This was the year where cultural barriers seemed to have been broken down, it didn't matter if you were a musician of colour, part of the LGBT community or anything else, everyone seemed to have a shot at scoring massive success this year regardless of who they were.
This was a massive success over in NZ, I'm guessing they really appreciated the band slightly altering their sound from Communique (which was still a success over there for what it's worth.) This would be the first blockbuster album of the decade over there as it took three years to leave the charts.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Skateaway #47
Well, this wasn't the most successful album of the decade in NZ, although it was still a massive success for the king of pop over there despite it also needing to find an audience with how audiences were put off with its lead single.
Peak position #1x12
Hit singles
The girl is mine #3
Billie jean #2
Wanna be starting something #35
Beat it #1
Human nature #33
Thriller #6
This is another album that wasn't quite as successful in NZ as it was in Australia, although it was still inescapable over there largely through the strength of the second single becoming his first big hit in the UK which in turn made it his biggest hit throughout most parts of the world including in the southern hemisphere.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Tell her about it #12
Uptown girl #1
An innocent man #24
The longest time #24
Leave a tender moment alone #21
Keeping the faith #38
This album only came out this year in NZ due to it needing to be a success here in Australia before Men at Work's label could market it to an international audience, indeed the album was a huge success over there despite the failure of their debut single which was made up for when the third single was a bigger hit there than it was here.
Peak position #1x11
Hit singles
Who can it be now #45
Down under #1
Be good Johnny #3
Unlike here in Australia where this album needed the success of the band's iconic hit "Legs" to even chart, in NZ this was a modest success upon its initial release only for its popularity to explode a year later when their aforementioned track became a massive worldwide success for them.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Legs #7
This was a success twice in NZ, the first time was upon its initial release due to the Talking heads already having success over there in the late 70's with their album More songs about buildings and the second time was when the big hit from the album on Billboard became as such over there several months after its initial release.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Burning down the house #5
I guess this wasn't the second biggest hit that Dire Straits achieved in NZ throughout the 80's, although it was still a massive success over there even if their earlier entry proved to be a bigger success for them.
Peak position #1x16
Hit singles
Private investigations #16
I said on the Australian side of this site that these guys had more success in NZ than they did here with their second album, this absolutely was the case and no doubt led to the second single here catching on in the UK given how the singles didn't suffer too much for allowing the album to be a massive success over there.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Great southern land #10
Hey little girl #9
Street cafe #40
I guess the kiwis weren't as interested in listening to the positive vibes of Culture club as they weren't as inescapable over there as they were over here, that said their second album was a huge success given how it spawned four top ten hits over there.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Church of the poison mind #9
Karma chameleon #1
Victims #7
It's a miracle #5
Well at least David Bowie was able to achieve more success with his biggest album over in NZ than he did here in Australia, again this was due to the singles from the album being even bigger hits over there than they were here which is a growing trend when comparing the success musicians had in both countries back in the day.
