This was a moderate success for Billy Joel given how it was sandwiched between two of his biggest albums in his career, indeed it didn't have that Billboard chart topper that Glass house or An innocent man had but that didn't mean audience didn't gravitate towards it back in the day as they clearly did.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Pressure #16
Allentown #49
(POPULAR IN 1982, 1983)
You'd think that these guys would've been among the most successful bands of the decade given how synonymous they've become with the 80's, although they were huge with their albums and singles, they weren't as big as their reputation would suggest. Here they have their second album which fully embraced the MTV trends by having flashy music videos to go along with their bombastic new wave tracks.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
My own way #10
Hungry like the wolf #5
(POPULAR IN 1982)
This was a live rendition of a show that Supertramp gave in Paris from the previous year, as these guys were well known for their live performances, this became a massive success for them going into the 80's.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Dreamer #39
(POPULAR IN 1980)
The summer of 87/88 in Australia was a stellar time given that it marked the 200th anniversary of the settlement of Australia (by British settlers that is) as such this compilation album became a massive hit due to having a great choice of songs to include on its track listing.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Heaven is a place on earth #2
I should be so lucky #1
Should’ve known better #9
Valerie #19
Bury me deep in love #48
Man of colours #28
Some people #7
Pump up the volume #6
Stutter rap #2
Heatseeker #5
Boys will be boys #14
Rip it up #34
Don’t tell me the time #8
Back to the wall #33
Driving wheels #12
Mony mony #8
Am I ever gonna see your face again #11
(POPULAR IN 1988)
Given the success of their previous two albums, it only makes sense that Spandau ballet would release a greatest hits package which overlooked their biggest success during the first half of the decade. While this was a hit for the band, it also put an end to their winning streak as their next album was a complete flop and they would eventually break up just as the 80's was coming to an end.
Peak position #3
(POPULAR IN 1986)
This was the penultimate album that Led Zeppelin released in their career, I'm guessing because the band was already ready to call it quits by this stage but needed to release one more album which they did in 1979 with In through the outdoor. Their artist momentum was what helped them find success over the likes of many artists who made it on Countdown in Australia.
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 1976)
One of the sillier films to come out of Australia over the years was Young Einstein, a film where Yahoo Serious (yes that's what he called himself) rips off the formula of the Back to the future films by going back in time and inventing rock and roll while claiming himself to be Albert Einstein. It's not one of our better films I'm afraid, however the soundtrack was a massive success back in the day.
Peak position #7
Peak position #6 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
Rock and roll music #6 (ARIA #5)
Dumb things #30
(POPULAR IN 1989)
Following the success of her (then) latest album, Joan Armatrading released her greatest hits album which was meant to overlook her career at this point which had seen many peaks and valleys over the years. She didn't find any further success in her career after this which is a shame because she could've thrived during the female singer/songwriter scene of the late 80's.
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 1984)
One of the wackier films of the decade was the live action TMNT movie, a film based on a cartoon which in turn was based on a comic about anthropomorphic turtles fighting crime with their ninja skills. The film is way better than it has any right to be as is the entire TMNT franchise for that matter, also it came with a killer soundtrack which of course was a massive success here in Australia.
Peak position #7
Peak position #11 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Spin that wheel #5 (AMR #4)
Turtle power #15 (AMR #14)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
This is the final album to come from Norah Jones that was a commercial success for her, mainly because she would be replaced by the likes of Amy Winehouse and Duffy during the final stretch of the decade who would both be replaced with Adele going into the new decade. It's a bit astonishing how many careers were made redundant by the British singer in 2011.
Peak position #2
(POPULAR IN 2007)
There was a bit of a battle between the two former frontmen of the Eagles this year, although while Glenn Frey had the bigger hit with "The heat is on" from the Beverly Hills cop soundtrack, Don Henley had the bigger album thanks to it being one of the more prominent adult contemporary releases from around this time. This was the last album that he found any success with worldwide as his subsequent follow ups flopped.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Boys of summer #3
All she wants to do is dance #22
(POPULAR IN 1985)
She was certainly one of the most popular artists in Australia throughout the decade, she was definitively the most popular female Australian artist of the 70's (that is if you count her as such as she was from America initially) so it makes sense that this live album would be a success for Marcia Hines when it was released.
