Disco was a huge draw this year in music, however there was also a ton of rock opera and easy listening for people who weren't into shaking their groove thing.
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
Well, there's no surprise that Rod Stewart would be a huge success in NZ this decade, this is also his biggest album over there due to the kiwis falling in love with his ballads which are still successful on oldies stations to this day.
Peak position #1x9
Hit singles
Tonight's the night #2
Get back #23
The first cut is the deepest #21
It's hard to say what was popular in NZ during the first half of the decade, what I do know is that this was the most popular album over there during the second half of the 70's thanks to the drama that went into this album resonating with them back in the day. Sadly, there weren't any improvements with the success of the singles over there like so many other albums on these lists.
Peak position #1x9
Hit singles
Go your own way #23
Dreams #16
You make loving fun #26
Unlike in Australia where Billy Joel had some success with his previous efforts, this was the first that the kiwis had heard from him which is likely why it was a bigger success for him over there than it was over here. Although it's worth noting that his overall popularity there couldn't hold a candle to what it was here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Just the way you are #6
Moving out #31
Well, it might not have been as successful in NZ as it was here in Australia, however at least this album from the Eagles was able to spawn hits for the band over there which I feel more than makes up for it as the album was still a massive success there whilst also making the band a household name on NZ's singles charts.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
New in town #5
Hotel California #6
It's hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that these guys were so much more successful in NZ than they were here in Australia during the disco phase of their career, then again, they saw massive success over there during their early Beatles esque era so perhaps the kiwis just loved these guys overall more so than us Aussies.
Peak position #1x5
So, this was a massive success for the Cars in NZ but not here in Australia, admittedly this was mainly a success over there due to the popularity of their second album, but it was still inescapable over there once the kiwis did discover how awesome the album was. That's certainly more than I can say for us Aussies who likely thought that Candy O was the band's debut album back in the day.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Just what I needed #38
Even though this had a low peak position in NZ back in the day like it did here in Australia, this breakthrough from Supertramp nonetheless managed to last for quite some time on their charts which ensured that it would be a shoe in for several of these lists on this side of my site.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Dreamer #34
This albums success in NZ was about the same as it was here in Australia, meaning that Linda's popularity was on equal footing in the southern hemisphere even though the second minor hit from the album varies depending on which country you're referring to. Here it was "Poor poor pitiful me" which was written by Warren Zevon of "Werewolves of London" fame and in NZ it was a cover of a Buddy Holly track.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Blue bayou #3
It's so easy #11
This was the only successful album that Leo Sayer had in NZ, mainly because it was the album that made him a superstar in America given how it spawned two Billboard chart toppers for him over there. Indeed, these two songs remain his biggest hits in most parts of the world despite being very different from each other.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
You make me feel like dancing #1
When I need you #4
How much love #10
Although this album was a huge success over in NZ, it wasn't quite as inescapable over there as it was over here likely due to the kiwis only gravitating towards this album when it became a huge success for Meat loaf here in Australia due to his appearance on Countdown back in the day.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
You took the words right out of my mouth #2
Two out of three ain't bad #9
The Brothers Gibb had already been embraced by the kiwis when it came to their transition to disco earlier in the decade, as such their soundtrack for the Saturday night fever film was a shoe in for success due to the film also being a huge critical and commercial success upon its release.
Peak position #1x16
Hit singles
How deep is your love #6
Staying alive #1
If I can't have you #6
Night fever #2
Given how their albums seemed to stick to the lower half of the album's charts in NZ throughout the 80's like glue, it seems fitting that their debut album would also do the same once its initial popularity began to fade as the decade was coming to an end. Even so it was a massive success over there thanks to how big the lead single was worldwide.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Sultans of swing #12
Given how rock operas weren't as successful in NZ as they were here in Australia, this concept album from Jeff Wayne wasn't as inescapable over there as it was over here even though it was still a massive success there.
Peak position #2
I think it's weird that these guys weren't more successful in Australia, not with the albums so much as they did fine, but rather with the singles because not only do they remain iconic to this day, but they also would've easily fitted in with all of the rock opera making it big worldwide from around this time.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Give a little bit #14
This album really did take its time in finding an audience in NZ, so much so that it wasn't until the success of his next album that this finally reached the upper echelons of their charts due to it lacking that hit single over there. That said, it did hover in the lower half of the charts for a year which is why it wound up being the bigger album over there.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Lowdown #35
Lido shuffle #18
The kiwis also seemed to be in love with the Grease phenomenon as the soundtrack to the film managed to be a massive success over there just like it was over here, although its popularity in the 90's wasn't as inescapable over there so perhaps their love for the film faded over time as opposed to it growing here in Australia.
