AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian hard rock band, formed in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, who have remained constant members. Commonly referred to as a hard rock or blues rock[1]  band, they are also considered pioneers of heavy metal and are sometimes classified as such,[2] though they have always dubbed their music as simply "rock and roll".[3]  To date they are one of the highest-grossing bands of all time.

AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before releasing their first album, High Voltage, on 17 February 1975. Membership subsequently stabilised until bassist Mark Evans was replaced by Cliff Williams in 1977 for the album Powerage. Within months of recording the album Highway to Hell, lead singer and co-songwriter Bon Scott died on 19 February 1980 after a night of heavy alcohol consumption. The group considered disbanding, but buoyed by support from Scott's parents, decided to continue and set about finding a new vocalist.[4]  Ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson was auditioned and selected to replace Scott. Later that year, the band released the new album, Back in Black, which was made as a tribute to Bon Scott. The album launched them to new heights of success and became their all time best-seller, selling over 10,000 copies a day in its first week.

The band's next album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You, was their first album to reach number one in the United States. AC/DC declined in popularity soon after drummer Phil Rudd was fired in 1983 and was replaced by future Dio drummer Simon Wright. The band experienced a resurgence in the early 1990s with the release of The Razors Edge. Phil Rudd returned in 1994 after Chris Slade, who was with the band from 1989 to 1994, was asked to leave in favour of him, and contributed to the band's 1995 album Ballbreaker. Since then, the band's line-up has remained the same. Stiff Upper Lip was released in 2000 and was well received by critics, and the band's latest studio album, Black Ice, was released on 20 October 2008 and was the second-highest-selling album of that year. It was their biggest hit on the charts since For Those About to Rock, eventually reaching No.1 on all charts worldwide.[5]

AC/DC had sold more than 200 million records worldwide, including 71.5 million albums in the United States alone, making them the tenth-best-selling band in the United States and one of the world's best-selling bands of all time.[6] [7] [8]  Back in Black has sold an estimated 50 million units worldwide, making it the fifth-highest-selling album by any artist – and the third-highest-selling album by any band. The album has sold 22 million units in the US alone, where it is the sixth-highest-selling album of all time.[9]  AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock"[10] [11]  and were named the seventh "Greatest Heavy Metal Band of All Time" by MTV.[12]  In 2004, AC/DC ranked No. 72 on the Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thegreatest_13-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[13]  Producer Rick Rubin, who wrote an essay on the band for the Rolling Stone list, referred to AC/DC as "the greatest rock and roll band of all time."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thegreatest_13-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[13]  In 2010, AC/DC were ranked number 23 in the VH1 list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[14]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">

Contents
[hide]  *1 History <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">
 * 1.1 Background and name
 * 1.2 Early years
 * 1.3 The Bon Scott era (1974–80)
 * 1.3.1 The journey begins (1974–77)
 * 1.3.2 International success (1976–80)
 * 1.3.3 Scott's death (1980)
 * 1.4 The Brian Johnson era (1980–present)
 * 1.4.1 The rebirth (1980–83)
 * 1.4.2 Departure of Rudd and commercial decline (1983–87)
 * 1.4.3 Back to commercial success (1987–90)
 * 1.4.4 Popularity regained (1990–1994)
 * 1.4.5 Popularity confirmed (1994–2008)
 * 1.4.6 Black Ice (2008–11)
 * 1.4.7 Future album, 40th anniversary and tour (2011–present)
 * 2 Legacy
 * 3 Band members
 * 4 Tours
 * 5 Discography
 * 6 Awards and nominations
 * 7 See also
 * 8 References
 * 9 Further reading
 * 10 External links

Background and name
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Brothers Malcolm, Angus, and George Young were born in Glasgow, Scotland, and moved to Sydney with most of their family in 1963. George was the first to learn to play the guitar. He became a member of the Easybeats, one of Australia's most successful bands of the 1960s. In 1966, they became the first local rock act to have an international hit, with the song "Friday on My Mind".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-albertmusic_15-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[15] Malcolm followed in George's footsteps by playing with a Newcastle, New South Wales band called the Velvet Underground (not to be confused with the New York-based Velvet Underground).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cwalker_16-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[16] Their oldest brother Alex Young chose to remain in Britain to pursue musical interests. In 1967, Alexander formed and played bass in the London-based band Grapefruit—initially called "The Grapefruit"—with three former members of Tony Rivers and the Castaways, John Perry, Geoff Swettenham, and Pete Swettenham.

