Jump to content

Thunderstruck (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Thunderstruck"
SinglebyAC/DC
from the albumThe Razors Edge
B-side"Fire Your Guns"
Released10 September 1990
Recorded1990
GenreHard rock[1][2]
Length4:52
LabelATCO
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Bruce Fairbairn
AC/DCsingles chronology
"That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll"
(1988) 		"Thunderstruck"
(1990) 		"Moneytalks"
(1990)
Music video
"Thunderstruck"onYouTube

Thunderstruck is a song by Australian hard rock bandAC/DC,released as thelead singlefrom their 1990 album "The Razors Edge".It peaked atNo.4 on the AustralianARIA Singles Chart,No. 1 in Finland, and No. 5 on the US "Billboard"Album Rock Trackschart. In 2010, "Thunderstruck" toppedTriple M Melbourne's Ultimate 500 Rock Countdown in Australia.[3]The song is used in movies such as "Deadpool 2","Planes: Fire & Rescue","Varsity Blues","The Longest Yard","Katie and Orbie","Battleship","The Fall Guy","The Super Mario Bros. Movie"and"Daddy's Home",among others, as well as TV shows. It is one of thebest selling singles of all timewith over 15 million units sold.

Background

[edit]

Angus Young stated in the liner notes of the 2003 re-release ofThe Razors Edge:

It started off from a little trick I had on guitar. I played it to Mal and he said "Oh, I've got a good rhythm idea that will sit well in the back." We built the song up from that. We fiddled about with it for a few months before everything fell into place. Lyrically, it was really just a case of finding a good title... We came up with this thunder thing, based on our favourite childhood toyThunderStreak,and it seemed to have a good ring to it. AC/DC = Power. That's the basic idea.[4]

The song has sold over a million digital copies since it became available for digital download.[5]

In January 2018, as part ofTriple M's "Ozzest 100", the "most Australian" songs of all time, "Thunderstruck" was ranked No. 8.[6]

The song is one of the most recognizable in the band's entire catalogue and it is a set list staple having been performed at nearly all shows since its release. With the exception of new material from albums they are touring behind, it is one of only four songs released afterBack in Blackthat are still performed live by the band.

Music video

[edit]

The video which accompanied the single, directed byDavid Mallet,was filmed atLondon'sBrixton Academyon17 August1990. The audience members were given free T-shirts with the words "AC/DC – I was Thunderstruck" on the front and the date on the back, and these T-shirts were worn by the entire audience throughout the filming of the video.[7]

Critical reception

[edit]

"Thunderstruck" is widely considered one of the band's best songs. In 2020,The Guardianranked the song number eight on its list of the 40 greatest AC/DC songs,[8]and in 2021, the British rock magazineKerrang!ranked the song number six on its list of the 20 greatest AC/DC songs.[9]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[45] 10× Platinum 700,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[46] Platinum 60,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[47] 2× Platinum 180,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[48] Platinum 500,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[49] 3× Platinum 300,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[50] 3× Platinum+Gold 210,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[51] Platinum 40,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[52] 3× Platinum 180,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[53] 3× Platinum 1,800,000‡
United States (RIAA)[54] Diamond 10,000,000‡
Ringtones
Canada (Music Canada)[55] Platinum 40,000*
United States (RIAA)[57] Platinum 1,798,000[56]

*Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

[edit]

Cyber attack of the Iranian nuclear program

[edit]

The song was reportedly used as part of the payload of acomputer viruswhich attacked theIranian nuclear programin 2012. In an email sent to Finnish computer security expert,Mikko HypponenofF-Secure,one of the scientists involved in the nuclear program was quoted as saying:[58]

