This was the year I was born, so it's a bit of a disappointment with how there wasn't a strong trend this year in music, I guess this was due to how the American music scene drastically changed.
Unlike in Australia where this was an instant inescapable classic for MJ, it appears the kiwis were prepared to write this off as a mere moderate success for him until "Give in to me" became one of the biggest hits of the decade which allowed this album to rebound on the charts over there and become a best seller.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Black or white #1
Remember the time #1
In the closet #5
Jam #2
Who is it #16
Heal the world #3
Give in to me #1
Will you be there #2
Gone too soon #6
This was a massive success for Queen over in NZ so much more so than it was here in Australia, I'm guessing the kiwis were more upset with Freddie Mercury's passing given how the band's back catalogue flooded their charts over there from around this time.
Peak position #1x7
It appears the kiwis were more touched by the emotional concert that Eric Clapton gave on MTV unplugged, so much so that it was an even bigger success over there than it was here making it easily one of the most successful albums of all time over there.
Peak position #1x18
Hit singles
Layla #3
While it still took them five albums to find a mainstream audience in NZ, at least RCHP had more immediate success with this album as the lead single did allow it to chart in the upper echelons of the album charts before the second single became a runaway success for the band this year. Indeed, they're another band to find more success overall in NZ than they did in Australia.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Give it away #22
Under the bridge #2
Suck my kiss #3
Breaking the girl #12
As with most alternative albums from the 90's, this album from R.E.M managed to be twice as successful over in NZ than it was in Australia likely due to the two lead singles cracking their top ten over there when they flopped here. One thing to note was that the big hit from the album "Everybody hurts" in Australia was only a modest success over in NZ for the band.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Drive #5
Man on the moon #8
The sidewinder sleeps tonight #29
Everybody hurts #12
Nightswimming #48
This proved to be an even bigger success over in NZ for Tina Turner, I'm guessing because the kiwis were really rooting for her this decade given how she wasn't quite as successful over there throughout the 80's as she was in Australia. This also rebounded over there once her biopic was released two years after its initial release.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Nutbush city limits remix #26
Unlike in Australia where this needed to work its way up to its success, this was an instant success over in NZ proving how much the kiwis loved these guys even going into the 90's. This albums success over there is still pitiful compared to what it achieved in their native UK where it became the first album to top the end of year charts for two years in a row.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Something got me started #10
Stars #32
For your babies #47
Well, there's no surprises to be found in this entry, except for maybe the singles being slightly more successful in NZ than they were in Australia which is a common theme for these albums given how the kiwis didn't seem to allow album sales to hamper the success of its singles over there.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
You could be mine #2
Knocking on heaven's door #2
Yesterdays #7
Estranged #28
Although this comeback album wasn't as substantial in NZ as it was in Australia and throughout the rest of the world, it did bring his career back from the dead over there thanks to the lead single becoming a massive success which reminded audiences of his work from the previous decade in a positive way.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
I do it for you #1
Can't stop this thing we started #7
There will never be another tonight #21
Thought I'd died and gone to heaven #23
Well, this is a surprise from Rod Stewart in NZ, mainly because the kiwis really didn't care for his music since the 70's given how he failed to score a single hit in the 80's over there. At least we Aussies gave him the occasional hit and even allowed him to have a successful album or two that decade, this comeback album on the other hand seems completely out of left field over there.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
It takes two #19
Rhythm of my heart #6
The Motown song #23
Broken arrow #26
Have I told you lately #41
Their second album Temple of low men was a bit of a stumble in NZ, so it appeared that Crowded house wouldn't find much success in the 90's which certainly wasn't the case as their third album was a massive success over there even if like in Australia, it didn't have that inescapable hit that their previous two albums had.
Peak position #1x4
Hit singles
Chocolate cake #7
Fall at your feet #24
It's only natural #31
Weather with you #9
Four seasons in one day #33
Even though this managed to spawn a hit for Boyz II Men in NZ upon its initial release, it still was a flop for them over there until their theme to the Boomerang film starring Eddie Murphy broke records worldwide. It was included in the rerelease of the album which allowed it to become a massive success there as well as spawn two additional singles from the album.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Motownphilly #38
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday #3
End of the road #1
Please don't go #3
In the still of the nite #1
From what I can gather, the Commitments was one of those foreign films that was a bomb in America but a massive worldwide success. Even so it took the kiwis a bit of time to gravitate towards the first soundtrack given how it was already a massive success in Australia by the time it began charting over there.