Peak position #1x8
Hit singles
Cat people #1
Let's dance #1
China girl #3
Modern love #6
Elton John's popularity remained rather consistent in NZ over the years as opposed to Australia where there were many peaks and valleys, this album might not have had that inescapable hit over there like it did here but that didn't prevent the album from being a massive success even with a slightly different release schedule.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
I guess that's why they call it the blues #12
I'm still standing #30
Kiss the bride #32
Although this was heavily delayed in NZ, this solo debut from Billy Idol was a massive success over there due to the singles becoming mega hits for him despite the lack of success he had in his native UK at the time. I guess the two big hits he had over there have remained iconic to this day here in Australia, however they didn't exactly light up our charts back in the day which is why the album failed here.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
White wedding #5
Hot in the city #5
This was more of an immediate success over in NZ given how the singles proved to be much bigger over there than they were here, as such it managed to be even more successful overall which no doubt set Paul Young up for success he didn't end up achieving with his subsequent material over there.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Wherever I lay my hat #4
Come back and stay #1
Love of the common people #10
Well, this proved to be even more of a success in NZ than it was in Australia, likely due to the singles being bigger hits over there but also due to the British invasion having more of an impact on their charts than it did on the Australian charts this decade.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Lifeline #33
Communication #10
True #4
Gold #8
This was the biggest album that the Police had over in NZ, admittedly these guys weren't as popular over there as they were here in Australia despite A: them having little issues with crossing over initially in the late 70's over there and B: them having reggae influences in their sound and that they kiwis love their reggae in music.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Every breath you take #6
Wrapped around your finger #22
Much like in Australia and their native UK, this was the album that finally caught the attention of the kiwis in NZ which resulted in it being a massive success for them around this time despite lacking that inescapable hit that their subsequent albums would spawn throughout their career.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
New year's day #32
Two hearts beat as one #16
This was a massive success for Grace Jones in NZ, mainly because it was a success twice over there as it not only blew them away upon its initial release but also when she released her follow up album Living my life a year after its initial release. We Aussies were aware of her music as she did appear on Countdown frequently throughout the decade, as did several of these alternative artists now that I think about it.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Pull up the bumper #14
Walking in the rain #34
This was a surprisingly good time for Grace Jones on the NZ charts, mainly because she had been active since the 70's in the music scene and yet it was her 80's material that the kiwis gravitated towards. This was more of an immediate success that she had over there compared to her previous album which had to work its way up the charts before it became a massive success for her.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Nipple to the bottle #3
My Jamaican guy #39
This was a huge success over in NZ as it was here in Australia, again the second single was even bigger over there due to the kiwis not allowing album sales to detract from the success of singles over there like we Aussies did back in the day. Much like in Australia, each of their albums would progressively be more successful than the last due to their popularity growing with each album.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Love is a stranger #20
Sweet dreams #2
For whatever reason, these guys were completely inescapable in NZ throughout the decade given how all of their albums as well as several of their singles managed to achieve far greater success over there than they did over here throughout the decade. I guess the kiwis were bigger fans of their brand of lovestruck ballads over us Aussies despite them having better marketing over here back in the day.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Promised you a miracle #9
Glittering prize #4
These guys were more successful in NZ than they were here in Australia, I'm guessing because the kiwis were more enamoured by their flashy music videos which would explain why their debut single wasn't a hit over there as that didn't have a flashy music video to go with it. Here we have their second album which many agree is where their creativity peaked when it came to their visuals.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
My own way #12
Hungry like the wolf #4
Save a prayer #35
This was more of an immediate success for Lionel Richie in NZ, this is despite the fact that the lead single didn't do so well over there and that it was the success of the second single which got the album off the ground at the time. Whatever the case, it proved that audiences were interested in what he had to offer, although they certainly appreciated him going in a more interesting direction on his next album.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Truly #21
You are #3
This was more of a success for Led zeppelin frontman Robert Plant in NZ than it was here in Australia, likely due to this album spawning a huge hit over there with its lead single which is a good way of an album finding success in the southern hemisphere back in the day.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Big log #7
Given the success of the album's second single in NZ, it was fitting that the debut album from Kid Creole would be a massive success over there even if it wasn't as big as it was in the UK where all three of the singles were massive hits on the British charts.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
I'm a wonderful thing baby #49
Stool pigeon #8
Annie I'm not your daddy #13
