This will be the earliest year I'll be covering on this site, mainly because A: I don't have much love for music made prior to this year and B: this is where the southern hemisphere began tracking the popular music of their respective countries.
This became a success twice in NZ throughout the decade, the first time was upon its initial release and the second was when "I don't want to talk about it" unexpectedly became a huge success two years after its release over there. Admittedly that song also did reasonably well here in Australia albeit as a sleeper hit.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Sailing #3
I don't want to talk about it #2
This was an album that refused to die on the NZ charts, granted this was also the case worldwide but the kiwis kept this around in the mainstream for quite a number of years since its initial release hence why it's appearing on this list.
Peak position #3
This may have come out earlier in the decade, however it was still popular enough by the time the RIANZ charts launched for it to be one of the biggest albums of the year, it goes to show how inescapable this was from Neil Diamond back in the day.
Peak position #1x1
This proved to be an even bigger success in NZ for Olivia Newton John, although to be fair this was during the earliest stages of the RIANZ charts so perhaps its popularity wasn't as bloated as its lengthy chart run would otherwise suggest.
Peak position #2
It's hard to say if this was the album which made John Denver a household name over in NZ considering how the RIANZ charts only go back to when this was initially released and not factor in his previous albums over there, from what I can gather he didn't have much success prior to this album there due to the previous charts Listener not ranking his earlier singles high on their charts.
Peak position #1x2
I'm guessing this album was even bigger in NZ back in the day given how it was released the previous year before the RIANZ charts were able to track its full success, as is it was still one of the biggest albums of the decade over there due to how inescapable Elton John was during the first half of the 70's.
Peak position #2
I guess these guys had massive success with their albums during the first half of the decade in NZ, why else would their greatest hits package be so successful over there given how they didn't see much success with their singles (at least according to the Listener charts they didn't.)
Peak position #3
This was way more successful in NZ than it was in Australia in every way, not only for the album itself but also the singles which managed to be actual hits over there likely due to the kiwis not having a local music scene established at the time for them to choose over these classics from the Eagles.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
One of these nights #3
Lying eyes #7
Take it to the limit #23
He did score two of the biggest hits of the decade in NZ, so it only makes sense that this album which spawned those two hits would be a massive success for Freddy Fender over there back in the day. He scored further moderate success the following year with his next album Are you ready for Freddy, however it wasn't big enough to earn a spot on this side of my site.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Before the next teardrop falls #2
Wasted days and wasted nights #1
It looks like the kiwis had also grown tired of John Denver once the popularity of this album died out over there, although admittedly it did last longer over there than it did over here which suggests they considered letting him stick around for a while longer but ultimately decided against it.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
I'm sorry #5
Calypso #5
This had a similar reason for becoming a success this year that it did in Australia, the main difference of course is that given that the kiwis were already familiar with this guy as "I don't believe in if anymore" was a huge hit on the Listener charts from the start of the decade, the album was more of a success over there.
Peak position #1x8
These guys were on a roll worldwide as this album was a massive success wherever it was released (once it acquired a less horrifying album cover that is) it was more of a success in NZ because the album didn't have much to compete with over there due to the kiwis lacking an effective local music scene.
Peak position #1x3
This is another album from the first half of the decade that was a massive success for Neil Diamond in Australia, I'm guessing it was an even bigger deal over in NZ considering how long it lasted in order for it to chart on the RIANZ charts two years after its initial release.
Peak position #3
This was a fantastic year for Elton John regardless of where in the world you're from, this being one of his more popular albums due to the lead single showcasing a much more personal look into his life giving its poignant subject matter.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
Someone saved my life tonight #13
Again, I'm sort of cheating with this entry as it wasn't that big on the RIANZ chart, but also it was released two years prior meaning that it's possible it was even bigger upon its initial release over in NZ.
Peak position #10
This is a bit confusing as Suzi Quatro didn't have much success in NZ during the first half of the decade (according to the listener charts that is) I guess this was the kiwi's way of atoning for ignoring her back in the day as the album wasn't very successful here in Australia despite how inescapable she was back then.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
I may be too young #27
This was the debut album from Mark Williams, an album named after himself much like his Australian breakthrough from fifteen years later which spawned his one and only Australian hit "Show no mercy." Mark was one of the few kiwis to find success in his homeland in the 70's without coming over to Australia back in the day, I would say ever except he did eventually migrate here in the late 80's.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Yesterday was just the beginning of my life #1
From what I can gather on the Listener charts, Helen Reddy was decently successful during the first half of the decade in NZ but not on the same level as she was here in Australia. I bring this up because it's curious that this greatest hits album would be so much more successful over there than it was over here back in the day.
Peak position #1x6
Well, I hope the Who managed to find massive success with their albums in NZ before the RIANZ charts launched this year, otherwise this soundtrack to the theatrical adaptation of one of their albums was the closest thing to success they managed to have over there.
Peak position #5
This was another successful album to come from Wings in NZ this decade, there's not much more I can say about the band at this point as their popularity was inescapable throughout the decade worldwide due to the presence of Paul McCartney as well as their music withstanding the test of time.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Listen to what the man said #7
This was released two years prior for Elton John, although it was popular enough to last this far into the decade in NZ to chart this year and even become a massive hit for the piano player this year. It remains his most iconic work due to it having some of his biggest hits from the earliest parts of his career.