The band's logo was designed in 1977 by Gerard Huerta, commissioned by Bob Defrin, the art director at Atlantic Records during the 1970s. It first appeared on the international version of Let There Be Rock.<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Malcolm and Angus Young developed the idea for the band's name after their sister, Margaret Young, saw the initials "AC/DC" on a sewing machine. "AC/DC" is an abbreviation meaning "alternating current/direct current" electricity. The brothers felt that this name symbolised the band's raw energy, power-driven performances of their music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[17] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-acdc.cc_18-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[18]  "AC/DC" is pronounced one letter at a time, though the band are colloquially known as "Acca Dacca" in Australia.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[19] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[20]  The AC/DC band name is stylised with a lightning bolt separating the 'AC' and 'DC' and has been used on all studio albums with the exception of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-coverart_21-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[21]

Early years
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In November 1973 Malcolm and Angus Young formed AC/DC and recruited bassist Larry Van Kriedt, vocalist Dave Evans, and Colin Burgess, ex-Masters Apprentices drummer.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[22]  Pushing hard for the band's success were Australia's legendary roadie Ray Arnold and his partner Alan Kissack. Gene Piersonbooked the band to let the band play at Bondi Lifesaver on New Year's Eve, 1973.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-longwaytimeline_23-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[23]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">By this time, Angus Young had adopted his characteristic school-uniform stage outfit. The idea was his sister Margaret's. Angus had tried other costumes:Spider-Man, Zorro, a gorilla, and a parody of Superman, named Super-Ang.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cwalker_16-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[16]  In its early days, most members of the band dressed in some form of glam or satin outfit but this approach was abandoned seeing as Melbourne band Skyhooks had already adopted this approach to their stage presentation.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The Young brothers decided that Evans was not a suitable frontman for the group because they felt he was more of a glam rocker like Gary Glitter.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-paulstenning_24-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[24]  On stage, Evans was occasionally replaced by the band's first manager, Dennis Laughlin, who was the original lead singer with Sherbet prior to Daryl Braithwaite. Evans did not get along with Laughlin, which also contributed to the band's ill feeling toward Evans.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-paulstenning_24-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[24]

The journey begins (1974–77)
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In September 1974 Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott, an experienced vocalist and friend of George Young, replaced Dave Evans<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Music_Legends_25-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[25]  after friend Vince Lovegrove recommended him to George Young.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hell_aint_4-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[4] Like the Young brothers, Scott had been born in Scotland before emigrating to Australia in his childhood. The band had recorded only one single with Evans, "Can I Sit Next To You, Girl" / "Rockin' in the Parlour"; eventually, the song was re-written and re-recorded with Bon Scott as "Can I Sit Next to You Girl" [Track 7 on the Australian album T.N.T. (1975), and Track 6 on the international release of High Voltage (1976)]. <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">By October 1974, the Australia-only album High Voltage had been recorded. It took only ten days<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-timeline_26-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[26]  and was based on instrumental songs written by the Young brothers, with lyrics added by Scott. Within a few months, the band's line-up had stabilised, featuring Scott, the Young brothers, bassist Mark Evans and drummer Phil Rudd. Later that year they released the single "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)", which became their perennial rock anthem.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-acdclane_27-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[27]  It was included on their second album, T.N.T. (1975), which was also released only in Australia and New Zealand. T.N.T. featured the song "High Voltage", which was the first song written and recorded for the album. Because "High Voltage" was released as a single before T.N.T. was released, some people thought it was the title track to AC/DC's debut album.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Between 1974 and 1977, aided by regular appearances on Molly Meldrum's Countdown, the ABC's nationally broadcast pop-music television show, AC/DC became one of the most popular and successful acts in Australia. Their performance on 3 April 1977 was their last live TV appearance for more than 20 years.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-timeline_26-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[26]

