AC/DC / Photo by Guido Karp

AC/DC certainly know where their fans shop. Black Ice, the time-honored rockers' first album in more than eight years, sold 784,000 copies during its first week, earning the band their second No. 1 album -- and first chart-topping debut ever! What's more, the album is being sold exclusively via Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and online via AC/DC's official web site. Whoa!

AC/DC's exclusive distribution strategy is just the latest in a trend that includes Garth Brooks, the Eagles, and Journey, whose albums were all released via Wal-Mart and sold respectable numbers. Limited-edition versions of Smashing Pumpkins' Zeitgeist were released via Best Buy, and Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy will also be dropped by the superstore come November 25. The success of  AC/DC's Black Ice seems to futher validate this shift in music distribution.

Black Ice's sales top that of any album this year, except Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III, which moved 1,005,000 copies in its first week, Billboard.com reports.

Fans can catch AC/DC on their "Black Ice" World Tour throughout the fall and winter. Check out the itinerary here. And to read a review of AC/CD's exclusive first gig click here.