OK I know I'm reusing the album art for the first volume of this series, but I looked very hard for the proper art and couldn't find it anywhere on the internet. What I do know is that the second volume of this series was an even bigger success here in Australis proving how lucrative classical music had become by the midpoint of the decade amongst us Aussies.
Peak position #15
(POPULAR IN 1985)
Although this was far from their first album in their catalogue, this was the first album that the Hilltop hoods released in their career to find any sort of success thanks to heavy endorsement from Triple J which resulted in the singles crossing over to the mainstream airplay to thus promote the album. They would achieve far more success with their next album which would open the floodgates for Australian hip hop.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Clown prince #30
(POPULAR IN 2006)
There weren't a lot of successful RNB albums in Australia throughout the 90's, one of the lucky few to have a huge album from the genre here was Tevin Campbell who made it big with his second album due to the lead single becoming a massive hit here due to its popularity on Billboard. He would be a one album wonder down under; however, he did retain his popularity in his native America for the rest of the decade.
Peak position #14
Peak position #11 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Can we talk #12 (AMR #11)
I'm ready #21
(POPULAR IN 1994)
This is another album from Leann Rimes to be more popular on the ARIA charts than it was on AMR (it didn't even crack the top twenty on the latter) this time it's a covers album from her which was only a success due to it spawning one of the biggest hits of the decade in her native America.
Peak position #12
Peak position #21 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
How do I live #17 (AMR #20)
(POPULAR IN 1997)
This debut album from Akon was originally ignored worldwide for Akon, I guess because it was released during the height of Usher's popularity with his album Confessions which prevented audiences from checking out a potential rival of the prince of RNB. It was given a second chance this year thanks to the runaway success of one of its singles, although the album itself was a but of a dud down under.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Locked up #33
Lonely #1
Belly dancer #23
(POPULAR IN 2005)
This was the only taste of success that Thin Lizzy had here in Australia back in the day, this is despite the fact that "The boys are back in town" remains one of the most overplayed songs of all time down under even if most of that airplay comes from oldies stations nowadays.
Peak position #20
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Here's the debut album from Damien Leith that I mentioned from earlier on this list, I'm not sure why this wasn't released soon after his victory on Australian Idol other than to wait for the controversy of his win over Jessica Mauboy to die down so that he could find success with this album without receiving backlash from her fans.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
22 steps #11
(POPULAR IN 2007)
For a greatest hits package that only contains six tracks, this did quite well for Pink Floyd back in the day which goes to show how popular these guys were during this time despite the fact they had only one hit single to their name.
Peak position #14
(POPULAR IN 1982)
This is a live album that cobbles together all of the best moments of their extensive tour schedule from the previous two years, it was a massive success upon its initial release and was even able to rechart once the band released their next album which became one of the biggest albums of the decade here to boot.
Peak position #6
(POPULAR IN 2003)
It had been a while since Kiss last troubled the charts anywhere in the world, so to see them score a hit with this greatest hits package here in Australia was a bit of a surprise that can best be explained as us Aussies having fond nostalgia for their earlier material.
Peak position #11
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1997)
This was initially a flop for Jenny Morris upon its initial release, however it saw a massive surge in popularity this year likely due to a successful tour that she had here in Australia given the success of her previous two albums. Sadly, this would be a death touch for her career as she would never have another successful single or album after this.
Peak position #12
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1993)
This was a bit of a surprise hit for Pete Townshend given how he hadn't found any success since leaving his band the Who from earlier in the decade, however it found an audience due to the success of the lead single which showcased him going in a soul direction which connected with audiences around this time.
Peak position #16
Hit singles
Face the face #9
(POPULAR IN 1986)
This is where it all began for Julian Lennon who had a lot to live up to given who his father was, this wasn't helped by the fact that this had come out less than a year after his late father's final album which no doubt set up further expectations for the son of the Beatle. Alas it was merely a decent hit for him here in Australia back in the day, however this wouldn't be the last we would hear from him here.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Too late for goodbyes #13
Say you're wrong #31
(POPULAR IN 1985)
This will be the only appearance from XTC on this side of my site as the punk band curiously didn't see that much success here despite them appearing on Countdown as well as their brand of punk and new wave fitting in perfectly with what was popular here at the time. I guess this did spawn their only hit with the lead single which explains its brief commercial success with us Aussies.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Senses working overtime #12
(POPULAR IN 1982)
The Dugities were another Australian band that failed to find success here despite being regulars on Countdown, likely because they couldn't compete with the likes of Cold chisel or Australian crawl from earlier on this list which resulted in their breakthrough being botched with this album.
