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
Bruce had always had massive success with his album; however, it was this magnum opus that truly made him a household name given how many hits it spawned on Billboard back in the day. Unfortunately, none of his other albums achieved this level of success throughout his career, although given how iconic this remains in the realms of heartland rock, I doubt even he minds much.
Peak position #1x8
Hit singles
Dancing in the dark #5
Cover me #17
Born in the USA #2
I'm on fire #12
Glory days #29
I'm going down #41
My hometown #47
Following the moderate success of his first solo album, Lionel Richie released this album which he admitted was what he really wanted to launch his solo career with but decided to release his first album with safer material to ensure his fans would be on board with his new direction in music. It paid off as regardless of your thoughts about his music, the tracks on here have been remembered since its initial release.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
All night long #1
Running with the night #24
Hello #1
Stuck on you #24
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
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
Many Madonna fans will tell you that this is her sellout album, considering her debut had the budget of a ham sandwich and only became a hit in Australia due to heavy promotion on Countdown, I can understand why Madonna would appeal to the masses with this album if it meant an entire career of making the music she felt passionate about. Even so there's still plenty of merit to this album even if it isn't as ambitious as some of her other efforts.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Like a virgin #1
Material girl #4
Angel #1
Dress you up #5
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
This was the album that made INXS a household name in Australia, although admittedly they wouldn't start seeing major international success until their next album but in the meantime, there was definitely a lot of international interest in the band as the band expanded their appeal outside of their fellow Aussies. It definitely helped them become the biggest Australian band of the decade worldwide.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
Original sin #1
I send a message #3
Burn for you #3
Dancing on the jetty #39
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
Well, this is an album whose story is so laboured with drama that Tina's official biopic starring Angela Bassett was named after the signature track from the album. There's nothing I can add to the conversation about how this album came to be except that "What's love got to do with it" wasn't the lead single from the album. Instead, it was a cover of an Al Green track that was produced by the members of Heaven 17.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Let's stay together #19
What's love got to do with it #1
Better be good to me #28
Private dancer #21
To think this had such a long rise to the peak of its success in most parts of the world, despite it spawning several hit singles, it wasn't until Cyndi embarked on her world tour that this became a best seller for her much like how Celine Dion's breakthrough album the Colour of my love did just that a decade later. As for the album itself, it's no wonder it's remained a classic given how iconic the songs remain to this day.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Girls just want to have fun #1
Time after time #6
She bop #6
All through the night #17
Money changes everything #19
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
Although U2 achieved moderate success prior to the release of this live album captured at their concert at Red rocks Las Vegas, it was this live album that made them a household name in the mainstream due to how raw and energetic the band was during this show. This led to them gaining more and more popularity as the decade went on, which peaked with their Joshua tree album winning them a grammy.
Peak position #2
Also known as the First album, this was indeed where it all began for Madonna given how she was at the time an indie artist who had a great voice and some meaningful things to say in her songwriting. This was a huge sleeper hit for her this year albeit only in Australia as the rest of the world ignored her in favour of Cyndi Lauper, although she would eventually win the battle of top female pop star with her next album.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Holiday #4
Burning up #13
Borderline #12
Lucky star #36
This was Julio's first album he recorded mostly in English, so of course it was going to find an audience with fans of his Latin lover shtick which would be otherwise turned off from his music due to their inability to understand Spanish. To further incentivise people into checking out this album, he included two very well-known American musicians on here and released both tracks as singles.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
To all the girls I've loved before #4
All of you #19
Moonlight lady #43
This is a bit of an outlier for Midnight oil's discography as they made the strange decision to not release any singles from this album, I'm guessing to ensure that it would be a success without any hindrance from audiences wanting to buy the singles instead. If you couldn't tell from the cover art, their topic of the day was environmentalism which even back then was of major concern in the mainstream media.
