This was a flop if we were simply looking at the standard edition, however it became a huge sleeper hit when it was reissued as a deluxe edition likely due to the album already spawning three of Akon's biggest hits in his catalogue throughout the world which eventually convinced us Aussies to check out what else the troubled RNB singer had to offer.
Peak position #16
Hit singles
Smack that #2
I wanna love you #6
Don't matter #9
Sorry blame it on me #27 (deluxe edition)
(POPULAR IN 2007)
If you're wondering how Sarah McLachlan managed to find moderate success with this album this year here in Australia, that's because it managed to spawn a few minor hits that charted which is more than I can say for any of her other albums which all failed to do so for her.
Peak position #22
Hit singles
Fallen #41
Stupid #37
(POPULAR IN 2004)
One of my personal favourite films of all time is Beverly Hills cop, mainly for its star Eddie Murphy who gives a charismatic performance as Axel Foley which won him a ton of critical acclaim from audiences who previously dismissed him as a crass comedian with little wit. The soundtrack is a banger as well, to the point where I'm surprised it underperformed given how many hits it managed to spawn.
Peak position #20
Hit singles
Neutron dance #4
The heat is on #2
Axel f #6
(POPULAR IN 1985)
This is the only notable success from the British duo the Ting ting's, mainly due to how the lead single became a massive worldwide smash due to how it became a shoe in for commercials shortly after its initial release. Their subsequent follow ups had no such luck as none of their other singles managed to find their way into commercials like their debut did.
Peak position #22
Hit singles
That's not my name #8
Shut up and let me go #44
(POPULAR IN 2008)
One of the most popular TV series of the 80's was Miami Vice, it was a cop show in a similar vein to most cop shows in the 21st century which makes it a bit ahead of its time in that regard given how that formula wasn't common back then. A soundtrack was released which spawned the theme song as a huge Billboard chart topper for its composer Jan Hammer who had a UK hit two years later with "I wanna be your drill instructor."
Peak position #17
Hit singles
You belong to the city #20
Miami vice theme #14
(POPULAR IN 1986)
This was the only album from Atomic kitten to find any success here in Australia, mainly because it spawned their biggest hit in the form of its second single which became as such due to interpolating Blondie's signature track from their catalogue. It stuck around for quite some time on the lower half of our charts, hence its qualification for this list.
Peak position #21
Hit singles
It's OK #24
The tide is high #4
(POPULAR IN 2002, 2003)
PJ Harvey is what I consider to be the 00's equivalent of Kate Bush in that she was a critically acclaimed art pop rocker from the UK, the two main differences are that A: she was older than Kate Bush when she broke through and B: she never had that mainstream success as this was only a success here due to the love it received on Triple J.
Peak position #20
(POPULAR IN 2001)
I guess it was inevitable that the debut album from Sandi Thom would be a moderate success here in Australia given how popular its lead single was here, although it seems like she was a one trick pony given how nothing else managed to sustain its success and that she never had another hit in her career.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
I wish I was a punk rocker #1
What if I'm right #36
(POPULAR IN 2006)
The best way I can describe Hoobastank is if they were the American equivalent of Nickelback from around this time, that said they only found success with this album due to how inescapable the lead single was throughout the world thanks to heavy radio play.
Peak position #23
Hit singles
The reason #7
(POPULAR IN 2004)
This was the last successful album that Joe Cocker had anywhere in the world, mainly because he was considered to be a legacy artist by this point meaning that audiences weren't interested in hearing new material from him and instead wanted to relive his older material through nostalgia. Indeed, this was more of a sleeper hit for him here in Australia given how it charted mainly on the lower half of our charts.
Peak position #23
Peak position #19 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1992)
This is the first album from Cher to find any sort of success in her career here in Australia, true she had successful singles prior to this both solo and with her ex-husband Sonny Bono, however it was her pivot towards hair metal as well as her acting career reaching its peak with her Oscar winning performance in Moonstruck that allowed us Aussies to check out one of her albums for the first time in his career.
Peak position #26
Hit singles
I found someone #8
(POPULAR IN 1988)
While he was still looking for that big mega successful hit that wouldn't come until his magnum opus Born in the U.S.A, Bruce Springsteen was nonetheless able to find modest success with his follow up to Born to run as well as hand out success to others in the music industry thanks to his stellar songwriting skills. It could also be he was a bit ahead of his time as heartland rock wouldn't explode until the early 80's in his native America.
