On August 21st, 2024, AC/DC‘s 1980 breakthrough album Back In Black was certified by the Recording Industry Association Of America for U.S. shipments of 27 million copies. It now ranks as the third-highest-certified album in U.S. history, behind Eagles‘ compilation Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), which has moved 38 million units, according to the RIAA, and Michael Jackson‘s Thriller, which has been certified 34 times platinum.
Back In Black first went platinum in October 1980 and had previously been certified 25 times platinum in December 2019. At the time, the RIAA listed Back In Black as the fourth biggest-selling album of all time.
Back In Black includes the singles You Shook Me All Night Long, which peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Back In Black, which peaked at No. 37.
Despite its massive success, it never got higher than No. 4 on the album charts. The band’s next album, “For Those About To Rock”, reached No. 1.
Back In Black was produced by Robert “Mutt” Lange, who went on to produce Def Leppard, Foreigner, The Cars, and Bryan Adams.
On July 25th, 1980, AC/DC released Back In Black in the U.S., followed by the album’s U.K. release on July 31. It was the band’s first album without lead singer Bon Scott, who had died a few months earlier, after passing out and asphyxiating on his own gastric fluids, after a long night of drinking.
8 Responses
BACK IN BLACK – It doesn’t get any better than that!
Doug I’d put Highway To Hell up there with it. Two of the best records to drink to ever recorded!
It’s funny, I put AC/DC albums into two categories: The Bon years and the Johnson years.
For the Bon years: Highway to Hell, with Powerage, a very close second (kind of like Def Leppard‘s Pyromania and High N’ Dry). For the Johnson years: This record of which we speak, which is deserving, of its accolades.
RPS, I agree 100%!! Cheers!!
What song came on the radio on the way to church this morning? “Back In Black!” Lol
Legendary record. I only play this maybe once a year but it blows my mind every time I hear it. It was written and recorded really quickly too, believe it or not. I give this record a slight edge over “Highway” for that very reason.
First the count off, then those first three chords just hooked me. So simple, yet so heavy. The 14 year old me was just so impressed, and I still am. The simplest stuff usually is the best. Angus is starting to look like one of the golden girls, but I respect the hell out of him.
Dana,
I do the same thing. I split the Bon and Brian albums, and do the same with Van Halen. I do favor the Bon era a bit more, since Highway to Hell was my first introduction.