Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band originally formed in 1985 by members of Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns. After signing with Geffen Records in 1986, the band released its debut album Appetite for Destruction in 1987. All songs on the album were credited as written by the full band, composed of vocalist Axl Rose, guitarists Slash and Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler, while "It's So Easy" was co-written by West Arkeen and "Anything Goes" was co-written by Chris Weber, formerly of Hollywood Rose. The following year saw the release of the band's second album G N' R Lies, made up of all four tracks from 1986's Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide EP and four acoustic-based tracks.
Following a period of touring, in 1990 Guns N' Roses replaced Adler with Matt Sorum, and keyboardist Dizzy Reed was added to the lineup. On September 17, 1991, the band released its third and fourth studio albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. The songs on the albums were credited to their individual songwriters rather than the band as a whole, with Rose, Stradlin and Slash contributing to the majority of tracks. Other band members besides Rose performed lead vocals on a number of tracks, and the albums also featured a range of guest musicians including Shannon Hoon, Michael Monroe, and Alice Cooper. Stradlin later left the band and was replaced by Gilby Clarke.
In 1993 the band released "The Spaghetti Incident?", an album of cover versions and the band's first release to feature Clarke. Among others, the album featured recordings of "Raw Power" by The Stooges, "Since I Don't Have You" by The Skyliners and a medley of "Buick Mackane" and "Big Dumb Sex" by T. Rex and Soundgarden, respectively. The following year, Clarke was replaced with Paul Tobias and the band released a cover of The Rolling Stones song "Sympathy for the Devil" for the soundtrack to the film Interview with the Vampire. This would prove to be the final involvement for long-term band members Slash, McKagan, and Sorum, who would later leave at various points over the next few years.
In the years after the release of "The Spaghetti Incident?", Guns N' Roses went through a number of lineup changes during the recording of the long-awaited Chinese Democracy. In 1999, the song "Oh My God" – the band's first original recording since the Use Your Illusion albums – was released on the soundtrack for End of Days, featuring Dave Navarro and Gary Sunshine on guitar. Chinese Democracy was eventually released, after a number of delays, on November 23, 2008, over 17 years after the release of Use Your Illusion I and II. The album featured contributions from most of the members the band had featured between 1994 and 2008, including vocalist Rose, bassisst Tommy Stinson, guitarists Buckethead, Robin Finck, Richard Fortus and Tobias, drummers Brain and Frank Ferrer, and keyboardists Reed and Chris Pitman, with a number of these performers having co-written songs on the album. Slash and McKagan rejoined the band in 2016 (alongside new member Melissa Reese, replacing Pitman), and a remastered box set of Appetite for Destruction was released in 2018, preceded by the lead single "Shadow of Your Love". From 2021, the band started releasing re-workings of Chinese-era songs, with "Absurd" and "Hard Skool" coming out that year, and "Perhaps" and "The General" in 2023. "Nothin'" and "Atlas" followed in December 2025.
Songs
+Key Indicates song released as a single§ Indicates song released as a promotional single
0–9ABCDEGHIKLMNOPRSTUWY
SongCredited writer(s)ReleaseYearRef.NotesVideo"14 Years"§W. Axl RoseIzzy StradlinUse Your Illusion II1991"Absurd" W. Axl RoseDarren ReedSaul HudsonDuff McKaganHard Skool2021"Ain't It Fun" Eugene O'ConnorPeter Laughner"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"Ain't Going Down"Guns N' RosesChris WeberGuns N' Roses Pinball1994"Anything Goes"Guns N' RosesChris WeberAppetite for Destruction1987"Atlas" Guns N' Roses"Nothin'" / "Atlas"2025"Attitude"Glenn Danzig"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"Back Off Bitch"W. Axl RosePaul TobiasUse Your Illusion I1991"Bad Apples"W. Axl RoseIzzy StradlinSaul HudsonDuff McKaganUse Your Illusion