Back in Black
Encyclopedia
Back in Black is an album by Australian rock
band AC/DC
. It is the seventh Australian and sixth internationally released studio album
by the band.
Released on 25 July 1980, Back in Black was the first AC/DC album recorded without former lead singer Bon Scott
, who died on 1980 at the age of 33, and was dedicated to him. The band considered disbanding following Scott's death, but they ultimately decided to continue and shortly thereafter hired Brian Johnson
as their new lead singer and lyricist. Producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who had previously worked with AC/DC on Highway to Hell
, was again brought in to produce. The album was recorded at Compass Point Studios
in Nassau, Bahamas
, and Electric Lady Studios
in New York, where the album was also mixed.
The album was remastered and re-released in 1994, then again as part of the Bonfire
box set in 1997, and as part of the AC/DC remasters series in 2003 by George Marino. In addition, a Dualdisc
version was released in 2004, featuring the album in enhanced LPCM
Stereo format and the video documentary The Story of Back in Black.
The album has sold an estimated 49 million copies worldwide to date, making it the second highest-selling album of all time, and the best-selling hard rock or heavy metal album, as well as the best-selling album ever released by a band and by an Australian musical act. On 2007, the RIAA
certified it 22× Multi Platinum
, recognizing sales of in the United States.
", "Shoot to Thrill
", "You Shook Me All Night Long
", and the title track "Back in Black
". The final song on the album, "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
" reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, the highest placing of any song on the album.
The album was recorded at the Compass Point Studios
in The Bahamas
. It was not easy for the band, as their equipment was initially held up by customs, and the island was overcome with tropical storms that wreaked havoc on the studio's electricity. Johnson reported having trouble adjusting to the environment, and even referenced the bad weather on the opening lines of "Hells Bells
" ("I'm rolling thunder, pourin' rain. I'm comin' on like a hurricane. My lightning's flashing across the sky. You're only young but you're gonna die.").
According to Angus Young the album's all-black cover was a "sign of mourning" for Scott, as black is the traditional Western colour of mourning. Atlantic Records
disagreed with the cover, but accepted if the band put a grey outline around the AC/DC logo. It is AC/DC's best-selling album, the second best-selling album of all time, and the biggest-selling album by any band, with more than copies sold worldwide. In 2006 Back in Black was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America
as the fifth best-selling album in the United States, with copies sold. Despite its massive commercial success, it is not AC/DC's highest charting album in the U.S, peaking at number 4; their next album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You
, hit number 1 in 1981, as did the band's 2008 album Black Ice
. However, it hit number 1 on the UK charts.
The song "Let Me Put My Love into You" was rated number 6 in the Parents Music Resource Center
Filthy Fifteen list in 1985.
's Thriller
is the only album that has sold more copies.
magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Albums of the '80s. The song "Back in Black" was ranked number 187 on the same magazine's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. VH1
also rated Back in Black one of the greatest comeback albums of all time and number 2 on the greatest hard rock albums. In 2003, the album was ranked number 73 on Rolling Stone' s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2006, Q magazine
placed the album at number 9 in its list of the 40 Best Albums of the '80s. It was listed at No. 2 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
, in October 2010.
, making the 22x Platinum distinction, denoting albums sold, especially unique and making it the fourth highest-selling album in the U.S. (behind Michael Jackson
album Thriller
, Eagles album Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), and Led Zeppelin
album Led Zeppelin IV
). The album stayed in the Billboard chart for 131 weeks. The album, however, did reach number 1 in Australia and the United Kingdom. In April 2010, the album re-entered the Billboard charts at number 181.
