Angus Young — the fire-brand guitarist and co-founder of AC/DC — is widely recognized as one of rock’s most electrifying performers, shaping the sound of hard rock with his blistering riffs, duck-walk antics, and raw energy. Yet despite his own profound impact on the genre, Young has never been shy about acknowledging the figures who helped create it. In interviews and conversations over the years, he has pointed to Chuck Berry as the musician who truly built rock and roll.
For Young, Berry’s music wasn’t just influential — it was foundational. He has spoken about how hearing Berry’s records in his youth crystallized a new world of possibilities for him. Berry’s blend of blues, country and boogie, paired with his distinctive lead guitar work and sharp songwriting, helped define rock and roll in its earliest form. Songs like “Johnny B. Goode”, “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Maybellene” weren’t merely hits — they mapped out the blueprints for generations of guitarists to follow, Young included.
A Guitarist Who Defined an Era
Angus Young has regularly highlighted Berry’s impact not just on him personally but on rock music as a whole. Berry’s technique — combining rhythm-heavy riffs with fluid lead playing — prefigured much of what would become rock’s language. To Young, Berry’s work didn’t feel like a derivative of another style; it felt like the first true expression of rock itself, a music that mixed unpretentious energy with musical sophistication.
Unlike some musicians whose first influences were jazz or folk, Young heard rock directly in Berry’s recordings, from the way Berry’s guitar danced over the backbeat to the unstoppable momentum of his grooves. It wasn’t simply the notes that captivated Young — it was the attitude, the relentless drive forward, and the way Berry’s music felt like youth in motion.
AC/DC’s Roots in Rock and Roll Tradition
Young’s own band, AC/DC, emerged in the early 1970s with a seemingly simple philosophy: play loud, play hard, and let the music speak. While the band’s sound pushed into heavier territory with pounding rhythms and gritty power chords, there was always an unmistakable connection to early rock and roll’s dynamics — a connection Young openly credited to Berry’s influence.
For example, AC/DC’s emphasis on straight-ahead riffs and back-to-basics rock structures reflected a kindred spirit to Berry’s approach. Songs such as “Back in Black”, “Highway to Hell” and “T.N.T.” may sound more aggressive than Berry’s work, but they carry the same commitment to energy, simplicity and unforgettable guitar lines. It’s not surprising that Young sees the roots of his own musical identity in Berry’s groundbreaking early recordings.
Why Chuck Berry Matters
Angus Young’s praise of Chuck Berry goes beyond nostalgia. Berry was among the first musicians to introduce a style of guitar playing that wasn’t just accompaniment, but central to the music’s personality and drive. His technique — combining rhythmic precision with melodic invention — opened the door for players who would follow in his wake. Young’s own playing, with its sharp, punchy attack and unrelenting momentum, echoes that lineage.
In Young’s view, Berry’s work built the scaffolding upon which all future rock and roll instruments and performers were constructed, making him not just another influence but a founding figure. For many fans and musicians, that sentiment resonates: Berry’s fingerprints are unmistakable in the riffs and rhythms that define rock’s history.
A Legacy Full Circle
Chuck Berry passed away in 2017, but his reputation as a pioneer endures. Through echoes in the music of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC and countless artists beyond, his contribution has become woven into rock’s very DNA. When Angus Young speaks of Berry as the one who built rock and roll, he’s not just offering personal homage — he’s affirming the broader connection between rock’s origin and its ongoing evolution, a connection that continues to shape the music today.
