This is the year where Australia finally incorporated digital sales onto the main charts, although its effects didn't take place until later in the decade as the music landscape in general had completely slowed down this year as evidence by the NZ charts being as slow over there as it was over here.
One of the biggest names in NZ music this decade was Fat Freddy's Drop, a reggae band who took their local scene by storm thanks to their catchy reggae tunes connecting with the kiwis to the point where they naturally sparked international interest in their music. Sadly, they remain a cult favourite at best outside of their homeland, however they certainly had an impressive run in their local mainstream regardless.
Peak position #1x10
Hit singles
Wandering eye #6
Well at least the album proved to be equally as successful in NZ as it was here in Australia for James Blunt, although it's worth noting that the singles didn't bring in the numbers over there like they did over here which is strange considering how most albums we've looked at so far on these lists had singles that performed better over there than they did over there back in the day.
Peak position #1x12
Hit singles
You're beautiful #4
Goodbye my lover #19
Wisemen #21
There were no signs of JT's music career slowing down over in NZ when he dropped his second solo album, true it wasn't a chart topper like it was over here and throughout the rest of the world, however that didn't really matter considering the singles were as popular there as they were internationally, and that the album lasted equally as long on the charts.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Sexyback #1
My love #1
What goes around comes around #3
Lovestoned #17
Summer love #15
Their previous album was a bit of a commercial disappointment for RHCP in NZ, however they were able to bounce back with this album proving that they were still in the big leagues when it came to the kiwis (fun fact, their biggest releases were every second album in their catalogue.) Given how the 2010's was as hostile to rock music in NZ as it was internationally, their subsequent follow ups also flopped over there.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Dani California #7
Tell me baby #16
Snow #10
Desecration smile #33
Much like here in Australia, this sophomore album from Kelly Clarkson had a bit of a slow start to its success due to her being seen as little more than a reality show contestant upon its initial release in NZ, however it eventually won the kiwis over like it did for us Aussies which allowed it to be one of the biggest albums of the decade over there. Interestingly, this was their introduction to her music given how her debut or its singles didn't even chart over there.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Breakaway #12
Since u been gone #11
Behind these hazel eyes #7
Because of you #19
Walk away #19
The parallels of BEP's success in NZ compared to what they achieved in Australia were identical as each of the songs on this second album with Fergie proved to be just as successful over there as they were over here in addition to the album also being as successful in both countries.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Don't phunk with my heart #1
Don't lie #5
My humps #1
Pump it #2
Well, this proved to be equally as successful in NZ as it was here in Australia, in fact it was arguably more successful over there due to the singles performing much better than what they did over here (even if that was due to airplay being factored into the NZ charts.) I stand by that this album isn't as terrible as everyone makes it out to be, although it being one of the most popular of all time does warrant raised eyebrows.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Photograph #4
Far away #2
Saving me #9
Given how the kiwis had already allowed their digital sales to be fully incorporated into their main charts when this album started gaining traction, it meant that it was able to spawn multiple singles on their charts including their breakthrough single which became one of the biggest hits of the decade over there. I guess you can consider the success this album had over there as a reflection of how big it was over here back in the day.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Chasing cars #3
You're all I have #25
Hands open #34
This was a massive comeback for Nelly Furtado even in NZ where the kiwis also quickly grew tired of her spiritual vibes from her earlier work and were won back over when she abandoned them in favour of an early prototype of the club boom that would explode by the end of the decade. Indeed her career trajectory was identical over to what it was over here albeit to a much larger scale of success.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Promiscuous #1
Maneater #2
Say it right #1
All good things #12
It appears the kiwis were more invested in the High school musical trilogy back in the day than we Aussies were given how the soundtracks as well as the singles managed to be much bigger over there than they were over here back in the day. Of course, the first entry was the most popular due to the franchise wearing out its welcome more and more with each new film.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Breaking free #4
This was a success twice in the decade in NZ, the first time was upon its initial release where it confirmed the Black Seeds to be one of the hottest new bands from their local music scene whilst the second was a year after it fell off their charts likely due to a successful tour which encouraged their fellow kiwis that hadn't already to check out what all the fuss was about.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
Cool me down #26
Although the trio formerly known as the Dixie chicks (they now go by the Chicks) never had a hit single to their name over in NZ, at least their two albums that were popular here in Australia had their success translated over there given how both of them have successfully reappeared on this side of my site. It may not have charted over there, however I get the feeling "Not ready to make nice" was what made this a success with the kiwis.
