AC/DC - Back In Black (Release Year-1980)
I couldn’t think of another release more appropriate to start up the new Classic Metal Reviews feature, than AC/DC’s. Back In Black.
Whether you like them or not, few band’s have experienced the level of success that AC/DC has achieved. AC/DC’s Back In Black has sold over 42 million units worldwide, making it one of the must successful releases in music history. Most bands would be happy if their entire catalog sold this amount
.
After the death of Bon Scott, the band soldiered on. No one knew how this release would turn out. This is the band’s first disc featuring singer Brian Johnson. With Mutt Lange at the helm as producer, the band crafted their most popular release ever.
From the opening bells of Hells Bells, you know this is going to be a classic record. It is rare for me to listen to a whole CD all the way through, and not have a song or two that I don’t like. This is not the the case with Back in Black.
I love all of the songs on this disc, by my absolute favorites are Shoot To Thrill, Back In Black, You Shook Me All Night Long, Have A Drink on Me, and Shake a Leg.
This is a disc that stands up well, and does not sound dated in 2007. I can’t think of one thing I would change on this record.
It is a hard rock/metal landmark release that no collection should be without. If you don’t own this, what are you waiting for. 42 Million people can’t be wrong!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Hells Bells
2. Shoot To Thrill
3. What Do You Do For Money Honey
4. Givin The Dog A Bone
5. Let Me Put My Love Into You
6. Back In Black
7. You Shook Me All Night Long
8. Have A Drink On Me
9. Shake A Leg
10. Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution
Great album of course but 42 million people can be wrong. Look at germany at the second world war. 50 millions behind HITLER taking millions of jews to the extermination camps. They thought they were right. Anyway, great album lol.
Well, there’s no arguing with Rene’s logic!
Personally, I don’t care much for AC/DC with Bon Scott and I hate them with Brian Johnson. So Brian Johnson is strike one and Mutt Lange is strike two. However, there never has been a third strike and more recently, I’ve realized why. They actually wrote some pretty good songs for this album. It’s just a shame that Brian Johnson had to sing them, because he’s not even a competent singer. I’d still say Back in Black is one of the most overrated albums of all time and I’m always astounded that so many people like it. I used to attribute it to mass foolishness, but now I think at least some of it has to do with being able to get past Brian Johnson’s inability as a vocalist. So, I still hate it and find it almost entirely unlistenable, but it’s a performance issue. No one in the band is particularly good, but Johnson is the killer for me. After Back in Black, even the music is fairly poor, so next to that, this is a very good album, but compared to the whole field of hard rock, they just aren’t much good.
It’s AC/DC! Second generation of the original…..
We’d really prefer that Bon remained alive….but we’ll take waht we can get….
I remember when that record came out and I was only 8 yrs old! A great album, a pure classic…..and it still sounds fresh. My kids even know about AC/DC and BACK IN BLACK.
You have to experience AC/DC live to truly appreciate them. Angus ROCKS!!! I saw this band when Bon Scott was still alive, and I prefer him over Brian Johnson, but at least the band stayed together and became even more successful!
Um….thanks for coming out Rene. Anyway, Back in Black is not the work of pure genius, in the usual sense at any rate. It is genius in it’s simplicity and it’s incredibly wide appeal, which is what really bothers Bob Vinyl I think. Yes, AC DC is simple, riff oriented, rock music, and yes, Brian Johnson sounds like his head might explode if he didn’t have a couple of beers first (he is terrible live). Selling forty two million records isn’t necessarily a good thing though, I’m sure the record companies love it, and artists trying to make a living on their music will certainly love it as well. What it really means is that you have hit the common denominator perfectly, you have created music that virtually anyone, and I mean anyone, can get behind in one way or another. For instance, I’ve known people that own Back in Black, but not a single other AC DC album, hardly another rock album at all for that matter (for the record, I don’t know those people anymore). Anyway, this album had the ability to transcend the usual boundaries and genres, automatically excluding it as AC DCs best album as far as I’m concerned. How could something you hold so dear, also be held by so many assholes? Like Hitler.
Get off the Hitler bullshit.Yeah Hitler had a copy of “Back In Black”.Come on.Anyway, it is a good fuckin rock n’ roll album.Like it or not.And maybe bob(i love Meatloaf)vinyl doesn’t like Brian Johnson’s vocals, but who can deny Angus Young’s guitar work???It’s beyond good!!But we all know “bob_vinyl” is a VanHalen butt-nugget, so it figures.
AC/DC is good,but compared to groups like Bon Jovi,U2 and Pink floyd, they’re not.I mean, seriously.Bono and “Jon Bon” are sooooo talented.It gives me chills!!!! Anyone out there agree????? Back In Black is good but aint nuttin’ like climbin’ up that Joshua Tree!