AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by
Scottish-born brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Although the band are
commonly classified as hard rock and are considered pioneers of heavy
metal, they have always classified their music as "rock and roll".
AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before releasing their first
album, High Voltage, in 1975. Membership remained stable until bassist
Mark Evans was replaced by Cliff Williams in 1977. The band recorded
their highly successful album Highway to Hell in 1979. Lead singer and
co-songwriter Bon Scott died on 19 February 1980, after a night of
heavy alcohol consumption. The group briefly considered disbanding, but
soon ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson was selected to replace Scott.
Later that year, the band released their best-selling album, Back in
Black. The band's next album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You,
was their first album to reach number one in the United States. As of
2008, AC/DC has sold more than 200 million albums worldwide, including
71 million albums in the United States. Back in Black has sold an
estimated 45 million units worldwide, 22 million in the US alone, where
it is the fifth-highest-selling album. AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1's
list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" and was named the
seventh "Greatest Heavy Metal Band of All Time" by MTV. In 2004, the
band was ranked number 72 in the Rolling Stone list of the "100
Greatest Artists of All Time".
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC/DC>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1825:
The Erie Canal, connecting the Great Lakes with the Hudson River and
hence the Atlantic Ocean, was opened.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal>
1859:
The passenger ship Royal Charter, en route from Australia to England,
was wrecked on the east coast of Anglesey, Wales, killing at least 459
people.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Charter_%28ship%29>
1937:
Second Sino-Japanese War: Xie Jinyuan and National Revolutionary Army
soldiers began the Defense of Sihang Warehouse against waves of
Japanese attackers during the Battle of Shanghai.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_of_Sihang_Warehouse>
1944:
World War II: In one of the largest naval battles in modern history,
Allied forces defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of
Leyte Gulf in the seas surrounding the Philippine island of Leyte.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Leyte_Gulf>
2001:
U.S. President George W. Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act into law,
significantly expanding the authority of U.S. law enforcement agencies
in fighting terrorism in the United States and elsewhere.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_PATRIOT_Act>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
tomnoddy (n):
1. The puffin.
2. A fool or dunce
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tomnoddy>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
After bread, education is the first need of the people.
--Georges Danton
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Georges_Danton>
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