As far as the world is concerned, this is the biggest album of the decade due to how inescapable it was particularly in MJ's native America, although in Australia both John Farnham and Dire straits did outperform this album which only makes it the third biggest of the decade here. Was there any chance this album was going to fail given what's on here? Many credit it for breaking down racial barriers in the music industry that were unfortunately prevalent up until its release.
Peak position #1x11
Hit singles
The girl is mine #4
Billie jean #1
Wanna be starting something #25
Beat it #2
Thriller #4
PYT #40
Like many popular artists of the day, Billy Joel was in danger of becoming typecast as the type of music our mothers would want to listen to (thankfully this is an opinion very few have nowadays) as such we have his foray towards 50's rockabilly on this album which proved to be a wise move for him as it remains his most successful throughout his entire career. We even get elements of doo wop done in a very respectful manner towards those who created the genre.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Tell her about it #9
Uptown girl #1
An innocent man #23
The longest time #15
This is the album which broke so many records upon its initial (international) release, having it and the signature track "Down under" top the Billboard and UK singles and album charts simultaneously. The album was of course a massive success here in Australia thanks to how huge the singles were as well as how quirky the band was, they were no Midnight oil, but they certainly had their place in our hearts.
Peak position #1x9
Hit singles
Who can it be now #2
Down under #1
Be good Johnny #8
For whatever reason, Elton John ended his professional relationship with Bernie Taupin in 1976 which resulted in his albums between then and this album losing the magic the songwriter brought to Elton's best work. The two patched things up when making this album, resulting in the magic being restored in Elton's work and thus, setting the two up for a highly successful decade with its creative ups and downs.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
I'm still standing #3
I guess that's why they call it the blues #4
Crystal #12
Kiss the bride #25
Although their debut album Kissing to be clever (fun fact that title appears as a lyric on this album) was a moderate success for these guys, this was the album which made them a household name largely thanks to how much shameless fun the tracks are despite there being an underlying theme of tolerance and acceptance throughout its runtime. It's a shame that their next album saw the band lose the magic they had on here.
Peak position #1x7
Hit singles
Church of the poison mind #4
Karma chameleon #1
Victims #4
It's a miracle #14
Miss me blind #26
Although these guys achieved some buzz earlier in the decade, this was the album which broke them into a wider audience which is funny because the name of the album is an obvious reference to Countdown which due to technical errors during a scheduled performance they had on the show, resulted in the band's infamous hatred of the program. It could also be they felt their appearance on the show would compromise their politically charged lyrics they often used in their music.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
US forces #20
Power and the passion #8
Well this saw the band go in a different direction to what they were used to, admittedly even the greatest bands have to change their sound or else risk alienating fans in favour of more experimental acts. This paid off in a big way for Mark and company as the album was their most successful at the time of release, in fact it's second only to Brothers in arms as their most successful in their career.
Peak position #1x15
Hit singles
Private investigations #21
Well, I hope David Bowie fans are prepared for what I'm about to say, this sellout album of his not only remains his most successful album in his career, but it's also one of only a select few in his discography to be a huge success for him back in the day. Admittedly pop sellout Bowie still has infinitely more artistic integrity than most mainstream artists so it's not like this was a bad representation of his genius.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Cat people #15
Let's dance #2
China girl #15
Modern love #6
How bittersweet must this album's success been for Roxy music, after all they were always planning on going their separate ways regardless of how this album was received after its release and yet it remains their most popular album in their catalogue. I guess they wanted to ensure fans that there wasn't any animosity between them and that their demise was to allow Bryan Ferry's solo career to succeed this decade.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
More than this #6
Avalon #22
This was the biggest album in Joan Armatrading's career worldwide, possibly due to it spawning her biggest hit in certain parts of the world including Australia and NZ with its lead single. Joan is one of many female singer/songwriters in the music industry to eventually come out as gay when it became less of a stigma, joining the likes of Tracy Chapman, Melissa Etheridge and the Indigo girls in this regard.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Drop the pilot #6
Call me names #20
This was the only album that Goanna released during their brief time together to receive any major success, presumably due to the theme throughout the album being about aboriginal rights which Midnight oil would tackle later in the decade with their album Diesel and dust. I'm not sure their second album flopped a few years later, but it led to them calling it quits as a result.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Solid rock #3
Razor's edge #35
This was the final album to be released from the Police before they became fed up with each other and broke up, many will tell you that this is their best album (I personally prefer their debut) due to the neo noir feel the album has throughout its runtime. It's certainly their most successful when you factor in the singles as the lead single became their biggest hit both in America and their native UK.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Every breath you take #2
Wrapped around your finger #26
King of pain #44
There was a lot of hype going into this concert given hot it was the official reunion for Simon and Garfunkel, needless to say these expectations were met effortlessly as the duo gave such a compelling show that audiences welcomed them back with open arms. There was talk of the two making new music together following the success of the show, however they remembered why they disliked each other and went their separate ways again.
