AC/DC Says Their Songs Will Never Be Available For Download; Rest Of Internet Laughs

from the that's-not-how-it-works dept

Mon, May 9th 2011 10:00am — Mike Masnick

Capitalist Lion Tamer points us to the news that the band members of AC/DC are standing firm in saying that they will never allow authorized versions of their music to be sold online for download. The logic here seems to be entirely lacking. The band claims that it's because they want people to listen to the whole albums, not just tracks, but if that's the case then they should just release the whole album as a single track. The fact is that anyone who has their albums can choose to listen however they want. And any time one of their songs is played on the radio, only one song is heard -- yet you don't hear them talk about boycotting radio. But, of course, the bigger issue is that it's silly to not offer an authorized way for people to pay you for your music, when the alternative that plenty of people will choose, instead, is to simply download unauthorized versions where the band has no say at all.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: ac/dc, downloads, music

131 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Rose M. Welch (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:02am

The band claims that it's because they want people to listen to the whole albums, not just tracks

Whoops! I've been listening the wrong way for years.

Hey. AC/DC, I'm listening to digital tracks of your music right now, as I type. Do you want money from me or not? If so, throw your tracks on Amazon and make it easy for me to pay you. If not, your loss.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- PaulT (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:12am
  
  Re:
  Yeah, indeed. Once you have an album, there's nothing they can do to force you to listen to tracks in the order they want. Hell, I remember CD players in the 80s having buttons to program or randomise a playlist. Whether you give me a CD, vinyl, tape or MP3, it's going to end up digitised and on my iPod, in the order I want, perfectly legally.
  
  But, I don't want to do that because I'm a little lazy and my music needs are mainly satisfied by Spotify and the occasional legal freebie download or iTunes gift voucher. I'm not a big enough fan of their music to jump through these hoops. If AC/DC don't want to have my money, that's their choice, but their reasoning is faulty at best.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 25 Jan 2012 @ 3:38pm
  
  Re:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Ice_(album)
  
  Look at the Chart Performance. I think they are doing ok.
  
  Last album - Black Ice 5.3 Million sold with little main stream help and no digital downloads!! AWSOME!!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- logan, 27 May 2012 @ 2:32pm
  
  Response to: Rose M. Welch on May 9th, 2011 @ 10:02am
  Send like the band wants people pirate their songs!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- paul, 11 Mar 2015 @ 9:23am
  
  Re:
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- paul, 11 Mar 2015 @ 9:24am
  
  Re:
  you look cute. I like ac dc they are a really good band
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:04am

Done Dirt Cheap
"Dirty Tracks, Done Dirt Cheap" lulz - The Internet's Response
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- zaven (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:24am
  
  Re: Done Dirt Cheap
  Sounds like someone's on a Highway to Hell.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Poster, 9 May 2011 @ 10:34am
    
    Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
    You have to say this, the Internet has some mighty Big Balls.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - ChimpBush McHitlerBurton, 9 May 2011 @ 11:02am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
      With this decision, I think AC/DC is basically saying, "for those about to download, we salute you."
      
      CBMHB
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Greg G (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:07am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
        Or, more likely, "for those that want to download, screw you."
        
        While giving everyone the one-fingered salute.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        chris (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:32am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
        Or, more likely, "for those that want to download, screw you."
        
        While giving everyone the one-fingered salute.
        
        c-c-c-combo breaker!!!
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        zaven (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 1:15pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
        Where's a facepalm picture when you need it. I feel like he completely missed the joke.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - MrWilson, 9 May 2011 @ 11:10am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
      If they would just release their albums online, their financials might be Back in Black.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - FUDbuster (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:12am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
        If they would just release their albums online, their financials might be Back in Black.
        
        Good one!
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        chris (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:32am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
        If they would just release their albums online, their financials might be Back in Black.
        
        Good one!
        
        so good that i am thunderstruck.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Hephaestus (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:11am
    
    Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
    Please stop Beating Around the Bush and tell us how you really feel.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - harbingerofdoom (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:21am
    
    Re: Re: Done Dirt Cheap
    would have loved to have been a Fly on the Wall when they were discussing this one...
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Squirrel Brains (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:09am

75% of the songs on albums are crap. AC/DC wants people to pay for the 75% of the crap to get the 25% they like. Someone should tell them that people have already worked around that little problem.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Greevar (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:11am
  
  Re:
  "75% of the songs on albums are crap."
  
  Subjective statement is subjective.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - PaulT (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:18am
    
    Re: Re:
    Indeed, but that's been a major justification for years for a lot of people to download, rip CDs, create mixtapes and all the other things that AC/DC probably don't want them to do...
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - The Groove Tiger (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 3:17pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Correct. The technical term is "filler".
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 3:43pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Definitely true. 100% of AC/DC's songs are crap.
    
