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Back in Black

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  • Artist: AC/DC
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: 1980 08
  • Total Time: 41:31
  • Genre: Rock

Review

The first sound on Back in Black is the deep, ominous drone of church bells -- or "Hell's Bells," as it were, opening the album and AC/DC's next era with a fanfare while ringing a fond farewell to Bon Scott, their late lead singer who partied himself straight to hell. But this implies that Back in Black is some kind of tribute to Scott, which may be true on a superficial level -- black is a funeral cover, hell's bells certainly signify death -- but this isn't filled with mournful songs about the departed. It's a more fitting tribute, actually, since AC/DC not only carried on without him, but they delivered a record that to the casual ear sounds like the seamless successor to Highway to Hell, right down to how Brian Johnson's screech is a dead ringer for Scott's growl. Most listeners could be forgiven for thinking that Johnson was Scott, but Johnson is different than Bon. He's driven by the same obsessions -- sex and drink and rock & roll, basically -- but there isn't nearly as much malevolence in his words or attitude as there was with Scott. Bon sounded like a criminal, Brian sounds like a rowdy scamp throughout Back in Black, which helps give it a real party atmosphere. Of course, Johnson shouldn't be given all the credit for Back in Black, since Angus and Malcolm carry on with the song-oriented riffing that made Highway to Hell close to divine. Song for song, they deliver not just mammoth riffs but songs that are anthems, from the greasy "Shoot to Thrill" to the pummeling "Back in Black," which pales only next to "You Shook Me All Night Long," the greatest one-night-stand anthem in rock history. That tawdry celebration of sex is what made AC/DC different from all other metal bands -- there was no sword & sorcery, no darkness, just a rowdy party, and they never held a bigger, better party than they did on Back in Black. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

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Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Back in Black

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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
This article is about the album. For the song, see Back in Black (song). For other uses, see Back in Black (disambiguation).
Back in Black
Studio album by AC/DC
Released 25 July 1980
Recorded April–May 1980 at Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas and Electric Lady Studios in New York
Genre Hard rock, heavy metal[1]
Length 42:11
Label Albert/Atlantic Records
Producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange
AC/DC chronology
Highway to Hell
(1979)		 Back in Black
(1980)		 For Those About to Rock We Salute You
(1981)

Back in Black is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the seventh Australian and sixth internationally released studio album by the band.

Released on 25 July 1980, Back in Black was the first AC/DC album recorded without former lead singer Bon Scott, who died on 19 February 1980 at the age of 33, and was dedicated to him. The band considered disbanding following Scott's death, but they ultimately decided to continue, with encouragement from Scott's parents, and shortly thereafter hired Brian Johnson as their new lead singer and lyricist. Producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who had previously worked with AC/DC on Highway to Hell, was again brought in to produce. The album was recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, and Electric Lady Studios in New York, where the album was also mixed.

Back In Black was originally mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk, NY. The album was remastered and re-released in 1994, then again as part of the Bonfire box set in 1997, and as part of the AC/DC Remasters series in 2003 by George Marino. In addition, a Dualdisc version was released in 2004, featuring the album in enhanced LPCM Stereo format and the video documentary The Story of Back in Black.

The album has sold an estimated 49 million copies worldwide to date, making it the third highest-selling album of all time, the second highest-selling album by a band, the best-selling hard rock album of all-time, and the best-selling album ever released by an Australian musical act.[2][3][4][5] On 13 December 2007, the RIAA certified it 22× Multi Platinum, recognizing sales of 22 million in the United States.[6] This made it the fourth-highest selling album of all-time in the U.S. It has since been bumped down to the sixth-highest selling album. [7]

Contents

Overview

After the success of their previous album, Highway to Hell, Bon Scott and company began developing a new album. Some of the songwriting had been completed when Scott died unexpectedly from alcohol poisoning. When Brian Johnson became lead singer, the group decided to finish the songwriting they had started under Scott, with the Young brothers composing the music and Johnson writing the lyrics.[8] It contains some of AC/DC's biggest hits, including "Hells Bells", "Shoot to Thrill", "You Shook Me All Night Long", and the title track "Back in Black". The final song on the album, "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, the highest placing of any song on the album.

