# The 1980 rock classic Axl Rose admits is “really challenging” to sing

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-1980-rock-classic-axl-rose-admits-is-really-challenging-to-sing/
- Published: 2026-08-05T18:34:04+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-25T04:46:27+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-1980-rock-classic-axl-rose-admits-is-really-challenging-to-sing/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Axl Rose says AC/DC's Back in Black is vocally very demanding
- He filled in for Brian Johnson in 2016 after his hearing loss
- Rose became only the fourth-ever AC/DC frontman

## Summary

Axl Rose has acknowledged that AC/DC's music, particularly songs from their 1980 album Back in Black, is "really challenging" to sing, reflecting on his stint as the band's temporary frontman. Rose stepped in for Brian Johnson in 2016 after Johnson was forced to quit AC/DC's world tour due to sudden hearing loss, allowing the tour to continue rather than be cancelled outright. His comments underline the vocal demands of Johnson's distinctive screech, which many consider almost impossible to replicate.

Speaking to Billboard on the eve of the first Lisbon show with AC/DC, Rose said he couldn't take anything away from Johnson's singing, calling him "a great singer" while admitting he was simply "trying to do it justice for the fans." He singled out material from Back in Black, an album that has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide, as especially demanding. Rose went on to front AC/DC for a full summer tour, becoming only the fourth person in the band's history to take on the role.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.