CSPC: Guns N’ Roses Popularity Analysis
Digital Singles Sales
As a reminder, the weighting is done with a 10 to 1,5 ratio between one album and one digital single.
Appetite For Destruction (1987) – 3,102,000 equivalent albums
It’s So Easy – 400,000
Welcome To The Jungle – 5,210,000
Sweet Child O’ Mine – 8,530,000
Paradise City – 4,290,000
Nightrain– 600,000
Remaining tracks – 1,650,000
GNR Lies (1988) – 293,000 equivalent albums
Patience – 1,550,000
Remaining tracks – 400,000
Use Your Illusion I (1991) – 1,023,000 equivalent albums
Don’t Cry – 1,950,000
Live And Let Die – 700,000
November Rain – 3,720,000
Remaining tracks – 450,000
Use Your Illusion II (1991) – 873,000 equivalent albums
You Could Be Mine – 900,000
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – 2,900,000
Yesterdays – 250,000
Civil War – 950,000
Estranged – 470,000
Remaining tracks – 350,000
The Spaghetti Incident? (1993) – 96,000 equivalent albums
Ain’t It Fun – 140,000
Since I Don’t Have You – 320,000
Remaining tracks – 180,000
Chinese Democracy (2008) – 165,000 equivalent albums
Chinese Democracy – 300,000
Better – 200,000
Remaining tracks – 600,000
Orphan Album – 30,000 equivalent albums
Sympathy For The Devil – 150,000
Remaining tracks – 50,000
One wouldn’t expect much from the digital singles sector for a band that has such a tiny catalog – only 76 songs available for streaming everything considered – and had its last hit in the first half of the 90s.
This would be a huge mistake since Guns N’ Roses‘ hits are absolute monsters in the digital world. In terms of downloads, songs from their 1987 album Appetite For Destruction alone total over 20 million units sold, a terrific achievement. While this is easily their best effort, later singles are also very good sellers on downloads platforms.
The youtube stats for November Rain are just insane. 2 billion views? There are popular acts now that would kill for those kind of views. I wonder how many of them will still be getting these kind of stats in 30 years? I have always been curious though on why November Rain does even better than Sweet Child O Mine on youtube. Sweet Child was much bigger in it’s initial release and does much better than November Rain on Spotify.
I remember there being a bit of a furore about the track back in 91/92. I recall it being referred to as their Stairway to Heaven, due to it’s length, epic nature and extended guitar solo. The video was quite talked about too, which I think they spent a preposterous amount on. As to it’s Youtube popularity, maybe the actual video has it’s own popularity. While not exactly the same or on the same scale, I’d imagine a lot views for The Prodigys Smack My Bitch Up is to see the video, not so much to hear the song. Maybe… Read more »
That’s true, it’s still referred to in those terms to this day. But it’s popularity endures (just like Stairway).
There’s plenty of similar cases, Aerosmith’s Crazy being their most viewed video while it’s only their 5th most streamed song…etc., music videos aren’t just about music.
True, take The Beatles. At face value it seems crazy that Don’t Let Me Down, their 29th most popular track on Spotify, is their most viewed video/track on Youtube. IMO it’s clearly the event and the live footage of it, the legendary and iconic Apple Records roof top concert, by the band, that’s actually getting the views.
The song was featured in the Thor film. That soundtrack boost from Marvel is huge nowadays.
While I agree with you, that a song in a Marvel film helps give it a boost, November Rain has been one of the most streamed videos on YouTube for years, way prior to its inclusion in Thor.
AfD reaches 50 million EAS! What a timeless classic!