Back in Black (4:16)

“Back in Black” is a song by AC/DC, appearing as the first track on side two of their 1980 album, Back in Black. Known for its opening guitar riff, the song was AC/DC’s tribute to their former singer Bon Scott. It peaked in the U.S. at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981 and was #51 on Billboard’s Top Tracks chart, which debuted in March 1981. “Back in Black” received the RIAA’s Master Ringtone Sales Award (Gold and Platinum) in 2006 and reached 2x Platinum status in 2007.

The song was ranked #4 by VH1 on their list of the 40 Greatest Metal Songs, and in 2009, it was named the second greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1. It was also ranked #187 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time… The same magazine has also ranked “Back in Black” number 29 on “The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time”

A number of artists have sampled “Back in Black” without permission from the copyright holders.

In 1984 the Beastie Boys sampled “Back in Black” without permission for their song “Rock Hard”. In 1999, when they wished to include it on an upcoming CD compilation release, they sought permission but AC/DC refused. Mike D of the Beastie Boys quoted Malcolm Young’s reason for refusing as: “‘Nothing against you guys, but we just don’t endorse sampling.’” Back In Black was also sampled in the 2003 song “Work It” by Nelly.