Peak position #22
Hit singles
In your car #34
(POPULAR IN 1980)
This is the other album that Midge Ure released this year as it was with his other band Visage, it too did decently well here in Australia even if like I said earlier, it did reach the dizzying heights of success that his album with Ultravox did. While they have their differences overall, I feel both albums are very similar to each other likely due to the presence of Midge on both of them.
Peak position #17
Hit singles
Fade to grey #6
(POPULAR IN 1981)
Although she never found much success here in Australia, it appears that we Aussies had enough nostalgia for the back catalogue of Sarah Brightman this year to make this greatest hits album of hers a success this year.
Peak position #13
(POPULAR IN 2002)
While it wasn't as successful as its first entry from eight years prior, the second instalment of the Bad boy’s saga was a huge box office success this year which of course translated to the soundtrack's success. Even then, it was more the lead single which was inescapable thanks to how incessantly catchy it is despite it being considered a bad song in recent years.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Shake ya tailfeather #3
Show me your soul #45
(POPULAR IN 2003)
This is one of those indie albums that was a critical darling back in the day, so it's a bit of a surprise that it was a huge success in the mainstream even if that success was largely due to Triple J and the rock scene finally contributing to music's popularity by legally purchasing it through downloads. Bloc Party is up there with the likes of the Strokes and White stripes as a band music snobs love to flaunt their love for.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
The prayer #20
(POPULAR IN 2007)
You've heard of the Three tenors right? Well say hello to the Ten tenors as they were a group of Australian opera singers (who naturally had tenor voices) who revived the gimmick the Three tenors had from the 90's for their first album this year. It was a decent success, although they couldn't quite compete with the likes of Il divo and other opera singers from around this time.
Peak position #8
(POPULAR IN 2005)
This was only barely a hit for Whitney Houston here in Australia, in fact were it not for the remix of its title track becoming a hit, I don't think this more urban album of hers would've connected with us Aussies at all which is a shame considering she was coming off two of the biggest albums of the 80's by experimenting with her sound to appeal to her audience of colour in her homeland.
Peak position #10
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I'm your baby tonight #7 (AMR #4)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
This is the only success that the J Geils band had anywhere in the world, mainly because it spawned the only two hits they had in their lengthy career which became as such due to their (in my opinion) bizarre music videos that fitted in nicely with the MTV mould that was growing this year.
Peak position #1
Hit singles
Centerfold #1
Freeze frame #7
(POPULAR IN 1982)
This was another successful album to come from AC/DC in Australia, they really were one of the most consistent bands of all time given how they were able to transcend the different trends in music for twenty years by this point,
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Hard as a rock #14 (AMR #18)
Ballbreaker #49
(POPULAR IN 1995)
It looks like Julio Iglesias could still find some level of success this far into his career given how this lingered for quite a bit on the lower half of our charts this year, it would be the last album of his that was a success given how his son would release his first English speaking album by the end of the decade.
Peak position #16
Peak position #20 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1997)
This was the debut album of the Black sorrows, the second group that had Joe Camelleri as the lead vocalist following the demise of his previous band Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons from earlier in the decade. It did receive some buzz during the final episodes of Countdown this year, making it possible that it would've been even bigger had the show kept going for the remainder of the decade.
Peak position #22
Hit singles
Daughters of glory #48
(POPULAR IN 1987)
Well, this is a bit of a bizarre placement for this legendary album, mainly because it was largely ignored here in Australia despite how inescapable it was internationally for Earth wind and fire. At least their greatest hits package they released following the success this received internationally was a huge success here and finally put them on the map.
Peak position #21
Hit singles
Fantasy #25
(POPULAR IN 1978)
This was a flop upon its initial release here in Australia for Enrique Iglesias, mainly because we Aussies were done with his Latin lover shtick despite this being the follow up to his mammoth album Escape. It was given a second chance his year due to the surprise success of "Not in love" which gave him his final hit of the decade.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
Addicted #43
Not in love #15
(POPULAR IN 2004)
This only made the cut because I wanted to include every album that was a success on the ARIA charts this year that was supposed to make their yearend list rather than whatever the heck they did to calculate their charts, as such we're able to get a second appearance from Joe Satriani who was able to chart for quite some time on the lower half of our charts with this entry.
