What is your favorite GN'R album?

[Scumcat Esq.]

It's Use Your Illusion. I see it as one album, but because Estranged is on # 2 that was my choice, plus there are also enough other great songs on it to justify. UYI 1 and Appetite right up there as well, both AFD and UYI would make my top 5 "deserted island" list.

I do really like ChiDem as well though.

As much as I love the album, I wouldn't take AFD to a desert island. I wouldn't be able to endure all those sexual references.

[Mr. Dude]

Interesting that AFD, UYI (if you add I & II) and CD are split nearly evenly into thirds. I'm surprised that CD has the slight overall lead. Honestly I figured people would've voted AFD by a landslide. Nostalgia usually wins out. Also mildly surprised that Spaghetti didn't get at least at least a few votes purely on the basis of hipster irony. Positively shocked that Lies has 0 votes.

[Rovim]

Only on this forum would Chinese Democracy be neck-in-neck with Appetite for Destruction. I know it's all opinion-based, but that is a joke. Appetite is one of the greatest rock records ever.

It's not a joke. It doesn't matter what status Appetite holds. It's all about what you relate to the most on an emotional level, what you subjectively prefer or just like the sounds of.

But yeah, it's by far Gn'R's best album. A true masterpiece.

[wasted]

I only listen to CD as an album. I dip into the others, mostly UYI. But not often I find Shackler's and Scraped satisfy me for rockers. Catcher is like the new Estrnaged for me. TIL like a shorter Nov Rain. AFD is good for some binge drinking or in the summer. I enjoy the instrumentation on CD and the lyrics are kind of more interesting. Chi dem is good to crush a bud to. Like most GNR albums it has all the different moods. YCBM is always a classic and It So Easy reminds me of the first time I heard it. SCOM, Nov Rain or PC are great jukebox selections.

[Mr. Dude]

I only listen to CD as an album. I dip into the others, mostly UYI. But not often I find Shackler's and Scraped satisfy me for rockers. Catcher is like the new Estrnaged for me. TIL like a shorter Nov Rain. AFD is good for some binge drinking or in the summer. I enjoy the instrumentation on CD and the lyrics are kind of more interesting. Chi dem is good to crush a bud to. Like most GNR albums it has all the different moods. YCBM is always a classic and It So Easy reminds me of the first time I heard it. SCOM, Nov Rain or PC are great jukebox selections.

Same

I listen to CD the most, almost exclusively as a whole (perhaps in different sessions, but w/o skipping around). Depending on mood, different elements of the instrumentation become more prominent. There are songs within songs all throughout. I listen to IRS independently. I think I could do the same with CD (the song) if it not for the long intro, but the drawn out intro is essential, works to kick off the album.

UYI listen to most, I think a lot of the songs work great independently of each other. I can skip around. There are certain runs of songs I tend to on Illusion.

AFD I'll usually just listen to the first half at this point, maybe skip to RQ at the end. The first half is unbeatable. Sometimes, if I need to wake myself up, I'll hit some Jungle and Easy real quick before work.

Listen to Lies, Spaghetti still on occasion- probably Spaghetti more so now. They're both pretty fun.

Edited December 30, 2013 by Mr. Dude

[RussTCB]

Only on this forum would Chinese Democracy be neck-in-neck with Appetite for Destruction. I know it's all opinion-based, but that is a joke. Appetite is one of the greatest rock records ever.

It's not a joke. It doesn't matter what status Appetite holds. It's all about what you relate to the most on an emotional level, what you subjectively prefer or just like the sounds of.

But yeah, it's by far Gn'R's best album. A true masterpiece.

I never get shit for saying CD is my favorite GN'R album anywhere else but GN'R forums which is odd to me. I can tell anyone I meet that I like it the best and the most I'll get is someone surprised because they haven't even heard it themselves. Yet on boards filled with GN'R fans, I get to be told I cannot be serious for having that opinion.