Peak position #7
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Well, this is an album that many have claimed to be a carbon copy of the band's debut album, I'm guessing audiences felt this was too much of the same back in the day to pay as much mind to it as they did with their earlier entry on this list even though it was still a massive success back in the day due to how talented the band was.
Peak position #5
(POPULAR IN 1979)
There weren't that many successful prog albums back in the day in Australia, one of the lucky few to make it big with this genre is the British/Australian group Sky who scored two massive albums this year with their brand of prog rock. Naturally they didn't trouble the singles charts too much which is perhaps why they aren't as fondly remembered as other prog legends.
Peak position #10
(POPULAR IN 1980)
This was all set to be a failure here in Australia likely due to us Aussies not being interested in the kiddie pop these Irish lassies had to offer, however a performance on Countdown with the lead single had us quickly changing our minds as this wound up being a success for them. The kiwis were more in love with this band than us Aussies as this was an instant success over there upon its initial release.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Gotta pull myself together #3
(POPULAR IN 1981)
Although the peak of their popularity wouldn't come until 1982's Eye in the sky, this British duo did receive a ton of success throughout the 70's thanks to being a worthy candidate of the best prog group to come out of the decade. Named after the sci fi book of the 50's, this album had a concept about a dystopian future that naturally connected with audiences around this time.
Peak position #10
(POPULAR IN 1977)
After two albums that had her working with country and adult contemporary, Linda Ronstadt decided to shake things up yet again in her career by following the new wave trends that had just exploded in popularity around this time. It wasn't an inescapable success like her previous two albums, but it was noteworthy enough to be a worthy experiment in her discography.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
How do I make you #19
(POPULAR IN 1980)
This seemed like a good time for Mental as anything to have a recap of their career so far given how they were on the cusp of having international success with their biggest hit "Live it up" appearing on the Crocodile Dundee soundtrack, indeed this was a huge success for the band here in Australia proving how much we loved them at this point.
Peak position #2
(POPULAR IN 1986)
This was a live album to come from Australian Crawl where it became a massive success for the band, likely due to the inclusion of "Reckless" which was technically their biggest hit here due to it being the main song from their E.P Semantics from the previous year. This would be the last success the band would have before their breakup, although James Reyne would return with his solo material.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Reckless #1
(POPULAR IN 1984)
This was the first album that the Angels released that managed to score them a hit single on our charts, sure their previous albums were more successful throughout the 70's, however it was this album that finally put them in the same leagues as many of their contemporaries from around this time. This set them up for having a highly successful decade in the 80's and even led to them sticking around in the 90's.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
No secrets #8
(POPULAR IN 1980)
This was another greatest hits album that was released exclusively in Australia, this time it's due to the recent resurgence in popularity that Joe Cocker had due to his Oscar winning ballad with Jennifer Warnes from An officer and a gentleman. He would return later in the decade with Cocker and its hit singles.
Peak position #1x3
(POPULAR IN 1983)
It looked like these guys wouldn't be able to have a career going into the 90's given how their previous album Temperamental suggested they would be an 80's band and no more, however thanks to the success of its lead single worldwide, they were able to extend their popularity past the 80's and even acquire a worldwide audience. This was a brief comeback as the band would struggle for relevancy later in the decade.
Peak position #5
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
I touch myself #1 (AMR #1)
Love school #43
(POPULAR IN 1991)
This was another successful album that John Fogerty had in his career, in fact this is the third decade in a row where one of his solo albums was a huge hit for him proving that there's no rhyme or reason as to how his popularity works following the demise of CCR.
Peak position #8
Peak position #15 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1997)
One of the most popular shows of the decade was the X files, a sci fi crime show about two agents solving mysteries centred around aliens and paranormal activities. The show was a massive success, leading to this soundtrack of songs that appeared in each episode by this point which helped launch the sci fi craze of the decade out of nostalgia for the sci fi craze of the 70's.
