1988 Record Ranked Among ‘Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time' Contained the Band's Only No. 1 Hit

There's no question that Poison has several iconic songs that have stood the test of time. Take, for example, the sultry song "Unskinny Bop," the party anthem "Nothin' But a Good Time," and the lustful "Take Dirty to Me." Surprisingly, however, none of those tunes ever became a No. 1 hit.

The only song that topped the charts for the ‘80s glam metal band was "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," which has been widely regarded as their signature song. Written as a collaborative effort by the classic members of the group, made up of C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall, Bret Michaels, and Rikki Rockett, the power ballad appears on Poison's second studio album - and most successful - titled, Open Up and Say… Ahh!

Officially released on May 3, 1988, though some sources claim April 27th as the drop date, the full-length project followed Poison's debut LP, Look What the Cat Dragged In. Although the collection, produced by Tom Werman, wasn't the band's formal introduction to the world, Open Up and Say… Ahh! Made a big statement. So much so that retail stores like Walmart refused to sell the product due to the distasteful cover art, which was deemed inappropriate, according to UltimateClassicRock.com.

These days, that likely wouldn't be the case, but at the time, the image featured a demon-like figure with a protruding tongue. Censored versions of the album art were later released, showcasing a revised cover that hid the offensive portions of the figure's face.

And, though the album's art was once controversial, the project has gone on to become the band's biggest, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard's 200 chart. The collection also went platinum in its release year and hit 5x platinum by 1991. Additionally, Rolling Stone ranked Open Up and Say… Ahh! at the No. 26 spot on their 2019 list of ‘50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time.'

Featured songs from the album, "Nothin' But a Good Time," "Fallen Angel," and a Loggins and Messina cover of "Your Mama Don't Dance," all reached the Top 20, while "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Related: 1989 Rock Album Ranked Among ‘Greatest' of All Time Turns 37 Years Old Today

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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 9:00 PM.