Six remarkable and unforgettable debut albums from the 1980s

Guns N’ Roses - Appetite For Destruction

Let's end the list with a biggie. Another massive success commercially. This album is up at the very top end when it comes to the best-ever-selling debut albums. 

Perhaps surprisingly, Appetite For Destruction was a slow starter. Released in July 1987 it didn't have much impact initially. The band had to dig in, work hard on tours and gigs, and generate interest and airplay for early singles. But it sure did pay off in terms of the album and of course a huge success over the years. 

Guns N’ Roses have sold over 30 million copies of their debut album, it was a number one album chart hit in the US, number five in the UK, and a top ten hit in many other countries. The album introduced us to classic tracks such as “Sweet Child o’ Mine”, “Paradise City” and “Welcome to The Jungle”. Those and several others from the album all feature in their live setlist.

The whole album is a blast of rock, Axel Rose spits out the lyrics with real anger at times. Slash and Izzy Stradlin trade off riffs and solos and the rest of the band hit top form throughout. The album blazes away with its illicit tales and explicit lyrics touching on punk, glam, and some bluesy tones in there too. Whatever your view on this one, you can’t knock the huge sales and the band still gigging songs from it as signs of success.

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