Peak position #8
Peak position #14 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The x files #27
(POPULAR IN 1996)
This was the final successful album to come out of Midnight oil's discography, it appears to be a return to them giving a voice to the aboriginal community which makes sense given how their magnum opus Diesel and dust had this theme as well. They did quite well adjust to the 90's to make it this far into the decade with their popularity intact, although this would be the last time they troubled the charts.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Truganini #10 (AMR #10)
(POPULAR IN 1993)
This was one of only two albums to be released from Frankie goes to Hollywood, the other was such a commercial flop for the band that they called it quits shortly after its release later in the decade. I'm guessing audiences were turned away from it due to how their label had arrogantly hyped up this album upon its initial release, true it was a success however they announced the fourth single as a chart topper in UK before it was even released.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Relax #5
Two tribes #4
The power of love #4
Welcome to the pleasuredome #46
(POPULAR IN 1985)
One of my personal favourite films of the decade was Men in black, mainly for the chemistry between Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones but also for the sci fi humour that is right up my alley for comedy. The film had a soundtrack which was a massive success likely due to one of its stars contributing the theme song to the film which remains one of the most well-loved movie themes of all time.
Peak position #4
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Men in black #1 (AMR #1)
We just wanna party with you #28
(POPULAR IN 1997)
Graham Bonnet was a British musician that was briefly based here in Australia, this is why he scored two massive hits from two separate albums that didn't chart anywhere else in the world before he joined the British group Rainbow after the success of his second album. Rainbow never found success here, proving that his popularity was more due to his presence in our music scene.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Warm ride #2
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Even though he was more of a single's artist here in Australia, JPY was able to achieve moderate amount of success with his first two albums here likely due to how big the singles from both of them were during the midpoint of the decade. He was struggling for success during the first half of the decade, so much so that he didn't even release an album until he began racking up the hits thanks to his appearances on Countdown.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Yesterday's hero #8
The love game #4
(POPULAR IN 1975)
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Blinded by the light #11
(POPULAR IN 1976, 1977)
This is the final successful album that UB40 had anywhere in the world, mainly for the lead single which actually served as the theme song to a long-forgotten film that nobody seemed to like at the time. I guess this was the band's last hurrah here in Australia due to the surprise success that their previous album had earlier in the decade given how long it took for it to be a success here.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Falling in love with you #1 (AMR #1)
Higher ground #40
(POPULAR IN 1993)
This was the second live album from Nirvana to be released posthumously, again fans were clearly not ready to say goodbye to Kurt Cobain even though the other two members had moved onto other projects by this stage, proving what an immense talent and tragic loss he was to the music industry.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1996)
Well, this is one way of acknowledging you have a rich back catalogue that fans had unfairly ignored at this point, RHCP released this greatest hits package to help fans discover what they had missed out on from their 80's material which proved to be a success for them.
Peak position #9
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1992)
There was a lot of hype going into this album due to the lead single coming out over a year prior to its release, the hype was eventually met when it came out due to the song released at its launch becoming a huge success for the models' turned singers. They were a one album wonder as they weren't able to find success with their subsequent follow ups in the 90's, it's odd because they should've thrived by then.
Peak position #9
Peak position #8 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
Witch queen #4
He's gonna step on you again #36
Wanna be up #8 (ARIA #6)
Kiss n tell #19
(POPULAR IN 1988)
One of the most critically acclaimed films of the 80's was Amadeus, a biopic of the classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus which was a huge box office success due to the performances of both its star Tom Hulce (best known nowadays as Disney's Quasimodo) and F Murray Abraham as Salieri. The film was composed by Neville Marriner, although it does seem a little redundant in having a composer given the subject matter.
Peak position #10
(POPULAR IN 1985)
Given how the lead single from this album managed to become a huge success for Kingston Trio member John Stewart here in Australia, it only makes sense that the album itself would be a moderate success even if this was the only success he achieved here throughout his career (this includes his work with his band by the way.)
