Although her earlier albums were plenty successful throughout the world, this was the album which made Mariah Carey into a superstar given its blend of diva pop from her earlier work and RNB which had taken over the mainstream by the time this was released. She's had plenty of success since this album's release, although nowhere near the level of success she accomplished here.
Peak position #1x18
Peak position #1x16 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Dreamlover #7 (AMR #7)
Hero #7 (AMR #5)
Without you #3 (AMR #3)
Anytime you need a friend #12 (AMR #10)
This was originally released to mere moderate success for Celine Dion despite it spawning her version of the chart topper "The power of love," however the album gained a second wind a year after its release when Celine embarked on a highly successful world tour as well as the surprise success of "Think twice" over in the UK. This allowed her to join the elite ranks of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston as a top-notch diva of the 90's.
Peak position #1x8
Peak position #1x5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The power of love #1 (AMR #1)
Think twice #2 (AMR #1)
Only one road #23
Sorry Whitney fans, but the Bodyguard is not a good film. Granted it's hardly her fault as while she doesn't give the best performance in the film, the writing doesn't give her much to work with and it's not like Kevin Costner does much better with his performance either. At least the soundtrack was a huge success, in fact it single handedly saved her music career following the huge disappointment of her last album.
Peak position #1x5
Peak position #1x5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I will always love you #1 (AMR #1)
I'm every woman #11 (AMR #10)
I have nothing #28
This was the album that took this Irish band from an indie darling to an overnight sensation in the mainstream, mainly due to the politically charged lead single which not only won over many fans who were disenfranchised from the times but sadly was also the victim of widespread ridicule from those who found it to be overdramatic. At least the band soldiered on as if this had no impact on them.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Zombie #1 (AMR #1)
Ode to my family #5 (AMR #5)
I can't be with you #30
Although their debut album Ten is what many consider to be the peak of Pearl jam's artistic merit, it was actually their sophomore album where they began to become the megastars, we all know them for today. Sure, this didn't have the big hit on here that "Alive" was for their debut (at least in Australia it didn't) however the tradeoff was that the album was a huge success here and even encouraged Ten to linger on the charts throughout the decade.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Go #22 (AMR #20)
Daughter #18 (AMR #18)
Animal #30
This was U2 adapting with the times in order to retain their relevancy in a decade that seemed to want to purge all of the biggest names of yesteryear from the mainstream, this paid off for them as they went the industrial rock route with this album which did alienate a bunch of their older fans but then brought in a bunch of new fans as a payoff. I'm guessing people were initially intrigued with the lead single due to the Edge's presence on it.
Peak position #1x4
Peak position #1x4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Numb #9 (AMR #12)
Lemon #6 (AMR #6)
Stay #5 (AMR #6)
These guys had made two albums that achieved no success by the time they released their third album which became a huge success in Australia thanks to it catching the attention of Triple J upon its initial release. I'm guessing the initial appeal of the album was people relating to the loser persona the band adopted for this album, perhaps in response to how much of a failure they felt they were in the mainstream.
Peak position #1x3
Peak position #1x4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Come out and play #8 (AMR #8)
Self esteem #6 (AMR #4)
This was the second time this album became a success in Australia this decade, this time it was due to the success of Muriel's wedding which is a film that celebrates the nostalgia of Abba by having their back catalogue be the film's soundtrack. Essentially this album became a success in lieu of the soundtrack proving that Abba was awesome actually, much like the film states throughout its runtime.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Dancing queen (re release) #37
Following the success of her album Rhythm nation, Janet no longer had any issues with finding an audience in Australia which means that this album (which reportedly was made after a record-breaking contract she made with her label) was a huge success for her. Interestingly, the album popped up several times throughout the decade whenever one of the singles became popular worldwide.
Peak position #1x4
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
That's the way love goes #1 (AMR #1)
If #18 (AMR #20)
Again #19 (AMR #19)
Because of love #25 (AMR #20)
Any time any place #37
You want this #16
What'll I do #14 (AMR #13)
Whoops now #49
Although they had two albums prior which achieved no success even in their native America, this third album from Green day proved to be a massive success due to the surprise success of one of its singles on the Billboard airplay charts. This allowed the album to find an international audience months after its initial release and set the trio up as one of the leading forces of the punk revival of the 90's.
Peak position #1x3
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Longview #33
When I come around #7 (AMR #6)
Welcome to paradise #44
So, this is a film that seems to divide modern audiences, mainly due to people feeling that it glorifies ableism due to the way the titular character is portrayed by Tom Hanks (it doesn't, although admittedly he could've been handled better in the writing department.) Those who don't hold that against the film agree that it's a sentimental classic about how anyone can make it big regardless of who they are in life.
Peak position #1x3
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Although he had already achieved moderate success earlier in the decade with his greatest hits package It had to be you, I don't think anyone could've predicted just how successful this jazz album from the Hollywood actor turned musician would be in Australia and NZ this decade. Unfortunately, this was a mere one off for him as his subsequent albums failed to find much of an audience here.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Whisper your name #15 (AMR #17)
Here comes the big parade #43
This was the second album to come from Boyz II men, an album that had no issues with finding success here now that they had two of the biggest hits of the decade under their belt. While they wouldn't find any further success with their albums throughout the decade, they didn't need to as their ballads would continue to become chart toppers for them in their native America throughout the 90's.
