AC/DC will become the eighth music act to receive a dedicated Royal Mail stamp issue, joining an elite lineup that includes The Beatles (2007), Pink Floyd (2016), Queen (2020), The Rolling Stones (2022), Iron Maiden (2023), and both The Who and the Spice Girls in 2024.

David Gold, Royal Mail’s director of external affairs and policy, said: “AC/DC is one of the most successful rock bands in the world. Over the past half-century, they have recorded some of the best-known rock anthems and have given us ‘Back in Black’—the biggest-selling rock album of all time. These stamps capture a sample of their electrifying live performances, along with some of their most iconic album covers, and celebrate their significant contribution to the world of rock music.”

The Australian rock band was formed in Sydney in 1973 by Glaswegian brothers Angus and Malcolm Young. Other founding members included Colin Burgess (drums), Larry Van Kriedt (bass guitar), and Dave Evans (lead vocals). By 1977 the line up had shifted and stabilised to include the Young brothers, Phil Rudd on drums, Cliff Williams on bass guitar and Bon Scott on lead vocals. When Scott of alcohol poisoning in 1980 the band dedicated the album Back In Black to him; it went on to become the second best selling album of all time.

They are known for their hard rock sound, high-energy performances, and iconic hits like ‘Back in Black,’ ‘Highway to Hell,’ and ‘Thunderstruck.’ As one of the best-selling bands in history, their music has influenced generations of rock musicians.

The stamp release comes amid an exciting year for the band, as 2025 marks half a century since ‘High Voltage’ first shocked the music world. To further celebrate their legacy, AC/DC has announced a European tour that will cumulate in a massive return to Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on August 25, 2025—a bittersweet homecoming of sorts for a band founded by the Scottish Young Brothers, as its their first show in Scotland since Malcolm passed away in 2017 from dementia. 

As the band reaches this monumental milestone, Royal Mail’s tribute ensures that AC/DC’s legacy is quite literally stamped into history—forever first-class in the world of rock and roll.

AC/DC products available from Royal Mail: 

AC/DC Presentation Pack – £22.10

AC/DC Collectors Sheet – £15.80

AC/DC Limited Edition Prestige Stamp Book – £49.99

AC/DC Stamps Pack – £14.90

AC/DC Miniature Sheet Pack – £6.90

AC/DC Platinum Albums Miniature Sheet – £149.99

AC/DC High Voltage Limited Edition Pack – £158.98

AC/DC Back in Black Framed Print – £99.99

AC/DC Back in Black Fan Sheet – £7.50

AC/DC Albums Fan Sheet – £7.50

AC/DC Framed Stamp Set – £39.99

The Edinburgh show is currently the only UK performance the band are set to play on tour, with other dates across Europe beginning in June. 

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The ‘POWER UP’ album, after which the tour is named, marks AC/DC’s first musical effort since the passing of founding member and rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young in 2017. Released back in 2020, the band’s plans to tour the album were derailed by the pandemic but have since established a steady stream of tour dates, the ‘POWER UP’ tour officially commencing in early 2024. Representatives of the band stressed the importance of the latest European 2025 show dates, stating: “The band will play 12 dates across 10 countries – including Edinburgh, Scotland, the home nation of the Young clan.” 

Formed in 1973, AC/DC have long-established themselves as one of the most successful hard rock bands of all time, selling over 200 million albums worldwide and conducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. Although the line up suffered many permutations in their formative years, the ‘Back in Black’ icons centred around the Young brothers, drummer Phil Rudd, bassist Mark Evans, and the late singer Bon Scott – replaced in 1980 by Brian Johnson after his sudden death from alcohol poisoning. 

The choice in UK venue honours the band’s “big connection” with Scotland – acclaimed members Malcolm and Angus Young were born in Glasgow in 1953 and 1955 respectively, as well as Bon Scott in Forfar, county town of Angus in 1946. In previous conversation with BBC Scotland, lead singer Brian Johnson commented on the significance of the country for the band, stating: “There was definitely a big connection, Scotland and Australia together.” Johnson also reflected on positive memories, as well as sharing that the country is the only place they ever play their rendition of Loch Lomond: “We went to Loch Ness together in 1982 or something, and we got awful drunk at night at the hotel…What a state we were in. But we were just laughing, great times.”

