I'm a bit surprised that Stealers wheel didn't see much success back in the day considering how often you hear "Stuck in the middle with you" on the radio, I guess this solo album from Gerry Rafferty becoming a huge success was meant to be a consolation prize the world gave him for sleeping on his band earlier in the decade. Admittedly it's hard to imagine a world where the lead single would fail given how iconic that sax solo has become.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Baker street #1
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Phoebe Snow was a singer/songwriter who had promise earlier in the decade when "Poetry man" became a huge hit for her in her native America, now she never had a hit here in Australia but due to how popular she was in NZ during the second half of the decade, this album became a huge success for her despite it flopping on the Billboard charts. Why her popularity fizzled out over there is anyone's guess.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Every night #22
(POPULAR IN 1979)
Although this wasn't their first album, this was the album which made Cold Chisel a household name in Australia likely due to how pub rock was taking over the mainstream in Australia around this time despite this album failing to produce a hit single for them. Their next album would be even bigger and would make them one of the biggest names of the 80's along the likes of Australian crawl and Split enz.
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 1979)
Now that these guys had a highly successful album under their belt, they had little issues with finding success with their subsequent follow ups beginning with this album which may have failed to produce a hit single for them but was a massive success regardless. The 80's would see their popularity increase as they began scoring hits from their albums as well as developing a positive reputation as a live act.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Shadow boxer #25
Out of the blue #29
(POPULAR IN 1979)
Much like Bob Seger, Boz Scaggs also seemed set in having a success decade as he entered it with a highly successful album in his catalogue. Unfortunately, he too was also unable to adapt to the MTV era which resulted in him being seen as yesterday's news soon after the album left the charts.
Peak position #11
(POPULAR IN 1980)
One of the most infamous films to be made, Xanadu at least has the redeeming factor of having some of the best music to come from its star Olivia Newton John and ELO which allowed the soundtrack to be a huge success upon its initial release. A common misconception is that the film was a box office flop, while it underperformed, it was a huge success likely due to the music and its co star Gene Kelly.
Peak position #1x6
Hit singles
Magic #4
I'm alive #27
Xanadu #2
Suddenly #37
(POPULAR IN 1980)
Even though they haven't had a hit in most parts of the world since the live version of "Nights in white satin," the Moody blues were able to find success with their albums well into the 80's with this perhaps being their most successful since they reformed in 1977. Their popularity wouldn't rise to this success again, although they've been releasing new material ever since.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Gemini dream #36
(POPULAR IN 1981)
Although Cliff Richard had scored a string of hits since his 1976 comeback with "Devil woman," it was this album that provided him with his first big success on the album charts here in Australia due to how popular both its singles were at the time. This set him up for even more success throughout the 80's and in the case in his native UK, well into the 90's as his popularity was officially revived by this point.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Wired for sound #2
Daddy's home #8
(POPULAR IN 1982)
I'm guessing this was a hit for Barry Manilow due to the success of his cover of a Four seasons classic this year, although it doesn't come with the album so perhaps it was more due to how inescapable it was in the UK during the early stretch of the decade. This would be the last anyone would hear from the crooner, unless of course you're a fan of 90's Don Blueth in which case he wrote songs for Thumbelina and the Pebble and the penguin.
Peak position #6
(POPULAR IN 1982)
He had tragically passed away three years prior from a toe cancer, but that didn't mean the world was ready to say farewell to Bob Marley as he's arguably had more success from beyond the grave than he did during his lifetime. Here we have his greatest hits package that has become one of the most successful albums of all time due to its refusal to die on the album charts, although it was a huge success upon its initial release so it's not like this only saw success years after it came out.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
One love #24
(POPULAR IN 1984)
Given how she began her career on Broadway, it only makes sense that Barbra Streisand would release an album where she pays homage to the avenue of entertainment that made her a household name to begin with. It appears audiences were on board with this as it became her most successful album since Guilty from the start of the decade, and she would release a sequel to this eight years later.
Peak position #8
(POPULAR IN 1986)
This was the second album to come from James Reyne, I guess so much for him being the weak link in Australian crawl if he was able to achieve this much success on his own long after the band had broken up. Indeed, his popularity would continue well into the 90's where he even joined a supergroup by the name of Company of strangers, that group would achieve moderate success as recently as 1993.
Peak position #7
Peak position #7 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
House of cards #17 (ARIA #17)
One more river #22
(POPULAR IN 1989)
Even though these guys only ever had one successful album to their name in Australia, this greatest hits package released nine years after Eliminator was a huge success for ZZ top down under proving how much we Aussies realised we did them dirty during their initial popularity. It's likely because of this album we know their signature track "La grange."