[Coma16]

I've seen these polls on many GNR boards and CD is always in the top running. It is a fantastic album imo.

[wfuckinga]

It's in the top running because it is vastly superior to anything they have done in the past.

[DangerousCurves]

AFD

UYI II

UYI I

Lies

TSI

CD

I make myself listen to CD and there are some songs I like but none that I "feel" like I do AFD. I cannot listen to Paradise City or Night Train on anything less than top volume. WTTJ I love because the bass line is almost a song in itself. I can be in a rotten mood and any song from this album honestly makes me get out of my funk and sing along. I think it is the raw stripped down sound. CD is just too much. It feels like the songs were sort of pieced together by different individuals, at different times. AFD was very much an album that gelled. It feels like they literally sat down and wrote the whole thing altogether in one sitting.

Edited December 30, 2013 by DangerousCurves

[Coma16]

AFD

UYI II

UYI I

Lies

TSI

CD

I make myself listen to CD and there are some songs I like but none that I "feel" like I do AFD. I cannot listen to Paradise City or Night Train on anything less than top volume. WTTJ I love because the bass line is almost a song in itself. I can be in a rotten mood and any song from this album honestly makes me get out of my funk and sing along. I think it is the raw stripped down sound. CD is just too much. It feels like the songs were sort of pieced together by different individuals, at different times. AFD was very much an album that gelled. It feels like they literally sat down and wrote the while thing altogether in one sitting.

Fair enough - to each their own. When was the last time you listened to UYI II in its entirety?

[magisme]

UYIs - brilliant

AFD - brilliant

.....

Lies - half briliant

.....

TSI - nearly complete crap

CD - pretty much complete crap

[Guest NGOG]

If UYI was one record, it could have been the greatest rock album of all time.

Releasing two records, each of which had great tracks - but an enormity of standard-dropping filler - was a huge mistake.

[Cosmo]

If UYI was one record, it could have been the greatest rock album of all time.

Releasing two records, each of which had great tracks - but an enormity of standard-dropping filler - was a huge mistake.

In the end it was better for us, 'cause we got more music, and if they had released it as one single album, the comparisons with AFD would be imminent and criticism would be a sure thing. Releasing a double album right after a groundbreaking epic once-in-lifetime album is a good move.

[Guest NGOG]

In the end it was better for us, 'cause we got more music, and if they had released it as one single album, the comparisons with AFD would be imminent and criticism would be a sure thing. Releasing a double album right after a groundbreaking epic once-in-lifetime album is a good move.

I disagree. As a GNR fan I have two concerns; A being that GNR continue to release new songs. And B being that any songs released by the band preserve GNR's respectable legacy.

Even if UYI was trimmed to one record, nobody could accuse GNR of repeating a successful formula. Most of the best songs on UYI have nothing in common with Appetite. Instead of trying to make a grand statement by releasing two records - a lot of which were half-ideas - old GNR could have been known for releasing two flawless pieces (when in reality they are known for making one great record and releasing a few more great songs).

Edited December 30, 2013 by NGOG

[classicrawker]

In the end it was better for us, 'cause we got more music, and if they had released it as one single album, the comparisons with AFD would be imminent and criticism would be a sure thing. Releasing a double album right after a groundbreaking epic once-in-lifetime album is a good move.

I disagree. As a GNR fan I have two concerns; A being that GNR continue to release new songs. And B being that any songs released by the band preserve GNR's respectable legacy.

Even if UYI was trimmed to one record, nobody could accuse GNR of repeating a successful formula. Most of the best songs on UYI have nothing in common with Appetite. Instead of trying to make a grand statement by releasing two records - a lot of which were half-ideas - old GNR could have been known for releasing two flawless pieces (when in reality they are known for making one great record and releasing a few more great songs).

I agree with everything you said except that UYI had nothing in common with AFD............according to Slash they were more like AFD until Axl added all the overdubs...............would love to hear the UYI raw versions

[Guest NGOG]

In the end it was better for us, 'cause we got more music, and if they had released it as one single album, the comparisons with AFD would be imminent and criticism would be a sure thing. Releasing a double album right after a groundbreaking epic once-in-lifetime album is a good move.

