Angus Young Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Angus Young’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $160 million, Angus Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist and songwriter. As one of the co-founders of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC, he is renowned for his dynamic performances, stage clothing resembling a schoolboy’s uniform, and the revival of Chuck Berry’s famous “duck walk.” AC/DC, which is the 14th best-selling artist globally with sales exceeding 200 million records, has produced 16 studio albums. Iconic songs like “Highway to Hell,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” and “Back in Black” have been fixtures on classic rock radio for many years. Their 1980 album “Back in Black,” certified 25x Platinum, accounts for 50 million of those sales and holds the distinction of being the second highest-selling album in history. Angus was ranked #24 on “Rolling Stone” magazine’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists,” and in 2003, he and his AC/DC bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Early Life

Born Angus McKinnon Young on March 31, 1955, in Glasgow, Scotland, Angus is the youngest of eight children of Margaret, a housewife, and William, a flight engine mechanic in the Royal Air Force during World War II. Following the “big freeze” in 1963, the family relocated to Sydney, Australia. Angus dropped out of Ashfield Boys High School at the age of 15. Many of the Young siblings displayed musical talent; Angus initially learned to play the banjo (which he re-strung with six strings) before picking up a secondhand acoustic guitar bought by his mother. In the early 1970s, Young acquired his first Gibson SG and has used various models throughout his career. In appreciation for his loyalty, Gibson named a signature guitar in his honor and released the Angus Young SG in 2000.

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AC/DC

Angus embarked on his music career with the Marcus Hook Roll Band, which featured his brothers Malcolm and George. In 1973, the band released “Tales of Old Grand Daddy.” Prior to forming AC/DC with Malcolm in 1973, Young also played with a band named Kantuckee (later referred to as Tantrum). In their original lineup, Angus took on the lead guitar role, while Malcolm handled rhythm guitar. The band also included vocalist Dave Evans, bassist Larry Van Kriedt, and drummer Colin Burgess. Angus experimented with various stage costumes, including Zorro and a Superman parody called Super-Ang. However, it was his sister Margaret’s suggestion of a schoolboy outfit that established his distinctive style. While Margaret crafted Angus’ inaugural schoolboy costume, he ultimately opted to don his old uniform from Ashfield Boys High School after the original wore out.

In September 1974, Bon Scott succeeded Evans as the lead vocalist, leading to the re-recording of their first single, “Can I Sit Next To You Girl.” AC/DC’s debut album, “High Voltage,” dropped in February 1975 in Australia, reaching #14 on the ARIA Charts. Their subsequent album, “T.N.T.,” released in 1975, peaked at #2 and achieved 9x Platinum certification in Australia. “High Voltage” made its international debut in 1976, garnering gold or platinum status in multiple countries. Additionally, that year saw the release of “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” which earned 6x Platinum recognition in both Australia and the U.S. With the 1979 release of “Highway to Hell,” AC/DC achieved a new level of success.of success, ultimately achieving a position within the top 100 on the U.S. charts. Unfortunately, in February 1980, Bon Scott died from alcohol poisoning, leading the band to record their subsequent album, “Back in Black,” featuring Brian Johnson as the lead vocalist. This album became AC/DC’s most successful release, with sales second only to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

Although the band appeared to be losing their fanbase in the 1980s, “The Razors Edge,” released in 1990, achieved 5x Platinum status in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Following the 2000 release of “Stiff Upper Lip,” AC/DC took a hiatus for several years, but their 2008 album “Black Ice” became an immediate hit, debuting at #1 in nearly 30 countries. Due to health issues, Malcolm departed from the band in 2014, and Stevie Young, his nephew, stepped in to fill his role. By 2016, both Brian Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd had also exited AC/DC, prompting Angus to enlist Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses to take Johnson’s place for the remaining dates of the Rock or Bust World Tour.

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Personal Life

In 1979, a romantic relationship began between Angus and Ellen Van Lochem, culminating in their marriage six months afterward. A lifelong teetotaler, Young is known for being a chain-smoker. According to guitarist Tommy Redd, who toured with AC/DC, “While the other band members enjoyed drinks, Angus consistently opted for chocolate milk or coffee.” In 2019, Young contributed $19,260 to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, in support of Canadian hockey referee Steve McNeil, who was fundraising in memory of his mother and Angus’s brother Malcolm (who succumbed to dementia in 2017) by skating for over 19 hours across every NHL city in Canada. Additionally, Young is an avid supporter of Rangers FC, a football club based in Scotland.

Awards and Honors

In 2006, “Kerrang!” editor Paul Brannigan presented Young with the magazine’s Legend Award, and a 2012 survey by “Australian Guitar Magazine” recognized him as the “Best Australian Guitarist of All Time.” Throughout his time with AC/DC, he received APRA Awards for the Most Played Australian Work Overseas for “Big Gun” in 1995 and “Highway to Hell” in both 2009 and 2011, along with “Rock ‘n’ Roll Train” in 2010; Angus and Malcolm were also honored as Songwriters of the Year in 2010. Additionally, the band has received a Grammy, a Metal Storm Award, a Rock on Request Award, two UK Music Video Awards, four Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards, and three ARIA Music Awards, and they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1988.

Real Estate

In 2007, Angus and Ellen collaborated on the design of a 3-story mansion in Ellen’s hometown, a quaint Dutch locale known as Aalten. This multi-million-dollar residence features a recording studio, multiple guest rooms, and an expansive backyard. The Youngs are also owners of a property situated in the Kangaroo Point area of Sydney.