Back In Black
AC/DC
1980
Album Summary
Back in Black is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC. It was released on 25 July 1980 by Albert Productions and Atlantic Records. It is the band's first album to feature lead singer Brian Johnson, following the death of previous lead singer Bon Scott. After the commercial breakthrough of their 1979 album Highway to Hell, AC/DC was planning to record a follow-up, but in February 1980, Scott died from alcohol poisoning after a drinking binge. Instead of disbanding, they decided to continue on and recruited Johnson, who was previously vocalist for Geordie. The album was composed by Johnson, Angus and Malcolm Young, and recorded over seven weeks in the Bahamas from April to May 1980 with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who had worked on their previous album. Following its completion, the group mixed Back in Black at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. The album's all-black cover was designed as a "sign of mourning" for Scott. As their sixth international studio release, Back in Black was an unprecedented success. It has sold an estimated 50 million copies worldwide, and is the second best-selling album in music history. The band supported the album with a yearlong world tour, cementing them among the most popular music acts of the early 1980s. The album also received positive critical reception during its initial release, and it has since been included on numerous lists of "greatest" albums. Since its original release, the album has been reissued and remastered multiple times, most recently for digital distribution. On 9 December 2019, it was certified 25× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
WikipediaSuch a beast of an album. Just legendary. Every song is a banger. Every track a shredder. "Relentless" is a really great descriptor for this album. It never lets up, never slows down, never lets you rest. It's the opposite of a rickroll.
Great album from this totally ‘balls to the wall’ Aussie rock group. It’s heavy but it’s not metal as many people often categorise their music to be. They rely on the trusted and true technique of playing the blues fast with accompanying power chords and saturated in full blown Marshall distortion. These guys are the masters of this genre and this album is one of their best examples. Every track is almost as good as any other, including released singles...that in itself is a rarity. While I actually favour AC/DC with their former and original frontman Bon Scott, there is no doubting the genuine quality of these tracks. The album definitely deserves to be rated a classic. Turn it up to 11!! 4 Stars!
Probably the most macho album ever, without ever being offensive. When aliens come down and ask about rock n roll, this will be the first album humans will play them.
Vous savez quoi ? Alors que j'étais partagé entre l'idée d'accorder un 4 à cet album, et celle de lui accorder un 5, j'ai finalement opté pour la dernière option. Et vous savez pourquoi ? Tout simplement parce que je voyais arriver le jour arriver où j'allais donner mon troisième 5 à Adèle et où on allait me traiter de fragile qui écoute seulement des filles qui pleurent en chantant. Alors voilà, un bon gros 5 pour Back In Black, un album bien viril, fait pour les hommes qui ont des clébards sales. Qu'est-ce que vous allez pouvoir dire maintenant ?
“Back in Black” by AC/DC (1980) I bought this album when it first came out, because my students (at a private Christian high school) had expressed alarm that if you play it backwards there were discernible messages from Satan. This was in the heyday of the evangelical Christian “backmasking” conspiracy theory. Anyway, I played parts of it in class (forward and backward), demonstrating that what they had been told to listen for (repeated references to “666”, etc.) were actually just cymbals and other sounds that only coincidentally sounded like words. Some of them remained unconvinced, and thus I learned a valuable lesson about religious fundamentalism: People will believe the craziest shit under the right conditions. But the music on this album is very good. Brian Johnson has a voice that seems to do violence to both his throat and the listener’s ears. But it is a very disciplined violence, with excellent range, diction, and breath control, and that makes it musically attractive. The guitar work of the Young brothers displays a particular virtuosity, especially for the time. Clearly one of the standout heavy metal guitar duos. Listen carefully for Angus Young’s deftly executed ‘quick bends’ on individual notes in the scales of his lead riffs. Exquisite. The rhythm section is exceptionally tight and steady, with enough variety to keep it interesting. The lyrics, on the other hand, are simply unconnected expressions of misguided manliness, angry arrogance, and cultural chaos. Even lyricist Brian Johnson is reported as having described the lyrics on the title track “Back in Black” as nonsense. And Johnson’s lyrics on “Hell’s Bells” are an unconvincing paean to evil. Consider the line “'Cause if good's on the left, then I'm sticking to the right”. Brian, if you’ve ever had children (and he did), then we all know you’re full of shit. What holds these lyrics together are the standard heavy metal themes of unrestrained individuality, untempered judgmentalism and the irresponsible abuse of what little they know. It’s not art. If you want to hear a message from Satan on this album, don’t play it backwards. Play it forwards. But the sound. The sound. It is metal done to perfection. 4/5
obviously a decent record but lyrically it improves tenfold when you imagine it’s being sung by toad
Whereas I get sick of Aerosmith's "middle school boy music" aesthetic, I still cannot get enough of it when AC/DC does it. Maybe they're just better at it. Maybe they're the real thing when Aerosmith is just poseurs. I don't know. What I do know is that every single one of these songs is a stone cold rock classic. Just listening to one of these is guaranteed to get you an STD. Hail Satan, and rock on AC/DC.