Peak position #1x10
Hit singles
Try a little tenderness #21
Mustang sally #17
At least this debut album from Pearl jam was more of an immediate success in NZ than it was in Australia, although like Australia it was a hit several times throughout the decade due to how the band's popularity grew with each subsequent album in the 90's.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Alive #20
Even flow #20
Jeremy #34
Oceans #16
U2 were on a roll when they released their first new album of the 90's worldwide, they could've fallen behind the times like many of their earliest contemporaries but instead they adapted with the times which is why they were still on top of the world by the time the 90's came to an end.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
The fly #1
Mysterious ways #3
One #3
Even better than the real thing #8
Who's gonna ride your wild horses #13
This proved to be a huge success for Jimmy Barnes over in NZ, although it wasn't as inescapable over there as it was over here due to the kiwis perhaps having a bit more reservations when it came to him covering Motown classics than we Aussies did.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
I gotcha #27
When something is wrong with my baby #6
Ain't no mountain high enough #45
While this still wasn't Enya's biggest hit in NZ, it was a massive success for her and the biggest album she released in the 90's which should bring comfort to her fans who widely consider this to be her magnum opus.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Caribbean blue #22
This was the first volume of the Use your illusions era for Guns n Roses, it was a massive success in NZ just like it was throughout the rest of the world even if it didn't rise up to the level of success that the second edition from earlier on this list had.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Don't cry #2
Live and let die #1
November rain #7
This was the last successful album that Genesis had over in NZ as was the case everywhere else in the world, mainly because Phil Collins would leave the band after this album which led to them releasing an album without him on lead vocals which led to their breakup. Phil's popularity in the 90's quickly dwindled after this as his next solo album would be a complete flop for him.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
No son of mine #36
I can't dance #10
Jesus he knows me #35
Well Simple minds were one of the biggest bands of the 80's in NZ, so it stands to reason this greatest hits album would be a massive success over there just like it was over here from around this time.
Peak position #1x4
This proved to be more of a success in NZ than it was in Australia, mainly for the singles which were much more successful over there for Diesel than they were over here for some reason. Although this was a massive success over there for the Australian rocker, it proved to be the last the kiwis would hear from him as his subsequent follow ups would be massive failures over there as opposed to moderate hits here.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Come to me #3
Tip of my tongue #3
Man alive #25
One more time #39
It looks like the kiwis were also waiting patiently for that fourth solo album from Lionel Richie, just like the rest of the world they got bored waiting as it was a massive flop when it finally came out later in the decade, meaning this greatest hits album was the final success he had anywhere in the world.
Peak position #1x4
Hit singles
Do it to me #29
My destiny #38
There haven't been that many successful albums from Joe Cocker in NZ over the years (at least from what I can tell given how RIANZ didn't cover the early 70's where he was at his commercial peak) so it's somewhat fitting to see this album see massive success over there given how it barely made an appearance on the Australian side of my site.
Peak position #3
This was a massive hit for the Mutton birds in NZ, I'm guessing they were able to benefit from the strong alternative scene that NZ had throughout the 90's much like many other bands that either had more success over there or otherwise failed to score any success here in Australia.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Dominion road #31
Nature #4
Giant friend #20
Your window #19
If you're surprised at how low this iconic album from Prince is on this list, the reason for that is that it was more of a sleeper hit in NZ than it was here in Australia which suggests the kiwis were a bit uneasy with him incorporating hip hop into this album but were eventually won over this year thanks to his world tour he had promoting it.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Gett off #13
Cream #5
Diamonds and pearls #8
Money don't matter 2 night #20
Paul Young had much bigger success in NZ than he did here in Australia, as such this greatest hits album was no doubt going to be more of a success over there and even slightly sooner than it was here for him.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
What becomes of the broken hearted #46
Much like here in Australia, this was a comeback for the Cure which is odd considering that the band were coming back to the mainstream from two very different albums from the 80's. In Australia it was the Head on the door whereas in NZ it was Faith from well over a decade prior at this point, I of course don't count their greatest hits package that they released around the time of their big Australian success.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
High #4
Friday I'm in love #7
A letter to Elsie #13
Well, there should be no surprises that this album was a success for Dire straits in NZ given how inescapable it was throughout the rest of the world. The kiwis didn't even both handing any success to the Notting Hillbillies the previous year, proving how uninterested they were in Mark's side project but how much they wanted to hear more from his main band.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Calling Elvis #9
Heavy fuel #34
It looks like the kiwis were more interested in checking out the back catalogue of RHCP than we Aussies were given how this was more successful over there than it was over here for the band, indeed the band in general found way more success over there back in the day likely due to their funk influences.