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Viva Las Vegas #28
(POPULAR IN 1992)
To commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Australian production of Jesus Christ superstar, there was a revival show that starred John Farnham, Kate Ceberano and Jon Stevens which was so much of a success that its official soundtrack went on to become a massive success in the mainstream. Heck it even spawned a genuine hit single with the trio's rendition of "Everything's alright."
Peak position #1x10
Peak position #1x8 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Everything's alright #6 (AMR #6)
(POPULAR IN 1992)
This was only one of two albums that Merril Bainbridge released in her career, the other one being so much of a commercial disaster it didn't even chart here let alone internationally. I'm guessing it was the success of this album which allowed her to see international success with its lead single despite how long it took for it to find an audience here initially, although it could also be that she was a popular female singer/songwriter.
Peak position #5
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Mouth #1 (AMR #1)
Under the water #4 (AMR #3)
Power of one #21
(POPULAR IN 1995)
Following the surprise success of their previous album worldwide, Green day followed that up with this album which was a huge success even if it didn't quite live up to the standards Dookie set up for them. Still, it at least had a ton of fanfare upon its initial release which is more than you can say for their next album which needed one of the songs to be affiliated with Seinfeld of all things for it to be a success.
Peak position #5
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Geek stink breath #40
Stuck with me #46
(POPULAR IN 1995, 1996)
These guys had been active for over a decade by the time they found their mainstream success with this album, although it was mainly due to the success of its lead single that it was a sleeper hit here in Australia as we Aussies slowly but surely decided to check out what other gems the band had to offer as the song tore up our charts.
Peak position #27
Peak position #22 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The impression that I get #11 (AMR #14)
(POPULAR IN 1998)
This was the second album to come from Jebediah, it was much less of a success compared to their first album (at least if we factor in AMR sales, although in this case it might've equalled its success had they still existed when it released.) Still, it managed quite a lengthy run on the lower half of our charts, likely because of heavy exposure from Triple J which was the case for many Australian alternative bands.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Animal #16 (AMR #16)
(POPULAR IN 1999)
This was one of the last new age albums to make it big in the mainstream worldwide, I guess it's fitting that Enya would be the artist to close out this craze given how she was the one who popularised it over a decade prior with her second album.
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 2000, 2001)
This was released on the fortieth anniversary of the band first getting together, this explains A: the title of the album given how random it would otherwise be and B: why it was released to begin with given how the band hadn't released anything worthwhile in over a decade by this point. These two selling points explain why it was a success worldwide, that and the decade quickly becoming known for its nostalgia bug.
Peak position #3
(POPULAR IN 2002, 2003)
There seemed to be many contemporaries of Norah Jones that managed to score success throughout the decade, one of the more prominent examples coming from Katie Melua who is a Georgian musician who achieved massive success this year including in Australia even though it's yet another album that was pushed aside in our mainstream in favour of all the commotion from Australian idol.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
The closest thing to crazy #45
(POPULAR IN 2004)
They had moderate success earlier in the decade with their debut album here in Australia, however I doubt fans were expecting the second album from the Scissor sisters to be a huge success here even if the lead single was a runaway hit for the band around the time of its release. Of course, it turned out that the song was more popular than the album it came from given how it was one of the biggest of the decade.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
I don't feel like dancing #1
She's my man #39
(POPULAR IN 2006)
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Gimme more #3
Piece of me #2
Break the ice #23
(POPULAR IN 2007, 2008)
This was originally released three years prior under the band's original name Bjorn Benny and Agnetha Frida to deafening silence, likely because that's not a compelling band name to give yourself regardless of what language you speak. The band reissued the album under their new name this year which became a huge success here likely due to how much in love we Aussies were with their music.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Ring ring #7
(POPULAR IN 1976)
This was the breakthrough album that Jackson Browne had in Australia, although it was more of a sleeper hit as it didn't quite reach the upper echelons of the charts as his next two albums did. Still, this was as good an introduction to his music as anything as it does contain some of his more iconic work in his catalogue.