...There was also some music playing randomly on several of the workstations during the middle of the night with the volume maxed out. I believe it was playing "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^Brown, Jake (16 July 2013).AC/DC in the Studio - The Stories Behind Every Album.John Blake Publishing, Limited. p. 11.ISBN978-1-78219-677-8.
  2. ^Smith, Benjamin (2 February 2014)."Celebrate The Super Bowl With Hard Rock's Top 10 Jock Jams!".VH1.Archivedfrom the original on 11 April 2023.Retrieved5 January2022.
  3. ^"Triple M's Ultimate Rock 500".Archived fromthe originalon 29 February 2012.Retrieved29 February2012..Triple M.Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  4. ^Young, Angus (2003).The Razors Edge(booklet).AC/DC.Epic Records.
  5. ^Grein, Paul (14 January 2015)."Nick Jonas's 'Jealous' Hits a New Peak".Chart Watch.Yahoo! Music.Retrieved14 January2015.
  6. ^"Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100'".Musicfeeds.27 January 2018.Retrieved4 January2020.
  7. ^"Music video".YouTube.7 November 2012.Retrieved27 July2020.
  8. ^Hann, Michael (30 July 2020)."AC/DC – their 40 greatest songs, ranked!".The Guardian.Retrieved2 March2022.
  9. ^Law, Sam (3 February 2021)."The 20 greatest AC/DC songs – ranked".Kerrang.Retrieved2 March2022.
  10. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck ".ARIA Top 50 Singles.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  11. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck "(in German).Ö3 Austria Top 40.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  12. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck "(in Dutch).Ultratop 50.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  13. ^"Top Singles - Volume 53, No. 3 Dec 01, 1990".RPM.17 July 2013.Retrieved8 January2016.
  14. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck ".Tracklisten.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  15. ^"Eurochart Hot 100 Singles"(PDF).Music & Media.6 October 1990.Retrieved20 June2021.
  16. ^Nyman, Jake (2005).Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja(in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi.ISBN951-31-2503-3.
  17. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck "(in French).Les classement single.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  18. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck "(in German).GfK Entertainment charts.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  19. ^"AC DC Chart History (Global 200)".Billboard.Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  20. ^"Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ "(in Hungarian).Single (track) Top 40 lista.Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  21. ^"The Irish Charts – Search Results – Thunderstruck ".Irish Singles Chart.Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  22. ^"Nederlandse Top 40 – AC/DC "(in Dutch).Dutch Top 40.Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  23. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck "(in Dutch).Single Top 100.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  24. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck ".Top 40 Singles.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  25. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck "Canciones Top 50.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  26. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck ".Singles Top 100.Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  27. ^"AC/DC – Thunderstruck ".Swiss Singles Chart.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  28. ^"Official Singles Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  29. ^"AC DC Chart History (Digital Song Sales)".Billboard.Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  30. ^"AC DC Chart History (Mainstream Rock)".Billboard.Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  31. ^"AC/DC – Chart history".Billboard Rock Digital Songsfor AC/DC.Retrieved25 June2015.
  32. ^"ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 50 Singles 1990".Australian Recording Industry Association.Retrieved21 December2015.
  33. ^"Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1990".Dutch Top 40.Retrieved21 December2015.
  34. ^"Jaaroverzichten - Single 1990".Single Top 100.Retrieved21 December2015.
  35. ^"Jaaroverzichten 1991".Ultratop.Retrieved21 December2015.
  36. ^"Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts".GfK Entertainment.Retrieved21 December2015.
  37. ^"Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2017".Mahasz.Retrieved17 February2018.
  38. ^"Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2018".Mahasz.Retrieved31 March2020.
  39. ^"Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2019".Mahasz.Retrieved31 March2020.
  40. ^"Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2020".Mahasz.Retrieved26 February2021.
  41. ^"Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2021".Billboard.Retrieved4 December2021.
  42. ^"Single Top 100 – eladási darabszám alapján – 2021"(in Hungarian). Mahasz.Retrieved1 February2022.
  43. ^"Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2022".Billboard.Retrieved2 December2022.
  44. ^"Single Top 100 – eladási darabszám alapján – 2022"(in Hungarian). Mahasz.Archivedfrom the original on 3 February 2023.Retrieved3 February2023.
  45. ^"ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Singles"(PDF).Australian Recording Industry Association.Retrieved4 April2022.
  46. ^"Brazilian single certifications – AC/DC – Thunderstruck"(in Portuguese).Pro-Música Brasil.Retrieved28 May2024.
  47. ^"Danish single certifications – AC/DC – Thunderstruck".IFPI Danmark.Retrieved23 May2023.
  48. ^"Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (AC/DC;'Thunderstruck') "(in German).Bundesverband Musikindustrie.Retrieved21 December2022.
  49. ^"Italian single certifications – AC/DC – Thunderstruck"(in Italian).Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana.Retrieved18 March2024.
  50. ^"Certificaciones"(in Spanish).Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas.Retrieved10 December2020.TypeAC/DCin the box under theARTISTAcolumn heading andThunderstruckin the box under theTÍTULOcolumn heading.
  51. ^"Portuguese single certifications – AC/DC – Thunderstruck"(PDF)(in Portuguese).Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa.Retrieved24 May2022.
  52. ^"Spanish single certifications – AC/DC – Thunderstruck".El portal de Música.Productores de Música de España.Retrieved19 August2024.
  53. ^"British single certifications – AC/DC – Thunderstruck".British Phonographic Industry.Retrieved9 August2024.
  54. ^"American single certifications – AC/DC – Thunderstruck".Recording Industry Association of America.Retrieved8 July2024.
  55. ^"Canadian ringtone certifications – AC/DC – Thunderstruck".Music Canada.Retrieved24 February2016.
  56. ^"Nielsen SoundScan charts – Digital Songs – Week Ending: 09/28/2017"(PDF).Nielsen SoundScan.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2 October 2017.Retrieved3 October2017.
  57. ^"American ringtone certifications – AC/DC – Thunderstruck".Recording Industry Association of America.Retrieved31 December2015.
  58. ^"Emails from Iran".F-Secure Labs. 23 July 2012.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thunderstruck_(song)&oldid=1242989180"