Every AC/DC album ranked from worst to best
Often, I look back on older music and feel envious that I wasn’t alive when those bands were initially touring. AC/DC are one of those bands. The idea of being able to see the band continuously as they toured different albums fills me with envy. However, I wasn’t alive, but rather than dwell on it, I need to look on the bright side.
As a huge AC/DC fan, I can confidently say that if I had been around for their first album, I wouldn’t be as big a fan as I am now. They stick to their guns, and if I listened to their music as and when it was released, that repetition would eventually become tiresome. It’s something I’ve criticised modern bands for, so why would AC/DC be any different?
However, given I didn’t properly listen to them or become a fan until post-2000, I enjoyed their discography as one continuous piece of work. Rather than being a collection of 16 albums, it was a massive compilation record by the best hard rock band in the world.
As such, I’ve never considered the band’s albums one by one until now. After painstakingly listening and evaluating the impact those records had on the band and their reputation, I’ve compiled a ranking of the band’s albums from worst to best. These lists are always up for debate, and they are welcome ones, too, but AC/DC albums are particularly difficult to rank because of how similar they are in both tone and theme.
That said, some albums clearly stand out and have more hits than others. Not to mention, some of their records also marked big moments for the band, which should be equally acknowledged. Here is your definitive list.
Every AC/DC album ranked from worst to best:
16. Flick of the Switch (1983)
You might be surprised not to see a more recent AC/DC album ranked as their worst, but the truth is Flick of the Switch is one of the band’s most creatively restricted pieces of music. It’s hard to get excited about it, and it isn’t an album anyone finds themselves lost in often.
It’s hard for AC/DC to make a piece of music that stands as forgettable, but they came close with Flick of the Switch. You might point to songs like ‘Guns For Hire’ as justification that the album is a good one, but they don’t do enough to lift this piece of music off the ground.
15. Blow Up Your Video (1988)
Blow Up Your Video represents one of the toughest periods for AC/DC. Albums didn’t land in the same way, and instead of working around it and thinking outside the box, they just churned out the same thing. It’s to be admired, in a way, as the band has always been a hard rock outfit and loved that style of music, but it also stands as a creatively stunted piece of work.
It’s not quite their worst album, but in the grand scheme of things, there are a few reasons to revisit it. None of the songs particularly stand out or have any replay value, and it remains one of AC/DC’s most uninteresting releases.
14. Ballbreaker (1995)
This could be a controversial placement. Instrumentally, certain albums fall flatter than Ballbreaker. The playing lick on ‘Hard As A Rock’ is a great piece of Angus Young magic, and some of their riffs on this album are killer, but it’s always been an example of what happens when AC/DC feel creatively stunted.
The whole album is a bit on the nose. Sex makes up a considerable part of this album, as it does many albums, but AC/DC are a bit worse at hiding it and dressing up the subject as something rock ‘n’ roll and cool. Instead, thanks to tracks like ‘Hard As A Rock’ and ‘Cover You In Oil’, it feels less like a band bragging about sex and more like a group of men hoping to get laid. Also, how high can you really place an album that follows a song called ‘Cover You In Oil’ with a song called ‘The Furor’?
13. Power Up (2020)
It has to be said, as someone who went to AC/DC’s recent Power Up tour, I know that there are songs on this album that hold up pretty well in a live environment. ‘Shot in the Dark’ and ‘Demon Fire’ were particular highlights of their recent show at Wembley, but this album has way more misses than it does hits.
Songs like ‘Kick You When You’re Down’ highlight the band’s shortcomings well. They try to inject moments that step outside of the usual three-chord riff structure by adding strange sound effects intended to complement them, but the result is pretty annoying music that doesn’t warrant much replay value.
12. Rock or Bust (2014)
There has to be some praise handed out to bands who continue to try making music when the option to sit back and let the classics do the talking is available. The issue that bands have is that the songs they release, no matter how hard they try, will never hit as hard as those originals do.
They can either acknowledge this and make an album they can stand behind and be passionate about, or they can throw caution to the wind and try to replicate those classics anyway. On their 2014 album Rock or Bust, AC/DC opted for the latter, which didn’t work. This album is a pretty bland listen.
11. Stiff Upper Lip (2000)
No criticism will be accepted on this album’s placement on the list. There is a particular element of excitement that comes with this record, backed up by the imagery on the cover and the gold Angus Young statue that followed the band on tour, but other than that, there isn’t a whole lot that Stiff Upper Lip has to offer.
It’s not a bad record, but AC/DC don’t have a particularly bad album, so that’s not saying a great deal. The songs are a bit more forgettable than others that the band have released, and the riffs aren’t as heavy or fun to listen to as people might like.
10. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976)
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is by no means a bad album, but compared to some of the other records that the band released at the time, there is no escaping that it falls flat in comparison. The title track is decent, but other than that, there isn’t much present that people should concern themselves with.
Some of the slower tracks on this record, like ‘Ride On’, while they may have been written with good intentions, are relatively dull. It’s a tough placement having it here on the list, as an album like Dirty Deeds is better than other rock band’s best work, but AC/DC simply set the bar too high for themselves with the classics they released beforehand.