Peak position #18
(POPULAR IN 1977)
This was a flop for Peter Allen when it was released the previous year, I'm guessing the news of him coming out as gay following his divorce from Liza Minelli initially put us Aussies off from his brand of lounge music on this album. We were fortunately won over this year when he scored a huge hit with the album's second single, so much so the album and its lead single became a huge success this year for him.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
I go to Rio #1
The more I see you #10
(POPULAR IN 1977)
Sandwiched between two of their biggest albums is this double album from ELO which seems to be an expansion of their previous album A new world record when it comes to making a rock opera to cash in on both that craze as well as the science fiction craze taking over the world. It's not as commercially appealing as their other work; however, it makes up for that by being them at their best artistically.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Turn to stone #17
Sweet talking woman #38
(POPULAR IN 1977, 1978)
It's a bit surprising that Steely Dan didn't have much success here in Australia back in the day, even taking into account that Countdown usually swept aside American bands in favour of our local artists, the fact that their music is constantly played on oldies stations makes their lack of success throughout the decade completely jarring to me. At least this magnum opus from them was a decent success here.
Peak position #9
(POPULAR IN 1977, 1978)
Disco was at the height of its popularity this year, so much so that even a band who I'm sure even at the time everyone new to be queer was able to find success with their breakthrough album. Even though these guys were closeted at the height of their popularity, they have since admitted that they're all gay which has only strengthened the popularity of their music as many champion it for lessening our stigma towards the LGBT community.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Macho man #3
(POPULAR IN 1978)
From what I can gather, the film adaptation to the Beatles album this serves as a soundtrack to is considered to be one of the worst films of all time thanks to bad acting from the cast which consists of musicians with limited acting experience as well as the plot being strung together solely through the lyrics of the songs from the soundtrack. Even the soundtrack was poorly received save for the covers from Aerosmith and Earth wind and fire.
Peak position #13
(POPULAR IN 1978)
It's strange that this album underperformed here in Australia back in the day considering how iconic the second single remains on our oldies stations to this day, then again there will be plenty of albums on these lists that you'd swear were inescapable in their day but were in fact sleeper hits at best here. Even so, we Aussies clearly had enough love for his brand of heartland rock to make this a success to some degree.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
Refugee #24
(POPULAR IN 1980)
These guys had an impressive run throughout the 70's, however they decided to call it quits after one failed album throughout the 80's which likely failed to them preemptively releasing a greatest hits package going into the new decade to overlook their success from the previous decade.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Over the border #32
(POPULAR IN 1980)
The last time Steve Winwood had any notable success in Australia was with his bands Spencer Davis group, Traffic and Blind faith, all of which happened over a decade prior to him finding success with this solo album. I'm not even sure how this managed to become so popular other than it connecting with an audience organically as it's not like he was in the news that often outside of his music.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
While you see a chance #16
(POPULAR IN 1981)
This was originally released as Marie Marie to deafening silence, likely due to it missing that instantly catchy track that would become the title track of Shaking's breakthrough album. Indeed, he would see massive success this decade in his native UK as recently as 1987, although in Australia his success would only last him another year before we moved on from the rockabilly revival trend.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
This ole house #1
(POPULAR IN 1981)
This was the only successful album that Iron Maiden were able to achieve here in Australia, mainly for a memorable performance on Countdown with the singles from the album which helped them breakthrough the MTV crowd with their brand of 80's heavy metal. Their popularity would only sustain them for this one album here, although they did see a rise of success in their native UK as the decade went on.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Run to the hills #27
(POPULAR IN 1982)
You'd think that this album from one of the most popular artists of the decade would've been even bigger here in Australia, granted this did spawn three of the biggest hits of the decade here but that doesn't mean it couldn't have been a huge juggernaut like other pop albums of its time. In any case, this was the album which made the duo a household name over in America due to how catchy the songs are on here.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Wake me up before you go go #1
Careless whisper #1
Freedom #3
Everything she wants #7
(POPULAR IN 1984, 1985)
This was the Cure's biggest album here in Australia, sure they always had some degree of popularity here thanks to their multiple appearances on Countdown, but they never took our mainstream by storm save for this album which spawned their biggest hit as well as their 1992 effort Wish. It wasn't even the lead single which is why the album was a hit twice as it rebounded once the big hit became as such.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
In between days #16
Close to me #7
(POPULAR IN 1985, 1986)
This was the unofficial soundtrack to Maximum overdrive, a film that's been described as beyond over the top even by the standard's of 80's horror flicks. Naturally the soundtrack is what people remember most about the film (well that and its premise thanks to the Simpsons satirising it a decade later) it even gave the band a hit single for them which is the first they had since the start of the decade.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Who made who #9
(POPULAR IN 1986)
It had been a while since Supertramp last troubled our charts, in fact their last successful album was with Famous last words from four years prior which gives you an idea of how they failed to adjust with the MTV era like many bands from the 70's. Still, they were able to find success with this greatest hits album proving their back catalogue had secured their legacy.
