Chinese Democracy "Better" was released as a promo single on November 17, 2008, followed by "Street of Dreams" in March 2009. Several days before its release, the band streamed the album on their Myspace page. It was streamed over 3 million times, breaking the Myspace record for most streamed album ever. After the album's release, Rose did not appear in public for several months and did not respond to calls from the label to promote the album. On December 12, Rose answered questions and posted statements regarding the record, former bandmates, and tour plans on several Guns N' Roses fan forums. On
Chinese Democracy band had publicly given a release date. In an interview held during the launch party for Korn's 2006 tour, Rose told "Rolling Stone": In a 2006 "Rolling Stone" article, Sebastian Bach described "Chinese Democracy" as "epic" and "mind-blowing": "It's a very cool album—it's badass with killer screams, killer guitar riffs, but it's got a totally modern sound. The word for it is 'grand.' It's fucking epic. [Axl has] reinvented himself yet again." Bach also described the album as having "the rawness and the power of "Appetite for Destruction", but it also has the grandiosity of 'November Rain'." Rose said in