AC/DC's 'Black' Success Is a Sign of the 'Red' Times

Posted on Oct 31st 2008 3:00PM by Dan Reilly
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We certainly don't need another sign of the tanking economy, but a British paper was kind enough to offer up one that rocks a little harder than the Dow: AC/DC's return to the top of the charts. The Guardian reports that the Aussie band's greatest successes coincide with downturns in the British economy, while the band's flops came during times of stability. It turns out that the U.S. followed suit as well. Need proof?

In 1980, 'Back In Black' sold millions of copies just as OPEC declared an oil embargo against western nations, quadrupling the cost of barrels, and stock markets around the world crashed. Although it still went platinum, 1985's 'Fly on the Wall' was comparably a failure, peaking at No. 32 on the U.S. charts, yet the economy was good enough for people to afford 'We Are the World' singles and Live Aid tickets. In 1990, the band returns to No. 2 on the charts with 'The Razor's Edge,' featuring 'Thunderstruck' and 'Moneytalks,' while the U.S. gets into Desert Storm and another recession, obliterating Bush Sr.'s "no new taxes" promise.

Now that AC/DC's new album, 'Black Ice,' debuted at No. 1 this week in 29 countries, selling over 780,000 copies in the U.S. alone, we look only to the financial mess around the world. While you shouldn't blame the band, the trend isn't entirely coincidental. According to Guardian writer Alexis Petridis, "People crave something uncomplicated and dependable in a time of uncertainty, and rock music has never produced a band so uncomplicated and dependable as AC/DC." We're sure many bargain-hunting shoppers at Wal-Mart, the album's exclusive retailer, would agree.