Peak position #1x4
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
There weren't any signs of these guys slowing down as their fourth album managed to be a huge success for them worldwide, although I would've thought this would be even bigger here in Australia given how synonymous they've become with the second British invasion worldwide. I guess this albums success was more due to their artist momentum given how it didn't spawn a huge hit for them here.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Only when you leave #12
I'll fly for you #38
Round and round #16
Well we did see the likes of Austen Tayshus and the 12th man on the singles chart, so it makes sense that this live comedy album from Rodney Rude would be a huge success on the album charts this year.
Peak position #1x2
You'd think that this album from one of the most popular artists of the decade would've been even bigger here in Australia, granted this did spawn three of the biggest hits of the decade here but that doesn't mean it couldn't have been a huge juggernaut like other pop albums of its time. In any case, this was the album which made the duo a household name over in America due to how catchy the songs are on here.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Wake me up before you go go #1
Careless whisper #1
Freedom #3
Everything she wants #7
This was the debut album for one of the more prominent figures of sophistopop in the music industry Sade, a band led by their frontwoman Sade Adu who combined jazz with new wave for audiences of the day. This is another band I'm surprised didn't have a hit single in Australia considering how well loved their songs remain on oldies stations, although the albums were a success so maybe that's why their songs flopped here.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Smooth operator #20
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
It looked like that these two would find more success with each album they released, after all this was more successful than their previous album and their next two albums would be bigger than the rest of their catalogue combined respectively. They weren't able to score a big hit here in Australia off this album which is strange because the third single is one of their more well-known hits.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Who's that girl #20
Right by your side #15
Here comes the rain again #16
This is the magnum opus from Prince given how it also serves as the soundtrack to his autobiographical film of the same name, it also made him a household name in his native America as he hadn't had much success on Billboard prior to this albums release despite finding huge success internationally with his earlier work. This albums legacy inspired him to release two more films, both of which were panned by critics.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
When doves cry #1
Let's go crazy #10
Purple rain #41
This album was a huge success for Elton John following the success of his comeback album the previous year, although after this he would enter another dry spell as he would suffer from a drug addiction which affected his creativity and eventually his vocals due to developing polyps that he needed to have removed. He came back bigger than ever once the decade ended, but it was a rocky road for him to get there.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Sad songs #4
Passengers #9
Footloose is a film I can easily see annoying people due to how nobody in the town realises the obvious delinquents were the ones causing all the problems in said town, although I feel this was more to make the film's message about not oppressing an entire demographic based on the actions of a select few resonate with audiences. At least the music is really catchy, hence why the soundtrack did so well.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Footloose #1
Let's hear it for the boy #3
Following the success of their live album from earlier on this list, U2 released their fourth album which was the first one to spawn a hit for them in most parts of the world with the lead single. As I said earlier, their popularity only continued to grow with each new album this decade until it culminated with their Grammy award winning fifth album which also remains their most commercially successful to date.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Pride #4
He had tragically passed away three years prior from a toe cancer, but that didn't mean the world was ready to say farewell to Bob Marley as he's arguably had more success from beyond the grave than he did during his lifetime. Here we have his greatest hits package that has become one of the most successful albums of all time due to its refusal to die on the album charts, although it was a huge success upon its initial release so it's not like this only saw success years after it came out.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
One love #24
This was originally released to deafening silence in Australia, likely because we Aussies had no idea who these guys were as their earlier material were massive flops down under. Fortunately, it was given a second wind when "Legs" became a surprise hit for them a year after the album came out which allowed the album to become a huge success here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Legs #6
To think that Pat Benatar's biggest album worldwide was this live album, I'm guessing because it contained a bonus track which would become the biggest hit of her career. Even though this was the peak of her success, her albums did do consistently well due to her tough as nails attitude.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Love is a battlefield #1
This was the most successful compilation album of the 80's in Australia, it was beaten out by those Triple J albums in the 90's (going by the AMR charts of course) but this was during the height of the popularity of seasonal compilations here in Australia. This overlooks the popular songs of spring of 1984 which allowed it to peak during the Christmas season of that year and well into this year.
