Sweet Child o' Mine

"Sweet Child o' Mine"
Single by Guns N' Roses
from the album Appetite for Destruction
B-side
  • "It's So Easy" (live) (US)
  • "Out ta Get Me" (UK)
ReleasedJune 21, 1988 (1988-06-21)
Recorded1987
Genre
Length
  • 5:55 (album version)
4:58 (video version)
LabelGeffen
Songwriter(s)Guns N' Roses
Producer(s)Mike Clink
Guns N' Roses singles chronology
"Welcome to the Jungle"
(1987)		 "Sweet Child o' Mine"
(1988)		 "Paradise City"
(1989)
Music videos
"Sweet Child o' Mine" on YouTube
"Sweet Child o' Mine" (Alt.) on YouTube

"Sweet Child o' Mine" is a song by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. It appears as the ninth track on their debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction (1987). The song was released as its third single in June 1988. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remains the band's only US number-one single. It also went to number 6 in the United Kingdom, number 5 in New Zealand, number 4 in Ireland, number 11 in Austria and Australia, number 20 in the Netherlands, number 23 in Finland, and number 7 in Canada. The song received a Grammy Award in 2000.

Formats and track listings

All tracks are written by Guns N' Roses except where noted.

US 7-inch vinyl (27963-7)
No.TitleLength
1."Sweet Child o' Mine" (LP version)5:55
2."It's So Easy" (live at The Marquee Club June 28, 1987) 
UK 1988 7-inch vinyl (GEF 43)
No.TitleLength
1."Sweet Child o' Mine" (remix/edit)3:57[4]
2."Out Ta Get Me" (LP version)4:20
Total length:8:17
UK 1988 10-inch and 12-inch vinyl (GEF 43TE; GEF 43T)
No.TitleLength
1."Sweet Child o' Mine" (LP version)5:55
2."Out Ta Get Me" (LP version)4:20
3."Rocket Queen" (LP version) 
UK 1989 7-inch vinyl (GEF 55)
No.TitleLength
1."Sweet Child o' Mine" (remix/edit)3:57[4]
2."Out Ta Get Me" (LP version)4:20
UK 1989 12-inch vinyl and 3-inch CD (GEF 55T; GEF 55CD)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sweet Child o' Mine" (LP version) 5:55
2."Move to the City" (LP version)Guns N' Roses, Del James, Chris Weber3:47
3."Whole Lotta Rosie" (live AC/DC cover)Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Bon Scott4:34
4."It's So Easy" (live)Guns N' Roses, West Arkeen3:51

Personnel

  • W. Axl Rose – lead vocals
  • Slash – lead guitar
  • Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Duff "Rose" McKagan – bass, backing vocals
  • Steven Adler – drums

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Sweet Child o' Mine"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[38] 8× Platinum 560,000double-dagger
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[39] Diamond 250,000double-dagger
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[40] 2× Platinum 120,000double-dagger
Germany (BVMI)[41] Platinum 600,000double-dagger
Italy (FIMI)[42]
sales since 2009 		3× Platinum 150,000double-dagger
New Zealand (RMNZ)[43] 8× Platinum 240,000double-dagger
Portugal (AFP)[44] 5× Platinum 50,000double-dagger
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[45] 4× Platinum 240,000double-dagger
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] 5× Platinum 3,000,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[47]
Physical 		Gold 500,000^
United States (RIAA)[48]
Digital 		Gold 3,126,000[49]
United States (RIAA)[50]
Mastertone 		Platinum 1,000,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
double-daggersales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States June 3, 1988
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • cassette
[47]
United Kingdom August 8, 1988
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
 Geffen [51]
United Kingdom (remix) May 22, 1989
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [52]
June 12, 1989 7-inch vinyl (special packaging) [53]

References

  1. ↑ Multiple sources:
    • Clarke, Donald; Cackett, Alan; Balmer, Paul (1998). The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Penguin Books. p. 530. ISBN 978-0-14-051370-7.
    • Huey, Steve. "Sweet Child O' Mine – Guns N' Roses | Song Info". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    • Wake, Matt (April 8, 2021). "A piece of Guns N' Roses history sells for $80,000". AL.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  2. ↑ Multiple sources:
  3. ↑ Multiple sources:
  4. 1 2 Actual length is 4:19
  5. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O' Mine". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O' Mine" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O' Mine" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8543." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 25. June 24, 1989. p. V. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  10. ↑ Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin: levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. Otava Publishing Company Ltd, 2003. ISBN 951-1-21053-X
  11. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Guns N' Roses". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 39, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O' Mine" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O' Mine". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O' Mine". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O' Mine". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Guns N Roses Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Guns N Roses Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  20. ↑ "U.S. Cash Box Charts" (PDF). popmusichistory. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O' Mine" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Guns N Roses Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O' Mine". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Top 200 Singles Semana 24 de 2025" (PDF) (in European Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. p. 9. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Billboard Japan Download Songs – Week of February 4, 2026". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  28. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  29. ↑ "Top 100 Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. December 24, 1988. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 1, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  30. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1988". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  31. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Billboardtop100of.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  32. ↑ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  33. ↑ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2024". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  36. ↑ "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2025 – Del 1 de Enero al 30 de Noviembre de 2025 – Argentina – Anglo – Tocadas – Top 100" [Monitor Latino Annual Chart 2025 – From 1 January to 30 November 2025 – Argentina – English – Plays – Top 100] (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. December 1, 2025. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  37. ↑ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2025". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  38. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  39. ↑ "Brazilian single certifications – Guns N' Roses" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  40. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child o' Mine". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  41. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Guns N' Roses; 'Sweet Child o' Mine')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  42. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child o' Mine" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  43. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child o' Mine". Radioscope. Retrieved September 23, 2025. Type Sweet Child o' Mine in the "Search:" field.
  44. ↑ "Portuguese single certifications – Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child o' Mine" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  45. ↑ "Spanish single certifications – Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child o' Mine". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  46. ↑ "British single certifications – Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child o' Mine". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  47. 1 2 "American single certifications – Guns N Roses – Sweet Child". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  48. ↑ "American single certifications – Guns N Roses – Sweet Child". Recording Industry Association of America.
  49. ↑ Grein, Paul (February 19, 2014). "Chart Watch: 'Dark Horse' Holds Off 'Happy'". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  50. ↑ "American single certifications – Guns N Roses – Sweet Child". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  51. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week. August 6, 1988. p. 37.
  52. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week. May 20, 1989. p. 31.
  53. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week. June 10, 1989. p. 33.
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