Peak position #21
Peak position #22 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
I think these guys wanted to ease the fact they had replaced Glenn Shorrock with John Farnham as their lead singer onto their fans by reminding them of their back catalogue with this album, it was a modest success for them as it included the two big hits that they had while Whispering Jack was their frontman.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Down on the border #7
The other guy #17
(POPULAR IN 1983)
I think this was the first themed compilation to chart here in Australia given how compilations didn't become lucrative here until the 80's, naturally this would be a minor success due to how inescapable the disco scene was when it was released.
Peak position #21
That's the way #5
Fly robin fly #11
Lady marmalade #13
The hustle #9
Disco lady #42
Can't give you anything #36
Doctor's orders #31
Love hurts #6
Get down tonight #44
Lady bump #9
Rock the boat #18
Jive talking #14
Rock your baby #2
Can't get enough of your love babe #23
(POPULAR IN 1977)
It makes sense this was only a minor success here in Australia given how much of a novelty the lead single was for German singer Lou Bega, in fact I genuinely would've been surprised if this was more or even less of a success back in the day as audiences would've checked it out no doubt but be disappointed with what else he had to offer outside his novelty hit.
Peak position #19
Hit singles
Mambo no 5 #1 (AMR #1)
I got a girt #31
(POPULAR IN 1999)
Although he had plenty of success over the years, Mike Oldfield only had two albums in his catalogue that saw him take the mainstream by storm. Those being his debut Tubular bells and Crises from later in the decade, with this being one of the lesser-known albums in his catalogue as far as the mainstream was concerned.
Peak position #23
Wonderful land #40
(POPULAR IN 1981)
I should give a warning that Pat Benatar didn't find that much success here in Australia back in the day, admittedly most of her albums will be appearing on my site, however none of her albums barring her live album from 1983 made much of an impact on our charts for whatever reason despite her being beloved on oldies stations.
Peak position #25
Hit singles
We live for love #28
(POPULAR IN 1980)
It's a bit fitting that Joe Cocker would begin the 90's the same way he began the 70's, that being with a successful live album that showcases why it was worth seeing him on stage rather than just listening to his studio albums. Admittedly this didn't have the same pull that Mad dogs and Englishmen had twenty years prior, likely due to him being much older by this point and thus not as explosive on live record.
Peak position #17
Peak position #27 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
Given how Foreigner was coming off their most successful album, it makes sense they would release a greatest hits package which saw moderate success here in Australia a year after that albums release. They would have one more album that saw huge success later in the decade before they faded into obscurity.
Peak position #26
(POPULAR IN 1983)
There was some buzz that George Thorogood and company had throughout the decade, nowhere near what you'd think given how much oldies stations love their catalogue, but enough for this album of theirs to be a moderate success here in Australia.
Peak position #21
(POPULAR IN 1988)
This was a side project comprising of Daniel Johns from Silverchair and Paul mac of "Just the thing" fame, they found decent success this year due to the hype that went into this project and likely would’ve found even more success were it not for Australia idol pushing these guys aside in the mainstream.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Somewhere down the barrel #25
Young man old man #46
(POPULAR IN 2004)
This was the debut album for Seal, an artist who would go on to have massive success in the realms of 90's RNB with his second album. While there are traces of RNB on this album, it was mostly an EDM project as he was little more than a voice for some of the catchiest beats to come out of the early 90's.
Peak position #22
Peak position #24 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Crazy #9 (AMR #6)
Future love paradise #46
(POPULAR IN 1991)
This is the soundtrack to the Johnny O'Keefe musical Shout which was a massive success this year, although the album is perhaps best known nowadays for breaking through its star David Campbell into the music scene who of course is best known for being the eldest child of Jimmy Barnes.
Peak position #19
(POPULAR IN 2001)
If you're wondering what the heck Choir of hard knocks is meant to be, it's a charity for the homeless operating in Melbourne who decided to release an album which became a modest success this year, presumably with the clientele or workers to create some authenticity of the streets of the major city.
Peak position #21
(POPULAR IN 2007)
It's a bit of a disappointment that Gladys Knight never saw that much success here in Australia, although she was known about here given how this album of hers managed to scrap onto my site due to how long it stuck around for back in the day.