The album was recorded at Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas. It was not easy for the band, as their equipment was initially held up by customs, and the island was overcome with tropical storms that wreaked havoc on the studio's electricity. Johnson reported having trouble adjusting to the environment, and even referenced the bad weather on the opening lines of "Hells Bells" ("I'm rolling thunder, pourin' rain. I'm comin' on like a hurricane. My lightning's flashing across the sky. You're only young but you're gonna die.").[8]

According to Angus Young the album's all-black cover was a "sign of mourning" for Scott. Atlantic Records disagreed with the cover, but accepted if the band put a grey outline around the AC/DC logo.[8]

Despite its massive commercial success, Back In Black did not go to the top of the U.S. charts, peaking at number 4; their next album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You, hit number 1 in 1981,[9] their first to do so. Back In Black did, however, hit number 1 on the UK charts.

The song "Let Me Put My Love into You" was rated number 6 in the Parents Music Resource Center Filthy Fifteen list in 1985.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 5/5 stars[10]
Blender 5/5 stars[11]
Robert Christgau B−[12]
Rolling Stone (1980) favourable[13]
Rolling Stone (2002) 4/5 stars[14]
Rolling Stone (2005) 5/5 stars[15]

Back In Black was released on 25 July 1980, less than half a year after the death of former lead singer Bon Scott. The band was nervous about the future, with lead guitarist and co-founder Angus Young saying they were a "bit jittery" during recording.[16] But Back In Black proved to ease the band's worries, as it became an instant success, and is by far their best-selling album. Not only did it go to number one on the UK Albums Chart, its success meant AC/DC were the first band since The Beatles to have four albums in the British Top 100 simultaneously, as Highway To Hell, If You Want Blood You've Got It, and Let There Be Rock all re-entered the charts right after Back In Black was released. [17] In the U.S. the single "You Shook Me All Night Long"/"Have A Drink On Me" became AC/DC's first Top 40 hit in the country, peaking at number 35.[17] Back In Black was also well-received by critics, with Rolling Stone saying in its 1980 review of the album, "...the first LP since Led Zeppelin II that captures all the blood, sweat and arrogance of the [heavy metal] genre."[13]

Legacy

The album is featured on many "best of" lists. In 1989, it was ranked number 26 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Best Albums Of The Eighties. The song "Back In Black" was ranked number 190 on the same magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. [18] In 2001, VH1 ranked Back In Black number 82 on its list of the Top 100 Albums.[19] VH1 also placed the title track at number 2 on its list of the 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs. In 2003, the album was ranked number 73 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2006, Q magazine placed the album at number 9 in its list of the 40 Best Albums of the '80s.[20] It was listed at No. 2 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums, in October 2010,[21] and included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, in 2005.[22]

Sales

Back In Black is the third best-selling album worldwide,[23] behind only Michael Jackson's Thriller and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. It was very successful around the world, and despite never reaching number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, it received the 22x Multi-Platinum distinction, denoting 22 million albums sold, an especially unique distinction. This currently places it sixth in the list of best-selling albums in the United States (behind Michael Jackson's Thriller, Eagles' Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin IV, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and Billy Joel's Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II).[7]


Back in Black stayed in the Billboard chart for 131 weeks, never reaching number 1. However, the album did reach number 1 in Australia and the United Kingdom. In April 2010, it re-entered the Billboard charts at number 181.

The album has also sold 1 million or more copies in Canada, Germany and France.[24]

Music videos

The band recorded six music videos for the album which were recorded in Breda, in the Netherlands. The songs they used for the six videos were "Back in Black", "Hells Bells", "What Do You Do for Money Honey", "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Let Me Put My Love into You" and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution", and were basic performance videos. Most of these remained officially unreleased until "Back in Black", "Hells Bells", "What Do You Do for Money Honey", and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution", as well as the 1986 video for "You Shook Me All Night Long" which was filmed for the Who Made Who album, were released on the Family Jewels DVD. The original video for "You Shook Me All Night Long" was later released on the promo DVD Back in Black: The Videos and on the Backtracks box sets. One thing to note about both videos is the original 1980 video features drummer Phil Rudd, who appears on the actual track, while the 1986 video features drummer Simon Wright who replaced Rudd in 1983. However, Rudd would return to the group in 1994. This isn't the first time Wright appeared in an AC/DC video for a track originally recorded with Rudd. Rudd appeared on AC/DC's 1983 release Flick Of The Switch while Wright appeared on the tour and videos for that album. "Let Me Put My Love into You" still remains unreleased but can be viewed on YouTube.

DualDisc versions

Back in Black was included among a group of fifteen DualDisc releases that were test marketed in two cities in the US: Boston and Seattle. The DualDisc has the standard album on one side, and bonus material on the second side.

