Sweet Child O' Mine — Guns N' Roses (1988)

Slash's instantly recognizable guitar intro makes Sweet Child O' Mine the definitive hard rock love song of the 1980s, with Axl Rose's soaring vocals hitting a peak range of over five octaves. The single reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and sold 7 million copies in the U.S. alone, outperforming #4 Like a Prayer in rock radio longevity. Its raw energy and emotional depth have kept it a staple on classic rock stations for 35 years.