This was the last year that reality TV had a stranglehold of the mainstream in the music industry, from here on out, the internet would decide on what becomes popular in the music scene as evidence by some of the entries on this list.
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
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
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 had a similar trajectory to its popularity over in NZ than it did here in Australia, namely that it was a decent success upon its initial release only to then become a massive success once it became a critical darling over in America. Given how much the kiwis loved throwback albums from female artists this decade, it was twice as successful over there than it was over here for the troubled singer.
Peak position #1x7
Hit singles
Rehab #12
Opshop are a NZ Britpop band who scored a massive hit with their second album thanks to the singles becoming a massive success for them in their homeland. Their next album was also a massive hit for the band at the start of the 2010's, however they haven't released any new material since due to them going on hiatus in 2013.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Maybe #3
One day #4
Much like here in Australia, this third album from Rihanna only became a massive success in NZ once the deluxe edition dropped a year after its original release. Granted the album was decently successful upon its initial release in both countries, however it was only due to the deluxe edition that it managed to convince audiences that Rihanna was a household name and not just a singles artist.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Umbrella #1
Shut up and drive #12
Hate that I love you #6
Don't stop the music #3
Take a bow #2 (deluxe edition)
Disturbia #1 (deluxe edition)
Rehab #12
Even though the kiwis were more interested in Timbaland's project as a lead artist initially, it appears we Aussies proved to be more intrigued by this album in the long run as it was much more successful here than it was over there for the producer/rapper. That said, there was little chance this was going to fail over there given how he was the most in demand producer of the decade.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Give it to me #2
The way I are #2
Apologize #1
Scream #9
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
Much like their previous two albums, this third album was more successful in NZ than it was here in Australia, proving how much more the kiwis loved these guys over us Aussies back in the day. Unlike their previous two albums, the singles were also more successful from this album for the band, although I get the feeling that's more due to the kiwis fully incorporating digital sales onto their charts by this point.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
What I've done #9
Bleed it out #7
Shadow of the day #13
Leave out all the rest #38
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
There were no signs of Brooke Fraser's popularity slowing down in her homeland when she released her second album, in fact, it was because of this albums success that she caught the attention of Hillsong here in Australia which led to her joining the organisation presumably in an attempt to broaden her audience internationally. It didn't work out for her commercially, however she's still with the group to this day.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Deciphering me #4
Shadowfeeet #13
This might've been Fall Out Boy's only successful album in NZ as it was here in Australia, however at least it proved to be far more successful over there likely due to digital downloads being fully incorporated in NZ by the time it was released as opposed to here in Australia where they had to compete with physical sales which the band had struggled with at the time.
Peak position #1x6
Hit singles
This ain't a scene it's an arms race #1
Thnks fr th mmrs #11
The take over the breaks over #30
I'm like a lawyer #33
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 was the only successful album to come from NZ EDM and hip hop group Kora, admittedly they did have a strange sound to them given how they combined two genres that seemed like opposing forces given how we Aussies and kiwis didn't allow them to become a success simultaneously throughout the 90's, however they seemed to pull it off for this one album which became a massive success despite its low placement on this list.
Peak position #1x1
This proved to be more of a success for Disney in NZ than it was here in Australia, I think it's safe to say that the kiwis were more impressed with what the company had to offer at the time given how everything they released this decade (particularly from the second half) proved to be more successful there than it was here.
Peak position #3
Akon was certainly on a roll in NZ given how his second album managed to be a massive success over there like his debut was two years prior, of course its success was largely thanks to the multiple hits it managed to spawn for him which helped him stand up to the likes of Usher and Chris Brown at the time. His time in the spotlight would come to an end with his third album due to it flopping hard for him.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Smack that #1
I wanna love you #2
Don't matter #1
Sorry blame it on me #2 (deluxe edition)
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 success she had as the featured vocalist on MT Raskill's "Bathe in the water," Hollie Smith managed to score a massive hit with her own album in her homeland which put the soul singer on the map and even opened up the possibility of her finding international success. Alas, that didn't happen as she remains a one album wonder with this entry even in her homeland.
Peak position #1x2
This was not as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia for Gwen Stefani, although I find that to be a bit strange considering how the singles were far more successful over there than they were over here even if it was due to them benefitting from the kiwis fully establishing their digital data onto their main charts by this point in time. At least was a success for her over there unlike her third album a decade later.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Wind it up #1
The sweet escape #1
4 in the morning #5
Now that you got it #21
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
You may have noticed that there's been a noticeable improvement with entries on this list that feel a bit leftfield of what was popular throughout the 00's, I'm guessing this was because physical sales was still rather strong in NZ during this point in time as opposed to them being rather weak here in Australia. This would explain why this victory album from Paul Potts managed to be much bigger over there than it was here.