Peak position #1x9
Hit singles
Ghostbusters #2
Sunglasses at night #16
Pride #4
Missing you #5
No say in it #14
You think you’re a man #8
Dynamite #28
Searching #17
What’s love got to do with it #1
Out of touch #11
Soul kind of feeling #5
Jump #8
Flesh for fantasy #28
No second prize #12
Shake this city #44
I walk away #45
Everybody wants to work #32
Following the success of her (then) latest album, Joan Armatrading released her greatest hits album which was meant to overlook her career at this point which had seen many peaks and valleys over the years. She didn't find any further success in her career after this which is a shame because she could've thrived during the female singer/songwriter scene of the late 80's.
Peak position #4
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
These guys were often described as a killer live act throughout their career, so it's only inevitable that this live album of theirs would be a huge success for them given that it captures their best moments while on tour.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Love over gold #46
This was a compilation album that collected the biggest hits in Australia during the winter of 1984, these albums were all the rage here back in the day and indeed were popular enough to get their own rankings once ARIA took over the charts later in the decade.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
Wake me up before you go go #1
Miss me blind #26
Sad songs #4
What is love #31
I send a message #3
Breaking there’s no stopping us #25
Breakdance #19
Holiday #4
No more words #23
Big girls #18
Taking the town #29
Cry #17
Wouldn’t it be good #5
Oh Sherrie #5
Heaven #2
Dance hall days #7
I’ve been to Bali too #16
Time after time #6
This album was released after collecting all of the biggest hits of spring of 1983, it was released during the summer and thus peaked this year as the summer jam it was designed to be hence making it a huge success.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
Bop girl #2
Rain #2
Karma chameleon #1
Red red wine #2
Wherever I lay my hat #9
Moonlight shadow #6
Maxine #16
Double Dutch #14
Maniac #2
Tell her about it #9
Wanna be starting something #25
Give it up #3
No sense #14
I guess that’s why they call it the blues #4
Some people #50
She works hard for the money #4
Shake a tailfeather #47
Australiana #1
This was a live album to come from Australian Crawl where it became a massive success for the band, likely due to the inclusion of "Reckless" which was technically their biggest hit here due to it being the main song from their E.P Semantics from the previous year. This would be the last success the band would have before their breakup, although James Reyne would return with his solo material.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Reckless #1
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
I guess these guys should've waited to release a greatest hits package after they released their final album, it's a trend I've noticed going through the charts that these types of albums usually spell the end for a band with this being no exception for Australian crawl. Indeed, they released their final album this year where it was a huge failure for them.
Peak position #2
It appears that Kenny Roger's popularity was stronger than ever thanks to him having a highly successful album in the form of Eyes that see in the dark, as a result we have the third greatest hits package from him to be a huge success in Australia in under half a decade.
Peak position #2
This was the big breakthrough that they Eurogliders had in their career after the mediocre reception of their debut album from two years prior, although their next album would be even bigger due to it spawning multiple hits for the Western Australian band. The album is best known for the vocal presence of lead singer Grace Knight who would have a solo album in 1990 that was a huge success.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Heaven #2
Now that they had international success from their previous album, Icehouse decided to experiment with their sound in an attempt to keep up with the trends of MTV. While this and their next album were a success for the band in Australia and NZ, they aren't fondly remembered due to them moving away from the sound which made them iconic on their first two albums and especially their fifth album.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Taking the town #29
Don't believe anymore #31
I haven't seen the Woman in red, and chances are I'm not going to like it based on what I've heard even if it has Gene Wilder and the woman from Weird science in it. The soundtrack was a success due to the lead single becoming one of the biggest hits of the decade worldwide, all of this before it took home the prize of best song at the academy awards the following year.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
I just called to say I love you #1
The autumn of 1984 was a hectic time in Australia if this album is anything to go by, we had a bunch of classic songs become hits during this period which is why this album was able to be such a huge success.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
Girls just want to have fun #1
Blue day #24
Talking in your sleep #12
