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Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
AC/DC Reaches A Historic Milestone With The Song That Won't Stop Selling
AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' reaches 520 weeks on Billboard's Rock Digital Song Sales chart, marking a ... More full decade as a top rock digital seller in the U.S. INDIO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Angus Young of AC/DC performs onstage during the Power Trip music festival at Empire Polo Club on October 07, 2023 in Indio, California. (Photo byfor Power Trip) AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' is a once-in-a-century kind of hit. The track not only defines the band's time together, but it's also recognized as one of the most successful in hard rock history. Few tunes have come close to matching its ubiquity and commercial success. Decades after its release, the cut remains a staple — and at least in the United States, it's a consistent bestseller. This week is especially notable for 'Thunderstruck' on one Billboard ranking, as it reaches a milestone that very few compositions will come close to achieving. On the latest edition of the Rock Digital Song Sales chart — the Billboard tally that ranks the bestselling rock-only tracks in the nation — 'Thunderstruck' climbs from No. 15 to No. 9. As it holds on, and even improves, the tune celebrates 520 frames on the list. This period makes it a complete decade as one of the top-selling cuts in that style in the largest music market in the world. 'Thunderstruck' is AC/DC's first track to spend 520 weeks on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart. It's easily the band's longest-running success. The runner-up, 'Back in Black,' has only managed to remain on the tally for 127 stays. 'Thunderstruck' eclipses that total four times over. Those two titles are the only ones in the group's discography to make it to triple digit stays on this purchases-only roster. 'Thunderstruck' surpasses every other smash AC/DC has sent to the Rock Digital Song Sales chart throughout the years. The group has pushed 19 tunes onto the tally, and the other 18 have combined for 224 weeks on the list. That's less than half as long as 'Thunderstruck' has held on. The generation-defining smash also outpaces every other top 10 hit on the current edition of the Rock Digital Song Sales tally. Combined, those nine tunes have accumulated 146 weeks on the ranking — while 'Thunderstruck' beats that figure three-and-a-half times over, and still manages to rejoin the loftiest tier on the list. 'Thunderstruck' isn't only succeeding on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart this week. It also appears inside the top 10 on both the Hard Rock Streaming Songs and Hard Rock Digital Song Sales tallies as well.
Chicago Tribune
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
AC/DC at Soldier Field: They're still at the top if you wanna rock ‘n' roll
Angus Young, his shoulder-length hair now gray and failing to conceal a bald patch atop his head, spun on his back and kicked his legs like a child throwing a tantrum. Wearing his trademark schoolboy uniform with short pants and an Illini-colored orange-and-blue tie, the AC/DC guitarist used his left hand to squeeze the life out of a Gibson SG and his right to pick the strings with vision-blurring velocity. That scene at Soldier Field on Saturday was at once familiar and silly — and altogether brilliant, especially in its distillation of AC/DC's inimitable blend of harmless mischief, megawatt power, combustible energy and laser-focused attack. In town following a nearly 10-year local absence — the longest gap between Chicago concerts in its history — AC/DC went about its business as if nothing had changed with its personnel or its industry since the days of 8-track tape. Or, to quote singer Brian Johnson, speaking to the packed audience near the beginning of the 135-minute show, the group promised 'the same stuff we always do.' Given the Australian collective's live reputation and topsy-turvy circumstances over the past decade, that pledge carried considerable weight. And after a bit of a sluggish start, AC/DC stayed true to its word. Young and Johnson led the way, leveraging 45 years of shared experience and ignoring the typical limitations of their septuagenarian ages in their steadfast commitment to performing fun, hard, disciplined, bluesy rock 'n' roll at high decibel levels. They were aided by a stadium-geared set that threw one punch to the solar plexus after another, the mix of ubiquitous favorites and a few choice deep cuts emphasizing rhythm first and everything