The 2025 European installment of the ‘POWER UP’ tour commences June 26 in the Czech Republic and concludes at the much anticipated Edinburgh show August 21.

See below for the full list of European tour dates:

June 26 – Letňany, Czech Republic @ Prague Airport

June 30 – Berlin, Germany @ Berlin Olympiastadion

July 4 – Narodowy, Poland @ Warsaw PGE

July 8 – Düsseldorf, Germany @ Düsseldorf Open Air Park

July 12 – Madrid, Spain @ Madrid Metropolitano Stadium

July 20 – Ferrari, Italy @ Imola Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino

July 24 – Tallinn, Estonia @ Tallinn Song Festival Grounds

July 28 – Gothenburg, Sweden @ Ullevi

August 5 – Oslo, Norway @ Oslo Bjerke Racecourse

August 9 – Paris, France @ Paris Stade De France

August 17 – Karlsruhe, Germany @ Messe Karlsruhe

August 21 – Edinburgh, Scotland @ Murrayfield Stadium

Tickets will be available from 10:00 on February 7 on the AC/DC official website. 

Ozzy has not performed a full concert since 2018, however his son Jack says he’s still keen to do one-off shows. Talking to The Messenger, Jack said, “I don’t think he’ll tour again. But he’s gunning to do one-off shows — like festivals, gigs, things like that. He’s not done yet.”

Speaking on his health himself, Ozzy shared, “Unfortunately, my body is telling me that I’m just not ready [to perform] yet and I am much too proud to have the first show that I do in nearly five years be half-assed.” He released this statement following the cancellation of his slot at Power Festival in California, where he was set to headline alongside Metallica, AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses.

Ozzy also revealed on SiriusXM’s Ozzy Speaks that he recently had a blood clot removed from an artery. He said, “When I had the blood clots in my legs, they put a filter in your artery to stop the blood clots going to your heart and your brain. It sounds worse than it is.”

He continued, “So, on Monday, I went to have it removed. The blood clots have jammed you all up. It’s just disappointment after disappointment. Just get this thing fucking done so I can go get on with my life.”

Despite his multiple health concerns, Ozzy is keen to keep performing despite retiring from touring. He said, “You can’t retire from this game. It’s not a job, it’s a fucking passion.”

Ozzy has also announced his plans to record an LP in 2024, sharing, “I’m just starting to work on it now, and we’ll be recording in the early part of next year. I want to take my time with this one!”

He also took to social media to share the 40th Anniversary vinyl reissue of his iconic album, Bark at the Moon. The album was released on 15th November 1983 after the release of the titular track earlier on, becoming triple platnum in the US.

Back on Vinyl! Out Now! https://t.co/jzs5bpvf6d pic.twitter.com/shqZCj6Tkx

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) November 17, 2023

November 12, 1983 “Bark at the Moon” single was released. Watch the original music video in HD on @YouTube at https://t.co/mrW4f3afnU pic.twitter.com/GfT72oVk4a — Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) November 12, 2023

Power Trip is an upcoming heavy metal music festival set to take place on 6th-8th October. Although this is the first instance of the event, it is being described as a sequel to 2016’s Desert Trip, a 6 day festival that also took place in Indio, California. Headliners of Desert Trip included Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and The Who.

The rockstar was set to perform at Power Trip this October alongside headliners Metallica, AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses. However, in a statement released in July, Osbourne revealed that “Unfortunately, my body is telling me that I’m just not ready yet and I am much too proud to have the first show that I do in nearly five years be half-assed”.

As painful as this is, I’ve had to make the decision to bow out of performing on Power Trip in October.

My original plan was to return to the stage in the summer of 2024, & when the offer to do this show came in, I optimistically moved forward.