The DualDisc version was subsequently reissued in a commercial version that is somewhat different than the rare test market version.

Track listing
"Back In Black"
A sample of AC/DC's "Back in Black" from Back in Black
Problems listening to this file? See media help.
Side one
  1. "Hells Bells" – 5:10
  2. "Shoot to Thrill" – 5:17
  3. "What Do You Do for Money Honey" – 3:33
  4. "Given the Dog a Bone"[25] – 3:30
  5. "Let Me Put My Love into You" – 4:16
Side two
  1. "Back in Black" – 4:14
  2. "You Shook Me All Night Long" – 3:30
  3. "Have a Drink on Me" – 3:57
  4. "Shake a Leg" – 4:06
  5. "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" – 4:15
  • According to the official AC/DC website and most worldwide releases, track four is "Given the Dog a Bone".[25][26] On some albums, particularly Australian releases, it is sometimes shown as either "Givin' the Dog a Bone" or "Giving the Dog a Bone".[27]

Personnel

Production

Chart performance

Albums

Chart (1980) Peak
position
Ö3 Austria Top 40[28] 6
UK Albums Chart[29] 1
US Billboard 200[30] 4
Chart (1981) Peak
position
Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart[citation needed] 1
Chart (1982) Peak
position
RIANZ Album Top 50[31] 24
Chart (2005) Peak
position
Norwegian Album Charts[32] 8
Chart (2009) Peak
position
Finnish Albums Chart[33] 9
Chart (2010) Peak
position
US Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums[30] 1

Singles

Year Single Chart Position[34][35]
1980 "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" UK Singles Chart 15
"You Shook Me All Night Long" US Billboard Hot 100 35
"You Shook Me All Night Long" UK Singles Chart 38
1981 "Back in Black" US Billboard Hot 100 37
"Hells Bells" US Billboard Top Tracks 52
"Back in Black" US Billboard Top Tracks 51
"Shoot to Thrill" US Billboard Top Tracks 60