else second. AC/DC can surely recite cuts such as 'Back in Black' in its sleep, but the band's dedication to its craft prevented any shortcuts. The quintet may have nothing to prove except, possibly, to itself. Column: AC/DC and the underrated art of doing the same thing foreverAt this juncture, AC/DC deserves to update the name of its early single 'It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)' to reflect how remaining a heavyweight often proves far more difficult than making it big in the first place. The equivalent of a nine-lives cat, the band has survived serious challenges since forming in 1973. The 1980 death of vocalist Bon Scott due to alcohol poisoning, coupled with a creative and commercial freefall during the Reagan era, seemingly prepared AC/DC to handle other setbacks. The '80s also witnessed a shuffling of drummers and the plugging in of Stevie Young as a temporary tour substitution for his uncle, co-founding guitarist Malcolm Young, who checked into rehab. Comparatively, the next quarter century went swimmingly. AC/DC regained its mojo, releasing a solid new album every couple of years and filling arenas around the globe. Its 2003 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame confirmed what most fans already knew: The band stood as a visionaries whose incalculable influence topped that of many of its more celebrated brethren. In the mid-2010s, fate again reared its ugly head. The 2014 retirement of Malcolm (who died in 2017) and sudden spring 2016 departure of Johnson due to the risk of complete hearing loss threw shade on the future. Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose stepped in for Johnson and allowed the group to finish its tour, the finale of which coincided with bassist Cliff Williams' retirement. Had AC/DC reached the end? Nope. Surprising everyone, Johnson returned. Equipped with advanced in-ear-monitor technology, he partnered with his old mates on the 2020 LP 'Power Up' and got back in the ring. For its current trek, the band recruited bassist Chris Chaney and drummer Matt Laug to sit in for staples Williams and Phil Rudd, respectively. Admittedly, it felt weird not seeing Williams in his usual spot. Lacking the chemistry of the men they replaced, Chaney and Laug didn't always muster the wrecking-ball swing, foundations-rattling shake or hospital-corner tightness of their esteemed predecessors. A few songs, 'If You Want Blood (You've Got It)' and 'Thunderstruck' included, never hit full boil and unfurled at a slower pace. Paging Stevie Young and his steady, sweeping right arm. With him running point for the rhythm section and ironing out kinks, any lingering clunkiness and tardiness dissipated by the time the eerie tolling announced 'Hells Bells.' To be certain, this wasn't AC/DC in its prime with its classic lineup. Johnson's voice no longer even pretends to scale the extreme highs or possesses the lung strength to hold extended notes. He compensated by adjusting the vocal key, or doubling-up on the word or phrase in question. But as big-name veteran bands with retooled lineups go, AC/DC sounded engaged, lean, direct, even occasionally indomitable. It fared better than the Rolling Stones last year and 'Fare Thee Well' Grateful Dead in 2015, to cite two examples of still-respected peers that soldiered on with new faces. The decision to primarily forgo production excess and stick to the basics — a classic backdrop comprised of a wall of amplifiers bisected by the drum kit and framed by stairs; three video screens primary dedicated to broadcasting the action; a short runway — underlined AC/DC's obsessive moderation and dogged mentality. Adorned in a denim Harley-Davidson vest, jeans and newsboy cap, Johnson oozed blue-collar personality. His strained, sandpaper-coarse timbre served as an ideal conduit for songs concerned with boisterous revelries, shady agreements, licentious intentions and musical pleasures. Cackling, screeching, muttering: He nailed the persuasive magnetism of the back-door mercenary narrating 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,' hellraising spirit of the rabble-rouser boozing it up on 'Have a Drink on Me' and overconfident bravado of the high roller crashing 'Sin City.' With devil-may-care attitude, Johnson found joy in every stanza, operating in total synergy with Angus Young. The tandem's give-and-take dynamic blossomed on nearly every tune, with the generously spaced chords and steady buildups of the minimalist architecture inviting Young to flourish. He didn't disappoint. Still the clever prankster lurking at the back of the classroom, he snarled and gritted his teeth, holding