Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Obviously, they were popular in the late 80s and early 90s, but would you call them an 80s band or a 90s band? Van Halen's first two albums came out in the late 70s, and they released three studio albums in the 90s, yet people call them an 80s band. In terms of hits, GN'R actually had more top-40 singles '91+ which coincides with alternative rock's heyday.

Also, how you answer this question might depend on whether you are from the US, South America, or Europe.

80's band, though it was the late 80's.  They were formed in 85.  Though they were around in the 90's, they fit the mold better with bands from the 70's.  But they are and 80's band because of their nostalgia.

Yeah..That's a tough one...
I'd like to call them an 80's band, because AFD was the brightest part of their popularity, when Axl was still sain. Their style changed in the 90's as his ideals and way of life changed, along with the band members...

They were at the peak of their fame 91-93 but if you asked most people in the street they would probably say '80s'. I got into them early 90s and GN'R toured here quite late (Jan 93) so I consider them early 90s for me.

'80s band. No one thinks GN'R when they think of the 90's.

And when people think "November Rain" no one thinks 80s.

More people think SCOM.. not NR..

Im just saying.. most people I talk to think of GN'R as an '80s band.

Good question. To me they are absolutely 80s. They made a ton of money in the 90s, but the music wasn't as good and their reputation really sagged. From 1987-1989, the only significant criticism was about Axl being a racist and Slash and Duff swearing on TV. Nobody criticized the music. In the 90s their albums and their live shows were in question. They were bloated in both arenas. I know a lot of people here love the UYI era, but that means absolutely nothing in the clear eyed historical perspective. 80s, 80s, 80s. In the best possible sense.

No question about it, 80's.

That's kind of a knee-jerk answer, but when one thinks about it, it's harder to respond.

TSI came out at the end of '93 and debuted at #4 on the charts and sold 4 million copies world-wide. At the end of '93, where were Poison, Billy Idol, and David Lee Roth?

To me they don't strike me an an "80s" band.

When I think 80s, I think:

Miami Vice
Pac Man
Bon Jovi
DLR

When I think early 90s I think:

Guns N' Roses
In Living Color
Beavis and Butthead
Pearl Jam/Nirvana/Singles movie

ah, so GN'R are a band of the late 80s/early 90s.

Late 80s- Leather, AFD, headbanger.
Early 90s- Art, Elton John, Dolphins

Not for me, even though GNR had success during the early part of the 90's that time historically strikes a different chord for me musically.

The youngsters here obviously don't remember watching the air leak out of the GNR balloon between 1989 and 1991. UYI finally came, sold a bunch of records, and they made a boatload of money. But it was all based on the inertia of the Appetite era. So were they still a huge band when UYI came out? Were people paying attention. Yes, absolutely. Were they electric and untouchable they way they were between 87-89? No way. Not even close. It's foolish to mention those other 80s acts, because that's exactly what GNR and Appetite destroyed. They actually opened the door for Metallica's black album and, later, Nirvana and the entire alternative movement. That was the work of the 80s GNR. 90s GNR didn't influence anything, except as a model of something not to be.

I would say 80's, they fitted better there.

They are in a waY Bouth! But i`d like to say a 90s band!

From what I remember from grade school, I feel like GNR's popularity as a band crystallized in the 1990s, but like Johnnyblood said, it was based on the inertia of AFD.  However, I'd like to think that GNR is really difficult to classify as either an 80's or a 90's band, since their music didn't really fit well into either era.  They definitely were not the "hair metal" bands popular in the 1980s, nor were they much like the popular music of the 1990s (alternative music, for example).  Their style fit most closely with '70's-era rock, but it's really hard to boil GNR down into any particular era. 

  "87 - 93" 

That's the time GNR was succesful... the same time between two decades.  So it doesnt really matter if they call them an 80 or 90 band.

Agree 100 percent.

