Before there was Avril Lavigne, there was Alanis Morrissette and she made quite a name for herself initially in the teen pop market in her native Canada before she did a 180 on her career and released this deeply personal album about her heartbreak she had from a relationship. This in turn has led to many jokes (most notably on How I met your mother) to how a teen idol managed to evolve into a voice of a generation.
Peak position #1x10
Peak position #1x9 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
You oughta know #4 (AMR #5)
Hand in my pocket #13 (AMR #15)
Ironic #3 (AMR #3)
You learn #20 (AMR #14)
Head over feet #12 (AMR #12)
All I really want #40
Following the massive success of her previous album, Celine Dion decided to spice things up with this album by expanding on her subject material which resulted in easily her most successful album in her career. It did receive some backlash due to it winning album of the year at the Grammys over the likes of Smashing pumpkins and the Fugees, however people have since come around for her and realised how talented she is.
Peak position #1x4
Peak position #1x3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Falling into you #12 (AMR #18)
Because you loved me #1 (AMR #1)
It's all coming back to me now #8 (AMR #6)
All by myself #38
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
Even though she was always one of the most gifted vocalists of all time (even outside of Australia) Tina's first album from the start of the decade was a huge failure save for its lead single "I need your body" largely due to it being dismissed as a Paula Abdul rip-off album (which I thoroughly disagree with.) Here she took that criticism to heart by releasing an album more in line with RNB which was a huge success for her both locally and internationally.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Chains #4 (AMR #4)
Sorrento moon #7 (AMR #7)
Heaven help my heart #22
Wasn't it good #11 (AMR #16)
That's the way a woman feels #31
With the rise in popularity of Celtic music in the mainstream, it was only a matter of time before artists began incorporating traditional Irish music into their sound. Enter one of the more respectful artists to do so, this family act who saw massive success with their debut album albeit only in Australia initially. I'm guessing because only we Aussies could appreciate their blend of adult contemporary with Celtic music.
Peak position #1x3
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Runaway #10 (AMR #11)
Forgiven not forgotten #15 (AMR #11)
Love to love you #25
The right time #44
This had a very slow rise to its success throughout the world, I'm guessing because these guys were on a tiny indie label and as such weren't able to find much success with their brand of alternative rock on most stations. Fortunately, in Australia, Triple J came to the rescue and heavily promoted this album on the station which resulted in it becoming a massive success for them here.
Peak position #1x7
Peak position #1x7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Lightning crashes #13 (AMR #15)
Selling the drama #49
Following the buzz they received from their debut album Definitely maybe, the Gallagher's and company released their sophomore album which proved to be so much of a game changer that it single handedly brought Britpop to most parts of the world that wasn't already familiar with the genre. Unfortunately, due to the cocky nature of the Gallagher's, the band have received tons of backlash in recent years as people have dismissed their music as overblown and pretentious.
Peak position #1x5
Peak position #1x4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Morning glory #25
Wonderwall #1 (AMR #1)
Don't look back in anger #19 (AMR #12)
Champagne supernova #26
Roll with it #48
One of the most well-respected albums of the decade, partially due to how many iconic tracks are on this double album but also due to how well loved the Smashing pumpkins remain to this day (side note, this is a silly name for a band to call themselves.) Sadly, this album took its toll on the band as one of their touring members died of a drug overdose during its production which messed them up.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Bullet with butterfly wings #33
1979 #16 (AMR #10)
Tonight tonight #21 (AMR #20)
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
You'd think that a band who gave themselves such a patriotic name would be more politically charged with their music, granted they do have the occasional politically charged song in them, but they won't last long in a debate with Rage against the machine overall if their music is anything to go by. Instead, they're a bit on the goofier side with their music which is perhaps why they achieved more success than their politically charged peers.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Lump #11 (AMR #12)
Peaches #13 (AMR #15)
Kitty #19 (AMR #18)
Dune buggy #16
Although they had a very good run throughout the decade (certainly more so than many of their early peers) Crowded house decided to call it quits by releasing this greatest hits package as well as performing a farewell concert at the Sydney opera house to promote Neil's ill-fated solo career he would launch soon after. The band did eventually get back together a decade later and have retained a strong cult audience.
Peak position #1x10
Peak position #1x10 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Everything is good for you #10 (AMR #12)
Not the girl you think you are #37
One of the most quintessential films to come out of the decade was Pulp fiction, and while I can't say that the film is a masterpiece myself (I never cared for Bruce Willis's segment) I will say that it is a fantastic film thanks to the performances from John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson. The soundtrack was also a huge success likely due to all of the 60's classics that appear throughout the film.