Peak position #24
Hit singles
I feel a song #39
(POPULAR IN 1975)
I guess if this album was released the following year like it was in America, it would've been twice as successful here in Australia than it wound up being due to RNB not being widely accepted yet when it came out this year by us Aussies. If you're wondering why Mark was a one album wonder, that's due to him living up to his bad boy persona he displays throughout this album as he had a fairly large rap sheet in the UK law system.
Peak position #24
Peak position #26 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Return of the mack #2 (AMR #2)
Crazy #18 (AMR #15)
(POPULAR IN 1996)
Although the Jam didn't find any success with their albums here in Australia, the same wasn't the case for Paul Weller's second band the Style council even if they were off to a slow start with this album with us Aussies. We were eventually won over when its second single became a minor success later in the year, however their next album is where their popularity truly exploded.
Peak position #27
Hit singles
You're the best thing #17
(POPULAR IN 1984)
This was the first of three albums that the supergroup Mike and the Mechanics released during their time together, it became a success here likely due to the second single being one of the bigger hits of the year down under. Their next album was where their popularity peaked due to that spawning one of the biggest hits of the decade worldwide.
Peak position #36
Hit singles
Silent running #23
All I need is a miracle #8
(POPULAR IN 1986)
This stuck around for quite some time in the lower half of our charts back in the day, mainly because it rebounded whenever one of the singles was released given how each of them proved to be massive here in Australia. Ja rule would find more success with his singles as the decade went on, however this was his last album to find success as an album.
Peak position #29
Hit singles
Thug loving #7
Mesmerize #5
Reign #5
(POPULAR IN 2003)
This was the most successful compilation album of the 80's in Australia, it was beaten out by those Triple J albums in the 90's (going by the AMR charts of course) but this was during the height of the popularity of seasonal compilations here in Australia. This overlooks the popular songs of spring of 1984 which allowed it to peak during the Christmas season of that year and well into this year.
Peak position #1x9
Hit singles
Ghostbusters #2
Sunglasses at night #16
Pride #4
Missing you #5
No say in it #14
You think you’re a man #8
Dynamite #28
Searching #17
What’s love got to do with it #1
Out of touch #11
Soul kind of feeling #5
Jump #8
Flesh for fantasy #28
No second prize #12
Shake this city #44
I walk away #45
Everybody wants to work #32
(POPULAR IN 1984, 1985)
Bonnie had been MIA in the music scene since her breakthrough in the late 70's, although there was a logical reason for this as she had management issues which resulted in her cutting ties with them and her even refusing to acknowledge her earlier work. Here she finds massive success with an album which led off with a track that I'm confident was meant for the second Bat out of hell album that only came out ten years later.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Total eclipse of the heart #1
(POPULAR IN 1983)
The Autumn of 1983 was a hectic time if this greatest hits package is anything to go by, there were plenty of big names scoring big hits for this album to choose from and it certainly delivered making it a huge success.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Living on the ceiling #5
Hey little girl #7
Love my way #23
Do you really want to hurt me #1
Zoom #10
Stand up #21
Peek a boo #45
Gloria #1
Down the line #37
Shock the monkey #25
Don’t change #14
Back on the chain gang #12
Twisting by the pool #2
Africa #5
Truly #7
(POPULAR IN 1983)
The autumn of 1984 was a hectic time in Australia if this album is anything to go by, we had a bunch of classic songs become hits during this period which is why this album was able to be such a huge success.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
Girls just want to have fun #1
Blue day #24
Talking in your sleep #12
Cum on feel the noise #9
Just be good to me #17
Break my stride #6
Calling your name #3
Kiss the bride #25
Sticky music #11
Jump #2
Beast of burden #12
All night long #1
In a big country #7
The love cats #6
Original sin #1
Love of the common people #8
Come said the boy #2
Thriller #4
(POPULAR IN 1984)
Here we have another greatest hits package to become a success this decade, this time it comes courtesy of Simple minds who were looking back over eleven years of uninterrupted success in their career (in their native UK it was uninterrupted.) It's one of many greatest hits packages to become a success that reassured the artist in question that their legacy was secured regardless of what happened to them next.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1992, 1993)
This year really was on fire during the winter if this album is anything to go by, we have big hits from some of the biggest names in music which allowed it to find an audience with the general public.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Would I lie to you #1
Walking on sunshine #4
We close our eyes #8
Baby come and get it #29
My heart’s on fire #27
Don’t you #6
50 years #4
Black man ray #30
19 #10
Man overboard #5
Two can play #44
Rhythm of the night #5
In my house #19
Something that you said #19
Suddenly #15
Nightshift #8
Solid #21
(POPULAR IN 1985)
The Autumn of 1985 in Australia was a wild time if this compilation album is anything to go by, it was such a huge success likely due to the rich selection of hit singles it managed to collect on its track listing.