One of my favorite quotes is Angus Young saying “ I'm sick to death of people saying we've made 11 albums that sounds exactly the same, Infact, we've made 12 albums that sound exactly the same.” And hey, if your dumb horny rock n’ roll music ain’t broke, I certainly agree you shouldn’t fix it.
Day 39 of Albums You Must Hear Before You Die! It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n roll, that is, unless you’re AC/DC. The Young brothers, Malcom and Angus had a vision in the early Seventies to bring straight forward, hard edged, and unapologetic Rock ‘n Roll bangers to the masses. AC/DC was a hard working band that had no problem grinding it out on the road, and their hard work would pay off in a huge way. Although the years ahead would bring tragedy and line-up changes, they would deliver time and time again. From 1974-1980, with Bon Scott as the lead singer and charismatic frontman, AC/DC would turn every record they touched into something better than gold, they turned them all into platinum. T.N.T., High Voltage, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, and Let There Be Rock, would all be released in that time and any band in the world would be able to comfortably say that their musical careers had been a success and ride off into the sunset. When AC/DC prepared to record their sixth album, Highway to Hell, they parted from long time producers Harry Vanda and brother George Young, and ushered in Mutt Lange, who would help steer the band into a whole new stratosphere of rock. Highway to Hell would become their highest selling album up to that point and go on to be known as one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time. Singer Bon Scott would live out all of the excesses of a Rock God in his public and personal life, respectively. When he passed away unexpectedly in early 1980, his absence left an obvious gaping hole in the band. It seemed that AC/DC’s residency at the top of their game had come to an abrupt end. AC/DC isn’t the kind of band that rolls over and dies. When Bon Scott’s mother gave her blessing to continue on without her son, they soon recruited Brian Johnson to join the group. Bon Scott had seen Johnson perform before his death and highly recommended that the guys check him out sometime. Wanting to give tribute to their fallen band mate gave AC/DC the fuel to create their next album, and they did so in record time. In July 1980, only six months after Scott’s death, AC/DC would release Back in Black, once again collaborating with producer Mutt Lange. Back in Black was meant to have a totally black cover in memory of Scott, something that their label was very against, so they compromised and released the record with a mostly all black cover with just the title in grey. Due to the circumstances, most people would expect the band to take a more somber approach to the album. Hell no, AC/DC paid their respects by bringing the same frenzied energy to Back in Black that they were known to always have. Brian Johnson was the perfect frontman to step in on vocals. He didn’t try to replace Scott or mimic him at all. The opening track, Hell’s Bells starts off with the ominous ringing of a massive bell, setting the tone for Back in Black’s dark, yet pumped up approach. Their are no taboo topics on this rebirth. Death, Hell, drinking, partying, sex, it’s all there. When the most famous guitar riff of all time kicks in on the albums title song, Back in Black, I still feel the hairs on my neck rise. On You Shook Me All Night Long, you can feel the drums hit you in the chest as if you’re on the stage with the band. This is one of the cleanest recorded albums of all time, and it really shines because of its rough and rugged content. Have a Drink On Me and Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution are songs that you will still hear played on neighborhood bar jukeboxes around the world to this day. My personal favorite song on Back In Black is Let Me Put My Love Into You, it never loses its shine or sex appeal 40 years later. AC/DC had the perfect balance of Blues infused hard rock and work ethic that made them accessible to anyone that’s not a Bible thumping prude that can’t separate music entertainment from reality. My first memories of AC/DC come from my Uncle Mike. He always played their records at maximum volume that would vibrate the Angus Young plastered posters taped to his bedroom walls, and I thank him for that. (I can still picture Angus Young in his school boy outfit, with horns poking out from his hat, he’s my favorite). Back In Black is still the second highest selling album in the world. Let that sink in. There is no other band before AC/DC or to follow, that can overcome the loss of their frontman at the peak of their career, and go on to not only recover, but soar even higher than before. I’ll leave you with one last fact that I find to be especially impressive. While most albums have many, many songs recorded before selecting the final tracks that will go on the record, and leaving the rest on the cutting room floor, AC/DC recorded only 10 songs, all of which made it to the final cut. Then sold over 50 million copies of Back in Black... Mind blowing. Please share your thoughts, memories and opinions!!
This album is fantastic. The first entry from their new lead singer(after the death of their previous one) is their best outing. Show casing a new vocal sound that is today the opitome of ACDCs iconic music. This album plays almost like a greatest hits album containing numerous songs that are mainstays on any rock radio staion(or playlist - "helps bells", "shoot to thrill", "back in black", "you shook me all night long" and "rock and roll ain't noise pollution") but even the lesser tracks on this album are still great songs("what do you do for the money honey", "given the dog a bone" and "shake a leg"). This album hits high on almost every song and delivers the iconic sound we love from one of rocks greatest bands.