I1991"Bad Obsession"Izzy StradlinAaron ArkeenUse Your Illusion I1991"Better"§W. Axl RoseRobert FinckChinese Democracy2008"Black Leather"Steve JonesPaul Cook"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"Breakdown"W. Axl RoseUse Your Illusion II1991"Buick Makane (Big Dumb Sex)"Marc BolanChris Cornell"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"Catcher in the Rye"W. Axl RoseRobert FinckDarren ReedPaul TobiasTommy StinsonChinese Democracy2008"Chinese Democracy" W. Axl RoseRobert FinckPaul TobiasTommy StinsonDarren ReedJosh FreeseCaram CostanzoEric CaudieuxChinese Democracy2008"Civil War"W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonDuff McKaganNobody's Child: Romanian Angel AppealUse Your Illusion II19901991"Coma"W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonUse Your Illusion I1991"Dead Horse"§W. Axl RoseUse Your Illusion I1991"Don't Cry" W. Axl RoseIzzy StradlinUse Your Illusion IUse Your Illusion II19911991"Don't Damn Me"W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonDave LankUse Your Illusion I1991"Double Talkin' Jive"Izzy StradlinUse Your Illusion I1991"Down on the Farm"Charlie HarperAlvin GibbsNicholas Garrett"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"Dust N' Bones"Saul HudsonDuff McKaganIzzy StradlinUse Your Illusion I1991"Estranged" W. Axl RoseUse Your Illusion II1991"Garden of Eden"§W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonUse Your Illusion I1991"Get in the Ring"W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonDuff McKaganUse Your Illusion II1991"Hair of the Dog"§William McCatterfyManny CharltonPeter AgnewDarrell Sweet"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"Hard Skool" W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonDuff McKaganRobert FinckJosh FreeseTommy StinsonPaul TobiasHard Skool2021"Heartbreak Hotel"Mae Boren AxtonThomas DurdenElvis Presley Appetite for Destruction Super Deluxe edition2018"Human Being"David JohansenJohn Genzale"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"I Don't Care About You"Lee James Jude"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"I.R.S."W. Axl RoseDarren ReedPaul TobiasChinese Democracy2008"If the World"W. Axl RoseChris PitmanChinese Democracy2008"It's Alright"Bill WardLive Era '87–'931999"It's So Easy" Guns N' RosesAaron ArkeenAppetite for Destruction1987"Jumpin' Jack Flash"Jagger-RichardsBill WymanAppetite for Destruction Super Deluxe edition2018"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" Bob DylanDays Of Thunder Use Your Illusion II1990 1991"Live and Let Die" Paul McCartneyLinda McCartneyUse Your Illusion I1991"Locomotive (Complicity)"W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonUse Your Illusion II1991"Look at Your Game, Girl"Charles Manson"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"Madagascar"W. Axl RoseChris Pitman Martin Luther King Jr.Chinese Democracy2008"Mama Kin"Steven TylerLive ?!*@ Like a Suicide1986"Move to the City"§Guns N' RosesChris WeberLive ?!*@ Like a SuicideAppetite for Destruction Super Deluxe edition19862018 "Mr. Brownstone"Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction1987"My Michelle"§Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction1987"My World"W. Axl RoseUse Your Illusion II1991"New Rose"§Brian James"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"New Work Tune"Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction Super Deluxe edition2018"Nice Boys"Gary AndersonMick CocksPeter WellsGordon LeachDallas RoyallLive ?!*@ Like a Suicide1986"Nightrain" Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction1987"Nothin'" Guns N' Roses"Nothin'" / "Atlas"2025 "November Rain" §W. Axl RoseUse Your Illusion IAppetite for Destruction Super Deluxe edition19912018"Oh My God"§W. Axl RoseDarren ReedPaul TobiasTommy StinsonJosh FreeseSean RiggsEnd of Days1999"One in a Million"Guns N' RosesG N' R Lies1988"Out ta Get Me"Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction1987"Paradise City" Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction1987"Patience" Guns N' RosesG N' R Lies1988"Perfect Crime"W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonIzzy StradlinUse Your Illusion I1991"Perhaps" Guns N' Roses2023"The Plague"Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction Super Deluxe edition2018"Pretty Tied Up (The Perils of Rock n' Roll Decadence)"§Izzy StradlinUse Your Illusion II1991"Prostitute"W. Axl RosePaul TobiasRobert FinckChinese Democracy2008"Raw Power"Iggy PopJames Williamson"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"Reckless Life"Guns N' RosesChris WeberLive ?!