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User
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Last Active 04-29-20 1:18 pm
Joined 10-01-04
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| AC/DC Openers Ranked
AC/DC have always had a knack for writing a good, rollicking song to open each of their 17 (internationally released) studio albums to date. As with anything, however, not all of these were created equal, and some are head and shoulders above others when it comes to catchiness and memorability. This list attempts to rank them all, and justify each one's position in the grand scheme of the band's opening tracks. | | 17 |  | AC/DC
Rock or Bust
Rock Or Bust
The worst album of AC/DC's career has the worst opener of AC/DC's career. Figures, don't it? By no means a bad song – especially not by that album's appallingly low standards – Rock Or Bust nevertheless slides by without leaving much of an impression, other than the feeling that, in an even halfway decent AC/DC record, it would be a mid-album filler track. And unlike other fair-to-middling openers still to come on this list, it does not even have the upside of being in any way memorable, thus losing the edge over even the fairly poor Fly on the Wall (though the two are pretty much interchangeable for the final two slots). Fortunately, things look set to pick up for the band's next album, the advance single for which is already better than the one for Rock or Bust. Here's hoping... | | 16 |  | AC/DC
Fly On The Wall
Fly on the Wall
Fly on the Wall is widely regarded as one of the weakest AC/DC albums, and while your mileage may vary in that regard, there is no denying that its title track IS, indeed, one of the band's weakest openers. Starting off with a promising riff, Fly nevertheless fails to deliver, quickly becoming just as forgettable as half the stuff on the rest of the album. The murky production does not help matters, either, only dragging this song further down into the mire of mediocrity which earns it its spot in the bottom three entries of this list. | | 15 |  | AC/DC
Blow Up Your Video
Heatseeker
Of the bottom three songs on this list, this is by far the best, a lively number with its fair share of moments. In the grand scale of AC/DC songs, however, it is no more than third- or fourth-tier – and in a discography full of strong, assertive openers, comes across as a bit of a wet fart. | | 14 |  | AC/DC
Black Ice
Rock'n'Roll Train
Interchangeable with either of the next two numbers on this list, this is one of a trio of good-but-not-great openers to good-but-not-great albums. Not a lot to say – if you like AC/DC, this is an above-average song by them; if you don't, this won't be the one to change your mind. | | 13 |  | AC/DC
Stiff Upper Lip
Stiff Upper Lip
Touted at the time as a return to the Aussies' 70s roots, Stiff Upper Lip fell well short of expectations, becoming 'just' another album – albeit a good one – in a slowly waning career. Still, unremarkable as it is, it does include some fairly strong cuts, and the opener is certainly one of them. | | 12 |  | AC/DC
Powerage
Rock'n'Roll Damnation
Powerage is AC/DC's most uniformly even album, with few songs standing out as either being amazing or amazingly bad. Sadly, this ends up hampering its opener's chances – Damnation is a damn fine song, but when compared to the songs yet to come on this list, it falls just short of true greatness. | | 11 |  | AC/DC
Let There Be Rock
Go Down
Rivalling Rising Power for most underrated AC/DC opener is this bluesy gem, one of the most unfairly forgotten and underrated songs in the band's catalogue. Perhaps it's the fact that it is one of the lesser songs in a near-perfect tracklist, but Go Down really did deserve to be better-known. | | 10 |  | AC/DC
Ballbreaker
Hard As A Rock
The opener to Dacca's 1996 opus, Ballbreaker, is another case of a brilliant intro elevating an otherwise fair-to-middling song. As an opener, it's great, letting listeners know AC/DC are back, and even setting fairly high expectations for what will soon prove to be an underwhelming album. But it's that intro and chorus lead that truly clinches its place on this list – without it, it might well have been 'just another' AC/DC song... | | 9 |  | AC/DC
For Those About To Rock We Salute You
For Those About To Rock We Salute You
Much like with Hells Bells, the iconic intro (and, in this case, a much stronger chorus) help boost what is otherwise a structurally messy and slightly middling song. Undeniably great in a live setting, but as far as the album version goes, it is only just above average. | | 8 |  | AC/DC
Who Made Who
Who Made Who