International success (1976–80)
Former vocalist Bon Scott(centre) pictured with guitaristAngus Young (left) and bassist Cliff Williams (back), performing at the Ulster Hallin August 1979<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1976, the band signed an international deal with Atlantic Records and toured extensively throughout Europe, including their first UK tour sponsored by Soundsmagazine, called the 'Lock Up Your Daughters Summer Tour'. They gained invaluable experience of the stadium circuit, supporting leading rock acts such as Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Kiss, Styx, UFO, and Blue Öyster Cult, and co-headlined with Cheap Trick.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-timeline_26-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[26]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The first AC/DC album to gain worldwide distribution was a 1976 compilation of tracks taken from the High Voltage and T.N.T. LPs. Also titled High Voltage, and released on the Atlantic Records label, the album, which has to date sold three million copies worldwide,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BiBBillboard_28-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[28]  gained the band a following among the then-substantial British punk audience.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[29]  The track selection was heavily weighted toward the more recent T.N.T., and included only two songs from their first LP. The band's next album, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, was released in the same year in both Australian and international versions, like its predecessor. Track listings varied worldwide, and the international version of the album also featured the T.N.T. track "Rocker", which had previously never been released internationally. The original Australian version included "Jailbreak" (now more readily available on the 1984 compilation EP '74 Jailbreak or as a live version on the 1992 Live album). Dirty Deeds was not released in the US until 1981, by which time the band were at the peak of their popularity.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Following the 1977 recording Let There Be Rock, bassist Mark Evans was sacked; purportedly to find someone who could sing backup vocals.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hell_aint_4-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[4]  Evans described disagreement with Angus and Malcolm as a contributing factor.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hell_aint_4-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[4]  He was replaced by Cliff Williams.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hell_aint_4-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[4]  Neither of the Young brothers has elaborated on the departure of Evans, though Richard Griffiths, the CEO of Epic Records and a booking agent for AC/DC in the mid-1970s, later commented, "You knew Mark wasn't going to last, he was just too much of a nice guy."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cwalker_16-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[16]  Mark Evans' autobiography, DIRTY DEEDS: My Life Inside/Outside of AC/DC, released in 2011, predominantly dealt with his time in AC/DC, including being fired.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BazillionPoints_30-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[30]

Bronze statue of Bon Scott, unveiled in Fremantle, Western Australia, in October 2008<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">AC/DC were a somewhat formative influence on New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands who emerged in the late 1970s, such as Saxon and Iron Maiden, in part as a reaction to the decline of traditional early 1970s hard rock bands. In 2007, critics noted that AC/DC, along withThin Lizzy, UFO, Scorpions and Judas Priest, were among "the second generation of rising stars ready to step into the breach as the old guard waned."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[31]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">AC/DC's first American exposure was through the Michigan radio station AM 600 WTAC in 1977. The station's manager, Peter C. Cavanaugh, booked the band to play at Flint's Capitol Theater. The supporting act was MC5, who had just briefly reunited and agreed to play at the event. The band opened with their popular song "Live Wire" and closed with "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[32]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">AC/DC came to be identified with the punk rock movement by the British press. Their reputation, however, managed to survive the punk upheavals of the late 1970s, and they maintained a cult following in the UK throughout this time.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Bonfire_3-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[3]  Angus Young gained notoriety for mooning the audience during live performances.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The 1978 release of Powerage marked the debut of bassist Cliff Williams, and with its harder riffs, followed the blueprint set by Let There Be Rock.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[33]  Only one single was released from Powerage, "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation/Sin City". Eddie Van Halen notes this to be his favourite AC/DC record, along withHighway to Hell.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[34]  An appearance at the Apollo Theatre, Glasgow during the Powerage tour was recorded and released as If You Want Blood You've Got It, featuring such songs as "Whole Lotta Rosie", "Problem Child", and "Let There Be Rock", as well as lesser-known album tracks like "Riff Raff". Powerage was the last album produced by Harry Vanda and George Young that had lead vocals by Bon Scott, and is claimed to be AC/DC's most under-rated album.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-popmatters_35-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[35]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The major breakthrough in the band's career came in their collaboration with producer "Mutt" Lange on the album Highway to Hell, released in 1979. It became the first AC/DC LP to break into the US top 100, eventually reaching No. 17,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-timeline_26-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[26]  and it propelled AC/DC into the top ranks of hard rock acts.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Bonfire_3-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[3]  Highway to Hell had lyrics that shifted away from flippant and comical toward more central rock themes, putting increased emphasis on backing vocals but still featured AC/DC's signature sound: loud, simple, pounding riffs and grooving backbeats.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[36]  The final track, "Night Prowler", has two breaths in quick succession at the start of the song, intended to create a tone of fear and loathing.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Bonfire_3-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[3]