Peak position #4
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Girl you'll be a woman soon #24 (AMR #15)
While there wasn't any chance that this album would be as successful as Mariah's previous album Music box, it does have the consolation of spawning two of her biggest hits in her career worldwide, one of which even broke records on Billboard by staying at number one for sixteen weeks. I should also point out that the album is indeed structured to be like a daydream, much like her last album was meant to be seen as a music box.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Fantasy #1 (AMR #2)
One sweet day #2 (AMR #3)
Always be my baby #17 (AMR #14)
Open arms #27
Enya had already achieved massive success with her previous four albums; however, this was her crowning achievement given how it remains her most successful album in her career despite coming out a bit late in the new age craze she kick started with her second album Watermark. Indeed, this was her last notable success in most parts of the world as the new age craze began to lose its momentum.
Peak position #1x4
Peak position #1x5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Anywhere is #34
It may have divided the fans upon its initial release, however it's clear that this follow up to Blood sugar sex magik wasn't a failure by any means for the band no matter how much the A.V club wanted us to believe otherwise when they (in my opinion) foolishly declared it as one of the least essential albums of the decade. Sure, the departure of John Frusciante did mean that the band had changed their sound, however it still managed to connect with audiences and still does to this day.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Warped #12
My friends #15 (AMR #18)
Aeroplane #35
This was the sophomore album for Powderfinger, a band who would go on to have massive success in the new millennium as they became one of the most successful Australian bands of their time. Before they conquered our music scene, they were an up-and-coming alternative band who got a massive push from Triple J this year when several of the singles were heavily promoted from the album.
Peak position #4
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Pick you up #23
DAF #39
Living type #42
It had been five years since Toni had troubled the charts anywhere in the world with her second album House of hope, in fact I'm guessing she only released this greatest hits package to see if anyone truly cared about her music much like how other has been have done over the years. It turns out that we Aussies loved her music (well her first two albums at least) as this was one of the biggest hits of the decade down under.
Peak position #1x6
Peak position #1x7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Many rivers to cross #12 (AMR #13)
Even though there was a perfectly acceptable reason as to why George Michael hadn't released a new album since the start of the decade, the fact that he was able to successfully return to the mainstream with this album that was initially proposed as a sequel to that album should tell you how loyal his fanbase was back in the day. Indeed, several of the tracks on here were meant for Listen without prejudice vol 2 but were recontextualised for this album as George no longer cared about his public image.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Jesus to a child #1 (AMR #1)
Fastlove #1 (AMR #1)
The spinning wheel #14 (AMR #10)
This is a bit of a different album from Chris Isaak as he seems to have traded in his Roy Orbison impression for a more original performance he gives throughout this album. This paid off for him massively as it remains his biggest album in his career, although he curiously didn't revisit this approach with his later work. Another interesting fact about this album is that the second single was only a hit when it was featured in the Stanley Kubrick film Eyes wide shut.
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Somebody's crying #5 (AMR #7)
Baby did a bad bad thing #27
This was an album that took its sweet time in finding an audience for the band in question, for almost two years this sat on shelves largely ignored even with Triple J discovering the album the previous year and promoting it on their station. It eventually became a success when "Glycerine" became a surprise hit for the English band in America, which in turn allowed it to become a success here in Australia and thus sell the album.
Peak position #5
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Everything zen #41
Glycerine #5 (AMR #7)
Comedown #45
Spiderbait were rising stars in the Australian alternative scene when they released their third album, said album was what brought them into the big leagues thanks to their more pop friendly sound as well as heavy endorsement from Triple J upon its initial release. It was the success of "Calypso" which helped keep this album around, well more specifically, the music video which features some truly outdated CGI even for the time.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Buy me a pony #45
Calypso #13 (AMR #19)
Tool are one of the most critically acclaimed bands to emerge from this decade, so to see their second album achieve this much success worldwide must have been a welcome surprise for the band and their fanbase given what they were competing with in the mainstream. Their popularity would continue well into the new millennium, although they never again reached the dizzying heights of this album.
Peak position #6
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
This was originally just meant to be a greatest hits package for MJ; however, it was delayed by several months when he realised he wrote and entire albums worth of new songs which resulted in this being a hybrid of a studio album and a greatest hits album. I should also point out that it had an aggressive marketing campaign involving the erection of several statues that the cover art depicts.
Peak position #1x3
Peak position #1x3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Scream #2 (AMR #2)
You are not alone #7 (AMR #5)
Earth song #15 (AMR #11)
They don't care about us #16 (AMR #18)
Stranger in Moscow #14 (AMR #17)
Often considered to be one of the quintessential industrial bands of the decade, we have Garbage led by the seductive Shirley Manson who made a huge splash with their debut album which connected with many people back in the day. It was a slow rise to success as they were an alternative band competing with EDM, however they made it big down under thanks to heavy promotion from Triple J.
Peak position #4
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Vow #32
Stupid girl #47
Milk #44
Bjork is one of the most unconventional artists to ever make it big in the music industry, while this wasn't her debut album by any means, it was the album that made her a household name due to the success of its second single which saved it from falling out of the charts upon its initial release and allowed it to become one of the more popular alternative albums of the 90's.