This is how a hard rock record should sound. The songs are great - nothing particularly ground-breaking or avant-garde, but amazing riffs, fantastic to sing along to, and definitely elicits an emotional response (especially when turned up loud). Some questionable lyrics, but they never took themselves too seriously and I don't think they expected the audience to either. In terms of overall sound, it's clear to see why this album is held up as one of the pinnacles of hard rock production. Solid rhythm section, and the guitars all sound incredible. The sound of a Gibson into a Marshall and turned up loud can't be beaten. Guitar solos suit the music perfectly, as do Brian Johnson's vocals. Makes me want to go grab my guitar and turn it up loud.
Proof that Black Sabbath served a purpose. This mob learnt from their shortcomings, at least. Too serious? Um, they're wearing school uniform. Failure to deliver on their image? Not possible, the songs are literally *about* rocking very hard. Bypassed lyrics on the highway to riffs? Nope. This is pure poetry: "Back in the back / Of a Cadillac / Number one with a bullet, I'm a power pack / Yes, I'm in a bang / With a gang / They've got to catch me if they want me to hang." Too basic? I mean, the aim is to wipe their grubby heinies in your sour moosh and that's exactly what they do. In short, I had a blast because I was getting ready for a wedding and wanted to get pumped up. This did the trick. Is it a three? It was then so it is now.
Awesome Rock and Roll. Simple but killer riffs with a good sense of fun. Interesting to read that this was the break through album following the death of their previous lead singer through MisAdventure.
All of my existing favorites, plus a handful of others that are also bangers. Led to a great continuation by Spotify also.
Love it- knew I loved it before I listened to it. Listened to it twice. Totally pumped for work
The soundtrack to my middle school years! In my search to find the music that felt like me. ACDC time and time again came through as an artist I could vibe to
Probably one of if not the greatest pure rock n roll albums of all time. The energy in it is still alive after 40 years. This album is a rock masterpiece and it changed my life.
C’est vraiment un masterpiece! Des mélodies simples, des drum simples mais c’est catchy a mort ! La voix est pour moi parfaite ! Une corneille qui chante bien! Ça démocratise le hard rock! Ça rend de bonne humeur et ça se danse Je l’évite Shake a leg moyenne elle Je lévite, hells bells wow, shoot to thrill!! Rock n roll aint noise pollution
El álbum que levantó los ánimos de la banda al ser mucho más exitoso posterior al fallecimiento de su primer vocalista
C’est un 5, c’est ça pis c’est toute! Au moins 5 tounes qui me font applaudir dans mon salon. J’ai même rejoué certaines tounes parce que je chantais. Shoot to thrill, PLAY TO KILL!
This album is just so representative of the AC/DC sound and of the rock during that time. I love this album.
Считаю ли я AC/DC переоценёнными? Скорее да. Пилили ли они при этом достойное музло? Скорее да. Если бы группа не была главной иконой хард-рока в массовом сознании, если бы какие-то школьницы на Первом канале не пели "Highway to School", если бы на футболке Батхеда красовался другой логотип, если бы Back In Black не стояла годами у отца на звонке... я бы, вероятно, воспринимал их музыку с большим удовлетворением. Но я же у мамки разумист, умею абстрагироваться. Так вот, если отбросить всякие предрассудки, то альбом то... кайфовый. Прям ну балдёж же. Конечно, балдёж балдежу рознь, дискографию гонять часами дома желания никакого нет. Но, например, для бега на плеер кинуть - вполне неплохая идея. Да и между делом услышать не прочь. Если только не на звонке в течении долгих лет. Отличное музло, лаконичные и запоминающиеся гитарные партии, яркий вокал, атмосфера "Е-е-е... ро-о-ок!" Да и то, при каких условиях альбом был записан, внушает увожение. На самом деле лучшим треком ныне кажется You Shook Me All Night Long, ранее его как-то не выделял, особенно на фоне вездесущей заглавной темы. Вступительный трек эпичную атмосферу задаёт, что даже некоторое разнообразие вносит в доминантную разгильдяйскую эстетику. Главную проблему AC/DC вижу именно в недостатке разнообразия, слишком узком выборе эстетики и отсутствии выраженного развития на протяжении карьеры чтоль. Но если альбом рассматривать отдельно от всего этого, он ж пиздатый.
its an iconic album ofc! I am not that into this type of genre, however I like some of the songs. like back in black and let me put my love into you.
A masterpiece! If you think any different you’re not playing it loud enough. From the days when albums were albums not playlists.
This album is perfection, it really gets me going, I love it. There isn't a bad song, all bangerz. Great guitar, such a great voice, I love the simplicity of the lyrics, it's not poetry but it's amazing fun. ACDC? More like AC-Inredible-DC.
