LOS ANGELES - Guns N' Roses is spreading democracy to the world and Dr Pepper is handing out free soft drinks in the United States as a result.
The protracted wait for "Chinese Democracy" is over, as all 14 tracks of the long-anticipated album began streaming on MySpace.com sometime Thursday.
The CD goes on sale Sunday.
Recording began in 1994, when Guns N' Roses was a sure-selling, solid hard-rock band fronted by singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash. On the new album, Rose is backed by an entirely new band.
After myriad delays and false starts, Geffen Records announced in October that the album would be released Nov. 23. Some tracks leaked online in 2002 and two were released earlier this year. One was in the "Rock Band 2" video game and another in the film "Body of Lies."
Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of "Chinese Democracy" is a reality.
The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. "
"We never thought this day would come," Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper's vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But now that it's here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."
Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's website. They'll be honoured until Feb. 28 in the United States.
Dr Pepper is owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.