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Army of me #35
It's oh so quiet #6 (AMR #6)
Hyperballad #31
It had been seven years since Tracy Chapman last troubled the charts with one of her albums, so to see her back in the spotlight with her fourth album was a bit of a welcomed surprise for audiences around this time. Although this comeback was short lived as Tracy unfortunately failed to capitalise off of its success, it's nonetheless one of the more heartwarming stories of perseverance.
Peak position #6
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Give me one reason #3 (AMR #5)
It seemed that Janet and her fanbase couldn't wait for the actual tenth anniversary of her breakthrough album Control before she released this greatest hits package and her fans made it an instant success, I bring this up because the album is a bit of a lie since it was released a year earlier than it would suggest. Her popularity would dwindle after this; however, she was still a household name for another nine years.
Peak position #2
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Runaway #8 (AMR #6)
Twenty foreplay #29
You have no idea how inescapable the Riverdance phenomenon was throughout the decade, I'm sure the Corrs owe all of their success here in Australia and eventually around the world to how popular this show was given how Celtic music had always struggled for mainstream popularity over the years. Leave it to Bill Whelan to create a show that was so adorned by audiences that it became synonymous with the decade.
Peak position #4
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
This albums placement on this list may surprise my American readers considering this is one of the most successful albums of all time over there, however it wasn't nearly that big here in Australia despite how well the songs permeated on radio here. The album was still a huge success thanks to the vocals of Darius Rucker as well as heartland rock always having a welcomed presence in our music scene.
Peak position #7
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Let her cry #4 (AMR #5)
Only wanna be with you #40
OK so this album was a bit slow to find success here in Australia, I'm guessing it was due to us Aussies finding the lead single to be more of a novelty as it was her rare sex jam in a catalogue otherwise filled with ballads. It was when the second single was released that this became a huge success here, sort of how "Breathe again" from her previous album made it a household name for her.
Peak position #11
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
You're making me high #2 (AMR #2)
Unbreak my heart #6 (AMR #4)
Given that this was the soundtrack to the theatrical adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Weber's Evita and that it starred Madonna in the title role, it was going to be a success regardless of if the film was a critical and commercial success or not. Fortunately, the film was both which got the soundtrack to rebound on the charts when the lead single took home the academy award for best song and its second single became a hit.
Peak position #5
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
You must love me #11 (AMR #14)
Don't cry for me Argentina #9 (AMR #11)
KD Lang was on a roll by this point of her career as she managed to score yet another successful album that connected with her audience, she really did carry the torch for LGBT singer/songwriters this decade as her ballads connected with women who felt they weren't fitting into the conventions of the day.
Peak position #3
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
If I were you #23
So, John Farnham was still finding massive success with his albums this far into the 90's, it shouldn't really be a surprise considering that he was finding success as recently as the mid 00's but considering how many of his earlier contemporaries had struggled for mainstream appeal at this point, this albums success is impressive.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Have a little faith #3 (AMR #3)
A simple life #29
Heart's on fire #50
There have been quite a number of ballads to make it big from Madonna over the years, she certainly noticed how many of them were successful which is why she released a greatest hits packaged themed around them that was a huge success for her worldwide. As far as I can tell, she's yet to do the same for her more upbeat material as those songs can only be found on albums that has her ballads on them.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
You'll see #9 (AMR #10)
One more chance #35
Love don't live here anymore #27
Simply red had a very good run during the first ten years of their time in the spotlight, so naturally they released a greatest hits package that was a huge success for them and promised them at least another decade of worldwide success. Unfortunately, this was the last many would hear from the band despite them releasing new material well into the 21st century.
Peak position #4
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Following the surprise success of their previous album worldwide, Green day followed that up with this album which was a huge success even if it didn't quite live up to the standards Dookie set up for them. Still, it at least had a ton of fanfare upon its initial release which is more than you can say for their next album which needed one of the songs to be affiliated with Seinfeld of all things for it to be a success.
Peak position #5
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Geek stink breath #40
Stuck with me #46
Well so much for hip hop having no success here in Australia, here we have the one and only album from this iconic trio largely due to many of the tracks on here relying on nostalgia for older songs in order to appeal the mainstream of the 90's. Of course, the three rappers more than delivered with their verses to make up for this nostalgia baiting, and indeed we even have the dulcet vocals of Lauryn to differentiate these songs from the originals.
Peak position #5
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Fugalee #43
Killing me softly #1 (AMR #1)
Ready or not #24
No woman no cry #20 (AMR #18)
Wow did this album take its sweet time in finding success here in Australia, granted this is likely due to it being an RNB album which the occasional rap thrown in which would've made it unlikely for it to be a success here were it not for the strength of its third single. The irony is that this album became a success here around the time the trio filed for bankruptcy due to poor management of their money.