Once I read that as/dc are just playing rock n roll, so after listening to this album, I'm convinced they are. Pretty good album
Another AC/DC album, and easily another classic. The second best-selling album of all time, right behind Thriller. Just like Highway to Hell, this one holds a lot of memories for me. I used to listen to this as a kid quite a bit. I could get away with saying "hell" in Hell's Bells. I've always been obsessed with the opening of the title track, but who isn't? I think overall I prefer Highway to Hell, but the hits on this one run deep as well. Imagine being AC/DC, losing your lead singer, and then coming back a year later with an album that rocks just as hard, if not harder, than anything you've made. This one's special. There's so much energy and heat here, and so many of the tracks are very horny, it almost seems like parody. But damn, they really did this. I can't say anything bad about this, I just love it. Favorite tracks: Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long, Hell's Bells, Let Me Put My Love Into You, Shoot to Thrill. Album art: Just enough. Barely more than a plain black cover, but the stenciled text is a great touch. I guess this is as funereal as a heavy metal rock band can afford to be. 5/5
I don't even need to listen to this album to write a review but I will anyway. Even the songs that I don't actively look to listen to were awesome. This is a classic rock album at its core. Hells Bells, Shoot to Thrill, Back in Black, and You Shook Me All Night Long were my favs. Perfect album cover as well. It's hard to top something like this so perfect start to the week.
Hells Bells 🔔 still rings strong for me! Love that song 🎧 and Back in Black and Shook Me are timeless. In my top20 albums
Oh, apparently it's metal week for me! After reviewing British Steel yesterday, I guess it's wholly appropriate that I get to do Back in Black, the other powerhouse early 80s hard rock album that everyone should listen to. Back in Black certainly lives in the same neighborhood as music we would classify as metal, but maybe down a house or two. Metal fans love AC/DC. AC/DC is also probably the gateway drug into the metal genre for most non-metal fans. But really, AC/DC is still a rock and roll band, a good old fashioned dirty blues and rock band that just happens to rock really hard. I mean really, really hard. This band shares commonalities with bands like the Stones as well as bands like Judas Priest. This makes them a better band than most metal bands. They have a very specific sound and they're really good at it. As a side note, I like that Rob Halford credits a tour with AC/DC as an influence on some of the songs on British Steel. Music doesn’t exist in a vacuum. What can I say about this album except that it’s pretty perfect. From the first toll of the bell, you know you’re in for something special, and AC/DC really delivers. This gets said a lot, but it’s really rare for a band to recover after the loss of a beloved core member like Bon Scott. Not only did AC/DC recover, but they sharpened their sound and became even more successful. It’s a singular event in music, kicked off with this album right here. It’s a swaggering, exuberant masterpiece. The band found a dream singer in Brian Johnson, who was able to step in and embrace the band’s sound, but also to make his own mark as a singer. They also found a masterful producer in Mutt Lange, who really helped the band to hone their sound. The great hooks were always kind of there in AC/DC’s music, but they went next level here and produced some incredibly catchy rockers for the ages. “You Shook Me All Night Long” is one of the best songs ever recorded, something people will be listening to with wonder 50 years from now. But make no mistake, the darkness and the edge are still there. The broody sense of foreboding in “Hell’s Bells” is fantastic and is an undercurrent that weaves through the whole album. It foregrounds the dark space the band (and their fans) had been occupying and helps to balance the high energy party vibe of songs like “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “Have a Drink on Me.” Musically, the band is on fire here. They’re a completely tight ship of a band. Beautiful riffs across the board from Angus and Malcolm Young, augmented with Angus' delightful solos. There’s a reason his name comes up in an any serious discussion of guitar players. Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd set the pace and hold the whole thing together while the band just burns through it. The songs are crisp and efficient, not an extraneous note or unnecessary solo to be found. I’ll also add, this album is beyond fun to listen to. The sound is powerful, but the band never loses that schoolboy energy. What’s more, Black in Black has got a groove to it. Try to sit still in a chair and listen to this album. You can’t do it! Fave Songs: You Shook Me All Night Long, Hell's Bells, Back in Black, Have a Drink on Me
Well this particular trip back to my embarrassing middle school "classic dad rock is the only good music" phase was actually definitely worth it. This album has actually continued to age particularly well. Hells Bells, Back in Black and You Shook Me All Night Long are great. Shoot to Thrill is the real sleeper hit that really only got the recognition it deserved in the gratuitously gratuitous movie "Shoot em Up".
Beautiful production, showcasing every instrument perfectly, with Brian’s vocals sounding crisp and clear. Some absolute crackers on there that have remained in the AC/DC regular set list 30 or 40 years later. Stand out tracks: Hells Bells, Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long
-A legendary album. "Hells Bells," "Shoot To Thrill," "Back In Black," "You Shook Me All Night Long," and "Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" are all absolute rock classics -I hadn't heard "What You Do For Money Honey" and I love the part where it cuts to just singing and drumming and then goes into the guitar solo -Back In Black is legendary for many reasons, but one thing I like it the cool rhymes throughout the sonf
I really like AC/DC, so this album was great for me. I feel like AC/DC is quintessential fun rock. Not the most technical band out there. Just great to listen to.