Cum on feel the noise #9
Just be good to me #17
Break my stride #6
Calling your name #3
Kiss the bride #25
Sticky music #11
Jump #2
Beast of burden #12
All night long #1
In a big country #7
The love cats #6
Original sin #1
Love of the common people #8
Come said the boy #2
Thriller #4
This is another band I would've thought would've been more inescapable here in Australia back in the day, at least their second album proved to be a massive hit here thanks to the strength of its lead single on our charts. Something I noticed about these guys is that they have a fascination with doctors in their music, it likely explains their level of success as they were a legitimate new wave band but on the sillier side.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Hold me now #3
Doctor doctor #14
You take me up #47
You'd think this would be one of the biggest albums of the decade here in Australia given how well these guys managed to age into the MTV era, in fact the video for "Magic" actually took home the first best video award at their ceremonies which it did so at "Thriller's" expense. Alas this was only a hit when the third single became a hit here, even then I think it was only due to its success in NZ.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
You might think #24
Drive #10
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
It had been six years since Dragon had released an album in their catalogue, this was because the band had briefly broken up so that lead singer Marc Hunter could pursue a solo career that was a complete failure for him. He reformed the band who released this album, which was a huge success for them, proving that the band were only special as a unit and also that they could age well into the 80's.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Rain #2
Magic #33
Cry #17
Wilderworld #42
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
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
One of the most popular films of the decade has to be Ghostbusters, this is mainly due to it being one of the few films to depict paranormal activity in a comedic way given how horror films seemed to dominate Hollywood throughout the 80's. This could explain the success of the soundtrack, although I think it's real success here in Australia came from its theme song being one of the biggest hits of the decade here.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Ghostbusters #2
Much like Choose 1985 from earlier on this list, this was also a huge hit during the summer of 84/85 here in Australia due to it having a fine selection of the biggest hits of the spring of 1984 on its track listing.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
She bop #6
Lucky star #36
The war song #2
I won’t let the sun go down on me #17
Madam butterfly #16
Burn for you #3
The lucky one #48
Flame trees #26
Smalltown boy #8
Between the eyes #44
We’re not gonna take it #6
The warrior #6
Dancing in berlin #39
Love resurrection #17
You’re the best thing #17
Passengers #9
Careless whisper #1
Locomotion #30
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 final album to be released from Cold Chisel before they decided to call it quits, likely due to behind-the-scenes drama which caused massive friction between the members. Even though this album was a huge success upon its initial release, it was quickly overshadowed by Jimmy Barne's solo album released later in the year which also was a huge success for him.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Hold on tight #14
Saturday night #11
Flame trees #26
While many will tell you (me included) that this album did lose the magic that their previous two albums had which fueled their success, that didn't stop it from being a success in its own right given how the songs nonetheless remained as catchy as ever as well as the band becoming even more political with their lyrics which perhaps is why some of the magic was lost in this release.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
The war song #2
It looks like Barbra Streisand was able to find some success during the midpoint of the decade as this album did reasonably well upon its initial release here in Australia, it would explain why her greatest hits package from earlier in the decade managed to rechart the following year given that there was still room for her in the mainstream.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Left in the dark #27
This was the solo debut album for Jimmy Barnes that he released less than six months after the success of his final album with Cold Chisel, it proved that he was the real driving force of the bands popularity here given how quickly he was able to find success on his own after leaving them. Technically this album was a success twice as his next release included slight alterations of this album as well as some new songs.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
No second prize #12
Daylight #12
Autumn of this year was a hectic time in the music industry in Australia, as such this compilation album managed to be a huge success during our winter to showcase how many great tracks that made it big this year so far.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Radio gaga #2