Peak position #5
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Creep #20
Waterfalls #4 (AMR #3)
Digging on you #6 (AMR #5)
While he was struggling for mainstream relevancy with his albums by this point, at least the success of his greatest hits package was able to reassure him that his fans will always be there for him when it comes to his back catalogue. It had been twelve years since he broke away from Cold chisel, and he was in the process of reuniting with them following the success of a previously unreleased album two years prior.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Lover lover #6 (AMR #6)
He may have failed to score a hit single anywhere in the world since the soundtrack to his version of the Jazz singer, however it's obvious that Neil Diamond has remained a welcome presence in the music industry as evidence by how frequently his 1972 live album Hot august night recharts in the mainstream. Twenty years after that album, he released this greatest hits package that detailed his success from his debut to its release.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x3 (AMR charts)
Well, this is a surprise, I didn't think that audiences were ready for new material from Neil Diamond this decade, however this album proved me wrong as it was indeed a huge success for the 70's crooner. I guess the 90's brought back another trend from the 70's, aging pop stars from two decades prior having a second wind two decades after their breakthrough.
Peak position #2
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
This was the final successful album that Simply red had here in Australia, although considering they had an entire decade of uninterrupted success, this was an impressive feat for them even if it didn't reach the same levels of success as their first four albums. They aged into the 90's remarkably well, although after their greatest hits album which they released a year after this, their popularity would fade away.
Peak position #7
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Fairground #7 (AMR #7)
Never never love #42
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)
Leann Rimes was only fourteen years old when she recorded this album, not only that but it wasn't even her first album as she had been active since the start of the decade meaning she was only nine years old when she released her first album. That's impressive considering this would be a highly critically acclaimed album as well as a huge commercial success despite it being a country album.
Peak position #5
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Blue #10 (AMR #12)
There might be no signs of there being a Split enz reunion (at least one that isn't for a one-off concert) however that doesn't mean there haven't been any attempts made at expanding their audience over the years as the band's label commissioned an orchestral reworking of some of their biggest hits to be covered by some of the biggest names in NZ music. The results were an album that was a massive success for everyone involved.
Peak position #4
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
As you've no doubt noticed going through these lists, there wasn't a lot of RNB albums to become popular here in Australia throughout the decade, this was one of the lucky few that was due to there being quite a lot of hype going into it due to the popularity of its advanced singles. Said singles proved to be even more popular in NZ at the expense of the album which flopped over there.
Peak position #6
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Hook me up #11 (AMR #13)
Hey girl #14 (AMR #17)
Let's groove #2 (AMR #1)
Don't stop #28
It took them fourteen years to break through to the mainstream worldwide, however the alternative duo Everything but the girl (named after an ad they saw) managed to take the world by storm thanks to a remix of one of their ballads from two years prior. They leaned into the EDM scene with this album which proved to be a massive success for them, however they quickly ran out of steam which costed them their popularity.
Peak position #11
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Missing #2 (AMR #1)
Walking wounded #30 (AMR #19)
Wrong #36
It pains me to say that this guy never had much success here in Australia save for this highly successful greatest hits package he released at the start of the decade. I guess the success of this album allowed us Aussies to rediscover his back catalogue and thus allow his songs to become staples on oldies stations.
Peak position #1x3
Peak position #1x3 (AMR charts)
I know that following up one of the biggest albums of the decade would've been a tall order for these guys, however surely, they could've done better than what they've achieved on here. That said I guess this was a case of the novelty wearing off for the group but not fast enough for this to be a total failure for them, this was a very common trend throughout the 90's for alternative bands.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Mach 5 #29
There were a lot of love themed greatest hits albums released over the years, this wasn't even the first one to come from Elton John as he had previously released an album with this name back in 1982 to very minimal success. He had better luck this time around as he had mostly stuck to love ballads in the 90's which helped him remain in the mainstream.
Peak position #7
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
This was originally released in 1987 to deafening silence here, in fact I'm not even sure why this greatest hits package managed to become a hit in Australia four years later as it's not like there was any special occasion for his legacy in this particular year.
Peak position #7
Peak position #11 (AMR charts)
While this was a huge success for the Cranberries this year, their fans have said that their change in sound did alienate them back in the day which is why this wasn't as inescapable as their sophomore album from two years prior. That said it was still a notable success for them which is more than I can say for their next album which failed to find any sort of audience due to them further changing their sound.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Salvation #8 (AMR #8)
Free to decide #43
When you're gone #40
There seems to be at least one of these albums on my list for every year in the 90's, although it's worth noting that La bouche's success here likely came from how huge they were over in America more than us preferring them over their predecessors Culture beat and Corona. Just like those two bands, these guys scored three massive hits from the album and then faded into obscurity once the album cycle was done.
Peak position #10
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Be my lover #2 (AMR #1)
Sweet dreams #8 (AMR #5)
I love to love #6 (AMR #4)
Falling in love #39
Their first album was a flop earlier in the decade, so it must have been a bit of a surprise to see that Everclear managed to score a massive hit with their second album even if they owe that success in Australia to Triple J heavily promoting the album. Indeed, the album didn't receive much love anywhere else in the world likely due to them being lost in all of the other alternative bands that were coming out around this time.
Peak position #9
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Santa Monica #25
Heartspark dollarsign #40
One of the most popular shows of the decade was the X files, a sci fi crime show about two agents solving mysteries centred around aliens and paranormal activities. The show was a massive success, leading to this soundtrack of songs that appeared in each episode by this point which helped launch the sci fi craze of the decade out of nostalgia for the sci fi craze of the 70's.