Peak position #4
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I'll make love to you #1 (AMR #1)
On bended knee #7 (AMR #5)
Thank you #33
Water runs dry #36
I'm not sure if it was in good taste to release this live album mere months after the death of Kurt Cobain, then again, it's not like the other two members of the band ever objected to this albums existence so maybe it was a heartfelt tribute to his legacy. Like the other MTV unplugged albums, I've featured so far, its success comes from how honest and raw the performance was on the show from the band in question.
Peak position #1x3
Peak position #1x3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
About a girl #4 (AMR #1)
This is to date the final album from Billy Joel's career, although given how it was a massive success for him at a time where it was becoming increasingly difficult for older artists to make it big in the music industry, you have to wonder why he hasn't released a new album after all of these years. That's not to say he's gone MIA in the music industry as he's been touring nonstop ever since this came out.
Peak position #1x4
Peak position #1x4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The river of dreams #1 (AMR #1)
All about soul #34
Well things did seem to be very good for Bryan Adams this far into his career, admittedly they could've been better given how even in his native Canada he had some ups and downs in terms of his mainstream success, but it's still an awesome title for a greatest hits package that no doubt contributed to its overwhelming success.
Peak position #1x14
Peak position #1x14 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Please forgive me #1 (AMR #1)
I guess grunge had officially taken over the mainstream this year as this fourth album from Soundgarden proved to be a massive hit upon its initial release, although it's true appeal came when the video for "Black hole sun" dropped which helped the band stand out from their contemporaries. They're often considered to be one of the big four for grunge, the other three bands being Nirvana, Pearl jam and Alice in chains.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Spoonman #23
Black hole sun #6 (AMR #6)
My wave #50
This was originally released to deafening silence in Australia, even though the Badloves did receive plenty of promotion on Triple J upon the albums initial release. Their fortunes changed when Jimmy Barnes convinced them to do a duet with him on his hit single "The weight" shortly after this came out, which resulted in this album being a massive success for the band following the success of that track.
Peak position #5
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I remember #48
Green limousine #35
They had released two albums to deafening silence earlier in the decade, so to see this album become a huge success for the Australian alternative rock band must have been a massive surprise for them even with all the promotion it received on Triple J. The band would find further success with their second album without promotion from the station, proving that they did indeed strike a chord with audiences with this release.
Peak position #4
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Black stick #25
The honeymoon is over #41
It's as if no time had passed between this album and its predecessor despite the fact that it had been over fifteen years since the first installment of this franchise from both men involved. Here we have an album that technically came out twelve years prior when Jim Steinman released his one and only album Bad for good which contains a few tracks on here as well as several tracks that were meant for this album, needless to say Meat loaf does these tracks better than he ever could.
Peak position #1x4
Peak position #1x3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I'd do anything for love #1 (AMR #1)
Rock and roll dreams come through #18 (AMR #20)
Perhaps the first film to feature a trans character and treat them with any sense of dignity and respect, we have this distinctly Australian film that managed to become a huge success everywhere in the world except for America because anything that isn't filtered by Hollywood doesn't tend to do well over there. The soundtrack was a predictable hit worldwide due to the film recontextualising many of the tracks as queer anthems throughout its runtime.
Peak position #1x4
Peak position #1x4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I love the nightlife #11 (AMR #11)
Whereas most of his contemporaries from the 80's had struggled for mainstream relevancy by this point in the decade, John Farnham continued to thrive thanks to him adapting with the change in sound that adult contemporary was shifting towards at the time. This led to him having success well into the new millennium which is something even some of the biggest artists of the 90's was unable to do.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Seemed like a good idea at the time #16 (AMR #17)
Angels #36
Bon Jovi were on a roll when they released their greatest hits package which led to them scoring the biggest hit of their career, this led to their next album being more in line with adult contemporary than any of their previous work up until this point. It remains a polarising point in their career to this day, many saying they felt betrayed by this change in direction while others saying they deserved the success.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Always #2 (AMR #1)
Someday I'll be Saturday night #10 (AMR #9)
Following the success of his tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael Crawford decided to release another album which was meant to showcase him as a more contemporary crooner in the music scene. It was a success here in Australia due to Phantom of the opera being on tour here, however it flopped everywhere else due to crooners being pushed aside for the likes of more modern music trends.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
By far the most successful 2d animated film, the Lion king is often considered to be a masterpiece thanks to its groundbreaking animation and its story about a prince reclaiming his throne after being gaslight into giving it up to his abusive uncle (OK this is essentially the story of Hamlet made for kids.) The soundtrack is also skillfully done by Elton John and composers Tim Rice and Hans Zimmer.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Can you feel the love tonight #9 (AMR #10)
This was the debut album from a band that would go on to be widely despised when years later when they ruined the Joni Mitchell classic "Big yellow taxi" for the film Two weeks' notice. Before they were blacklisted in the music community for that, there were a well-respected band who score massive success with their debut album as well as having the first hit single worldwide that was never released as such in their native America.
