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AC/DC’s ‘Back In Black’ Turns 40

July 25, 1980. What AC/DC was able to pull off on that date 40 years ago is one makes it one of the biggest days in the history of rock….

AC/DC - 'Back in Black'
Albert/Atlantic/Columbia

July 25, 1980. What AC/DC was able to pull off on that date 40 years ago is one makes it one of the biggest days in the history of rock.

Here's what I wrote about AC/DC and 7/25/80 a year ago:

On this day in 1980, AC/DC released Back In Black, which would end up being their all-time greatest album. Every song on it is an absolute smasher; there’s no dead weight. And when you look at the timeline surrounding it, Back In Black is even more impressive.

July 27, 1979: AC/DC release Highway To Hell, their sixth studio album and biggest album to date. February 19, 1980: Lead singer Bon Scott dies. July 25, 1980: AC/DC release Back In Black–with new lead singer Brian Johnson–in tribute to their late lead singer. Have you done the math? All of that transpired in less than a year. And it led to the third-largest selling rock album of all-time.

Yes, Back In Black is a Double Diamond album. Click here for another ten of those. Then click here for our ranking of every track on the album. Oh, and you can check out two other massive albums that were released on the 25th of July here.

adam12Writer
Adam 12 is the Program Director of Boston's ROCK 92.9, heard weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. He's been flexing his encyclopedic rock knowledge in New England for over 2 decades, both on-air and online, at WBCN, WFNX, Boston.com, and indie617. At ROCK 92.9, he keeps you in the know on the big stories from the Boston music scene and writes about great places to eat, drink (beer), and to spend time outdoors in and around Boston.