Peak position #5
Following the huge success of their now self-titled album, Icehouse released their sophomore album which was an immediate success for them here in Australia and an even bigger success for them over in NZ. This success led to the album being released in the UK where it did fairly well as the second single managed to crack the top twenty there. This led to them experimenting with their sound for the next two albums.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Great southern land #5
Hey little girl #7
He did manage to score one of the biggest hits of the decade with the lead single from this album, so it was only inevitable that the album itself would be a huge success for Kenny Rogers here in Australia. This was unfortunately the last album he found success with here likely due to there not being much room for country music in the era of MTV here, although he did score one more hit with a greatest hits package.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Islands in the stream #1
Flashdance is a movie you either love or hate, you love it for the striking visuals or hate it for its admittedly meandering plot that ultimate goes nowhere. Either way the film and its soundtrack were a huge success back in the day, the former due to its powerful performance that Jennifer Beals gives as Alyx while the latter was due to how catchy the music was throughout its track listing.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
What a feeling #1
Maniac #2
Livie was at the height of her popularity when she released the third volume of her greatest hits series, although it's worth noting that internationally this was only her second volume given how First impressions was released exclusively in Australia and NZ. Her career would come to a crashing halt when she starred opposite John Travolta for the second time in the critically panned Two of a kind.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Heart attack #22
While Split enz had yet to call it quits by this point in time, that didn't prevent Tim Finn from releasing a solo album which went on to have massive success due to the popularity of his band. No doubt it was the success of this album which tanked the bands next album and eventually led to them breaking up, that wasn't necessarily for the worst as it led to his younger brother Neil forming Crowded house.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Fraction too much friction #8
Made my day #22
Staring at the embers #34
They had two albums which didn't bring in much success for them, however when Spandau ballet released their third album their fortunes changed likely due to how the second British invasion in America made most British artists thrive internationally. Many people feel this album exemplifies the second British invasion as it has many of the qualities affiliated with the genre.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Communication #24
True #4
Gold #9
Joe Jackson is another English piano man who managed to find success over the years, OK he only found success with this album likely through the strength of its lead single which seems to question the relevancy of toxic masculinity that's instilled on boys while they're growing up. While he had moderate success with his other albums, none of them reached the dizzying heights of success as this album did.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Real men #6
Stepping out #30
One of the more popular bands of the decade were the Divinyls, mainly due to the lead singer Chrissie Amphlett who much like the Pretenders, had an attitude which made her seem like one of the boys which allowed her to connect with many audiences who would otherwise pass up music made by women. Indeed, their brand of new wave helped them stand out from a bunch of other now long forgotten female lead bands.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Science fiction #13
Siren #45
Regardless of how you feel about these guys (they're not for me) there's no denying that they were among the most popular bands in the world during the early 80's and as such, this greatest hits package would inevitably be a success for them. This did spell the end of their relevancy as they struggled to find any success after this album, however it did spawn one more hit for them in America so there's that at least.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Making love out of nothing at all #45
Given how Stevie Wonder was one of the hottest names in music during the first half of the decade, it only makes sense that his greatest hits package would be a massive success here in Australia even if it became a success twice during its run down under for some reason.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
That girl #38
This was released on the second-year anniversary of John Lennon's death; I suppose this was delayed avoiding coming off as a cheap cash grab off his legacy like so many Beatles compilations that came out at the time. It's up to you whether or not this should've been released given the obvious circumstances of its success.
Peak position #1x5
This was the breakthrough album from INXS, sure they had some buzz prior to this album but none of their earlier material found much success in the mainstream for some unknown reason. This is where their chart dominance would begin as it would spawn some of their more easily recognisable hits as well as set the band up as a force to be reckoned with from their subsequent follow ups.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
One thing #14
Don't change #14
Black and white #24
You'd think this would be the moment when Split enz called it quits given what they named their greatest hits package, alas this was more a way of letting their fans know that Tim Finn would be going solo this year as he would release his solo album to massive success shortly after this came out. For what it's worth, it was the end of an era as the band would struggle for success after this came out.
