AC/DC. Highway to Hell (1979)

Highway to Hell is the sixth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in July 1979. It is also AC/DC's fifth international studio album. All songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott. It was the last album featuring Bon Scott, who died early the following year.

It was originally released by Albert Productions, who licensed to album to Atlantic Records for release outside of Australia, and was then re-released by Epic Records in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series. On May 25th 2006, Highway To Hell was certified 7x platinum by the RIAA. In 2003, the album was ranked number 197 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

By far their most popular album at the time of its release, Highway to Hell expanded AC/DC's audience considerably, positioning the band for breakthrough success the following year with Back in Black. It was the last AC/DC album recorded with lead vocalist Bon Scott before his untimely death in February 1980. The final words spoken by Scott on the album are "Shazbot, na-nu na-nu," phrases used on the then-popular American sitcom, Mork and Mindy, by lead character Mork (a visiting extraterrestrial played by Robin Williams).

Highway to Hell was the first AC/DC album not produced by Harry Vanda and George Young. Pre-production of the album began in January 1979 with demos cut at Albert Studios in Sydney, Australia, where they met the intended producer, Eddie Kramer. Kramer was fired before a single track had been completed, and Robert John "Mutt" Lange was brought in to replace him. The change proved to be fortuitous, with Lange also producing the band's biggest sellers, Back in Black and For Those About to Rock. The album was recorded during sessions in February 1979 at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida and March-April at Roundhouse Studios in London, England.

In Australia, Highway to Hell was released with a slightly different album cover, featuring flames and a drawing of a bass guitar neck superimposed over the same group photo used on the international cover. Additionally, the East German release had different designs on front and back, apparently because the authorities were not happy with the sleeve as released elsewhere.

Track Listing

All songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott.

1. "Highway to Hell" – 3:32
2. "Girls Got Rhythm" – 3:27
3. "Walk All Over You" – 5:13
4. "Touch Too Much" – 4:30
5. "Beating Around the Bush" – 4:00
6. "Shot Down in Flames" – 3:26
7. "Get It Hot" – 2:38
8. "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" – 4:40
9. "Love Hungry Man" – 4:20
10. "Night Prowler" – 6:27

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AC/DC. Back In Black (1980)

Back in Black is the sixth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released on 25 July 1980. Back in Black was the first AC/DC album recorded without former lead singer Bon Scott, who had died at the age of 33 on February 19, 1980. The band considered disbanding following Scott's death, but ultimately decided to continue and shortly thereafter hired Brian Johnson as their new lead singer and lyricist. Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who had previously worked with AC/DC on Highway to Hell, was again brought in to produce.

The album was remastered and re-released first in late 1994, then again in the Bonfire box set in 1997, and as part of the AC/DC Remasters Series in 2003. In additary The Story of Back in Black.

The album is estimated to have sold 42 million copies internationally, making it the second best selling album of all time behind Michael Jackson's Thriller. It is also the Highest Selling Album by an Australian Music Act of all time. It was also certified 22 times platinum in America by the RIAA on 2007-12-13.

The whole album was covered by the death metal band Six Feet Under in 2004 under the name Graveyard Classics 2.

Back in Black contained some of AC/DC's biggest hits, including "Hells Bells", "You Shook Me All Night Long", and the title track "Back In Black." Angus Young has stated that the album's all-black cover was a "sign of mourning" for Scott, as black is the traditional color of mourning. It went on to become AC/DC's most popular album, the second best-selling album of all time, and the biggest selling album by any band, with more than 42 million copies sold worldwide. In 2006 Back in Black was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America as the fifth best-selling album in the United States, with 22 million copies sold. Despite its massive commercial success, it is not AC/DC's highest charting album, peaking at #4; their next album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You, hit #1 in 1982.

In 1989, it was ranked #26 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 100 Greatest Albums of the 80's. In 2003, the album was ranked number 73 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. VH1 named 'Back in Black' as one of the biggest comeback albums of all time.

Track Listing

All songs written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Brian Johnson.

1. "Hells Bells" – 5:12
2. "Shoot to Thrill" – 5:17
3. "What Do You Do for Money Honey" – 3:35
4. "Given the Dog a Bone" – 3:32
5. "Let Me Put My Love into You" – 4:15
6. "Back in Black" – 4:15
7. "You Shook Me All Night Long" – 3:30
8. "Have a Drink on Me" – 3:59
9. "Shake a Leg" – 4:06
10. "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" – 4:15

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