Peak position #5
Well, this album really feels low on this list, again it was massive success in NZ back in the day just not as big as its reputation will since have you believe. That said, the singles were definitely bigger over there likely due to the kiwis seemingly having a stronger alternative scene than us Aussies given how many rock bands found more success over there back in the day than they did over here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Smells like teen spirit #1
Come as you are #3
Lithium #28
Bloom #20
This is another greatest hits package that I'm surprised was a success in NZ considering its mediocre reception here in Australia, I guess the kiwis really wanted to atone for sleeping on the catalogue of Belinda Carlisle when this came out and we Aussies feeling we already knew her back catalogue resulting in its failure here.
Peak position #4
While this wasn't released in NZ until this year as opposed to it coming out here in Australia the previous year, it was still a bigger success over there than it was over here following the sudden rise in popularity that Harry Connick Jr had in the music industry due to his acting career taking off in Hollywood. He would score massive success with his next album She, although that was also delayed in NZ.
Peak position #5
One band who wasn't as successful in NZ as they were here in Australia was Metallica, mainly for their later material where the kiwis didn't seem to appreciate their approach to more mainstream rock and roll but also here as the singles weren't as big over there as they were over here. The album was still huge albeit in multiple increments throughout its chart run.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Enter sandman #8
The unforgiven #24
Nothing else matter #11
Sad but true #42
Wherever I may roam #8
I guess the trade-off for Queen's earlier entry on this list being so successful in NZ was that this wasn't nearly as big over there as it was over here during its second run in the mainstream. This also goes for their signature track as that too failed to win over the kiwis a second time like it did for the rest of the world.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Bohemian rhapsody (re release) #16
This was a decent success for Jenny Morris in NZ like it was here in Australia, possibly suggesting that her fellow kiwis were initially willing to allow her to stick around in the 90's following her breakthrough over there at the tail end of the 80's with her previous album. Alas this wasn't the case as her next album bombed over there like it did over here.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Break in the weather #5
I've had you #39
Zero #33
It's weird that this greatest hits package from Stevie Nicks was more of a success in NZ than it was here in Australia considering that Stevie never had much success on her own over there like she did over here throughout the 80's.
Peak position #1x4
Hit singles
Sometimes it's a bitch #39
Well, these guys were one of the biggest bands of the 80's with their previous album so much more so in NZ than they were in Australia, so perhaps they didn't even require the assistance of that awful CGI music video for the lead single in order to make it big over there this year. Their popularity would quickly decline worldwide as the trends shifted away from them.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Let's get rocked #7
Make love like a man #26
Have you ever needed someone so bad #49
Two steps behind #34
While it may not have been as inescapable as Eric Clapton's concert from earlier on this list, this concert from Mariah Carey on MTV unplugged was a rather poignant one given how it was her first live performance she made in order to silence those who thought she was a fake in the music industry.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
I'll be there #1
This was initially a modest success for Bonnie Raitt in NZ, likely due to the kiwis not being aware of her as she had yet to truly take off in her native America when she released this. It exploded in popularity several months later due to it being a rock album released at a time where the genre had truly taken off in the mainstream worldwide.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Something to talk about #33
I can't make you love me #22
Named after their signature track from their 1980 album Remain in light (despite that never being a commercial success anywhere in the world) this greatest hits package from Talking heads proved to be a huge hit for them over in NZ despite it being a massive flop for them here in Australia for some reason.
Peak position #3
Although she scored a massive hit with "World in union" this year in the UK of all places, it was this album from Kiri Te Kanawa that made her a household name in her homeland this year likely due to it being a collaboration album between fellow opera singer Malcolm Mcneill.
Peak position #3
I'm not sure why the kiwis didn't gravitate towards the Eurythmics final album We too are one, but at least they came back for Annie Lennox once she embarked on her solo career given how successful this album was over there for her. You'd think it would've done better though given how it was her foray towards sophistopop and how much the kiwis loved that genre throughout the 80's.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Why #15
Walking on broken glass #23
Little bird #33
This was a live recording of Queen's performance at the Wembley stadium back in 1986 for their album A kind of magic, it wasn't released at the time likely due to the band being controversial for performing at Sun city when they weren't supposed to (and by that, I mean they legally weren't allowed to as were any western band or artist) but it finally saw the light of day this year due to Freddie's tragic passing.
