AC/DC - Highway to Hell - Guitar Tab

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AC/DC - Highway to Hell - Guitar Tab

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Classic Rock

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AC/DC Hard Rock 1979 A major
Capo Advisor 0 A major · Original key

Highway to Hell


"Highway to Hell" is the title track and opening song from AC/DC's 1979 album of the same name. Driven by Angus Young's instantly recognizable rhythm-and-lead guitar work and a straightforward chord structure, it became one of hard rock's defining anthems. For electric guitar players, it is an excellent study in power chords, confident groove, and the raw simplicity that makes a riff truly memorable.

  • The main riff is built on just a few power chords, A, D, and G, making it highly accessible for intermediate guitarists.
  • "Highway to Hell" was released as a single on 27 July 1979, the same day as the full album.
  • The track runs approximately 3 minutes and 28 seconds, a tight and focused runtime typical of classic hard rock singles.
Gibson SG Standard
Guitar

Gibson SG Standard

Angus Young's 1968 Gibson SG Standard is the foundation of AC/DC's signature tone, its lightweight mahogany body and full upper-fret access enabling his aggressive, fluid lead work. Stock Gibson humbuckers push Marshall Plexi amps into natural tube saturation, giving him the perfect balance of dynamics and crunch without relying on effects.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

The Marshall 1959 Super Lead cranked to full volume is where Angus Young's power comes from, with no master volume control forcing the power tubes to compress and break up naturally. This thick, harmonically rich overdrive defines AC/DC's raw, unprocessed rock tone straight from guitar to amp.

Marshall JTM45
Amp

Marshall JTM45

Angus Young uses the Marshall JTM45 as his primary amp for achieving natural tube saturation at high volumes, where the amp's power tubes generate organic overdrive without any pedal assistance. This minimalist, direct approach captures AC/DC's core sound: pure, uncolored guitar and amp interaction.

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Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)