Chinese Democracy a "toe-tapper". Early Guns N' Roses guitarist Tracii Guns said he thought it was "over-indulgent, sterile and not that exciting". "Chinese Democracy"'s protracted recording process attracted extensive media coverage. According to "Spin", a cottage industry grew around covering its development; "the only way the record could have lived up to its legend would have been to never come out at all". Five years after its release, "Grantland" journalist Steven Hyden wrote: "For years, it was widely assumed "Chinese Democracy" would never come out; in retrospect, the delay is all anybody cares about ... As music, "Chinese Democracy" is merely the
Chinese Democracy studios. Though Geffen planned to release "Chinese Democracy" in 1999, it was delayed and completely re-recorded in 2000. With costs reportedly exceeding $13 million, it became the most expensive rock album ever produced, and Geffen pulled their funding in 2005. After missing an announced March 2007 release date, it was finally released in November 2008, dogged by online leaks and legal disputes. Preceded by the title track as a lead single, "Chinese Democracy" debuted at number three on the "Billboard" 200, and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); however, it did not meet sales expectations