This is one on which I happily clicked "Play" to listen all the way through even though I already know the whole thing. I could write far too much here because I'm a fan of the band and this album, so I'll try to rein it in here. In a genre (hard rock/heavy metal) in which bands can too easily devolve into unintended self-parody, AC/DC always managed to avoid that and play what I always hear as just really fun rock. And this album is absolutely super-fun! They somehow play hard-driving rock that's danceable and upbeat without being syrupy or saccharine. Not sure many bands can pull that off. Plus, from the interviews I've seen and the stories I've heard, this band is full of truly nice people. Angus Young's genuine humility and decency always seem apparent to me whenever I hear him chatting. It's great. It's really cool to see my son in his early teens, and a few of his peers, discover and love this band and this album too.
It's AC/DC. What were you expecting? Best Tracks: Shoot To Thrill; Back In Black; You Shook Me All Night Long
About 8 of these 10 songs could have carried an entire career. So much swagger, absolutely unique sound.
I remember getting this CD in high school (my second AC/DC CD after Dirty Deeds) likely from Columbian House. It’s a fantastic album and even though AC/DC aren’t in as high rotation anymore for me (nothing personal) it’s still such a cool story than Brian was able to swing in and make the band his own so quickly after Bon Scott’s death. Bon died in February, Brian got the job in March and this was released in July. That’s wild, especially considering there’s hardly a bad song on the album. You Shook Me All Night Long is fantastic because the melody and production helped it become a huge crossover it. It’s near perfect. Fave tracks: “Shoot to Thrill” “You Shook Me All Night Long” “Given the Dog a Bone” “rock and roll ain’t noise pollution”
This was another childhood album of mine and it's hard to take off nostalgia goggles for it. I've listened to every song so much I don't think I can judge it from a fresh perspective. With that being said I still find it very enjoyable to listen to and there are no skips.
5.0 - A true beast of an album, this one plays like a greatest hits compilation. Somehow the songs remain fresh for me (with the exception of "You Shook Me...") despite being mainstays on rock radio.
88. Back in Black - AC/DC 10 tracks. This started great and just got better. I hated them in my younger days but this is bang on the money, (honey!). There's far more subtlety in here than I expected. It's not all "noise pollution". I love this. Sign of the horns 5/5
Great collection of AC/DC tunes, this album was a hit machine with only a couple of songs that I don't think made their way to the radio or pop culture in some form. Big return to form after the death of their first singer.
I would give it 10 out of 5 if I could - what can I say I love them and Angus Young is a god. B in B is probably my most listened to album of all times. Right before Metalica's Black Album and Iron Maidens Number of the Beast. To me it's the greatest.
'Back In Black' (album) uniquely captures the rock and roll spirit, dexterously finding the middle ground between branching off and staying true to its roots. Brian Johnson's display of serious pipes lay the groundwork for the energetic backdrop, with traditional AC/DC riffs and drum patterns reminding listeners why a number of tracks on this record are classics-worthy. Dynamic execution of a blazing guitar solo in 'Let Me Put My Love Into You' and a well-arranged title track are only enhanced by crisp production especially for a rock album - an immensely fulfilling listen.
Un classique du rock and roll. Tres bon qlbum, ma prefere de acdc, rock and roll aint noise pollution 5
I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Although I'm not really a fan of hard rock / heavy metal, AC/DC is one of the few bands I do like to listen to from time to time. It has classics (like Back In Black and You Shook Me All Night Long) and some more underrated tracks too that were really good.
From the ashes rises the phoenix. When you lose a frontman like Bon Scott that had such a distinct sound and presence, it seems impossible that ANY band would be able to carry on. ACDC is the obvious exception. The iconic bells opening the album are iconic, symbolizing both a funeral and and inauguration of amazing frontmen. The lyrics of many of these songs are the best ever written by the band, embracing the transition. Every track is HIT after HIT after HIT. Album that has been acclaimed by both critics and the masses. 5 star review.
Massive album in the 80s - still great of course - one of these albums where practically every track could be a single.
Ya gotta give a 5. ACDC is easy to tease now, but Bon Scott era ruled, and being able to come back after his death swinging with your best album of all time is legendary.