, in the Netherlands
. The songs they used for the six videos were "Back in Black", "Hells Bells", "What Do You Do for Money Honey", "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Let Me Put My Love into You" and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution", and were basic performance videos. Most of these remained officially unreleased until "Back in Black", "Hells Bells", "What Do You Do for Money Honey", and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution", as well as the 1986 video for "You Shook Me All Night Long" which was filmed for the Who Made Who
album, were released on the Family Jewels DVD. The original video for "You Shook Me All Night Long", however, was later released on the promo DVD Back in Black: The Videos and on the Backtracks
box sets. One thing to note about both videos is the original 1980 video features drummer Phil Rudd, who appears on the actual track, while the 1986 video features drummer Simon Wright who replaced Rudd in 1983. However, Rudd would return to the group in 1994. This isn't the first time Wright appeared in an AC/DC video for a track originally recorded with Rudd. Rudd appeared on AC/DC's 1983 release Flick Of The Switch
while Wright appeared on the tour and videos for that album. "Let Me Put My Love into You" still remains unreleased but can be viewed on YouTube
.
releases that were test marketed in two cities in the US: Boston and Seattle. The DualDisc has the standard album on one side, and bonus material on the second side.
The DualDisc version was subsequently reissued in a commercial version that is somewhat different than the rare test market version:
Side one:
Side two:
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
. It is the seventh Australian and sixth internationally released studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the band.
Released on 25 July 1980, Back in Black was the first AC/DC album recorded without former lead singer Bon Scott
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
, who died on 1980 at the age of 33, and was dedicated to him. The band considered disbanding following Scott's death, but they ultimately decided to continue and shortly thereafter hired Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
as their new lead singer and lyricist. Producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who had previously worked with AC/DC on Highway to Hell
Highway to Hell (album)
Highway to Hell is the sixth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in July 1979. It is also AC/DC's fifth international studio album...
, was again brought in to produce. The album was recorded at Compass Point Studios
Compass Point Studios
Compass Point Studios were founded in 1977 by Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island Records.In the late 1970s and mid-1980s, many musical artists from across the world came to the Bahamas to record music at its facilities. Many producers, including Chris Blackwell himself, used the studio to produce...
in Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, and Electric Lady Studios
Electric Lady Studios
Electric Lady Studios, at 52 West 8th Street, in New York City's Greenwich Village, is a recording studio originally built by Jimi Hendrix and designed by John Storyk in 1970...
in New York, where the album was also mixed.
The album was remastered and re-released in 1994, then again as part of the Bonfire
Bonfire (album)
-Let There Be Rock: The Movie - Live in Paris:-Volts:-Back in Black :-AC/DC: Let There Be Rock :-Volts :-References:...
box set in 1997, and as part of the AC/DC remasters series in 2003 by George Marino. In addition, a Dualdisc
DualDisc
DualDisc was a type of double-sided optical disc product developed by a group of record companies including EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and 5.1 Entertainment Group and later under the aegis of the Recording Industry Association of America...
version was released in 2004, featuring the album in enhanced LPCM
LPCM
Linear pulse-code modulation is a method of encoding audio information digitally. The term also refers collectively to formats using this method of encoding...
Stereo format and the video documentary The Story of Back in Black.
The album has sold an estimated 49 million copies worldwide to date, making it the second highest-selling album of all time, and the best-selling hard rock or heavy metal album, as well as the best-selling album ever released by a band and by an Australian musical act. On 2007, the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
certified it 22× Multi Platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
, recognizing sales of in the United States.
Overview
After the success of their previous album, Highway to Hell, Bon Scott and company began developing a new album. Some of the songwriting had been completed when Scott died unexpectedly from alcohol poisoning. When Brian Johnson became lead singer, the group decided to finish the songwriting they had started under Scott, with the Young brothers composing the music and Johnson writing the lyrics. It contains some of AC/DC's biggest hits, including "Hells BellsHells Bells (song)
"Hells Bells" is the first track of Australian hard rock band AC/DC's album Back in Black. It is the first song on their comeback album after the death of vocalist Bon Scott, introducing his successor Brian Johnson....
