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Cover of Appetite for Destruction by Guns N Roses
Cover: Appetite for Destruction

Song · Guns N Roses

“Sweet Child o' Mine” by Guns N Roses

From the album Appetite for Destruction (1987)

“Sweet Child o' Mine” by Guns N Roses appears on 136 radio countdowns from 46 stations between 1988 and 2026. It was first released in 1987 on the album Appetite for Destruction. Its best result is #1 on the 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016, and it was voted number one on three countdowns in total. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #174 alternative song of 1988 and #1,072 alternative song of all time.

136countdowns
46stations
#1best position
3#1 finishes
28top 10 finishes
1988–2026years charted

Watch

Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (Official Music Video)

Video from YouTube (GunsNRosesVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Sweet Child o' Mine" comes off Appetite for Destruction, the 1987 debut from Guns N' Roses, and it's the tender streak in a record that otherwise sounds like it was mixed in an alley. All five of them share the writing credit: Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler. Mike Clink produced and engineered it, and Michael Barbiero and Steve Thompson mixed it.

Slash's opening guitar figure winds around itself like a music-box melody played through a wall of amps, Stradlin keeps the rhythm guitar chugging underneath, and McKagan and Adler lock in behind them, with McKagan and Stradlin adding backing vocals. Rose moves from a sweet, almost wistful croon to his trademark air-raid howl, and the song builds to a storm in the last stretch.

When it came out as a single in the US in June 1988 it went all the way to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, the band's only American number one. In the UK it reached number 24 that August, and a slightly remixed reissue in May 1989 took it up to number six.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

Hard Rock & Metal

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1988 48 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1988 91