I had just recently finished giving my required “Tribute Speech” in sophomore speech class when I learned a new AC-DC album was being released. Most of my classmate’s subject matters had been either pontifications about dead grandparents, fallen leaders or pets - and a couple on Jesus Christ - my accolades were focused on Bon Scott. (Got an A - the instructor must have sensed my sincerity). The thought of a new AC-DC album exited and terrified me, because at that point in my life there was nothing as musically relevant as that band. This could be good, but deep down I thought it was more likely to end in disappointment - a stain on the legacy of my touchstone band. I was early to the Northland Mall that day to be first in line at Musicland to buy the LP. Mildly surprised that I was the only one there. Wow. It’s all black. This seems badass, but also out of character. Where are the horns? the fire? the lightening? It didn’t matter. Raced home to drop the needle on my older brother’s stereo. 40+ minutes later I was thunderstruck as this was probably the best AC-DC album ever. Best album ever. Angus, the boys and the new guy had the songs and the chemistry. I probably played the album eight or ten times through without listening to anything else over the next couple of days, and then back to Musicland to get the 8-track version for the car. Every song is a winner. Pinnacle of AC- DCs sex, drink, power, rock-n-roll formula. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More please.
Oh man. I remember running to my turntable on rockin the rest of the day. The 1st note grabbed me and never let go.
Probably the best album to define rock at its pure form. I do not get any pleasure listening to it anymore, but I'm still going to give it the 5 stars it deserves.
Yeah, this album still rocks. Bite me. Maybe, it's the roughly ten years since I've not heard these songs incessantly, unlike the previous 30 where you couldn't avoid them. Tremendous lead and rhythm guitar sound and riffs by the Young Brothers. No messing around with what these songs are about with titles like "Givin the Dog a Bone" and "Let Me Put My Love into You." Thanks O'Malley"s Pub in Champaign, Illinois, for etching each word of "You Shook Me All Night Long" into my head, along with " American Pie." I can't argue best AC/DC albums since " Highway to Hell" is the only other one I've heard more than once.
No one can accuse AC/DC of being too experimental. You just know them when you hear them. This is the album's biggest weakness. Every track is bristling with energy from the first second to the last, and every indivudual track is excellent. The title track and "You Shook Me All Night Long" are the obvious standouts. Iconic. 4.5/5
Pretty much a perfect hard rock album. I've been loving it since my older cousin gave me a copy on cassette in the early 80s.
Among the hits, rock and roll aint noise pollution is the ode to rock the world needed in 1980. AC/DC, showing you can have beauty in the simple and then party like motley crue
Possibly the greatest hard rock album of all time. Lean, punchy, dumb, sexist and aggressive, but also funny and catchy. The production is stripped of ornamentation to an almost punk-like degree, the band is moving away from blues rock and into a harder, leaner thing. It's a dumb formula, but, my god, what a formula.
The production alone should be an essential reason for listening to Back In Black. The guitar sound from both Angus and Malcolm is so crisp throughout. Cliff and Phil as AC/DCs bass and drum rhythm section were perfectly adequate support for the album, and despite being the new guy replacing their deceased singer, Brian owned the place. That aside, the songs are mainly top quality. Hells Bells is the perfect introduction, Back in Black is a rock classic, You Shook Me All Night Long is just good fun, and Shoot To Thrill has that good mix of firing on all cylinders and being laid back too. On a bad day I can see one or two songs being skippable, but in the right mood and its something else.
A Perfect Rock Album. 5/5 Classics: Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long, Hells Bells Greats: Shake a Leg, Shoot to Thrill, Given the Dog a Bone, What Do YOu Do For Money Honey, Have a Drink on Me. Far Above Average: Let Me Put My Love Into You, Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution. Favorite Line: "Let me cut your cake with my knife" - Let Me Put My Love Into You.
This is the 2nd biggest selling album in world history. !! So many things someone/I could write about this but I don't know the point because even if you're one of the 8 people who doesn't own a copy...you've probably heard at least some of this record. Let's go with: ...a rising hard rock band on the verge of superstardom...their lead singer dies...replaced by an unknown...and they sell 50 million of the first album with him. All while the new singer sounds like he gargled Krusty O's Cereal. And it's ....perfect?? Yeah that's it - perfect. 10/10 5 stars.
i did not even need to listen to it automatic 5/5 10/10 but everything about this album is perfect the beginning the end the middle yes.