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Gold #5
(POPULAR IN 1979)
We have one final album from Bay City rollers to feature on this list, it was a success due to it having more of their hits which goes to show you how well loved these guys were in such a short amount of time.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Money honey #3
Rock and roll love letter #9
(POPULAR IN 1976)
Another movie that 80's afficionados will gladly root for is Pretty in pink, mainly for the story of a poor but attractive teenage girl winning over the popular guy at her high school and her self discovery along the way. The film remains a classic to this day thanks to its timeless themes, and the soundtrack was also a huge success thanks to it having some rather unconventional songs to soundtrack the visuals.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
If you leave #15
Left of the centre #35
Shell shock #23
(POPULAR IN 1986)
This was one of only two albums that Do re mi released in Australia, the other was such a flop later in the decade that it caused them to go their separate ways upon its release. Here they scored success with an album so unconventional you'd swear it was promoted by some underground station (it likely was) although one thing that can be appealing to mainstream audiences are the vocals of Deborah Conway.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Man overboard #5
Idiot grin #43
(POPULAR IN 1985)
These guys were always described as a killer live band, so it only makes sense that this live album would be a huge success for them when they released it. They wouldn't have any more hits after this save for a song that they gave to be used as the theme to Last action hero.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Highway to hell #29
(POPULAR IN 1992, 1993)
Pokémon was such an inescapable phenomenon that the 4kids dub of the first film became a huge box office success despite it being panned by critics for its poor dubbing which changes the storyline of the original film (as a member of team Digimon, this brings me great joy until I remember that Digimon the movie exists.) The soundtrack at least was well received due to the catchy teen pop that can be found on it.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Don't say you love me #4 (AMR #5)
(POPULAR IN 1999, 2000)
This was a bit of a surprise from Steve Winwood considering he hadn't troubled the mainstream in Australia since the start of the decade with Arc of a diver, although this did spawn his first Billboard chart topper which remains a staple on oldies stations to this day due to how passionate his vocals are. Sadly, we Aussies didn't stick around for his next album despite that spawning his biggest hit in America.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Higher love #8
(POPULAR IN 1986)
It appears that Rodney Rude's popularity wasn't quite done yet as he had another successful comedy album this year, as his name implies, he told politically incorrect jokes (even for the time) that humoured audiences with how bad they were to good taste.
Peak position #7
(POPULAR IN 1985)
This is the best proof I have that Suzi Quatro didn't benefit from Countdown in the slightest here in Australia, after all, you'd think this follow up would've been at least equally as successful as her earlier entry on this list given how that was one of the biggest hits of the decade here but alas this wasn't.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Your mamma won't like me #14
(POPULAR IN 1975)
There was this weird trend throughout the 70's where half an album would be just a song expanded into a full half of an L.P with the second half comprising of filler tracks to justify releasing said song as an album. This format was used for the one and only album from French group Santa Esmeralda who saw moderate success here in Australia with this album that stretches their one and only hit into sixteen minutes.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Don't let me be misunderstood #7
(POPULAR IN 1978)
The summer period of 87/88 really was a hectic time in music as we have the second compilation album collecting the big hits of that season to make it big on this list. So long as you make good selections like the ones found here, these albums would be a massive success for those who compiled them.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Devil inside #6
Celebration #11
I think we’re alone now #13
Love in the first degree #5
Never gonna give you up #1
So emotional #26
Dance little sister #41
Never can say goodbye #13
Shame #13
Hazy shade of winter #7
Say you will #7
Unchain my heart #17
Just like paradise #14
I found someone #10
Hold me now #4
Everywhere #45
Rev it up #3
(POPULAR IN 1988)
This was U2's venture towards pop music, or more specifically pop music as dictated by the 90's alternative scene as there was a lot of distortion on this album that is atypical of U2 albums. It wasn't well received at the time and to this day remains one of their worst albums according to their fans, although its success means that at least there was some love for this album back then.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Discotheque #3 (AMR #3)
Staring at the sun #23
Last night on earth #32
Please #21
Mofo #35
(POPULAR IN 1997)
This was the only successful album that Van Morrison had here in Australia prior to the release of his 1990 greatest hits package, I bring this up because we Aussies really did seem to ignore the Irish singer/songwriter's catalogue back in the day which makes you wonder what compelled us to correct that mistake throughout the 90's.
Peak position #10
(POPULAR IN 1979)
Following the success of their previous album, Pink Floyd decided to release the highlights of that albums tour which proved to be a massive worldwide success for them which I'm sure was further salt in the wound for their former frontman Roger Waters who was really struggling for success around this time.
