A staggering 374 bagpipers gathered in Melbourne’s Federation Square this week (Nov 12) to blast an AC/DC classic in unison - and in the process, smashed a world record.

The massive ensemble of pipers set a new benchmark for the largest bagpipe performance ever, performing AC/DC’s 1975 song ‘It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll), and overtaking the previous record of 333 pipers set in Sofia, Bulgaria back in 2012. 

Thousands of punters turned out to watch, filling the square with a sea of tartan.

The track itself, of course, is an anthem that perfectly fuses Aussie grit with Scottish pipes, famously featuring the late Bon Scott’s own bagpipe chops. The music video - shot for just $380 - saw AC/DC cruising down Swanston Street on a flatbed truck alongside the Rats of Tobruk Pipe Band.

One of the original pipers from that shoot, 80-year-old Les Kenfield, joined the 374-strong crew for the world record attempt. 

Kenfield and his bandmates got to know Bon Scott after giving him bagpiping lessons before AC/DC filmed the music video back in 1976.

“Bon was the one who said, when we’re doing the video would you guys like to come along and join in?” Kenfield recalled. “As it turns out, that song has become an iconic song worldwide for such a long time.”

The timing couldn’t have been better, with the performance happening just hours before AC/DC’s first Aussie show in a decade at the MCG. 

That’s some feel good stuff.