air time, now do they have a truly great rock song in them? we'd have to have to wait and see. Judging by the last Slash release or even CD I think there could be some exciting rock songs but not worldwide hit singles.

So how about all of the people who listened to Aerosmith, Crüe and other bands from that time period? Why aren't they making their recent music into hits?

Because they're a small, irrelevant section of the world.

Crue, Aerosmith are both making average albums... also, both of those guys did the whole comeback thing and had huge success with radio (not worldwide radio) as well as huge tours. Also! and most importantly both of those bands are not GnR, Aerosmith can still shift a lot of tickets but people are not that excited by them, guns have been away since 1996 for most people (most people in denial ).

Are Aerosmith fans getting the records they want to hear? I think the larger percentage of Aerosmith fans just want an all out rock record and no more soppy ballads, crue haven't released a solid or even good album in years.

Maybe I'm overselling the potential run a reunited GnR could have, but I'm just going off all the interest that they generate every time it's talked about. The only other band that gets this type of build is Zeppelin.

[bacardimayne]

I mean, I'm not denying that the reunion would be a big deal - in rock - but the single isn't going to be a mainstream hit, and it's not going to get played on classic rock radio in 15 years.

[Dean]

I reckon their best shot at having a single make any noise on the charts would be for the band to re-record one of the songs that Axl created during the Chinese Democracy sessions. You'd have a song written by a 37 year old man who had a lot to write and sing about, along with being at his peak vocally in a studio setting.

If they were to ditch all other ideas, I honestly can't imagine the material that would be released by guys that are all over 50 sounding too appealing, especially going by past reunion albums etc. I hope I'm wrong on both accounts, as I really would like to hear all of the Chinese Democracy era in their original form with no additions from Bumblefoot and definitely not Ashba.

[dalsh327]

GNR in 85-88 turned goat piss into gasoline.

[Modano09]

Is it that hard to write a hit song these days? Nickelback manage to do it.

[-W.A.R-]

Is it that hard to write a hit song these days? Nickelback manage to do it.

which is the damnedest thing because nobody claims to like them

[Stress Fracture]

They'll have a hit in the UK if they reunite. SCOM will be straight back in the top 40 the moment a tour is announced.

[Iron MikeyJ]

If they did a song that hits just as hard as Jungle or YCBM, in that type of vein, I could see that being a huge rock hit by today's standards. What I mean by that is it would be played all over rock radio, and possibly in bars and what not. But it would never be a crossover hit like SCOM, those days are long gone.

So it's really a question of how you define "hit." yes I could see them have a huge rock radio hit, but no pop radio hits.

[Billsfan]

i wonder if slash played on cd would people still be calling it shit..

They wouldn't

[Free Bird]

i wonder if slash played on cd would people still be calling it shit..

They wouldn't

They would

[Apollo]

i wonder if slash played on cd would people still be calling it shit..

They wouldn't

How can you speak for hundreds of thousands of people that you don't know?

[rudolf1978]

For SURE 100% if Axl is singing like 2010.

And let me tell you that "in the other forum" since many years all those Reunion Rumours were deleted.

It can be confirmed that something is on the way to happen,no topics deleted about reunion.

[Brunzopolis]

Seems unlikely to me.

Ignoring the changes in the business/marketing side for a moment, people's tastes are too divergent today. Nothing is truly a "hit", i.e. universally known by the average person.

It's like, the kind of music a person likes, is dependent on music they've heard previously. As you hear more music, your preferences change and develop.

Speaking in generalities: It used to be that most people were all mostly on the same "level"; we (mostly) all shared the same background and context. When something slightly fresh/new (but not too much so!), and decent, came along, we all liked it. But now, because we are no longer bound by financial limitations, and are free to explore with the internet, we no longer share a common musical 'backstory'. So nothing really takes hold on a mass level.

But, I still think too, that there's like this void of the truly remarkable, and if a song came along on the same level of the biggest hit songs from the 1955-1995 period, that song would be a hit. And since Axl and Slash had a hand in some of those, it's not impossible that they could do it again.

The, what I see personally, as a "void", is I think related to the divergent tastes stuff, but I don't know how, exactly.

[DR DOOM]

Maybe if Axl and Slash got trendy haircuts and maybe did some stuff that is cool with the kids (sampling, rapping, autotuned vocals) then I'm sure they could still have a #1 hit.

Slash could play his race card and be a gangster ghetto futhermucker, he might also be cooler if he didn't play that guitar.

Otherwise, no way- completely impossible that they could have a hit song.

[wasted]

Welcome to the Jungle ft. NWA.

[Billsfan]

i wonder if slash played on cd would people still be calling it shit..

They wouldn't

How can you speak for hundreds of thousands of people that you don't know?

GNR had three talented lead guitarists. Bucket and Robin, Bumble as well. Bucket by far was the most talented and without question can hold Slash's jockstrap. A lot of people judged the record because Axl is the only original member and frankly because Slash wasn't on it. Jimmy page could have played on it and people would still hate that he wasn't slash. That's common knowledge.. Some people may not like the music and that's fine but many judged it biastly for that reason.

[trev]

Only if DJ Ashba writes it.