AC/DC is an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish born siblings Angus and Malcolm Young. The band emerged during the third wave of Australian rock and they blended the roughness of pub rock with an intense, streamlined, hard hitting sound and a commanding stage presence. They are often categorized as hard rock, heavy metal or blues rock. AC/DC, however, have always maintained that they simply play “rock and roll.”
By far the most noticeable aspect of the band during its early formative years were the constant lineup shifts. Originally the lineup consisted of Angus on lead guitar, Malcolm on rhythm guitar, Colin Burgess on drums, Larry Van Kreidit on bass and Dave Evans on vocals. The band’s first single, “Can I Sit Next to You, Girl,” released in 1974, had Evans as the vocalist. However the Youngs’ vision for the band conflicted with Evans’ glam rock image, and so he was replaced by Bon Scott later that year. Scott’s raspy voice and rebellious attitude became hallmarks of AC/DC’s identity.
With producers Harry Vanda and George Young, AC/DC released their first two albums—High Voltage and T.N.T. – exclusively in Australasia in 1975. Bon Scott’s irreverent swagger added distinct character, and while the albums laid the foundation for their sound—loud, rhythmic, and defiant lyrics, along with swaggering guitar riffs—the band vividly shone his humor. Scott’s swaggering irony and wild lyrics added unmistakable flair. The compilation album, High Voltage released in ‘76 further introduced AC/DC to international audiences.
Let There Be Rock and Powerage released in ‘77 and ‘78 respectively further deepened their global perspective. However, it was Highway to Hell’s release in ‘79 that skyrocketed them to super-stardom. Tragically, Bon Scott passed away just months after the album’s release due to acute alcohol poisoning in early 1980.
Shifting gears, the group brought on British singer Brian Johnson instead of disbanding. His and the groups first collaboration, Back in Black, was released in ‘80 and quickly became one of the most successful albums in history. A tribute to Scott, the album remains one of the best-selling albums of all time, with over 50 million copies sold worldwide. AC/DC’s first album to top the Billboard 200, For Those About to Rock was released in ‘81.
The opening years of 1980, nuances like mixed reception concerning albums like Flick of the Switch (1983) and Fly on the Wall (1985) introduced issues like succession changes. Regardless of these transformations, they were able to maintain a loyal clientele and even carry out tours. In contrast, Phil Rudd the drummer left due to personal problems in 1984, but made a return in 1994.
AC/DC revived with The Razors Edge in 1990 which saw the rise of the commercially successful song “Thunderstruck.” Throughout the 90s and 2000s, the band released several albums such as Ballbreaker: 1995 and Stiff Upper Lip in 2000. During this period, the band conducted international tours.
In the year of 2008, AC/DC released Black Ice which climbed to number one in 29 countries. This marked the band’s greatest success in years, earning the band immense publicity. During the following decade, there were drastic changes. In 2014, Malcolm Young retired due to dementia and later died in 2017. He was replaced by his nephew Stevie Young. Along with the changed lineup came new issues; Axl Rose temporarily took over as lead singer during the Rock or Bust tour after Brian Johnson was forced to retire due to hearing loss, and Cliff Williams quit. Drummer Rudd dealt with legal issues, and the band entered a hiatus.
The Rock or Bust lineup reunited in 2020 and released ‘Power Up’, an album dedicated to Malcolm that received critical acclaim. In 2024, AC/DC commenced the Power Up Tour, introducing new live band members Matt Laug (drums) and Chris Chaney (bass), demonstrating their boundless energy and universal appeal.
For more than five decades now, AC/DC has remained an integral part of the rock music scene. Their signature driving riffs, bold, defiant lyrics, and thunderous beats mark them as rock icons. Through various tragedies and personnel changes, they remain one of the world’s most treasured and bestselling bands.
Top Songs
- “Highway to Hell”
- “Back in Black”
- “You Shook Me All Night Long”
- “Thunderstruck”
- “T.N.T.”
- “Hells Bells”
- “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”
- “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)”
- “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)”
- “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution”
Discography (Studio Albums)
- High Voltage (1975 – Australasia)
- T.N.T. (1975 – Australasia)
- High Voltage (1976 – International)
- Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976)
- Let There Be Rock (1977)
- Powerage (1978)
- Highway to Hell (1979)
- Back in Black (1980)
- For Those About to Rock (1981)
- Flick of the Switch (1983)
- Fly on the Wall (1985)
- Blow Up Your Video (1988)
- The Razors Edge (1990)
- Ballbreaker (1995)
- Stiff Upper Lip (2000)
- Black Ice (2008)
- Rock or Bust (2014)
- Power Up (2020)
Top Albums
- Back in Black (1980) – 27× Platinum (US)
- Highway to Hell (1979)
- Power Up (2020)
- Black Ice (2008)
- The Razors Edge (1990)
- Let There Be Rock (1977)
Awards
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2003)
- ARIA Hall of Fame (1988)
- APRA Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Service to Australian Music (2003)
- Numerous platinum certifications worldwide (including 27× Platinum for Back in Black in the US)
- Ranked #4 on VH1’s Greatest Hard Rock Artists
- “ACDC Lane” named in Melbourne in their honor
Ac/Dc Singles List
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Can I Sit Next to You, Girl | High Voltage (AUS) |
| 1975 | Baby, Please Don’t Go | High Voltage (AUS) |
| 1975 | High Voltage | T.N.T. (AUS) |
| 1975 | T.N.T. | T.N.T. (AUS) |
| 1976 | It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) | T.N.T. (AUS) |
| 1976 | Jailbreak | Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap |
| 1976 | Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap | Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap |
| 1977 | Let There Be Rock | Let There Be Rock |
| 1978 | Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation | Powerage |
| 1978 | Sin City | Powerage |
| 1979 | Highway to Hell | Highway to Hell |
| 1979 | Touch Too Much | Highway to Hell |
| 1980 | You Shook Me All Night Long | Back in Black |
| 1980 | Hells Bells | Back in Black |
| 1981 | Back in Black | Back in Black |
| 1981 | For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) | For Those About to Rock |
| 1983 | Guns for Hire | Flick of the Switch |
| 1985 | Shake Your Foundations | Fly on the Wall |
| 1986 | Who Made Who | Who Made Who |
| 1988 | Heatseeker | Blow Up Your Video |
| 1988 | That’s the Way I Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll | Blow Up Your Video |
| 1990 | Thunderstruck | The Razors Edge |
| 1990 | Moneytalks | The Razors Edge |
| 1991 | Are You Ready | The Razors Edge |
| 1993 | Big Gun | Last Action Hero OST |
| 1995 | Hard as a Rock | Ballbreaker |
| 1996 | Hail Caesar | Ballbreaker |
| 2000 | Stiff Upper Lip | Stiff Upper Lip |
| 2000 | Satellite Blues | Stiff Upper Lip |
| 2000 | Safe in New York City | Stiff Upper Lip |
| 2008 | Rock ‘n’ Roll Train | Black Ice |
| 2008 | Big Jack | Black Ice |
| 2010 | Shoot to Thrill | Iron Man 2 Soundtrack |
| 2014 | Play Ball | Rock or Bust |
| 2014 | Rock or Bust | Rock or Bust |
| 2020 | Shot in the Dark | Power Up |
| 2021 | Realize | Power Up |