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There is a really great book called Bang Your Head, which details the history of the American metal/ hard rock scene from the 1960's until today.
GnR came from the same LA Rock scene that produced other 80's "hair bands" such as Motley Crue, Poison, and others. All of these metal and rock bands played the same club circut in LA.
I would assume that each bands "sound" and "image" would eventually depend on when they were signed to big time record deals and who produced them and wrote their music. A lot of record companies were just looking for a "hair band" to sign because the sound was so popular, so a lot of crap was produced and thrown on the radio. So you got some bands that were legitimately good rock bands (GnR), and some that kind of sucked (a LOT of the others).
GnR members wrote most of their own music, and obviously also "lived the life", which led to the bands eventual demise. Even at the time they were seen as the future of rock music, and more like a real rock band (they toured with Aerosmith and Metallica) than a trendy hair band. But as hair bands became less trendy, bands like REM, Alice in Chains, and of course Nirvana bagan to rise in popularity. GnR could never get their act together, and as they were battling it out amongst themselves the whole music scene started to change.
Thought I grew up more during the Nirvana years than the GnR years (my mother wasn't really into Appetite For Destruction when I was in elementary school), GnR has since become one of my favorite bands. I wish they had stayed together!
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