The best of the three new tracks included in AC/DC's odd half-compilation-half-original album, Who Made Who is also one of the brighter spots in a dismal decade for the band. Based around a typical snaking lead from Angus Young, the song eventually builds up to a rockin' climax, making it another of the group's underrated gems. | | 7 |  | AC/DC
'74 Jailbreak
Jailbreak
The songs in AC/DC's 'leftover' stopgap EP for the international market ''74 Jailbreak', were anything BUT leftovers - as the eponymous opener abundantly demonstrates. Built around one of those dry, staccato riff and percussion patterns typical of this era of the group's existence, the true distinctive factor in this song is Bon Scott's performance. The singer puts his all into every word he sings, and that acapella line right before the last chorus never stops being heart-wrenching. A solid track elevated into greatness by a fantastic vocal performance. | | 6 |  | AC/DC
Flick Of The Switch
Rising Power
AC/DC's sleeper album yields this list's sleeper hit, an incredibly strong song which deserved more recognition within the band's canon. The perfect no-frills opener to the most no-frills effort of the group's 1980s period. | | 5 |  | AC/DC
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Though less impressive than the debut's opener, the title track to the album's second international release is a very strong song in its own right, characterised by a riff that is as dirty and sweaty as the brazenly creepy lyrics. After a tentative first effort, the lads were truly finding their feet at this point - and this track is proof positive of just that. | | 4 |  | AC/DC
Back In Black
Hells Bells
It's all about that intro riff. Without it, the opener to AC/DC's most famous and best-selling album would be just another song - in fact, the chorus is incredibly underwhelming after the iconic intro and strong first verse. Said intro, however, is strong enough to single-handedly land this song in the Top 5, just behind the group's other heavy-hitters. | | 3 |  | AC/DC
High Voltage
It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock'n'Roll)
AC/DC's first-ever opener is also one of their best, setting the template for the group's sound while adding an extra twist of originality through its trademark bagpipes. As catchy and memorable nearly 50 years on as it was when first released, Bon Scott's most earnest lyric more than earns its place in the Top 3. | | 2 |  | AC/DC
Highway To Hell
Highway to Hell
AC/DC's most minimalistic opener (and track) is also one of their best on both counts. The riff is great, the chorus is great, the solo is great, it's one of the band's most memorable tracks, and were it not for the next selection, it would have gotten top billing - and deserved it. However... | | 1 |  | AC/DC
The Razors Edge
Thunderstruck
Was there ever any doubt? Highway to Hell was the only opener that could even touch this one in terms of balance between pop culture relevance and actual quality. In the end, the choice of who is first is still a toss-up, but Thunderstruck's higher replay value narrowly earns it the slot. 'NANANANA NANANA NANA THUN DERRR!' | |
Titan
11.08.20 | Love seeing Rising Power where you have it, such an underrated song.
But damn man, Rock & Roll Train and Stiff Upper Lip are both solid gold. | manosg
11.08.20 | Always nice seeing an AC/DC list. My top 5 would be something like: 3, 2, 5, 4, 7. | TheAntichrist
11.08.20 | 5-1 are gold (the openers) | facupm
11.08.20 | 12 should be higher imo | rockarollacola
11.11.20 | My befuddling ranking
1. Highway to Hell
2. For Those About to Rock
3. Thunderstruck
4. Hell's Bells
5. Rock N Roll Train
6. Realize
7. It's A Long Way to The Top (If You Wanna Rock N Roll)
8. Heatseeker
9. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
10. Rock or Bust
11. Who Made Who
12. Jailbreak
13. Hard As A Rock
14. Go Down
15. Stiff Upper Lip
16. Rock N Roll Damnation
17. Fly On The Wall
18. Baby Please Don't Go
19. Rising Power | bloodshy
11.11.20 | They have consistency if nothing else. | ReturnToRock
11.16.20 | If I had waited literally a week, I could have put Realize in here :/
Anyway, just pretend it's there between Heatseeker and Rock'n'Roll Train.
@rockarollacola Realize over It's A Long Way does NOT compute for me. Neither does most of the second half of your list, especially not Rising Power coming dead last and Rock or Bust over ANYTHING, but especially Jailbreak and Hard as a Rock. Befuddling indeed. | SitarHero
11.16.20 | Great list! Can't argue with the Top 5 although the order might get reshuffled depending on my mood. | rockarollacola
11.18.20 | My opinions are pretty befuddling to most people, so that reaction is pretty normal. | rockandmetaljunkie
11.18.20 | Hells bells is actually my favorite. I always loved the way the song progresses and escalates. And the guitar solo is one of my favorites Angus Young moments. |
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