Peak position #8
This was the final album that Supertramp were able to score success here in Australia, hey at least they were able to survive the initial hurdle of the MTV era given how this managed to spawn them their one and only hit here which is something that didn't happen throughout the 70's. They would try to soldier on as MTV grew in popularity, however they couldn't find any success which led to them breaking up.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
It's raining again #11
While his first solo album was a minor success the previous year, it was this second album that Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant released this year that made him a household name following the demise of his band earlier in the decade. It was his biggest solo album likely through the strength of its lead single which became a hit throughout the world for him, although he would find success later in the decade.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Big log #23
In the mood #37
Well, if you wanted to see Linda Ronstadt try her hand at a standards album, she's got you covered as she released this album likely as a passion project as she wasn't known for making standards prior to making this album and standards has never been a huge draw for the mainstream. She would fade into obscurity after this album until her triumphant comeback from the very end of the decade.
Peak position #11
This was a moderate success for Billy Joel given how it was sandwiched between two of his biggest albums in his career, indeed it didn't have that Billboard chart topper that Glass house or An innocent man had but that didn't mean audience didn't gravitate towards it back in the day as they clearly did.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Pressure #16
Allentown #49
This was originally released at the start of the decade to deafening silence here in Australia, however it was given a second chance when Hot Chocolate scored a massive comeback here thanks to a memorable appearance on Countdown with their (then) most recent album which helped stretch their popularity here this far into the 80's.
Peak position #4
This was a compilation album which collected some of the biggest hits in Australia during our winter, it was a massive success back in the day as were the majority of these albums.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Beat it #2
Der kommissar #17
I’m still standing #3
Buffalo gals #19
Whap rap #9
Little red corvette #8
Black and white #24
Overkill #5
Solitaire #5
The walls came down #21
Stand back #20
Let’s go to bed #15
Mad world #12
Speak like a child #29
Candy girl #10
It’s raining men #16
Total eclipse of the heart #1
This was the debut album from one of the most successful bands of the decade, although fun fact, these guys are technically an Australian band since they formed while on tour here following their departure from their previous band the Tourists. This was the start of a trend where each album the duo would release would be more successful than the last, culminating with their fourth album Revenge.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Love is a stranger #17
Sweet dreams #6
They were off to an amazing start with their debut album from the end of the previous decade, so to see these guys fail with their second and third album must have been a shock to the band given how much buzz they had going into the 80's. Indeed, their fourth album was all set for failure even with the success of its lead single, however it then won the Grammy for album of the year which boosted its sales.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Rosanna #16
Africa #5
The Autumn of 1983 was a hectic time if this greatest hits package is anything to go by, there were plenty of big names scoring big hits for this album to choose from and it certainly delivered making it a huge success.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Living on the ceiling #5
Hey little girl #7
Love my way #23
Do you really want to hurt me #1
Zoom #10
Stand up #21
Peek a boo #45
Gloria #1
Down the line #37
Shock the monkey #25
Don’t change #14
Back on the chain gang #12
Twisting by the pool #2
Africa #5
Truly #7
This was the first album that U2 had any success with, it's a politically charged album as was many of their earlier material about how war is bad and that it needs to stop. It connected with audiences worldwide who agreed with this sentiment, although their later material would be less politically charged which would result in them scoring more hits from their albums.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
New year's day #36
Bonnie had been MIA in the music scene since her breakthrough in the late 70's, although there was a logical reason for this as she had management issues which resulted in her cutting ties with them and her even refusing to acknowledge her earlier work. Here she finds massive success with an album which led off with a track that I'm confident was meant for the second Bat out of hell album that only came out ten years later.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Total eclipse of the heart #1
This was originally released at the start of the decade for the film of the same name, a film that remains a cult classic to this day due to the hilarious hijinks that ensues involving the titular Blues brothers band. I'm not sure what took this soundtrack so long to be a success here given how John Belushi had already been dead for a year by the time it did find its audience here.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Shake a tailfeather #47
You'd think that a man who swept the Grammys at the start of the decade would have a much bigger follow up to his debut album, it turns out that even back then Christopher Cross's sweep of the awards ceremony was harshly criticised due to the competition he won over that year. In any case we have his second album which was a decent success back in the day but has since been largely forgotten in recent years.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
All right #30
This was the second album to be released from Men at work, this is despite the fact that their earlier entry was still making waves around the world due to it being so successful here and in NZ. I think it was because of their earlier entry that this album didn't do as well as the band had hoped, it was a huge success thanks to their quirkiness still being infectious, but it definitely could've done better.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Dr heckyl and Mr jive #6
Overkill #5
It's a mistake #34
The Autumn of 1983 was a hectic time if this greatest hits package is anything to go by, there were plenty of big names scoring big hits for this album to choose from and it certainly delivered making it a huge success.