Peak position #8
Peak position #14 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The x files #27
One of the grittiest films to come out of the 90's was Trainspotting, a film which depicted the brutal conditions of living in the Scottish drug scene of the day and is led by a captivating performance from Ewan McGregor who found international success from this film. The soundtrack helps drive home the themes of the film, which is why it was a massive success back in the day worldwide.
Peak position #5
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Born slippy #20
It took him a while to follow up his comeback album Waking up the neighbours from earlier in the decade, however once he did, Bryan Adams found little issues with retaining his popularity with this album which proves just how well loved he was back in the day. That said, his popularity would quickly dwindle later in the decade and by the 00's, he would be yesterday's news.
Peak position #2
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Have you ever really loved a woman #1 (AMR #1)
The only thing that looks good on me is you #19 (AMR #17)
Let's make a night to remember #7 (AMR #8)
This was the second live album from Nirvana to be released posthumously, again fans were clearly not ready to say goodbye to Kurt Cobain even though the other two members had moved onto other projects by this stage, proving what an immense talent and tragic loss he was to the music industry.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
We have another wacky Australian band that Triple J fell in love with throughout the 90's, this time it's Regurgitator who made it big with their debut album which combined hip hop with rock in a way that was far less serious than the likes of Rage against the machine and Faith no more from earlier in the decade. It was a huge success for them and led to them evolving their sound to include EDM elements on their next album.
Peak position #3
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Couldn't do it #45
New #30
Kong foo sing #33
Although their popularity was beginning to fade during this phase of their career, Pearl jam was still able to find massive success with their albums as evidence by this being a huge success for them two years after the demise of their main rivals Nirvana. They would release one more album later in the decade that was a massive success before they shifted their sound to a more mainstream market.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Who you are #5 (AMR #7)
Hail hail #31
Off he goes #46
Well, if people felt that Metallica's previous album was a sellout, they hadn't heard anything yet as this was bordering on mainstream rock which made their previous material seem like something they released in the 80's. That said, this was a huge success for the band and even well received to this day, proving that it's only the diehard fans that were crying foul when the band released this.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Until it sleeps #1 (AMR #1)
Hero of the day #2 (AMR #2)
Mama said #24 (AMR #18)
Although the band were way past their prime at this point, it appears that the news of Sammy Hagar's departure shook up enough of us Aussies this year that their greatest hits package managed to become a huge hit for them.
Peak position #11
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
While this wasn't anywhere near as successful as their previous album from two years prior, Soundgarden nonetheless managed to achieve massive success here in Australia with this follow up proving how big grunge was even after the tragic loss of Kurt Cobain in our music scene. Despite how big this was worldwide; the band would call it quits after this to allow Chris Cornell to form Audioslave.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Pretty noose #22
Roxette was really struggling for mainstream relevancy by this point of their career, although like most popular bands of the 80's and 90's they found massive success with a greatest hits package proving that audiences indeed did love their back catalogue and that they just weren't feeling it with their newer material. This would be the last time they would trouble the charts with anything related to them.
Peak position #10
Peak position #11 (AMR charts)
Given how big their previous albums were, it only makes sense that Stone temple pilots would achieve moderate success with their third album this year even if it didn't quite live up to the standards of their second album. The band considered this such a disappointment that their next album was devoid of Scott Weiland which has largely been described as one of the most pointless albums to ever exist.
Peak position #3
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Big bang baby #37
Although he wasn't the most popular artist of the decade here in Australia, Anthony Warlow was able to hang in there with his brand of pop opera which compelled him to release this greatest hits package which collects the best moments of his work both on stage and on his albums which was a modest success for him.
Peak position #9
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
While it was far better received than Whitney Houston's first film the Bodyguard, Waiting to exhale still received mixed reviews from critics once again for the writing as Whitney's performance was far better received as were the rest of the cast which comprised of women of colour. Once again, the soundtrack was what stood out from the production which managed to spawn another hit for its leading actress.
Peak position #9
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Exhale #18 (AMR #19)
We have one more popular EDM album to come out this year, this time it's from Swiss DJ Robert Miles who managed to score massive success with his trance tracks on this album thanks to how the lead single became a massive success with the new age crowd. He's another one album wonder to appear on this list, although this was par for the course for EDM artists by this point in the 90's.
Peak position #12
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Children #5 (AMR #5)
Fable #21 (AMR #19)
This was the final album that R.E.M had any substantial success with worldwide, it was only barely a hit here in Australia likely due to us Aussies feeling that the magic had been lost by this point in their career. This didn't prevent their label from singing them with an at the time record breaking deal that caused them to lose money.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
E bow the letter #23
These guys were on a roll with their third album this year which managed to be as successful as their breakthrough from the previous year, although I did notice that the singles on this album proved to be more successful with mainstream audiences even if they didn't quite reach the dizzying heights of some of the biggest names in alternative rock of the decade.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Soldiers #33
Good morning #44
Tuesday #29
This was another album from an alternative band this year that didn't achieve quite as much success as the previous album for the band in question, this time it's the second album from Rage against the machine which managed to out peak its predecessor due to it having a ton of hype going towards its release but overall didn't quite live up to said hype due to it not lasting as long on our charts.
