AC/DC “Back in Black” released 40 years ago today, July 25th, 1980. AC/DC’s 7th studio LP and their first with singer Brian Johnson; the band began recording Back In Black just before original singer Bon Scott died in February ‘80, the death officially deemed from “acute alcoholic poisoning and death by misadventure.” Back In Black is beyond iconic hard rock; its anthemic riff-driven rock-n-roll is etched into the collective consciousness of those who listened to basically any kind of music in the 80′s. It has become one of the highest selling albums in history, reaching #1 on the UK album charts and #4 in the US and remained in the Top 200 for 131 weeks. It subsequently has reentered the charts over the years, in 2010 and then again in 2014 and 2015.

AC/DC released four singles from Back In Black: “You Shook Me All Night Long” (#35 US, #46 UK, #8 Australia; like the LP it has also reemerged onto the charts over the years: in ‘86, 2012 and 2017), “Hells Bells” (#50 US Mainstream Rock chart and again in 2012 at #51), the title track “Back In Black” (#37 US, hitting the charts again in 2012) which has the most quintessential hard rocking opener ever; and “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution,” which was released in spring of ‘81(#15 UK). These singles continue, almost 40 years later, to be staples on classic hard rock radio. I also really love “Shoot to Thrill” which was not released as a single but like the official releases, is played a lot on classic hard rock radio stations and managed to chart in both ‘81 (#60 US) and again in 2012 (#75).