10 Bands Who Survived A Lead Singer Change

3. AC/DC

After half a decade of slaving it on the road, AC/DC seemed to finally be on the rise. The band's bluesy hard rock had finally crossed over to the mainstream with their landmark release Highway to Hell, with the perfect mix of Angus Young's furious solos and Bon Scott's throaty squeal. Right as they reached their peak though, a prime piece of the puzzle came crashing down.

The band were set to record their follow-up when Bon Scott was found dead from alcohol poisoning. This left the band devastated and their fanbase skeptical as to whether the band could proceed. Once the mourning period ended, the band came to conclusion that Bon would not have wanted the band to end this way. But who would fill in for Bon's trademark voice?

By some miraculous feat, Brian Johnson was brought into the fold possessing the same amount of grit in his throat that Bon had at the best of times. With their backs against the wall, the band went into the studio with Johnson and produced Back in Black, which went on to become one of the most successful records in rock history. Even if Bon was only there in spirit, AC/DC turned their unthinkable tragedy into one of the greatest comeback stories in rock.