Peak position #9
(POPULAR IN 1987)
This was the only album that Mel and Kim ever released, mainly because during its production, Mel was diagnosed with cancer which would eventually claim her life less than three years after its release. The girls tried to record new material during the final years of her life, but aside from "That's the way it is" which would eventually be included on here as a bonus track, nothing ever came into fruition.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Showing out #12
Respectable #1
FLM #19
(POPULAR IN 1987)
I'm not sure how he did it, but Chris Rea scored an impressive comeback this year with this album given how his previous hit "Diamonds" was only a modest success for him nearly a decade prior. I think NZ had something to do with this as he suddenly saw a massive surge in popularity over there around this time, this leading to the lead single to nearly topping their charts and thus becoming a hit here.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Let's dance #9
(POPULAR IN 1987)
This was a bit of a disappointment from Billy Joel considering how inescapable (at least in Australia) his previous album was, although it did spawn arguably his biggest hit in the form of its lead single which in turn translated to the album's success worldwide. His next album would be even bigger, although it would also be his final album as he would spend the rest of his life as a touring act.
Peak position #1x4
Peak position #1x2 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
We didn't start the fire #3 (ARIA #2)
I go to extremes #48
(POPULAR IN 1989, 1990)
From what I can gather, the two Young guns movies from back in the day are among the more popular spaghetti westerns to this day thanks to its cast consisting of several members of the 80's Brat pack scene as well as them being lighthearted innocent fun. The second film had a soundtrack that served as a solo debut album for Jon Bon Jovi at the height of his popularity with his band.
Peak position #2
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Blaze of glory #1 (AMR #1)
Miracle #8 (AMR #11)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
This was the third album from this decade that Faith no more saw a ton of success with here in Australia, it was more of their hybrid of hard rock and hip hop just like their previous two albums even though it didn't have that obvious hit on here that "Epic" and their cover of "I'm easy" was for their other albums. They would release one more album after this before going their separate ways in 1998.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Digging the grave #12 (AMR #10)
Evidence #27
(POPULAR IN 1995)
It seemed that Janet and her fanbase couldn't wait for the actual tenth anniversary of her breakthrough album Control before she released this greatest hits package and her fans made it an instant success, I bring this up because the album is a bit of a lie since it was released a year earlier than it would suggest. Her popularity would dwindle after this; however, she was still a household name for another nine years.
Peak position #2
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Runaway #8 (AMR #6)
Twenty foreplay #29
(POPULAR IN 1995, 1996)
I'm somewhat surprised this didn't do better here in Australia, mainly because it spawned two of the biggest hits of the decade here which was impressive given how this was an RNB album even if it was released after the heyday of Boyz II men. Still those ballads did keep this album afloat on our charts even if we Aussies weren't that interested in what else they had to offer outside of this project.
Peak position #24
Peak position #21 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Last night #2 (AMR #1)
Hard to say I'm sorry #5 (AMR #3)
(POPULAR IN 1997)
This was the first of several live albums from vh1 which captures the highlights of a concert they put together, they brought together five of the biggest female pop stars of the twentieth century (well four from the 90's and one that was already a legend by this point) which explains its success around this time.
Peak position #12
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1998, 1999)
I haven't seen Duets, however from what I can gather, it serves as a back door album for Gwyneth Paltrow as it depicts her journey into becoming a professional singer with the assistance of Huey Lewis. It's little surprise the soundtrack was a success here in Australia given how it spawned two big hits for Gwyneth on our charts, one with her co-star and the other covering an 80's classic.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Cruising #1
Bette Davis eyes #3
(POPULAR IN 2001)
This is a bit of a surprise success for Spiderbait, well more specifically the lead single was which fuelled the album's success as it likely reminded fans of the band's heyday from the mid to late 90's. This was a bit of a short-lived comeback for the band as they didn't have any other gimmicks up their sleeves once the novelty of their cover of the Ram jam classic wore off.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Black betty #1
F**ken awesome #30
(POPULAR IN 2004)
Given how the lead single to Flo Rida's debut album was one of the biggest of the decade worldwide, it seemed inevitable that said album would be a massive success for the rapper. It turns out everyone was a bit sceptical of making this a success as this was only a sleeper hit here in Australia despite it spawning a few other minor hits on our charts.