Peak position #1x4
Hit singles
White wedding #9
Don’t pay the ferryman #5
I eat cannibals #4
Shoop shoop #11
The clapping song #4
Our house #17
She blinded me with science #19
The message #21
Science fiction #13
Hooked on hooks #21
Too shy #6
Heartbreaker #2
Up where we belong #1
I could be so good for you #9
The other guy #17
Stepping out #30
It’s raining again #11
Ain’t no pleasing you #11
Wot #30
Can’t take my eyes off you #21
We have another greatest hits package to become successful in Australia from the Beatles, this one was released exclusively here which means it wasn't a success anywhere else in the world due to it not being released anywhere else.
Peak position #1x1
Paul Young was one of the more popular artists to come from the sophistopop genre this decade, although his debut album did need two attempts to make it big in Australia as it was only after the success of its third single that it became a success here. It was more instantly successful worldwide which no doubt set him up for success over in America with his second album.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Wherever I lay my hat #9
Come back and stay #18
Love of the common people #8
People have complained over the years that this second solo album was where Stevie began to abandon her roots in folk music, I feel it was for the best as it helped her stand out from Fleetwood mac as well as explore different genres to experiment with her voice. It wasn't among her most successful albums; however, it did serve as a warmup to her next album which remains her biggest solo effort to date in Australia.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Stand back #20
This was the debut album of Culture club, one of the most popular bands of the 80's despite having that popularity largely confined to their earlier entry on this list. Indeed, this was an album that needed the success of their second album to make it big here in Australia, although once their second album took off, it was considered to be among their greatest work.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Do you really want to hurt me #1
There have been a tone of movie themes to make it big in the 70's and 80's, so leave it to British pianist to due piano versions of these themes and find success here in Australia with an album filled with them.
Peak position #6
The spring of 1982 was a hectic time for Australia, as such this compilation album billed as a summer release became hit during the early months of this year due to choosing some noteworthy songs to appear on the album.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Shy boy #2
Winners #12
Don’t go #6
You should hear how she talks about you #4
Real men #6
Do you wanna touch me #18
Hot in the city #18
Down on the border #7
All touch #40
Sweet little woman #42
Maneater #4
I know there’s something going on #5
Words #12
You can do magic #30
Voyeur #30
Taxi Mary #11
Heart attack #22
House of fun #5
I’m so excited #9
We can’t be beaten #28
Spring of 1983 was such a hectic time here in Australia when it comes to our music scene that it makes sense that this greatest hits package would be a huge success here during our summer period of 83/84.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
The safety dance #5
I hear motion #16
Putting on the Ritz #5
Reckless #1
Montego bay #19
Suddenly last summer #34
Words #12
Making love out of nothing at all #45
Love blonde #32
IOU #3
She’s sexy and 17 #21
Who’s that girl #20
Just got lucky #25
Tonight I celebrate my love #10
Soldier of fortune #17
Made my day #22
Life gets better #35
Nobody’s diary #17
The spring of 1982 was a hectic time in music here in Australia, although this album did struggle in the rankings due to the stiff competition that it had with other albums around the time of its release that also looked over the big hits of spring that year.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Come on Eileen #1
If you want my love #2
The queen and me #40
I didn’t mean to be mean #25
Solid rock #3
Rosanna #16
Jack and Diane #7
Lady what’s your name #13
Avalon #22
Glittering prize #9
Great southern land #5
Rhythm of the jungle #13
The look of love #7
Abracadabra #1
Ever so lonely #40
Da da da #4
Seven tears #25
Many fans of the Rolling Stones consider this to be their final decent album given the critical reception to their next album Dirty work, even so, it appears that they didn't enjoy this album as much as the rest of their catalogue at the time given how much less successful it was compared to the rest of their catalogue.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Undercover of the night #27
This was the only notable success that Hall and Oates had outside of their native America when it came to their albums, although at least they had better luck with their singles internationally including the lead single on this album which is perhaps what made it a success here in Australia and over in NZ for the duo. It does make you wonder why they weren't able to achieve more success with their albums back in the day.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Maneater #4
Family man #49
This was a greatest hits album that was released exclusively in Australia and NZ mere months prior to the death of Karen Carpenter, meaning we have another successful album to become as such due to the death of an artist involved with its creation. I'm guessing this was planned on having an international release back in the day but was cancelled out of respect for Karen's passing.
