There are rock legends. And then there is AC/DC.
Founded by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young in 1973, the Australian outfit have conquered the imaginations of several generations of rock fans through a deceptively straightforward take on overdriven blues-rock — replete with killer riffs, high voltage intensity and horny-as-hell lyricism.
That eternally youthful formula — all dressed up in devil’s horns and schoolboy uni’s — has made the group rock & roll mainstays, and one of the most largely successful, multi-multi-platinum selling acts in music history.
But through 17 full-length releases and multiple iconic frontmen — the late Bon Scott and longtime mic-gripper Brian Johnson — which AC/DC song is the one that rules the roost? The one that receives the most thunderous applause in concert? The one that really shakes fans all night long? The track that truly covers you in oil?
We asked Revolver’s readership to rank AC/DC’s best tracks, and these were the top five vote-getters.
“Back in Black”
AC/DC were in dire straits in the beginning of 1980, with lead vocalist Bon Scott having tragically passed away at the top of the year from acute alcohol poisoning. Rather than call it a day, the band forged forward with new singer Brian Johnson and paid tribute to their fallen frontman by crafting one of hard rock’s most iconic cuts.
“Back in Black” is a killer song, top-to-bottom. There’s a uniquely herky-jerky swagger to the lead riff. Johnson’s cat-tail-yankin’ screech lines up nicely with the tune’s nine-lives theme. The anthemic chorus alone puts it in the pantheon of rock perfection.
While rooted in great tragedy, “Back in Black” is a rock & roll celebration like no other.
“Let There Be Rock”
AC/DC’s take on Genesis is a little different than your average bible epic — and several decibels louder, too.
The title track to 1977’s Let There Be Rock fittingly finds Scott delivering a mock sermon on how rock & roll began (“Let there be drums/Let there be guitar”). Malcolm Young’s open chord damage sounds dangerously unhinged on here, while little brother Angus’ lead playing reflects the to-the-bone rawness of the gods of yore — the eternal schoolboy gleefully ripping his way through Chuck Berry-esque bends.
Nearly 50 years on, it remains a devilishly delirious highlight for many AC/DC fans.
“For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)”
“Hail, hail to the good times.”
The title track to AC/DC’s eighth album features one of the band’s most eerily atmospheric intros — a tensely staccato earworm of a riff from our boy Angus — and accordingly keeps things lean and moody through its spaciously chord-chunked verses. That makes it all the more satisfying when it ultimately rises into one of the literally most explosive amp-crankers in the catalogue, replete with cannon fire.
Revolver fans gave this classic single a several-hundred-vote salute, and for good reason.
“Touch Too Much”
Quite generally, you can lump AC/DC lyrics into two camps — songs about hard rock and songs about being hard as a rock. “Touch Too Much” lands firmly — and, boy, do we mean firmly — in the latter, with this sleek and sleazy Highway to Hell masterstroke finding Bon Scott all hot and bothered over a woman with a particularly “dirty little touch.”
Armed with a really good Venus de Milo quip, driven by a steady, throbbing pace and sporting a blues-climaxing Angus solo, “Touch Too Much” is a gripping tune that handily beat out most every other AC/DC classic in this poll.
“It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll)”
AC/DC have been a force to be reckoned with for so long that it’s hard thinking of them as anything but one of the biggest bands in rock & roll history. That said, the group’s first song from their second album — steered by Scott’s awesomely screeching bagpipe performance — reminds us that most every hero’s journey begins at the bottom of the hill.
“It’s a Long Way to the Top” isn’t exactly a step-by-step guide on how to crossover into the mainstream, but it is a scrappy lil anthem about bands testing their mettle on the road, and what it’s like “gettin’ ripped off” and “underpaid” every step of the way to rock & roll’s promised land.
It’s a relatably inspirational stomper about hard work paying off in the long run. And that’s one of many reasons why it’s still tops with AC/DC fans.