Peak position #21
Hit singles
Low #1
Elevator #13
In the ayer #19
(POPULAR IN 2008)
Although he had success in NZ and his native America prior to this international breakthrough of his, T.I was able to take the world by storm thanks to him leaning towards a more mainstream sound compared to his crunk influenced work from earlier in the decade. That said, this is another album on this list that was a success more through the strength of its singles rather than the album itself.
Peak position #16
Hit singles
Whatever you like #13
Live your life #3
Dead and gone #4
(POPULAR IN 2008)
Hush was another Australian band that were able to see success even without the assistance of Countdown back in the day, in fact this album was a genuine success here as opposed to their follow up which flopped in exchange for the singles being massive hits thanks to Countdown promoting them. Their legacy was sadly limited to these two albums due to glam rock losing its popularity as the decade went on.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Walking #22
(POPULAR IN 1974)
Well at least this live show from Tower Philadelphia was a massive success for David Bowie in Australia, I guess it allowed his next album to be a moderate success which isn't much comfort given that album had a Billboard chart topper for him that failed to become a success here in Australia.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Knock on wood #49
(POPULAR IN 1974, 1975)
This was the final bestselling album that John Denver released in his career, although he kept soldiering on throughout the decade and even well into the 80's in an attempt to recreate the success he had this year. I guess he just happened to be in the right place at the right time as country music was all the rage worldwide during the midpoint of the 70's.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
I'm sorry #7
Calypso #7
(POPULAR IN 1975, 1976)
This was the first noticeable success that Roxy Music achieved here in Australia, I guess it's good to know that they managed to have some notoriety here before Bryan Ferry took our music scene by storm with his earlier entry on this list.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Love is the drug #18
(POPULAR IN 1976)
Even though this wasn't their debut album, this was the album which made AC/DC (or Acadaca as we Aussies like to call them) into a household name due to it spawning some of their more memorable songs as hits upon its initial release. Even though this wasn't the biggest album down under, it nonetheless sparked international interest in the band which resulted in them getting huge crossover appeal throughout the decade.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
High voltage #10
It's a long way to the top #9
TNT #19
(POPULAR IN 1976)
Before it ever premiered on London's west end, Evita was a concept album based on the real-life political figure from the first half of the twentieth century. Naturally the success of this album led to the show being written for the stage which eventually saw a theatrical released twenty years after this album came out starring Madonna in the title role, it's easily considered her best performance.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Don't cry for me Argentina #1
(POPULAR IN 1977)
George Benson was one of the bigger musicians of colour to emerge from this decade, this jazz album of his being one of many successful albums he managed to achieve worldwide throughout his career. I'm not sure how he managed to find an audience in Australia when so many of his contemporaries failed to do so.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
On Broadway #23
(POPULAR IN 1978)
This is the Canadian band err... The band who scored a massive hit in Australia and NZ with this live album that failed to be a success anywhere else in the world. These guys rose to prominence earlier in the decade by collaborating with Bob Dylan, so perhaps they felt this was prestigious enough for them to have success with this album.
Peak position #11
(POPULAR IN 1978)
There weren't any signs of these guys slowing down now that they were receiving international success with their material, indeed this album might not have been as successful as their previous album, however it more than made up for that by spawning multiple hits on Billboard and in other countries. These guys would continue to have success until Glenn Shorrock left the band and was replaced with John Farnham.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Shut down turn off #16
Reminiscing #35
Lady #46
(POPULAR IN 1978)
This was the final album Dragon released during their initial run together, despite this being their biggest album they broke up so that Marc Hunter could pursue a solo career that ultimately took him nowhere given how he didn't score a single hit song during the bands time apart. They got back together when he finally gave up on his solo career where they essentially picked up where they left off from here.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Are you old enough #1
Still in love with you #27
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Well at least this album saw Rod Stewart experimenting with his sound for a change, even if it was to allow him to get on board with the disco scene that was taking the world by storm upon its initial release. This would be the last mega successful album in his catalogue until his 1991 effort Vagabond heart, meaning the 80's was an off period for the crooner.