Peak position #4
Peak position #4 (ARIA charts)
(POPULAR IN 1989)
One of the most popular films of the decade was the first Matrix film, it took the concept of Alice in wonderland and placed it in an internet setting which blew the minds of audiences back in the day. It's a bit dated now given how the internet has evolved, however it remains a favourite of audience to this day thanks to its creative concept as well as the soundtrack which was a huge success as well.
Peak position #5
(POPULAR IN 1999)
This will be the final appearance from Travis on this site as the Scottish band failed to achieve any further success after this album anywhere in the world, although they at least got in one final hit in their native UK with its lead single after the success of Coldplay's earlier entry on this list which I still believe is the reason why they didn't have any further success after this album.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Sing #41
(POPULAR IN 2001)
One of the most influential bands of all time when it comes to new wave has to be Kraftwerk, although they never saw much success in the mainstream, they inspired many artists who went on to have massive success throughout the 80's during the height of new wave. This was their only successful album here in Australia proving how well adapted we Aussies were with the "cool" music of the day.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Autobahn #30
(POPULAR IN 1975)
While I did say that Van Halen would never again reach the dizzying heights of their previous two albums, that didn't mean they didn't find moderate success with this album given how they weren't too far removed from hair metal and that their sound fitted in nicely with the likes of Bon Jovi and Whitesnake. That said, this was the last album that anyone would care about as they found little success in the 90's.
Peak position #10
Peak position #9 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
When it's love #26
(POPULAR IN 1988)
This was the first hip hop album to find success here in Australia which is interesting that it should come from Tone Loc considering this was before he became known for being a voice actor in children's media. Still it's comforting to know that at least someone with credibility in the rap game managed to have the first rap album to be successful here, that honour could've gone to something far more embarrassing.
Peak position #11
Peak position #11 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
Wild thing #16 (ARIA #15)
Funky cold medina #7 (ARIA #8)
(POPULAR IN 1989)
While it does seem odd that this album managed to be more successful than any of the members solo work combined, the fact remains that they scored one of the biggest hits of the decade with their debut single which no doubt led to much fanfare with said album which eventually dropped late the previous year for the supergroup. They wouldn't have much luck with their second album which caused them to break up.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
This time I know it's for real #2
Happening all over again #9
Searching #40
(POPULAR IN 2006)
This is another album that I'm sure would've been more of a mainstream success here had its big hit not taken so long to become as such on our charts, I'm kind of dumbstruck at how these guys were a one hit wonder given how their brand of funk rock fitted in perfectly with the rising disco trend of the day.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Play that funky music #5
(POPULAR IN 1977)
Given how their debut album became a huge (albeit heavily delayed) success here in Australia this year, it makes sense that Forteigner's follow up would find more instantaneous success here even if it too failed to spawn a hit on our charts. It's a bit weird they were considered an albums band back in the day considering how much airplay their singles receive on oldies stations nowadays.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Hot blooded #24
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Given how these guys went on hiatus this year, they released a greatest hits package to keep their fans interest in their back catalogue until they reformed later in the decade with their next album Octave.
Peak position #22
(POPULAR IN 1975)
They had an immensely popular concert at the start of the decade, so it figures that the three tenors (Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras) would hold another concert this year which also went over very well given how big the live album from that show was.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1994)
I guess the success of his Oscar winning ballad with Jennifer Warnes didn't come completely out of nowhere as this managed to be a moderate success for Joe Cocker just before the release of that single from the film and Officer and a gentleman. In fact, were it not for that ballad's success, it's likely this would've been even bigger as he curiously omitted it on the track list here.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Sweet little woman #42
(POPULAR IN 1982)
While this album didn't quite live up to the success of Eskimo Joe's previous efforts from earlier in the decade, it was nonetheless a huge success for the band just as the decade was coming to an end which goes to show that they were another band who was poised for at least moderate success in the 2010's had rock music not suddenly become unappealing to the masses throughout the decade.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Foreign land #13
Don't let me down #50
(POPULAR IN 2009)
It looks like Sade's good fortunes was starting to run out following the success they had with their previous two albums, although they would find a massive resurgence in popularity in the 90's when their 1992 effort Love deluxe became a surprise hit worldwide.
