Recorded in the Bahamas and mixed in New York, Back in Black (1980) was produced by rock super-producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange who demanded perfection, especially from vocalist Brian Johnson. This is the band’s seventh studio album but their first with new Johnson following the untimely death of their original singer Bon Scott. The record’s black album cover was designed as a sign of mourning for Scott whose loss devastated the band.

Rolling Stone journalist David Fricke described the album on release as ‘the first LP since Led Zeppelin II that captures all the blood, sweat and arrogance of the genre’. It was released at a turning point for heavy metal; many bands from the genre began playing slower music and indulging in lengthier guitar solos whilst others became influenced by the high energy of punk and sought a more accessible pop sound. The single ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ is a staple at US strip clubs, ‘Back in Black’ was the first song Kurt Cobain learnt on the guitar and the album has since sold over 50 million copies worldwide.