Peak position #1x6
Hit singles
Do ya think I'm sexy #1
Ain't love a bitch #44
(POPULAR IN 1979)
They may not have had much success here in Australia with their singles or even albums, however at least this greatest hits package from Earth wind and fire was able to become a success likely as a way of reconciling with our ignorance of their music throughout the decade. Indeed, they managed to score a major hit this year with the Emotions, proving that we were ready to make them a household name.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
September #12
(POPULAR IN 1979)
This was the only notable success from Nicollette Larsson, a woman who's best known for her relationship with Neil Young from around this time as she appeared on his album Comes a time which is perhaps how she managed to find success with this album. I'm guessing she had a falling out with Neil as her popularity vanished once this album left the charts.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Lotta love #11
(POPULAR IN 1979)
Following the huge success of the Saturday night fever soundtrack, it was only inevitable that the Brothers Gibb would find massive success with whatever album they put out provided it was within the disco genre. Indeed, this album was a massive success for them and likely would've been even if it weren't released at the height of disco, although it has been cited as one of the contributing factors to the disco backlash in America.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
Too much heaven #5
Tragedy #2
(POPULAR IN 1979)
Ever wanted to know if the female vocalist on Meat Loaf's iconic Bat out of hell album had her own catalogue worth checking out? It turns out she does as this was her debut album following the positive reception she received with her contributions to her earlier work. Sadly, this was the full extent of her popularity here in Australia, likely due to the downward spiral Meat loaf and company went through at the time.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
We belong to the night #15
(POPULAR IN 1980)
This was the penultimate album that Blondie released in their original run together, even by this stage there was rumours that the band would be breaking up which they denied by simply saying that Deborah Harry would be recording a solo album shortly after its release. This album was a massive success whereas that one would be a huge flop for her, proving that audiences preferred her with the band than on her own.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
The tide is high #4
Rapture #5
(POPULAR IN 1981)
This was a stellar year for Devo given how they not only scored two successful albums here in Australia but also a successful E.P which charted both on the singles and albums chart for them. This was the album that they released once their mainstream crossover happened with their earlier album which continues in their new wave direction complete with wacky visuals to accompany their singles.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Beautiful world #14
Working in a coal mine #20
(POPULAR IN 1981)
Although this wasn't the first album to come from Mental as anything, it was the first to give them massive success as it spawned not one but two hit singles from the quirky band this year. The album was popular enough here for it to crossover to NZ the following year where it proved to be an even bigger success for them, albeit without giving the band any success with the singles there.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
If you leave me can I come too #4
Too many times #6
Berserk warriors #30
(POPULAR IN 1981)
These guys were among the most popular bands in the alternative scene worldwide, so it makes sense that they would finally achieve massive success with their third album given how popular they had become. This album's success was likely boosted by their appearance on Countdown this year, indeed the lead single has become a popular staple on oldie's stations more so than their actual big hit "Shout to the top."
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Walls come tumbling down #19
Boy who cried wolf #38
(POPULAR IN 1985)
While the mid to late 80's is considered a dark period in Elton John's life, it should be noted that he did achieve a moderate amount of success with his albums during this time period even if he doesn't look back upon them fondly. This album in particular managed to spawn one of his biggest hits in his catalogue which is just about the only thing most people like to remember from it nowadays.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Act of war #50
Nikita #3
Wrap her up #22
(POPULAR IN 1985, 1986)
I'm not sure why these guys only stuck together for two albums as both albums were among the most popular of the decade worldwide, perhaps there was behind the scenes drama involving Roland Gift and the other two members that we simply never found out about. In any case, we have their debut album which was a huge success largely due to their cover of an Elvis Presley track.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Johnny come home #14
Blue #13
Suspicious minds #6
(POPULAR IN 1986)
Well, this was Icehouse further experimenting with their sound from their previous album, again it was a huge success given how people were too curious to look away at what Iva Davis and company were doing at the time, but I feel people were relieved when they returned to what made them a household name on their next album. Still the fact this album was a success proved that people did genuinely like what they had to offer.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
No promises #30
Baby you're so strange #14
Mr big #18
(POPULAR IN 1986)
Following the success of both their first film Stop making sense and their most recent album Little creatures, Talking heads decided to allow lead singer David Byrne to direct a proper film which wasn't well received at the time from what I can gather. It's gained a cult following over the years likely from audiences who bought the soundtrack from the band back in the day.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Wild wild life #13
(POPULAR IN 1986, 1987)
Named after a song Sting rerecorded for this greatest hits package, this album was a success following the confirmation that the trio had broken up for good to allow Sting to pursue his solo career that saw many highs and lows over the years. Indeed, the new version of the title track was a modest success for him proving that fans wanted to hear more from the trio but had to accept that wasn't going to happen.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Don't stand so close to me 86 #33
(POPULAR IN 1987)
This was the only successful album to come from glam rock band Europe in Australia, although their next album did alright throughout the continent of Europe meaning they did have their appeal outside of the title track from this album. I get the feeling that Bon Jovi and Whitesnake stole the success these guys had throughout the rest of the world which would explain their one album wonder status.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
The final countdown #2
Rock the night #22
(POPULAR IN 1987)
This is the final album that Bryan Ferry achieved any sort of success with in his career, it's among many albums released in the late 80's from artists of the 60's and 70's to achieve success with the (then) older crowd likely due to how mature it was compared to the bombast that the other entries on this list had to offer.