his instrument at a 60-degree angle while dispensing disruptive solos that took the form of cruise missiles aimed at no particular target. His distinctive tones — raw, bluesy, cleanly distorted and proudly overdriven — surged with jolting currents and ultimately bolstered an 18-minute solo that instilled the history lesson of 'Let There Be Rock.' And was there ever, complete with Angus Young, knobby knees and thin ankles, scampering, duck-walking and hopping from place to place. His fireplug vitality surrendered only to his untamed playing, boogie feel and volumes upon volumes of mesmerizing riffs. Robust, substantial riffs that were brass-knuckle tough ('Demon Fire'), convulsive ('High Voltage'), jagged ('Riff Raff'), stacked ('Whole Lotta Rosie') and folded like intricate pieces of origami ('Stiff Upper Lip'). Young never ran dry or repeated himself, his electricity juicing the group's catchy hooks and prompting his pint-sized body to visibly shiver. The extent of his and his cohorts' wallop can best be framed by a question: How many other bands could afford to bury a signature song, one as recognized, charged and guaranteed to ignite a mass sing-a-long as 'Highway to Hell,' in the middle of their set without batting an eye? Right arm elevated and pointing skyward, the fleet fingers of his left hand racing down the guitar's fretboard, a knowing sneer washing over his face as he assumed an iconic pose, Angus Young knew the from Soldier Field May 24: 'If You Want Blood (You've Got It)' 'Back in Black' 'Demon Fire' 'Shot Down in Flames' 'Thunderstruck' 'Have a Drink on Me' 'Hells Bells' 'Shot in the Dark' 'Stiff Upper Lip' 'Highway to Hell' 'Shoot to Thrill' 'Sin City' 'Rock 'n' Roll Train' 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' 'High Voltage' 'Riff Raff' 'You Shook Me All Night Long' 'Whole Lotta Rosie' 'Let There Be Rock' Encore 'T.N.T.' 'For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)'
Forbes
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
AC/DC Brings Multiple Singles Back To The Billboard Charts
AC/DC is climbing the Billboard charts once again, thanks to a handful of timeless smashes — and not just in the U.S., but globally as well. The legendary rockers appear on more than half a dozen rankings this frame, as both albums and singles reemerge and rise across several tallies. Three songs by AC/DC find their way onto the rosters this week, with two of them making notable comebacks on one tally apiece. "You Shook Me All Night Long" is the highest-flying return from AC/DC at the moment. The familiar cut reenters the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart at No. 10, bringing it to the top 10 once more. At the same time, the fan favorite also improves slightly on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart, lifting to No. 21. Meanwhile, "Thunderstruck" continues to live up to its reputation as AC/DC's biggest hit. The anthem appears on five different rankings this frame, making it the group's most visible song right now. 'Thunderstruck' reappears on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. at No. 178, and its international appeal is on display once more. Simultaneously, it rockets up the Billboard Global 200, which tracks the most-consumed songs worldwide including U.S. figures – while the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. removes sales and streaming info from America – soaring more than 30 spaces to No. 142. That's a new all-time peak for the cut on the planet-spanning roster. In America, "Thunderstruck" nearly reclaims the throne on several genre-specific lists. It settles at No. 2 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, just missing out on the top spot, while also coming in third place on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs ranking. Over on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart, the cut breaks back into the top 10, advancing from No. 11 to No. 9. It's not just individual tracks that perform well when it comes to AC/DC's catalog. The band's Back in Black album is also enjoying a notable resurgence, as it climbs on three separate Billboard charts this week. On the Top Hard Rock Albums chart, Back in Black finds its way back into the top 10. The title track from the release is also growing, improving from No. 21 to No. 19 on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs list. It's the only AC/DC tune to appear on a single roster. Back in Black was originally released in 1980 and remains one of the most successful projects in hard rock history. The album is still actually one of the bestselling full-lengths of all time, regardless of style.
