(TheBRHM.com) In 1975, Hall of Famers AC/DC dropped a double dose of Australian hard rock. I gave the debut album High Voltage a listen and figured “Well, High Voltage is right there. Might as well.” So, instead of a “Greatest Debut Album,” we’re looking at the 1970s releases and seeing which one I believe is the best of the decade.
As always, it’s in descending order with the best being saved for last. Also, one * means it’s highly recommended while ** means you should probably add it to a playlist or fave it if you haven’t already.
Powerage (1978)
There are parts of Powerage I love. Like AC/DC can write a closing tube. They wrong “Kicked in the Teeth” as if they were writing “Whole Lotta Rosie Pt. 2: Too Much Rosie.” Following “Rock N Roll Damnation” the two songs just came up as meh—until I got to “Riff Raff” and “Sin City”.
Things really pick up once we float into the B-side and the old school rocker tunes are more prominent. When the faster stuff turns up next in the queue, it’s always a great occurrence.
Standout Tracks: Riff Raff, Sin City, Kicked in the Teeth**
Let There Be Rock (1977)
This is a very familiar-sounding album to where you can hear the blues influence on AC/DC and what songs may have influenced other bands. It’s also an odd album in that—I’m kind of blues rock’d out and some the mid tempo lull me towards the skip button. Then the song starts to kick ass midway through or at the end.
Only one song—“Dog Eat Dog”—didn’t do it for me. Everything else? Not bad at all and the album closer was a tremendous one. There should’ve been an opener with this energy. This is what I want for the bulk an album: “Whole Lotta Rosie” and “Bad Boy Boogie”.
Standout Tracks: Bad Boy Boogie, Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be, Whole Lotta Rosie**
High Voltage (1976)
The international version comes in at 44-minutes across nine tracks and is mostly bouncy, blues-heavy hard rock. You know, the kind of rock that holds down the afternoon classic rock block until it’s time to “Get the Led” out in 5PM traffic. It reminds of Rocka Rolla, Judas Priest’s debut. It’s not a similar sound, it’s the significance of the debut to the band’s development.
The debut had some splashes of glam here and there but it was more Thin Lizzy and less Kiss. The pace isn’t to my liking exactly and there’s a mix of tempos but they’re mostly at the slower end. You can heard where they are going musically here but they would be closer with Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap to the high energy rock they’d become known for.
Standout Tracks: The Jack, T.N.T**, High Voltage*
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976)
This should be a short one but this album was my first AC/DC album. My father brought a bag filled with 8-tracks. We had an 8-track player in the den and this album was always fun! It’s thick in blues and would’ve been fine as the debut. I’d say this is my favorite AC/DC album of the 1970s.
Strongest Tracks: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap**, Big Balls**, Squealer*
Highway to Hell (1979)
This is a well-known AC/DC album because it’s the band taking major steps with their sound only for it to be the last album with lead singer Bon Scott. With improved production came a couple of promoted bangers and one of their most accessible releases not called Back in Black.
Highway to Hell is a milestone album with a good distribution of bangers on both sides—strong bangers. As mentioned on Powerage: their closing song game is overwhelming. They knew how to close big very early into their careers.
Standout Tracks: Highway to Hell**, Touch Too Much*, If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)**
What would be your ordering of albums? If you wish to add T.N.T, feel free. I ran with the albums available on Apple Music which doesn’t feature that or the debut High Voltage.
Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.