Scott's death (1980)
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">As 1980 began, the band began work on a new album that would eventually become Back in Black, but Bon Scott would not live to see it finished. On 19 February 1980, Scott passed out in the car on the way back to friend Alistair Kinnear's house after a night of heavy drinking at the Music Machine club in London. Upon arrival at his home, Kinnear was unable to move Scott from the car into his home for the night, so he left him in the car overnight to sleep off the effects of the alcohol. Unable to wake Scott late the next morning, Kinnear rushed him to King's College Hospital in Camberwell, where Scott was pronounced dead on arrival. Pulmonary aspiration of vomit was the cause of Scott's death,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BScottDeath2_37-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[37]  and the official cause was listed as "acute alcohol poisoning".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BScottDeath_38-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[38] Scott's family buried him in Fremantle, Western Australia, the area they emigrated to when he was a boy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[39]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Inconsistencies in the official accounts of Scott's death have been cited in conspiracy theories, which suggest that Scott died of a heroin overdose, or was killed by exhaust fumes redirected into the car, or that Kinnear did not exist.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BScottDeath_38-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[38]  Additionally, Scott was asthmatic,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[40]  and the temperature was below freezing on the morning of his death.

The rebirth (1980–83)
Brian Johnson Live with AC/DC in 2008<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Following Scott's death the band briefly considered quitting, but encouraged by the insistence from Scott's parents that he would have wanted them to go on, they eventually decided to continue and went about finding a new frontman.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hell_aint_4-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[4]  Various candidates were considered for his replacement, including: Buzz Shearman, ex-Moxy member, who was not able to join because of voice problems,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-41" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[41]  ex-Back Street Crawler vocalist Terry Slesserand then Slade vocalist, Noddy Holder.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[42]  The remaining AC/DC members finally decided on ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson.

Cliff Williams in 1981 during the For Those About to Rock Tour<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Angus Young later recalled, "I remember the first time I had ever heard Brian's (Johnson) name was from Bon. Bon had mentioned that he had been in England once touring with a band and he had mentioned that Brian had been in a band called Geordie and Bon had said 'Brian Johnson, he was a great rock and roll singer in the style of Little Richard.' And that was Bon's big idol, Little Richard. I think when he saw Brian at that time, to Bon it was 'Well he's a guy that knows what rock and roll is all about.' He mentioned that to us in Australia. I suppose when we decided to continue, Brian was the first name that Malcolm and myself came up with, so we said we should see if we can find him."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-43" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[43]  For the audition, Johnson sang "Whole Lotta Rosie" from Let There Be Rock and Ike & Tina Turner's "Nutbush City Limits".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-acdc.cc_18-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[18]  He was hired a few days after the audition.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">With Brian Johnson the band completed the songwriting that they had begun with Bon for the album Back in Black. Recording took place at Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas a few months after Scott's death. Back in Black, produced by Mutt Lange and recorded by Tony Platt, became their biggest-selling album and a hard-rock landmark; hits include "Hells Bells", "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" and the title track. The album reached No.1 in the UK and No.4 in the US, where it spent 131 weeks on theBillboard 200 album chart.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-timeline_26-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[26]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The follow-up album, 1981's For Those About to Rock We Salute You, also sold well and was positively received by critics. The album featured two of the band's most popular singles: "Let's Get It Up"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-everyhit_44-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[44]  and the title track, "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)", which reached No.13 and No.15 in the UK, respectively. The band split with Lange for their self-produced 1983 album, Flick of the Switch, in an effort to recover the rawness and simplicity of their early albums.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-flickof_45-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[45]

Departure of Rudd and commercial decline (1983–87)
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">After having problems with drugs and alcohol,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[47]  drummer Phil Rudd's friendship with Malcolm Young deteriorated and eventually escalated to a physical confrontation after which Rudd was fired.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-acdc.cc_18-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[18]  Session drummer B.J. Wilson was drafted in to help complete the recordings, but his drum parts were eventually not used, as Rudd had already completed his drum parts.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[48]  Rudd was replaced by Simon Wright in the summer of 1983 after the band held over 700 auditions in the US and UK.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-49" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[49]  Simon Kirke of Free and Bad Company fame, and Paul Thompson of Roxy Music were two of the drummers auditioned.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Maximum_50-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[50]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Later in the year, AC/DC released the self-produced album Flick of the Switch, which was less successful than their previous albums, and was considered underdeveloped and unmemorable.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-flickof_45-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[45]  One critic stated that the band "had made the same album nine times".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-51" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[51]  AC/DC were voted the eighth-biggest disappointment of the year in the 1984 ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerrang! Kerrang!]'' readers' poll. However, Flick of the Switch eventually reached No.4 on the UK charts,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-acdc.cc_18-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[18]  and AC/DC had minor success with the singles "Nervous Shakedown" and "Flick of the Switch". Fly on the Wall, produced by the Young brothers in 1985, was also regarded as uninspired and directionless.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-52" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[52]  A music concept video of the same name featured the band at a bar, playing five of the album's ten songs.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1986, the group returned to the charts with the made-for-radio "Who Made Who". The album Who Made Who was the soundtrack to Stephen King's film Maximum Overdrive,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-popmatters_35-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[35]  It brought together older hits, such as "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Ride On", with newer songs such as title track "Who Made Who", and two new instrumentals, "D.T." and "Chase the Ace".