Here comes the rain again #16
Hold me now #3
Girl on the wall #13
Message to my girl #12
Rush rush #25
Hyperactive #26
To be or not to be #3
New moon on Monday #48
Rebel yell #7
The politics of dancing #12
Relax #5
The good life #39
Street dance #21
Islands in the stream #1
This was the only successful album to come from Van Halen with David Lee Roth on vocals, although they would score an even bigger album two years later when they replaced him with Sammy Hager. I'm guessing this was big due to arena rock beginning to have mainstream appeal around this time, yes it had been around since they guys first broke through, however it didn't fit in with the other trends of the 70's.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Jump #2
This was the final successful album that Mondo rock had in their career, it's curious because they were gaining international buzz with their discography, but they ruined their popularity with their next album by changing their sound to accommodate for an international market. I guess in the meantime they were enjoying their biggest success in the form of the lead single which made this album's success inevitable.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Come said the boy #2
Baby wants to rock #18
This was the penultimate album that Split enz released before they called it quits, their final album coming when they broke up later in the year which is why it wasn't a success since they weren't even together to promote it. I guess Tim wanted to focus on his solo career while Neil would go on to form Crowded house after their final album.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Strait old line #42
Message to my girl #12
This seemed like a good opportunity for Hall and Oates to release a greatest hits package given the overwhelming success of their (then) most recent album from the previous year, it didn't kill their popularity necessarily as they would score another Billboard chart topper after this release, however it did prevent them from reaching the dizzying heights of popularity they experienced during the first half of the decade in their native America.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Say it isn't so #24
This was another successful album to be released during the autumn of this year that overlooks the popular summer jams of 83/84 in Australia, as such it was a huge success proving how good the label's taste in music is that assembled this album.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Listening #4
Say it isn’t so #24
Right by your side #15
Heart and soul #25
Twist of fate #4
Computer one #15
Change in mood #10
Catch me I’m falling #8
Let’s stay together #19
Love is a battlefield #1
Baby you’re dynamite #46
Everywhere I go #19
Staring at the embers #34
My girl #35
Union of the snake #4
Dancing with myself #42
Following the success of their surprise hit the previous year "Maggie," Foster and Allen were able to score a hit with this album which is something you'd expect from Michael Crawford or Michael Bublé from the 90's and 00's respectively. Naturally this was the duo's only success here as their brand of Celtic crooner music only had a limited shelf life in the mainstream here.
Peak position #4
The Takeaways were a fictional band who had their own show around this time, the show culminated with the band appearing on Countdown where they performed their music in order to help them crossover to the real world. As corny as that setup is, I'm surprised it wasn't more of a thing back in the day as even by this stage, people had come around for the Monkees and the Partridge family in the music industry.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Sweet and sour #13
There were some pretty strong choices to represent the biggest hits of our winter of this year, as such this compilation album was a huge success upon its initial release proving how lucrative these albums were.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
I want to break free #8
Robert de niro’s waiting #40
Eyes without a face #12
People are people #25
Doctor doctor #14
To sir with love #7
Happy ending #47
I want a new drug #27
Revolution #41
Two tribes #4
Run runaway #17
Automatic #15
Sweet and sour #13
The reflex #4
Not the loving kind #24
A beat for you #12
Bitter desire #17
Bird of paradise #32
While this doesn't rank among their finest work, this was a huge success for Queen due to the album spawning two hit singles for them much like their comeback album from the start of the decade the Game. By this stage the behind-the-scenes drama had reached its peak which resulted in Freddie making a solo album the following year, although they were able to work things out as they released a new album two years later.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Radio gaga #2
I want to break free #8
Rolling stones were on a err roll when they released this greatest hits package, although given what would come next, this feels more like an early admission that they were past their prime despite their next album being a huge success for them. Before that came, Mick Jagger would release a solo album the following year which was a moderate success for him due to how many musicians were embarking on a solo career at the time.