This is another album that appears low on this list but only because it found its success in NZ on the lower half of the charts, in fact it lasted so much longer on their charts than it did on our charts despite it peaking higher over here as well as spawning a huge hit for Joe Jackson on our charts in the form of the lead single.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Real men #48
Stepping out #21
Breaking us in two #35
It looks like the kiwis were more on board with having white boy rapping in their mainstream this year given how much more successful this debut album from Wham was over there compared to what it was over here, although it could also be due to the singles not doing as well over there as they did over here which would explain the albums lack of success on our charts.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Young guns #4
Wham rap #18
Bad boys #10
Club tropicana #25
While it certainly wasn't as inescapable in NZ as it was here in Australia, this second album from Men at work was a success thanks to the singles being quirky enough to intrigue the kiwis into checking out what the band had to offer on this album. This didn't work out for them on their third album which caused them to break up a few years later.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Dr heckyl and Mr jive #16
Overkill #24
It's a mistake #43
These guys proved to be far more successful in NZ than they were in Australia, likely due to the presence of Alannah Currie who prior to joining the band was a NZ journalist based in the UK as a correspondent which made the kiwis more than familiar with her involvement with the band. They began as a much bigger band before being reduced to a trio where their music career finally took off.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Lies #6
Love on your side #9
We are detective #48
Although Prince had success prior to this album in NZ, this was the album where he really took the world by storm largely thanks to the title track which curiously wasn't the lead single over in NZ like it was internationally. The kiwis went with "Little red corvette" as the lead single instead which is perhaps why the album performed even better over there despite the singles not being as big.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Little red corvette #12
1999 #4
Delirious #33
This had a bit of a delay to its release over in NZ compared to here in Australia, I'm guessing because the lead single was performed here in Countdown which encouraged its earlier release here the previous year which enabled the duo to see crossover success with it and the album in the early months of this year.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Maneater #4
One on one #21
This was a massive success for Van Morrison this year in NZ, likely due to him embracing his Celtic heritage on the album during a time where Celtic music was among the most popular trends in the mainstream over there. Somehow this wasn't enough to impress us Aussies who seemed to be determined in leaving this guy in the 70's, although he did find success here with his greatest hits package in 1990.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Cry for home #40
Even though I love the film, I will admit that the famous critic quote "basically it's a series of rock videos" is one of my favourite negative reviews of a film I've ever read. They're not wrong, I just fail to see how that's a bad thing in this context. It appears this swayed the kiwis a bit as the soundtrack wasn't as inescapable over there as it was here, possibly due to Jennifer Beals not promoting the film on a Countdown equivalent over there.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
What a feeling #1
Maniac #7
It's interesting that this wasn't any bigger in NZ than it was here in Australia given how Sharon O'Neil did achieve moderate success in her homeland earlier in the decade with her debut album, although she did perform the standout track from the album on Countdown which allowed it to find an audience here in Australia even if this was far from the most popular album of the year over there.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Maxine #16
This was much more of a success in NZ than it was here in Australia, this is curious because the band didn't achieve much success over there during the 70's. In fact, the bonus track from this album was the only hit they ever had over there as even their albums didn't do so well at the time.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
The other guy #2
This was also a success for Pink Floyd over in NZ, regardless of what was going on behind the scenes at the time, there's no denying that this was more of what the fans wanted from the band and that they were going to make it a success for them regardless.
Peak position #1x1
You better believe that Tim Finn was able to score massive success with his first solo album in NZ, although the success was largely limited to its initial release over there given how it lingered for quite a bit here in Australia due to the album spawning multiple charting singles here which kept its life on our charts going for over a year. In any case, it was the final album he was involved with to find success over there.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Fraction too much friction #2
Well, it wasn't quite the enz of an era for Split enz in NZ as they would continue to have moderate success until the bitter end over there, however it was a clever name for a greatest hits album which I'm sure was a factor into why the album was such a huge success over there.
Peak position #1x2
Well, they didn't have that much success in NZ during their heyday, but at least Air supply was able to have some success with this greatest hits package again likely due to it having a bonus track that many consider to be their best work in their career.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Making love out of nothing at all #24
I guess the hype for this concert in Central Park from Simon and Garfunkel wasn't met upon its initial release in NZ, although the kiwis likely realised how great it was eventually when it skyrocketed up the charts likely due to rumours that their reunion would be more permanent. Those rumours proved to be false due to the pair remembering why they couldn't stand each other.