Peak position #11
(POPULAR IN 1988)
This has a bit of an interesting chart trajectory here in Australia, mainly due to how long it took for the album cycle to complete here as the singles were released six months apart from each other as opposed to the usual three months like most albums do. I guess this was proof that the band was a singles act even if the singles failed to be among the most successful of the decade here.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Shake your booty #16
I'm your boogie man #38
Keep it coming love #28
(POPULAR IN 1977)
Given how the lead single to this album was a massive success for Supercharge here in Australia, it only seems fitting that it would too be a success even if we Aussies didn't find much to love about it outside of said single. At least it did better over here than it did in their native UK where they never had any success.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
You've gotta get up and dance #3
(POPULAR IN 1977)
This was initially a huge flop for Anastacia when it was released the previous year, in fact it was only a hit here in Australia when the second single received a remix which made it sound like her debut single from the start of the decade. This was enough to push the album to the upper echelons of our charts, however she clearly felt this was a close call which compelled her to rethink her strategy for her third album.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Paid my dues #39
One day in your life #6
Boom #23
(POPULAR IN 2002)
Given how his earlier entry on this list had finally taken off worldwide, it allowed John Mayer's second album to become an instant success here in Australia which goes to show how much of an overnight sensation he had become despite how long he had to wait for his other album to take off worldwide.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Bigger than my body #38
(POPULAR IN 2003)
Following the success of his previous album Night and day, Joe Jackson went back to the studio to record his new album which was this release that was a minor sleeper hit here in Australia. This would be his final success down under save for a live album that became a success here later in the decade.
Peak position #21
Hit singles
Happy ending #47
(POPULAR IN 1984)
Although he was in a media frenzy that would last throughout the rest of the decade, at least fans were willing to look back on Prince's back catalogue with this greatest hits package which came with the B-sides to those classics to further entice them to making this a success.
Peak position #5
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1993)
Given how he was coming off by far his biggest album (at least it was here in Australia) it only makes sense that Robert Palmer would cap off the 80's with a greatest hits package that only saw its success as the start of the 90's here in Australia due to how long it took to take off here. Sadly, he wouldn't find any further success here after this save for his collaboration with UB40.
Peak position #10
Peak position #15 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
It was inevitable that this album from Shaun Cassidy would make the cut given how it spawned two of the bigger hits of the year, however given this is a teen pop album and that there wasn't any bias towards music made for younger audiences, it didn't do too well despite how inescapable the singles were.
Peak position #16
Hit singles
That's rock and roll #2
Hey there lonely girl #5
Da doo ron ron #36
(POPULAR IN 1977)
Eric Clapton was in a bit of hot water around this time due to some rather disparaging comments he made about musicians of colour which I won't delve into here, suffice to say that we Aussies were a bit disappointed in his public image but not enough to shun him with this release entirely.
Peak position #16
Hit singles
Promises #26
(POPULAR IN 1979)
Well, we already looked at the Tour of duty series from the 80's, now let's look at another soundtrack from a TV series set during the Vietnam war which was known as China Beach. Like Tour of duty, this was another critically acclaimed TV show based on the Vietnam war that was a massive success in the southern hemisphere, although it only produced two soundtracks as opposed to three like Tour of duty.
Peak position #6
Peak position #6 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
I'm a bit shocked this wasn't more of a success for Bryan Ferry here in Australia given how popular he was during the first half of the decade with his band Roxy music, I guess we Aussies weren't interested in him giving into the trends of new romanticism as his solo work from the 70's saw him going in much less mainstream directions which resulted in their success back in the day.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Slave to love #29
(POPULAR IN 1985)
This is the last album that Status quo found any success with here in Australia, it’s curious their popularity didn't continue into the 80's like it did in their homeland given how inescapable they were in the UK as recently as the early 90's.
Peak position #22
Hit singles
Whatever you want #22
(POPULAR IN 1980)
This sat on shelves ignored for almost a whole year here in Australia like it did everywhere else in the world, what finally got it off those shelves was when Countdown played "In the flesh" on the show (even though they were meant to play the lead single "X offender") which helped it nearly top our charts. This allowed the band to spark buzz in the UK of all places where their second album took off.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
In the flesh #2
(POPULAR IN 1977)
This was a huge flop upon its initial release two years prior, in fact I'm not sure why it was a hit at the start of the decade other than to give Cliff ultimately false hope that he would still be relevant throughout the 90's here in Australia like he admittedly was in his native UK.
