(Credits: Far Out / Michael Joseph)
Tue 16 December 2025 8:44, UK
AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson is one of the most distinctive voices in rock music. A perfect replacement for his late predecessor, Bon Scott, Johnson’s passionate wail would re-energise the band in the face of such a tragedy and open them up to more success than they could ever have imagined with hits such as ‘Back in Black’ and ‘Thunderstruck’.
Given that Johnson is a titan of his field, he has often been asked about his influences. When speaking to SPIN in 2022, he named the five albums he cannot live without and provided enlightening, if not brief, accounts of why they stand out in his record collection.
The first pick of the collection is Vol. 1, the 1988 debut album by one of history’s ultimate supergroups, The Traveling Wilburys. Comprised of Beatles legend George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and ELO leader Jeff Lynne, the group released two albums in their short three-year career, with their first undoubtedly the most lauded.
The record is more routinely seen not just as a powerful album but as the defining reminder of what a supergroup can really do. Featuring cuts such as ‘Handle with Care’ and ‘Not Alone Any More’, the record was a smash hit. While Johnson is a big fan of Vol. 1, all he had to tell the publication was: “I just like listening to it!” Simple as that.
The AC/DC frontman’s second choice was Are You Experienced, the 1967 debut album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. One of the most influential albums of all time and a cornerstone of the psychedelic rock genre, this offering changed everything for guitar music. Hendrix’s explosive approach forced the most prominent players of the day to up their game and become more inventive due to the gravity of his efforts on the fretboard. Boasting era-defining songs such as ‘Foxy Lady’ and ‘Fire’, after its release, the American musician would quickly rise to the top of his game. Of the record, Johnson said that it “changed my world”.
Jimi Hendrix on stage in 1967. (Credits: Far Out / Wikimedia)
The album is a powerhouse reminder of what a debut can do. It doesn’t just launch careers or skyrocket fandoms but can change the musical landscape, and arguably the world. In fact, Johnson has spoken of the life-changing effect Hendrix had on him on numerous occasions. He told the TV show A Life On The Road, alongside Police frontman Sting, that seeing Hendrix in Newcastle was a monumental experience. He explained: “There was one musician who blew both our minds back in Newcastle when we were young, and that was Jimi Hendrix.”
Another LP that Brian Johnson picked amongst his favourites was 1965’s fifth album by The Beatles, Help. A classic record, its two highlights are the title track and ‘Ticket to Ride’, with the AC/DC vocalist telling SPIN that the album is simply “magical”. Not necessarily the Beatles LP most people point to as their favourites, Johnson’s pick speaks more heavily of the mesmerising experience the band provided to him as a young boy. When The Beatles arrived they changed the cultural world, and whatever album you heard first had a great chance of sticking in your mind as their best.
Fourth in Johnson’s collection was the eponymous 1964 debut of rock’s most hedonistic dynasty, The Rolling Stones. Most of the songs reflect the band’s love of R&B, comprised of covers by the likes of Chuck Berry and Willie Dixon. Noting the impact it had on his early group, Section 5, Johnson said that they “learned every track on this album. It was the start of my live performance career”. Elsewhere, when discussing the record in Rolling Stone, he said it was their “bible”.
Johnson’s final choice was the 1997 compilation, The Best of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong on Verve. The record contains the three studio albums made for the label by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong from 1956 to 1958 and has 47 tracks collated from Ella and Louis, Ella and Louis Again, and Porgy and Bess. Getting a little bit suggestive with his description of this one, he said: “Sit with a beautiful girl, with a beautiful bottle of wine, and see what happens. PS: Turn off all electrical devices!”
A pretty staunch warning and a wonderful prescription for a great night in. But perhaps the finest thing this list provides is an insight into the world of Johnson. Through these five records you can see deeply into the man who, as well as being a powerhouse singer for one of the iggest bands on the planet, is also a quiet and humble music lover.
Brian Johnson’s favourite albums:Traveling Wilburys – Vol. 1 The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You ExperiencedThe Beatles – Help!The Rolling Stones – The Rolling StonesElla Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong – The Best of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong on Verve
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