“Back in Black” was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson as a tribute to AC/DC's former lead singer Bon Scott, who died in February 1980. Rather than creating a mournful song, the band wanted to celebrate Scott's life with something powerful and triumphant. The track became the title song of AC/DC's seventh studio album, produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange and released later that year. Although “Back in Black” was not initially a major singles-chart hit in the US, the album became a monumental commercial success and eventually one of the best-selling albums in music history. The title track has since become one of AC/DC's most recognisable songs and one of the defining anthems ofrock. Malcolm Young originally used the famous opening guitar riff as a warm-up exercise before it evolved into the foundation of the song.