    /There, I said it.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 4:08pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Agreed.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - G Thompson (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 1:48am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Blasphemer!
      
      The gods of rock will now eat you! ;)
      
      Actually Though I like a fair amount of older (Bon Scott) AC/DC music they are really not the best Aussie band of that genre, just the one that got marketed more o/s.. The Angels, Rose Tattoo, Spy v Spy, and lets not forget the Oils (Midnight Oil for you ingrates) were a lot better with better music.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 10 May 2011 @ 7:12am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Agreed. Also, whats with the moronic outfits
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Nick, Birmingham, 9 May 2011 @ 4:43pm
  
  Re:
  But that's the point: A whole load of bands back in the 70s and 80s (including AC/DC, Pink Floyd and Led Zep) got togrther and decided that singles were the major reason why shitty albums were being released: People would make two or three good songs, release them as singles to build up hype, then release an album where the rest of the songs were half arsed. They were guarenteed a certain figure from the album because of the singles and, even if it was a flop, they still had the money from singles sales. These bands decided not to release singles in an effort to combat this.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Rose M. Welch (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 5:01am
    
    Re: Re:
    Wow, it must be nice to have those kinds of problems.
    
    Of course, the Law of Unintended Consequences has struck and they now have a new problem, as highlighted above. :)
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - exactly, 10 May 2011 @ 9:24am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      I find Led Zep complaining about stealing music or anything near this as funny but that's besides the point. Instead of "taking a stand" by refusing to embrace new technology - they should focus more on "taking a stand" by making albums worth listening to. As Rose points out in the end their "stand" only created more problems.
      
      And as Gwendal and a few others have commented - single track listening was created long before the internet. Radio, MTV (and the music video) 45's and Record companies all have contributed to this trend. If anything the blogosphere & the internet has been a fertile ground for indie acts (who do make fully realized albums).
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - exactly, 10 May 2011 @ 9:24am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      I find Led Zep complaining about stealing music or anything near this as funny but that's besides the point. Instead of "taking a stand" by refusing to embrace new technology - they should focus more on "taking a stand" by making albums worth listening to. As Rose points out in the end their "stand" only created more problems.
      
      And as Gwendal and a few others have commented - single track listening was created long before the internet. Radio, MTV (and the music video) 45's and Record companies all have contributed to this trend. If anything the blogosphere & the internet has been a fertile ground for indie acts (who do make fully realized albums).
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Will, 9 May 2011 @ 9:13pm
  
  Re:
  ALL of the songs on Back in Black are f-ing great.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Chuck Rocket, 10 May 2011 @ 8:50pm
  
  Re:
  have you ever listened to the highway to hell album. never has a person been more wrong. same can be said for the dirty deeds album. top to bottom those are great. I personally do listen to things in their entirety. there are SO MANY albums that are great the whole way thru. your comment is stupid, but yes, they should make their stuff availible for download.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Gabriel, 14 Mar 2012 @ 3:42pm
  
  LIE.
  No, don't tell me that. You aren't a true fan if you only listen to the popular songs. That applies to fans of any band.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 10:11am

Good luck with getting folks to agree to listen to the whole shebang at once. Something that AC/DC has missed out on looks to be the internet experience.

Somehow I don't think their desires will change the listening habits of a generation. There is a reason people buy single tracks and not albums anymore. The major labels got to where filler was what was served. No one wants the filler. Because they have been stung so long on that, the single song sale is back in fashion.

I wonder how long AC/DC will stay with this idea? Perhaps they haven't heard that the cd and dvd is being phased out. If they don't want to sell their music in singles, that's cool. Someone should remind AC/DC the pirates have a better model.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Gwendal, 9 May 2011 @ 10:49am
  
  Re:
  The track-by-track listening is a CD era habit. The big CD revolution in the 80s/90s was precisely to easily switch between tracks...
  