Peak position #1x1
This was the only successful album that Redgum had in their career, although they were described as a killer live band and the bonus track did become a massive hit this year due to it being a heartfelt tribute to the Anzacs who served in Vietnam war. They may be a one hit wonder with the song, but at least the band are still fondly remembered to this day.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
I was only 19 #1
This was the last album to be released with Roger Waters on lead vocals as he would quit the band after this to pursue a solo career, all I'll say is that the solo career went nowhere and that the band would have a huge surge in popularity once David Gilmore took over as lead vocalist during the production of A momentary lapse of reason.
Peak position #3
It had been a while since John Denver last troubled our charts, so to see him with a greatest hits package was a bit of a surprise given how it had been a good eight years since he was one of the hottest country stars in the music industry.
Peak position #3
This was another successful album that the Angels found success with this decade, it wasn't the same level of success that they would go on to achieve during the second half of the decade, but it remains one of their more popular albums in their catalogue.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Eat city #22
Live lady live #43
This was the final album to be released from George Benson to have any sort of success here in Australia, it's curious that a rare musician of colour who was able to thrive pre-MTV would struggle to retain his popularity once any prejudice towards black music was dispelled around this time.
Peak position #13
This is one of those albums that's all but been erased from pop culture despite it being a modest success back in the day here in Australia and the duo's native UK, I'm guessing because the lead single has gone down on the internet as one of the worst of the decade and arguably of all time due to how cheesy it remains.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Save your love #3
This was a bit of a comeback for Bob Dylan given how his time in the spotlight seemed to be up coming into the 80's, although he found way more success in NZ with this album and especially with his next album despite both of them being hated by his fanbase even to this day.
Peak position #6
This was released during a time where exercise records were making it big in America, as such Richard Simmons decided to release a parody album of these records which ironically made it the most successful of these albums here in Australia.
Peak position #12
This was another greatest hits album that was released exclusively in Australia, this time it's due to the recent resurgence in popularity that Joe Cocker had due to his Oscar winning ballad with Jennifer Warnes from An officer and a gentleman. He would return later in the decade with Cocker and its hit singles.
Peak position #1x3
This was the second volume for the Eagles greatest hits package following their first volume from 1976, admittedly this was released more in response to the band breaking up at the start of the decade rather than it being released six years after its first volume. It was a success given how they infamously declared that hell needed to freeze over for them to reform, that of course happened in 1994.
Peak position #5
This was a greatest hits album that was released a year after Cliff's previous greatest hits album exclusively in Australia, I guess it had been 25 years since he first broke through into the industry but I'm sure why this was a success given how Love songs was a huge hit for him last year.
Peak position #1x3
This was another successful album to come from AC/DC this decade, much like their previous entry on this site, it didn't spawn any hits for them which is why it wasn't as successful as their album from the start of the decade.
Peak position #3
From what I can gather, this is the only heavy metal compilation to become a success throughout the 80's here in Australia, I guess the fact that this was a success was impressive given how the other themed albums were much more accessible to the mainstream back in the day.
Peak position #7
Although this implies it's a dance compilation, it's actually an album overlooking the biggest hits in Australia during our winter of this year. There were some good picks on this album which resulted in its success.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Is there something I should know #4
Affair of the heart #26
Love is a stranger #17
Send me an angel #6
Do ya wanna funk #24
Na na hey hey kiss him goodbye #38
Always something there to remind me #7
Jeopardy #11
Shiny shiny #3
Dracula’s tango #19
No tragedy #27
She blinded me with science #19
There were indeed plenty of women in the rock and roll scene around this time, as such a label put together some of the biggest hits to make it big in Australia from women which allowed the album to become a huge success this year.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
You should hear how she talks about you #4
I want candy #39
Mickey #1
Hit me with your best shot #33
Shy boy #2
Modern girl #24
I know what boys like #14
Total control #7
Kids in America #5
Say I love you #5
I love rock and roll #1
I know there’s something going on #5
Lucky number #2
Rapture #5
Words #10
Without you #34
Body and soul #5
Stay with me till dawn #8
Babooshka #2
Rock hard #9
Although these guys would go on to have a massive success later in the decade with "He's gonna step on you again" (albeit with a different lineup than the one found here) this was the only successful album that the Party boys had during their time together which was a live album they recorded presumably at many 21st birthday parties.