Sales and certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Argentina (CAPIF)[36] Platinum 60,000x
Austria (IFPI Austria)[37] Platinum 50,000x
Canada (Music Canada)[38] Diamond 1,000,000^
France (SNEP)[39] 2× Platinum 1,384,600[40]
Germany (BVMI)[41] 2× Platinum 1,000,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[42] 2× Platinum 100,000x
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[44] 22× Platinum 22,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Back in Black > Overview". All Media Guide. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r83. Retrieved 2007-11-08. 
  2. ^ Levine, Robert (2008-10-12). "Ageless and Defiant, AC/DC Stays on Top Without Going Digital". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/arts/music/12levi.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2009-07-18. 
  3. ^ "AC/DC, fuoco alle polveri: "Lasciate che ci sia il rock!"". Gazzetta di Parma. http://www.gazzettadiparma.it/primapagina/dettaglio/4/16119/ACDC_fuoco_alle_polveri:_%C2%ABLasciate_che_ci_sia_il_rock%C2%BB.html. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  4. ^ "How AC/DC Conquered the Globe". The Irish Times. 2009-06-27. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2009/0627/1224249636218.html. Retrieved 2009-12-03. 
  5. ^ AC/DC The Encyclopedia, by Malcom Dome and Jerry Ewing ISBN 978-1-84240-436-2
  6. ^ RIAA – Gold & Platinum – September 22, 2010
  7. ^ a b "Top 100 Albums". RIAA. http://riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=top-100-albums. Retrieved 2012-05-29. 
  8. ^ a b c Back in Black 30th Anniversary, AC/DC official fanclub.
  9. ^ "AC/DC discography". Rock Detector. Archived from the original on 2007-01-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20070127122514/http://www.rockdetector.com/discography,111.sm. Retrieved 2007-02-01. 
  10. ^ Allmusic.com review
  11. ^ Blender review[dead link]
  12. ^ Robert Christgau review
  13. ^ a b Rolling Stone review (1980)
  14. ^ Rolling Stone review (2002)
  15. ^ Rolling Stone review (2005)
  16. ^ "Back In Black on Rolling Stones' 100 Best Albums of the Eighties". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-albums-of-the-eighties-20110418/ac-dc-back-in-black-19691231. Retrieved 2012-05-29. 
  17. ^ a b Engleheart, Murray & Durieux, Arnaud (2006). AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll. HarperCollins. p. 339. ISBN 0-7322-8383-3. 
  18. ^ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone magazine. 2011-04-07. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/ac-dc-back-in-black-19691231. Retrieved 2012-05-29. 
  19. ^ "Top 100 Albums". VH1. http://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?c=2&sortdir=asc&f=&fv=&page=9. Retrieved 2012-05-29. 
  20. ^ Q August 2006, Issue 241
  21. ^ O'Donnell, John; Creswell, Toby (October 2010). 100 Best Australian Albums. Prahran, Vic: Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 978-1-74066-955-9. 
  22. ^ "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". Rock List. http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/1001Albums.htm. Retrieved 2012-05-29. 
  23. ^ Levine, Robert (2008-10-12). "Ageless and Defiant, AC/DC Stays on Top Without Going Digital". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/arts/music/12levi.html?pagewanted=all. 
  24. ^ "InfoDisc : Les Certifications (Albums) du SNEP (les Disques Double Platine)". Infodisc.fr. http://www.infodisc.fr/CDCertif_P2.php. Retrieved 2012-03-06. 
  25. ^ a b "Back in Black at the official AC/DC website". acdc.com. http://www.acdc.com/uk/music/back-black. 
  26. ^ "US CD version of Back in Black". acdc-discography.com. http://www.acdc-discography.com/d268.html. 
  27. ^ "Australian CD version of Back in Black". acdc-discography.com. http://www.acdc-discography.com/d111.html. 
  28. ^ "AC/DC - Back In Black - austriancharts.at". austriancharts.at. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=AC%2FDC&titel=Back+In+Black&cat=a. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
  29. ^ "Chart Stats - AC/DC - Back In Black". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=39337. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
  30. ^ a b Back in Black at Allmusic
  31. ^ "charts.org.nz - AC/DC - Back In Black". charts.org.nz. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=AC%2FDC&titel=Back+In+Black&cat=a. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
  32. ^ "norwegiancharts.com - AC/DC - Back In Black". norwegiancharts.com. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=AC%2FDC&titel=Back+In+Black&cat=a. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
  33. ^ "finnishcharts.com - AC/DC - Back In Black". finnishcharts.com. http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=AC%2FDC&titel=Back+In+Black&cat=a. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
  34. ^ "Charts & awards – Billboard singles". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r83. Retrieved 2007-01-29. 
  35. ^ "Every Hit". http://www.everyhit.com/. Retrieved 2007-02-01. 
  36. ^ "Argentinian album certifications – AC/DC – Back in Black". Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=AC%2FDC&album=Back+in+Black&LanDesde_MM=0&LanDesde_AA=0&LanHasta_MM=0&LanHasta_AA=0&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP. 
  37. ^ "Austrian album certifications – AC/DC – Back in Black" (in German). IFPI Austria. http://www.ifpi.at/?section=goldplatin.  Enter AC/DC in the field Interpret. Enter Back in Black in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
  38. ^ "Canadian album certifications – AC/DC – Back in Black". Music Canada. http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=Back+in+Black&sa=AC%2FDC&smt=0. 
  39. ^ "French album certifications – AC/DC – Back in Black" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. http://www.disqueenfrance.com/fr/pag-259165-CERTIFICATIONS.html?year=2001&type=13. 
  40. ^ "Les Albums Double Platine :" (in French). Infodisc.fr. http://www.infodisc.fr/CDCertif_P2.php. Retrieved 9 May 2012. 
  41. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (AC/DC; 'Back in Black')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=Back+in+Black&strInterpret=AC%2FDC&strTtArt=alben&strAwards=unchecked. 
  42. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (AC/DC; 'Back in Black')". Hung Medien. http://www.swisscharts.com/search_certifications.asp?search=AC%2FDC+Back+in+Black. 
  43. ^ "British album certifications – AC/DC – Back in Black". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx.  Enter Back in Black in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
  44. ^ "American album certifications – AC/DC – Backinblack". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Backinblack%22.  If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Preceded by
Deepest Purple: The Very Best of Deep Purple
by Deep Purple		 UK Albums Chart number one album
9 August 1980 – 22 August 1980		 Succeeded by
Flesh and Blood by Roxy Music
Preceded by
Zenyattà Mondatta by The Police		 Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
9–15 March 1981		 Succeeded by
Greatest Hits
by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show
AC/DC
Studio albums
Compilations
Live albums
Soundtracks
Video albums
Production
Tours
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