  Internet didn't invent every habit of its users ;)
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Marcus Carab (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:17am

Of all the bands that might take a stand against downloading on an "art of the album" basis, AC/DC is a weird one... their songs are all perfectly packaged singles. Bizarre.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Marcus Carab (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:22am
  
  Re:
  You know what? I take it back. Just look at the track list from their 1979 classic Highway To Hell:
  
  Side One:
  1. "Highway to Hell"
  2. "Girls Got Rhythm"
  3. "Walk All Over You"
  4. "Touch Too Much"
  5. "Beating Around the Bush"
  Side Two
  1. "Shot Down in Flames"
  2. "Get It Hot"
  3. "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)"
  4. "Love Hungry Man"
  5. "Night Prowler"
  
  That's not a one-hit-wonder album at all! Hell, I think I vaguely recognize like two whole tracks other than the single! That's the sort of album you listen to in full or you don't listen to at all.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - zaven (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:26am
    
    Re: Re:
    Actually, this was the first AC/DC album I owned. Most of the album was pretty great back in the day.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Marcus Carab (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:37am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      I'm not too familiar with it I guess - and I'm not at all surprised that it's pretty good, so I can see why they might want people to listen to more of their songs, but it's also pretty silly that they think they can force it. I'm sure there are plenty of superfans out there who love and appreciate their whole catalogue, but they have to face the fact that the only reason they are a global phenomenon and fabulously wealthy is because they have a roster of mega-hit singles - and it's a much longer and more impressive roster than many bands have, so it's not as if it's something to be ashamed of.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - PaulT (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:28am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        That's just another example of why artists can sometimes be poor businessmen. In this case, they value their art far more highly than a lot of other people would. A casual fan wanting to buy a 99c iTunes download of Highway To Hell's title track? Sold, with the possibility of upselling later. Forced to wait for delivery of a full CD with no way of listening to the songs in full before purchase? Either another band gets the cash or the pirates fill the gap in the market they're refusing to service.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - tawsenior (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 10:32am
    
    Re: Re:
    Actually, about 75% of this album gets regular air play on any classic rock station. Please pick another album.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Derek, 9 May 2011 @ 10:21am

This just in...
Wow. More clueless than my great-grandpa. That's an achievement, AC/DC.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- duffmeister (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 1:59pm
  
  Re: This just in...
  Achievement Unlocked: Luddite
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 10 May 2011 @ 10:34am
    
    Re: Re: This just in...
    +1
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Nick Coghlan (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:22am

On a quick scan, no "Best Of" either
That attitude would also explain why I couldn't find anything when I went to pick up a "Best Of" CD from them.

(A recent TV show reminded me how many cool singles they had, but there's no way I'm going to pick up such an extensive back catalogue when all I really want are the hits that stood the test of time)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 10:51am
  
  Re: On a quick scan, no "Best Of" either
  http://bit.ly/kif0G3
  
  The Best Of was top link for me
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Nick Coghlan (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 6:40pm
    
    Re: Re: On a quick scan, no "Best Of" either
    Indeed, but we're talking about *legitimate* means of acquisition here.
    
    AC/DC seem to think that "the only way to legitimately acquire all of our hits is to buy our entire back catalogue of complete albums" is a reasonable way to conduct business. They're fortunate to have such a large fan base that already has all their old albums, since it isn't exactly a good way to encourage new fans to start paying for anything.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 10:23am

In other news
AC/DC albums to be sold only in a specially enclosed record player that will play entire record and cannot be shut off once started until it completes the album.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- halley (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:53am
  
  Re: In other news
  Man, I can see Steve Jobs on stage crowing about how many years it took to make this device possible, and how nobody wants those clunky old shuffle, pinch to zoom and clickwheel interfaces.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 12:04pm
    
    Re: Re: In other news
    Man, I can see Steve Jobs on stage crowing about how many years it took to make this device possible, and how nobody wants those clunky old shuffle, pinch to zoom and clickwheel interfaces.
    
    Damn, I hope not. He'd be able to sell them if he chose.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 10:25am

"Rest Of Internet Laughs"

"Rest of the Internet" implies that they are also "in the Internet", which they clearly aren't, or else they wouldn't be saying such a stupid thing.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
paperbag (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:26am

vocals...
I can't stand the vocals. Like nails on a chalkboard. Just gives me another reason not to listen to them.

I'm an early 80s baby, so that might be the problem. :D
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Rich, 9 May 2011 @ 11:00am
  
  Re: vocals...
  Who's vocals? Bon Scott or Brian Johnson?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- AdamPastor, 28 Sep 2013 @ 8:16am
  
  Re: vocals...
  Don't you dare say that. You must not understand well enough. No respect at all.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
DogBreath, 9 May 2011 @ 10:27am

AC/DC needs to visit Doc Brown & Marty McFly
So they can borrow the time traveling DeLorean and remove all those songs (singles) they officially released on 45RPM records. Unless they consider two songs "an album". Most of the B-sides of 45's were never listened to, unless you accidentally put the record in automatic changer upside down in the stack.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
PW (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:34am

Remake
They should do a remake of "Highway to Hell" and call it "Highway to Obscurity" :)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
dougy, 9 May 2011 @ 10:38am

AC/DC
I doubt a band that has sold 100 million + copies cares what anyone on this blog says about them missing out. NEXT. .
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 10:47am
  