Peak position #9
I'm not sure if the Doobie Brothers had successful albums during the first half of the decade in NZ, what I do know is that their success over there was equal to that of what they achieved here in Australia beginning with this final album from them to have Tom Johnson on lead vocals.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Take me in your arms #31
This was way more successful over in NZ for the Carpenter than it was here in Australia, mainly due to there being now Countdown equivalent over there for this to be a victim of but also due to the singles being much bigger over there than they were over here for the duo.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Please Mr. postman #4 (#1 on the Listener charts)
Only yesterday #10
Solitaire #6
This is more guesswork on my part, although this third album from Rick Wakeman did quite well during the early months of the RIANZ chart's existence so I'm guessing it was a massive success overall in NZ. Maybe this guy did really well over there with his first two albums, but I can't be sure because the charts don't go that far back.
Peak position #1x4
This was the first album to go to number one in NZ, meaning that it's possible that Bob Dylan had a ton of success over there during the first half of the decade. His popularity would've somewhat faded during the second half of the 70's if that was the case, however he was still a household name over there until the end of the decade.
Peak position #1x3
Although this was a decent success for Elton John in NZ like it was here in Australia, I'm willing to bet that many audiences wished it wasn't due to it containing one of the more divisive songs in his catalogue as its lead single.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Island girl #4
Grow some funk of your own #39
You know the drill by this point, this was an album released from the previous year (albeit late) which means that this albums presence on this list is more a prediction on my part as to how big it was prior to the release of the first RIANZ charts.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Longfellow serenade #29
Yet another album on here that I'm sort of cheating with on this list, although I don't think anyone is going to dispute this album from Led zeppelin's placement on here given how A: they were massively successful back in the day worldwide and B: how iconic the band has remained to this day.
Peak position #3
This may shock you to read, but Shirley Bassey didn't have much success with her singles on the Listener charts throughout the 60's and early 70's (save for "Something" which was a big hit for her at the start of the decade.) That didn't prevent this greatest hits album from being a success for her this year over there despite it being a massive flop here in Australia.
Peak position #7
This felt like a good place to recap Neil Diamond's success so far in his career, I'm sure this would've been a success here in Australia as well had we not pushed aside his catalogue in favour of local acts promoted by Countdown.
Peak position #6
This is another album that's kind of cheating by being this high on this list, although as usual with these albums I'm merely guessing how well it did in NZ during its initial release given how massively successful the lead single to this album was on the Listener charts.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
You ain't seen nothing yet #25
Roll on down the highway #20
I'm technically cheating with this album's ranking as by all accounts it didn't last as long on the RIANZ charts as its placement here with otherwise suggest, however much like some of the other entries on this list, this came out the previous year for John Denver which suggests that it was more of a success in NZ in 1974 than it was this year.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Thank god I'm a country boy #27
At least this was also a moderate success for David Bowie in NZ back in the day, it was released right when the RIANZ charts launched so I'm confident that it wasn't any bigger over there than if the charts were to go even further back.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Young Americans #7
It only makes sense that this was a moderate success in NZ given how the title track was a massive success over there, it may not have stuck around for very long compared to the other entries on this list, but at least I feel confident in saying it was a genuine success unlike many other albums that charted in the bottom ten of the charts for most of the decade.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Newcastle song #1
From what I can gather, Waves were an NZ prog band who found moderate success with their one and only album this year before forever fading into obscurity. I guess their fellow kiwis were disappointed in their inability to translate their success over to Australia despite them being one of the earliest international artists to appear on Countdown.
Peak position #6
This was where it all began for Split enz in their homeland, it's curious this didn't crossover here in Australia even when they began appearing on Countdown later in the decade to promote their subsequent follow ups. This was their debut album as well as the first of two to not feature Neil Finn on vocals as he would've still been a teenager when this was released.
Peak position #7
This was slightly more popular in NZ than it was here in Australia, mainly because the kiwis didn't have a strong local music scene like we Aussies did to distract them from the innovative work that's on display here. They're a one album wonder over there just like they are over here despite the success they saw in the UK in the early 80's.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Autobahn #4
I've gone through the Listener charts and can confirm that Gary Glitter didn't have much success with his singles in NZ during the first half of the decade, admittedly he might've had better luck with his albums as no such data exists for how well they did over there, however it must have been very well if this greatest hits package was a hit for him.
Peak position #4
I may not be quite sure how well their earlier entry did over in NZ, however it must have been popular enough for the band's fourth album to become a modest success over there this year. It even spawned a minor hit with its lead single, proving that at least for a little while, these guys were the biggest name in the NZ music scene.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Hey you #10
It's tough to say if this third album from John Hanlon was his breakthrough given how there aren't any album charts from NZ preceding this year, what I do know is that its two singles were among the last to become a success on the Listener charts which ensures its success when it was released months after those charts became redundant.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Lovely lady #1 (on the listener charts)
Apple wine #13 (#6 on the listener charts)
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