", "Shoot to Thrill
Shoot to Thrill
"Shoot to Thrill" is the second song on the album Back in Black by hard rock band AC/DC. This song is also the second track of AC/DC Live and AC/DC Live: 2 CD Collector's Edition, and is included on the Iron Man 2 soundtrack.-Music video:...
", "You Shook Me All Night Long
You Shook Me All Night Long
"You Shook Me All Night Long" is one of AC/DC's signature songs from their most successful album, Back in Black. The song also reappeared on their later album Who Made Who. It is one of the band's top 40 singles, reaching number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in 1980...
", and the title track "Back in Black
Back in Black (song)
"Back in Black" is a song by AC/DC, appearing as the first track on side two of their 1980 album, Back in Black. Known for its opening guitar riff, the song was AC/DC's tribute to their former singer Bon Scott...
". The final song on the album, "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
"Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" is a song by the rock band AC/DC, the song featured as the final track of the album released in 1980 Back in Black. It is the fourth single released of the album...
" reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, the highest placing of any song on the album.
The album was recorded at the Compass Point Studios
Compass Point Studios
Compass Point Studios were founded in 1977 by Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island Records.In the late 1970s and mid-1980s, many musical artists from across the world came to the Bahamas to record music at its facilities. Many producers, including Chris Blackwell himself, used the studio to produce...
in The Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
. It was not easy for the band, as their equipment was initially held up by customs, and the island was overcome with tropical storms that wreaked havoc on the studio's electricity. Johnson reported having trouble adjusting to the environment, and even referenced the bad weather on the opening lines of "Hells Bells
Hells Bells
Hell's bells can refer to:* "Hells Bells" , a 1980 song by Australian hard rock group AC/DC* Hell's Bells, a song by English jazz band Bruford, from their 1979 album One of a Kind...
" ("I'm rolling thunder, pourin' rain. I'm comin' on like a hurricane. My lightning's flashing across the sky. You're only young but you're gonna die.").
According to Angus Young the album's all-black cover was a "sign of mourning" for Scott, as black is the traditional Western colour of mourning. Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
disagreed with the cover, but accepted if the band put a grey outline around the AC/DC logo. It is AC/DC's best-selling album, the second best-selling album of all time, and the biggest-selling album by any band, with more than copies sold worldwide. In 2006 Back in Black was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
as the fifth best-selling album in the United States, with copies sold. Despite its massive commercial success, it is not AC/DC's highest charting album in the U.S, peaking at number 4; their next album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You
For Those About to Rock We Salute You
For Those About to Rock We Salute You is the eighth Australian and seventh international studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in 1981. The album was a follow-up to their highly successful album Back in Black. For Those About to Rock has sold over four million copies in the US....
, hit number 1 in 1981, as did the band's 2008 album Black Ice
Black Ice (album)
Black Ice is the 15th Australian and 14th international studio album by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was produced by Brendan O'Brien and released internationally on 17 October 2008. Guitarists Angus Young and Malcolm Young got together in London in 2003 to start composing tracks...
. However, it hit number 1 on the UK charts.
The song "Let Me Put My Love into You" was rated number 6 in the Parents Music Resource Center
Parents Music Resource Center
The Parents Music Resource Center was an American committee formed in 1985 with the goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent, have drug use or be sexual.The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice...
Filthy Fifteen list in 1985.
Reception
Critical response to the album was overwhelmingly positive; it is present on many "best of" lists. Commercial response was even more positive. Selling over copies in the United States and copies worldwide, it is the highest-selling album by any band and the highest-selling hard rock album of all time. Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's Thriller
Thriller (album)
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...
is the only album that has sold more copies.
Legacy
In 1989, it was ranked number 26 on Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Albums of the '80s. The song "Back in Black" was ranked number 187 on the same magazine's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
also rated Back in Black one of the greatest comeback albums of all time and number 2 on the greatest hard rock albums. In 2003, the album was ranked number 73 on Rolling Stone
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
placed the album at number 9 in its list of the 40 Best Albums of the '80s. It was listed at No. 2 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums is a compendium of rock and pop albums of the past 50 years as compiled by music journalists Toby Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell. The book was published on 25 October 2010 by Hardie Grant Books...
