
Song · AC/DC
“Shot Down in Flames” by AC/DC
From the album Highway to Hell (1979)
“Shot Down in Flames” by AC/DC appears on 26 radio countdowns from 11 stations between 1990 and 2026. It was first released in 1979 on the album Highway to Hell. Its best result is #19 on the 99.1 PLR AC/DCember 25 (2017). In the combined RockLists rankings it is #949 classic rock song of all time.
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"Shot Down in Flames" came tearing off Highway to Hell, the album AC/DC let loose on 27 July 1979 through Albert Productions and Atlantic, and it's strictly an inside job: Bon Scott wrote it with Angus and Malcolm Young, the two Youngs lay into the guitars, Cliff Williams holds down the bass, Phil Rudd pounds the drums and Scott takes the vocal.
Behind the album was a plan to crack America. Atlantic's American office figured a producer with an ear for radio could make them big there, so after every album since the 1975 debut High Voltage had been produced by George Young and Harry Vanda, the chair went to Robert John "Mutt" Lange, on the first of his three albums with them. Mark Dearnley recorded it, Kevin Dallimore assisted and Tony Platt mixed. It was Scott's last album: he died on 19 February 1980.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz.
RockLists rankings
Classic Rock
Hard Rock & Metal
All Rock Formats
All-time and decade countdowns
Also listed as: Shot Down In Flames.
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