By: Brooke Johnpier
This week’s topic (AC/DC) was requested by Kevin Borden.
In November 1973, two brothers (Angus and Malcom Young) formed a band in Sydney, Australia, called AC/DC, which is an abbreviation for alternating current/direct current. The idea for the name came from their sister Margaret’s sewing machine which had AC/DC on the side of it. The Young brothers chose the name because they felt as though it showed the band’s raw energy.
A year later, Bon Scott, who was a fellow Scottish-born, joined the band. During the course of ‘74 and ‘75, AC/DC would release two albums, High Voltage and T.N.T., but they were only released in Australia.
In 1976, AC/DC signed a record deal with Atlantic Records, and would release their first international album, High Voltage. The album contained songs from both of the Australian albums and contained quite a few hits: “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)”, “The Jack”, “High Voltage”, and “T.N.T.” My personal favorite from this album is “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
A few months after the release of High Voltage, AC/DC released their second international album, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Personally, I think the entire album is a masterpiece and that every song is great. But the most-known songs on the album are the title track, and “Problem Child.” The album would peak at number 3 on the Billboard 200 charts.
A year later, AC/DC’s third international album, Let There Be Rock, was released. The album included “Problem Child” again, as well as one of the most covered songs of all time “Whole Lotta Rosie.” Even though the album didn’t do well on the Billboard 200 (154), it has sold over 2 million copies since its initial release.
A year after Let There Be Rock, Powerage was released. To be honest, I don’t know any of the songs on this album, nor have I heard them. It landed on the Billboard 200 though, at 133. In 1979, their “fire” would come back.
July 27, 1979, saw the release of Highway to Hell, which would unfortunately be the last album with Bon Scott on vocals. The album did Scott good though, by having a total of five hits including the title track, “Girls Got Rhythm”, “Touch Too Much”, “Shot Down in Flames”, and “If You Want Blood (You Got It).” The album landed number 17 on the Billboard 200.
At the dawn of the decade, Back in Black was released with Brian Johnson as the new lead singer. The name was in honor of Scott’s passing. This is another one of those albums that I believe to be perfect. Obviously, the people of the United States do as well because the album has never left the Billboard 200 chart ever since it was unleashed to the world.
Keeping true to their album every year mantra, For Those About to Rock We Salute You was released in 1981. Once again a perfect album (in my opinion), it was AC/DC’s first album to hit number one on the Billboard 200.
Breaking the chain of an album a year, Flick of the Switch was released in 1983. Once again, I don’t know a single song on this album. But obviously other people did, as it hit number 15 on the Billboard 200, and has sold over a million copies.
From 1985-1990, AC/DC released three albums (Fly on the Wall, Blow Up Your Video, and The Razors Edge). Ballbreaker was released in 1995, and at the turn of the century Stiff Upper Lip was released. The title track of the latter is one of my favorite AC/DC songs of all time.
Eight years later, the world saw the release of Black Ice, which would be AC/DC’s 15th studio album. Again, I believe this to be a perfect work. The world did too as it topped every single country’s chart at number one. The band’s following album’s (Rock or Bust and Power Up) would do the same.
AC/DC is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most successful rock bands out there. Releasing a total of 17 albums (so far), you never know what is to come next with them, and it’s safe to say they made it to the top. Unfortunately, rhythm guitarist and founding member, Malcom Young, passed away in 2017, but his memory lives on each time one of AC/DC’s songs are played.
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