The project topped the magazine’s newly-published list of the "200 Greatest Australian Albums Of All Time", which spans 55 years of Australian popular music – stretching from 1965 right up until 2020 – with a focus on the individual records that have defined, characterized and subverted the sound and shape of Australian music history.
The review was compiled with input from over 800 music industry figures, journalists, producers and artists before being whittled down to the final 200 records by a group of internal staff and music experts.
“Australia truly does have some of the greatest music in the world,” says Rolling Stone Australia Editor Tyler Jenke. “It’s been an amazing experience to go in-depth with many of these records, realizing and understanding the blood, sweat, and tears that went into making each and every one.”
AC/DC were riding high with the success of their commercial breakthrough, 1979’s “Highway To Hell”, and were preparing to work on material for their next album when singer Bon Scott passed away in February 1980 at the age of 33 after a night of heavy drinking in London.
Led by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, the pair hunkered down and continued writing songs as they dealt with the loss of their bandmate while facing a period of uncertainty about their own future as a group.
“I always took my cues from Malcolm, because Malcolm got us through, especially in the Bon era,” Angus told Paste magazine earlier this year. “Malcolm said, ‘We’ll just continue doing what we do. We’ll just carry on and not even think about what we’re going to do.’ So it was really after we had been to Bon’s funeral and talked with his parents—and especially Bon’s father had been the one who had said to us, ‘Bon loved working with you two guys—he would have really wanted you to go on.’ And that was good for us, because it felt like we had his blessing.”
AC/DC brought in former Geordie singer Brian Johnson to handle lead vocals and went on to issue “Back In Black”, which would serve as a tribute to Bon and go on to become the best-selling hard rock album of all time with estimated worldwide sales of 50 million.
In addition to topping "200 Greatest Australian Albums Of All Time" review, AC/DC also placed three other albums on the list: 1979’s “Highway To Hell” (No. 29), 1976’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (No. #60), and 1975’s “Powerage” (No. 136)
View the complete list at Rolling Stone Australia.
AC/DC’s latest album is 2020’s “Power Up”; the project recently received three nominations for the 2022 Grammy Awards, where it will compete for Best Rock Album, while the set’s lead single, “Shot In The Dark”, was recognized as a finalist in the Best Rock Performance and Best Music Video categories.
See also:
AC/DC score three Grammy nominations with Power Up
AC/DC spotlight band history in Through The Mists Of Time video
AC/DC share story behind Witch’s Spell video
AC/DC: Bon Scott’s 75th birthday celebrated by launch of first official website
Search AC/DC at hennemusic