  Re: AC/DC
  I doubt anyone on this blog cares what AC/DC has to say about them releasing legal downloads. They will download them regardless. The only difference is that AC/DC will have less money this way...which they seem to be okay with. More power to them.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 11:14am
    
    Re: Re: AC/DC
    I love this mentality. "You better give us what we want,t he way we want it, or we'll just steal it from you"
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 11:40am
      
      Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
      You misspelled copyright infringement.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 11:41am
      
      Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
      I love your mentality. You better do things the way I say they should be done or I'm taking my ball and going home. Boo fucking hoo. You can't stop progress.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 1:10pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
        Taking things without permission = progress. Gotcha.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 1:35pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
        Yup. That is exactly what I said. Fucking douchebag.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        Gwiz (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 2:23pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
        Taking things without permission = progress. Gotcha.
        
        Well, having to ask permission every time one engages in the basic human activity of copying certainly impedes progress, that's for sure.
        
        While I agree with your basic premise that one shouldn't steal, I do not believe that copyright infringement equates to stealing.
        
        I also believe that artists have the right to be compensated for their work, but I do not believe our current copyright system strikes a proper balance between that and the public good, especially in matters concerning the natural progression art (IE: creating new art by building on the works of others).
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        Jay (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 8:09pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
        "I also believe that artists have the right to be compensated for their work, but I do not believe our current copyright system strikes a proper balance between that and the public good, especially in matters concerning the natural progression art (IE: creating new art by building on the works of others)."
        
        Bewary of "striking balances..."
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        Gwiz (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 8:40am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
        OK, fair enough. Perhaps the phrase "proper balance" wasn't the correct way to articulate what I feel about copyright.
        
        I just feel that the artists having the opportunity (thanks for correcting me on that below, SteelWolf) to capitalize on their work and the overall public good both are important and neither should trump the other.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        SteelWolf (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 7:08am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
        Also, artists do not have a "right" to compensation, only an opportunity. One that AC/DC is not taking full advantage of by refusing to offer what it is they're selling in a form their potential customers like.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        techflaws.org (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 9:54pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
        And yet, magically it's still there and nothing stolen. Weird, ha?
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:50am
  
  Re: AC/DC
  AC/DC my or may not care, but this is a valuable lessen to anyone else who wants to still exist in the digital age.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Huph, 9 May 2011 @ 11:01am
    
    Re: Re: AC/DC
    I don't know, AC/DC seems to be doing pretty well from where I'm sitting. It doesn't seem like the digital age is screwing with them too much. They're still in constant rotation on classic rock radio, which is far more popular than pop radio in much of the country. How many "digital artists" are getting mainstream spins?
    
    And I can't walk more than a few blocks without passing someone in an AC/DC t-shirt. I imagine that they're doing just fine these days.
    
    Also, Back in Black is the second highest selling album *in history*, so I think they might know a little about selling albums. (Let's not forget that they very recently put on the second highest-grossing tour in history as well)
    
    And let's not even ask an Australian about this. AC/DC are practically national heroes over there.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:18am
      
      Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
      So since AC/DC succeeds at selling little plastic disks in the age of 1's and 0's everyone else can as well? Yep, out of the millions of bands out there a small handful of success stories (from before the Internet) negates all failures.
      
      AC/DC is so engrained in our culture that they can get away with telling their fans to go fuck themselves (exactly what's happening here). How many other bands in the world can do that? A dozen? How many bands exist right now? Millions. So we're talking a vary small fraction of a percent success rate.
      
      AC/DC may not care, but the lessen is still valid to millions of others.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - G Thompson (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 1:55am
      
      Re: Re: Re: AC/DC
      And let's not even ask an Australian about this. AC/DC are practically national heroes over there.
      
      No they aren't actually.
      
      and most Aussies (though we love a fair few of there songs) like a lot of Aussie bands A LOT more
      
      and their music isn't as ubiquitous here as people might think.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Marcus Carab (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:51am
  
  Re: AC/DC
  The "NEXT" button is right up there near the top. You can actually click it before being a dick in the comments, if you like.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - G Thompson (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 1:58am
    
    Re: Re: AC/DC
    Mike,
    can we please get this printed in big red glowing letters down the bottom of every post just before the comments.
    
    Please.. pretty please.. I'll send you Tim Tams ;) [bribery.. its a gift I keep on giving]
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Switchhitter, 10 May 2011 @ 8:54am
  
  Re: AC/DC
  Epic Fail self-prescribed internet police:
  
  People are allowed to discuss this if they want to. No one on this random blog that I just found directly addressed AC/DC (except one tongue-in-cheek comment) nor did they think AC/DC was going to read their post. By your definition most topics in most forums would be useless. Its not about getting the band to hear you its about conversing.
  