Peak position #3
Neil Diamond was indeed one of the biggest names in music over in NZ during his heyday, although like Australia it had been a decade since he last troubled the charts over there prior to him scoring massive success with this greatest hits album. Unlike in Australia his 1996 effort was a flop over there.
Peak position #2
This was a huge flop here in Australia, although I could say the same for many of the new entries from these greatest hits albums that have appeared on this side of my site, suggesting the kiwis were much more nostalgic for older artists around this time than we Aussies were.
Peak position #3
I'm a bit surprised this wasn't even bigger in NZ than it was here in Australia given how much of a winning streak AC/DC were on over there compared to over here, at least it spawned a minor hit with its lead single even if it was likely more due to nostalgia than anything else.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Highway to hell #9
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap #34
Unlike here in Australia where it was more of a success upon its initial release and was a mere modest success when it rebounded in the new year, the opposite was true in NZ where it was a mere modest success upon its initial release only to reach its true success in the new year for whatever reason.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
The one #27
The last song #27
Much like the rest of the world, the kiwis could only tolerate Billy Ray Cyrus for one album as his subsequent follow ups failed to make an impact over there despite the album popularising the line dance craze of the 90's. The success of his singles was also largely the same as it was in Australia, although that's only the case if you were to cut the lead singles success in half and apply that success to the second single.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Achy breaky heart #1
Could've been me #7
These boots are made for walking #42
Following the success of the Levi's add that revived the popularity of "Should I stay or should I go," the Clash's former label issued a greatest hits package that became a huge success for them in NZ and their native UK as fans rediscovered the back catalogue of one of the most important punk bands of the 70's and 80's.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Should I stay or should I go (reissue) #2
Given how Joe Cocker was experiencing arguably the peak of his career over in NZ around this time, it makes sense that this greatest hits package of his managed to be a huge success over there like it was over here back in the day.
Peak position #6
I think this was the album that was meant to become a success on the Australian side of my site, I included a reissue of their 1980 album because that's what appeared on the weekly charts I used when compiling these lists. Either way, this was the second greatest hits package from Dr Hook to become a success in the southern hemisphere.
Peak position #1x3
Well, that is one edge title to give your album (at least in the pre internet age where this is par for the course) we have this comeback album from a band previously known as the Dance exponents who scored massive success eight years prior with their debut album in the new wave scene. Here they've adapted to the earthier sounds of rock which allowed them to chart along the likes of U2 and Crowded house in their homeland.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Why does love do this to me #3
Who loves who the most #3
Whatever happened to Tracy #6
Sink like a stone #28
Erotic #27
Given how they managed to have more success in NZ throughout the 80's than they did here in Australia, I would've been flabbergasted if this greatest hits package from ZZ top flopped over there this year. Even so, it didn't do nearly as well as it did down under likely because the kiwis were already familiar with the band's work.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Viva Las Vegas #17
I guess the kiwis weren't as big of fans of Michael Crawford as we Aussies were as both of his albums from the 90's saw far less success over there than they did over here, this in particularly was a disappointment given how it was his big breakthrough outside of the theatre world here and in his native UK.
Peak position #4
From what I can gather, Kantuta was a band from NZ who scored a massive hit with their self-titled debut album this year due to it being a blend of Latin and rock. I'm guessing if they had of broken out during the Latin craze later in the decade this would've been even bigger over there than it already was.
Peak position #4
This was the first signs of Abba's reevaluation in the 90's after over a decade of them being mocked by rock snobs for popularising the trends of the 70's, of course like Australia this would also be a success multiple times over there due to the different ways people realised the band was actually good this whole time.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Dancing queen (re release) #14
I'm guessing this became a success over in NZ due to the surprise success that Jesus Jones managed to achieve in America this year, although it's worth noting that it only became eligible for this list due to it re-entering the charts and racking up quite a lot of points in a short amount of time to stack up with these other entries on this list.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
International bright young thing #22
Right here right now #29
Real real real #37
Who where why #48
I get the feeling this album was meant to forever rechart during each Christmas season when it was initially released, however like every Christmas album released in the twentieth century, this wasn't the case for Cliff Richard as it wasn't even that popular in most parts of the world likely due to its mediocre critical reception.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Scarlet ribbons #19
Well, she did have a ton of success in the 80's with her first two albums, so it only seems fitting that a greatest hits album from Ruby Turner becoming a success this year was in order.