Peak position #1x4
Hit singles
Wild boys #3
Sexcrime #5
Caribbean queen #2
One night in Bangkok #1
Cruel summer #32
If this is it #20
Never ending story #6
Strut #13
The power of love #4
It ain’t enough #37
We belong #7
Guardian angel #27
Private dancer #21
Big on love #24
Life’s a gamble #47
I’m tuff #10
(POPULAR IN 1985)
There seemed to be no stopping these guys as they managed to score a huge hit with their second album this year which spawned two of their more popular tracks in their catalogue. For whatever reason, they would sport themselves as T.M.G after this album, presumably to seem more "hip" and "cool" with the youth of the moment.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Darktown strutters ball #3
Crazy #11
(POPULAR IN 1976)
One of the more popular films live action kids' films of the 90's was My girl, a story about a young girl who was going through the challenges of life in the early 70's due to how distant her father was due to him being a funeral director and thus fascinated with death over his daughter. I won't spoil the film, but it's a fantastic watch to this day due to the performances and the way the soundtrack is incorporated in the scenes.
Peak position #4
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1992)
This was the soundtrack to a film that was mired in controversy back in the day due to the accidental death of its star, I won't go into the details here but suffice to say the film has a lot of sentimental value to Brandon Lee's fans even after all of these years. The film itself remains a classic more than just the circumstances surrounding it as it was a serious take on a comic book series much like the Batman films.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1994)
Here's that album I was referring to earlier on this list that ruined Robbie William's career, it's his foray into hip hop which fans didn't appreciate that much despite it being a commercial success for him. I'm not even sure why it was a success if I'm being honest as you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who can say anything positive about it.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Rudebox #13
Lovelight #25
(POPULAR IN 2006)
After a four-year hiatus, Eminem was back bigger than ever with his album which much like his previous effort, was panned by critics for being just as shocking and tasteless as Encore. His fanbase was a bit kinder to this album as it did see him be as juvenile as ever which they appeared to like; however, he would return to form the following year with Recovery.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Crack a bottle #18
We made you #1
3 A.M #38
Beautiful #33
(POPULAR IN 2009)
We have another greatest hits package to become successful in Australia from the Beatles, this one was released exclusively here which means it wasn't a success anywhere else in the world due to it not being released anywhere else.
Peak position #1x1
(POPULAR IN 1983)
I feel if this wasn't attached to one of the most successful films of the 80's, this would've been a flop for Prince as he wasn't doing very well in Australia following the critical disaster of his second film Under the cherry moon. Indeed, I'm not sure how many people particularly care for the lead single which is more a collage of scenes from the film with him occasionally singing throughout its runtime.
Peak position #4
Peak position #4 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
Batdance #2 (ARIA #2)
Partyman #34
(POPULAR IN 1989)
Given how it spawned two of the bigger hits of the year, it only makes sense that this soundtrack to the second Austin Powers flick would be a success as the decade was coming to an end worldwide. The film is hilarious as it parodies the (almost equally as ridiculous) James Bond films, specifically the earlier films from Sean Connery and Roger Moore to hilarious effect.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Beautiful stranger #5 (AMR #3)
American woman #12 (AMR #13)
(POPULAR IN 1999)
There was a ton of hype going into this debut album from Frente given how immensely popular the band was with the two lead singles from the album, indeed the expectations were effortlessly met when the album finally dropped due to the quirky way the band marketed it (you should say hi to it by the way, it has feelings you know.) It was given a slightly different track listing when it was released internationally two years later.
Peak position #5
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Ordinary angels #3 (AMR #3)
Accidentally Kelly street #4 (AMR #3)
No time #50
Lonely #7 (AMR #7)
(POPULAR IN 1993)
Following the success of a live album, Kiss was able to find success with one of their studio albums which made them one of the more popular glam rock bands of the decade despite perhaps arriving a little too late to the party to fully capitalise on the success of Suzi Quatro and Sweet. Their biggest success would come at the end of the decade where they shifted towards a more mainstream market.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Shout it out loud #45
(POPULAR IN 1976)
Wings were so inescapable this decade that even this greatest hits package managed to be a huge success for them, heck there were simply no signs of Paul McCartney slowing down in the music industry until the mid 80's where his music became less critically acclaimed.
