AC/DC Celebrated 'Back In Black' 40th Anniversary With Video Series 2020 In Review

Bruce Henne | 12-28-2020

(hennemusic) AC/DC Celebrated 'Back In Black' 40th Anniversary With Video Series was a top 20 story of July 2020: AC/DC launched a video series celebrating the 40th anniversary of their 1980 classic, "Back In Black." Produced by Mutt Lange, the band's seventh record featured the debut of new singer Brian Johnson following the tragic passing of Bon Scott just six months before its release.

Delivered as a tribute to Scott, the project was introduced with the lead single, "You Shook Me All Night Long", which is featured in the first episode of the group's "The Story Of Back In Black" video series.

While guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young discuss the song's riffs in a vintage interview, Johnson shares some insight into the track. "I'd written the words and I went in to sing it," he says. "The boys weren't in, and I was singing, 'She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean, she was the best damn woman that I ever seen.' And Mutt said, 'Brian, there's too many words in it.'"

The producer suggested a much slower place to the song's rhythm and lyrics, which Johnson attempted within earshot of Malcolm, who shut down the whole idea on the spot.

"Back In Black" remains the best-selling hard rock album in history, with estimated worldwide sales of 50 million that place it second on the all-time list behind only Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

Last December, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the record 25x platinum for shipments of 25 million copies in the US, where it sits fourth on the country's best-selling albums list. Watch the first episode of the new series here.

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