Peak position #20
Hit singles
The right stuff #23
Kiss and tell #38
(POPULAR IN 1988)
This was the only notable success that the Choirboys had in Australia, although at least it spawned one of the biggest hits of the decade with its lead single as well as it being a staple in pub rock down under. These guys worked very hard in order to build their audience following the commercial failure of their debut album from five years prior, and sadly that audience would abandon them on their next album.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Run to paradise #3
Boys will be boys #14
Struggle town #34
(POPULAR IN 1988)
The last time these guys had any success in their career was when John Farnham first replaced Glenn Shorrock as their lead singer from six years prior, it appears that them switching lead vocalists was the key to their success in the 80's as this album managed to become a success upon knowing that Glenn had replaced John on lead vocals when the latter left to relaunch his solo career two years prior.
Peak position #9
Peak position #10 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
Love is a bridge #6
(POPULAR IN 1988)
At this stage, these were two women from highly successful bands collaborating together to make a soundtrack for an Australian miniseries known as Stringer. This serves mainly as a platform for both women to launch their respective solo careers as indeed both Kate Ceberano and Wendy Matthews would go on to have massive success on their own after this collaboration.
Peak position #8
Peak position #7 (ARIA charts)
(POPULAR IN 1988)
This was so much less successful than Tracy's previous album here in Australia, although it was nonetheless a success for her likely due to it connecting with an audience even if said audience wasn't as vast as her debut album on this release. Still, it would be wrong to say that she only had two successful albums throughout her career given how this did leave a mark back in the day.
Peak position #5
Peak position #4 (ARIA charts)
(POPULAR IN 1989, 1990)
It seems odd that these guys would be able to survive the initial onslaught that the grunge scene had with the rest of rock music, however they did just that thanks to the lead single and its music video which features some of the worst CGI to come out of this decade. This allowed the band to hang in there while many of their contemporaries struggled to find success with their respective albums.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Let's get rocked #6 (AMR #4)
Make love like a man #22
Have you ever needed someone so bad #44
Two steps behind #33
(POPULAR IN 1992)
One of the more popular non-Hollywood films to emerge from this decade was Four wedding and a funeral, a British rom com about a guy is afraid of commitment falling in love with an American woman with chaos ensuing from there. The film was a huge box office and critical success thanks to the charming interactions with the characters, and as such the soundtrack which spawned one of the biggest hits of the decade was also a huge success.
Peak position #4
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Love is all around #1 (AMR #1)
(POPULAR IN 1994)
Who says teen pop was dead during the midpoint of the decade? Granted it wasn't anywhere near as successful as it was entering the new millennium, however that didn't prevent this debut from Jesse McCartney from being a success here in Australia likely due to how attractive his core audience found him to be. Sadly, he wouldn't find any further success here even after he finally crossed over in his native America.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Beautiful soul #1
She's no you #10
Get your shine on #34
(POPULAR IN 2005)
Following the success of the Kanye west track that sampled one of their more iconic songs, Daft punk were suddenly able to find massive worldwide success with this live album which was a sign of the return of their popularity even if they didn't release another album for another six years after this came out.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Harder better faster stronger #43
(POPULAR IN 2008)
This is the earliest entry from Deep Purple I'll be featuring on this site, it was a massive hit this year and likely would've been as such had Countdown premiered earlier in the year due to how well their final two albums (from their initial run that is) did during the shows launch.
Peak position #7
(POPULAR IN 1974)
This was the final successful album from Yes frontman Rick Wakeman, I'm guessing this became a success due to the recently released Monty Python flick the Holy grail which was a satire of King Arthur stories as well as the Hollywood musical in general (basically it was a parody of Camelot starring Richard Harris.) Rick would continue to release concept albums in his career; however, none were as successful as the three he made around this time.
Peak position #2
(POPULAR IN 1975)
Following the success of their debut album from earlier on this list, Skyhooks struck while the iron was hot with their sophomore album which further proved that they had more insightful things to say about the state of the world than their main rivals Sherbet. I should point out that while they weren't strictly a political band, all of their best-known songs did have something to say about the political climate of the decade.