Peak position #12
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Mr. Jones #13 (AMR #13)
Michael Bolton was still very much a thing this far into the 90's, although his popularity would dwindle following the success of his greatest hits package later in the decade. Even so, he along with Bryan Adams and Richard Marx are a large reason why male adult contemporary stars get such a bad rep as many people feel their over passionate ballads are too over the top and melodramatic to find any enjoyment out of.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Said I loved you but I lied #2 (AMR #3)
When news broke that hell froze over and thus allowed these guys to bury the hatchet and make a new album, fans were excited so much so that this greatest hits package released to cash in on their reunion went on to be a huge success for them before they even began their Hell freezes over tour. Despite patching things up and putting on a highly successful show, the band wouldn't release new material for another thirteen years.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Reality bites seems to be a film you either love or hate, although the consensus on both sides of the argument is unanimous as it's a film about how being from gen x is hard and it is exploring why people in this generation feels that way. While the film wasn't a box office success, the soundtrack was highly successful likely due to it launching the careers of several artists who appear on the track listing.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Baby I love your way #4 (AMR #4)
Stay #6 (AMR #5)
While they were never among the likes of Pearl jam or Nirvana when it comes to grunge royalty, Stone temple pilots did achieve massive success this year with their second album due to the heavy endorsement they received on Triple J as well as the radio in general gravitating towards their sound. They would struggle for relevancy as the decade went on largely due to the antics of their lead singer Scott Weiland.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Vasoline #24
Insterstate love song #50
This was Madonna's foray into RNB, an exercise that would result it being her lowest selling album of the 90's given how people felt she was following trends on this album rather than setting them. Even so, it was a moderate success for her as it would take something disastrous like American life or anything she would release in the 2010's for fans to abandon her music.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Secret #5 (AMR #6)
Take a bow #15 (AMR #17)
Bedtime story #5 (AMR #4)
Human nature #17 (AMR #13)
These guys were on a roll this decade as they released this album two years after the success of their previous album Automatic for the people, it's worth noting that at this point they had become more popular worldwide than in their native America which is why they didn't see much success on Billboard as the decade went on. Unfortunately, this was their last major album as their popularity would decline after this.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
What's the frequency Kenneth #24
Bang and blame #29
New age was at the peak of its popularity throughout the 90's thanks to the efforts of Enya and these guys, it's little wonder this managed to find overwhelming success given how unlike Enya, they were able to find success with their singles from each of their albums. Unfortunately, the tides turned against them when they were sued by the original composers of the lead single which ended their good will with the new age community.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Return to innocence #16 (AMR #17)
There weren't many successful country albums in Australia this decade, so to see Garth Brooks score massive success with this album must have been a bit of a shock to audiences back in the day. This was his only notable success here despite him being one of the most prominent country stars in his native America.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Standing outside the fire #45
One night a day #35
Even though this is the soundtrack to the critically panned film Even cowgirls get the blues, really, it's an album from KD Lang who managed to score her initial breakthrough this year likely due to the infamy the film received this year for its plot and possibly homophobic portrayal of lesbian cowgirls, although it couldn't have been that bad if the openly gay singer agreed to do its soundtrack.
Peak position #10
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Hush sweet lover #28
This was originally released the previous year to deafening silence for the Scottish band, likely because we Aussies didn't give them that much success back in the day and as such had no reason to check this greatest hits package out. That changed this year when their cover of a Mindbenders track become one of the biggest hits of the decade which incentivised us the check out their back catalogue with this album.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Love is all around #1 (AMR #1)
INXS were on a roll when they released this greatest hits package towards the end of the previous year, it had its success roll over to this year due to how inescapable the band still were during the mid 90's. Unfortunately, this would be the final bit of success they would achieve during Michael Hutchence's lifetime.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The strangest party #34
This was released initially to moderate success for Seal, I'm guessing fans were already on board with him moving on from EDM to RNB despite him naming this after himself just like his earlier album. It received a massive boost in popularity when the second single was played over the closing credits of the Batman forever film and thus became a massive worldwide success for him.
Peak position #2
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Kiss from a rose #1 (AMR #1)
Their debut album was a massive commercial flop for them, so to see this album succeed as well as it did must have been a huge shock for Smashing pumpkins given how they were infamously known for not being able to handle their success very well. This album led to them becoming more ambitious with their subsequent material which translated to even more success that they weren't prepared for.
Peak position #7
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Disarm #16 (AMR #14)
This was a greatest hits packaged named after one of their singles from their breakthrough album Hold on to me, indeed this was another example of a band whose popularity died out by this point but was able to find success with an album looking over their biggest success which secured their legacy in the music industry. This decade had a ton of these albums find success over original material.
Peak position #4
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
As with most RNB albums, this initially sat on shelves in Australia likely due to us Aussies not being into RNB that much. Toni's fortunes changed here when "Breathe again" became a surprise hit which allowed this album to follow suit in becoming a huge hit here months after it already became a success in NZ and her native America. This led to her having no issues with finding success with her second album.
Peak position #6
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Breathe again #2 (AMR #2)
You mean the world to me #49
This was the only notable success that Crash test dummies had outside their native Canada, presumably due to the overwhelming success of a song that remains one of their least successful hits in their homeland despite it being their only international hit. Indeed, that song trapped the band in novelty status despite the rest of the album being fairly serious, which explains why the rest of their catalogue didn't catch on.