Peak position #1x2
Perhaps this second album from Yazoo was what convinced the kiwis into thinking that Alison Moyet was a talented vocalist, I'm not sure why it wasn't their first album from the previous year but I guess better late than never. This spawned the duo's biggest hit in their native UK as well as in NZ as the lead single managed to top the British charts as well as crack the NZ top twenty.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Nobody's diary #14
This was the third and final album to come from Altered images, it feels weird that their biggest album would also be their last given how this was also their biggest hit in their native UK as well as over in NZ this year. I guess there were behind the scenes drama that the band endured during its production which led to them going their separate ways by the end of the year.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Don't talk to me about love #6
Bring me closer #47
Although she already saw massive success in NZ with her album from the start of the decade Me myself I, this album spawned her biggest hit over there in the form of its lead single which is more or less the same story Joan had here in Australia when it came to both of these albums. The one difference is that her earlier entry was more successful over there as opposed to this being the bigger of the two down under.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Drop the pilot #6
Call me names #43
Much like here in Australia, this was a welcomed comeback for Bonnie Tyler due to the strength of its lead single which allowed her to escape the one hit wonder bin in NZ that "It's a heartache" had threatened to trap her in back in the late 70's. She had a bit more staying power in the 80's over there as she scored a hit with Shaking Stevens with "A rocking good way" the following year.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Total eclipse of the heart #1
This was the only big album that New order had in NZ, I'm guessing because it took the kiwis a while to realise that their big hit "Blue Monday" doesn't appear on here which I'm guessing is why it was a massive flop for the band here in Australia. The band was well known for not including any of their singles on their studio albums during their heyday.
Peak position #3
I mentioned this was a massive success over in NZ, this is certainly the case as the kiwis fell in love with the lead single to this album as well as the overall idea of Mike Oldfield featuring vocals on his albums even if his longtime fans objected to this when this first came out. As such, it became a huge success for him, likely his biggest success too as Tubular bells was released before the kiwis tracked popular albums.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Moonlight shadow #3
He did begin the decade with a successful greatest hits album, so naturally James Galway was able to score a huge hit with this album in NZ this year proving that the kiwis were really into flutists around this time.
Peak position #4
While these guys did have success with their earlier albums in NZ, it was this album which made them a household name over there much like it did in the UK. None of their albums did particularly well here in Australia, however you can expect to see a bunch of them moving forward on these lists given how much the kiwis loved these guys.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Red red wine #1
Please don't make me cry #41
Many rivers to cross #48
The legends are true people, Jane Fonda did in fact release a bunch of workout albums where she gave step by step instructions on how to get into shape over tracks from the likes of the Jacksons and Billy Ocean. This is actually a tie in to the VHS of the same name, meaning I have to imagine the VHS was counted towards this album's success in NZ to allow it to be a hit over there.
Peak position #13
This was the introduction to one of the more popular NZ bands to emerge this decade the Dance exponents, it was a live album they released to hype up their debut which they would release by the end of the year to massive success.
Peak position #3
It only makes sense that this managed to make the cut for this list given how it spawned two big hits for Malcolm McLaren over in NZ this year, in fact I'm surprised it wasn't even bigger over there given how much the kiwis loved this guy's singles, meaning that he was seen more of a singles artist over there.
