On This Day in 1990, AC/DC Released an Album That Contained Their Biggest Hot 100 Hit Ever—a Nod to Their Working-Class Roots

On this day (September 24) in 1990, AC/DC released The Razors Edge. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, giving the band their biggest hit since For Those About to Rock We Salute You (1981) topped the chart. While the tracklist is packed with top-notch rock and roll, two songs make this album a landmark for the band. It contains “Thunderstruck,” one of their best-known tracks, and “Moneytalks, their biggest Hot 100 hit.

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The Razors Edge marked a turning point for AC/DC. Malcolm Young was freshly sober after a long battle with alcoholism. Additionally, it was the first album on which he and Angus wrote all of the songs. Previously, lead singer Brian Johnson was the band’s lyricist. However, during the writing sessions for the album, he was going through a divorce and, therefore, unavailable. Additionally, it was the band’s first album with producer Bruce Fairburn, who had previously worked with the likes of Bon Jovi and Aerosmith. The Razors Edge was also the only album to feature drummer Chris Slade.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1980, AC/DC Released One of the Best-Selling Albums of All Time]

This was more than a chart success for AC/DC. It was also a massive commercial success. The album has earned multi-Platinum certifications in several countries, including the United States, where it has been certified 7x Platinum.

AC/DC Scores a Hot 100 Hit with a Nod to Their Working-Class Roots

“Moneytalks,” the second single from The Razors Edge, is AC/DC’s highest-charting song on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 23. While it sounds like an ode to being rich on the surface, that’s not the case.

By the time they released their hit 1990 album, AC/DC had gotten rich. However, they never forgot where they came from. If one is just listening to the chorus, it sounds like a celebration of all the money they’d made. However, the verses tell a different story. They’re a commentary on the class system and how the wealthy flaunt their money and believe they’re above those who aren’t rich.

The song’s pre-chorus contains the most telling lines: Hey little girl, you break the laws / You hustle, you deal, you steal from us all.

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