The Spinoff
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
Everything you need to know about Shortland Street's new season
As Shortland Street's mysterious new 'Back in Black' season starts tonight, Tara Ward explains exactly what's going on in Ferndale. What's all this then? Back in Black is the name of Shortland Street's new mini-season, which begins tonight. In 2025, the long-running soap is dividing the year into four 'mini-seasons', each focussing on one or two particular storylines that involve the show's core characters, and each climaxing with a one hour special. So we've already had a mini-season? Yes. Shortland Street kicked 2025 off with 'New Blood', which introduced several new characters to Ferndale and signalled a shift in the show's direction. Shortland Street returned as a fast-paced medical drama, with nearly every scene set in the hospital. Over the last few weeks, characters have dared to venture outside the hospital again with a few scenes set in houses and the local bar, but the drama continues to focus on one or two self-contained medical storylines each week. Last week, viewers watched the New Blood one-hour finale episode, where a storm forced several medical staff out of their comfort zones to save lives, loves, and probably the world. So what else has been happening in Ferndale? The year began with hospital staff grieving the death of Dr Harper Whitely and processing their shock at nurse Nicole being imprisoned for murder. New medical staff Poppy, Cleo and Mana struggled to cope with the pressures of dealing with an endless stream of dying people, as well as putting up with their grumpy colleagues. Most recently, we waved goodbye to nurse Madonna, who moved to the Philippines with her baby daddy Thaddeus. And what's the vibe so far? Now that it's on three nights a week, Shortland Street has stepped up the pace and intensity and a soundtrack of up and coming New Zealand artists has provided a more contemporary feel. The show has never looked better, but as we wrote in March, the focus on medical cases has made Shortland Street feel both slick and bleak. The show looks glossy and modern, but the characters are perpetually stressed and miserable, which makes for a heavier viewing experience than traditional Shortland Street fans might be used to. What do we know about the new mini-season Back in Black? 'Back in Black' might refer to the big storm that ended the last mini-season, where the hospital was put into an emergency 'code black' status. There's also an impressive and slightly terrifying image going around of the surgeons all wearing black, which suggests this season will focus on the surgical expertise (or lack of) of the doctors. Or maybe the black refers to mourning? Perhaps some more All Blacks are going to turn up in Ferndale (it's happened before)? Or maybe Shortland Street is referring to dead receptionist Leanne, whose last name was Black when she first arrived in Ferndale? Is Ghost Leanne about to bless us with her ethereal presence once again?! But seriously, what's going to happen? Gird your loins and grab your tissues, because it sounds like the new mini-season will be just as intense as the first. Shortland Street revealed to The Spinoff that Poppy, Cleo, and Mana will 'grapple with the harsh realities of life at Shortland Street: the failings, the heartbreak, and the relentless death.' Fun! But amid all that misery, it seems Shortland Street staff are going to find….their family? 'As the rest of the staff wrestle with their grief, their fragile bonds start to fracture, and relationships are pushed to their breaking points,' they added. 'In the chaos, our team will learn that their true family isn't always the one they're born into – sometimes it's the one they choose. Sometimes it's the only one they have.'
Forbes
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
AC/DC's Biggest Single 'Thunderstruck' Reaches A New Chart Peak
No matter how long AC/DC's music has been out in the world, it still finds ways to climb higher, reach new fans, and break the group's own records. The legendary Australian rock band appears regularly on Billboard's charts in the United States, and several of its most familiar tracks continue to perform well globally. This week, one title in particular stands out (more than usual) thanks to another big gain. 'Thunderstruck' may very well be the biggest hit AC/DC has ever released. The track has long been the band's top performer on the Billboard rankings, and that statement holds true once again this week. This frame, 'Thunderstruck' jumps more than 30 spaces on the Billboard Global 200, rising from No. 174 to No. 142. That's a brand new peak for the single on the ranking, which lists the most-consumed tracks across the globe based on a blend of sales and streaming data. It has now spent 89 frames on the Billboard Global 200, and yet it's bigger than ever. Over on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. — a similarly-calculated tally that removes all data from American listeners — the tune also reappears. It doesn't quite hit a new high point, but it comes close. Previously, 'Thunderstruck' had reached No. 169 on that ranking, and this week, it's back at No. 178. While the song is gaining ground globally, it's also a huge win on a number of U.S.-based tallies. 'Thunderstruck' lands inside the top 10 on three separate charts, each one of which is focused on rock or hard rock music. On the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales list, the cut rises to No. 2, coming very, very close to the top spot. It also lifts to No. 3 on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs tally, powered by consistent plays on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Napster, and other platforms. The title also improves to No. 9 on the Rock Digital Song Sales roster, where it pushes ahead two spaces to reenter the top 10. 'Thunderstruck' is one of several titles by AC/DC that are currently present on Billboard's charts. This frame, three of the band's singles rank somewhere in the U.S. 'You Shook Me All Night Long' remains a fan favorite and is holding on via two tallies this time around. 'Back in Black' — another undisputed staple in the band's discography — appears on a single list. Both tunes are confined to hard rock-only rankings, but the fact that they find space at all, decades after their release, is noteworthy. AC/DC's wins this week aren't limited to tracks. The group's full-length Back in Black, which remains one of the bestselling albums of all time, is present on three charts as well, and it climbs on every single one of them.