Peak position #5
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Mmm mmm mmm mmm #1 (AMR #1)
Afternoons and coffeespoons #40
This was the first of only two albums to come from Chocolate Starfish, an Australian band who were known for their campy onstage antics who nonetheless were able to see massive success thanks to how well their music connected with audiences. I'm not sure why they didn't find any success with their second album the following year, it unfortunately led to them breaking up later in the decade.
Peak position #2
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
You're so vain #11 (AMR #12)
All over me #33
Mountain #12 (AMR #11)
4 letter word #41
I feel like we need to give these three women a round of applause for finally making it big in their native America given how the rest of the world had little issues with making them a household name with their earlier work. Here the girls continue spitting the rhymes that made them respected in the hip hop game whilst having fun catchy beats to go along with their rhymes that captivated audiences.
Peak position #5
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Shoop #2 (AMR #3)
Whatta man #2 (AMR #2)
Heaven and hell #21 (AMR #20)
So Frank Sinatra was able to score a successful album this year, this would've been four years prior to his death meaning that even in his twilight years he was still managing to connect with audiences with new material. Here he collaborates with the likes of Aretha Franklin and Barbra Streisand which managed to appease audiences of the day.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
This was the second album that Jimmy Barnes released within a year, although this came after the album cycle of Heat came to an end meaning he was at least pacing his career fairly well this decade. If you couldn't tell from the cover art, this was his foray into acoustic rock given he had learned to play the guitar around this time to help him further craft his identity away from Cold chisel.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The weight #6 (AMR #5)
This was the soundtrack to a film that was mired in controversy back in the day due to the accidental death of its star, I won't go into the details here but suffice to say the film has a lot of sentimental value to Brandon Lee's fans even after all of these years. The film itself remains a classic more than just the circumstances surrounding it as it was a serious take on a comic book series much like the Batman films.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
This was originally a flop for KD Lang, presumably due to the album being affiliated with her coming out as a lesbian which was seen as a risky move back in the day when LGBT representation was still in its infancy. It was given a second chance when her soundtrack to the Uma Thurman flick Even cowgirls get the blues became a surprise hit for her this year, thus making her a household name worldwide.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Constant craving #38
This was originally released two years prior to minimal success here in Australia, even with the lead single becoming a surprise success in America, there wasn't any indication these guys would crossover here. That changed when their earlier entry on this list became a massive success here due to the lead single topping the 1994 Triple J year end lists, it was the boost this album needed to finally connect with audiences.
Peak position #16
Peak position #13 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Linger #33
Dreams #30
This was meant to be rereleased simply as the tenth anniversary of its existence, it became a success all over again due to the tragic passing of Freddie Mercury which even allowed their signature track to chart again this year.
Peak position #8
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Bohemian rhapsody (re release) #5 (AMR #6)
This was released two years prior to deafening silence for the Screaming jets, likely because we Aussies felt that we didn't need to allow and Australian equivalent of Nirvana or Pearl jam on the charts now that we had those to bands making it big worldwide. We clearly changed our minds this year when the album rebounded on the charts due to one of the songs becoming a surprise hit this year.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Living in England #19
Shivers #19 (AMR #19)
Helping hand #25
Tunnel #39
One of the more popular non-Hollywood films to emerge from this decade was Four wedding and a funeral, a British rom com about a guy is afraid of commitment falling in love with an American woman with chaos ensuing from there. The film was a huge box office and critical success thanks to the charming interactions with the characters, and as such the soundtrack which spawned one of the biggest hits of the decade was also a huge success.
Peak position #4
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Love is all around #1 (AMR #1)
Bette had seen many highs and lows in her music career, as such she decided to release this greatest hits album which was a huge success for her likely due to a combination of fans loving her work as well as audiences being fans of her films. It would be the last time she troubled the charts anywhere in the world as she stuck to acting after releasing this.
Peak position #3
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
This was the last album that Guns n roses would release for fifteen years, it's a covers album that was released at a time where covers albums were becoming in vogue hence why it was a huge success for them. Fans like to pretend that this was the last anyone had heard from the band, however they did eventually return in 2008 with Chinese democracy.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
There was a popular grunge band from around this time that had a very similar band name to this Australian jazz rock band, although confusing these guys for those guys is a bad mistake considering their sound are nothing alike to each other. This was D.I.G's only notable success here as they were able to win over both the rock and EDM crowds here with this album of theirs and none of their other work.
Peak position #6
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
Now that they had three hits to their name, it was inevitable that Culture beat was able to find success with their one and only album here in Australia which would start a mini trend of a European EDM group scoring three hits from an album before fading into obscurity by the end of the year. Corona would follow suit with their album the following year and La bouche the year after that.
Peak position #5
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Mr. vain #1 (AMR #2)
Got to get it #7 (AMR #4)
Anything #12 (AMR #11)
This was the final album that Pink Floyd released this decade, it's also the first of a few albums I'll be featuring on these lists that the A.V club declared as one of the least essential albums of the decade despite what a massive success it was. I'm guessing this was due to the album failing to live up to their earlier work as it's one of the less universally acclaimed albums from their catalogue.