Peak position #1x1
The kiwis were far more invested in the post death career of Freddie Mercury than we Aussies it seems, not only did he score a huge hit posthumously with an opera singer from his 1987 album, but he also saw huge success with this greatest hits package over there which was more or less his two solo albums compiled together for one convenient release.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Barcelona #2
The great pretender #36
Cher was certainly on a winning streak over in NZ during the first stretch of the decade, so much so that this greatest hits package she released proved to be a huge success over there despite it being a massive failure here in Australia as was the case for several of these new entries on this side of my site.
Peak position #6
This was the second greatest hits package to become a success for Supertramp since their last successful album which as this point in NZ was from the late 70's, I guess the kiwis really did have fond memories of their heyday if they had two successful best of albums over there despite the band not releasing any new material since the first one was released.
Peak position #1x1
Given how the first volume to the Commitments soundtrack was released late in NZ, it only makes sense that its second volume would also have a tardy release even if it wasn't as tardy which resulted in it competing with the first volume over there.
Peak position #3
It's a bit weird that these guys waited thirteen years to release a sequel to their 1979 greatest hits album, so weird in fact that I'm more surprised it was a hit in NZ than I am that it bombed everywhere else in the world.
Peak position #11
I honestly would've been surprised if this was a flop for Sade in NZ given that it managed to be a huge success for them over here in Australia, once again, it's low placement on this list is more due to it being a sleeper hit as it could've easily appeared much higher on here had it spent more time in the upper echelons of the NZ charts.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
No ordinary love #17
Feel no pain #48
Kiss of life #33
This was too minor of a success to appear on the Australian side of my site, likely because Gary Moore seemed to have worn out his welcome amongst us Aussies by the time this came out. This didn't seem to be the case with the kiwis who allowed this to be a moderate success over there, thus giving him one more entry on this side of my site that he had on the Australian side.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Cold day in hell #31
I did mention this was a minor success in NZ when we looked at their far more lucrative album from the previous list, indeed this did just as well over there as it did over here for the Black Crowes, making the failure of their third album Amorica all the more puzzling in both countries.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Remedy #6
Unlike here in Australia where this saw a massive surge in popularity the following year due to the success of the band's cover of a Lionel Richie classic, it wasn't quite the case in NZ where it only briefly popped up in their top ten before plummeting on their charts. As such, this won't be appearing on the following list like it did on the Australian side of my site.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Midlife crisis #32
I'm easy #6
I can't stress enough how much less popular Salt n Pepa was in NZ compared to here in Australia, heck this is the only album of theirs to reappear on this side of my site given how much of a failure Very necessary was over there despite hip hop being much more lucrative with the kiwis than it was with us Aussies throughout the decade.
Peak position #6
This is a bit of a surprise given how Shona Laing has so far failed to appear on this side of my site, this is her biggest album which she released two decades after her big breakthrough with her hit single "1905" she scored as a teenager in the 70's.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Walk away #14
Fear of falling #26
Thief to silver #35
While this wasn't quite the critical and commercial success their previous album was, this release from the Chills were able to connect with their fellow kiwis back in the day enough to make an appearance on this list of mine. Unfortunately, this is the final time they managed to trouble the charts in their homeland as their subsequent releases all flopped.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Male monster from the ID #8
This is the only entry from Slim Whitman on this side of my site, coincidentally it was released ten years after his only appearance from the Australian side of my site which goes to show how nostalgia for him tends to come and go depending on where in the world you're from.
Peak position #2
Considering this album spawned one of the biggest hits of the decade in their homeland, you'd think that Push push would have massive success with their debut amongst their fellow kiwis when it finally dropped. Not only was it a commercial disappointment for them, but it convinced them to break up the following year and not even try to follow this up.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Trippin #1
Song 27 #7
What my baby likes #4
It's a bit weird that this debut album from the Baby animals managed to make the cut for this list considering that it was a sleeper hit in NZ, although it did appear on the year end list for RIANZ this year and lasted quite a bit on their charts, meaning that the kiwis were at least intrigued by their brand of alt rock back in the day.
Peak position #21
Hit singles
Painless #31
Ain't gonna get #50
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