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Bulls on parade #29
Given that their final album was a huge success here in Australia, it only makes sense that this greatest hits package managed to be a hit for them just as they were calling it quits due to it being a convenient way for us Aussies to discover their back catalogue that dominated the charts in their native UK.
Peak position #10
Peak position #11 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
How deep is your love #12 (AMR #15)
This is the only notable success for Joan Osbourne throughout her career which she began in his mid-thirties with this album, even then it was mainly a success due to its lead single taking the world by storm with its questions about religious believes that resonated with an increasingly agnostic society that was hostile towards organised religion.
Peak position #12
Peak position #15 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
One of us #1 (AMR #1)
St Teresa #43
Given how the lead single to this album finally managed to give Nick Cave a genuine hit worldwide (albeit due to the presence of Kylie Minogue) it makes sense that the album itself would be a huge success for him and his band even if it quickly dropped off the charts once the single did.
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Where the wild roses grow #2 (AMR #2)
Following the success of his earlier entry on this list, Chris Isaak released an acoustic album where he collected many of his older tracks and recorded them in a way that they could hit on his (then) most recent album. It was a modest success here, proving that we Aussies were interested in his change in direction towards his sound.
Peak position #8
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
Given how the 90's was proving to be a surprisingly good time for Irish culture in the mainstream, I guess it only seems fitting that the stage show for Michael Flatley's west end production Lord of the dance would prove to be a massive success worldwide given how its star was also the star of the Riverdance show from earlier in the decade.
Peak position #9
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
Although this was released very late here in Australia (for some reason as Shaggy already had a hit earlier in the decade prior to its release over here) it appears the wait for its release was worth it due to the title track quickly becoming one of the biggest hits of the decade here as it was throughout the rest of the world when it came out the previous year.
Peak position #11
Peak position #13 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
In the summertime #14 (AMR #19)
Boombastic #1 (AMR #1)
Following the success of their previous Anthology album, the remaining members of the Beatles decided to release this follow up which contains more previously unreleased songs as well as additional hits that wasn't on the first album which resulted in its success albeit to a much lesser scale.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Real love #6 (AMR #10)
We have a collaboration album from former Dragon bassist Tommy Emmanuel and the Australian philharmonic orchestra with this entry, this is further proof I have for how big opera music was given how the otherwise country artist managed to find success by combining his sound with classical music to moderate success.
Peak position #6
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
It turns out Pantera managed to have a second successful album here in Australia given how this managed to be a modest success here two years after their international breakthrough, this would truly be the last successful album the band would have as they would fade into obscurity worldwide after this album.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
I was not expecting to feature this Brazilian heavy metal band on this site, mainly because of how our alternative scene wasn't as mainstream here in Australia as it was throughout the rest of the world even with the assistance of Triple J. Even so, this did pique our curiosity this year which resulted in its moderate success upon its initial release.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Roots bloody roots #44
Given how her duet with Youssou N'Dor was included on this album, I think we can safely assume that this album was meant to come out two years prior to cash in off the success of Neneh's renewed popularity with that ballad. She instead decided to take her time with her third album and likely only included the ballad as a way to help fans check out her latest material which they did.
Peak position #10
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
7 seconds #3 (AMR #3)
Woman #17 (AMR #16)
One of the better video game adaptations that Hollywood has made over the years has been the first Mortal Kombat film, it's cheesy fun (from what I can gather) that doesn't take itself too seriously that puts it a cut above the likes of the Mario Brothers film and the Street fighter film. It helps that it had a well-received soundtrack that was a modest success here in Australia this year.
Peak position #11
Peak position #11 (AMR charts)
We have one more successful album to look at from the Pet shop boys before they faded into obscurity, coincidentally it was released ten years after their first album even though this was only saw a fraction of that albums release.
Peak position #3
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Before #25
Se a vida e #11 (AMR #9)
Although they weren't able to compete with their main rivals Oasis here in Australia, Blur did achieve some moderate success starting with this album which they released the previous year to minimal success. It was able to rebound on our charts likely due to the lead single ranking quite high on their yearend list for 1995 which helped incentivise the mainstream into checking it out.
Peak position #10
Peak position #14 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Country house #28
Charmless man #35
Considering this album contains two of Tori's biggest hits (well technically one as they were bundled together as a two for one deal) you'd think that it would be at least on the level of success that Sheryl Crow was seeing from the previous year. Alas she only achieved moderate success upon its initial release despite the two singles coming out six months after its release.
Peak position #6
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Hey Jupiter #17 (AMR #13)
Professional widow #17 (AMR #13)
This was only barely a success here in Australia for Enigma, likely due to their reputation being soured upon us following a well publicised lawsuit against them due to sampling issues from their previous album.