Peak position #1x6
This was released soon after the death of Luciano Pavarotti, it doesn't surprise me that a greatest hits package would be commissioned following his death given how immensely popular he was throughout the 90's as well as the popularity of opera music this decade.
Peak position #3
This will be the final appearance of Hayley Westenra on this site, rather coincidentally, it was the last album she released as a teenager as she would turn twenty shortly after its release, suggesting that her fans were only interested in her music while she was underage.
Peak position #1x5
This is another successful throwback album to a legend (or a group of legends in this case) to make it big in the southern hemisphere, this was a success in NZ the same reason it was here in Australia.
Peak position #1x4
Given how this debut album from Mika only managed to spawn the one hit for him over in NZ, it only makes sense that it wasn't as bit a hit over there as it was over here even if it has roughly the same placement on this list as it does on the Australian equivalent. This is because it bounced in and out of our top twenty down under as opposed to it sticking to the lower half of the NZ charts.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Grace Kelly #2
Love today #28
Although it was a commercial disappointment for her over there much more than it was over here, Avril's second album was enough of a modest success that the kiwis no doubt would've been as perplexed with her selling out on her third album even if it managed to restore her popularity over there like it did everywhere else in the world.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Girlfriend #1
When you're gone #26
Hot #30
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 wasn't quite as successful in NZ as it was here in Australia, or more accurately, it had stiffer competition over there with all of the entries we've looked at so far on this list given how the Foo fighters were not quite as legendary as some of the legends on this list but were also among the older artists compared to a lot of the newer names on this list.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
The pretender #9
Long road to ruin #21
This was released the previous year to deafening silence for Hinder, although at least it had a release over there that year as opposed to here in Australia where it didn't even come out until early this year due to the success of its lead single in the southern hemisphere. The kiwis followed suit in making this a success for the band due to how popular the song was over there like it was over here.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Lips of an angel #1
Better than me #16
Given how Matchbox 20 didn't have as much success in NZ as they did here in Australia, it only makes sense that this greatest hits package wasn't quite the success it was over there as it was over here for the band. That said, it did become a massive hit for the band, which goes to show that there was a decent fanbase over there for the band even if it was pitiful compared to their fanbase down under.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
How far we've come #11
While this was only a modest success at best here in Australia for Kings of Leon, it was more of a concrete success over in NZ likely due to the band heavily benefitting from the kiwis incorporating their digital sales onto their main charts which is something we Aussies didn't do until later in the decade. As such, this was able to have a more respectable ranking on this list.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
On call #26
Fans #23
Unlike in Australia where this was quite popular this year due to the multiple singles it managed to spawn for Fergie worldwide, this solo outing from her only appeared to become a success due to the fourth single being a critical darling compared to the rest of the album which was considered to be too lowbrow to be taken seriously by audiences at the time.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
London bridge #1
Fergalicious #5
Glamorous #9
Big girls don't cry #1
Clumsy #4
Here I come #39
Much like here in Australia, this album went completely ignored for almost two years before it finally became a success for the Fray this year despite the singles already picking up steam when audiences decided to check out where they came from. It was noticeably less successful over there than it was here, likely due to its failure to compete with the nostalgia circuit that was popping up over there.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Over my head #25
How to save a life #7
This was originally dead-on arrival for Eric Clapton and JJ Cale, perhaps because neither man had a hit in over a decade (three decades in the latter's case) and that this was a blatant attempt to recapture their former glory in the 21st century. I guess the kiwis gave this a chance this year when they realised that the former covered the signature tune of the latter and thus liked the idea of them working together.
Peak position #1x1
I guess I'm not surprised that this debut album from Sean Kingston managed to be a success in NZ given how it spawned multiple hits for him over there, that said I'm also not surprised this was a flop for him here in Australia given how the lead single from this album became an instant meme back in the day due to how many times the word "suicidal" is repeated in what's meant to be a love ballad.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Beautiful girls #1
Me love #3
There's nothing #30
Take you there #6
It looked like James Blunt saw equal success with his second album in NZ like he did here in Australia, I'm guessing because the kiwis considered him to be an album artist even though the lead single from the album was more of a hit over there than it was over here likely due to the assistance of digital sales. His popularity would continue into the 2010's over there like it did over here.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
1973 #9
One of the more popular shows to come out of NZ this decade was Outrageous fortune, a crime show about a family who decides to go straight after leading a life of crime with hijinks ensuing from there. I do remember this show being massively popular here in Australia back in the day, so it's little wonder it was a critical darling in its homeland and that it spawned a hugely successful soundtrack as well.
