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39 Years Ago, Guns N’ Roses Released an Album That Was Almost Completely Ignored Before Setting a Longstanding Sales Record
On 21 July 1987, Guns N' Roses released their debut album Appetite for Destruction, which initially struggled commercially as radio stations and MTV largely overlooked the band's raw image and lyrics. After Geffen Records executive Al Coury persuaded MTV to air the "Welcome to the Jungle" video, viewer demand surged, driving radio airplay and transforming the album's fortunes more than a year after its release.
The album eventually topped the Billboard 200 for five non-consecutive weeks from August 1988 and went on to sell 18 million copies, earning 18x Platinum certification by September 2008. This made it the best-selling debut album in American history, a record it held until 1994's Cracked Rear View by Hootie & the Blowfish overtook it in May 2018 with 21x Platinum sales.
In short
- Appetite for Destruction flopped initially before MTV airplay sparked its success.
- Album topped Billboard 200 over a year after release, sold 18 million copies.
- Held best-selling US debut album record until Hootie & the Blowfish in 2018.
Explained simply
Appetite for Destruction was the debut album released by the American rock band Guns N' Roses in July 1987. Upon release, major music outlets largely overlooked the album, as radio stations and MTV were unconvinced by the band's raw sound and explicit lyrics.
The album's fortunes changed over a year later when MTV decided to air the 'Welcome to the Jungle' music video. The video proved unexpectedly popular with viewers, which sparked significant radio airplay and dramatically altered the album's commercial prospects.
The album eventually achieved massive sales, becoming the best-selling debut album in American history. This marked a remarkable turnaround from its initial commercial struggles.