After previously withholding from releasing their extensive back catalogue online, Australia’s biggest ever pub rock band, AC/DC, have seemingly changed their minds – perhaps with next year’s 40th anniversary in mind – with the news that their entire discography is now available on ‘the world’s biggest music store’, Apples’ iTunes.
Lead guitarist and rock icon Angus Young, as well as frontman Brian Johnson, have previously shown scepticism of online releases suggesting software such as iTunes was merely a grab for cash and most importantly – disrespectful to the albums original format.
Yet a press release from Sony Music announced the band’s joining of the online community with all 16 of their studio albums now available via the popular Apple music service iTunes.
Each one of AC/DC’s classic releases beginning with 1975’s High Voltage, right to their most recent album, 2008’s Black Ice, are available right now on the popular music service. WIth Sony Music stating in the band’s press release that each song has been “mastered for iTunes” suggesting increased audio fidelity and a closer replication of what the artists, recording engineers and producers intended.
With 16 International studio albums and 40 years experience, the band will seemingly make up lost digital ground fast, with their complete discography – including four live albums and three compilation releases – as well as an iTunes exclusive, a packaged digital compilation thats includes the whole lot.
As News Ltd points out, AC/DC have been previously opposed to making their catalogue available online, insisting it was “about making money” and that letting fans ‘cherry-pick’ songs did not uphold the integrity of the album format.
“It’s like an artist who does a painting,” guitarist Angus Young said in 2008. “If he thinks it’s a great piece of work, he protects it.” So what inspired the change of heart? Well, as AC/DC’s own song goes, ‘Money Talks’.
The news of AC/DC’s arrival on iTunes coincides with the recent announcement of AC/DC’s first live album in 20 years, Live At River Plate (which is available as an online stream).
Live At River Plate was recorded in Buenos Aires in December 2009, when nearly 200,000 fans over 3 sold-out nights thunderously welcomed AC/DC back after a 13-year absence from Argentina, proving that they are still as relevant as ever with performances to over 5 million fans in 108 cities in over 28 countries on their most recent Black Ice World Tour.
Fans also received recent gratification in the news of not one, but two up and coming feature films on AC/DC, including a biopic of former lead singer Bon Scott, and the other a fan made documentary on the iconic band’s rise to fame, which – although lacking the official tick of approval from the band and it’s management – is already being hailed as the definitive AC/DC rockumentary fans have been baying for.
You can view the full AC/DC discography available on iTunes below:
Collections
The Collection (all studio albums)
The Complete Collection (all studio albums, live albums and box sets)
16 International Studio Albums
High Voltage (1976)
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976)
Let There Be Rock (1977)
Powerage (1978)
Highway To Hell (1979)
Back In Black (1980)
For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) (1981)
Flick Of The Switch (1983)
74 Jailbreak (1984)
Fly On The Wall (1985)
Who Made Who (1986)
Blow Up Your Video (1988)
The Razors Edge (1990)
Ballbreaker (1995)
Stiff Upper Lip (2000)
Black Ice (2008)
4 Live Albums
If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It) (1978)
Live (1992)
Live (2 Volume Collector’s Edition) (1992)
Live At River Plate (2012)
3 Compilation Albums
Bonfire (1997)
Backtracks audio (2009)
Iron Man 2 soundtrack (2010)