Peak position #1x1
Here's the other big album that Anika Moa had in her homeland before she retired from music to become a TV presenter, this is actually a huge comeback for her given how her second album from 2005 bombed over there and threatened to leave her as a one album wonder in her homeland.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Dreams in my head #16
This was a modest success in NZ the previous year as it was here in Australia, although its true success came this year when the singles ranked very high on Triple J's year end list for 2006 which allowed the album to rebound on the charts over there but not over here for some reason. I guess listeners of the station were among the biggest demographic when it came to digital sales as that's the only reason for this phenomenon I can come up with.
Peak position #6
Much like in Australia, this comeback album from the Eagles had so much hype to it in NZ that its success was inevitable over there given how much love the band received from the kiwis back in their heyday. I'm sure if they made another album after this, it would've also been a smash hit throughout the world for them.
Peak position #1x2
It appears that the kiwis didn't have much left for Norah Jones by this point in her career, sure this third album of hers was still a success given how influential she had been throughout the decade, however it was clear that they wanted to move on from her to the likes of Amy Winehouse and Duffy moving forward.
Peak position #1x1
Given how popular Santana was over in NZ this decade in addition to this year period being surprisingly good for what I consider to be music for older audiences (you have to admit that's the case) there's little surprise that this greatest hits package would also be a success over there for Santana just like it was here in Australia.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Into the night #24
This was a bit of a comeback for Katchafire given how their second album was too much of a sleeper hit to make an appearance on this site, indeed none of their albums was much of a mainstream success since the reggae band always found themselves on the lower half of the album charts in their homeland with their releases.
Peak position #5
Here we have another opera album to make it big from a NZ artist this decade, this time it was from Will Martin who managed to wow his fellow kiwis with his killer pipes in a way that many of the other popular crooners of the decade were able to do so.
Peak position #2
This was more of a success in NZ than it was here in Australia for Elvis Presley, again I'm not sure why this was a success given how the nostalgia bug had already kicked in for his back catalogue due to the success of Disney's Lilo and Stich from earlier in the decade.
Peak position #2
This is a bit bizarre since it was us Aussies that not only made Abba a household name in the 70's, but are also responsible for their lasting legacy given the love movies like Priscilla queen of the desert and Muriel's wedding gave them back in the 90's. As such, you'd think this greatest hits package would've been a success over here like it was in NZ but alas, you'd be wrong.
Peak position #1x3
I guess the kiwis were hoping for a reunion from Led Zeppelin as this greatest hits package managed to be a massive success for them this year as opposed to it being a modest success at best here in Australia upon its initial release. Alas there's still no signs of the band getting back together over forty years after they called it quits in 1980.
Peak position #1x7
Andre Bocelli had a good run in the mainstream while it lasted, as such it makes sense he would find success with a greatest hits package just as his popularity was coming to an end in favour for the likes of Andre Rieu and Paul Potts worldwide.
Peak position #4
This is the second greatest hits package to come from Prince Tui Teka posthumously this decade, I guess this was a success due to the nostalgia circuit being strong enough to keep his memory alive this decade much more so than in his lifetime.
Peak position #2
I guess congratulations are in order for Chris Brown given how he managed to release an album in NZ that was more popular than any album from his (then) girlfriend Rihanna throughout her career, admittedly this was back when he was seen as a positive role model in the RNB scene as each of the songs on here manage to become massive hits worldwide for him back in the day.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Wall to wall #15
Kiss kiss #1
With you #1
Forever #1 (deluxe edition)
Take you down #7
Superhuman #15 (deluxe edition)
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
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
I told you the kiwis were on board with this final album from the 12th man like we Aussies were, although it wasn't an immediate success over there like it was over here, suggesting that he wasn't exactly a mega superstar there like he was over here during this point in time.
Peak position #5
This was meant to be a last hurrah for Eminem given how he had burned many bridges with his previous album Encore throughout the world, I'm guessing he released this out of contractual obligation as it wasn't really his album but rather a compilation album of some of the biggest names in hip hop with his name on it.
Peak position #1x1
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
Given how Police managed to put their differences aside this year long enough for a reunion tour, it makes sense that this greatest hits package would be a success for them even if this was the third greatest hits album they released since their final album from fifteen years prior. I'm guessing this is why it was a hit in NZ and not in Australia given how nostalgia was working at the time.
Peak position #4
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
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