  I wonder Dougy did you get upset people were trashing AC/DC? I can't imagine any other reason why someone would get upset and use capital letters.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Spaceboy (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:45am

I'm curious if their artistic integrity extends to their live performances. Do they only do albums at their shows?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Marcus Carab (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:53am
  
  Re:
  No, but to be fair, their shows are pretty huge and awesome undertakings in and of themselves. The time I saw them they had a gigantic "stone" castle on stage which they toppled with a wrecking ball, which Anges Young proceeded to ride around on in the air while playing a guitar solo. They aso had 21 honest-to-god cannons loaded with blanks to fire off during For Those About To Rock, and a massive bell on a rope for more riding-around-in-the-air-while-soloing. It was one badass concert
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Spaceboy (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 1:12pm
    
    Re: Re:
    21 Cannons loaded with blanks? Posers.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - P0RTERHOUSE (profile), 13 Nov 2012 @ 8:25pm
    
    Re: Re:
    That sounds unbeliveabley gay. One more reason to weed out the bad stuff and only download the hits.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Brendan (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:49am

Provably false
Hate to break it to them, but many of their songs are already available for download via at least one legit channel: Rock Band DLC store.

They're $1.99 and even include instructions on how to "play" the songs. How dare they encourage such flagrant copying?!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 12:11pm
  
  Re: Provably false
  Even cheaper here: http://www.mp3va.com/artist/199/AC/DC
  
  I'm not a die-hard fan, but it looks to me like a complete collection, including several "best of" offerings.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Nicedoggy, 9 May 2011 @ 11:03am

Back in red I guess
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Huph, 9 May 2011 @ 11:09am

Well What Do You Know...
I'm always suspicious of an article that doesn't provide any quotes and instead decides to paraphrase something. What's the game here? Anyway, here's the actual quote:

"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 (by AC/DC) on the radio, well, that�s only three minutes. Usually the best tracks were on the albums."

Doesn't ring quite as nice as claiming they're against singles or digital downloads, does it? Basically, this is the story of a band who can afford to stick by their guns and make music on their own terms and release it the way they want. They want to stick to what made them successful and what feels true to their roots. AND THEY MAKE MONEY AT IT, TOO!

These are smart guys (or at least their handlers are). Who would buy an AC/DC single when all of them are already available via Youtube? Check out the music there, and if you like it, pick up an album. A marketing 'ploy' elegant in its simplicity.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Rich, 9 May 2011 @ 11:23am
  
  Re: Well What Do You Know...
  It nice to cherry pick quotes, isn't it? Why don't you read the title of the article you are quoting, or better yet, here is the very first paragraph:
  
  With even the Beatles now finally making their music available on iTunes experts say the rockers, whose album Back In Black is the second highest selling in history, are missing out on millions in lost revenue by refusing to allow their work to be sold in the digital marketplace.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- techflaws.org (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 9:57pm
  
  Re: Well What Do You Know...
  Who would buy an AC/DC single when all of them are already available via Youtube?
  
  People who don't want to listen to them sitting in from of their computer but on their iPod, in their car, etc.?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Rob Pegoraro (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:19am

FYI, AC/DC sold their songs as downloads on MSN Music
I can forgive the band for wanting to forget that hideously awful business decision. (Here's Microsoft's press release, and here's my review from the time... please forgive the too-charitable assessment.)

- RP
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
harbingerofdoom (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:23am

Dear AC/DC:
already have everything digitized. but thanks for your statement. now that i know for sure that you dont want my money, ill avoid any "farewell" tours you try to stage as well.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 11:31am

And yet, AC/DC albums have been selling very well
If you look at sales over the past few years, AC/DC does better than almost any other band of its era. Obviously, they miss out on some dollars. But they also collect a lot of tens.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Prince, the Artist formerly known as Sane, 9 May 2011 @ 11:50am

Of course...
Of course they won't be available!

THE INTERNET IS DEAD!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
rbry (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:56am

ROFL
Hey Lars, you want me to burn you some singles
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
TimothyAWiseman (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 12:01pm

TransSiberian Orchestra (TSO) is one of the few bands that puts out actual albums where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and I have listened to their albums in order start to finish as a cohesive experience. And yet, even for them I tend to have certain tracks that I will also listen to in isolation.

For most other bands, there is no reason to listen in order and the album is a compilation of largely unrelated songs. for them, I don't even bother ever listening to the album as a whole.