Peak position #1x3
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
This was the last album to be released from Crowded house during their initial run together, it was a massive hit here in Australia and an even bigger hit in Neil's native NZ proving they too were able to survive the transition from the 80's to the 90's and even the purge of Australian music from this year in particular thanks to how much more timeless their music was compared to their contemporaries.
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Distant sun #23
Nails in my feet #34
Private universe #46
I think I can safely declare these guys to be the winners of the first round of the 90's boy band wars, just a heads up that there'll only be one entry from their rivals Take that on this site which was the album with their one American crossover "Back for good" from later in the decade. This did have a lengthy climb to its success here even with how big the singles were during their initial release, however it eventually peaked once the deluxe edition was released.
Peak position #5
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
House of love #5 (AMR #5)
Deep #7 (AMR #6)
West end girls #4 (AMR #4)
It's alright #1 (AMR #1)
This was the only notable success that Pantera was able to achieve here in Australia, likely due to heavy metal never being that popular here save for some rare exceptions. Indeed, this was a massive hit here due to the records it broke in their native America, and to be fair they did have minor success with their next album two years later.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I'm broken #49
I did say on the previous list that Sade's return in the mainstream felt like a warmup for these guys, well here we are with the breakthrough album for M people, a fellow British band that blended RNB with rock. Although these guys also added an element of dance to their sound which perhaps they did to differentiate themselves with Sade, this worked out for them as this was a huge success worldwide.
Peak position #7
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Moving on up #4 (AMR #4)
One night in heaven #23 (AMR #19)
This was all set to be a flop upon its initial release here in Australia, in fact the only reason why it saw any success was due to the band's earlier entry on this list becoming a surprise hit for them which encouraged audiences to check out this greatest hits package from the band.
Peak position #9
Peak position #17 (AMR charts)
This was a modest success for Cypress hill here in Australia upon its initial release, although its true success wouldn't come until a year later likely due to how well it was received by the kiwis throughout its run over in NZ. It was an early success story for the "true" hip hop here in Australia given how until this point it was mainly the likes of MC Hammer and Vanilla ice finding success with the genre here.
Peak position #13
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Insane in the brain #40
I ain't going out like that #43
When the shit goes down #47
Following the success of his greatest hits package from the previous year, Jimi Hendrix's label issued this previously unreleased album from the music legend which became a huge success here in Australia likely due to it sounding like something Lenny Kravitz would release from around this time.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
It's a bit sad that this album was only a modest success upon its initial release here in Australia, heck even after the tragic passing of Kurt Cobain less than a year after its release, it only occasionally pops back onto our charts proving that we Aussies were more interested in the works of Pearl jam back in the day. Still, this was a decent success here, and hey, it also remains one of the best albums of the decade much like its predecessor.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Heart shaped box #21 (AMR #17)
One of the more poignant films of the decade was Philadelphia, it's a film where Tom Hanks portrays a homosexual man who is sued by his former law firm for reasons that wind up being little more than homophobia as it's revealed he also has HIV. It deservedly won a bunch of awards due to shining a light on the rampant homophobia of the world, and the soundtrack was also a success due to its theme song.
Peak position #4
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Streets of Philadelphia #4 (AMR #5)
They were described as the 90's equivalent of Abba, even though that was truer of their later material as this first album from Ace of base was more in line with the reggae trends of the day rather than the Europop that made their 70's equivalent a household name. They were a surprise success in America, so much so that this was given an American edition over there which was what was popular on Billboard.
Peak position #9
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
All that she wants #1 (AMR #1)
The sign #1 (AMR #1)
Don't turn around #19 (AMR #20)
Well, here's the seasonal album that will forever be the album that charts during the Christmas season for the rest of time, however it may surprise you to learn that while it was a success back in the day, it only charted for the first two Christmas seasons of its lifespan before never touching the charts until the 2010's. This was more due to having an extremely short shelf life as the album would be pulled from shelves once the new year rolled around.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
All I want for Christmas is you #2 (AMR #2)
Joy to the world #33
Given how Nirvana had a live album released mere months after the death of Kurt Cobain from MTV, I guess the BBC wanted to release their own cash in from an album of a popular band who performed on their set from around this time. That came with this album from the fab four from when they were just starting out in their career.
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Following the success of his MTV concert from two years prior, Eric Clapton was suddenly able to find massive success in the mainstream which is why this album managed to be a huge success for him in here in Australia. This would lead to him scoring one more hit later in the decade with "Change the world" from the Phenomenon soundtrack.
Peak position #6
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
This was released at the start of the decade to deafening silence here, I'm guessing the brothers Gibb wanted to continue tradition of beginning each decade with the highlights of the previous decade in their career even if they only scored one notable hit during the 80's worldwide. It was given a second chance this year for some reason, I'm not sure why as this was an otherwise uneventful year for them.
Peak position #7
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
Given how immensely popular RHCP were back in the day, it only makes sense they would rerelease their album Blood sugar sex magik and repackage it to include all of their songs they recorded during the making of the album on a bonus disc. Apparently, this was only released here in Australia and NZ, likely suggesting the band appreciated the success we gave them over their fellow Americans.