Ah, AC/DC. Those bells tell me it’s hell but the guitar following tells me it’s heaven. So, I actually liked AC/DC in middle school. A girlfriend of mine bought me an AC/DC pick that I wore around my neck everyday. I just think they’re a classic hard rock group. Listening to Hell’s Bells makes me feel like I can roam the halls of high school with those kids from Freaks and Geeks. It’s one of those songs that you’re not really sure exactly what it’s about, but the vibe is pretty clear (in this case, Cool Rebellion). This is doubled by the fact that the song doesn’t move around too much musically. Shoot to Thrill has a pretty iconic intro, I know it well. The guitars on this record are just pretty tasty. Didn’t realize Shoot to Thrill was about London housewives on Valium. Thought it was about sex! Surprisingly more depth than I expected of an AC/DC song. Sometimes the singer’s voice (totally blanking on his name) sounds like Elmo screaming or Jon Fogerty. Somehow I like this range. The next track seems to be about a sought-after woman who siphons money out of all of her gentleman callers. It seems pretty clear what she does for money, but the Youngs persist with the question. This track dragged a wee bit. Next track is especially bluesy with its riff and lyrical content. Pretty much about sex — the shock value I expect of AC/DC. “Let Me Put My Love Into You,” while also sex-inflected, is a bit more of an interesting song musically. Love the guitar riff. The metaphors are really fun in this one: machinery, the elements, and cake! Now, we’ve reached the classic eponymous track. Funky, fun, and also mildly disturbing. From hardcore teenage gangsters to soft lovers: “You Shook Me All Night Long.” Honestly love this anthemic love song. The lyrics are seriously poetic, deviating from AC/DC’s angsty boy rock image. There’s three songs left, so I’ll stop doing my play-by-play. You can tell that this group had a great time recording this album. There’s a simultaneous deep attention to detail as well as a laidback garage band atmosphere. I wasn’t expecting to give this album a 5 going into it, but I would be seriously remiss if I didn’t. Fun, musically interesting, and makes you feel infectiously cool. Sound is cohesive but not every song sounds exactly the same. Depth and variety of lyrical content. Still holds up from when I listened to it in middle school and when it was contemporaneously popular way before that. I gotta go find my AC/DC pick.
Such a serene album. Thoughtful. Mellow. Starts off really slowly, not too memorable. Listless. These are not the words to describe this album. There's a reason so many bands exist.
Listened to this album countless of times, nothing more to say, one of the rock greats.
Holy shit. Gonna have to buy the vinyl. Didn’t realize how many absolute bangers are on here.
One of my all time favorites. The story of this album is amazing having just suffered the loss of Bon Scott, then to decide to soldier on, find a new lead singer and record a new album in just a few short months. And a rather successful album at that. This is a continuation of the classic AC/DC sound but a new generation. Still has some of those suggestive innuendos with some great heavy hitters as well. Hell's Bells is a fantastic opening track. You Shook Me All Night Long has such an energy to it and the title track is so simple yet so perfect.
I love AC/DC and as much as I have heard most of these, it did have a few songs I had never heard. solid 5/5
I've probably been a little too harsh for my review of the band's previous album, *Highway To Hell* (and my grade, 3/5, was harsh too). What was I thinking? I've listened to it a few more times since, and even if it's no masterpiece, it's still a *fun* record. 4/5 would have been more like it. So to get the karmic balance about AC/DC right, and given that I don't have anything original or interesting to add about this classic record, I'm just gonna give a 5/5 grade to *Back In Black* right away. I already intended to do so anyway, even when I only gave *Highway To Hell* a 3. Because this record is a small miracle. The change of lead singer after Bon Scott's death was a very risky affair, and yet it fully paid out. So many stellar tracks on this one. Four all-time hits: "Hells Bells", "Shoot To Thrill", " Back In Black" and "You Shook Me All Night Long". But every other track is awesome, really. I'm not a *huge* AC/DC fan, but you gotta hand it down to them: they made a perfect record here. It's as simple as that. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 828 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 93 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 42 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 36
Could be considered a little short but with hit after hit it’s a very enjoyable and classic journey. It was hard to tell when it was gonna end since it is very cohesive.
I listened to this on my phone, as in through my phone's speaker, and it STILL crushed. I love the Bon Scott records (where are they on this list??) and I for sure would have loved to hear him sing these songs, but it's kind of hard to argue that AC/DC didn't perfect their template on this album. It doesn't even make sense what they do on this record. A song called "Let Me Put My Love Into You" sounds like it should be a terrible KISS track from the neon spandex era... but nope. Shit rules. That riff! Love it. We don't talk about sequencing a lot, but whoever decided to put these tracks in this exact order needs their name etched upon a plaque somewhere. It has such a good flow to it, never quite letting off the gas but still mixing it up a bit in tone and tempo from song to song. "Back in Black" is track number 6 (!) and it's almost impossible to think that it's followed by "You Shook Me All Night Long." There's not a chance in hell this idea didn't influence how Appetite for Destruction was sequenced. It's crazy that they made this only a few months after Bon died. It's crazy that it's as good as it is and it's their 7th album. And it's still crazy that it's like in the top 5 best selling albums of all time. None of this makes sense. Listening to it, I was reminded of seeing them live at the Charlotte coliseum in (I think) the 7th grade! So much fun; so many rednecks. I'm glad they didn't, but had they played every single song off of this record at that show... I wouldn't have left disappointed.
One of the greatest hard rock albums ever, but some of what commends it also serve as the seeds of creative decline for AC/DC. The ponderous, crawling tempos sound powerful and muscular here, but drag on later releases. Pared-back riffs no doubt sound great in stadia but too much minimalism becomes boring. Brian Johnson sounds insane, like a man struggling to breathe, but doesn't really vary this attack down the line. It's brilliant, my favourite AC/DC album, absolutely stacked with hooky riffs and memorable songs. The bell rolling at the start of 'Hell's Bells' raises goosebumps even today. Even the sleazy bits sound classy. Great stuff, but it would be the blueprint for lesser releases down the line.