My point, is the band and fans both are best served by permitting the fans to listen as they chose. This is true even if you are putting out real albums, and if you are putting out compilations of songs then you cannot even claim an artistic reason to encourage fans to listen to the album.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Togashi (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 11:19pm
  
  Re:
  Epica is another I've come across. Design Your Universe has tracks that are great on their own, but come together to form something truly epic.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 12:10pm

And now they're going to start bitching about online piracy.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Glen, 9 May 2011 @ 12:15pm

Here is funny one. I do listen to my AC/DC albums from start to finish on my iPod. I prefer to listen to the album from start to finish and I love them.

HOWEVER, how did I get them on my iPod? Simple, I had to borrow the CD's from various friends and burn them onto my hard drive. IF the catalog were available online, I would have simply purchased the albums. I'm still missing some albums and I am looking.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- radar, 2 Jan 2012 @ 10:42am
  
  Re:
  right on me too
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Berenerd (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 12:56pm

I heard...
Lars is going to be their new drummer...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 1:57pm

The drugs have fried their brains. And the same could probably be said of anyone who actually thinks AC/DC has any sort of talent.
It's been said that AC/DC only wrote one song, and everything else they've done are simply variations of that song.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 2:02pm

They license their music to games and movies all the time one by one. How very strange.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 2:22pm

"The band claims that it's because they want people to listen to the whole albums, not just tracks"

If that was really true, they wouldn't have released any greatest hits albums either...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Paul, 9 May 2011 @ 4:12pm

Youtube
This is also inconsistent with THEIR youtube channel where AC/DC seem happy to rake in the ad income from playing.... single tracks! lol
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The Impaler, 9 May 2011 @ 4:37pm

AC/DC's dumbshit
I'm just gonna come out and say it... I've never seeded any torrents, but just now I'm gonna start seeding all of ac/dc i can find on piratebay. Go dl the beegeesus out of it. ha!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Dwayne, 9 May 2011 @ 5:31pm

They're all the same
All of AC/DC's tracks sound the same. How many people except for die hard AC/DC fans could tell you which songs belong to which album even if you told them once, then blindfolded them.

It's the same stuff over and over again; EM / AM / C / G chords alternating with the occasional power chord thrown over the top and then a nice tapped solo with a few bends thrown in.

They're just a band of old men trying to hold onto their fame, they'll all be dead soon, then the new owner of their music will digitally release it and profit. That's sorta what happened with The Beatles.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Enlightenment, 9 May 2011 @ 6:25pm

After all you punks on this blog have sold over 200 MILLION albums, then you can do what you want too. It is their songs, so they can do what the frak they want. If you don't like it, too f*cking bad. I'm happy they have earned the right to do what they want, because most bands lose all their rights to do what they want.

At least AC/DC isn't like the zillions of xerox copies of American Idol / Hip-Hop / Rap crap that comes out today.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 7:42pm
  
  Re:
  I haven't sold any albums and I can already do what I want. Some people may find what I do to be stupid or short-sighted or even hilariously tragic. But selling millions of albums won't keep anyone from pointing out how much more music you could sell if you'd just use every tool that's available.
  
  "Rap crap," eh? That's very pithy, but it kind of puts you into the "kids off my lawn" camp. "At least X isn't like Y" doesn't excuse limiting your market because you can't get over your own godlike "the album or nothing" image.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - G Thompson (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 2:01am
    
    Re: Re:
    Isn't there an old saying that "If your parents like your music you are listening to the wrong music" or something like that?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - The eejit (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 3:28am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      I must be immune, I love 60s music.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2011 @ 9:36pm
  
  Re:
  Oh, I love when people trot out this lazy fallacy.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Marvin, 9 May 2011 @ 8:44pm

Strange explanation. I've never thought of AC/DC as an album band.

As the market buying becomes more and more all about downloading... this attitude is going to make them less and less money.

It's hard to imagine younger people who grow up in the download music world wanting to buy CDs.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
techflaws.org (profile), 9 May 2011 @ 10:00pm

Kids beware!
This only goes to show how (too much) headbanging can damage one's logic circuity.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- G Thompson (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 2:02am
  
  Re: Kids beware!
  Which one I wonder, the AC or the DC circuit?
  
  :)
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
G Thompson (profile), 10 May 2011 @ 2:16am

Dirty deeds... done with...baaaaaaaaaa
Ever since hearing this years ago I have never been able to listen to the real version with a straight face

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCRE9qOgbug

And seems this can be downloaded and is for sale from original creator, Bob Rivers!

