Chinese Democracy track in the beginning, but then, when it kicked in, it was that same dramatic Guns N' Roses hard rock." In mid-2003, Guns N' Roses reportedly started rerecording the album again. An editor from antiMUSIC said Rose told him in June 2003 that "he wants to make sure it is a perfect as possible before it is released". In 2004, Stinson said "Chinese Democracy" was "almost done" and had been delayed by "legal issues" and because Rose wanted to ensure every band member had a say in each song: "It's a lengthy process because you have to get eight people
Chinese Democracy writing for "The Observer", accused Rose of "cribbing" from the industrial rock of Nine Inch Nails. "The New York Times" described "Chinese Democracy" as "a transitional album". Rock biographer Stephen Davis was more vitriolic and named "Chinese Democracy" "the worst album ever". The album was nominated for the Juno Award for International Album of the Year in 2009, losing to Coldplay's "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends". The song "If the World" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 13th Satellite Awards, losing to "Another Way to Die" by Jack White and Alicia Keys. Slash reacted