Peak position #9
(POPULAR IN 1978)
There were two versions of this E.P that were released in Australia, the first was from two years prior which contained a few tracks that the band couldn't fit onto their album Shabooh shoobah which resulted in it flopping. The second had the singles from the Swing remixed as dance tracks (hence the name of the E.P) which proved to be much more successful here likely due to us already being familiar with the original tracks.
Peak position #2
(POPULAR IN 1985)
There weren't many successful country albums in Australia this decade, so to see Garth Brooks score massive success with this album must have been a bit of a shock to audiences back in the day. This was his only notable success here despite him being one of the most prominent country stars in his native America.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Standing outside the fire #45
One night a day #35
(POPULAR IN 1994)
These guys were always described as a great live band, so it only makes sense that this live album would be a huge success for them. This no doubt brought in even more fans who only knew them from their studio releases prior to this album which in turn led to more fans for their subsequent follow ups.
Peak position #1x2
(POPULAR IN 1981)
This was released eight years after the band called it quits, by this stage they had already released a greatest hits package to help fans cope with the fact they were no longer together which was a modest success back in the day. Here they released another best of album exclusively here in Australia where it became a huge success a decade after their biggest hits.
Peak position #1x2
(POPULAR IN 1980)
It appears KD Lang was still able to find success this far into her career, then again, given how Michael Bublé and Rod Stewart were able to find success with music catered to the mothers of our world, it makes sense that KD Lang would also be the perfect choice for Mother's Day given that's when this album became a success for her.
Peak position #1x1
(POPULAR IN 2008)
Given that their E.P from earlier on this list was a huge success (regardless of if it was charting as a single or album) it's fitting that the band's debut album would be a huge success for them as they were given a lot of hype in the leadup to its release. The hype was of course effortlessly met; however, it didn't translate to their second album where it became a massive flop for the alternative rock band.
Peak position #1x3
Peak position #1x4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
That ain't bad #1
Don't go now #1 (AMR #1)
Baby baby #21 (AMR #19)
(POPULAR IN 1991)
This was originally released at the start of the decade to deafening silence here in Australia, however it was given a second chance when Hot Chocolate scored a massive comeback here thanks to a memorable appearance on Countdown with their (then) most recent album which helped stretch their popularity here this far into the 80's.
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 1982, 1983)
There were two artists to perform at Budokan this year, the first was Cheap trick who scored a massive international hit with their performance at the Japanese stadium and the second was Bob Dylan who also scored massive worldwide success with his performance there. Naturally it was Bob's live album that managed to become a massive success here in Australia proving how well loved he was this decade.
Peak position #4
(POPULAR IN 1979)
While they were the victims of overexposure this decade much like other popular bands of the 70's, Abba was still able to find massive success during the second half of the decade thanks to how catchy and memorable their songs were to audiences. Like I said, it was more due to overexposure than people genuinely finding their music to be terrible that these albums weren't bigger than they were.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
The name of the game #7
Take a chance on me #12
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Well, he may not have had the magic that Bernie Taupin gave him through his songwriting, however that didn't prevent Elton John from finding success during this perceived dark period as evidence by how popular this album was for him. I'm guessing this did as well as it did in Australia due to him being a regular on Countdown as he did perform the lead single to this album which made it a huge hit.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Blue eyes #4
(POPULAR IN 1982)
Following the success of their live album from earlier on this list, U2 released their fourth album which was the first one to spawn a hit for them in most parts of the world with the lead single. As I said earlier, their popularity only continued to grow with each new album this decade until it culminated with their Grammy award winning fifth album which also remains their most commercially successful to date.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Pride #4
(POPULAR IN 1984)
Now that Judith Durham had officially rejoined the band, the Seekers released this greatest hits album to remind fans of their back catalogue which helped them become a successful touring act which they still are to this day.
Peak position #3
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1993)
This was a massive hit for Sinead O'Connor thanks to the popularity of its lead single, a song that was originally written by Prince but was donated to her from him albeit with some complications if the behind-the-scenes drama is anything to go by. Indeed, Sinead has garnered a reputation for being difficult to deal with which was all but confirmed on her SNL performance two years later.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x1 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Nothing compares 2 u #1 (AMR #1)
The emperor's new clothes #20 (AMR #18)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
We have another successful album to come from Bay city rollers this decade, it was the third album in a row where they saw massive success within a time span of six months, meaning that there was a bit of overexposure towards the band here in Australia and their native UK.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Give a little love #3
(POPULAR IN 1976)
This album was released after collecting all of the biggest hits of spring of 1983, it was released during the summer and thus peaked this year as the summer jam it was designed to be hence making it a huge success.