GNR is the band of the new millenium ;D :rofl:

I disagree its a band from the late 70's    ???  ???  ???   ???  :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

now i have four perceptions of  GNR

    1.a sleazy,hairy,rough,hard,no-nonsense,dirrrrty,in the gutter,one of a kind,fukin raw 80s hair metal band.

    2.less rough but just as hard,crowd pleasin(when they turned up),un-predictable,changing,bad ass early 90s alternative rock band.

    3.lost,un identified,mystirius,BIG changing,late 90s rock band.


    4.a cool,not so rough,up to date,still got the carisma,gonna blow all the other shit out the water,major un-predictable,21st century industrial and melodic rock band.

so when i think of GNR i mainly think of 1,2,3 and 4.that means there an ADAPTABLE LATE 20TH CENTURY ROCK BAND.if that makes any sense.

Yes they do. "The Filthiest Band Of The 90's"  :hihi:

For me GN'R are an 80's band because I heard AFD when it came out in 87 and that's when I was hooked.Sure I liked the 90's GN'R,but the music changed and so did the band members,I don't consider TSI a good GN'R album,so for me it doesn't really count. :beer:

I'd say they are the bridge of late 80's to early 90's rock music.  Appetite is timeless anyway.

Whats great about Guns is they transcend all that. Appetite and Lies are timeless, if anything they are very 70's rock in influence.

But if I was to pick 80's or 90's Id go with 80's. That's when the formed and peaked.

Love the 80s. I like to see Guns as an 80's band with Appetite and Lies under their belt. Rockin'  :smoking:

in America, 80's, because AFD was more successfull than the Use Your Illusions there.
in the rest of the World, 90's, because the Use Your Illusions were much more successfull than AFD in the rest of the world.
in Europe, when people think about Guns N' Roses, they think about November Rain or Don't Cry or Knocking On Heaven's Door in their majority. In Europe, a lot of people associate GN'R to Nirvana or Metallica. Guns N' Roses- Nirvana -Metallica were the Top 3 bands in the early 90's here.
People don't have the same tastes in America than in the rest of the world. For exemple Oasis were HUGE in Europe, Oasis even beat beat Michael Jackson record sales here especially in the UK, while they were not successfull in the USA. And bands like Van Hallen or Motley Crue were huge in America while very very few people even know who the hell they are in Europe. VH or Motley Crue are barely "unknown" artists in Europe, or they have a very bad reputation of complete has-been 80's hair metal artists with their multicolor hair and flash fluo collagene and all that circus.

I would think GNR is a rock band that its sound was innovative and groundbreaking in their days, what era they fit more? I dont know but their music is and will be timeless and you can hear it and say that freaking music is one of the best.  :peace:

well put.  :yes:
And like alex420gnr said, hopefully GNR will be the band from the mid 2000's onward as well.

You`re so right! Here in my country, when someone talks about Guns n`Roses, all the people say that is the band who sung November Rain and KOHD. Gnr were really huge in the UYI era here in Europe!

I think these opinions are probably based on how old each of you are!!  Did you grow up more so in the 80's or the 90's?  Myself, more so in the 80's, so I tend to say they were more of an 80's band for me.  By the 90's I was a little more settled in my life, with getting married and having children, basically saying a little less time for partying and music.  Not that they were not still my fav.

Well...I was only 2 when AFD came out. As I was younger, I used yo associate GnR with Don't Cry and November Rain, because that's what I saw on tv. Yet, may favourite album is AFD and I believe they're an 80's band...
It's not about age, it's about education

Either-I think they are getting less of the 80's tag as time goes on-Motley Crue still seems stuck with it, but I also think Bon Jovi kind of shed it because of the success they still had in the 90's and beyond-GNR was had much success in the 90's even with always trying to overcome AFD

Now I think that it doesnt really matter if they are an 80's or 90's...

I say 80's band since they are mostly known for afd.. ALso the fact that the 80's could be said it lasted until 91