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1990 35 Z-Rock Z-Rock Top 1001 Songs of All-Time (1990) 1000
1991 780 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) 1002
1991 27 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1991) 100
1991 191 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1991) 500
1993 43 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1993) 100
1994 95 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1994) 100
1994 84 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1994) 1000
1995 31 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1995) 1000
1996 23 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1996) 1000
1997 384 102.3 WBAB WBAB Top 1,023 Rock and Roll Songs of All Time (1997) 1023
1998 73 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1998) 1000
1998 77 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1998) 100
1999 55 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1999) 998
2001 119 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 500
2002 21 K-Rock K-Rock Top 92 Party Songs of All-Time (2002) 92
2002 30 KISW KISW Top 999 of All Time (2002) 999
2004 624 92.3 KGON KGON Top 923 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2004) 923
2004 3 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 500
2005 14 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 500
2006 284 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 20 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2006) 500
2007 79 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2007) 100
2007 260 WTMD WTMD Top 897 Songs of All Time 897
2008 77 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008) 500
2008 83 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2008) 100
2009 284 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 88 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2009) 100
2009 49 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (2009) 100
2009 629 WXPN WXPN 885 Desert Island Songs (2009) 885
2010 53 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Zwaarste Lijst (2010) 70
2010 33 97.9 The Loop The Loop USO Rock 'N' Roll 500 (2010) 500
2010 98 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2010) 100
2011 18 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1100 Countdown (2011) 1100
2011 33 97.9 The Loop The Loop Rock N Roll 500 (2011) 500
2011 84 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2011) 100
2012 104 WYEP WYEP Top 500 Songs Countdown 500
2012 18 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1200 Countdown (2012) 1200
2012 90 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2012) 100
2012 65 WXPN WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) 885
2013 148 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2013) 500
2013 92 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2013) 100
2013 31 KBPI KBPI Top 200 Songs of All Time 200
2013 396 Big 100 BIG 500 Labor Day Countdown (2013) 500
2013 35 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2013) 500
2013 46 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR CT 500 (2013) 500
2013 7 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Grand Jam 1000 (2013) 1000
2014 14 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX 1K Countdown (2014) 1000
2014 95 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2014) 100
2014 12 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 400 (2014) 400
2014 175 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2014) 885
2014 55 Big 100 BIG 1000 New Year's Countdown (2014) 1000
2015 8 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Classic Rock Countdown (2015) 1007
2015 21 101 The Fox 101 The Fox Labor Day 500 (2015) 25
2015 41 102.9 The Whale 102.9 The Whale Hartford 500 (2015) 500
2015 10 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2015) 499
2015 40 I-95 I-95 Memorial Day Weekend Top 500 (2015) 500
2016 1 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016 1007
2016 5 103.5 The Fox The Fox Memorial Day 500 (2016) 299
2016 16 102.9 The Whale 102.9 The Whale Hartford 500 (2016) 500
2016 19 Qfm96 Qfm96 Memorial Day 500 (2016) 500
2017 92 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2017) 500
2017 53 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2017) 500
2017 7 97.9 The Loop 97.9 The Loop Top 540 Countdown (2017) 540
2018 63 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2018) 500
2018 18 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2018) 500
2018 194 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs 892
2019 738 WYEP WYEP Big Spring Countdown 2019 1017
2019 3 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2019) 500
2019 738 WYEP WYEP Labor Day Weekend Countdown 2019 1099
2019 4 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2019) 500
2019 55 102.5 KZOK KZOK Top 1025 of 2019 1025
2019 14 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2019) 500
2019 7 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2019) 499
2019 25 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2019) 500
2020 3 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2020) 500
2020 22 Q105.7 Q105.7 Memorial Day 500 (2020) 499
2020 12 97.1 The River River 500 (2020) 47
2020 33 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2020) 1025
2020 14 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2020) 500
2020 15 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2020) 500
2020 514 WXPN WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time 2020
2021 1 KISW KISW Top 25 Rock Songs from the '80s 25
2021 29 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909
2021 44 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2021) 500
2021 29 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2021 6 KISW KISW 25 Biggest Rock Songs From The Past 50 Years 25
2021 21 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2021) 500
2021 17 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2021) 500
2021 9 WCSX WCSX Rock & Roll 500 (2021) 499
2021 34 100.7 KSLX KSLX Arizona 500 (2021) 499
2021 9 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2021) 500
2022 6 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2022) 500
2022 20 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2022 12 97.1 The River River 500 (2022) 500
2022 11 94.1 KRNA KRNA Memorial Day 500 (2022) 500
2022 5 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2022) 1025
2022 15 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2022) 500
2022 16 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2022) 500
2022 70 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2022) 500
2022 248 KEXP KEXP Top Songs of the Last 50 Years (1972-2022) 491
2022 20 100.7 KSLX KSLX Arizona 500 (2022) 500
2022 7 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2022) 500
2023 41 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s 850
2023 37 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2023) 500
2023 82 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2023) 500
2023 293 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time 909
2023 10 101.5 WPDH WPDH Top 1015 (2023) 1015
2023 43 KSHE 95 KSHE 95 Rock N' Roll 500 (2023) 500
2023 21 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2023) 500
2023 28 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2023 10 97.1 The Drive 97.1 The Drive Memorial Day Weekend Rock N Roll 500 (2023) 500
2023 17 Qfm96 Qfm96 Memorial Day 500 (2023) 500
2023 14 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2023) 500
2024 7 KQRS KQRS KQ 500 (2024) 499
2024 7 Qfm96 Qfm96 Memorial Day 500 (2024) 498
2024 2 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2024) 500
2024 16 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2024) 400
2024 49 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2024) 500
2024 31 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2024) 499
2024 16 KSHE 95 KSHE 95 Rock N' Roll 500 (2024) 500
2024 44 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2024) 500
2024 31 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2025 1 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2025) 500
2025 10 Qfm96 Qfm96 Memorial Day 500 (2025) 498
2025 8 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2025) 400
2025 74 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2025) 500
2025 30 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2025) 500
2025 19 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2025) 500
2025 34 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2026 8 WFPK WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '80s 498
2026 9 100.7 KSLX KSLX Arizona 500 (2026) 500
2026 214 WYEP WYEP Greatest Songs of All Time 1180
2026 64 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2026) 500
2026 124 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2026) 500
2026 16 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2026) 500

Also listed as: Sweet Child O Mine; Sweet Child 0' Mine; Sweet Child O' Mine; Sweet Child of Mine; Sweet Child 'O Mine; Sweet child o' Mine.

Charting alongside it in 1988

Best songs of 1988 →
  1. 1SuedeheadMorrissey
  2. 2DesireU2
  3. 3Beds are BurningMidnight Oil
  4. 4Route 66Depeche Mode
  5. 5Peek-A-BooSiouxsie and the Banshees
  6. 6Chains of LoveErasure

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