Aussie rockers AC/DC finally gave into popular pressure and released their entire catalogue of albums on iTunes – just a year after they last refused to sell digital versions of their songs.
Despite selling more than 200 million albums worldwide, the veteran band have been notoriously reluctant to release their music as digital downloads.
Guitarist Angus Young publically announced AC/DC tracks like Back in Black, Highway to Hell and Whole Lotta Rosie would never be available to purchase online, because they wanted their music to be heard as full albums.
He said: “For us it’s the best way – we are a band who started off with albums and that’s how we’ve always been.
“We always were a band that if you heard something on the radio, well, that’s only three minutes. Usually the best tracks were on the albums.”
Now, AC/DC are selling all their individual albums as ‘Remastered for iTunes’ albums, with individual tracks being priced just 99 pence.
They are even offering their entire back catalogue – an astonishing collection of all their albums, rarities, demos and four live albums, for £99.99.
All their 17 studio albums, including the second highest selling album of all time Back in Black, can finally be legally downloaded for £7.99,
In 2008, singer Brian Johnson said: “Maybe I’m just being old-fashioned, but this iTunes, God bless ’em, it’s going to kill music if they’re not careful.
“It’s a monster, this thing. It just worries me, and I’m sure they’re just doing it all in the interest of making as much cash as possible.
“Let’s put it this way, it’s certainly not for the love.”
AC/DC were the biggest band to refuse to make their music available for legal digital download after The Beatles’ albums were added to iTunes last year.
