40 American Thigh-Shaking Facts About AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black’

AC/DC released one of the greatest albums in the history of rock on July 25, 1980.

Back in Black was not only a dynamic LP filled with such iconic hits as “Hells Bells,” “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution.” It was also an album of defiance: Many had expected the band to call it quits following the tragic death of former lead singer Bon Scott. Instead, the band rallied around their new voice, Brian Johnson, and crafted a masterpiece of guitar rock glory.

Of course, there were many steps that led AC/DC to releasing the defining album of their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame career. The effort required long nights in the studio, with the band hunkering down in the Bahamas to write and record.

“It was kind of a ‘go for broke’ for us,” Angus Young explained of the album during a 2014 interview with UCR. “Because we didn’t really know, would the people who knew AC/DC, would they love it? Would they accept Brian? Would they hate it?”

Of course, we all know now that Back in Black would go on to be celebrated by fans all over the world, becoming one of the best-selling LPs of all time. “It was a force of nature, that thing,” Johnson added. “It really was.”

Don’t believe him? Check out these 40 facts about the classic Back in Black.