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In February 1988, AC/DC were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association's Hall of Fame.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-53" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[53]

Back to commercial success (1987–90)
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">AC/DC's 1988 album, Blow Up Your Video, was recorded at Studio Miraval in Le Val (Occitania), France, and reunited the band with their original producers, Harry Vanda and George Young. The group recorded nineteen songs, choosing ten for the final release; though the album was later criticised for containing excessive "filler",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-blowup_54-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[54]  it was a commercial success. Blow Up Your Video sold more copies than the previous two studio releases combined, reaching No.2 on the UK charts—AC/DC's highest position since "Back in Black" in 1980. The album featured the UK top-twenty single "Heatseeker"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-everyhit_44-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[44]  and popular songs such as "That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll". The Blow Up Your Video World Tour began in February 1988, in Perth, Australia. That April, following live appearances across Europe, Malcolm Young announced that he was taking time off from touring, principally to begin recovery from his alcoholism. Another member of the Young family, Stevie Young, temporarily took Malcolm's place.

Phil Rudd performs at the KeyArenain Seattle on 12 August 1996 during the Ballbreaker World Tour<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Following the tour, Wright left the group to work on the upcoming Dio album Lock Up the Wolves, and was replaced by session veteran Chris Slade. Johnson was unavailable for several months while finalising his divorce,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-acdc.cc_18-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[18]  so the Young brothers wrote all the songs for the next album, a practice they continued for all subsequent releases through Black Ice in 2008.

Popularity regained (1990–1994)
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The next album, The Razors Edge, was recorded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and was mixed and engineered by Mike Fraser and produced byBruce Fairbairn, who had previously worked with Aerosmith and Bon Jovi. Released in 1990, it was a major comeback for the band, and included the hits "Thunderstruck" and "Are You Ready", which reached No.5 and No.16 respectively on Billboards Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart, and Moneytalks, which peaked at No.23 on the Billboard Hot 100.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-everyhit_44-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[44]  The album went multi-platinum and reached the US top ten. Several shows on the Razors Edge tour were recorded for the 1992 live album, titled Live. Live was produced by Fairbairn, and is considered one of the best live albums of the 1990s.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[55]  AC/DC headlined the Monsters of Rock show during this tour, which was released on DVD as Live at Donington. During The Razors Edge tour three fans were killed at a concert at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah in January 1991. When the concert began fans rushed the stage crushing the three and injuring others. It took 20 minutes before venue security and the group understood the severity of the situation and stopped the concert. AC/DC settled with the victims' families out of court. As a result of this incident, the Salt Palace eliminated festival seating from future events.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-56" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[56] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-57" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[57]  A year later, AC/DC recorded "Big Gun" for the soundtrack of the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Last Action Hero, and was released as a single, reaching No.1 on the US Mainstream Rock chart, the band's first No.1 single on that chart.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-timeline_26-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[26]

Popularity confirmed (1994–2008)
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1994, Angus and Malcolm invited Rudd to several jam sessions. He was eventually rehired to replace Slade, whose amicable departure arose in part because of the band's strong desire to again work with Rudd. Recorded at the Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles by the reunited 1980–83 line-up and produced by Rick Rubin, Ballbreaker was released in 1995. The first single from the album was "Hard as a Rock". Two more singles were released from the album: "Hail Caesar" and "Cover You in Oil". In 1997, a box set named Bonfire was released. It contained four albums; a remastered version of Back in Black; Volts (a disc with alternate takes, outtakes, and stray live cuts) and two live albums, Live from the Atlantic Studios and Let There Be Rock: The Movie. Live from the Atlantic Studios was recorded on 7 December 1977 at the Atlantic Studios in New York. Let There Be Rock: The Movie was a double album recorded in 1979 at the Pavillon de Paris and was the soundtrack of a motion picture, AC/DC: Let There Be Rock. The US version of the box set included a colour booklet, a two-sided poster, a sticker, a temporary tattoo, a keychain bottle opener, and a guitar pick.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-58" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[58]