Peak position #8
(POPULAR IN 1979)
I guess you can say these guys are the slightly older versions of Killing Heidi, they broke through before the latter band were "unearthed" by Triple J and were likely going to become one of the biggest Australian bands of the new millennium until Ella Hooper and company stole their thunder with their album. For what it's worth, Killing Heidi are also a one album wonder as their follow ups also flopped here.
Peak position #2
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Down again #27 (AMR #17)
Saturation #42
Now and then #40
(POPULAR IN 1998)
Noiseworks had officially called it quits this year following the departure of Jon Stevens to allow him to embark on a theatrical career, as such they released this greatest hits album which was a success due to it collecting their biggest hits from their three albums during their time together.
Peak position #4
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1992)
As you've no doubt noticed going through these lists, there wasn't a lot of RNB albums to become popular here in Australia throughout the decade, this was one of the lucky few that was due to there being quite a lot of hype going into it due to the popularity of its advanced singles. Said singles proved to be even more popular in NZ at the expense of the album which flopped over there.
Peak position #6
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Hook me up #11 (AMR #13)
Hey girl #14 (AMR #17)
Let's groove #2 (AMR #1)
Don't stop #28
(POPULAR IN 1996)
It was a new decade and Neil Diamond was able to find success with another one of his albums in Australia, although it's worth noting that aside from his appearance in the Razzie award winning Jazz singer remake, he didn't find much success worldwide after this album due to failing to adapt to MTV.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
September morn #23
(POPULAR IN 1980)
From what I can gather, Save the last dance was meant to be the Flashdance of the 00's which didn't go over very well for the film given how the 80's classic is only well remembered for its song sequences and soundtrack which is something this film failed to replicate throughout its runtime (I've seen it numerous times and can still barely remember anything about it.) At least the soundtrack was well received for what it's worth.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
U make me sick #25
(POPULAR IN 2001)
I haven't seen the Woman in red, and chances are I'm not going to like it based on what I've heard even if it has Gene Wilder and the woman from Weird science in it. The soundtrack was a success due to the lead single becoming one of the biggest hits of the decade worldwide, all of this before it took home the prize of best song at the academy awards the following year.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
I just called to say I love you #1
(POPULAR IN 1984)
This is the second project where Dave Grohl teams up with Josh Homme from the Queens of the stone age (Homme's band of course being the first) so naturally it was bound to be a success for them here in Australia just as the decade was coming to an end. They've yet to collaborate after this due to a multitude of scandals that have followed Josh over the years that caught up with him in the #metoo movement.
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 2009)
They may have only been active for an entire year, however this Canadian trio did manage to have a successful album to their name if only due to a wardrobe malfunction from the video of its lead single. I'm sure if MTV had existed back when these guys were big in Australia and NZ, they would've been equally as successful in their homeland and especially in America.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Baby it's you #2
Let's get back together #27
(POPULAR IN 1979)
This is the second album to come from Taxiride, it's also their final album to find any success in their career as their third album was such a failure later in the decade that they would eventually call it quits. This is a shame because this gained some minor traction over in NZ, particularly with the lead single which became their one and only hit over there years after the boy band wars came to an end.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Creeping up slowly #6
How I got this way #28
Afterglow #49
(POPULAR IN 2002)
Live had certainly done very well for themselves even this far into the new millennium, as such it makes sense they would release a greatest hits package around this time which became a huge success here in Australia thanks to our love for the band's back catalogue which coincidentally began a decade prior to this album's release.
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 2004, 2005)
These guys were also able to successfully make the transition from the 80's to the 90's as their third album proved to be more successful than their second from three years prior. Admittedly they didn't dial back their bombast on here so perhaps that had little to do with who was making it big during the first stretch of the decade and who wasn't. They called it quits the following year so that Jon Stevens can become a theatre actor.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Freedom #30
Miles and miles #26
Hot chilli woman #7 (AMR #7)
RIP #26
(POPULAR IN 1991)
Although her (then) most recent album was a bit of a dud for her, Kylie's career so far was nonetheless a massive success everywhere in the world except for America (due to being dropped from her label over there) which made this the perfect opportunity to release a greatest hits package looking over the highlights. After this, she would experiment with her sound before eventually returning to bubblegum pop in 2000.