Unfortunately, my body is… pic.twitter.com/gHWEE8VuI6

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) July 10, 2023

It has since been revealed that Judas Priest will serve as Ozzy’s replacement at the upcoming event.

The 74-year-old acquired a neck injury after a fall in 2019 that required 2 metal plates to be inserted into his spine. The result of this caused the singer more pain, and meant he required more surgery last year, from which he is still recovering. The heavy metal legend has also been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, all of which contributed to his decision to retire from touring. Osbourne made the announcement of his retirement on February 1st.

This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans… pic.twitter.com/aXGw3fjImo

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) February 1, 2023

Although the English rocker was optimistic about being able to return to the stage, his wife Sharon Osbourne stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that “He’s doing a lot better, but he still has a long way to go before he can perform a full concert.”

Sharon was joined by daughter Kelly Osbourne, who, when asked about her father’s decision not to perform at Power Trip, claimed that “We can’t talk about it in the house because it is just so heartbreaking to see that all he wants is just one more show”. 

“He said that if he can’t give his fans what they paid to see, he won’t do it”.

Although this decision was clearly very tough to make, Ozzy Osbourne assured fans in his announcement, “I love you all and I will see you soon.” 

Following Songs of Surrender, U2’s acoustic, stripped down project released in March 2023, The Edge has professed an excitement to return to electric guitar. Speaking to Guitar Player on his perspective on electric guitar, he said, “I know the answer to that. I’ve been working a lot on new guitar music, and I’m very excited about it. It’s at that prototype stage where… who knows? But the answer to the question is ‘yes.’ I’m finding myself for the first time in a little while getting very excited about the electric guitar again.”

Aside from sharing an enthusiasm to return to electric guitar-based music, The Edge hasn’t given much away on what fans can expect from the U2’s new work yet. But, speaking on U2’s goal as a band, he shared, “Our challenge was always to get to that guy at the back of the room, somebody who isn’t really a fan or isn’t paying attention.”

Speaking on the thought process behind Songs of Surrender, The Edge said, “There was always an intense pitch to our music early on. So my thought here was, ‘Let’s take minimalism to the nth degree, if it’s appropriate.’ And on a lot of these songs, it worked. We left just the bare skeletons of the original arrangements in terms of themes and hooks, taking things down to a really light touch.”

Despite The Edge giving little away on the band’s musical plans moving forwards, frontman Bono has shared his thoughts on the direction that U2 had been moving in recently, and where they want to go from there.

Bono reflected, “We all make mistakes. The progressive-rock virus gets in, and we needed a vaccine. The discipline of our songwriting, the thing that made U2 — top-line melody, clear thoughts — had gone.”

He continued, “With the band, I was like, this is not what we do, and we can only do that experimental stuff if we have the songwriting chops. So we went to songwriting school, and we’re back and we’re good! Over those two albums, ‘Songs Of Innocence and Experience’, our songwriting returned. Now we need to put the firepower of rock ‘n’ roll back.”

Speaking on his plans for U2’s next rock project, Bono said, “I don’t know who is going to make our fuck-off rock ‘n’ roll album. You almost want an AC/DC, you want Mutt Lange. The approach. The discipline. The songwriting discipline. That’s what we want.”

U2 had been promoting the release of Songs of Ascent, an album that has been in the works since 2009. Bono shared in 2022 that this album is nearly complete, however its release has been put on hold in favour of releasing a “a noisy, uncompromising, unreasonable guitar album” first.

Stream U2’s newest album, Songs of Surrender, here:

The participating bands include veterans AC/DC, The Who and The Damned, metal outfits Architects, Bullet For My Valentine, Bring Me The Horizon, Enter Shikari, Skindred, rock bands Don Broco, Nothing But Thieves, Thunder, Twin Atlantic, You Me At Six, and singer Deborah Bonham, sister of the legendary John Bonham. All proceedings go to the Teenage Cancer Trust dedicated to helping all those people in need “so no young person faces cancer alone“.

We have a festive treat for you!

