"The Razors Edge" is the twelfth studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC. It was released on 24 September 1990 through Albert Productions/CBS Records International in Australasia and Atlantic Records in Europe. The album was recorded in 1990 at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, Canada. It was produced by Bruce Fairbairn, engineered and mixed by Mike Fraser, and mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound in New York City. It was the only AC/DC studio album to feature Welsh drummer Chris Slade, who was a member of the band from 1989 to 1994.
The album followed "Blow Up Your Video" (1988), which had been recorded with the band's original producers, Harry Vanda and George Young. After the subsequent tour began in 1988, rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young temporarily left touring activities to address issues related to alcoholism. He was replaced on tour by his nephew, Stevie Young. In 1989, drummer Simon Wright left the band to join the heavy metal group Dio and was replaced by Chris Slade. During this period, vocalist Brian Johnson was temporarily unavailable while finalising his divorce, leading Malcolm and Angus Young to write the material for the album themselves, a practice that continued on later AC/DC releases.
Bruce Fairbairn, who had previously worked with bands including Aerosmith and Bon Jovi, was selected as producer for the album. According to the book "AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll", George Young was initially involved in the project but withdrew because of personal issues.
The opening guitar riff of "Thunderstruck" was developed by Angus Young using a technique that alternated fretted notes with open strings. In interviews, Young stated that the riff originated from an improvised guitar idea that was later developed collaboratively with Malcolm Young over several months. The song became one of the album's best-known tracks.
"Moneytalks" was also released as a single and became AC/DC's highest-charting single in the United States, reaching number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. During performances of the song on the accompanying tour, replica one-dollar bills known as "Angus Bucks" were dropped over audiences. A music video directed by David Mallet featured live footage from the tour.
Several commentators noted lyrical themes related to wealth and business culture on tracks such as "Mistress for Christmas" and "Moneytalks". In a 1991 interview with "Guitar World", Angus Young described "Mistress for Christmas" as the album's funniest song and stated that the title track contained one of his preferred guitar solos from the record, including fingerpicking techniques that were uncommon in AC/DC's music.
Upon release, "The Razors Edge" received mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Alex Henderson of AllMusic praised Brian Johnson's vocals and Angus Young's guitar work, while Greg Sandow of "Entertainment Weekly" gave the album a favourable assessment. Martin Popoff later described the album as an important comeback release for the band. In contrast, John Mendelsohn of "Rolling Stone" criticised the album for similarities to the band's earlier work.
The album produced several singles, including "Thunderstruck", "Moneytalks", "Are You Ready", and "Rock Your Heart Out". "Thunderstruck" and "Are You Ready" reached numbers 5 and 16 respectively on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. "Moneytalks" reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"The Razors Edge" reached number 2 on the US Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 77 consecutive weeks. It also reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. The album received multiple platinum certifications in several countries, including Canada, the United States, Australia, Germany, and Switzerland. Worldwide sales have been estimated at approximately 18.8 million copies, making it one of AC/DC's highest-selling albums.
To promote the album, AC/DC embarked on the Razors Edge World Tour, which ran from November 1990 to November 1991. Performances from the tour were later used for the 1992 live album "AC/DC Live". "The Razors Edge" was reissued in 2003 as part of the "AC/DC Remasters" series and again in 2012 on iTunes alongside most of the band's catalogue. In 2024, it was reissued on gold vinyl as part of the "AC/DC 50" anniversary series.
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