AC/DC

Australian hard rock band

AC/DC is a hard rock band from Australia. They formed in Sydney, Australia in November 1973. AC/DC has sold an estimated 200 million albums worldwide,[1] including 68 million in the United States of America.[2] The two primary founders of the band, Malcolm Young and Angus Young, developed the idea for the band's name after their sister Margaret saw the initials "AC/DC" written on a sewing machine. "AC/DC" is an abbreviation for "alternating current/direct current," which refer to the two different types of charges used in electricity. The band chose the name because of their energetic “electrical” style of playing rock and roll. Even though AC/DC considers their music style simply as "rock and roll", AC/DC are often considered pioneers of heavy metal.[3][4]

AC/DC
Background information
OriginSydney, Australia
GenresHard rock, heavy metal, blues-rock
Years active1973-present
MembersBrian Johnson
Stevie Young
Angus Young
Cliff Williams
Phil Rudd
Past member(s)List of AC/DC members
Websitewww.acdc.com

Band members change

Current members change

Past members change

  • Malcolm Young - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1973–2014; died 2017)
  • Bon Scott - vocals (1974–1980; his death)
  • Dave Evans - vocals (1973–1974)
  • Colin Burgess - drums and percussion (1973–1974; substituted 1975; died 2023)
  • Rob Bailey II - bass (1973–1974)
  • Noel Taylor - drums and percussion (1974)
  • Paul Matters - bass (1975; died 2020)
  • Larry van Kriedt - Bass, saxophone (1973–1975)
  • Peter Clack - drums and percussion (1974–1975)
  • Mark Evans II - bass (1974–1975)
  • Simon Wright - drums and percussion (1984–1989)
  • Chris Slade - drums and percussion (1989–1994, 2015–2016)

Discography change

Albums change

  • High Voltage (Australia only) (1975)
  • T.N.T. (Australia only) (1975)
  • High Voltage (1976)
  • Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976) (released in the United States in 1981)
  • Let There Be Rock (1977)
  • Powerage (1978)
  • If You Want Blood You've Got It (Live Album) (1978)
  • Highway to Hell (1979)
  • Back in Black (1980)
  • For Those About to Rock We Salute You (1981)
  • Flick of the Switch (1983)
  • '74 Jailbreak (1984) (Five tracks from the Australian releases of High Voltage and one track from Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap)
  • Fly on the Wall (1985)
  • Who Made Who (1986) (soundtrack to the Stephen King movie Maximum Overdrive)
  • Blow Up Your Video (1988)
  • The Razor's Edge (1990)
  • Live (1992) (released as both a double and a single album)
    • Live: Collector's Edition (1992)
  • Ballbreaker (1995)
  • Bonfire (1997) (boxed set tribute to Bon Scott)
  • Stiff Upper Lip (2000)
  • Black Ice (2008)
  • Backtracks (2009) (boxed set)
  • Iron Man 2 (2010) (soundtrack to the movie Iron Man 2)
  • Rock or Bust (2014)
  • Power Up (2020)

Video change

  • Family Jewels (2005)
  • Live At Donington (1991)
  • Plug Me In (2007)
  • No Bull (1996)
  • Stiff Upper Lip Live (2001)
  • Live at River Plate (2011)

References change

  1. "Back to roots for AC/DC". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
  2. "Top Selling Artists". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 2007-11-10. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  3. Dale Hoiberg, ed. (2007-09-24). "AC/DC". Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite (2008 ed.). ISBN 978-1-59339-292-5.
  4. Dale Hoiberg, ed. (2007-09-24). "heavy metal". Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite (2008 ed.). ISBN 978-1-59339-292-5.

Other websites change