Peak position #1x5
Hit singles
Bop girl #2
Rain #2
Karma chameleon #1
Red red wine #2
Wherever I lay my hat #9
Moonlight shadow #6
Maxine #16
Double Dutch #14
Maniac #2
Tell her about it #9
Wanna be starting something #25
Give it up #3
No sense #14
I guess that’s why they call it the blues #4
Some people #50
She works hard for the money #4
Shake a tailfeather #47
Australiana #1
(POPULAR IN 1984)
This was a greatest hits packaged named after one of their singles from their breakthrough album Hold on to me, indeed this was another example of a band whose popularity died out by this point but was able to find success with an album looking over their biggest success which secured their legacy in the music industry. This decade had a ton of these albums find success over original material.
Peak position #4
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1993, 1994)
Their debut album was plenty successful when it was released the previous year here in Australia, however it was the second album from Transvision vamp that made them a household name thanks to the seductiveness of Wendy James reaching its peak on this album. Sadly, the band couldn't keep this winning streak going in the 90's as their third album would be a huge flop for them that decade.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
Baby I don't care #3 (ARIA #3)
The only one #34
(POPULAR IN 1989)
Well, I did mention that David Bowie would find moderate success here with the album that gave him his first Billboard chart topper, here it is proving that we would occasionally reward the genius of this man back in the day in Australia.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Young Americans #27
(POPULAR IN 1975)
This is the one and only album to be released from Racey, naturally it was a massive success here in Australia given how it managed to spawn three of the bigger hits during the final stretch of the 70's here, which makes you wonder why they never even attempted to release a second album given how successful they were going into the 80's.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Lay your love on me #1
Some girls #1
Boy oh boy #12
(POPULAR IN 1979, 1980)
This was the only album that 4 non blondes released in their career, though it was a success, it was torn apart by critics for how they felt it was an overbearing record from the four women. This led to them breaking up later in the decade and Linda Perry becoming a successful songwriter for some of the biggest names in music in the new millennium, so I guess things worked out for them (or her at least.)
Peak position #4
Peak position #4 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
What's up #2 (AMR #1)
(POPULAR IN 1993)
Well, he did manage to score two gigantic hits in Australia around this time, so why not have his feature length album be a massive success here as well? I'm sure the many fans of Bob the Builder were ecstatic to receive this for Christmas (it peaked during that season) however this didn't lead to any future musical prospects for the animated construction worker.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Can we fix it #1
Mambo no 5 #2
(POPULAR IN 2001, 2002)
I'm a bit surprised this wasn't an even bigger success for Barbra Streisand given how it contains her feminist duet with Donna Summer among the track listing, perhaps we Aussies were only interested in Donna's transition towards female empowerment throughout the 80's as Barbra's next album would see her working with the brothers Gibb with a heavy theme towards love.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
No more tears #8
(POPULAR IN 1979, 1980)
It had been seven years since these three released an album together, even then they were one man short as Neil Young was nowhere to be found on this collaboration which is perhaps why this didn't reach the dizzying heights of Deja vu from the start of the decade. They would eventually make a second album with Neil young over a decade after this album, however many fans would wish they hadn't.
Peak position #7
(POPULAR IN 1977)
I guess Steve Miller had at least one more successful album in him when entering the MTV era of music, although it's worth noting that his only other successful album was with Book of dreams from 1977 which this was very different from so perhaps this was a success due to a change in sound. It certainly gave him his biggest hit here with the title track which is an accurate reflection of the album.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Abracadabra #1
(POPULAR IN 1982)
Bob Welch was the original lead singer of Fleetwood mac when the band decided to have a vocalist among their ranks, he left just before they exploded in popularity which I'm sure was a bit of a sinking feeling he experienced at the time. Fortunately, he was able to find success with a solo album thanks to the lead single being a huge hit for him here in Australia as well as scoring a second hit in his native America.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Ebony eyes #2
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Another Beatles compilation album, this one having the theme of love (hence its name) that was presented in a way that was meant to be one long track as opposed to a bunch of individual songs mashed together.
Peak position #2
(POPULAR IN 2006)
This was the only successful album that Dan Hill was able to have outside of his native Canada, mainly for the lead single which became a huge worldwide success for him and likely promised him massive success with his subsequent albums he never achieved. That said he still kept at it and achieved moderate success in his homeland after this.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Sometimes when we touch #3
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Rickie Lee Jones had massive success with her debut album from the end of the 70's, so naturally she would find modest success with her second album even if it got lost with all of the other trends emerging from the early 80's. At least she had one other album to her name that people will likely recognise.