Peak position #3
Given how his previous album was one of the biggest of the decade worldwide, it only makes sense that David Bowie would achieve some modicum of success with this follow up even if it only achieved a fraction of what his earlier effort achieved.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Blue jean #12
There were several delays to this album given how its lead single came out a full year prior to its release, this likely was the reason for why it underperformed back in the day as none of the other songs managed to catch on for the Pretenders once it finally saw the light of day. They would bounce back with their next album, or rather Chrissie Hynde would as the rest of the members would leave following this albums release.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
Back on the chain gang #11
2000 miles #30
Well, here's the soundtrack to Paul McCartney's cinematic disaster I mentioned earlier on this list, I guess the fact it spawned his final hit in his career (at least for thirty years it was) did allow it to become a minor success here in Australia even if everything else about the film was panned by critics and audiences.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Not more lonely nights #9
If you're looking for a collection of songs that were among the biggest hits of the first four years of the 80's, then this is the perfect find as it collected many songs in this vein into one convenient package that was only a modest success here for some reason.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
I’m still standing #3
Abracadabra #1
Super freak #26
Celebration #33
Come on Eileen #1
Rain #3
Trouble #1
Twisting by the pool #2
Living on the ceiling #5
Poison arrow #4
Let’s stick together #1
Hot stuff #1
Funkytown #1
Fame #3
Sultans of swing #8
Look of love #7
Upside down #1
Girls can get it #3
Life at the outpost #13
Gemini dream #31
Rock hard #9
The walls came down #21
Tainted love #1
A town called malice #15
Mad world #12
Fade to grey #6
This is the final album that the Jackson 5 had any sort of success with worldwide, mainly because it was their final album to have MJ as a part of the lineup which means that this is concrete proof that the family band owed all of their success to the king of pop throughout their time in the spotlight.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
State of shock #10
Torture #32
One of the more popular films of the decade was Breakdance, a film that celebrates the breakdance phenomenon in a way that's completely cheesy but endearing to audiences of the day. Nowadays it serves as little more than a time capsule for the midpoint of the decade, indeed that's the best way to describe its soundtrack which was a modest success here in Australia.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Breaking #25
Given how John Lennon was never able to finish this album due to his untimely death from the start of the decade, it only makes sense that Yoko Ono would turn it into a duet's album like their previous effort which makes this a carbon copy of Double fantasy. This was enough for it to be a modest success here in Australia, however it's obvious that wasn't what the album was originally meant to be.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Nobody told me #6
There was a British equivalent of this album that was released during the summer period of 83/84 (as such it won't be appearing on this list) so naturally we have a compilation album looking over the biggest hits of the biggest names in American music here in Australia up until this point in time.
Peak position #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
From what I can gather, this was a remix album which grouped together a bunch of popular tracks of the day and gave them the remix treatment for breakdancing which had taken the world by storm around this time. Think of it as the Wild FM of its day if there was only one volume (that I'm aware of.)
Peak position #12
This was a compilation album based on classical music, it figures this would be a success due to the rise in popularity of classical music this decade thanks to the likes of Richard Clayderman and the Royal philharmonic orchestra.
Peak position #12
This is yet another greatest hits album to become a success here in Australia for Elvis posthumously, although this has a theme to it as it collects all of his downtempo ballads about heartbreak which resonated with us Aussies and few anywhere else in the world.
Peak position #6
From what I can gather, this was originally released in 1977 to deafening silence for the Shadows, I'm not sure why this became a success this year as neither they nor their frequent partner in crime Cliff Richard managed to do anything of note this year to warrant this becoming a success for them.
Peak position #6
Given how breakdancing had become a cultural phenomenon throughout the decade, it only seems natural that there would be a compilation album based around the craze that would become a success here in Australia.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Rockit #16
Although these guys didn't see much success here in Australia after their breakthrough album from two years prior, they did manage to achieve sound success with many of their albums this decade including this release due to the lead single becoming a mild success on our charts.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
Waterfront #19
Even though the title of this compilation suggests this is a dance rap collection, it's actually a remix album that takes popular dance tracks of the moment (some of which do have some rapping here and there) and gives them remixes for the dancefloor of the day. It's another entry I would categorise as a Wild FM release years prior to when that series first launched.
Peak position #13
Although her momentum had slowed down by this point in time, we Aussies had enough affection for Kim Wilde to allow this greatest hits package to be a success for her. She would come back later in the decade after switching labels where she scored the biggest hit of her career, although it did her albums no favours commercially unfortunately.
