It is exactly 40 years since the release of AC/DC’s album “Back In Black” (25th July 1980).
An album that arose from the untimely death of Bon Scott, with a new lead singer, that went on to become their most successful album ever. I know it’s an album that many have, but I didn’t realise how big it was – I read somewhere that it sold approx 50 million copies worldwide (with 25 million in the US alone) and as such has even outsold such behemoths as Dark Side Of The Moon and Rumours (which surprised me as you always here about those and Thriller being the biggest ever sellers).
Probably never bettered by the band (and some would say endlessly recycled by them). The riff from the title track must be one of the best and most recognisable out there.
So, thoughts on Back In Black, favourite AC/DC etc etc…….
Chrisf says
And btw, they have just posted their 2009 Live At River Plate concert on YouTube……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfSWQtCpEFk&t=23s
Mrbellows says
I love this version of Back in black.
Alias says
A barrage of latin percussion and P-Funk nods at the end. Possibly the last things you would expect in an AC/DC cover. That was great.
Mrbellows says
It’s so thin sounding,what’s afforded us.
Bargepole says
Certainly the best of the Johnson era albums, subsequent ones being increasingly prone to having a handful of good tracks and a lot of ‘this’ll do’ filler. For me though, their best albums can be found in the Bon days, Powerage and Highway To Hell.
Rigid Digit says
Back In Black is a stonking album. Johnson era Accadacca never really hit those same heights again.
There is a conspiracy theory that says many demos were already recorded and the bulk of the lyrics were lifted from Bon Scott’s notebook.
Gatz says
There are even YouTube clips which claim to be Bon singing a rough version of at least one of the songs. If he did have some input it might explain why the Johnson AC/DC never came close to these heights again, and that peak itself is way behind the best of the Bon era.
Highway to Hell, and in particular the single Touch to Much, was my gateway drug for the sort of music which was my first great love. And then he went and died. I only saw them once, on the For Those About to Rock tour at the soulless NEC, and excited though I was to be there I can’t say it was a great gig.
I’ll look out the River Plate show above, which I’ve seen before and remember looking like the biggest and best party you could ever go to, and I guess that as the studio albums became pedestrian they put their all into entertaining many tens of thousands of people a night at the live show.
DanP says
One of my favourite rock quotes. Joe Elliot from Def Leppard about Back in Black:
“It’s sonically correct”.
Arch Stanton says
I believe it was on course to become the biggest selling album of all time, then Jackson went and died adding another few million of sales of Thriller.
Locust says
I own an unhealthy amount of AC/DC albums. Powerage is my all time favourite, but a late album that I’d actually rank as my third favourite is Stiff Upper Lip, which is just a ton of fun. And no, Back in Black isn’t in my Top Three…but it’s a good album (the silver spot, if you wonder, is of course taken by High Voltage).
Pie Chart says
The least misunderstood band of all time? They are exactly what people who don’t like them think they are, except in one regard – they swing (when Phil Rudd is on the drum stool).
gogsmunro says
First live band I ever saw. Leith Theatre, 12th June 1976. Cost me 50p. World changed.