Some of your favourite ROCK bands have one-of-a-kind prizes just for you! Each ticket is £5 and all proceeds go to Teenage Cancer Trust. Check it out: https://t.co/YieQIVb4Cn pic.twitter.com/DpGXot2oIY

— Teenage Cancer Trust (@TeenageCancer) December 17, 2020

Most of the bands involved are offering a one-of-a-kind personalised prize for the exclusive Christmas Rocks raffle. For example, Australian giants AC/DC are giving a 12″ copy of their latest Power Up autographed by Brian Johnson himself, while The Who are offering a signed 12″ of an album from their back catalogue, personalized by Roger Daltrey. Rock veterans The Damned have selected a special tote bag bundle with hoodie, t-shirt and a limited badge.

Brighton metalcore heavyweights Architects have also made an exclusive bundle including a Holy Hell LP, 2 t-shirts and a hoodie. Bring Me The Horizon are sharing a signed vinyl of their monumental latest release Post Human: Survival Horror alongside a personalised message from the band and a ‘Parasite Eve‘ print. Welsh heavy metal outfit Bullet For My Valentine have added an autographed copy of Gravity to the raffle with additional video message and a signed drum head, while their compatriots Skindred have chosen a personalised copy of their seminal Roots Rock Riot.

Enter Shikari are offering an autographed version of any of their official releases on LP, while Don Broco have selected their last album Technology. Southend rockers Nothing But Thieves are sharing their recent release Moral Panic on 12″ personalised by the band members and You Me At Six will add their highly anticipated upcoming record SUCKAPUNCH following its release on 15 January 2021. You can check the list of participating bands and their prizes, as well as the full terms and conditions here.

 

 

 

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Публикация, споделена от Teenage Cancer Trust (@teenage_cancer)

The Teenage Cancer Trust was established back in 1990 to support and improve the lives of all young people suffering from cancer. Alongside all admirable projects and initiatives, the charity is also famous for working closely with music artists and events and as stated in their official website “not only is music a massive part of teenagers’ lives, it’s at the heart of Teenage Cancer Trust“. The charity has launched the Unseen YouTube channel streaming exclusive performances by the likes of Ed Sheeran, Muse, Rudimental, Pulp, and many more.

Moreover, the Teenage Cancer Trust also hosts annual concerts at the iconic Royal Albert Hall as the “pinnacle of [a] long-established music heritage“. Organised and championed by the charity’s patron Robert Daltrey CBE, founder and singer for the legendary The Who, previous events have seen memorable concerts by Paul McCartney, Oasis, Kasabian, The Cure, and many more. Back in 2016, Bring Me The Horizon also participated and delivered a spectacular show in support of the charity, and the official recording has just been added to all streaming platforms yesterday.

Out now! @bmthofficial Live at the Royal Albert Hall, for Teenage Cancer Trust https://t.co/89jGshJ2gv

— Teenage Cancer Trust (@TeenageCancer) December 18, 2020

“You are, and always have been, our guiding inspiration” – @acdc thank fans as their album Power Up becomes the UK’s fastest-selling album of 2020 ⚡⚡ https://t.co/qJAL0Rxs5w pic.twitter.com/QVWql8cHxw

— Official Charts (@officialcharts) November 20, 2020

Power Up is the antipodean outfit’s fourth UK number one album, and its release coincides with the fortieth anniversary of their first UK chart topper – the seminal Back In Black. AC/DC’s lead guitarist, Glasgow-born Angus Young, has highlighted the similarities between the two records: just as Back In Black marked the band’s debut outing without legendary vocalist Bon Scott; Power Up is the first AC/DC record not to feature founding member Malcolm Young, who died in 2017 at the age of 64.

Describing the new album as a musical tribute to his older brother, Angus Young told Rolling Stone: “Even when I sit at home and pick up my guitar and start playing, the first thing that enters my head is, ‘I think Mal will like this riff I’m playing.’ That’s how I judge lot of stuff.”