Warning: What has been heard.. cannot be unheard!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
raisedonAseeDC, 10 May 2011 @ 11:11am

Hey when you rock that hard you pretty much can do whatever you want.
How about a concert stop in Oakland/San Francisco fellas?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 27 May 2011 @ 2:33pm

u suc
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Christel, 15 Dec 2011 @ 10:08am

AC DC rocks
Careless of what others think, I have to say I can respect a person or group of persons who stick to positive principles. Be what they may, still get my respect. Call me old-fashioned, but there are many tribute bands that can be downloaded playing the same music. Well and good, but to me they can't hold a candle to the original band and that style. And as for digital music downloads, sometimes they don't sound as good, and personally, if I am that needy of a digital music, I will digitize the CD myself. iTunes does do that, you know! I am an iTunes user. I also play CDs and DVDs and stream video. Oh, I play LPs too. Personally, I like the LPs better than CDs in some cases.

Go guys!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
radar, 30 Dec 2011 @ 4:29pm

guys just go to walmart or barnes and noble and buy the cd ok its not tht hard
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Chris, 15 Jan 2012 @ 12:30pm

RE:
Yea, um CDs are not on the way out ;). Digital Downloads of music suck. It compresses it to uncomprehindable levels and makes it sound like crap on a shtick! CD's and the higher resolution versions there of (such as DVD-A and the soon to be released I bet Blu-Ray-A (LOL)) are MUCH better. When you can take that and put it on your computer in lossless format such as say FLAC or WMA, with NO compression (or very little)... then I guess you're actually hearing it the way they wanted you to hear it, not how the company wanted u to hear it so they could sell it as mp3s... I will never buy an online Digital Copy of music unless it is lossless!

I still say the people who buy these damnedable MP3 files are the idiots that run around with little earbuds at max level thinking they're the shit lol. (I'm not the shit for saying that or for rocking the proper headphones... which is rare cause I listen though speakers as one should! (5.1 surround with 75 Watt sub... not huge but WAY better than headsets or those laughable buds!).... These people aught to be shot! They are the cause of the downfall of the sound quality in music!

This group should be elevated on all our shoulders!
http://turnmeup.org/
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Chris, 15 Jan 2012 @ 12:51pm
  
  Re: RE:
  I should also add a few things here to clarify before I'm crucified!
  
  I will buy Digital Downloads of music IF the following is done:
  
  ~Volume Normalization is taken out of ALL online ordering processes and sites (Amazon, iTunes, etc.)
  
  ~Artists can CHOOSE to put dynamics back into music with NO to VERY little Dynamic Range Compression applied! (compression is of course a choice... er it was at one time maybe sometime soon it will be again if (turn me up!) gets it going again)
  
  If those 2 things are met, then I will purchase digital downloads of music... otherwise I will stick to Hard Copies of music made in the 90's and before. It was the 90's that you really started to see the loudness war start, though sources cite that it started in the 80's... but it was VERY rare at the time.
  
  I think I have the right to belittle those that think that their fav. bands and artist's tracks/albums are better in the way they've been producing things lately. Why do you ask? Well, think about it, the more the ignorant ones buy and listen to these albums with no dynamics, the more the industry thinks they want it... while it's just that they don't know what's going on and just want to hear their favorite piece. Now I don't belittle those JUST for being ignorant... I belittle you for this when you CHOOSE to remain ignorant and just ignore what I and others are saying about this. It's like when people complain about gas/petrol prices and then go buy the most expensive gas they can just cause it's at the closest station! I mean come on.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 15 Jan 2012 @ 1:06pm
    
    Re: Re: RE:
    Wish as a non-member I could edit... anyways one last thing:
    
    I should clarify that last part a bit better:
    
    It's like when people go out and buy the gas at the closest station and don't know they are paying 3 to 5 USD for said gas/petrol. Then someone tells them that there is gas a few miles more down the road for 1.89 USD. Then said person responds: "I don't care, I can't go that far down the road just to pay a few pennies less!"
    
    See my point? It's basically that these people don't care that their music is highly compressed due to dynamics compression, they just want to hear mr. Bieber turn out his (what I feel personally) cheap preformances. (that's personal opinion though so that really doesn't belong in this post... what am I doing here anyways? lol). They just don't realize how much better he and the band behind him would sound if they heard it uncompressed and through proper speakers.
    
