AC/DC’s catalog is filled with huge hit singles, many of which were released decades ago, but which have stood the test of time. The group regularly keeps multiple tracks on the charts in the United States, as fans across the country continue to buy and stream the most popular songs from the Australian rock outfit’s discography. This week, one track is in the middle of a very exciting stay on one tally, and it once again shows itself to be perhaps the group’s most successful tune.
“Thunderstruck” Returns to No. 1
AC/DC’s week is especially busy the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart. The band’s tune “Thunderstruck” both reaches a major milestone and soars back to the summit, reclaiming the throne on Billboard’s list of the bestselling hard rock-only tracks in America.
“Thunderstruck” jumps from No. 5 to No. 1 this week, replacing Sleep Token at the top spot. That group debuted “Damocles” atop the tally last frame. That cut dips to No. 9 this time around.
“Thunderstruck” has now spent 59 weeks at No. 1 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart. That’s longer on the throne than most tunes will manage on any Billboard list. It is one of only four leaders by AC/DC on the hard rock-only list, and it outpaces the combined amount of time the band’s other three champions have spent at the summit — by a factor of 10.
650 Weeks and Counting for “Thunderstruck”
As it soars back to the highest rung, “Thunderstruck” also reaches a significant milestone on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart. As of this frame, the tune has now spent 650 weeks on the purchase-only ranking. It is AC/DC’s first cut to reach that landmark figure, and it will likely be quite a while before another does so.
“Back in Black” is the group’s second-longest-charting success on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales list. Even after years on the roster, it still lags a little more than 100 weeks behind “Thunderstruck.”
AC/DC Rocks on Multiple Billboard Charts
“Thunderstruck” appears on multiple Billboard rankings this frame. In addition to hitting No. 1 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, it also lands inside the top 10 on both the Hard Rock Streaming Songs list (No. 7) and Rock Digital Song Sales tally (No. 8). The cut returns to the highest tier on that latter roster even as it drops exactly 40 spaces on the Billboard Global 200.
“Back in Black” Also Manages to Hold On
“Back in Black” is not just AC/DC’s second-longest-running hit on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, it’s also the group’s only other current win in the U.S. This frame, it barely holds on at No. 25, the final position on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs list.