Power Up has received warm reviews from critics and rock peers, including Guns N Roses’ icon Slash. The Stoke-on-Trent raised guitar hero – whose bandmate Axl Rose has filled in for AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson during his struggles with hearing loss – told Consequence of Sound: “The fact that Angus and company would survive that and keep it going, in the spirit of probably what Malcolm would have done, was great…They’re a great influence on people who think that rock ‘n’ roll is sort of just fun and games, and then as soon as any kind of mishap happens, bands break up or they fall apart or they quit. AC/DC is a great example of longevity. They’re a great example of tenacity and perseverance, a great example of talent, and a great example of what rock ‘n’ roll is all about. So, I’m so stoked that they just continue to do it.”

He added “Then, on top of it, they make such a great f**king record at this point in the game. It’s a really inspired album. I’ve had it in the car for the last couple of days and it’s probably gonna sit there for a while. It’s exciting for me. I’m happy for them, and I can’t wait for this virus situation to end so we can go check them out on tour somewhere.”

Fans will hope that AC/DC’s eventual return to the live stage will be sound-tracked by Brian Johnson’s trademark screeching rock’n’roll vocals. The indications are more positive now than they were just a few years ago, when the County Durham-born singer had been warned that further high-volume performances would lead to permanent deafness.

Johnson told BBC Radio 6 that he was delighted and relieved to be back in the studio with state-of-the art hearing system after an enforced hiatus. He said “I was desperate to try things, and Angus said to me, ‘Well, we’ll start quietly and we’ll build.’ I went ’No, we’ve got to do it full-battlefield conditions. It’s got to be right out there, because if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.’ He said, ‘Okay – what do you want to do?’ I said ‘Back in Black’. (When I could hear everything) I grew to about six-foot-two! I was just absolutely jumping around like a young spring chicken. I was just flipping thrilled, and the boys could see, because I wouldn’t stop moving for two days.”

On speculation about future live shows, he added “I hate to use the word tour now because it sounds like two years, and I think we’ve all got a little tired of that. If we can just start doing gigs and cherry-picking them, that’s fun.”

This month AC/DC unveiled the second single from Power Up, Realize, a trademark lung-busting, hard rock stomper with an undimmed and furious energy from the group that belies their 47 years in the game. Realize follows on from well-received October single release Shot In The Dark, which secured a top 10 berth in the Official UK Rock and Metal Chart.

The musician who co-founded Australian heavy rock legends AC/DC in 1973 with brother Angus Young, had been suffering with dementia for the past three years, which was the reason for retirement from the rock and roll life.

Malcolm Young, like his older brother George and younger brother Angus, was born in Glasgow, Scotland before the whole Young family emigrated to Sydney, Australia in the early Sixties. It was Malcolm, along with Angus, who created AC/DC, famous for tracks such as ‘Highway to Hell’, ‘You Shook Me All Night’ and ‘Thunderstruck’. Young brought to the band his powerful rhythm guitar riffs, and served as the band’s main creative force, and will certainly be remembered by the music world.

Three Young brothers have been part of AC/DC’s history, Malcolm, Producer George Young who died in October at age 70, and Angus. When Rolling Stone asked the Young brothers in 2008, Who runs AC/DC?,” Malcolm replied, “We both do, because we were there from the start.” ACDC have a ton of success’ under their belt, with over 110 million albums sold, and the best-selling Australian act of all time.

AC/DC released a statement from their Facebook page today that read:
“Today it is with deep heartfelt sadness that AC/DC has to announce the passing of Malcolm Young. Malcolm, along with Angus, was the founder and creator of AC/DC. With enormous dedication and commitment, he was the driving force behind the band. As a guitarist, songwriter and visionary he was a perfectionist and a unique man. He always stuck to his guns and did and said exactly what he wanted. He took great pride in all that he endeavored. His loyalty to the fans was unsurpassed.”

Angus Young added, “As his brother it is hard to express in words what he has meant to me during my life, the bond we had was unique and very special. He leaves behind an enormous legacy that will live on forever. Malcolm, job well done.”

Friends and many fans of the musician have taken to social media to pay their tributes.

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood said it was a sad loss, “Malcolm was a lovely guy and will be really missed,” he wrote.

