I’m not sure how many copies of this new album will sell. I also do not know where it it will end up on the charts, but this album is already a hit with me. The new album landed on Best Buy store shelves yesterday and it has also been made available by the group on MySpace, where it is said to have broken records there for number of listeners.

To be honest, I’m not even a Guns N’ Roses fan and I don’t have any of their albums. However, any album that attracts negative comments from the oppressive Communist government of China deserves accolades in my book.

With news of the release of Chinese Democracy, the government of China apparently felt the need to respond.

An article in a government-controlled publication called the Global Times used the headline: “American band releases album venomously attacking China.” It then went on to say that, “unidentified Chinese Internet users had described the album as part of a plot by some in the West to grasp and control the world using democracy as a pawn.”

I think I know which Chinese internet users they are talking about. The ones with the drab-looking green uniforms and the matching caps with the red star on them. You know, like the ones driving the tanks in this picture.

It’s not surprising to hear an oppressive government like the one on China talk about democracy that way. It’s not a word that’s particularly popular with the leaders in that part of the world since it threatens their power and control of the citizenry.

The good news is that there are probably many Chinese citizens who will get to hear Chinese Democracy since file sharing and pirating of DVD disks and music CDs is quite popular in that country.

Although sharing music by way of file sharing networks and copying of CDs can be a touchy subject, I’d be curious to hear what the guys that recorded the album think of that activity where China is concerned.

It’s doubtful that the government would ever allow an album entitled Chinese Democracy be distributed in that country, so I’d have to say that I’m in favor of Chinese rock fans getting their hands on this album by any means available. It seems unlikely that it will be taking any money from the pockets of the artists or the music industry in this case.

Gee, do you think this post will be enough to get my site blocked by the famed “Great Firewall of China?” I’d have to say I would consider it an honor.