Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band emerged from the fusion of two bands, L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. The original lineup included Axl Rose as the lead vocalist, Slash on lead guitar, Izzy Stradlin on rhythm guitar, Duff McKagan on bass, and Steven Adler on drums. They signed with Geffen Records in 1986 and released their debut album, "Appetite for Destruction," in 1987. Initially, the album struggled until the success of the "Welcome to the Jungle" music video, leading it to sell over 30 million copies worldwide and become the best-selling debut album in the U.S. It featured hits such as "Paradise City" and "Sweet Child o' Mine."

Their follow-up album, "G N' R Lies" (1988), reached number two on the Billboard 200 and included hits like "Patience." In 1990, drummer Steven Adler was replaced by Matt Sorum, and keyboardist Dizzy Reed joined the band. The band released two albums in 1991, "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II," both of which were commercially successful, selling a combined 35 million copies worldwide. These albums included singles like "You Could Be Mine," "Don't Cry," and "November Rain."

Following the Use Your Illusion Tour (1991-93), the band released "The Spaghetti Incident?" in 1993. The band faced lineup changes, leaving only Axl Rose and Dizzy Reed from the original lineup by 1998. The band went through various lineup changes and eventually released "Chinese Democracy" in 2008 after a long production period. Despite its high production cost, it was the band's worst-selling studio album.

Guns N' Roses is one of the best-selling musical acts of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2016, Slash and Duff McKagan rejoined the band for the Not in This Lifetime... Tour, which became one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time. Known for their volatile performances and significant impact on the music industry, Guns N' Roses remains an iconic band in rock history.