16 Best AC/DC Songs Of All Time
Ahead of Acca Dacca’s upcoming Australian tour, we’ve gone through their stacked back catalogue and come up with a list of their 16 best songs of all time.
Image Christie Goodwin
When it comes to heavy rock acts, few are as big as legendary Aussie group AC/DC. For more than 50 years, Acca Dacca have been delivering ear-rupturing anthems that have stood the test of time.
Founded by brothers Angus (lead guitar) and Malcolm Young (rhythm guitar), AC/DC went through several personal changes before settling on the classic lineup of the Young siblings alongside bassist Cliff Williams, drummer Phil Rudd and vocalist Bon Scott.
Gaining a small amount of fame with their single ‘Baby, Please Don’t Go’, taken from the band’s 1975 debut album High Voltage, it was the release of follow-up LP T.N.T. that turned the pub rockers into national stars.
The success of singles ‘High Voltage’, ‘It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)’ and ‘T.N.T.’ led to the release of their first international album, High Voltage – a mix of tracks from their debut and T.N.T. tailored for the American market.
Despite some negative reviews, the album was a hit Stateside. AC/DC soon became the new poster boys of the ‘70s hard rock movement alongside Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Queen.
AC/DC wasted no time capitalising on their newfound fame, releasing an album per year from 1976 to 1979 (Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Let There Be Rock, Powerage and Highway To Hell) until tragedy struck with the death of frontman Scott from alcohol poisoning.
It looked like it could be the end for AC/DC, but the band regrouped, recruited English singer Brian Johnson, and released the 1980 album Back in Black. Dedicated to Scott, the record went on to become the second-best-selling album of all time and cemented AC/DC’s legacy as hard rock heroes.
Since then, it’s been nothing but smash hits and sold-out world tours. AC/DC have released an incredible 18 studio albums, with their last three (2008’s Black Ice, 2014’s Rock or Bust and 2020’s Power Up ) topping the charts around the world.
Touring Australia in November for the first time in a decade, AC/DC are set to play all the hits when they perform at the bp Adelaide Grand Final after-race concert. Ahead of their massive show, we’ve come up with a selection of the best AC/DC songs from their extensive back catalogue we hope to hear at the show.
‘Highway To Hell’ (1979)
The opening track from the album of the same name is a riotous rock anthem with one of the most recognisable guitar riffs in music history.
Written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott, ‘Highway To Hell’ is a reference to the band’s gruelling tour schedule, but can also be seen as a reflection of the way Scott was living his life, with the frontman passing away not long after the song’s release.
Universally regarded by fans and music critics as one of Acca Dacca’s biggest and best tunes, ‘Highway To Hell’ came in at #31 in the triple j Hottest 100 of Australian Songs countdown.
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976)
Never has a song about a contract killer sounded so thrilling. ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ was the perfect platform for Bon Scott, who is both compelling and downright frightening as he offers his services to knock off your “naggin” lady or “high school head” who’s given you “the blues”.
The studio version included deep breathing on the downbeat and Scott’s chilling spoken word monologue, adding an extra layer of menace to one of AC/DC’s most fun rock and roll tracks.
‘Hells Bells’ (1980)
The opening track to Back in Black, AC/DC’s first album since the death of Bon Scott, sounds like a funeral parade.
The bell tolls for a good 20 seconds before the rest of the band slowly comes in, first the rumbling guitar riff, then Rudd’s pounding drums and the edgy bass, before new frontman Brian Johnson delivers the guttural opening line, “I'm a rollin' thunder, pourin' rain / I'm comin' on like a hurricane.”
Johnson, who previously fronted the rock band Georgie, was the perfect voice to replace Scott, with his gravely warble complementing AC/DC’s powerful rock instrumentation.
A rock classic.
‘Who Made Who’ (1986)
Written for the movie Maximum Overdrive, a big, dumb horror flick based on a short story by Stephen King, ‘Who Made Who’ is an underrated gem in the AC/DC catalogue.
The track showcased a more commercial side to the band, less heavy and more classic rock, with the sing-along chorus of “Who made who? / Who made you?” turning the track into a live staple during the ‘80s.
Sadly retired from AC/DC’s setlists in the ‘90s, with the song last played live back in 1996, we’ve got our fingers crossed the band bring it back for what could be their last ever tour of Australia this November.
‘Thunderstruck’ (1990)
The opening track on AC/DC’s much lauded live album, fittingly called AC/DC Live, ‘Thunderstruck’ is another bombastic anthem from Angus Young and co.
It was rumoured for years that the song equates being struck by lightning with the same feeling you get when engaging in sexual intercourse, although that was debunked by Angus in the liner notes for the 2023 re-release of the album The Razor’s Edge, the record upon which the song first appeared.
“We came up with this thunder thing, based on our favourite childhood toy ThunderStreak, and it seemed to have a good ring to it,” Angus wrote. “AC/DC = Power. That's the basic idea.”
‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ (1977)
‘Whole Lotte Rosie’ describes one of Bon Scott’s sexcapades when the band toured Tassie. The titular Rosie was a sex worker Bon met after a gig, who, despite her size, turned out to be one hell of a lover.
Taken from Let There Rock, this is five minutes of headbanging riffs and Bon’s distinct, gritty vocals. During the 1990/91 The Razors Edge tour, the band would unveil a massive inflatable “Rosie” during the song, much to the crowd’s delight.
‘Back in Black’ (1980)
The title track to AC/DC’s most successful record is a blistering rocker that showcases everything people love about the band. Anthemic chorus? Check. Brain-shattering riffs? Check. Brian Johnson shredding his voice like he’s singing for the last time ever? Check.
