If Chinese Democracy wasn't Chinese Democracy

[Estranged Coma]

Do y'all think Chinese democracy would have been better received by the general public and been more successful if it was given a different title. Doesn't have to be 2000 intentions (although I think that title is way better then CD)

I think if it had a "cooler" title the public would atleast have a little less of a reason to see the album as a joke and it would have moved Afew more units. I think mostly this would be the case in the US where anything at all involving the word Chinese is Fair game for a joke however stupid that is.

[Bumblefeet]

I don't know, I think what could have played a bigger part is the cover artwork. At the time I didn't find it grabbing me or being all that spectacular. The title, whatever it was going to be, was always going to get the negative connotation of the album that took over a decade to make and cost a gazillion dollars. Also it had been known for so long prior to the release, that it was kind of a given.

[combos]

"Ya'll?" Are you from the south?

I don't think it would have mattered. I think the biggest problem was timing. I don't think it would have EVER been a hit like original GNR albums, but it certainly would have done better had it released in the late 90's. That was the time to do it. I think the VMA performance doomed it.

Edited June 16, 2014 by combos

[Intercourse]

I don't know, I think what could have played a bigger part is the cover artwork.

I agree, Axl's biggest arrival in two decades and all i have to look at is a fucking bicycle...

[Estranged Coma]

"Ya'll?" Are you from the south?

I don't think it would have mattered. I think the biggest problem was timing. I don't think it would have EVER been a hit like original GNR albums, but it certainly would have done better had it released in the late 90's. That was the time to do it. I think the VMA performance doomed it.

Lol yah tx , excuse my southern draw

I forget actual people don't actually use the word "y'all" I use it so fukin much hah

Imagine it name Guns N Roses Shacklers Revenge. Shackles turns out to be axls psychotic evil alter ego furthering the mystery of Axl Rose. Seems it would be a little cooler for the kids? Idk I just feel there's nothing cool about the title Chinese Democracy and joe six pack (first time I've used this I've seen it around here and find it hilarious) wants GNR to be cool if he's gona jam out to it. Gnr were the coolest band back in the day it was kinda there thing.

Very true about the cover art, it's a fukin bike lol but with changing the tittle that would definitely not be the cover as that is a picture of somthing he saw in China right?

Edited June 16, 2014 by Estranged Coma

[Nulla Lex Ink.]

If it was "There Was a Time" it would have been ripe for parody.

"There Was a Time? Yeah, there was a time I might have bought this!"

In all seriousness, a better title might have been nice, but out of the current tracks "Chinese Democracy" really is the most title-worthy, in my opinion. If Axl had released it around 2002-ish he could have gone with "Better," because, and this is just my opinion again, I honestly do like the "newer" sound of the band over the old one, and that's saying quite a lot because I really enjoy the music of the old lineup. I know I made a joke about it, but "There Was a Time" actually would have been title track worthy. Sure, it could have a lot of negative connotations attached to it, but nobody could doubt the quality of the song. Definitely single worthy and under appreciated.

As was said before, the cover could have been much nicer. The red hand art or the grenade would have been way more enticing to the modern CD store browser. "There Was a Time" + the red hand logo, you got an attention grabbing album cover right there. I also think that the band's name should have been made more apparent. I mean, yeah, it's big, but it's on its side. In my experience, most people who browse are blind; they need things to be big and easy to read for them to notice. I realize the name is also present in the background, but really, it's pretty out of the way for someone who will most likely give the album only a passing glance.

Really though, I think it all comes down to timing. Honestly, there was a point in time when Guns N' Roses was so successful that album art/title wouldn't have made a bit of difference. They could have called the album something ridiculous like "Christ Pickle" and had a picture of a banana as the cover art, and millions of people would have still picked it up upon realizing it was Guns N' Roses. Actually, in that scenario they might have gotten several people who never would have listened to the band, but bought it because it looks and sounds so weird it has to be awesome. Anyways, if Axl had released this back in 2001/2002, then made the follow up a couple years later, and then maybe made another by 2008, Guns N' Roses would still be on top of the music world, or they wouldn't be made fun of as much. Axl could never "bury the old band," but he could have at least made this new one a known entity.

[prettytiedup88]

I don't think it would have made any difference to the reviews and its legacy if it had a different title.

I think the fact Chinese Democracy became such a myth helped it in terms of sales, i'd imagine alot of people picked it up to see what Axl had been doing for all those years.

The material on the record is divisive as has been discussed umpteen times, I highly doubt a title change wouldnt have made any difference to its reception.

[Bono]

No. The title had a built in legend to it. It was a mythical title. It's the album title people wanted. To have a built in hype machine like that would be a marketing dream for an album but alas nobody in GnR knows anything bout marketing anyways so it was a wasted opportunity. The album marketed itself for 10 years based on that name alone. Had he released an album without that title people would still be saying they want Chinese Democracy.

[wasted]

the cover looks like Let it Bleed or In Through the Outdoor kind of thing, kind of pointing to GNRs 70s roots. CD has a sort 90s vibe as a title like a RATM type song title, but it's not that obvious. the black n white photo is also kind of 90s album art cover.

