The Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA) has updated its files to confirm the Australian band’s iconic rock record has been certified for US sales of 26 million copies.
US sales of “Back In Black” now sit in a tie for third place alongside The Eagles’ “Hotel California”; topping the chart is The Eagles “Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)” at 38 million copies sold, with Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” sitting at No. 2 with 34 million in sales.
The RIAA last confirmed that “Back In Black” had hit the 25 million sales mark in 2019; in terms of timing, it’s a random process of sorts, as labels and artists must pay the RIAA to certify the sales of recordings. As a result, it’s worth noting that The Eagles may not have paid for certification since 2018, and “Thriller” hasn’t been updated since 2021, so it’s possible their sales figures could be higher than the current listings.
Featuring classic tracks like “You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Shoot To Thrill” and “Hells Bells”, “Back In Black” would reach No. 4 on the US Billboard 200 upon its original release and go on to be the best-selling hard rock album in history, with estimated worldwide sales of 50 million.
AC/DC is currently playing shows in Europe in support of their 2020 album, “Power Up.”
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