Peak position #9
I guess Luciano Pavarotti was more popular prior to him teaming up with Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo throughout the 90's if the success of this greatest hits album was anything to go by here in Australia.
Peak position #7
It seems a little odd that this debut album from Wham wasn't more of a success here in Australia, I guess there was only so much we could take from George Michael rapping before it became too much of a novelty for us (it might even explain why hip hop took so long to become a success here.) Naturally they would achieve more success with their second album the following year as they dropped the rapping on that release.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Young guns #4
Wham rap #9
Bad boys #9
This is the only notable success that Dionne Warwick had here in Australia, at least if we don't include her charity single "That's what friends are for" from a few years later as she curiously didn't have that much success down under back in the day. You can thank the brothers Gibb for that as they wrote and performed on many of the tracks on the album including the title track which became a huge success for her.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Heartbreaker #2
Given how successful their first two albums were the previous year, it's a bit surprising that this was much less of a hit for Duran Duran here in Australia despite it managing to spawn two of their most popular songs in their catalogue. I guess at this point, we Aussies had officially declared these guys to be a singles act similar to the likes of Kim Wilde and Laura Branigan.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Union of the snake #4
New moon on Monday #48
The reflex #4
I guess we Aussies passed up this solo effort from Phil Collins in favour of its lead single where it became his biggest hit by this point in his career but solo and with Genesis, although it was enough of a sleeper hit for it to qualify for this list which is more than I can say for his (then) latest album with his band which was a complete flop here.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
You can't hurry love #3
This was a bit of a commercial disappointment for Mental as anything given how big their previous album was, although it did alright all things considered and is admittedly sandwiched between the band's two biggest albums.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Spirit got lost #20
This is the final successful album in Bob Seger's career, he actually lasted fairly well into the 80's considering he was such a poor fit for the MTV era of music. Alas, the times didn't have room for his brand of soft rock that dominated the 70's, much like many other staples of the disco era.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Shame on the moon #38
This was a modest success for Bob Marley two years after he tragically passed away, it was an album comprising of songs that didn't make the cut for his previous albums which proved to be fortuitous as fans likely wanted to hear more from his work prior to his death.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Buffalo soldier #3
Much like his previous album, the success of this album largely came from its lead single which was a duet Paul McCartney had with one of the biggest musicians of colour of the day. This would be his final successful album here in Australia given how his next project was the soundtrack to his first film as a leading actor which was the critically panned flick Give my regards to Broad Street.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Say say say #4
Pipes of peace #36
This is the first of two love theme greatest hits albums that Elton John released in his career, although much like this greatest hits package from two years prior, this was also overshadowed over the years by the 90's rendition due to how much more successful that was.
Peak position #5
It was clear that we Aussies didn't support the disco backlash that was taking place in America around this time, so much so that the Village people were able to achieve sound success with this greatest hits package that they seemingly released here exclusively due to how far into obscurity it's since fallen into.
Peak position #15
I guess we Aussies had enough nostalgia for the one and only hit that Harry Secombe had that this album is named after that it became a minor hit this year for him.
Peak position #9
These guys emerged from the punk rock scene of the late 70's, meaning that this had an uphill battle from the get-go considering that not only was this past the peak of punk rock but also that punk rock was never that big here in Australia to begin with. Fortunately, the band moved more towards a pub rock sound with this album which explains its success.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
We can't be beaten #28
This was originally a flop for Eddy Grant here in Australia due to the lead single bombing here, although it was given a second chance when the second single almost topped both our and the Billboard charts which allowed the first single to rebound on our charts. It's the only solo success the former Equals singer had on our charts.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
I don't wanna dance #21
Electric avenue #2
This will be Marianne Faithful's only appearance on this side of my site as the 60's teen idol turned new wave rocker didn't see much success here in Australa back in the day. This was a minor success here likely due to it fitting in with the surprising number of female new wave that was making it big this year, although she had much more success in NZ and her native UK around this time.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Running for our lives #40
This was the first album to be released from Mike Oldfield that singing on it, normally he would release an album of instrumentals with some occasional vocals from the multi-instrumentalist, however here he clearly wanted to have a mainstream crossover which resulted in him bringing in some vocalists to sing over some of the tracks. This paid off for him as this became a massive success in NZ and his native UK and a moderate success here in Australia.
