I’m identifying the best three albums by my fifty favorite rock bands of all time. This blog is for, #21 – AC/DC, legendary hard rockers from Australia.
Criteria for selecting the best three albums
First, Greatest Hits albums are permitted. Second – no live albums. AC/DC’s released a few live records that are really good. Third, I will include an honorable mention for each of my top 25 bands. I wish I had more than one for this band. They have been around for decades and one of the things I’m going to talk about in this video is that they have sold tens of millions of albums.
AC/DC Albums ranked by ChatGPT
Let’s see what artificial intelligence has to say about this list. I took a slightly different approach using ChatGPT this time. Normally I factor in both record sales and critical acclaim into the algorithm. I got strange results when I did that. So, instead, I ignored critical acclaim and used purely record sales. According to ChatGPT here are the top three AC/DC albums based on record sales. Look at those numbers 50 million, 20 million, and 10 million. Their top three albums have sold 80 million copies.
- Back in Black – Released in 1980, this album is widely regarded as AC/DC’s most successful and iconic record. It has sold over 50 million copies worldwide.
- Highway to Hell – Released in 1979, this album marked AC/DC’s breakthrough. It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
- The Razors Edge – Released in 1990, this album features the hit single “Thunderstruck” and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
The third-best album by this band is Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
The third-best album by AC/DC is called Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. It includes several really good songs such as the title track, the comical “Big Balls”, and “Problem Child”, as well as the melodic and somewhat thoughtful song “Ride On”. In case you’re wondering, this album sold six million copies.
The second-best album by AC/DC
The second-best album by AC/DC is Highway to Hell. It is a landmark release and their last record with the original lead singer Bon Scott. Yes, this is the album that got this Australian band in trouble with all the parents because they exclaimed they were on a Highway to Hell and parents were concerned we kids were going there with them.
Honorable mention album for this band
Let’s take a look at the honorable mention for this band which is The Razor’s Edge. AC/DC had gone somewhat stale. They released several records in a row that did not sell very well. Then this one came out and it kicked. This record includes “Thunderstruck”, a song that is sung in stadiums across the globe these days as well as “Money Talks” and several other rocking tunes.
The best album by AC/DC
The best album by AC/DC is without a doubt, Back in Black. It is a remarkable record for multiple reasons. The band lost its lead singer Bond Scott. They had just come off their album Highway to Hell which sold millions and millions. There was tons of pressure and people wondered what’s the band gonna deliver next. They brought in a new lead singer and dropped this rock and roll bomb on all of us. I own it on vinyl. It’s considered one of the best rock albums of all time. Let’s take a look at the lineup. “Back in Black”, “Hells Bells”, “Shoot to Thrill”, “You Shook Me All Night”, and “Shake A Leg”. What a great album.
There you have it – the three best AC/DC albums. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
I am Doug Keating and this is my letter to my sons.