Peak position #5
Given how the lead single to this album was an immediate success upon its initial release in NZ, it makes sense that the kiwis would want to check out what else the Scottish folk singer had to offer which allowed the album to be a huge success in its own right. This did chart in Australia once she scored a hit here, however it was apparent we Aussies didn't care about her outside of the Devil wears Prada soundtrack.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Suddenly I see #5
Black horse and cherry tree #20
This was already a modest success over in NZ upon its initial release however it was when the album rebounded shortly after its release that it became a best seller thanks to these guys becoming one of the driving forces of the emo rock craze this decade along the likes of Panic! at the disco and Fall out boy from earlier on this list. They remain a one album wonder worldwide, likely due to their next album being titled the Black parade is dead.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Welcome to the black parade #2
Famous last words #6
Teenagers #6
This had the same story to its success in NZ as it did here in Australia as the kiwis were also hesitant in making this debut album from the girl group a huge success only to then change their minds once it became clear that the songs from the album would define the music of its era. The only difference is that this managed to chart much higher over there than it did over here as did many of the singles.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Don't cha #1
Stickwitu #1
Beep #1
Buttons #1
I don't need a man #7
Wait a minute #24
Although this didn't reach the dizzying heights of her earlier material, this was regardless a massive success for Bic Runga proving that she still had plenty of love from her fellow kiwis this far into the 21st century as opposed to her older sister who had already fallen into obscurity by this point in time. Sadly she would follow suit with her next album as that was a massive flop for her later in the decade.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Winning arrow #23
This felt like a good place for Eminem to call it quits in the hip hop game given how much of a critical disaster his previous album was, indeed, he was all set in this being the last album he released given how his next album came out of nowhere four years later and didn't see nearly the success that his previous work had. Naturally the kiwis were as on board with this career trajectory as the rest of the world was.
Peak position #1x4
Hit singles
When I'm gone #2
Whilst we Aussies weren't that interested in giving INXS another chance in the spotlight now that they had found a new lead vocalist for their band after toying with several other candidates such as Jon Stevens, the kiwis were much more open to this phase of their career given how this album with their new frontman was a massive success for them over there where it wasn't over here.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Pretty Vegas #7
This was slightly more successful in NZ than it was here in Australia, I'm guessing because the digital sales had been fully incorporated over there when this was released as opposed to them not being fully implemented over here. It was also the bigger album for them over their debut, meaning that they ultimately preferred this over that which wasn't the case in their native America.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
When you were young #10
Bones #16
Read my mind #20
Following the critical and commercial success of his biopic, audiences worldwide felt they needed to rediscover the works of Johnny Cash which is perhaps why this greatest hits album named after his most famous song managed to become a massive hit over in NZ in lieu of the soundtrack to the biopic which didn't do as well over there as it did over here and thus won't be appearing on this list.
Peak position #2
I would say that the kiwis were more into the animated adaptation of Curious George than we Aussies were, except I doubt that was the case given how the soundtrack was provided by Jack Johnson who was coming off the success of his biggest album over there from the previous year. He would have one more successful album two years later before fading into obscurity.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Upside down #22
Given how much the kiwis have loved U2 over the years (although not in the 00's funnily enough) it only makes sense that this greatest hits package from them would be a massive hit even with the success of their previous two albums of this vein from within a decade of each other.
Peak position #1x4
Hit singles
The saints are coming #4
Windows in the skies #28
It only makes sense that the kiwis would find more love for this breakthrough album for Gnarls Barkley than we Aussies did given how this combines all of the elements that the kiwis love the most when it comes to their music scene. As such, we have the only album anyone has ever cared about from the duo reappearing on this site, this unfortunately means their second album won't be appearing on here at all.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Crazy #1
This is the album where it all began for Chris Brown, it was a massive success in NZ due to how popular the lead single was as well as RNB in general performing much better over there than it ever did over here. It was an album that promised him a fruitful career and excluding all of the controversies in his personal life, a fruitful career is what he ended up achieving.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Run it #1
Yo #9
Much like on the Australian side of this site, this is an album that would've appeared much higher on this list had I factored in an entries chart run during the lower half of the charts as this proved to be a huge sleeper hit in NZ like it was here in Australia for Panic! at the disco. At least the songs did much better over there due to the kiwis incorporating their digital sales onto their main charts.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
I write sins not tragedies #5
But it's better if you do #10
Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off #33
Given how he was able to make it big in NZ without any hassles on if it was due to physical sales or digital, James Morrison was able to translate the success he achieved from his debut single to his debut album over there, making him the latest in a long line of British artists this decade to find more success over there than they did over here.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
You give me something #1
Wonderful world #16
There's little surprise that this was more popular in NZ than it was here in Australia for Ben Harper, between the nostalgia bug kicking in much sooner over there than it did over here (given how he wanted to be the then modern Jimi Hendrix) as well as how much more popular he was over there overall.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Better way #32
There's going to be a few entries on the next few lists of mine that feel like they belong on one of my lists from the twentieth century given audiences from that generation seems to be the target audience for many of these albums. Here's one of these albums courtesy of Rod Stewart who decided to cover a bunch of songs from the twentieth century and make his own which the kiwis seemed to heavily appreciate from him.