Peak position #10
Peak position #22 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
This is the only notable success that World party had in their career, mainly because of the surprise success of the lead single here in Australia which allowed us Aussies to check out the album it came from. Even though this is considered a band, it's actually a solo project from vocalist Karl Wallinger who released several more albums under this name over the years to no success.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Ship of fools #4
(POPULAR IN 1987)
Guido Hatzis is a character created by Aussie comedian Tony Moclair who was a bit of a Greek stereotype back in the day, he was well loved by us Aussies (particularly the Greek immigrants as we Aussies historically have a higher tolerance for racial stereotypes than other countries in the world) which culminated with this album he released at the end of the 90's.
Peak position #11
(POPULAR IN 2000)
While this second album from Jet was a modest success here in Australia this year, its success was a mere drop in the bucket compared to what their debut album achieved three years prior due to most of their fanbase here in Australia abandoning the band after they sold their material on their debut album to Apple for all of its commercials. At least there was a fanbase for this album which is more than I can say for their third album.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Put your money where your mouth is #14
Rip it up #49
(POPULAR IN 2006)
This was only a success here in Australia due to the lead single becoming one of the biggest hits of the decade here upon its initial release, although it does fit in with some of the nu metal that appears on this list so perhaps there was more of an audience outside of their MJ cover than I initially thought.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
Smooth criminal #1
Movies #29
(POPULAR IN 2001, 2002)
This is one of only two albums from 3 doors down that found any sort of success here in Australia, even then it took its sweet time finding success with us Aussies due to how delayed the success of its lead single was back in the day. Their next album would be a genuine success for the band due to spawning easily their biggest hit with its second single "Here without you."
Peak position #16
Hit singles
Kryptonite #8
(POPULAR IN 2001)
For eight years this was the final album from AC/DC, suggesting that the band were ready to call it quits but didn't due to how much they loved touring in the new millennium. They would of course be back with a new album later in the decade, an album that was such a success that it felt like it came out of their heyday from the 70's and 80's.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Satellite blues #23
(POPULAR IN 2000)
This was released exactly a decade after John Lee Hooker's appearance in the Blues brothers, I'm not sure why it took that long for us Aussies to appreciate this man's catalogue as he didn't even see success with a greatest hits package here despite his impact in the film, however we eventually gave him mainstream success with this entry.
Peak position #17
Peak position #17 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
This flopped here in Australia upon its initial release two years prior, mainly because Abba was seen as a novelty act due to the title track being popular due to it winning Eurovision for 1974, it was given a second chance this year much like the rest of their back catalogue due to the success of their top entry on this list.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
Waterloo #4
Honey honey #30
Hasta manana #16
(POPULAR IN 1976)
While he wasn't among the more popular artists of the 80's, Chris De Burgh did achieve success with the two albums that spawned his respective hits here in Australia proving that he was a nice alternative to all of the new wave and MTV driven pop that was becoming big throughout the decade.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
Don't pay the ferryman #5
(POPULAR IN 1983)
I think this is one of the first albums to be negatively affected by the digital piracy that was cropping up around this time given how well I remember the singles from this release, although at least its lower placement on this list is more due to it charting mostly in the lower half of our charts rather than it being a complete flop here which is more than I can say for other entries on this list.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Pictures in the mirror #18
Roll on #15
(POPULAR IN 2000)
This was the last taste of success that Manfred Mann had here in Australia or anywhere in the world for that matter, I guess he was another victim of the transition from the 70's to the 80's as he had a fairly good run throughout this decade with his second band.
Peak position #22
Hit singles
You angel you #50
(POPULAR IN 1979)
This was the final successful album to come from the Carpenters, mainly because the likes of disco and rock opera hadn't quite taken over the music scene yet which meant these guys didn't feel too out of place when they released this album. I'm sure this would've been a huge success in Australia had Countdown not pushed these guys out of the mainstream in favour of our local music scene.
Peak position #21
Hit singles
Please Mr. postman #1
Only yesterday #16
(POPULAR IN 1975)
While this wasn't a huge mainstream success for Bomfunk MC's here in Australia, the fact that it spawned two huge hits on our charts ensured that it would at least be a modest success down under even if it was more of a sleeper success for the Finish band. They of course remain a one album wonder as their brand of EDM didn't translate well going into the new millennium.