Peak position #10
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
Even though they only have two successful albums under their belt here in Australia, they were influential enough for fans to check out the back catalogue of Def Leppard this year as this became a modest success for the band long after the death of hair metal.
Peak position #9
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
When love and hate collide #22 (AMR #17)
It had been four years since their last album, even so, the fact this managed to find any success for the Cure this far into the decade should speak volumes to how dedicated their fanbase was even if it's a fraction of what their previous album achieved.
Peak position #5
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The 13th #31
Considering they only had one hit here in Australia during their initial run together, it's kind of crazy that New edition would see any sort of success with this reunion album given that it only exists to fulfill a contractual obligation they had as a group. It even got them off our one hit wonder list as it spawned a huge hit for them on our charts.
Peak position #13
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Hit me off #16 (AMR #13)
I'm still in love with you #47
It appears that Sting was able to get one more entry onto my site given how this album of his managed to stick around long enough on our charts to qualify for this list. I guess this was a good year for artists from the 80's to have a last hurrah as we've looked at several of those on here.
Peak position #14
Peak position #15 (AMR charts)
You have to wonder just how a band as inescapable as Hootie and the blowfish managed to go from the overwhelming success of their earlier entry to this follow up which was barely a success for them even in their native America. Some have claimed its simple overexposure whilst others suggest it was due to this being a rush release despite their earlier entry coming out two years prior in their homeland.
Peak position #12
Peak position #13 (AMR charts)
I guess there was enough room for Gloria Estefan this year for this last hurrah of hers to be a minor success here in Australia, it would be the last time she troubled the charts anywhere in the world which is odd because you'd think she'd thrive in the Latin revival that would explode by the end of the decade.
Peak position #13
Peak position #15 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Reach #23
Following the success of his previous album from earlier in the decade, Harry Connick Jr somehow struggled to retain that success with this follow up which only became a success due to how long it stuck around for on our charts this year. He would release one more album later in the decade before his popularity faded for good with us Aussies.
Peak position #16
Peak position #19 (AMR charts)
This is the only successful album that Eternal managed to have here in Australia, this is a bit odd as their first and third albums produced two of their biggest hits down under even if this spawned two hits in one for them. It's also odd because female RNB didn't have that much pushback amongst us Aussies throughout the 90's, although to be fair it could've been a success due to the drama concerning their lineup.
Peak position #14
Peak position #19 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Power of a woman #8 (AMR #9)
I am blessed #14 (AMR #13)
Well, it took us long enough, however I've finally featured a hip hop album from one of the most critically acclaimed rappers of all time on this list. It was a bittersweet success for 2pac given how he released it mere months prior to his death, although said death did nothing to boost its sales unlike other albums that were released prior to the death of a beloved artist.
Peak position #19
Peak position #19 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
California love #4 (AMR #4)
How do u want it #24 (AMR #20)
I ain't mad atcha #47
This was released two years prior to deafening silence here in Australia, I guess we Aussies initially felt that Shania Twain sounded too much like Sheryl Crow at the time to be invested in what she had to offer. We quickly changed our tune when "If you're not in it for love" became a surprise hit due to how seductive she is on the track, leading to this eventually outselling Sheryl's own album from this time down under.
Peak position #17
Peak position #25 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I'm outta here #5 (AMR #5)
This is a collaboration album between Diesel and Chris Wilson, the latter being fairly unknown even when this album came out which perhaps explains why it failed to become a success for the former given how he had achieved massive success earlier in the decade with his solo work.
Peak position #18
Peak position #21 (AMR charts)
I guess if this album was released the following year like it was in America, it would've been twice as successful here in Australia than it wound up being due to RNB not being widely accepted yet when it came out this year by us Aussies. If you're wondering why Mark was a one album wonder, that's due to him living up to his bad boy persona he displays throughout this album as he had a fairly large rap sheet in the UK law system.
Peak position #24
Peak position #26 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Return of the mack #2 (AMR #2)
Crazy #18 (AMR #15)
It's a bit odd that this wasn't such a big hit here in Australia like it was in Collective soul's native America, I guess we Aussies felt that their breakthrough hit "Shine" from two years prior was too much of a novelty to allow these guys to become a genuine rock band like many of the other entries on this list.
Peak position #23
Peak position #26 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The world I know #41
This is one of those entries that wouldn't have made the cut had I not decided to fill out the year end lists for both ARIA and AMR without compilations for this list, as such the soundtrack to the first Mission impossible film gets an appearance on here even though it really wasn't that big outside of its theme song.
Peak position #21
Peak position #21 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Mission impossible theme #2 (AMR #2)
This year had such slim pickings for me to fill it up with that Kenny G manages to appear on here even though by all accounts his popularity was well and truly dead by this point in time. This should tell you had the seasonal compilations had made such an impact on our music scene when removing them on the AMR rankings (IE going off on ARIA's charts) allows this to make the cut.