Peak position #1x16
Hit singles
You're the one that I want #1
Grease #2
Hopelessly devoted to you #6
Summer nights #3
Greased lightning #40
This had a bit of a slow start to its rise in popularity in NZ, mainly because the lead single was far from the most successful of its time and the second single didn't even chart over there for some reason. The album finally reached its peak when the third single became one of the biggest of the decade over there much like how it became a success for the band in America.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Living thing #4
Telephone line #1
This was another successful album to come from Rod Stewart worldwide, I guess this was slightly more successful in NZ with the singles given how it had one more minor charting hit over there than it did over here.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
You're in my heart #2
Hot legs #31
I was only joking #35
This was the magnum opus for Frank Farian in his career, mainly because of his presence in the band but also because of how infectiously catchy the disco is on this album which led to the lead single being one of the biggest hits of the decade worldwide.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Rivers of Babylon #1
Rasputin #4
Given how his previous album was a massive success for him in NZ, it only seems fitting that Billy Joel would continue that winning streak with this album which manages to confirm him as the real deal over there given how his work prior to the Stranger wasn't a success over there like it was here.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
My life #6
Big shot #36
Honesty #38
Much like in Australia, Rod Stewart wouldn't have an inescapable album again in NZ until the early 90's with the success of Vagabond heart. Unlike in Australia, he wouldn't score any success with his singles between that time meaning that the kiwis completely ignored this guy throughout the 80's.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Do ya think I'm sexy #2
From what I can gather, these guys weren't that big in NZ during the first half of the decade, meaning this greatest hits album was more of a chance for the kiwis to discover their back catalogue rather than it being a celebration of their earlier achievements. I'm not sure why they felt compelled to do so at this stage, but it allowed the band to finally have major success over there albeit past their prime.
Peak position #2
This was also initially a flop for George Benson in NZ like it was here in Australia, although the kiwis were more open to making this a success than we Aussies were which is why it managed to appear much higher on this side of my site even if its road to success over there is identical to what it was over here.
Peak position #9
Well at least we Aussies got in on the Bob Marley bandwagon when the rest of the world did as this too was his breakthrough success over in NZ just like it was here and in the UK. I'm guessing the world outside of his Jamaica were turned off by his more politically charged albums from earlier in the decade and finally came around to him on this album where he was more spiritually inclined than before.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Is this love #8
This proved to be an even bigger success over in NZ than it was here in Australia, again likely due to Elvis not having to compete with much competition over there as his death was likely the talk of the town compared to all of the exciting new local talent that it had to share the news with here in Australia.
Peak position #1x4
Hit singles
Moody blue #5
Way down #7
Moody blue (post death) #16
There were no signs of these guys slowing down in NZ just like there wasn't any signs of them slowing down anywhere else in the world, sure it only spawned a sole charting single, but it was a massive hit for them and all the incentive anyone needed to check out the album.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Miss you #8
Although Silk degrees was the bigger album for Boz Scaggs in NZ like it was worldwide, it was this album that encouraged its success this year as it managed to spawn him a huge hit over there which allowed his earlier album to become a hit (stay tuned for it in a bit.)
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Hollywood #7
Although we Aussies largely ignored these guys back in the day, this wasn't the case with the kiwis who openly embraced Steely Dan likely due to them not having a Countdown equivalent to discourage them from making these guys a success over there. Indeed, soft rock in general seemed to be far more popular with the kiwis this decade given what we've seen on these lists so far on this side of my site.
Peak position #3
Well, this had a similar trajectory for its success in NZ as it did here in Australia, Stealers wheel were a band the kiwis certainly heard of (at least according to the Listener charts) but didn't pay much mind to earlier in the decade for some reason. They likely would've changed their tune when lead single Gerry Rafferty scored a massive worldwide hit with this album and its lead single.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Baker street #4
Right down the line #33
This was only a success in NZ following the success of their earlier entry on this list, I guess the kiwis really needed some incentive in making these guys one of the most popular bands of all time back in the day because I can't think of why else this only became a sleeper hit nearly two years after its initial release over there.
