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The 20 Most Memorable Songs of 1991

So much remarkable music was released in 1991 that it's difficult to choose just 20 memorable songs without a few omissions.

                                      
Music
    
        Exquisite Corpse: Guns N' Roses' 'Use Your Illusion I and II'
    
Sean McCarthy

        18 Jun 2020
    
Music
    
        Is Slash Living the Dream?
    
Jesse Kavadlo

        02 Oct 2018
    
Music
    
        Guns N' Roses Are Locked and Loaded for 'Not in This Lifetime'
    
Sachyn Mital

        24 Oct 2017

Recent

Music

Guns N' Roses Knock It Out of the Park in San Francisco

The success of this tour is testament to the timeless power of these classic songs and the unique musical chemistry that coalesces when Axl, Slash and Duff share the stage.

Music

Guns N' Roses Crush Coachella to Reclaim Rock Crown

There’s a rejuvenating energy which can overcome the soul and truly make one feel 25 years younger. And then there’s the tunes. GNR wrote great songs and they continue to resonate with a timeless quality.

Books

A Comic Book Look at Guns N' Roses Wild Ride Through the Perils of Rock 'n' Roll Decadence

With Axl, Slash and Duff at least now set to reunite for the 2016 Coachella Festival and a rumored summer tour, Reckless Life comes at a great time to revisit the band’s colorful history.

Music

Darryl Holter: Radio Songs: Woody Guthrie in Los Angeles 1937-1939

By making a record to remind us about Woody Guthrie's tenure on Los Angeles radio, Holter is also reminding us of California’s unique legacy of promises unfulfilled.

Comics

The High Art of Disownership in 'Death Sentence: London'

Death Sentence: London is quite possibly the most important work of 2015.

Music

Sleazed to Meet You, Don't Forget My Name

Sometimes, no matter how detrimental to well-being, we indulge in things we know are very wrong. Welcome to hair metal. Don't forget to wash your hands after.

Music

Generation X Wants Its MTV, But It’s a VEVO World Now

Gen X’ers may still want their MTV, but the version they loved is as distant a memory as Valley Girl speak, parachute pants, and leg warmers. Wake up and smell the VEVO.

Film

An Open Letter to Tom Cruise: How to Make a Movie Rock

Dear Tom Cruise: We know you are hurting from the failure of Rock of Ages. However, if you learn the lessons from the best rock-themed movies, you can still make a rock film for the ages.

Music

Slash: Apocalyptic Love

The guitarist's second solo album is, not surprisingly, exactly what you'd expect. And exactly what you asked for.

Reviews

Comics' Rebel Yeller: 'The Story of Rock n Roll Comics'

Despite featuring artwork which looked like it came from the back of a metal head’s study hall notebook, Todd Loren's comics were a success.

Music

In Defense of Axl Rose Skipping the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Fans chanted obscenities and writers murdered him in print, but the contentious lead singer's actions may have been the most responsible thing he's ever done.

Music

I Heard You Missed Us (Says Van Halen and Many, Many Others) -- We're Back!

The David Lee Roth-fronted Van Halen returns after a 28-year absence. Who else has made fans wait that long? Quite a few, it turns out.

Reviews

Guns N’ Roses: 11 December 2011 – Broomfield, CO

I have no idea who the guys now supporting Axl are, but on old G n' R classics, Axl was in prime form.

Music

Counterbalance No. 60: Guns N’ Roses’ 'Appetite for Destruction'

You know where you are? You’re in Counterbalance, baby! And Guns N’ Roses 1987 debut is the 60th most acclaimed album of all time -- take that one to heart!

Books

'It's So Easy (and Other Lies)' by Duff McKagan: Welcome to the Jungle, Indeed

Duff McKagan tells his survival story well, with crisp, intelligent writing that never dumbs anything down and cleverly intertwines chapters about his early life with those detailing the ascent of Guns N' Roses.

Music

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or Shame?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently announced its 15 nominees for its 2012 induction class. Once again, that means the blogosphere is abuzz with complaints about the Hall's irrelevancy. Are they legitimate?

Music

Id N’ Ego Killed the Pop Metal Star... and the Alternative Rocker, Too

Grunge didn't kill pop metal, it merely succeeded it as the genre of choice as part of a logical progression. To understand the emergence of alt-rock, we need to examine why the tide turned against a wave of music that had once been so popular.

Music

Duff McKagan's Loaded: The Taking

The Taking is a perfectly respectable riff and hook delivery system, created by a man who knows his way around hard rock.

