Guns N’ Roses break YouTube record with November Rain video

Guns N’ Roses have broken a YouTube record thanks to their video for November Rain.

The promo was released in 1992 and featured on the album Use Your Illusion I which launched the year before.

Now it's broken through the one billion views mark – making it the first video from the 90s to reach such a landmark, according to Forbes.

They report that the epic nine-minute shoot – which portrays frontman Axl Rose marrying his then girlfriend Stephanie Seymour and sees Slash deliver the track’s memorable guitar solo outside a church in New Mexico – averaged almost 560,000 views a day throughout 2017.

Statistics show that 83% of views in 2018 come from countries outside the US, led by Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.

The next two most popular GNR videos on YouTube are Sweet Child O’ Mine which has been watched 694 million times, and Paradise City which has notched up 398 million views.

Last month, Guns N’ Roses reissued Appetite For Destruction on CD, 2CD deluxe edition, 2LP 180g vinyl, a super deluxe edition CD box set and a massive Locked N’ Loaded vinyl box set.

The band are currently on tour across Europe and will head to the Far East in November.

Guns N’ Roses remaining Not In This Lifetime 2018 tour dates

Jul 16: Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, Estonia
Jul 19: Oslo Valle Hovin, Norway
Jul 21: Gothenburg Ullevi Stadium, Sweden
Jul 24: Reykjavik Laugardalsvollur, Iceland
Nov 08: Jakarta GBK Stadium, Indonesia
Nov 11: Manila Philippine Arena, Philippines
Nov 14: Kuala Lumpur Surf beach Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia
Nov 17: Taipei Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium, Taiwan
Nov 20: Hong Kong Asia World Expo Arena, China
Nov 21: Hong Kong Asia World Expo Arena, China
Nov 25: Abu Dhabi Du Arena, UAE
Nov 29: Johannesburg FNB Stadium, South Africa

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.