Peak position #1x2
It appears the kiwis were more interested in listening to the genuine hits from Johnny Cash rather than the renditions made by the star of his biopic Joaquin phoenix given how this was less popular than the country legend's earlier entry on this list in NZ this year.
Peak position #6
Much like the rest of the world, this penultimate album from Tool (as of this writing at least) was a massive success for them in NZ meaning that fans were eagerly awaiting their next album for thirteen years as the members pursued other activities and touring extensively before finally delivering on their next album in 2019.
Peak position #1x1
This was a hit again during the midpoint of the decade in NZ, further proving how much the kiwis loved UB40 even going into the new millennium (or at least their back catalogue.)
Peak position #5
This proved to be way more popular in NZ than it was here in Australia, mainly due to the nostalgia circuit beginning much sooner over there due to the rise of digital downloads as well as the internet in general having more of a grasp on dictating what was cool in the mainstream.
Peak position #1x1
Although they would explode in popularity by the end of the decade, Shapeshifter had a decent start to their career when they released their debut album this year which was able to put the EDM band on the map in their homeland.
Peak position #4
I'm not entirely sure why this second album managed to be a huge success for Evermore in their homeland considering how their first album failed to make it big over there earlier in the decade, you can't even say it was because of its success here in Australia as its success over there came the exact same time it did over here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Running #4
Light surrounding you #15
This was an excellent time for oldies to make it big in the mainstream over in NZ, as such we have this greatest hits package from Roy Orbison which became a success over there eighteen years after his untimely death, proving that the kiwis will always have a soft spot for his back catalogue.
Peak position #3
While this wasn't quite as successful in NZ as it was here in Australia for Patrizio Buanne, the fact it was a modest success over there should tell you how in love the kiwis were with classical music this decade like the rest of the world was.
Peak position #2
This proved to be slightly more successful in NZ than it was here in Australia for Rihanna, although this clearly came at the expense of the singles not performing as well over there as they did over here (save for the third single of course.) Her momentum would of course continue to grow as the decade went on, culminating in at the start of the 2010's when she had one of the biggest albums with her entry Loud.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
SOS #3
Unfaithful #4
We ride #7
This is the only other successful album that Yulia was able to achieve in her homeland, I guess the rise of the nostalgia circuit over there proved to be the downfall for classical music making it big as there would be far less of these albums making it big as the decade began coming to an end.
Peak position #1x1
It appears the kiwis weren’t as impressed with the Arctic monkeys making it big via the internet as the rest of the world was given how their debut album proved to be less successful over there than it was internationally. It was a decent success regardless, although I'm guessing that was without the novelty of their Myspace beginnings.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
I bet you look good on the dance floor #14
Although the lead single wasn't inescapable in NZ like it was here in Australia, that didn't seem to affect the album sales of Sandi Thom's debut as it actually managed to crack the top ten over there in exchange for it dropping out faster than it did over here.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
I wish I was a punk rocker #3
What if I'm right #35
While this wasn't as successful as their debut album from earlier in the decade, the fact that a nu metal album could still find success this far into the decade was quite impressive especially since the scene had shifted to be about emo rock given how popular the likes of Green day and Panic! at the disco were at the time.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Yours truly #9
Drown #4
While the success of this second album from Evanescence was a mere bucket drop compared to what they achieved on their first album, it was still far more popular worldwide than most of the albums of its day which means it was able to make a second appearance on my site given how this was no exception over in NZ upon its initial release.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Call me when you're sober #3
Lithium #16
Although their first greatest hits package from 1991 wasn't as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia, it appears the eventual trade-off would be that their second album of this kind would be a success over there fifteen years later despite it being a massive bomb over here.
Peak position #6
This was originally released three years prior to deafening silence worldwide, likely because Lionel has only released one album since his last greatest hits package from 1992 which was a complete flop for him. The kiwis gave this a second chance this year likely due to nostalgia of his back catalogue both solo and with his former band the Commodores.