Peak position #3
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
What kind of fool #17 (AMR #16)
Celebration #21
(POPULAR IN 1992)
One of the more successful films to be critically panned this decade was Godzilla, audiences were impressed with the CGI (which admittedly still holds up pretty well) but critics felt the storyline to be rather lacking and that it was little more than style over substance. The soundtrack was better received given how it was a collection of tracks from the alternative scene of the day.
Peak position #8
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Come with me #10 (AMR #10)
Deeper underground #46
(POPULAR IN 1998)
These were the big hits of summer in Australia during the 86/87 period, as such this album was able to achieve massive success thanks to audiences feeling that there was a good selection of bangers to be found on the album.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Something in my house #19
You keep me hanging on #1
Pressure down #4
Like flames #18
It didn’t matter #48
Bizarre love triangle #5
Heartbreak beat #26
Primitive love rites #34
I wanna wake up with you #1
I knew you were waiting for me #1
The final countdown #2
Is this love #13
Living on a prayer #3
Sugar free #10
Rooms for the memory #11
Word up #6
Shake you down #12
(POPULAR IN 1987)
Given that the lead single from this album was a huge success here in Australia, it makes sense that it was able to also be a huge success for Pablo Cruise which makes the failure of the rest of their catalogue here and in their native America that much more confusing in retrospect.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Love will find a way #8
(POPULAR IN 1978)
I'm not sure how America got their hands on this album from Golden earring given how the Dutch band had been active for at least a decade when they released this album in their homeland the previous year, however the success of its lead single worldwide ensured that the album would also be a success thanks to it coming from a hard rock band during the height of the genre's popularity.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Radar love #10
(POPULAR IN 1974)
Following the eventual success of her debut album, Paula Abdul was able to find instant success with her second album here in Australia which was off to a good start thanks to it spawning her biggest hit in her native America that was also a very big hit here in Australia. Unfortunately, it didn't become a best seller due to the presence of Mariah Carey's album from earlier on this list that made Mariah a household name worldwide.
Peak position #3
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Rush rush #2 (AMR #2)
The promise of a new day #31
(POPULAR IN 1991)
This was the sequel to Queen's previous album A night at the opera, true the novelty of having a rock opera had become the norm which is perhaps why this wasn't as successful as that album, but it did draw in high sales making it a success for the band. That said, their popularity would dwindle during the second half of the decade and wouldn't bounce back until the start of the 80's.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Somebody to love #15
Tie your mother down #47
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Given how Dragon had called it quits this year due to Marc Hunter wanting to embark on a solo career (as well as the behind the scenes tension they were going through) they decided to cap off their initial run together with a greatest hits package that was a decent success for them here in Australia.
Peak position #8
(POPULAR IN 1979)
This was the only notable success that Pantera was able to achieve here in Australia, likely due to heavy metal never being that popular here save for some rare exceptions. Indeed, this was a massive hit here due to the records it broke in their native America, and to be fair they did have minor success with their next album two years later.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I'm broken #49
(POPULAR IN 1994)
While he was far from the most successful artist of the decade here in Australia, at least David Bowie was able to achieve minor success with this album which is largely considered to be one of his best albums due to how highly regarded it remains to this day.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Golden years #34
(POPULAR IN 1976)
Yanni is a well-known Greek musician who had a massive breakthrough this year when he released this live album from a performance he gave at the Acropolis in his homeland, it was such a success that he was able to join the ranks (however briefly) of his fellow classical musicians such as the Three tenors and Andrea Bocelli.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1995)
If there's one artist who saw a huge disadvantage here in Australia during the Countdown era, Cat Stevens would be that artist as this was his final successful album here despite scoring one more hit during the second half of the decade with "Days of the old school yard." He's another artist that dominated our charts during the first half of the decade with this being his least popular of his successful albums down under.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Oh very young #19
(POPULAR IN 1974)
This is an RNB album that comes from the Soul deep projects that Jimmy Barnes was making throughout his career, it proved to be a success because there's a dedicated fanbase to this type of music that the pub rocker makes throughout his career.