[Fin]

Should've been a 8 track album;

1. Madagascar

2. Riad

3. Catcher In The Rye

4. Sorry

5. TWAT

6. If The World

7. Better

8. Prostitute

That, along with better promotion, would've taken it to the top.

[wasted]

wonder if CD II will be the Grenade cover or The Hand.

I guess a cuter 8-track album would be

Chinese Democracy

Street of Dreams

If The World

This I Love

Scraped

Sorry

Madagascar

Prostitute

probably go with fun videos for CD, ITW and This I Love

[jettesnel]

This i love and better are the two most popular song for none c.d fans and you (wasted and fin) want to remove one of them to make the album better recived by the general crowd?

[Lio]

I think the title is great and it really fits GNR. The cover not so much, though, I agree.

EDIT: I like the 14 tracks. Don't like all of the songs all of the time, but I like them all sometimes (if that makes sense). I don't see how it could have been a greater success if there were less songs there. I've never not bought an album because it had too many songs.

Edited June 16, 2014 by Lio

[Terzyo]

Should've been a 8 track album;

1. Madagascar

2. Riad

3. Catcher In The Rye

4. Sorry

5. TWAT

6. If The World

7. Better

8. Prostitute

That, along with better promotion, would've taken it to the top.

I think that this album is slowly, more and more ballads, in my opinion the album should has only 2 ballads or 3 if the album contains 10 or 11 songs.

[DR DOOM]

If a frog had wings it wouldn't bump it's ass when it hopped.

GNR fans didn't wait 14 years or however long it was to put on Chinese Democracy and hear a woe is me ballad like Madagascar.

[magisme]

Songs would have been the same, so no. But as an aside, I do remember when I was a kid and i heard that the new project was called Chinese Democracy. Even as a young one I knew that was lame as shit and didn't bode well.

[TeeJay410]

Honestly I think the album got a fair shake as is. Regardless of the name, it was a good but not great rock album. Critics said as much and the album sales say that much.

[RussTCB]

The album is what it is regardless of it's name, the bands name or the artwork.

[maynard]

CD is a pretentious mess in every aspect, from the title to the pseudo-artsy cover. Axl could have come up with a much better album if he did it the fun way. He's a rock singer from the 80s glam LA scene, he's not a musical genius or anything I'm glad he's back to his rock n' roll roots now. He'll never be good enough to be Trent Reznor or Freddie Mercury.

[Estranged Coma]

Seems as expected the forum members are not going to care about the title as much as the content but like magisme I was young when I heard about this album and it's mystery and the first thing I thought was Chinese democracy what kind of name is that for a rock album.

a little off topic but I think Chinese Democracy the song is a horrible choice for a title some and first song of the album. If you didn't know about the leaks or the other songs this is your first impression of new gnr. "It don't really matta" is not much of a badass chorus to get you excited about it. I liked the intro but that's worthless for radio and such. I don't dislike the song but sooooo many better choices for a first single, namely "better." All they played On radio were I was from was CD( the song), and all I could think of was damnit play a cooler song.

[Bumble's Bridge Pickup]

Seems as expected the forum members are not going to care about the title as much as the content but like magisme I was young when I heard about this album and it's mystery and the first thing I thought was Chinese democracy what kind of name is that for a rock album.

a little off topic but I think Chinese Democracy the song is a horrible choice for a title some and first song of the album. If you didn't know about the leaks or the other songs this is your first impression of new gnr. "It don't really matta" is not much of a badass chorus to get you excited about it. I liked the intro but that's worthless for radio and such. I don't dislike the song but sooooo many better choices for a first single, namely "better." All they played On radio were I was from was CD( the song), and all I could think of was damnit play a cooler song.

That "it don't really matta" is the verse. The chorus in CD is the "cause it would take a lot more hate than you..."

But yeah it is not exactly radio music.

I am glad it is not.

[D-GenerationX]

If a frog had wings it wouldn't bump it's ass when it hopped.

GNR fans didn't wait 14 years or however long it was to put on Chinese Democracy and hear a woe is me ballad like Madagascar.

Then they spent 14 years being greatly misinformed about their favorite singer. Axl is the king of "woe is me".

[DR DOOM]

If a frog had wings it wouldn't bump it's ass when it hopped.

GNR fans didn't wait 14 years or however long it was to put on Chinese Democracy and hear a woe is me ballad like Madagascar.

Then they spent 14 years being greatly misinformed about their favorite singer. Axl is the king of "woe is me".

Granted, but at least previously there's a few rockers before you venture into ballad territory.

[Crash Diet]

Do y'all think Chinese democracy would have been better received by the general public and been more successful if it was given a different title. Doesn't have to be 2000 intentions (although I think that title is way better then CD)

I think if it had a "cooler" title the public would atleast have a little less of a reason to see the album as a joke and it would have moved Afew more units. I think mostly this would be the case in the US where anything at all involving the word Chinese is Fair game for a joke however stupid that is.

No it's not about the title.

It's about the release date

TToo late and over produced

Axl lost the momentum in 2008

If the reocrd came out in 2000-01-02 even 2006, that would be much better

[Estranged Coma]

Well I think for once the old one (2000 intentions) was better then the new one (Chinese) but only this once!