Peak position #24
Hit singles
Freestyler #1
B boys and fly girls #7
Uprocking beats #43
(POPULAR IN 2000)
Well, this was a bit of a misstep for the Eurythmics, I think the problem was the image makeover that Annie had specifically as she looked bizarre with long hair both on the album cover and in the music videos with the singles. That said, the quality of the tracks was still intact, hence why it was able to retain some of its audience and make an appearance on this list.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
Beethoven #13
Shame #39
(POPULAR IN 1988)
This was initially a flop for Nine inch nails, likely because they were a bit early to the party when it came to the industrial boom that would explode later in the decade thanks to the likes of the Prodigy and Marilyn Manson (U2's earlier entry notwithstanding.) It was given a sudden boost in popularity due to the surprise success of one of its singles due to having a disturbing music video that we Aussies lapped up at the time.
Peak position #12
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Closer #3 (AMR #3)
(POPULAR IN 1994)
Although he had success prior to this album here in Australia with his debut single "I need a lover," John Cougar (later known as John Mellencamp) really took the world by storm with this release due to it being the first album of his to find any success in his native America. I'm a bit surprised this underperformed given that A: the singles were inescapable here and B: his later material was among the most successful albums of the decade.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
Hurts so good #5
Jack and Diane #7
(POPULAR IN 1982)
This was the first of many successful country albums to come from Lee Kernaghan now that Australian country music was becoming more mainstream on our charts, I didn't realise country fans were among those who got their music through illegal downloads during the first half of the decade as it appears it was through downloads that these albums were the most popular.
Peak position #6
(POPULAR IN 2006)
Given how she had come off a critically panned but highly successful theatrical adaptation of her TV series, Miley Cyrus decided to release and E.P that was geared towards a more adult audience compared to her earlier work but not too alienating to her fans that they would be completely befuddled by it (so basically like anything from the 2010's.)
Peak position #11
Hit singles
The climb #5
Party in the USA #6
When I look at you #19
(POPULAR IN 2009)
This was the first album to be released from Mike Oldfield that singing on it, normally he would release an album of instrumentals with some occasional vocals from the multi-instrumentalist, however here he clearly wanted to have a mainstream crossover which resulted in him bringing in some vocalists to sing over some of the tracks. This paid off for him as this became a massive success in NZ and his native UK and a moderate success here in Australia.
Peak position #17
Hit singles
Moonlight shadow #6
(POPULAR IN 1983)
This was a moderate sleeper hit for No Doubt here in Australia, mainly because of the news that this would be the last thing the band would do before going their separate ways to allow Gwen Stefani to pursue her solo career which began a year after this came out. It's success also came from the lead single which revived an obscure 80's track due to it becoming a huge hit for the band.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
It's my life #7
(POPULAR IN 2004)
Following the success of his previous album from earlier in the decade, Harry Connick Jr somehow struggled to retain that success with this follow up which only became a success due to how long it stuck around for on our charts this year. He would release one more album later in the decade before his popularity faded for good with us Aussies.
Peak position #16
Peak position #19 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1996)
It's a bit weird that J-lo was more of a singles artist given how celebrities with music careers usually do well with their albums here in Australia (Bette Midler being the most notable example.) Admittedly this did linger around for quite some time due to it rebounding on our charts whenever one of the singles were released, however it's not like it spent much time in the upper echelons on our charts.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
If you had my love #1 (AMR #1)
Waiting for tonight #4 (AMR #6)
Feeling so good #20
Let's get loud #9 (AMR #10)
(POPULAR IN 1999, 2000)
This was a decent success for the Alan Parsons project this year, although this feels like a warmup to their next album which would be their commercial peak due to it spawning a genuine hit for them in certain parts of the world.
Peak position #24
(POPULAR IN 1981)
I'm not really sure why this underperformed here in Australia given that A: Grace Jones was a regular on Countdown and B: her brand of new wave would've fitted in perfectly with the new wave scene that was emerging this year. She saw a ton of success over in NZ throughout the decade, so perhaps this was only a success ere due to her exposure over there.
Peak position #19
(POPULAR IN 1981)
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