Peak position #17
Hit singles
Moonlight shadow #6
I guess we Aussies really had nostalgia for the 50's this year given how this managed to make the cut for this list.
Peak position #10
I guess we Aussies really had nostalgia for the 60's this year given how this managed to make the cut for this list.
Peak position #11
This likely would've sunk on our charts were it not for the fact that the lead single was a huge UK chart topper for Rod Stewart this year, as such it put his career on life support which continued throughout the rest of the decade where he was able to mount a successful comeback at the start of the 90's.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Baby Jane #10
Sharon O'Neill was a rising star in her native NZ when she began the 80's, although I don't think anyone was expecting her to find success here in Australia considering that she wasn't among the most popular pop stars in her homeland (then again, their music scene was noticeably lacking women at the time.) She found success here when the second single became a sleeper hit due to its haunting tale about a fallen friend of hers.
Peak position #17
Hit singles
Losing you #26
Maxine #16
From what I can gather, Local hero was a comedy film that was a critical and commercial success among Australian and British audiences, it predictably flopped in America due to it being a non-Hollywood project as sadly non-Hollywood films almost always flopped over there throughout the twentieth century. The film is also known for its soundtrack as Dire straits frontman Mark Knopfler was commissioned to provide music for it.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Local hero #29
From what I can gather, this is a five L.P compilation which true to the name of the compilation, is a collection of rock tracks that had made it big in the (at the time) thirty years since it first hit the mainstream in the mid 50's. It's little surprise it was a success this year and likely would've been even bigger if there wasn't so much stiff competition from the other compilation albums.
Peak position #12
Given that Donna Summer continued to see moderate success here in Australia this far into the decade, her greatest hits package from 1979 recharted and even matched the success it achieved at the start of the decade as a reminder of her disco era of her catalogue.
Peak position #16
It's seems odd that the manager of the Sex pistols would find more success back in the day than the punk legends themselves, however that's what happened when Malcolm McLaren released his solo album this year as this managed to be a moderate success here thanks to a memorable appearance on Countdown where he performed two of the three singles on the show.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Buffalo gals #19
Double Dutch #14
Whereas most people from the 70's tried to adapt with the times for the MTV era, Jackson Browne stuck to his guns which resulted in his album this year being a moderate success for him even though it feels completely out of place compared to many other entries on this list.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
Lawyers in love #28
I think these guys wanted to ease the fact they had replaced Glenn Shorrock with John Farnham as their lead singer onto their fans by reminding them of their back catalogue with this album, it was a modest success for them as it included the two big hits that they had while Whispering Jack was their frontman.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Down on the border #7
The other guy #17
While he wasn't among the more popular artists of the 80's, Chris De Burgh did achieve success with the two albums that spawned his respective hits here in Australia proving that he was a nice alternative to all of the new wave and MTV driven pop that was becoming big throughout the decade.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
Don't pay the ferryman #5
This is the only other album that the Radiators found any sort of success with throughout their career, it proved to be slightly more popular than their debut album from the start of the decade likely due to it being more pop friendly than the punk rock that album had to offer.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
No tragedy #27
This was the solo debut from Lionel Richie, an album he admitted to it being just a Commodores album but with only him contributing to it so that he could ease fans into accepting the music he wanted to make on his next two albums. Indeed, this was little more than a transitional album as he would release his second album less than a year after its release only to then take his sweet time in making music afterwards.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
Truly #7
You are #17
There was a chance that Celtic music would've been the defining genre of the decade had MTV not swept the music scene the previous year, evidence of this is that this is far from the only album from the genre that found some level of success here in Australia during the height of MTV's reign.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
When you were sweet sixteen #9
Given how Foreigner was coming off their most successful album, it makes sense they would release a greatest hits package which saw moderate success here in Australia a year after that albums release. They would have one more album that saw huge success later in the decade before they faded into obscurity.
Peak position #26
Following the success of the film Fame, a TV show was commissioned which brought in a brand-new cast to replace the one from the film which proved to be a massive success back in the day. It was kind of like the 80's equivalent of Glee only with far less gossip drama and with mostly original songs sung each week (also just a better show all around in my opinion) which made the soundtrack a success as well.
Peak position #34
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