, in October 2010.
Sales
The album is the second best-selling album worldwide, behind only Michael Jackson's Thriller, and the best-selling album ever made by a band. The album was successful around the world, but never reached number one on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, making the 22x Platinum distinction, denoting albums sold, especially unique and making it the fourth highest-selling album in the U.S. (behind Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
album Thriller
Thriller (album)
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...
, Eagles album Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), and Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
album Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin IV
The fourth album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on 8 November 1971. No title is printed on the album, so it is generally referred to as Led Zeppelin IV, following the naming standard used by the band's first three studio albums...
). The album stayed in the Billboard chart for 131 weeks. The album, however, did reach number 1 in Australia and the United Kingdom. In April 2010, the album re-entered the Billboard charts at number 181.
Music videos
The band recorded six music videos for the album which were recorded in BredaBreda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
, in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The songs they used for the six videos were "Back in Black", "Hells Bells", "What Do You Do for Money Honey", "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Let Me Put My Love into You" and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution", and were basic performance videos. Most of these remained officially unreleased until "Back in Black", "Hells Bells", "What Do You Do for Money Honey", and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution", as well as the 1986 video for "You Shook Me All Night Long" which was filmed for the Who Made Who
Who Made Who
Who Made Who is a hard rock album by Australian band AC/DC, released in 1986 as the soundtrack to the Stephen King movie Maximum Overdrive...
album, were released on the Family Jewels DVD. The original video for "You Shook Me All Night Long", however, was later released on the promo DVD Back in Black: The Videos and on the Backtracks
Backtracks (AC/DC album)
Backtracks is a box set by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was announced on 29 September 2009 and was released on 10 November 2009. This is a collection of the band's studio and live rarities together in one boxset. There are two editions; a Deluxe Edition and a Standard Edition...
box sets. One thing to note about both videos is the original 1980 video features drummer Phil Rudd, who appears on the actual track, while the 1986 video features drummer Simon Wright who replaced Rudd in 1983. However, Rudd would return to the group in 1994. This isn't the first time Wright appeared in an AC/DC video for a track originally recorded with Rudd. Rudd appeared on AC/DC's 1983 release Flick Of The Switch
Flick of the Switch
Flick of the Switch is the ninth Australian and eighth international studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, recorded shortly after their European Tour at the beginning of 1983. The album was originally released in the US on 15 August 1983...
while Wright appeared on the tour and videos for that album. "Let Me Put My Love into You" still remains unreleased but can be viewed on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
DualDisc versions
Back in Black was included among a group of 15 DualDiscDualDisc
DualDisc was a type of double-sided optical disc product developed by a group of record companies including EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and 5.1 Entertainment Group and later under the aegis of the Recording Industry Association of America...
releases that were test marketed in two cities in the US: Boston and Seattle. The DualDisc has the standard album on one side, and bonus material on the second side.
The DualDisc version was subsequently reissued in a commercial version that is somewhat different than the rare test market version:
Track listing
- All songs written by Angus YoungAngus YoungAngus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
, Malcolm YoungMalcolm YoungMalcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
and Brian JohnsonBrian JohnsonBrian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
.
Side one:
- "Hells BellsHells Bells (song)"Hells Bells" is the first track of Australian hard rock band AC/DC's album Back in Black. It is the first song on their comeback album after the death of vocalist Bon Scott, introducing his successor Brian Johnson....
" – 5:10 - "Shoot to ThrillShoot to Thrill"Shoot to Thrill" is the second song on the album Back in Black by hard rock band AC/DC. This song is also the second track of AC/DC Live and AC/DC Live: 2 CD Collector's Edition, and is included on the Iron Man 2 soundtrack.-Music video:...