Peak position #21
Hit singles
Buffalo gals #3
Soweto #31
Double Dutch #10
This was an album that was a success multiple times throughout the decade in NZ, the first time was upon its initial release given how well received Phil Collin's solo material was during the first half of the decade. It lingered around the lower half of the charts for the next two years (hence its lower placement on this list) before skyrocketing in popularity due to the success of "Home by the sea" over there around the time Invisible touch was taking over the charts worldwide.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Mama #27
Home by the sea #4
This wasn't much of a success for Barbra Streisand upon its initial release in NZ, likely because the kiwis were never that big on her music save for a couple of soundtracks here and there. However, it became a huge success when the title track became a surprise hit for her, likely due to it being her rendition of the showtune from the (then) recent Andrew Lloyd Webber production of Cats.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Memory #4
This proved to be an even bigger hit over in NZ than it was here in Australia for Dexy's midnight runners, although they didn't have any further success with their other singles or albums over there meaning they weren't any better off there than they were here or in America.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Come on Eileen #1
It looks like the kiwis were much more appreciative of the TV adaptation of the cult classic Fame than we Aussies were, although I feel this was more a success due to them ignoring the film at the start of the decade given how both it and its soundtrack was a huge flop over there compared to the rest of the world.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Hi fidelity #24
Starmaker #15
This was an amazing time for ABC in NZ given how their success was twice that it was here in Australia and even their native UK over there, I'm guessing it was due to how infectious the two lead singles were which only enhanced the popularity of the album. They would score minor success over there as the decade went on, nothing substantial but certainly better than what they achieved here which was nothing.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Poison arrow #5
The look of love #5
All of my heart #21
It appears that Bob Dylan had a resurgence in popularity throughout the 80's in NZ, this is interesting because his popularity was close to non-existent anywhere else in the world due to people not caring for him adapting the trends of the decade in his music.
Peak position #4
It appears the kiwis were also hungry for more material from the Eagles this far into the 80's given how this second edition of their greatest hits package was also a huge success over there like it was over here. Unfortunately, fans would have to wait a quarter of a century before the band finally gave them new material after the release of this album.
Peak position #2
Given how she had two greatest hits albums in NZ like she did in Australia, this was also released as the third volume over there as opposed to just the second volume throughout the rest of the world.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Heart attack #11
This was one of two successful albums that the Psychedelic furs managed to achieve in NZ throughout the decade, although I'm guessing this was a success due to the lead single becoming a surprise hit over there despite it being a massive flop even in their native UK at the time. This is one of those bands that have since gained a cult audience since their initial popularity.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Love my way #9
I guess the kiwis weren't as sentimental over the two-year anniversary of John Lennon's death as we Aussies were given how quickly this exited their charts following its release, at least they were somewhat sentimental about it as it does make a reappearance on this list which is more than I can say about his final album Milk and honey from the following year.
Peak position #5
This was released in NZ not long after it became a success in Australia for Midnight oil to minimal success, likely because the band wanted to try and make it big over there without releasing a song to promote it which almost never works for bands and artists outside of classical music and prog rock. They eventually released their big hit over here as the lead single which allowed the album to finally be a success almost a year after its release here.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Power and the passion #4
Whereas this album was able to spawn a hit for Supertramp here in Australia, that didn't seem to be the case in NZ likely due to the kiwis feeling like their time in this spotlight was up despite how strong they began the 80's over there. I guess the MTV effect took hold much sooner over there than it did over here as it is a surprise in retrospect this managed to compete with the likes of Culture club and Duran Duran down under.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
It's raining again #19
This was a mere modest success in NZ for the Clash upon its initial release, heck if I based its success only upon its initial release over there, it would still be more successful than it was over here as this was a massive flop for them down under. Naturally this rebounded over there when "Rock the casbah" became a success due to how popular it was over here and in America.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Rock the casbah #4
This was the only success that Joni Mitchell had in NZ throughout her career ("Big yellow taxi" was a flop on the Listener charts) it's a bit weird that this was her big breakthrough over there considering how it was released when MTV had taken over and left her brand of folk rock in the dust throughout the rest of the world.
Peak position #10
Even though this didn't last as long on the NZ charts as it did here in Australia, this debut album from Culture Club managed to be more of an immediate success over there likely due to the success of its lead single which perhaps explains why this didn't stick around when they released their second album from earlier on this list.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Do you really want to hurt me #2
This was the true final album from Led Zeppelin, although given how the band had been broken up for two years at this point, I feel this shouldn't exist given how their label released it to fulfill their contract similar to what John Lennon's label did with his album Milk and honey the following year. It appears the rest of the world had this sentiment back in the day as this was only barely a hit back in the day.
Peak position #7
No comments:
Post a Comment