Peak position #6
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Soul to squeeze #9 (AMR #10)
This was a bit of a surprise entry from Julio Iglesias given how he hadn't had any success here in Australia for exactly ten years, I guess this was more a success out of nostalgia for his first English language album 1100 bel air place than anything else.
Peak position #7
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
This was a bit of a comeback for the Rolling Stones here in Australia, mainly because it managed to spawn a few minor hits here which is proof that even if they were past their prime at this point, they were still able to retain a fanbase this far in their career.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Love is strong #47
Out of tears #43
From what I can gather, Larry Adler was a composer who was related to George Gershwin who was also a legendary composer from the early twentieth century. Here he collaborates with many younger artists who found inspiration from both men's work with this album that was a decent success here in Australia upon its initial release.
Peak position #7
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
This was where it all began for one of the most unconventional artists of all time, originally part of a band known as the Sugacubes, Bjork released this album the previous year to deafening silence likely due to audiences feeling it was too much of a knock off to Kate Bush when it first came out. They naturally changed their minds this year when it was given a second chance for some reason.
Peak position #10
Peak position #14 (AMR charts)
This will be Tori Amos's only album to appear on this site given how she didn't have much success back in the day, in fact she had more success with her singles believe it or not including with this album's lead single which likely translated to its moderate success back in the day.
Peak position #5
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Cornflake girl #19 (AMR #19)
One of the most critically acclaimed films of the 90's was the Piano, a film where a mute Holly Hunter communicates with a piano and has the melodies translated by her daughter played by Anna Paquin of X-men fame. It's a film I can't take seriously due to its setup, however audiences found it an endearing tale and made it and the soundtrack composed by Michael Nyman a success back in the day.
Peak position #11
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
This was initially a flop for Nine inch nails, likely because they were a bit early to the party when it came to the industrial boom that would explode later in the decade thanks to the likes of the Prodigy and Marilyn Manson (U2's earlier entry notwithstanding.) It was given a sudden boost in popularity due to the surprise success of one of its singles due to having a disturbing music video that we Aussies lapped up at the time.
Peak position #12
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Closer #3 (AMR #3)
They had an immensely popular concert at the start of the decade, so it figures that the three tenors (Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras) would hold another concert this year which also went over very well given how big the live album from that show was.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Following the sleeper success of his second album, Tommy Emmanuel released his third album which proved to be more of an immediate success for the Australian country singer. This was repackaged a year later with a direct sequel to the album which helped it become his biggest album of the decade and arguably as big as his work with Dragon.
Peak position #5
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The journey #29
This was all set to flop here in Australia due to RNB being unpopular throughout the decade, however thanks to the runaway success of its second single worldwide, it became a moderate success here which temporarily put the quartet on the same level of Boyz II men.
Peak position #12
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I swear #1 (AMR #1)
I guess it was about time I mention the fourth band from the grunge big four on this site, apparently, we Aussies were given a two for one deal from the band which consisted of their E.P's Jar of flies and Sap which we made a huge success for the band this year.
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
This was released on the tenth anniversary on when Frankie goes to Hollywood first broke through onto the mainstream, it took a little while to take off here in Australia given how the band wasn't that popular outside of their debut album here, however we Aussies did have enough nostalgia for their back catalogue to make it a success eventually.
Peak position #5
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Relax #22 (AMR #19)
The legends are true people, rapper Ice T did in fact have a successful thrash metal band back in the day where they managed to score a huge hit with their second album here in Australia this year. It's a bit odd that the rapper would be more well known for his metal tracks rather than his hip hop tracks down under even if the former was more popular here back in the day than the latter.
Peak position #5
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
There wasn't a lot of successful RNB here in Australia, let alone RNB from female vocalists, so you can see how this second album from Des'ree feels like a bit of an outlier on this list even if its success did come from how well its lead single did on our charts. She wouldn't have any further success with her later albums, however she did achieve massive success with her singles as the decade went on.
Peak position #14
Peak position #13 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
You gotta be #9 (AMR #8)
This was released on its tenth anniversary, naturally this allowed us Aussies to rediscover the back catalogue of Bob Marley given how it was marketed which led to its success.
Peak position #14
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
This feels like it was an album that belongs in the 80's rather than the 90's, in fact were it not for the fact this managed to spawn a huge hit for the band the Poor this year, I doubt it would've had any success given how out of place this feels compared to the rest of the entries on this list.
Peak position #3
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
More wine waiter please #10 (AMR #9)
Poison #48
Although he's received critical praise since the beginning of his career in the mid 70's, it wasn't until this album where Nick Cave and his backing band the Bad seeds finally started to see some mainstream success given how it debuted rather high on the charts this year. Of course, his true peak in popularity would come with his next album due to it spawning a huge hit with Kylie Minogue of all people.