I disagree. As a GNR fan I have two concerns; A being that GNR continue to release new songs. And B being that any songs released by the band preserve GNR's respectable legacy.

Even if UYI was trimmed to one record, nobody could accuse GNR of repeating a successful formula. Most of the best songs on UYI have nothing in common with Appetite. Instead of trying to make a grand statement by releasing two records - a lot of which were half-ideas - old GNR could have been known for releasing two flawless pieces (when in reality they are known for making one great record and releasing a few more great songs).

I agree with everything you said except that UYI had nothing in common with AFD............according to Slash they were more like AFD until Axl added all the overdubs...............would love to hear the UYI raw versions

But I didn't say UYI had nothing in common with Appetite. My point was that most of the best songs on those records - November Rain, Estranged, Don't Cry - dissented from the style of Appetite. Clearly songs like Civil War and You Could Be Mine were cut from the same cloth as Appetite (and were equally great).

That's why I feel instead of releasing a large mixed bag, they should have selected 12-14 songs. In doing so, they would have had a flawless record that successfully kept elements of Appetite/while allowing the band to evolve artistically.

Edited December 30, 2013 by NGOG

[shannen]

In the end it was better for us, 'cause we got more music, and if they had released it as one single album, the comparisons with AFD would be imminent and criticism would be a sure thing. Releasing a double album right after a groundbreaking epic once-in-lifetime album is a good move.

I disagree. As a GNR fan I have two concerns; A being that GNR continue to release new songs. And B being that any songs released by the band preserve GNR's respectable legacy.

Even if UYI was trimmed to one record, nobody could accuse GNR of repeating a successful formula. Most of the best songs on UYI have nothing in common with Appetite. Instead of trying to make a grand statement by releasing two records - a lot of which were half-ideas - old GNR could have been known for releasing two flawless pieces (when in reality they are known for making one great record and releasing a few more great songs).

I agree with everything you said except that UYI had nothing in common with AFD............according to Slash they were more like AFD until Axl added all the overdubs...............would love to hear the UYI raw versions

But I didn't say UYI had nothing in common with Appetite. My point was that most of the best songs on those records - November Rain, Estranged, Don't Cry - dissented from the style of Appetite. Clearly songs like Civil War and You Could Be Mine were cut from the same cloth as Appetite (and were equally great).

That's why I feel instead of releasing a large mixed bag, they should have selected 12-14 songs. In doing so, they would have had a flawless record that successfully kept elements of Appetite/while allowing the band to evolve artistically.

No. The two releases made history as well.

[DangerousCurves]

AFD

UYI II

UYI I

Lies

TSI

CD

I make myself listen to CD and there are some songs I like but none that I "feel" like I do AFD. I cannot listen to Paradise City or Night Train on anything less than top volume. WTTJ I love because the bass line is almost a song in itself. I can be in a rotten mood and any song from this album honestly makes me get out of my funk and sing along. I think it is the raw stripped down sound. CD is just too much. It feels like the songs were sort of pieced together by different individuals, at different times. AFD was very much an album that gelled. It feels like they literally sat down and wrote the while thing altogether in one sitting.

Fair enough - to each their own. When was the last time you listened to UYI II in its entirety?

Years ago. Because I never listen to My World and Coma bores me after a while. The other songs, regularly.

[Mr. Dude]

Sometimes I put My World on repeat when I'm trying to get people to leave

once the confusion turns to annoyance it'll usually clear the room by the middle of the 2nd go

if anyone's left after a few listens, i'll know I've found a true friend

Edited September 6, 2014 by Mr. Dude

[Dieter]

Use Your Illusion II
Use Your Illusion I
Appetite
Lies
Live Era '87-'93
"The Spaghetti Incident?"
Chinese Democracy