Angus Young performs in Cologne, Germany in 2001 during the Stiff Upper Lip Tour<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 2000, the band released Stiff Upper Lip, produced by brother George Young at the Warehouse Studio, again in Vancouver. The album was better received by critics than Ballbreaker but was considered lacking in new ideas.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-59" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[59] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-60" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[60]  The Australian release included a bonus disc with three promotional videos and several live performances recorded in Madrid, Spain in 1996. Stiff Upper Lip reached No.1 in five countries, including Argentina and Germany; No.2 in three countries, Spain, France and Switzerland; No.3 in Australia; No.5 in Canada and Portugal; and No.7 in Norway, the US and Hungary. The first single, "Stiff Upper Lip", remained at No.1 on the US Mainstream Rock charts for four weeks.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-timeline_26-6" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[26]  The other singles released also did very well; "Satellite Blues" and "Safe in New York City" reached No.7 and No.31 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks, respectively.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 2002, AC/DC signed a long-term, multi-album deal with Sony Music,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-61" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[61]  who went on to release a series of remastered albums as part of their AC/DC remasters series. Each release contained an expanded booklet featuring rare photographs, memorabilia, and notes.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-62" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[62]  In 2003, the entire back-catalogue (except Ballbreaker and Stiff Upper Lip) was remastered and re-released. Ballbreaker was eventually re-released in October 2005; Stiff Upper Lip was later re-released in April 2007. Also in 2003, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 30 July 2003, the band performed with the Rolling Stones and Rush at Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto. The concert, held before an audience of half a million, was intended to help the city overcome the negative publicity stemming from the effects of a 2003 SARS epidemic. The concert holds the record for the largest paid music event in North American history.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-63" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[63]  The band came second in a list of Australia's highest-earning entertainers for 2005,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-64" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[64]  and sixth for 2006,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-65" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[65]  despite having neither toured since 2003 nor released an album since 2000. Verizon Wireless has gained the rights to release AC/DC's full albums and the entire Live at Donington concert to download in 2008.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-66" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[66]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 16 October 2007, Columbia Records released a double and triple DVD titled Plug Me In. The set consists of five and seven hours of rare footage, and even a recording of AC/DC at a high school performing "School Days", "T.N.T.", "She's Got Balls", and "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)". As with Family Jewels, disc one contains rare shows of the band with Bon Scott, and disc two is about the Brian Johnson era. The collector's edition contains an extra DVD with 21 more rare performances of both Scott and Johnson and more interviews.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-67" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[67]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">AC/DC made their video game debut on Rock Band 2, with "Let There Be Rock" included as a playable track.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-68" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[68]  The setlist from their Live at Donington live album was released as playable songs for the Rock Band series by means of a Wal-Mart-exclusive retail disc titled AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-acdc_rbtp_announced_69-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[69]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">No Bull: The Directors Cut, a newly edited, comprehensive Blu-ray and DVD of the band's July 1996 Plaza De Toros de las Ventas concert in Madrid, Spain, was released on 9 September 2008.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-No_Bull:_The_Directors_Cut_70-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[70]

Black Ice (2008–11)
AC/DC performs at Rogers Centre in Toronto on 7 November 2008 during their Black Ice World Tour <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 18 August 2008, Columbia Records announced 18 October Australian release, and 20 October worldwide release, of the studio album Black Ice. The 15-track album was the band's first studio release in eight years, was produced by Brendan O'Brien and was mixed and engineered by Mike Fraser. LikeStiff Upper Lip, it was recorded at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, British Columbia. Black Ice was sold in the US exclusively at Walmart and Sam's Club and the band's official website.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Black_Ice_73-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[73]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">"Rock 'n' Roll Train", the album's first single, was released to radio on 28 August. On 15 August, AC/DC recorded a video for a song from the new album in London with a special selection of fans getting the chance to be in the video.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-New_video_shoot_74-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[74]  Black Ice made history debuting at No.1 on album charts in 29 countries and also has the distinction of being Columbia Records' biggest debut album (since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales data for Billboard in March 1991). Black Ice has been certified Multi Platinum in eight countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Germany and the Czech Republic. Additionally Black Ice has achieved Platinum status in twelve countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, UK, Argentina, Singapore and New Zealand) and Gold status in four countries (The Netherlands, Spain, Poland and Brazil). With over 6.5 million copies of Black Ice shipped worldwide, combined with over 5.5 million in catalogue sold, AC/DC have surpassed The Beatles as the No.1 selling catalogue artist in the US for 2008. The 18-month Black Ice World Tour supporting the new album was announced on 11 September and began on 28 October in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Black_Ice_World_Tour_75-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[75]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 15 September 2008, AC/DC Radio debuted on Sirius Channel 19 and XM channel 53. The channel plays AC/DC music along with interviews with the band members.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-76" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[76]