Peak position #4
The kiwis seemed to be as much in love with this debut album from Kate Bush as we Aussies were back in the day; in fact, its success is more or less identical over there to what it was here which means I unfortunately don't have any new commentary to add here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Wuthering heights #1
The man with the child in his eyes #36
The hits kept on coming for Neil Diamond in NZ as they did throughout the rest of the world, this album was just the latest in his discography which had already seen massive success by this point in his career.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Desiree #5
This was also a sleeper hit for Bob Seger in NZ, although unlike in Australia where it just lingered in the lower half of our charts long enough to qualify to be on that side of my site, in NZ this skyrocketed up the charts when he almost scored a hit with "We've got tonight" six months into the albums existence. It set the rock and roller up for massive success over there that he only achieved with his next album.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Still the same #20
Hollywood nights #38
We've got tonight #12
Well, this was significantly less popular in NZ than it was here in Australia, granted its lower appearance on this side of my site does stem from the fact that it was much more of a sleeper hit for Neil Young over there, however it was also due to him just not being as popular in general over there throughout the 70's.
Peak position #6
It may surprise you to learn that the Commodores only starting seeing success in NZ this year when this album became a surprise hit for them worldwide, I guess this means that they can join the likes of Earth wind and fire and the Emotions as soul acts that the world largely ignored until the Brits made them household names during the last stretch of the decade.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Three times a lady #2
Although Eye in the sky was this duo's most successful album in NZ as it was in Australia, their 70's output gave it a run for its money likely due to how much more successful prog music was throughout the decade over there.
Peak position #2
This was only a moderate success for ELO in NZ back in the day, at least here in Australia it was a massive success even if it also failed to spawn that big hit down under like it did in their native UK. At least their 70's albums all managed to reappear on this side of my site unlike some of their singles and their 80's material.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Turn to stone #21
Given how this managed to spawn a huge hit for Jean Michel Jarre over in NZ, it only makes sense that the album managed to become a huge success over there even though it was a huge flop over here in Australia. I'm not sure why this flopped given how immensely popular prog rock was during this point in time.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Oxygene IV #6
This was much more of a success in NZ than it was here in Australia for the Band, again this was likely due to the lack of competition it had over there compared to over here due to the kiwis not having a strong local music scene like we Aussies did throughout the decade.
Peak position #8
This feels like a more appropriate position for this live album from David Bowie on this list compared to the Australian side of my site, it's curious it was more successful over there considering this wasn't the case for Bowie's career overall save for the occasional hit here and there.
Peak position #1x6
It only seems fitting that this album from the Alan Parsons Project would be more popular over in NZ than it was here in Australia, mainly because the band was already a household name by the time they released this concept album based on the I robot books that were written over twenty years prior.
Peak position #4
This was also a success for Linda Ronstadt in NZ like it was here in Australia, although like her earlier entry on this list, it wasn't as huge over there as it was down under likely due to "Blue bayou" being such a juggernaut for her on their singles charts throughout the year.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Living in the USA #24
While this wasn't her debut album, it was the album which got Joan Armatrading off the ground in NZ years before she got any buzz here in Australia. I'm not sure how the LGBT folk singer managed to connect with the kiwis (or indeed how the kiwis even came across this album) but it would explain her success over there throughout the 80's.
Peak position #11
Whereas this was only a minor success here in Australia, it appears the kiwis were either massive fans of the film FM or simply viewed this as an excellent compilation album as it collects all the songs used throughout the film which feels like one of those seasonal compilation albums I've featured on the Australian side of my site.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
FM #19
Much like in Australia, these guys were a tad overexposed by the time they released their fifth album which is why it wasn't as inescapable as their earlier work over there. It was still a massive success and proof that the band could withstand the overexposure unlike several other bands from the 70's here in Australia.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
The name of the game #4
Take a chance on me #14
Much like here in Australia, the kiwis were initially sceptical with the thought of Elton John finding success without his partner in crime Bernie Taupin, although this album did win them over when they discovered that the second single was donated to Elton from Bernie, suggesting that they merely distanced themselves from each other rather than completely cutting ties.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Part time love #14
Song for guy #7
Well, this was another album to have an inevitable reappearance on this site, although Bob Dylan's popularity in NZ was certainly a far cry from what it was here in Australia throughout the 70's.
Peak position #7
I forgot to mention on the Australian side of this site that this was a live album for George Benson, meaning that it was a live album that allowed his earlier entry on this list to become a massive success in NZ this decade.
Peak position #8
Well, this had their reggae hit as the lead single, so naturally this was going to be a success for 10CC in NZ regardless of how the kiwis felt about the band by this point. Fortunately, their feelings seemed to be positive as they were able to close out the decade with a greatest hits package that did fairly well over there (it won't be appearing on this site I'm afraid.)
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Dreadlock holiday #1
This was eventually a hit here in Australia for Steely Dan; however, it was one of those cases where it continuously charted in the lower half of our charts during the height of their popularity which prevented it from being appearing on the Australian side of my site. It was much more of an immediate success in NZ due to them being very popular over there as we'll see the further back in the decade we go.