    I also don't think you shouldn't be able to go out with the convienent ear buds if you choose to. I just can't stand it when all a person has is an ipod/iphone/ipad and tiny little ear buds and that's their entire knowledge of the world of music for their entire life... almost never hearing it properly over the right sound systems... That's what I'm complaining about here. EVERYONE has the right to rock the tiny buds, but come on. When you're at home, rock a proper headphone or headset if you need to keep volumes for the rest down, and if you don't need to do so... then why the buds dudes/dudettes? If you don't need to keep the volume down at home, go out and buy yourself a proper speaker set. The people at best buy can help get you setup with a good sound system (if they know what their talking about, sometimes they will just try to sell you their most expensive product cause they don't know anything and are corporate rats), or any knowledgeable retail store that sells audio equipment. I'd recommend nothing less than 2.1
    
    I mean if you don't have a sub-wolfer in there somewhere, then it isn't worth buying! You need that sepreate sub to play the low range stuff without that sub's signal messing with the mids and highs produced on the satilite speakers... even if said satilite speakers are HUGE... And I'd recommend no larger than 12" for the sub and speakers! Anymore and it get's flubby unless processed right (concert level processing which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars in the end)
    
    Anyways... enough of this lol... it's gonna be TLDR for many I bet!
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 26 Feb 2012 @ 12:07pm

YOU PPL HAVE NO SHAME, WHO THE HEL DO YALL THNK U R DOWNLOADING PPLS MUSIC FR FREE, WAT PROFITS DO U EXPECT THM TO MKEE, HPE U ALL BURN IN HELL FUCKEN WHORES, N U RNT EVEN ASHAMED OF URSELVES. SIES
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- PaulT (profile), 27 Feb 2012 @ 12:58am
  
  Re:
  ... and here we see the typical level of sense, maturity, intelligence, logic and reasoning skills those who defend the corporations possess.
  
  Kind of sad, isn't it?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 26 Feb 2012 @ 12:09pm

YOU PPL HAVE NO SHAME, WHO THE HEL DO YALL THNK U R DOWNLOADING PPLS MUSIC FR FREE, WAT PROFITS DO U EXPECT THM TO MKEE, HPE U ALL BURN IN HELL FUCKEN WHORES, N U RNT EVEN ASHAMED OF URSELVES. SIES
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 13 Jun 2012 @ 8:57am

You mock them, but they have world records for how many albums they have sold, so it clearly works
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Brad, 10 Sep 2012 @ 10:42am

Why dont they the songs they know people will download and make them album only
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Adrian, 13 Oct 2012 @ 9:01pm

Thanks for the free music acdc... Cause it's not on itunes
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
ken z, 16 Oct 2012 @ 10:11am

dowloading ac-dc songs
Hey ACDC, I purchased the soundtrack to the movie "Heavy Metal" (around $10) for just one song - Don Felder's "Heavy Metal". I deleted the rest of the songs. I bought the album for 1 song!

Atleast make "album only" be an option to purchase.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
James Carson, 18 Oct 2012 @ 12:33am

I just want yo listen to there music - so wish I cld buy it on line with iTunes
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Ken, 22 Oct 2012 @ 4:15pm

AC/DC has the Majic
AC/DC can do whatever the hell they want to do with their art work! Have you kids ever thought that they are anti-corporate greed! They probably do want you to listen to their material for free! They don't want some 345lbs. slob, that worships money & loves the challege of screwing people out of their hard earned cash, profiting big off their creativity & hard work! I'm pretty sure the band members have more money than they'll need in this lifetime! Artist don't do it for the money, they do it for the passion of the art form! I'm just aggregated that I can't go to a record shop & buy the AC/DC tunes I want! I've accepted it & I have given itunes a small fortune so far! A lot of artist are holding out! The artist favor their fans over their product peddlers, I'm sure! Greed sucks! It's not members of AC/DC that are the greedy bastards!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
brad in Oly, 9 Nov 2012 @ 2:12pm

Love ac/dc
I respect their decision from an artists perspective, but the convenience of purchasing online (amazon for myself) and storing my music on the "cloud" makes this frustrating to me. Love their music, love that they stick to their convictions, but I don't want to go through the process of ripping certain songs I want to my phone after purchasing 5-7 CDs! Walkmans are gone, we're in the 21st century now, things change, think of your fans and how your decision impacts them!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
TnT, 11 Dec 2014 @ 11:03am

Napster really did kill the music industry
To be honest, Internet killed the music industry. thats why all we get is lady gaga or all high synth kb music that you can basically karaoke at home.

glad ACDC stuck to their integrity. Metallica was right..Napster did kill the industry.

even if you think you "rebelled" and only do Single track DL now..its not any thing rebellous..all it did was kill the music industry. yea, CD's were Over Priced..at the time it all happened..but now..no new music..really nothing worthy
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
DJH, 25 Feb 2015 @ 4:02pm

http://www.hdtracks.com/rock-or-bust-208237
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
music buff, 13 Jun 2015 @ 12:51am

music is dying
what options do you have when you can no longer find the cd or album in production, in retail or online, to listen to what you have listened to your whole life?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]