The world met AC/DC in 1976 when the Australian hard rock band released their international debut High Voltage. Founded three years earlier by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, the band underwent several lineup changes before they began releasing music commercially. Led by Bon Scott on vocals, AC/DC finally broke into the U.S. mainstream with their sixth album, Highway to Hell, in July 1979. Tragically, Scott died seven months later from acute alcohol poisoning at age 33. Initially considering disbanding, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers instead recruited Brian Johnson for their next album, which they dedicated to Scott. On this day in 1980, AC/DC hit No. 1 for the time in the United Kingdom with their seminal album Back in Black.
Videos by American Songwriter
AC/DC Dedicated Wildly Successful Record to the Late Bon Scott
Think of your favorite AC/DC song, and it probably came from Back in Black. Still the second best-selling album in music history, the record spawned now-instantly recognizable hits like “Hells Bells, “You Shook Me All Night Long,” and, of course, the title track. (It trails only Michael Jackson’s Thriller.)
AC/DC – Back in Black (1980)
— Rockeria (@urubumetal) July 26, 2025
"Back in Black" is bold, sharp, and unapologetic. Those iconic riffs, pounding drums, and Brian Johnson’s razor vocals scream comeback with power. No frills. No fear. Just attitude. One of AC/DC’s most timeless and electrifying anthems. #ACDC #Rock pic.twitter.com/C1FZax3EhE
In April 1980, Johnson and the Young brothers joined producer Robert “Mutt” Lange in the Bahamas to record what would become Back in Black. Feeling the pressure during his first recording session with the band, Johnson later admitted that Lange’s unyielding quest for perfection “drove me nuts.”
“It was like, ‘Again, Brian, again – hold on, you sang that note too long so there’s no room for a breath,’” the former frontman said in the 2008 book AC/DC : Maximum Rock & Roll. “He wouldn’t let anything go past him.”
Lange (Shania Twain’s ex-husband) must have known what he was talking about, seeing as Back in Black has been certified platinum 27 times by the RIAA.
[RELATED: On This Day in 1980, AC/DC Released One of the Best-Selling Albums of All Time]
How Bon Scott Hand Picked His Successor
AC/DC had already begun working on the follow-up to Highway to Hell (which Lange also produced) when tragedy struck. Bon Scott died on Feb. 19, 1980 after a night of hard partying in London. As a result, the band designed an all-black album cover as a sign of mourning for Scott.
Brian Johnson helped found the British band Geordie, which split in 1978. After encountering Geordie on a tour with his previous band, Bon Scott told guitarist Angus Young about Johnson, whom he compared to his idol, Little Richard.
“I think when he saw Brian at that time, to Bon it was ‘Well he’s a guy that knows what rock and roll is all about,’” Young said.
Featured image by Michael Putland/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.