Peak position #10
From what I can gather, Kamahl was an Australian singer who found no success in here with this album released from the start of the decade. I'm guessing it was a hit in NZ due to him suddenly finding success internationally with some of his later material, but that doesn't explain why the kiwis gravitated towards this and not his newer catalogue.
Peak position #1x1
The kiwis really seemed to like their classical music, didn't they? Here we have British composer Ron Goodwin conducting the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (who already had a massive album over there two years prior) for this album which was a massive success this year for both parties.
Peak position #2
This live album was a massive hit for Barry Manilow at the expense of his album this year Even now, I guess we Aussies and kiwis could only allow one album at a time to be a massive hit form the crooner and decided to split the difference between both countries for him as compensation for that.
Peak position #5
It makes sense that this was more of a success in NZ than it was here in Australia given how the singles from the album were actual hits over there as opposed to massive bombs over here back in the day, although it's hard to say how much the kiwis loved this movie overall given how both reception to the film and its box office numbers have fallen into obscurity over the years as far as they're concerned.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Thank god it's Friday #11
Last dance #3
It's a bit of a surprise that this wasn't a success here in Australia for Elton John given how much we Aussies have loved the English piano man over the years, then again it wasn't that huge in NZ either and only appears on this site due to the lack of competition it had back in the day.
Peak position #6
This year was a huge breakthrough for the Commodores outside of their native America, as such it makes sense they would cap it off with a greatest hits album to help their new international audience discover their back catalogue off the success of their earlier entries.
Peak position #12
From what I can gather, Diana Ross didn't have much success in NZ prior to this greatest hits package even during her time with the Supremes. This makes this album one of the rare examples of a greatest hits release boosting an artist’s popularity as opposed to harming it as she would of course go on to massive success in the 80's over there.
Peak position #6
It appears that Wings were seeing diminishing returns in NZ as the 70's began to wind down, so much so that this was their final successful album over there as Back to the egg failed to make a second appearance on this site due to it being a flop for them the following year.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
With a little luck #14
It appears these guys had a similar trajectory for their success in NZ that they had here in Australia given how this was also their breakthrough over there like it was over here, the big difference is that it managed to be a bigger success likely due to the lack of competition the RNB and disco band had in the kiwi’s music scene.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Serpentine fire #32
Fantasy #14
We have another disco compilation to make it big in NZ back in the day, the kiwis must have really loved the genre if we have this many albums that focused solely on disco hits of the 70's making it big over there.
Peak position #3
Following the success of their rock themed greatest hits package from 1976, the kiwis decided to make this love themed album from the fab four a success a year later which makes it the first of two love themed greatest hits albums to make it big over there.
Peak position #3
Given how the lead single to this album was a massive success for John Rowles in his native homeland, it makes sense that this album would be at least a mild success over there which it ended up being.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Tania #1
If I ever have to say goodbye #40
This was another successful greatest hits album from the Rolling stones to be a success back in the day, there's not much to say about it as it doesn't have much of a legacy anymore given how much more popular their other greatest hits packages have been in their catalogue.
Peak position #4
For whatever reason, the kiwis passed up on the official soundtrack for the original Star Wars film (before it was known as A new hope) yet gravitated towards this highlights reel that was released as an album (for some reason) which technically makes this the most successful Star Wars project on the RIANZ charts.
Peak position #10
This was also a bit of a disappointment for Kate Bush in NZ like it was here in Australia, although unlike here where she managed to rebound throughout the 80s, this was the last of her albums to be a massive success over there save for her greatest hits package which was only big due to her collaboration with Peter Gabriel.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Hammer horror #21
From what I can gather, this is an album that released in 1963 from the French conductor Andre Kostelanetz that for some reason found moderate success in NZ this year. It's not even due to his death as he would live for another two years after this became a success over there.
Peak position #7
I guess the kiwis were a bit more forgiving towards the ill-conceived film and soundtrack adaptations of the Beatles classic album than we Aussies were given that the soundtrack was not only more of a success over there than it was over here but was also able to spawn a couple of charting singles that wasn't the case over here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Got to get you into my life #20
Oh darling #40
It appears the kiwis were also feeling nostalgic sentiment for Elvis's filmography months after his tragic death as this album managed to be a moderate success over there like it was here in Australia.
Peak position #4
Although it didn't last nearly as long in NZ as it did here in Australia, the trade-off was that this second volume of Livie's greatest hits package anthology managed to achieve a higher peak position on their charts than it did on ours, suggesting how much more of an immediate success it was over there compared to over here.
Peak position #11
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