Thunderstruck is a song by Australian rock band AC/DC, released in 1990 as the opening track on their album The Razors Edge. Its instantly recognisable guitar introduction, played by Angus Young, helped make it one of the band's signature songs and a regular fixture at sporting events and in films. Online, short clips of the riff have become shorthand for excitement and build-up, used in memes, sports edits and reaction videos to signal that something big is coming, which keeps the one-second burst popular long after its original release.
About this sound
The opening Thunderstruck guitar riff by AC/DC, a high-energy rock sound used in memes, edits and hype moments to signal something epic is about to happen.
This is a short, punchy burst from the opening guitar riff of Thunderstruck, instantly recognisable from its fast, repeating notes and driving rock energy. The sound is bright, sharp and propulsive, with a single guitar line that feels like it is building toward a big moment even in just over a second. Played on its own, it works as a sudden jolt of excitement, turning an ordinary clip into something that feels louder, faster and more dramatic. It is the kind of sound that makes viewers lean in, because they already know the anthem behind it and expect the payoff to follow.
