Guns N’ Roses have set a new chart record, reaching rarified air as one of their albums is among eight all-time that has reached 700 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. Even more surprising is that it’s not Appetite for Destruction.
The album that hit the mark was actually their Greatest Hits compilation. And also in a rare bit of chart history, it hit the 700 week mark on the exact same week that Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans did as well.
About Guns N’ Roses’ Greatest Hits
The Guns N’ Roses’ Greatest Hits compilation arrived on March 23, 2004. It came during a period in which the band had remained silent for new musical releases as they continued to work toward the oft-delayed Chinese Democracy album. Axl Rose had actually sought to block Geffen from releasing the collection due to a dispute over the track listing.
READ MORE: The 20 Biggest Selling Hard Rock + Metal Albums in the U.S.
With minimal promotion, the hits collection actually debuted at No. 3 in the U.S. and topped the U.K. Albums Chart. The album has been certified five times platinum in the U.S.
Who Else Has Made 700 Weeks on the Billboard 200 Album Chart?
The list of albums actually hitting 700 weeks on the chart is pretty full of rock and metal releases. Joining GN’R and Mars are Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Journey’s Greatest Hits, Metallica’s self-titled “Black” album and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits, as well as Bob Marley and the Wailers’ Legend and Eminem’s Curtain Call: The Hits.
One Other Guns N’ Roses Record
It’s a great week for Guns N’ Roses in the numbers department. Earlier this week, the group added a fourth song to Spotify’s “Billion Plays” club. That would be “November Rain.” It’s the first Use Your Illusion track to hit the mark after the Appetite for Destruction songs “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City” all surpassed a billion plays on Spotify in recent years.
The 85 Rock + Metal Songs With Over One Billion Spotify Streams
Recapping the rock and metal songs that have eclipsed one billion streams on Spotify.
NOT INCLUDED: The definition of rock is incredibly broad today and, in this list, we’ve elected not to include pop/rock acts such as Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5, Twenty One Pilots, 5 Seconds of Summer, Coldplay, Goo Goo Dolls, Gym Class Heroes and Train.
Gallery Credit: Joe DiVita