CSPC: AC/DC Popularity Analysis

Physical Singles Sales – The 80s

Back in Black (1980) – 554,000 equivalent albums

You Shook Me All Night Long – 740,000
Hells Bells – 540,000
Back in Black – 320,000
Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution – 150,000
You Shook Me All Night Long (1986, reissue) – 90,000
Shoot to Thrill (2011) – 5,000

For Those About to Rock We Salute You (1981) – 228,000 equivalent albums

Let’s Get It Up – 410,000
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) – 350,000

Flick of the Switch (1983) – 102,000 equivalent albums

Guns for Hire – 230,000
Nervous Shakedown – 70,000
Flick of the Switch – 40,000

Fly on the Wall (1985) – 44,000 equivalent albums

Danger – 50,000
Sink the Pink – 5,000
Shake Your Foundations – 90,000

Blow Up Your Video (1988) – 90,000 equivalent albums

Heatseeker – 210,000
That’s the Way I Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll – 90,000

Somewhat surprisingly, Back in Black is only the 3rd biggest single from their 1980 smash. The biggest one is the album’s lead single You Shook Me All Night Long – their first top 40 hit in the US. For Those About To Rock also delivered two decent singles, but AC/DC‘s drop in album sales during the rest of the 80s is mirrored in these single sales.