Angus Young on 18 June 2010 at the Stade de France (Paris).<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">With the North American release of Black Ice on 20 October 2008, Columbia Records and Walmart created "Rock Again AC/DC Stores" to promote the album. In October 2008, MTV, Walmart, and Columbia created "AC/DC Rock Band Stores" in New York City, at Times Square, and in Los Angeles. "Black Ice" trucks were also dispatched on the streets of these two cities after the release, playing AC/DC music aloud and making various stops each day to sell merchandise.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-77" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[77]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In late September 2009, the band rescheduled six shows when Brian Johnson underwent an operation for ulcers.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-78" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[78]  On 29 September, the band announced a collection of studio and live rarities, Backtracks, which was released on 10 November 2009 as a 3-CD/2-DVD/1-LP box-set.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-79" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[79]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 4 November AC/DC were announced as the Business Review Weekly top Australian earner (entertainment) for 2009 with earnings of $105 million. This displaced The Wiggles from the number one spot for the first time in four years.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-80" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[80]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 19 April 2010, AC/DC released Iron Man 2, the soundtrack for the eponymous film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-81" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[81]  One month later, the band headlined Download Festival atDonington Park,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-82" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[82]  and closed the Black Ice World Tour in Bilbao, Spain on 28 June 2010, after 20 months in which AC/DC went to 108 cities in over 28 countries, with an estimated audience of over five million people.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-83" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[83]  Three concerts in December 2009 at the River Plate Stadium in Argentina were released as the DVD Live at River Plate on 10 May 2011.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-84" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[84]  An exclusive single from the DVD, featuring the songs "Shoot to Thrill" and "War Machine", was issued on Record Store Day.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-85" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[85]  In 2011, the band also issued on DVD and Blu-ray the concert movie AC/DC: Let There Be Rock, which had its theatrical release in 1980.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-86" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[86]

Future album, 40th anniversary and tour (2011–present)
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Angus stated in an interview in early May 2011 that the band was beginning to plan another world tour, saying, "Now we're thinking, 'How can we ever better the 'Black Ice' world tour?' But we will."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-87" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[87]  At the band's Live at River Plate DVD premiere on 6 May 2011 at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, England, Angus said that there were plans for the group to release a new studio album "within the next couple of years", which the tour would support.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-88" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[88]  Also, AC/DC's 40th anniversary will be marked for 2013. Most recently, Brian Johnson was a guest on VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" saying the band would get back in the studio and release an album in early to mid-2013. Later, Johnson called in to "The Cowhead Show" and reported that the next album has been delayed due to a health issue with one of the band members. He stated that an illness suffered by one of his bandmates may have temporarily put plans for a new album on hold. He would not go into specifics about which member or what the illness was, but he did say it was not terminal and that the afflicted member was on the path to recovery.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In May 2012, Malcolm Young confirmed that the band are working on a potential follow-up to 2008's Black Ice. But he warned that fans are in for a longer wait than expected, after lead singer Brian Johnson suggested there would be new material next year. Malcolm stated, "You know what Brian's like. He just says things and then walks away. It'll be a little while – a year or two anyway. I've been doing some jamming on some song ideas but I do that all the time, as do the rest of the band. We are still working. But we had a long rest between Stiff Upper Lip and Black Ice, so I think we need a couple of years to recuperate and work on it a bit more."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-89" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[89]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 19 November 2012, AC/DC released Live at River Plate,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-90" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[90]  their first live album in 20 years.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In April 2013, Aerosmith front man, Steven Tyler stated he wants to tour with AC/DC and is willing to take a pay cut for this to happen.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-91" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[91]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 16 April 2014, in response to earlier reports that the band may be retiring due to Malcolm Young being seriously ill and unable to perform,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-92" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[92]  Brian Johnson commented that AC/DC are not retiring, stating "We are definitely getting together in May in Vancouver. We're going to pick up guitars, have a plonk and see if anybody has got any tunes or ideas. If anything happens we'll record it."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-93" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[93]  AC/DC subsequently announced in an official statement on their Facebook page that Malcolm Young would be taking a break from the band due to his ill health. It ended: "The band will continue to make music."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-94" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[94]  In June, Johnson announced that AC/DC are "very likely" to be on the road again before the end of 2014.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-95" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[95]  In July 2014, AC/DC confirmed that they have finished recording their next album and that Malcolm's nephew, Stevie replaced Malcolm in the studio.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-96" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[96]