" – 5:17 - "What Do You Do for Money Honey" – 3:33
- "Given the Dog a Bone" – 3:30
- "Let Me Put My Love into You" – 4:16
Side two:
- "Back in BlackBack in Black (song)"Back in Black" is a song by AC/DC, appearing as the first track on side two of their 1980 album, Back in Black. Known for its opening guitar riff, the song was AC/DC's tribute to their former singer Bon Scott...
" – 4:14 - "You Shook Me All Night LongYou Shook Me All Night Long"You Shook Me All Night Long" is one of AC/DC's signature songs from their most successful album, Back in Black. The song also reappeared on their later album Who Made Who. It is one of the band's top 40 singles, reaching number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in 1980...
" – 3:30 - "Have a Drink on Me" – 3:57
- "Shake a Leg" – 4:06
- "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise PollutionRock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" is a song by the rock band AC/DC, the song featured as the final track of the album released in 1980 Back in Black. It is the fourth single released of the album...
" – 4:15
- According to the official AC/DC website and most worldwide releases, track four is "Given the Dog a Bone". On some albums, particularly Australian releases, it is sometimes shown as either "Givin' the Dog a Bone" or "Giving the Dog a Bone".
Personnel
- Brian JohnsonBrian JohnsonBrian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
– lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Angus YoungAngus YoungAngus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - Malcolm YoungMalcolm YoungMalcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Cliff WilliamsCliff WilliamsClifford Williams is an English bassist and backing vocalist, who has been a member of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC since mid-1977. He had started his professional music career in 1967 and was previously in the British groups Home and Bandit. His first studio album with AC/DC was Powerage...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Phil RuddPhil RuddPhillip Hugh Norman Rudd is an Australian drummer. He is best known for his membership of rock band AC/DC from 1975 until 1983, and again from 1994 to present. After the 1977 departure of bass guitarist Mark Evans, he became the only Australian-born member of the band...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Production
- Robert John "Mutt" Lange – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- Tony PlattTony PlattTony Platt is a music producer/engineer best known for his work with a diverse mix of artists including AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Bob Marley, Iron Maiden, Shy, Buddy Guy, Foreigner, Sparks, Jazz Jamaica All Stars and Motörhead. He has recently completed an album with Jazz trio The Bad Plus and is...
– assistant engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Benji Armbrister – assistant engineer
- Jack Newber – assistant engineer
- Brad Samuelsohn – mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
– masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
(original LP) - Barry Diament – mastering (original CD releases)
- Ted JensenTed JensenTed Jensen is an American recording engineer. Jensen is the chief mastering engineer at Sterling Sound. He started his career as a mastering engineer in 1976 and is currently the most active Mastering Engineer in the industry...
– remastering (EMI/Atco reissue) - George Marino – remastering (Epic reissue)
- Bob Defrin – art direction
- Robert Ellis – photography
Albums
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ö3 Austria Top 40 | 6 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
1 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
4 |
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
| Australian Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... Albums Chart |
1 |
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
| RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... Album Top 50 |
24 |
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
| Norwegian Album Charts | 8 |
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 9 |
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Top Pop Catalog Albums |
1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
15 |
| "You Shook Me All Night Long" | US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
35 | |
| "You Shook Me All Night Long" | UK Singles Chart | 38 | |
| 1981 | "Back in Black" | US Billboard Hot 100 | 37 |
| "Hells Bells" | US Billboard Top Tracks | 52 | |
| "Back in Black" | US Billboard Top Tracks | 51 | |
| "Shoot to Thrill" | US Billboard Top Tracks | 60 |
Certification
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| United States | 22× Multi-Platinum |
| Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... |
Platinum |
| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
Platinum |
| Canada Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
Diamond |
| Germany Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... |
2×Platinum |
| France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
2×Platinum |
| Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
2×Platinum |