Peak position #1x11
Hit singles
Ego is not a dirty word #2
All my friends are getting married #2
(POPULAR IN 1975)
There were no signs of these guys slowing down as they soldiered on throughout the decade with their prog rock, admittedly they weren't as inescapable as they were with their magnum opus Dark side of the moon, however that didn't mean that they were outselling the competition two to one.
Peak position #3
(POPULAR IN 1977)
Although Donna Summer had already seen success with her previous album due to its lead single, it was this album which finally made her the queen of disco due to its lead single topping the charts in most parts of the world. Donna always had a unique voice which worked wonders with sexually charged tracks, which is perhaps how she managed to be crowned the queen of a genre she would come to despise.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
I feel love #1
(POPULAR IN 1977)
Well, it looked like Elvis Presley was able to find success till the bitter end as he released this album a mere month prior to his untimely death. Much like John Lennon's album Double fantasy, it's hard to say if this album would've been as big as it was if he were to live to see the following year, it did spawn two hit singles before his passing, so I think this album did have a genuine fanbase to draw from.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Moody blue #17
Way down #6
Moody blue (post death) #29
(POPULAR IN 1977)
Santana were indeed one of the bigger bands of the decade in Australia when it came to their albums, true they weren't able to have much success with their singles like the Eagles or Led Zeppelin, but it was clear that audiences had fallen in love with their music regardless. This was the penultimate album in their catalogue to be a huge success before they became yesterday's news for over two decades.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
She's not there #19
(POPULAR IN 1978)
They had an amazing run throughout the 70's not just here in Australia but internationally, so it makes sense that the band would release a greatest hits package detailing the journey they had made in such a short amount of time and for it to be a huge success for them. This sadly was a bit of a curse for the band here as they wouldn't have another hit for ten years when they came back with "Love is a bridge."
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 1978, 1979)
It would seem odd that Santana would still be popular by the end of the decade only to fade into obscurity going into the 80's, until you remember that MTV launched in 1981 which naturally caused the mainstream to sideline these guys until the late 90's worldwide. Even so, they achieved massive success with their penultimate album of the decade here in Australia which makes this transition rather jarring.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Well all right #20
(POPULAR IN 1978, 1979)
This was the debut album from the Pretenders and one that opened up many doors for bands just like them as we hadn't seen many male bands with a female vocalist see success prior to them breaking through with this album. This was popular enough to even crossover to America which was another rare feat for a band who broke through prior to the rise of MTV this decade.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Brass in pocket #2
(POPULAR IN 1980)
It took them well over a decade to find success even in their native America, however it finally came with this album due to the lead single becoming a huge success for them worldwide. It was a short-lived victory in most parts of the world as their next album was a huge flop for them, however they came back with the album after that as that spawned their second Billboard chart topper in the decade.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Keep on loving you #3
Take it on the run #30
(POPULAR IN 1981)
This was the only successful album that Rod Stewart was able to have here in Australia, I'm guessing because both of the hits that spawned from the album are upbeat which was something different from the usually mellow crooner who made albums based on midtempo ballads. He would score a hit here and there throughout the rest of the 80's, however his popularity would skyrocket in the early 90's.
Hit singles
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Tonight I'm yours #6
Young Turks #3
(POPULAR IN 1982)
I guess this was Paul McCartney looking to change with the times given how this feels like it's the most dated album in his entire catalogue. Of course, the real sticking point for most audiences is that it features arguably his worst song in the form of its lead single, specifically how he and Stevie Wonder believe that they can solve racial discrimination just by making a song about it.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Ebony and ivory #2
Take it away #18
(POPULAR IN 1982)
It looked like that Madonna had officially won the battle over Cyndi as the pop princess of the 80's, although Cyndi did put up a valiant fight with her sophomore album as it was a huge success for her back in the day. Alas it didn't spawn multiple hit singles from it like her previous album did, and it also showed a more mature side of her which is perhaps why she lost her battle with Madonna this decade.
Peak position #1x4
Hit singles
True colors #3
Change of heart #15
(POPULAR IN 1986, 1987)
I never understood why these guys gave them a name like The the, I guess as a statement that all of the good band names had been taken when they formed at the start of the decade. In any case, we have this second album from the band that managed to become as such thanks to the rising popularity of sophistopop which was a genre of music that was taking the world by storm this year.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
Infected #24
(POPULAR IN 1987)
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