CSPC: AC/DC Popularity Analysis

Streaming Sales

Streaming is made up of two families – audio and video. Our CSPC methodology now includes both to better reflect the real popularity of each track. The main source of data for each avenue is respectively Spotify and YouTube. As detailed in the Fixing Log article, Spotify represents 132 million of the 212 million users of streaming platforms, while YouTube is pretty much the only video platform generating some revenue for the industry. Below is the equivalence set on the aforementioned article:

Audio Stream – 1500 plays equal 1 album unit
Video Stream – 11,750 views equal 1 album unit

Equivalent Albums Sales (EAS) = 212/132 * Spotify streams / 1500 + YouTube views / 11750

Streaming Part 1

Initially none of AC/DC‘s early recordings became big hits outside their native Australia. However, after their popularity sky-rocketed a few years later many tracks from their international debut also became popular. The Jack remains a sing-along live favorite, while High Voltage, It’s A Long Way To the Top and especially T.N.T. became Classic Rock Radio stables. To this day those three songs are among their most popular, with T.N.T. closing in on 100 million Spotify streams! Thus providing the lion’s share of the impressive 200,000 EAS from that era.

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is highlighted by the title track of course. Over 50 million streams on Spotify makes it one of AC/DC‘s top 10 tracks. But the humorous Big Balls, the raucous Problem Child, the fierce Rocker (a leftover from Aussie album T.N.T.) and the poignant Ride On are all well remembered too. Adding up to over 90,000 EAS.