Legacy
The street sign for ACDC Lane, Melbourne<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 10 March 2003.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-97" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[97]  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."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-98" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[98]  During the acceptance speech, Brian Johnson quoted their 1977 song "Let There Be Rock".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-99" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[99]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 22 March 2000, the municipality of Leganés (near Madrid) named a street in honour of the band as "Calle de AC/DC" ("AC/DC Street"). Malcolm and Angus assisted in the inauguration with many fans. Later that day, the plaque with the name of the group was stolen, perhaps by an enthusiast or collector. The plaque was replaced two hours later, and stolen once again a mere three days after the fact. The plaque had since been stolen numerous times, forcing the municipality of Leganés to begin selling replicas of the official street plaque.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">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.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-100" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[100]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On 1 October 2004, a central Melbourne thoroughfare, Corporation Lane, was renamed ACDC Lane in honour of the band. However, the City of Melbourneforbade the use of the slash character in street names, so the four letters were combined.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-101" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[101]  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)".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-acdclane_27-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[27]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">They sold over 1.3 million CDs in the US during 2007 despite not having released a new album since 2000 at that point. Additionally, the group's commercial success continues to flourish despite their choice to refrain from selling albums in digital online formats for many years.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-102" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[102]  However, in November 2012, the entire catalogue (excluding the T.N.T. album and the Australian versions of the High Voltage, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap and Let There Be Rock albums) became available on the iTunes Store.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-103" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[103]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 2009 the Recording Industry Association of America upgraded the group's US sales figures from 69 million to 71 million, making AC/DC the fifth-best-selling band in US history and the tenth-best-selling artist, selling more albums than Madonna and Mariah Carey.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-riaa1_6-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[6]  The RIAA also certified Back in Black as double Diamond (20 million) in US sales, and by 2007 the album had sold 22 million copies, which made it the fifth-best-selling album of all-time in the US.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-riaa2_9-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[9]  It is currently the second-best-selling album worldwide.

Band members
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">With Malcolm Young on a break from the band, Stevie Young was brought in to participate in recording sessions for the next AC/DC album, and is expected to join the group on tour as well. He has not been specifically announced as a member of AC/DC.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-104" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[104]
 * Current members
 * Angus Young – lead guitar (1973–present)
 * Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1973–present; on break as of 2014)
 * Phil Rudd – drums (1975–1983, 1994–present)
 * Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals (1977–present)
 * Brian Johnson – lead vocals (1980–present)
 * Additional musician
 * Stevie Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1988, 2014–)

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Note: Before their debut album, High Voltage (1975), AC/DC had several line up changes. For a more comprehensive list of members that were part of the band before 1975, see: Main article: List of AC/DC band members==Tours== Main article: List of AC/DC concert tours==Discography== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">For a complete list of all the songs, see List of songs recorded by AC/DC For a more comprehensive list, see AC/DC discography.;Studio albums
 * Former members
 * Dave Evans – lead vocals (1973–1974)
 * Bon Scott – lead vocals (1974–1980)
 * Mark Evans – bass guitar (1975–1977)
 * Simon Wright – drums (1983–1989)
 * Chris Slade – drums (1989–1994)
 * High Voltage (1975) (Australia only)
 * T.N.T. (1975) (Australia only)
 * High Voltage (1976) (International version)
 * 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 We Salute You (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)

Awards and nominations
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by AC/DC==See also==


 * AC/DShe, an all-female tribute band who covers Bon Scott-era material
 * Hell's Belles – another all-female tribute band