AC/DC Release Entire Catalog on iTunes After Long Holdout

AC/DC guitarist Angus Young Photo: Sony Music

AC/DC has become one of the last big holdouts to make its music available on iTunes, joining previous acts including the Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Metallica as late arrivals to Apple’s digital music store. AC/DC announced the news on their website today.

The Australian hard-rock band had previously refused to sell their music through iTunes in an effort to preserve the album format instead of allowing users to purchase single songs. It’s not clear what prompted AC/DC to change their minds, though they’re not the only act to relent: Kid Rock recently lifted his boycott of the digital service with his new album Rebel Soul.

“There are fewer record stores available, and there are fans who don’t necessarily want to get in the car and drive to the store,” Kid Rock’s manager, Lee Trink, told ROLLING STONE this month. “They’ve been accustomed to buying it digitally. He’s proven his point that he was able to have an incredibly successful record without iTunes, [but] that doesn’t mean you can’t reassess the landscape and take a look at people’s buying behaviors.”

A few big-name holdouts remain, including Garth Brooks and Tool.