Music

Slipped Discs 2008

Music

Guns N' Roses: Chinese Democracy

No album, ever, is worth a 17-year wait. With that said, though, Chinese Democracy at least tries to match the impossibly lofty expectations it has going for it.

Evan Sawdey

Music

The Church of Axl

Has a strange history of creative battles, multiple delays, and avoiding the spotlight meant that Axl Rose and Chinese Democracy are doomed to be a punchline? One fan explains why he's been keeping the faith.

Brent Jensen

Reviews

Guns N Roses: DVD Collectors Box [DVD]

There are legions of hardcore G N' R fans roaming the world today, still ranting and raving about arguably the biggest and best contemporary rock band.

Reviews

Guns N’ Roses

It’s been a long, painful process that has taken more than a decade to complete, but I can finally admit it: I was a Guns N’ Roses fan.

Nick Gunn

Reviews

Guns N' Roses

G'N'F'N'R, baby. Here we F'N go.

Ryan S. Henriquez

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Guns N' Roses

Jon Garrett

Features

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of December 2020

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So much remarkable music was released in 1991 that it's difficult to choose just 20 memorable songs without a few omissions.

The success of this tour is testament to the timeless power of these classic songs and the unique musical chemistry that coalesces when Axl, Slash and Duff share the stage.

There’s a rejuvenating energy which can overcome the soul and truly make one feel 25 years younger. And then there’s the tunes. GNR wrote great songs and they continue to resonate with a timeless quality.

With Axl, Slash and Duff at least now set to reunite for the 2016 Coachella Festival and a rumored summer tour, Reckless Life comes at a great time to revisit the band’s colorful history.

By making a record to remind us about Woody Guthrie's tenure on Los Angeles radio, Holter is also reminding us of California’s unique legacy of promises unfulfilled.

This early '90s juggernaut of a double album is a 150 minute long prophecy foretelling the end of the last great rock band.

Death Sentence: London is quite possibly the most important work of 2015.

Sometimes, no matter how detrimental to well-being, we indulge in things we know are very wrong. Welcome to hair metal. Don't forget to wash your hands after.

Gen X’ers may still want their MTV, but the version they loved is as distant a memory as Valley Girl speak, parachute pants, and leg warmers. Wake up and smell the VEVO.

Dear Tom Cruise: We know you are hurting from the failure of Rock of Ages. However, if you learn the lessons from the best rock-themed movies, you can still make a rock film for the ages.

The guitarist's second solo album is, not surprisingly, exactly what you'd expect. And exactly what you asked for.

Despite featuring artwork which looked like it came from the back of a metal head’s study hall notebook, Todd Loren's comics were a success.

Fans chanted obscenities and writers murdered him in print, but the contentious lead singer's actions may have been the most responsible thing he's ever done.

The David Lee Roth-fronted Van Halen returns after a 28-year absence. Who else has made fans wait that long? Quite a few, it turns out.

I have no idea who the guys now supporting Axl are, but on old G n' R classics, Axl was in prime form.

You know where you are? You’re in Counterbalance, baby! And Guns N’ Roses 1987 debut is the 60th most acclaimed album of all time -- take that one to heart!

Duff McKagan tells his survival story well, with crisp, intelligent writing that never dumbs anything down and cleverly intertwines chapters about his early life with those detailing the ascent of Guns N' Roses.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently announced its 15 nominees for its 2012 induction class. Once again, that means the blogosphere is abuzz with complaints about the Hall's irrelevancy. Are they legitimate?

Grunge didn't kill pop metal, it merely succeeded it as the genre of choice as part of a logical progression. To understand the emergence of alt-rock, we need to examine why the tide turned against a wave of music that had once been so popular.

The Taking is a perfectly respectable riff and hook delivery system, created by a man who knows his way around hard rock.

No album, ever, is worth a 17-year wait. With that said, though, Chinese Democracy at least tries to match the impossibly lofty expectations it has going for it.

Has a strange history of creative battles, multiple delays, and avoiding the spotlight meant that Axl Rose and Chinese Democracy are doomed to be a punchline? One fan explains why he's been keeping the faith.

There are legions of hardcore G N' R fans roaming the world today, still ranting and raving about arguably the biggest and best contemporary rock band.

It’s been a long, painful process that has taken more than a decade to complete, but I can finally admit it: I was a Guns N’ Roses fan.

G'N'F'N'R, baby. Here we F'N go.