Guns N' Roses' 'Chinese Democracy' released after 15 years

November 23, 2008

Chinese Democracy, the new album from hard rockers Guns N' Roses, has been released today, hitting store shelves in the United States and Canada after fifteen years. Many felt it would never happen, with several release dates passing and Dr Pepper making good on a promise of a free can to every US citizen if the album came out this year.

Actually, Dr Pepper isn't giving quite everyone a free can. Former band members Slash and Buckethead are excluded from the promotion.

Kevin Cogill pleaded not guilty to charges of copyright infringement in October after leaking nine tracks from the album onto his website, Antiquiet. He could be jailed for three years, or longer if he made money by putting the songs online.

Not everywhere is going to see the album, though - topically enough, China has banned the record.