Peak position #8
Peak position #13 (AMR charts)
This was the last time that the Hoodoo gurus troubled our charts in any way as this managed to sneak in the upper echelons of our charts just long enough to qualify for this site even though I doubt anyone outside of their fanbase would even realise this album exists let alone was a minor success for them.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The right time #41
You open my eyes #43
Less than a feeling #26
This is the final album to have any sort of success from Hunters and collectors, although considering how hard it was for their fellow Aussie bands from the 80's to find success this far into the decade, they did quite well for themselves with this entry.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Easy #38
Although we've still yet to see Led Zeppelin official reunite, that didn't mean the members never collaborated with each other again as the band's two frontmen released a collaboration album together which was a modest success this year. At this point, anything related to the group would find at least some modicum of success given how legendary they've become in music history.
Peak position #2
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Gallows pole #46
There weren't a lot of successful RNB albums in Australia throughout the 90's, one of the lucky few to have a huge album from the genre here was Tevin Campbell who made it big with his second album due to the lead single becoming a massive hit here due to its popularity on Billboard. He would be a one album wonder down under; however, he did retain his popularity in his native America for the rest of the decade.
Peak position #14
Peak position #11 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Can we talk #12 (AMR #11)
I'm ready #21
We have another greatest hits package from Simon and Garfunkel to become a success here in Australia, I feel this was only as such due to it coming out over a decade after they called it quits for the second time as some sort of anniversary of their short lived comeback coming to an end.
Peak position #5
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
I'm a little surprised this wasn't more of a hit back in the day even if dance albums generally didn't do as well here in Australia as the likes of rock and pop music, mainly because the lead single was inescapable back in the day as well as it being a mainstay on oldies stations as well as it spawning a second hit for the Irish band.
Peak position #12
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Things can only get better #9 (AMR #8)
U R the best thing #9 (AMR #8)
This is the first album from the Beastie boys to find success here in Australia, although it's worth noting that they did have their signature track "Fight for your right to party" chart upon its initial release in 1987, meaning this wasn't the first time they had troubled our charts. Their next album is where they finally hit the mainstream given how much of a genuine success it was worldwide.
Peak position #8
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
This is the last album where Richard Marx had any kind of success with in his career, although like Michael Bolton, I'm surprised that he had any success this far into the decade given how few of their contemporaries from the 80's managed to successfully make the transition into the 90's let alone last this far into the decade.
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Now and forever #16 (AMR #18)
It was kind of hard to do research on these guys given how obscure they've always been, however, they did manage to achieve success with this album this year likely due to it sounding similar to what was being promoted on Triple J. Defryme were an Australian funk rock band similar to RHCP and Faith no more, so perhaps they also had negative comparisons to those bands as well.
Peak position #4
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Mama said knock you out #38
This will be the last time Diesel troubles our charts in Australia as he released his third album in the third consecutive year here which likely lead to burnout from his fans, although at least it was a success here which is more than I can say for most of his contemporaries from the start of the decade.
Peak position #10
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
All come together #17
15 feet of snow #29
Although these guys never saw much success here in Australia outside their 1978 effort Minute by minute, there was enough nostalgia for the band this year for this greatest hits package to be a success for them.
Peak position #10
Peak position #17 (AMR charts)
This was a different album from Kylie Minogue compared to what she had previously released given how it was more in line with the indie scene with traces of the bubblegum pop that made her a household name earlier in her career. It was a modest success due to how popular the singles were; however, her next album would showcase her true potential as an indie artist.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Confide in me #1 (AMR #1)
Put yourself in my place #11 (AMR #9)
Where is the feeling #31
This is the best proof I have that the alternative scene was very prominent here in Australia, obviously there were plenty of albums of this ilk that slipped through the cracks, however I can't imagine another time where an alternative metal band like Rollins band would find any sort of success than the midpoint of the 90's.
Peak position #10
Peak position #13 (AMR charts)
For whatever reason, Gregorian chanting was all the rage throughout the 90's, so it makes sense there would be an album from actual monks to find moderate success here in Australia even if this wasn't the album that saw massive international success around this time in this regard.
Peak position #11
Peak position #17 (AMR charts)
This became a success here in Australia this year due to a live rendition of a track that originally charted upon the albums initial release back in 1988, it was a minor success but enough of one for the album to finally appear on my site.
Peak position #16
Peak position #19 (AMR charts)
By all accounts, this was a flop for Paul Kelly as it didn't appear on either year end list for AMR or ARIA, however I consider it a minor success due to it simply failing to compete with all the CD reissues of older albums as well as the compilation albums on each chart rather than audiences being uninterested in this release from him.
Peak position #11
Peak position #18 (AMR charts)
It appears there was nostalgia for Billy Thrope and the Aztecs this year as this greatest hits package (with a title that I'm sure was considered inappropriate even upon its initial release) managed to be a minor success for the band long after they had called it quits, two decades after they called it quits to be exact.
Peak position #15
Peak position #19 (AMR charts)
This is the second live album from Barbra Streisand that found success here in Australia throughout her career, it wasn't as big as her 1987 release likely because she was only popular at this point thanks to her acting career in Hollywood as well as the surprise success of her Broadway album the previous year.
Peak position #20
Peak position #20 (AMR charts)
Following the success of their first annual countdown at the start of the year, the Radio station Triple J decided to release a compilation album containing many of the songs that appeared on the countdown which became a huge success for them. Naturally they would continue this trend to this day as each of these albums do extremely well every year for them, although they tend to go on the compilation charts on ARIA.