Peak position #21
Peak position #24 (AMR charts)
This was originally released to deafening silence here in Australia two years prior, I guess we Aussies really weren't interested in these guys until they tore up the UK charts with their earlier entry on this list as this did chart in the lower regions here when that came out. Eventually this racked up enough points in the lower half of the charts to make an appearance on here solely through curiosity from fans of their (then) latest work.
Peak position #23
Peak position #24 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Whatever #40
This was the third year in a row where a Triple J compilation album was among the most successful albums in Australia, although I'm basing this list on the AMR charts as these albums naturally didn't chart on the ARIA charts due to ARIA considering them compilation albums and thus excluding them from their rankings.
Peak position #2
100% hits return this year as does Hit machine with this being the biggest entry from both franchises, here it covers the biggest hits in Australia for our summer season of 1995/1996 which was pretty chaotic here.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Missing #2
How bizarre #1
Charmless man #35
Breakfast at Tiffany's #3
Power of a woman #8
Pass the vibes #36
Warm summer daze #26
Boombastic #1
Fee fi fo fum #22
I Can Dream
Give me one reason #3
Miss Sarajevo #7
My friends #15
Runaway #10
Til you do me right #16
Father and son #2
Here we are with Hit machine's biggest entry this year, this was for the autumn period of this year really proving how chaotic the music scene was during the early to mid-point.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
X files theme #2
Firestarter #22
Sweet dreams #8
Wrap me up #11
Sexual healing #5
Digging on you #6
Don't stop #28
Children #5
How deep is your love #12
Imagination #37
Got it going on #19
Don't look back in anger #19
1 2 3 4 #12
Get down on it #5
Tell me #6
Show you love #49
Stupid girl #47
Stepping stone #25
Well, this is something else, apparently the Grammy award nominations were so stacked this year that their second album they released to promote the nominees was a huge success in Australia this year. This was the only album from the Grammys to ever be a success here (at least as far as I can tell) which makes this a strange phenomenon indeed.
Peak position #3
I'm actually a bit surprised this wasn't even more popular given how hectic the midpoint of the year was here in Australia, although I guess some of the choices on here were a tad redundant all things considered.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Macarena #1
Killing me softly #1
I love to love #6
Anything #5
Kitty #19
Champagne supernova #26
Tha crossroads #15
Not an addict #22
Telling everybody #30
Let it rain #30
Fable #21
The look of love #30
Who do u love #11
Sometimes when we touch #5
It's all the way live #50
September #42
Macarena #2
The summer of 95/96 was pretty hectic as the selections on here can attest to, this resulted in the success of this entry from the Hit machine franchise.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Wonderwall #1
Waterfalls #4
Moving up #12
Apple eyes #9
Automatic lover #18
Let's groove #2
It's alright #4
Itchycoo park #27
La la la hey hey #42
Too hot #42
Wasn't it good #11
Santa Maria #50
Right beside you #41
I feel it #20
Spring of 1995 was pretty interesting for the Hit machine franchise given that this was a decent success during the summer period of 95/96.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Staying alive #1
Come and get your love #18
Mysterious girl #8
Where the wild roses grow #2
Morning glory #25
As I lay me down #7
Never forget #12
Boom boom boom #2
Scatman's world #8
I kiss your lips #8
Be my lover #2
Where is the feeling #31
Vow #32
Who farted #43
This covers the autumn period of this year which was a bit of a dud for this series, although not so much so that this was a flop as this did make the yearend list for AMR.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Spaceman #3
California love #4
In the meantime #40
One of us #1
Beautiful life #11
Naked and sacred #15
Ooh aah just a little bit #5
Love me for a reason #48
Santa Monica #25
The 13th #31
The world I know #41
Wham bam #47
Classical gas #31
Return of the Mack #2
The x files #27
This is an interesting album to find success this year, mainly because RNB wasn't very successful here in Australia when it came out. Rather coincidentally, the genre would explode for the remainder of the decade likely due to this album's success.
Peak position #7
This is the final entry from the 100% series to cover the spring of any given year as from here on out, the franchise would skip over the spring season in exchange for making their annual recaps a double album which covers contains new tracks from the spring period of a year.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Wannabe #1
I want you #4
That girl #7
Se a vida e #11
Spinning the wheel #14
Do you like it #18
Crazy #18
Sunshine #34
There's nothing I won't do #26
The only thing that looks good on me is you #19
I live for you #9
Closer to free #11
Mother mother #5
Heartspart dollarsign #40
Popular #43
Who will save your soul #27
Forgiven not forgotten #15
I feel this franchise didn't want to bother with covering spring due to their spring releases consistently failing to become bigger than any other season of each year for them.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Heaven for everyone #15
The sunshine after the rain #12
Something 4 da honeyz #19
In the summertime #14
How deep is your love #15
Fairground #7
Sad song #44
April the fool #45
I'd lie for you #7
Only wanna be with you #40
If I were you #23
Country house #28
Baby did a bad bad thing #27
No comments:
Post a Comment