Peak position #1x2
(POPULAR IN 2009)
Well, this was the album where Prince as Eminem put it a decade later "turn himself into a symbol" which was a modest success upon its initial release due to the popularity of his earlier entry on this list despite it receiving a polarising reception due to fans and critics not knowing what to do with his new sound and image.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Sexy MF #5 (AMR #4)
My name is prince #9 (AMR #8)
7 #25
(POPULAR IN 1992)
This was a modest success for James Reyne, meaning he too was able to successfully make the transition from the 80's to the 90's with this entry which eventually led to him being the lead vocalist for the supergroup Company of strangers later in the decade. Of course, he would be seen as yesterday's news once that group went their separate ways which coincided with the decline of popular Australian music in the 90's.
Peak position #3
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Slave #10 (AMR #10)
(POPULAR IN 1991)
Well, if you couldn't tell from the name, this was indeed an album that was made out of contractual obligation from the Monty python crew which nonetheless managed to become a huge hit here in Australia likely due to the success of their soundtrack from earlier on this list.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
I like Chinese #32
(POPULAR IN 1980)
Following the success of their single that Timbaland "presented" to the world on his album (which curiously also appears on this album) OneRepublic released their debut album which was an instant success worldwide which put them on the map during a time where rock and roll was still one of the biggest genres in music. They would initially struggle to retain their popularity in the 2010's however they would eventually survive the rock purge of that decade.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Apologize #1
Stop and stare #11
(POPULAR IN 2008)
I know that following up one of the biggest albums of the decade would've been a tall order for these guys, however surely, they could've done better than what they've achieved on here. That said I guess this was a case of the novelty wearing off for the group but not fast enough for this to be a total failure for them, this was a very common trend throughout the 90's for alternative bands.
Peak position #3
Peak position #3 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Mach 5 #29
(POPULAR IN 1996, 1997)
Following the success of their surprise hit the previous year "Maggie," Foster and Allen were able to score a hit with this album which is something you'd expect from Michael Crawford or Michael Bublé from the 90's and 00's respectively. Naturally this was the duo's only success here as their brand of Celtic crooner music only had a limited shelf life in the mainstream here.
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 1984)
This was another successful album that the Angels found success with this decade, it wasn't the same level of success that they would go on to achieve during the second half of the decade, but it remains one of their more popular albums in their catalogue.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Eat city #22
Live lady live #43
(POPULAR IN 1983)
Midnight oil was among many bands to have a highly successful live album back in the day due to their reputation for their live shows, as such we have that album here which they released between two of their more prominent albums as a way of tying over fans from the 80's to the 90's in the music industry.
Peak position #3
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Sometimes #33
(POPULAR IN 1992)
This was the album which launched Donna Summer into the mainstream largely thanks to its title track which took up the entirety of side A on this album due to being stretched out for sixteen minutes. Thankfully side B has more to offer as this was made while Donna fancied herself as an RNB singer, this is perhaps why it's been overshadowed by her later material which sees her firmly in disco.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Love to love you baby #4
(POPULAR IN 1976)
David Bowie was always a killer live performer, as such it makes sense this live album would be a massive success for him back in the day. That said, you'd still think that this would've been one of the more popular albums at least of its year, let alone the decade but alas it wasn't.
Peak position #11
(POPULAR IN 1978)
I guess this being a success here in Australia meant that we Aussies were slowly but surely becoming more receptive towards hip hop even if it didn't reach the dizzying heights that MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice achieved at the start of the decade, it's more credible than those albums but a far cry from what Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg had to offer as the decade went on according to hip hop fans.
Peak position #7
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Jump #1 (AMR #1)
Warm it up #21
(POPULAR IN 1992)
This was one of the bigger sleeper hits of the year thanks to it becoming a hit twice during its chart run, the first was when the third single became a surprise hit in Australia and the second was when the deluxe edition came out which spawned a second minor hit for the trio on our charts. They would be one of the few rock bands (well more pop rock in this case) to find success throughout the 2010's.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Breakeven #3
Before the worst #10
The man who can't be moved #44
(POPULAR IN 2009)
Even with the controversy they found themselves in with the 2000 ARIA awards ceremony, this one and only album from Madison Avenue still managed to be a massive success here in Australia due to the hype that went into the album due to its lead single becoming a massive worldwide success for the duo. Of course, they weren't able to shake off the controversy they caused at the ceremony which led to them eventually breaking up.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Don't call me baby #2
Who the hell are you #1
Everything you need #6
(POPULAR IN 2000)
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