AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Although the band are commonly classified as hard rock, and considered pioneers of heavy metal,[1][2] they have always classified their music as "rock and roll".[3]

AC/DC has sold more than 200 million albums worldwide,[5] including 71 million albums in the United States.[6] Back in Black has sold an estimated 45 million units worldwide[7] and 22 million in the United States alone, where it is the fifth highest-selling album.[8] AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock"[9] and the seventh "Greatest Heavy Metal Band Of All Time" by MTV.[10] In 2004, the band was ranked number 72 in the Rolling Stone list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.


Recognition

The street sign for ACDC Lane, Melbourne.

AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2003. During the ceremony the band performed "Highway to Hell" and "You Shook Me All Night Long", with guest vocals provided by host Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. He described the band's power chords as "the thunder from down under that gives you the second-most-powerful surge that can flow through your body."[65] During the acceptance speech, Brian Johnson quoted their 1977 song "Let There Be Rock".[66]

In May 2003, Malcolm Young accepted a Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Service to Australian Music at the 2003 Music Winners Awards, during which he paid special tribute to Bon Scott.[67]

On 1 October 2004, a central Melbourne thoroughfare, Corporation Lane, was renamed ACDC Lane in honour of the band. However, the City of Melbourne forbade the use of the slash character in street names, so the four letters were combined.[68] The lane is near Swanston Street where, on the back of a truck, the band recorded their video for the 1975 hit "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)".[22] Additionally, a street in Leganés (Comunidad de Madrid), Spain was named "Calle de AC/DC" on 2 March 2000.[22][69]

Since Nielsen SoundScan began to track music sales in 1991, AC/DC has sold over 26.4 million albums, making their sales figures second only to The Beatles, outselling both The Rolling Stones and The Who. Over the last five years, as CD sales have declined in general, AC/DC albums have sold just as well or better. They sold over 1.3 million CDs in the United States during 2007 despite not having released a new album since 2001 at that point.[70]

In 2005, the Recording Industry Association of America upgraded the group's US sales figures from 63 million to 69 million, making AC/DC the fifth-best-selling band in US history and the tenth best selling artist, selling more albums than Madonna, Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson.[6] The RIAA also certified Back in Black as double Diamond (twenty million) in US sales, and by 2007 the album had sold 22 million copies, which moved it into fifth place.[8]

Band members

Brian Johnson – lead vocals (1980–present)
Angus Young – lead guitar (1973–present)
Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1973–present)
Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals (1977–present)
Phil Rudd – drums, percussion (1975–1983, 1994–present)

Former members

Dave Evans – lead vocals (1973–1974)
Bon Scott – lead vocals (1974–1980)
Mark Evans – bass guitar, backing vocals (1975–1977)
Simon Wright – drums, percussion (1983–1989)
Chris Slade – drums, percussion (1989–1994)

Discography

Studio albums

High Voltage (Aus.) (1975)
T.N.T. (1975)
High Voltage (1976)
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Aus.) (1976)
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976)
Let There Be Rock (Aus.) (1977)
Let There Be Rock (1977)
Powerage (1978)
Highway to Hell (1979)
Back in Black (1980)
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) (1981)
Flick of the Switch (1983)
Fly on the Wall (1985)
Who Made Who (1986)
Blow Up Your Video (1988)
The Razors Edge (1990)
Ballbreaker (1995)
Stiff Upper Lip (2000)
Black Ice (2008)