AC/DC Trades One No. 1 In America For Another

AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” returns to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, once again certifying itself as a true genre powerhouse. EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – AUGUST 21: Brian Johnson and Angus Young of AC/DC perform on stage during a concert for the Power Up tour at Murrayfield Stadium on August 21, 2025 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Roberto Ricciuti/Getty Images)

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AC/DC released “Thunderstruck” a little over 35 years ago, and the Australian rockers almost certainly had no idea that when the tune was shared with the public, the band would make history. In the decades since its arrival, “Thunderstruck” has certified itself as one of hard rock’s most famous and beloved tracks. Even after selling more than 10 million copies globally and becoming a fixture on streaming platforms, “Thunderstruck” continues to perform well enough to live on multiple Billboard charts in the United States.

Seemingly every frame, Americans love the tune so much that it rebounds and finds its way back to No. 1, which is no small feat for such a well-worn composition.

“Thunderstruck” Returns to No. 1 on a Billboard Chart

“Thunderstruck” lives at No. 1 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart this week. The AC/DC classic improves from No. 4 back to the top spot, which is a position it has come to know well throughout the years.

AC/DC Replaces Disturbed at No. 1

Last week, the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart — which ranks only the bestselling individual cuts that Billboard classifies specifically as hard rock throughout the U.S. — was ruled not by an exciting new release, but another staple of the genre. Disturbed slips from No. 1 to second place with “The Sound of Silence,” another multi-week winner.

How Many Weeks Has AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” Spent at No. 1?

Including this frame, “Thunderstruck” has now led the charge on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales ranking for 62 weeks. It is incredibly uncommon for any individual song to spend a year or more commanding any Billboard roster, and “Thunderstruck” is in rarefied company in its success.

AC/DC’s History of Hard Rock No. 1 Smashes

Throughout the years, AC/DC has racked up four No. 1s on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, but none of the other three have come close to matching the winning streak enjoyed by “Thunderstruck.” The smash debuted at No. 1 in December 2012 and, since then, has spent 12 times as many weeks ruling as the group’s only other leaders. “Shot in the Dark” and “Back in Black” have both managed two stays at No. 1, while “Play Ball” launched in that spot in October 2014 and has not returned since.

The Historically-Long Chart Run Enjoyed by AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”

“Thunderstruck” has now spent an incredible 673 weeks as one of the bestselling hard rock singles in America. That is quite the run on any Billboard roster, but amazingly, it is not the most impressive this frame. “Enter Sandman” by Metallica returns to the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, and it has now spent 716 weeks somewhere on the lineup, which features 10 spaces these days, making it even more difficult for any track to carve out space on the tally.

“Thunderstruck” Falls Elsewhere as It Leaps Back to No 1

As “Thunderstruck” returns to the penthouse on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, it declines on several other Billboard tallies, as it seems that purchases are largely responsible for the tune’s current success. “Thunderstruck” manages to appear inside the upper reaches of the Hard Rock Streaming Songs list, dipping to No. 3, and it also falls slightly on both the Rock Digital Song Sales ranking and the Billboard Global 200.

AC/DC Scored a New No. 1 Hit Only Last Week with “Highway to Hell”

AC/DC commanded a different Billboard chart just last frame with another famous smash. “Highway to Hell” sat in first place on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, which blends streaming activity, pure purchases, and radio airplay to rank the most popular hard rock selections in the nation. The single earned AC/DC a new No. 1 as listeners in the U.S. have turned it into a Halloween staple.

This week, like “Thunderstruck,” “Highway to Hell” falls on all three tallies on which it can be found, including stepping back to No. 2 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs list.