Peak position #2
The 100% series returns on this list of mines, here we have their summer collection that they packaged as an autumn release which of course resulted in its success due to the good selection it has on here.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
What's my name #12
Give it up #1
It's alright #1
Can we talk #12
Cornflake girl #19
Will you be there #24
Is there any love in your heart #32
Relax 93 #22
Things can only get better #9
Dum da dum #5
She don't let nobody #37
Again #19
Nails in my feet #34
Helping hand #25
Asshole #2
The autumn of this year proved to be rather hectic as this 12th edition of the 100% hits series managed to be a massive success upon its release.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Stay #3
Groove thang #17
U r the best thing #9
I wanna dance #21
I like to move it #6
Shaka jam #7
Whatta man #2
Twist And Shout #13
I'm ready
Let me show you #18
Return to innocence #16
Hush sweet lover #28
Laid #40
Mountain #12
Hey jealousy #28
Greedy people #29
Sleeping in my car #18
Well, this was a surprise, the Smash hits series was established in the mid to late 80's to look over the biggest hits of a given year in Australia. It made a remarkable comeback this year after struggling to find an audience in the 90's, proving that the yearly recap albums can be very lucrative in the right setting.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Mr vain #1
All that she wants #1
December 1963 #3
Ain't no love #11
No limit #7
Rump shaker #10
Gimme little sign #3
Jump around #15
She kissed me #10
This is it #13
Ebeneezer Goode #14
I want you #10
You don't treat me no good #1
The right kind of love #5
Sweet lullaby #7
Believe #8
Happy birthday Helen #9
Love is in the air #3
Stone cold #4
Well, you better believe that the 100% hits series would also have a highly successful annual album to compete with the Smash hit's entry from earlier, I guess the takeaway here is that 1993 was seen as an excellent year for music according to the Australian public of the time.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
The Floor #6
Sweat #2
West end girls #4
People everyday #6
Informer #1
Tease Me #5
Everybody hurts #6
That's the way love goes #1
Are you gonna go my way #1
What's up #2
The hitman #6
Cats in the cradle #1
Freak me #3
Dreams #2
Tequila #8
Oh Carolina #5
Would I lie to you #3
Falling in love with you #1
The day you went away #2
For the second year in a row, the Hit machine franchise played second fiddle to the 100% hits franchise, this won't be the case the following year where it was the inverse of what happened this year, however it's worth noting that both franchises were still plenty successful regardless of which one we're looking at.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Slave to the music #2
Green limousine #35
Moving on up #4
Hey Mr. DJ #9
Feeling alright #7
Feels like heaven #10
The weight #6
Boom shake the room #1
Got to get it #7
In your room #40
Relight my fire #33
Maximum overdrive #32
Let's get it on #17
Open up #39
Just as the previous entry successfully collected the biggest hits of summer for an autumn release, this entry from the Hit machine franchise collected the big hits of autumn for a winter release resulting in its success.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
The sign #1
Right in the night #2
Sing hallelujah #5
Doop #5
Pray #10
The power of love #1
Feel like making love #13
Is it love #20
Satisfy the groove #31
Rocks #43
Whoomp #19
Mama said knock you out #38
Hip hop hooray #17
Anything #12
To the top #46
The way you work it #41
I can see clearly now #17
Less than a feeling #26
More wine waiter please #10
This is another album that was released the previous year but only became a success this year, it's the summer entry from the 100% hits series collecting the big hits of spring from the previous year.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
I'd do anything for love #1
Soul to squeeze #9
Creep #6
Tears of a clown #25
Plush #47
Into your arms #46
The gift #16
Rubberband girl #39
Distant sun #23
If I had no loot #12
Somewhere #16
Dreams #2
Go west #10
Shoop #2
Boom shack a lak #34
Winter of this year wasn't as hectic this year as it could've been given how the selection on here wasn't as inspired as the earlier entries from the 100% series on this list.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Absolutely fabulous #2
Son of a gun #6
Don't be shy #13
Heaven n hell #21
Jessie #15
Rain #47
Love is strong #47
Alone like me #20
4 letter word #41
Shine #8
American life in the summertime #18
I believe #10
Black hole sun #6
Longview #33
Tunnel #39
If you go #47
I'll stand by you #8
Winter of this year really did seem like a dud considering the season didn't have that many notable hits to allow these two entries to be more successful than they were back in the day.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Swamp thing #3
The rhythm of the night #8
Don't turn around #19
You gotta be #9
Only to be with you #18
MMM MMM MMM MMM #1
Flashdance what a feeling #27
No more tears #48
My enemy #40
The winner is #9
No good #45
Sweets for my sweet #45
Snake skin shoes #16
Find me #22
Bizarre love triangle #7
This was released the previous eyra and a sign that the Hit machine franchise was dead in the water due to how unpopular it was, fortunately it recovered throughout the year, although it wasn't the least popular entry in its franchise.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
The key the secret #4
Runaway train #11
Seemed like a good idea at the time #16
Right here #20
Somebody dance with me #13
What is love #12
The world as it is #35
The right time #41
Heartbeat #36
Going down #39
Send me a lover #42
Insane in the brain #35
Harness up #35
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