Nirvana Just Passed AC/DC. Which Album Would You Save?

Nirvana just passed AC/DC—but the measure matters. Nevermind is sixth in ChartMasters’ equivalent-album ranking, ahead of Back In Black in seventh and The Dark Side of the Moon in eighth, as checked on October 21, 2026.

What that ranking actually counts

ChartMasters combines album sales, singles and streaming equivalents, including sales reallocated from compilations—not just albums bought. Its coverage is not exhaustive, so this is a snapshot of its own ranking, not an official worldwide sales verdict.

Three records. Three ways to make a guitar matter.

Nevermind: the quiet part is not a waiting room. It is the fuse. In a 1997 interview, Dave Grohl traced Nirvana’s experiments with restrained verses and distorted choruses to the months before the album. The band did not invent that contrast. Cobain’s impact is not simply a question of how much distortion you add: an arrangement can make the same jump in volume feel enormous.

Back In Black: do not separate the solo from the engine underneath it. In their 2003 interview, Angus Young recalled Malcolm bringing in the title track’s main riff on cassette; Malcolm described enjoying the job of holding down the rhythm and groove. Here, the listening challenge is the partnership. Follow the rhythm through a lead passage rather than treating it as scenery. The riff, the pulse and the lead line all have work to do.

The Dark Side of the Moon: a guitar line does not need to win an argument by shouting. Gilmour’s guitar and vocals helped shape this record’s identity. For this listening challenge, follow the melodic direction of a phrase rather than counting its notes. Notice the space around it and ask where it is heading. A line can hold your attention without being the busiest thing in the arrangement; sometimes its destination matters more than how many notes get it there.

One stays. Two go.

Put the spreadsheet aside. Imagine your record shelf has room for just one of these three albums. Which survives?

Make the case through the guitar: choose a riff, a rhythm part, a solo or a moment of space. Do not just nominate a band. Tell us where to drop the needle and why that moment wins.

The numbers can move again. Your choice does not have to follow them.

Follow the guitar deeper

Want to dig deeper into the guitars and gear behind these players? Explore our Kurt Cobain guide, Angus Young feature and David Gilmour guide.