AC/DC are an Australian rock band originally formed by the Scottish-born brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. The band first appeared on Billboard 200 in 1977, with their album Let There Be Rock which spent eleven weeks on the chart. But what was their first song?
AC/DC’s first song was Can I Sit Next To You Girl which was released in 1975 as part of their album T.N.T. (also referred to as High Voltage in countries outside of Australia).
You can read more about AC/DC’s best songs and albums below.
AC/DC’s Hot Hits
AC/DC’s albums have performed quite well on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums, with the band securing four top tens, three of them being number ones.
The Razor’s Edge (1990)
AC/DC’s 1990 album The Razor’s Edge has been described as one of the band’s most “consistent” albums containing very few fillers and “a-must-listen album for die-hard classic rock fans.”
Compiled of twelve tracks, The Razor’s Edge features some of AC/DC’s highest charting singles, including Moneytalks which reached number three and Thunderstruck which reached number five.
Moneytalks is described as “the most upbeat song on the album, with a cheery riff and a ridiculously catchy chorus.” While Thunderstruck is described as “fantastic” and a “fan favorite”.
The music video for Thunderstruck was produced by one of the most prolific music video directors, David Mallet, and it later was nominated for an MTV video award for the Best Heavy Metal/Hard Rock video in 2008.
Last Action Soundtrack (1993)
The Last Action Soundtrack of 1993 provided the band with their first number one Hard as a Rock, but perhaps a more recognizable single from this album would be Big Gun which was very popular amongst fans, though it was never performed live despite its popularity.
In 2018, Michael Christopher from Ultimate Classic Rock exposed his thoughts on the album, noting that it is a “curious mix [of tracks], but upon its release, it was the sonic epitome of the shifting musical landscape.”
Stiff Upper Lip (2000)
As the band’s 14th album, Stiff Upper Lip performed very well on the charts and was especially popular in European countries. In Austria, Finland, Germany and Sweden, the album topped the charts at number one; and in America, it peaked within the top ten on Billboard 200, reaching number six.
The single within the album which was named after the title also reached number one on Billboard.
Black Ice (2008)
AC/DC’s 2008 album Black Ice is one that contains many of the band’s famed songs. Out of four awards nominations, the album won three including the Best Hard Rock Album, the Best Music AD, and the Album of the Year Award at the 2009 Classic Rock and Roll Honour Awards. It was nominated for a Grammy award for the Best Rock Album, however it did not win this award.
The album features two singles which appeared in the top ten, with one single reaching number one.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Train is the single within this album which topped the charts, and went on to receive one award and one nomination; a Grammy nomination for the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and an Australasian Performing Right Association Award for the Most Played Australian Work Overseas.
Another single within the album which appeared in the top ten on the charts is Big Jack which just made it into the top ten, ranking in at number ten.
In his review of the album, Brian Hiatt, a reporter from the Rolling Stone, mentions that the album contains too many tracks that compromise the album’s overall enjoyment.
“The album feels longer than its 55 minutes, thanks to a stretch of throwaway rockers including the mindless ‘Spoilin’ for a Fight” and the generic-even-by-their-standards ‘Wheels.’”