There is a bit of a Led Zeppelin feel to this one, which is a compliment, with ‘Back in Black’ announcing to the world that despite the tragedy that befell the band in 1980, AC/DC were back bigger and better than ever.
‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ (1980)
Another classic cut from Back in Black, and the album’s first single, ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ introduced listeners to new vocalist Brian Johnson against a backdrop of soaring riffs and driving percussion.
Producer Mutt Lange took AC/DC’s rough and ready rock sound and gave it a commercial edge, resulting in one of their biggest hits that has become a staple of their live sets.
‘It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll)’ (1975)
Paying homage to Angus, Malcom and Bon’s Scottish heritage, ‘It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)’ mixes hard rock instrumentation with bagpipes, spotlighting AC/DC’s creativity. It showed audiences (and critics) that they were more than the one-dimensional rockers many thought they were after the release of their debut album.
Discussing the traumas associated with being a touring band striving for fame and fortune, the track is a fan favourite that sadly hasn’t been performed since the late ‘70s due to the time it takes to tune all the instruments to play the song live.
‘T.N.T.’ (1976)
Named after the explosive chemical TNT, this pearler of a track is played by the Fremantle Dockers after every home win to celebrate the victory.
It’s a masterclass in Angus and Malcom’s simple yet effective guitar playing, with the kick ass solo a headbangers delight.
The call and response of “TNT, oi, oi, oi” gets the crowd involved every time and makes for one of the more interactive parts of any Acca Dacca live show.
‘For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)’ (1981)
After a roaring return with 1980s Back In Black, AC/DC followed up a year later with For Those About to Rock We Salute You. Despite only releasing two singles from the album, it landed at #1 on the US charts, AC/DC’s only record to reach the top in America until 2008’s Black Ice.
Of the two singles, it’s the title track that became a hit. Unlike many of their songs about the usual sex, drugs and rock and roll life, ‘For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)’ is about Roman gladiators and was inspired by a novel by British poet Robert Graves. Angus Young discussed this in a 2021 chat with Zane Lowe, explaining how he flipped one of Graves’ sentences to create the song’s iconic chorus.
Fellow Aussie ratbags TISM covered ‘For Those About To Rock’ back in 1995 for an AC/DC cover album that never materialised. The track remained lost for 25 years before arriving as a single in 2020. TISM’s version is exactly what you’d expect, turning the song into a playful electro rock banger that ends with a sped-up and somewhat chaotic final chorus.
‘Riff Raff’ (1978)
Taken from AC/DC’s fifth studio album Powerage, their first with bassist Cliff Williams, ‘Riff Raff’ is balls-to-the-wall guitar rock that AC/DC are known for.
While some say the song is about the Bon’s problems with authority, who were constantly harassing the band during tours in the late ‘70s, not all of the lyrics make sense.
It’s better just to listen to this one for what it is at a basic level – an absolute hard rock belter!
‘Jailbreak’ (1976)
Not only is ‘Jailbreak’ a fantastic track painting the picture of a man who wants to escape prison, but when released in 1976, it came accompanied by one of AC/DC’s most entertaining music videos.
It appeared to have been made on the cheap and is unintentionally hilarious. The band are dressed in prison-related attire: Malcom and Mark wore guard outfits, Angus rocked an early romper and Phil and Bon wore blue prisoner uniforms.
Bon sported blue denim jeans and an open blue shirt, hair blowing in the wind, his toothy grin both charming and menacing, looking like he’d just broken out of prison like the song’s main character.
Filmed in a quarry in the Victorian suburb of Sunshine, the music video was believed to be one of the first to use explosives and ends with poor old Bon escaping with “a bullet in his back.”
‘Shoot To Thrill’ (1980)
Another cut from AC/DC’s smash hit Back in Black, ‘Shoot to Thrill’ was given a second life in 2010 when it appeared in Iron Man 2.
A boisterous, heavy rock and roller with a polished edge, not only featured in Iron Man 2 but was the opening track of the film’s soundtrack, which was comprised entirely of AC/DC songs.
Lyrically, ‘Shoot to Thrill’ could be mistaken for another sexually explicit riff-heavy rocker, but according to frontman Brian Johnson in the doco The Story Of Back In Black, ‘Shoot to Thrill’ is inspired by drug pushers who would visit lonely wives at their homes and supply them with various illegal substances. These women would then scour the nearby bars for gents to take home to help cure their boredom.
‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation’ (1978)
‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Damnation’ might not be an obvious choice when it comes to AC/DC’s best, but few songs sum up what the band are about like this belter.
Sure, it doesn’t feature the standard guitar solo but Scott is in fine form on vocals while the rest of the band deliver a tight, three and a half minutes of probing rock.
The song was written at the urging of the record company, which believed the album it was taken from, Powerage, lacked a radio single. That’s why you hear handclaps and maracas throughout, and there’s a lack of a solo, but none of that takes away from the power and ferocity of ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Damnation’.
‘Let There Be Rock’ (1977)
‘Let There Be Rock’ is six minutes of in-your-face heavy riffage from AC/DC that tells the fictionalised history of rock music.
As if reading from the Rock Bible, Scott coorns, “He said, ‘Let there be sound’ / There was sound / ‘Let there be light’ / There was light / ‘Let there be drums’ / There was drums / ‘Let there be guitar’ / There was guitar / Oh, let there be rock!”
With subtle references to Chuck Berry and an extended guitar solo when performed live, ‘Let There Be Rock’ has become the song AC/DC end each concert with before their encore.
Catch AC/DC at the bp Adelaide Grand Final on Sunday 30 November. Tickets on sale via ticketmaster.com.au.