Definitely one of the classic, definitive rock albums of all time. If aliens days "what is this rock of which you speak" (because they talk like that), play them this
Classic rock album, from the very first sound of the bell to the last not, it rocks throughout. The are no weak tracks.
Bit of serendipity: earlier this week, I reviewed the Manic Street Preachers' Everything Must Go, which I said was one of the two truly great albums made in response to the death of a decisive member of the band. Indeed, I called it the indie Back in Black. Two days later, Back in Black roars onto my feed as if summoned. Of course, it behoves me to explain the painful tale behind Back in Black. AC/DC had achieved international success with their excellent 1979 album Highway to Hell, establishing them as standard-bearers for hard rock. As they planned their follow-up, their lead singer Bon Scott went off on a drinking binge with a friend, glugging back quadruple scotches. When Scott lost consciousness, a friend bundled Scott into the back of his Renault 5, expecting him to sleep off the booze. Opening his car to check on Scott, the friend found him unresponsive. Scott was rushed to hospital, but pronounced dead on arrival. The coroner ruled that Scott had choked on his own vomit, and "acute alcoholic poisoning" was listed as the cause of death. He was 33. The band, stricken with grief, considered disbanding, but family and friends persuaded them that Bon would have wishhed the band to continue. Holding auditions for a lead singer, they chose Brian Johnson, a Geordie from a band called Geordie. The first member of AC/DC to notice Brian was, oddly, Bon, who had praised Brian's singing to AC/DC's guitarist Angus Young. Focusing on their next album, the band decided to show their state of mourning by calling the album Back in Black. They had wanted the sleeve to just be solid black, but the record label insisted on the grey band symbol and album title. Back in Black would become, according to some measures, the second best-selling album of all time. Explaining why Back in Black is wonderful is like explaining why Some Like It Hot is wonderful: the answer is so nakedly evident, it feels foolish to elaborate. Some Like It Hot is just very funny, and Back in Black just rocks the fillings out your head. Sure, it's puerile, crass, unsubtle and unreconstructed, but to its credit it's puerile, crass, unsubtle and unreconstructed. It's meant to be immediate, fierce and hedonistic. Even the most criticisable aspect of the album, its apparent sexism, strikes me as far more voluptuary than misogynistic. Chuck Klosterman once wrote that future generations may conclude that AC/DC were the defining band of rock just because of the amount of songs they performed with "rock" in the title (this album has "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"), and from our perspective that would be one of the best summaries of rock future generations could make. Being snotty about this album feels ridiculous, not least because no bodily fluid could ever faze this band. When I wrote my review of Everything Must Go, I found myself focusing on how the band dealt with Richey Edwards' disappearance, asking Richey to forgive them for moving on. With Back in Black, the band's means of processing their loss is markedly different. The band celebrates their fallen comrade-in-arms by making exactly the album he would have wanted to make. This is clearest and most notorious on Have a Drink on Me, a song about the joys of binge drinking. However, this refusal to compromise makes the song, and the album, a triumph, almost an act of heroism. When struck by tragedy, AC/DC refused to bow, and proved that they possessed that greatest of traits: they endured.
Big (BIG) fan of AC/DC and especially this album. The first release with Brian Johnson on lead vocals didn't hold anything back. Definitely on my top 100 of all-time.
AC/DC really holding it down for the 80s in a lot of ways. They kicked off the decade with a phenomenally early sense of what the sound would be.
This is THE comeback-with-a-new-singer album. So many have tried to do that and failed miserably, so it is nice that we have this.
This album is an iconic rock offering, one of the best albums to emerge from the genre. One can’t help but feel energized listening to the offerings here from start to finish. It’s hard to believe this is a debut album of sorts, as it was their first following the demise of Bon Scott. Everything comes together here like a well made set of LEGO. Definitely an essential party listen when hangin out with the boys (or girls, or whatever you want to be!)
Finally, the unification of Satan and sophomoric innuendo that the people were clamoring for! A solid album all the way through, despite the fact that I find the lyrics to "Give the Dog a Bone" personally distasteful. I can also picture Richard Ramirez really feeling the lyrics to "Let Me Put My Love Into You." Apart from those issues, the album is insanely high energy with some really high points. So many rock n' roll classics in one album 4/5
Some of these songs were much longer than I expected, and very similar to each other. Still a classic.
Cool album. High energy over the top rock and roll. All the songs sound pretty much the same. Lyrics are a little mediocre but the album rocks.
This is right on the cusp of 5. The reason I went 4 is because this much AC/DC is a lot in a row
Solid classic rock album; everyone knows the hits. Vocal style isn’t my favorite but I can’t dislike the rock.
It's my first time listening to this album in it's entirety, it's a lot more soothing than I thought it would be.