9. Black Ice (2008)
This is another potentially controversial pick, but if AC/DC had released this album earlier in their career, it would have been praised as an all-time classic. It came out in 2008, which was a difficult time for the band, as touring was becoming more sparse. When they did hit the road, fewer people wanted to hear new stuff and just wanted to relive the classics.
The result is that many people didn’t give Black Ice a chance, but this album is full of wall-to-wall bangers. ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Train’ is a true statement of intent. AC/DC proclaims that the wheels on this train are still turning, and they are quicker and more aggressive than ever. This feeling is carried on throughout the album, which has proven itself as a record that needs more respect.
8. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) (1982)
This could be a controversial one, as while the title track of this album is renowned as a fantastic song, many of the other tracks on the album seem to fall by the wayside; however, in time, it’s held up as one of the band’s stronger albums. We see them enter a period of improvisation, willing to stretch out songs for the sake of intricate solos that fill outros.
The band also plays around with time signatures more. While they had released slow songs before this album, they had never managed to carry the same energy and vigour as their quicker tracks, but songs like AC/DC’s ‘Evil Walks’ prove they can write slower, more brooding songs that still pack a punch.
7. The Razors Edge (1990)
There is no escaping the fact that AC/DC has had many lulling moments in their career. This never manifested in live shows; regardless of whether new albums weren’t quite hitting the mark, the crowds always turned up; however, when The Razors Edge came out, people weren’t expecting too much from an AC/DC album at the time.
What they got with this record was a band that was never willing to call it a day and continuously put their all into everything. The album features the classic and fan favourite ‘Thunderstruck’, which Angus Young still maintains is one of their hardest songs to play; however, other notable songs include the titular track, ‘If You Dare’, and ‘Fire Your Guns’.
6. Fly On The Wall (1985)
Lists like this are always packed with controversy. AC/DC are a great band, and we’re all passionate about them. We have our favourite albums that we would like to see earn their flowers; however, there is no doubt this placement will be the most controversial here. Fly On The Wall is often slated as one of the band’s worth, but there is something about it that I find completely intoxicating.
The first time I watched the 20-minute music video with my father when I was younger, I have been obsessed with this record. Questionable lyrics? Yes. Poor production? Maybe. But when catchy songs like ‘Sink The Pink’ and ‘Shake The Foundation’ play, I can’t help but be happy. Call it nostalgia, call it bias, call it what you want. Just let me have this one.
5. Powerage (1978)
So many of AC/DC’s classic songs come from their initial albums, and Powerage is an excellent example of why that is. Still in their infancy, the band didn’t hold back. More distortion, heavier riffs, danceable songs, there was nothing that they weren’t willing to explore. When you play this record, you are locked in a moment of the best rock music for 40 minutes, and you couldn’t escape if you tried.
The songs have a narrative attached to them. AC/DC continued to cement themselves as a rock band that wasn’t afraid to laugh in the face of the devil and embraced the stigma of rock ‘n’ roll with a smile and a flick of their overgrown hair. Tracks like ‘Sin City’ and ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Damnation’ embody this feeling, and they’re a spectacular listen.
4. High Voltage (1976)
The moment you put this album on, you are welcomed by the familiar and undeniable riff to ‘It’s A Long To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll)’. From then on, this album cements itself as a masterclass in rhythm, riffs, and all things rock.
When you study AC/DC setlists to this day, they’re made up of songs from this album, as the whole thing is littered with undeniable classics. ‘TNT’, ‘The Jack’ and ‘Live Wire’ can’t go a miss, and it doesn’t feel like there is ever a wrong time to listen to them.
3. Highway to Hell (1979)
There are many ways to analyse AC/DC’s music. You can look at the feel-good nature that accompanies willingly riding into oblivion, revel in the community surrounding the band, and explore the vocal performances of Scott and Johnson, but the driving factor behind the entire band is their simple yet effective rhythm section.
On Highway to Hell, we hear Angus and Malcolm Young at their very best. The riffs are simple yet stand the test of time, as songs like the titular track, ‘Touch Too Much’, and ‘If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)’ still awaken something in hard rock fans to this day.
2. Back In Black (1980)
The loss of Bon Scott shook not only AC/DC but the entire world. For many, he was an iconic singer and the face of hard rock music. However, AC/DC has no interest in sitting back and letting the passing of their friend stop them from doing what he would have wanted them to continue doing: making rock ‘n’ roll.
The band started working with Brian Johnson, writing songs around his grittier vocals. Sure, Johnson might not be able to hit high notes like Scott could, but he can deliver infectious energy in every single word. As the band explored this new style on Back In Black, they made an amazing album and turned an exciting corner as a band.
1. Let There Be Rock (1977)
This is the definitive AC/DC album. We owe everything to Let There Be Rock. If not for this album, AC/DC wouldn’t have continued making the music we identify with so heavily. During a period of heavy shifts in the music industry, the band stuck to their guns and continued making hard rock guitar music. In doing so, they cemented themselves as the ultimate guitar band.
“I thought it was great because everyone else in the world was into whole other genres,” said Angus Young, “There was punk music, there was new wave; it was all this other stuff coming out, and I just thought, ‘This is pure magic’. And that album defined AC/DC in my eyes. That’s when I went, ‘This is a great band’.”
