Formed in Australia in 1973, AC/DC is a rock band initiated by the Young brothers: Malcolm on rhythm guitar and Angus on lead guitar. The band's current members include Angus Young, bassist Cliff Williams, drummer Phil Rudd, lead vocalist Brian Johnson, and rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, who is the nephew of Angus and Malcolm. AC/DC's music spans hard rock, blues rock, and heavy metal genres, though they prefer to label it simply as "rock and roll". Influential in shaping the new wave of British heavy metal, bands like Def Leppard and Saxon have drawn inspiration from AC/DC, who were honored with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
Before their debut album "High Voltage" in 1975, which was initially only available in Australia, AC/DC saw several changes in their lineup. Stability came with "Let There Be Rock" in 1977, featuring the Young brothers, Rudd, Williams, and Bon Scott as lead vocalist. The band faced a critical moment when Scott died from alcohol poisoning in 1979, shortly after "Highway to Hell" was released. Encouraged by Scott's parents, the band pressed on, bringing in Brian Johnson as the new lead singer. "Back in Black," their first album with Johnson and a tribute to Scott, soared to become the second highest-selling album globally.
Their 1981 release, "For Those About to Rock," marked AC/DC's first Billboard 200 number one. Before "Flick of the Switch" in 1983, Rudd departed and was succeeded by Simon Wright and later Chris Slade. The early '90s saw a resurgence for AC/DC with "The Razors Edge" in 1990, featuring Slade, until Rudd's return in 1994. Rudd played on five more albums, starting with "Ballbreaker" in 1995. "Black Ice," released in 2008, became their most successful album since "For Those About to Rock," hitting number one worldwide.
After a stable lineup for two decades, Malcolm Young retired in 2014 due to dementia, passing away three years later. Legal issues sidelined Rudd, with Stevie Young stepping in for Malcolm on "Rock or Bust" and Chris Slade returning for tour dates. Lead vocalist Brian Johnson's worsening hearing loss in 2016 led to Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses stepping in for the remainder of the tour. Cliff Williams retired in 2016, leading to a two-year break for AC/DC. The band reunited in 2020 with the "Rock or Bust" lineup, releasing "Power Up," their seventeenth studio album. American drummer Matt Laug played for Rudd at the Power Trip festival in October 2023.
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