*@ Like a Suicide1986"Riad N' the Bedouins"W. Axl RoseTommy StinsonRobert FinckDarren ReedPaul TobiasChinese Democracy2008"Right Next Door to Hell"W. Axl RoseIzzy StradlinTimo CaltiaUse Your Illusion I1991"Rocket Queen"Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction1987"Scraped"W. Axl RoseBrian CarollCaram CostanzoChinese Democracy2008"Shadow of Your Love"W. Axl RoseIzzy StradlinPaul TobiasIt's So Easy/Mr. BrownstoneGuns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction Super Deluxe edition198719882018"Shackler's Revenge"W. Axl RoseBrian CarollRobert FinckBryan MantiaCaram CostanzoPete ScaturroChinese Democracy2008"Shotgun Blues"W. Axl RoseUse Your Illusion II1991"Since I Don't Have You" Joseph RockJames BeaumontJohn TaylorJanet VogelJoseph VerscharenWalter Lester"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"So Fine"§Duff McKaganUse Your Illusion II1991"Sorry"W. Axl RoseBrian CarollBryan MantiaPete ScaturroChinese Democracy2008"Street of Dreams"§W. Axl RoseTommy StinsonDarren ReedRobert FinckPaul TobiasChinese Democracy2008"Sweet Child o' Mine" Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction1987"Sympathy for the Devil" Jagger-RichardsInterview with the Vampire1994"The Garden"W. Axl RoseAaron ArkeenDel JamesUse Your Illusion I1991"The General"W. Axl RoseSaul HudsonDuff McKaganBrainSteve FreemanMarc Haggard2023"There Was a Time"W. Axl RosePaul TobiasDarren ReedTommy StinsonChinese Democracy2008"Think About You"Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction1987"This I Love"W. Axl RoseChinese Democracy2008"Used to Love Her"Guns N' RosesG N' R Lies1988"Welcome to the Jungle" §Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction1987"Yesterdays" W. Axl RoseAaron ArkeenDel JamesBilly McCloudUse Your Illusion II1991"You Ain't the First"Izzy StradlinUse Your Illusion I1991"You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory"John Genzale"The Spaghetti Incident?"1993"You Could Be Mine" W. Axl RoseIzzy StradlinUse Your Illusion II1991"You're Crazy"Guns N' RosesAppetite for DestructionG N' R Lies19871988
Unreleased songs Appetite for Destruction sessions "Bring It Down Home" (leaked) "Cornshucker" (recorded during the Sound City Studio Sessions produced by Manny Charlton, as well as the GNR Lies sessions, leaked) "It Tastes Good, Don't It" "Just Another Sunday" (leaked) "Too Much Too Fast" (leaked) "Sentimental Movie" (leaked)
Use Your Illusion sessions "A Beer And A Cigarette" (Hanoi Rocks cover, potential use on "The Spaghetti Incident?") "Bring It Down Home" "Crash Diet" (co-written with West Arkeen, Danny Clarke and Del James, leaked, Recorded by Asphalt Ballet for their second album Pigs (1993) and by Wildside on their 2004 The Wasted Years LP.) "Down on the Street" (The Stooges cover, potential use on "The Spaghetti Incident?") "It Tastes Good, Don't It" "Just Another Sunday" "Too Much Too Fast" "Untitled" (played during the Making of Estranged video, later reworked as "Back and Forth Again" on It's Five O'Clock Somewhere by Slash's Snakepit.)
Chinese Democracy sessions
In 2019, 19 discs of demos and rough mixes from the Chinese Democracy sessions were leaked online after a fan purchased a storage locker (believed to belong to label rep Tom Zutaut) that contained them. Many previously unknown song titles were revealed from the discs, although the titles may be working titles.
"As It Began" (instrumental leaked in 2019) "Better Gone" (a remix of "Better" by Brain, leaked in 2013) "Billionaire" (instrumental leaked in 2019) "Blood in the Water" (a remix of "Prostitute" by Brain, leaked in 2013) "Circus Maximus" (instrumental leaked in 2019) "Curly Shuffle" (instrumental leaked in 2019) "D Tune" (instrumental leaked in 2019) "Devious Bastard" (instrumental leaked in 2019) "Down by the Ocean" (co-written by Izzy Stradlin) "Dub Suplex" (instrumental leaked in 2019) "Dummy" (instrumental leaked in 2019) "Eye On You" (leaked in 2019)