Peak position #7
This is the last successful album that the Feelers had in their homeland, they kind of ruined their momentum by the end of the decade when they decided to release a greatest hits album to commemorate the tenth anniversary of their debut album which is always a curse for bands like this. At least the title track was a massive hit for them which was impressive for a band who came from the 90's at this point in time.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
One world #8
This was equally as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia for Audioslave, I should also mention that just like 1988 and the mid 70's, I had to improvise in filling out this list as RIANZ infamously failed to fill out their yearend lists to a top 50 for these years.
Peak position #1x1
This is another entry that only made the cut due to me improvising for this list, although it did stick around the RIANZ top ten for quite a bit before plummeting from the charts, so I have no doubt this would've made their yearend list had they expanded past a top twenty.
Peak position #2
We have another greatest hits package to make the list, this time it's from Aerosmith who greatly benefitted from NZ's nostalgia bug given how this was a massive bomb here in Australia since our nostalgia bug hadn't kicked in just yet.
Peak position #2
Even though their comeback album in Australia was a massive flop for them in NZ the previous year, this album proved to be a success for Westlife over there suggesting that the kiwis wanted to see what all the fuss was about now that they were reduced to a quartet and weren't impressed with the album that had "You raise me up" on it.
Peak position #2
You'd think this love album from the Beatles would go to number one in NZ given how the nostalgia bug had kicked in by this point, alas it didn’t, and it appears lower than it did on the Australian side of my site due to falling out of the charts much quicker over there than it did over here.
Peak position #2
This proved to be equally as successful for Coldplay in NZ as it was here in Australia, again this was a sign that the indie scene was rather strong in NZ throughout the decade given how this was back when Coldplay were considered a band in it for the art rather than for commercial appeal like they would become in the 2010's.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Speed of sound #13
Fix you #17
Talk #20
The hardest part #28
Much like in Australia, this remains the most successful album from the Foo Fighters in NZ given how it managed to spawn their biggest hit in their native America in the form of its lead single. I guess the kiwis weren't interested in giving the band a hit on the singles chart as unlike in Australia where it only failed to become as such due to digital piracy, it was a genuine flop for the band over there.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Best of you #38
DOA #34
Resolve #39
This was a massive flop for P!nk upon its initial release in NZ, mainly because the kiwis felt they were done with her music given the massive failure of her third album Try this worldwide. They gave this a second chance due to how inescapably popular it was here in Australia which allowed it to be a success thanks to her world tour as well as how good the singles were.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Stupid girls #7
Who knew #11
U + ur hand #10
Leave me alone #5
Dear Mr president #11
Cuz I can #29
Much like everywhere else in the world, this had a bit of a slow rise to its popularity given how Gwen Stefani had attained a fanbase during her time with No Doubt who likely weren't ready to see her go in a pop friendly direction on her first album away from the group. Indeed, I don't think the kiwis were truly as on board with her change in direction as the rest of the world was, however that didn't prevent the album from being a success over there regardless.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
What you waiting for #3
Rich girl #3
Hollaback girl #3
Cool #9
Luxurious #17
This was initially a flop for Christina Aguilera the in NZ, likely because the kiwis felt that her time in the spotlight was up despite the lead single being a huge success over there upon its initial release. It was given a second chance this year due to the success of its third single which helped the double album become a massive success for the former Disney star over there.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Ain't no other man #5
Candyman #2
This is another successful album to come from the pop opera sub-genre of music, as such it was a massive hit for Il Divo who were the latest in a number of artists from this genre to make it big worldwide.
Peak position #1x1
Naturally this was more of a success in NZ than it was here in Australia due to the lead singer being a kiwi himself, you'd think that these guys making it big in the southern hemisphere would've been enough of an encouragement to keep going as the decade went on especially due to the success of classical music this decade, but alas they called it quits due to their failure in their homeland.
Peak position #1x1
It had been a decade since the Exponents released a greatest hits package, although they hadn't achieved any success since they did which makes this albums success a bit confusing to me.
Peak position #7
It appears this album wasn't as well received by the kiwis as it was by us Aussies, this is strange because both Split enz and especially Crowded house saw plenty of success over there back in the day as did the brothers respective solo careers. Heck they even had a (then) recent collaboration album which saw far more success over there than it did over here.
Peak position #4
This was a greatest hits compilation consisting not just of John Fogerty's solo work, but also his work with Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was a huge success in NZ but a massive flop here in Australia, likely due to the nostalgia bug kicking in over there much sooner than it did over here in our mainstream.
Peak position #7
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