Here’s the best thing about our list of AC/DC Live Albums Ranked Worst to Best: They’re all pretty damn good.
A common refrain among AC/DC fans is that the band released the same album 17 times in a row. Whether you subscribe to that notion or not, you can’t deny their remarkable consistency.
The Aussie rockers’ singular devotion to meat-and-potatoes rock riffs and stadium-sized hooks also made them a relentlessly entertaining, and often downright transcendent, live act. You’ll hear that at every stop on our journey through the band’s officially sanctioned live catalog, from a humble 1977 showcase at the Atlantic Recording Studios to a gargantuan performance at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
AC/DC underwent several major changes over the course of these live recordings, the most obvious being the switch from Bon Scott to Brian Johnson. The former brought a devil-may-care, streetwise swagger to the band, while the latter performed with a muscular, blue-collar affability. Johnson had enormous shoes to fill when he took the AC/DC gig, but as you’ll hear on these albums, he tackled his predecessor’s material with grace and tenacity.
But the one thing that never faltered in AC/DC’s live catalog was the inimitable twin-guitar attack of Malcolm and Angus Young. The brothers ducked and weaved around each other with a mix of ironclad power chords and euphoric solos; their performances are never less than effervescent.
Because there’s no such thing as a bad AC/DC live album, our ranking depends heavily on set list choices and recording quality. The best albums on this list have a transportive quality; even without a visual accompaniment, they whisk listeners into the center of a sweaty club or jam-packed stadium.
With that said, it’s time to crank the volume and dive into our list of AC/DC Albums Ranked Worst to Best.
AC/DC Live Albums Ranked Worst to Best
These Aussies are nothing if not consistent.
Gallery Credit: Bryan Rolli