A sad loss ~ Malcom was a lovely guy and will be really missed xx pic.twitter.com/nTNc0yFZ7m

— Ronnie Wood (@ronniewood) November 18, 2017

Tom Morello, of the US band Rage Against the Machine, tweeted his thanks to the “#1 greatest rhythm guitarist”.

Rest in rock power AC/DC’s #MalcolmYoung, #1 greatest rhythm guitarist in the entire history of rock n roll. THANKYOU for everything. pic.twitter.com/boXBDkJJ6W — Tom Morello (@tmorello) November 18, 2017

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, who regarded Malcolm as one of rock’s greatest rhythm guitarists, tweeted Saturday following Young’s death, “I have to go…I am losing it that Malcolm is gone. I hate this…”

I have to go…I am losing it that Malcolm is gone. I hate this…

— Dave Mustaine (@DaveMustaine) November 18, 2017

Crowded with press at Los Angeles airport, Axl Rose said of Coachella:

“The shows went really good, the crowds were amazing. The first show was good, the second was more fun . . . The crowd was even more responsive.”

Standing in for Brian Johnson – Johnson medically informed of potential deafness if he was to perform – Axl Rose takes to Europe to join his next band who perform in just a couple of weeks – Both Belgium and Denmark has already Sold Out, but how many AC/DC fans will demand refunds for these? The European tour is as follows:

7/5 – Passeio Maritimo de Alges, Lisbon, Portugal
10/5 – Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla – Seville, Spain
13/5 – Nouveau Stade Velodrome – Marseille, France
16/5 – Werchter, Werchter, Belgium
19/5 – Ernst Happel Stadium – Vienna, Austria
22/5 – Letnany Airport – Prague, Czech Republic
26/5 – Volksparkstadion – Hamburg, Germany
29/5 – Stade de Suisse – Bern, Switzerland
1/6 – Red Bull Arena – Leipzig, Germany
4/6 – Olympic Stadium – London
9/6 – Etihad Stadium – Manchester
12/6 – Ceres Park & Arena – Aarhus, Denmark

At Los Angeles airport Axl Rose told TMZ that his favourite AC/DC song was ‘Touch Too Much’ (watch below) . Hobbling with a broken foot, Axl Rose should heal in time to continue the Coachella momentum. Let’s hope he does AC/DC fans justice. Big shoes to fill indeed.

AC/DC took to their official site to announce that the American tour dates that were cancelled due to Johnson leaving are set to be re-scheduled for later in the year with a guest vocalist. They said that:

“Tomorrow’s show in Atlanta through Madison Square Garden in New York, NY in early April will be made up later in the year, likely with a guest vocalist.”

The tour dates that are set to be re-scheduled are as follows:

8/3 – Atlanta, Georgia – Philips Arena
11/3 – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida – BB&T Center
14/3 – Greensboro, North Carolina – Greensboro Coliseum
17/3 – Washington DC – Verizon Center
20/3 – Detroit, Michigan – The Palace
23/3 – Columbus, Ohio – Nationwide Arena
26/3 – Cleveland, Ohio – Quicken Loans Arena
29/3 – Buffalo, New York – First Niagara Center
1/4 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Wells Fargo Center
4/4 – New York, New York – Madison Square Garden

The rumours about Axl Rose have been up in the air for a while now, however recently they have picked up speed, especially after an Atlantan radio DJ claimed that he has heard it all but confirmed from a source:

“This is what I’m being told, Axl was meeting with the AC/DC group, because it’s all but a done deal that Axl will front AC/DC for the ten remaining shows. All ten, including Atlanta,”
“They’re in town, they were auditioning people for the job, and then they flew Axl in, again, this is from my source.”

If Rose does end up collaborating with AC/DC for the rest of their tour then his already huge year with Guns N’ Roses is set to get even busier! Currently Guns N’ Roses are set to have their hugely anticipated come back tour this summer as well as headlining arguably one of America’s biggest festivals, Coachella. Throw doing vocals for AC/DC into the mix and you get a very busy year indeed!