Peak position #13
Although he saw minor success with his debut album the previous year, Billy Idol was able to achieve a huge sleeper hit with his second album here thanks to a memorable performance on Countdown with the title track which helped it become a huge hit here. For whatever reason, he was a much bigger deal in NZ throughout the 80's despite needing to find success here before making it big over there.
Peak position #16
Hit singles
Rebel yell #7
Eyes without a face #12
Flesh for fantasy #28
Following the success of their previous album, the Alan Parsons project (man that name is dumb) released their next album which failed to bring in the big numbers likely due to it failing to spawn that big hit that "Eye in the sky" proved to be for them. They kept trying to recreate the success of that album until the end of the decade where they finally called it quits.
Peak position #16
Hit singles
Don't answer me #43
This was a success twice here in Australia, or rather it had two peak points given how it was more of a sleeper hit than a genuine success. The first time was when the second single became a surprise hit in the UK which allowed it and the lead single to reach the upper echelons of our charts, the second was when "Neutron dance" was featured in Beverly hills cop which allowed it to become the third single due to how well received its inclusion in the film was.
Peak position #17
Hit singles
Automatic #15
Jump #8
Neutron dance #4
Baby come and get it #29
There was a lot of hype going into this album from Pseudo echo given how massive their debut single was, alas it wasn't quite met given how it was far from the most popular album of its time despite the second single becoming a massive hit over in NZ several months after its release here. They would have much better luck with their second album which was a huge success as were the singles.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Listening #4
A beat for you #12
Although Meat loaf was considered to be yesterday's news by this point in time, it appears there was enough nostalgic love for his back catalogue (IE Bat out of hell) that fans picked up this greatest hits package that appears to have been released exclusively here in Australia given how hard it was to find an image for this entry on the internet.
Peak position #14
We have another compilation album to look at on this list, this time it's one that looks over the biggest hits of the 70's here in Australia not even five years after that decade came to an end.
Peak position #8
This was the only successful album to come from Stevie Ray Vaughan and his band Double trouble (not to be confused with the UK duo who scored a hit with their cover of "Love don't live here anymore" in 1990.) They were a blues band who had a big breakthrough during the height of the MTV era, although their success would be bittersweet as Stevie would die in a plane crash in 1990.
Peak position #20
The Delltones were a surf rock band from the 60's who saw massive success in their heyday, for whatever reason, they saw a massive revival this year with this album even though it's the same type of surf rock that was in vogue twenty years prior and thus, way out of date compared to everything else on this list.
Peak position #20
This was a greatest hits package that David Bowie released at the start of the year; I'm guessing it was popular due to it containing the names of two of his biggest hits in its title (at least they're his biggest hits internationally) as well as it coming off the heels of his earlier entry on this list.
Peak position #19
Following the success of his previous album Night and day, Joe Jackson went back to the studio to record his new album which was this release that was a minor sleeper hit here in Australia. This would be his final success down under save for a live album that became a success here later in the decade.
Peak position #21
Hit singles
Happy ending #47
Although the lead single managed to eat up the majority of this album's success, it was enough of a sleeper hit here in Australia for it to appear on this list even if our love for their fusion of new wave and traditional Celtic music wasn't as potent as our love for the other entries on this list. They did release other albums in their catalogue, however none of them found any success with us Aussies unfortunately.
Peak position #21
Hit singles
In a big country #7
Although the Jam didn't find any success with their albums here in Australia, the same wasn't the case for Paul Weller's second band the Style council even if they were off to a slow start with this album with us Aussies. We were eventually won over when its second single became a minor success later in the year, however their next album is where their popularity truly exploded.
Peak position #27
Hit singles
You're the best thing #17
Yentl is a film that remains polarising to this day, mainly because it hinges on whether or not people can buy into Barbra Streisand's attempt at pretending to be a Jewish man as well as it depicts a romantic relationship with her co-star Amy Irving which resulted in both women receiving praise and ridicule for their lesbian onscreen lesbian relationship. At least the soundtrack was well received, mainly because it doubles as a studio album from Streisand.
Peak position #24
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