Peak position #9
(POPULAR IN 1981)
Before he took Hollywood by storm with the likes of Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge, Baz Lurhman got his start with this film which he made here in Australia about a ballroom dancer wanting to win a competition and the trials and tribulations that he encounters along the way. It remains a classic to this day here in Australia and even a cult classic worldwide thanks to the story and soundtrack which was also a huge success.
Peak position #6
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Love is in the air (ballroom mix) #3 (AMR #3)
(POPULAR IN 1992)
This was the only notable success that the Sports were able to achieve here in Australia, they were among the more popular pub rock bands of their time even though they didn't reach the same heights as Cold chisel or Dragon during the Countdown era. They would sadly not last for very long as their next album didn't bring in the numbers of their earlier work which would cause them to break up.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Who listens to the radio #35
Don't throw stones #26
(POPULAR IN 1979)
Much like his earlier entry on this list, this album from Elton John was a massive success here despite his reservations on the project he's developed over the years. This might be due to the album's failure internationally as it's the first release that failed to produce a hit in America and his native UK since his debut from fifteen years prior.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Heartache all over the world #7
(POPULAR IN 1986)
This was the only notable success that Loverboy were able to achieve in Australia, mainly for the lead single which remains a staple on oldies stations to this day but also due to it fitting in with all of the popular adult contemporary albums released around this time. The band would struggle to adapt into the MTV era internationally, however they did find further success in the 80's in America and their native Canada.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Turn me loose #3
(POPULAR IN 1981)
There was this animated film made this year that was apparently based on a picture book series made from the forties that was a massive commercial success this year (I haven't seen it because...... well I was fourteen at the time, I was into edgier stuff.) One part of the film that was particularly well received was its soundtrack from Jack Johnson which became a massive hit for the folk singer worldwide.
Peak position #1x1
(POPULAR IN 2006)
Well Meat loaf certainly had a big falling out with Jim Steinman if this album was the best he could do to follow up Bat out of hell with, that said its success was inevitable as not everything great about his debut can be traced back to Jim as Meat Loaf is a phenomenal singer on this album. Even so, it's little wonder this would be the last we hear from him in twelve years.
Peak position #5
(POPULAR IN 1981)
From what I can gather, Dangerous minds is a combination of Dead poet's society and To sir with love as it draws themes from both of those movies with the twist of the teacher being a woman as opposed to a man in the former and a man of colour in the latter. It received mixed reviews for its derivative story; however, the soundtrack did much better thanks to its theme song provided to it by Coolio.
Peak position #1x2
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Gangsta's paradise #1 (AMR #1)
(POPULAR IN 1995)
This was a duets album from Jimmy Barnes given how fans had noticed he had quite a few duets to his name up until this point in his career, as such we have some of the biggest names in Australian music lending their voices to his renditions of many older tracks as this was also a covers album from him.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Sit on my knee 14
Gonna take some time #31
Out of time #50
(POPULAR IN 2005)
While their previous album wasn't a flop by any means, it was a critical disaster which led fans to wonder if there would ever be a return to form given how it was at least not the commercial rock they released throughout the 90's. They wondered no longer when the band released their follow up five years later which was a return to form both artistically and critically which led to its commercial success.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
My apocalypse #38
The day that never comes #18
Cyanide #48
The unforgiven III #41
(POPULAR IN 2008)
Following the surprise success of their signature track from the film Ghost, the Righteous brothers decided to release a greatest hits package to help their new fans discover their back catalogue which proved to be a wise move as it not only worked for them but created a trend of older artists following suit throughout the 90's.
Peak position #5
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Unchained melody #1 (AMR #1)
(POPULAR IN 1991)
This guy had been making albums since the start of the decade with very limited success, so to see him cap off the 70's with this throwback album was a bit of a surprise but inevitable given all the throwback albums to make it big over the years. In NZ this was an even bigger success due to his cover of an Elvis Presley classic becoming a surprise hit over there during the start of the 80's.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Little sister #39
(POPULAR IN 1979)
While the momentum had begun to slow down for Britney Spears by the midpoint of the decade, she was still very much one of the most popular artists of the moment which explains why this greatest hits package of hers managed to be a huge success for her this year. Of course, it would all be downhill from here save for her album Circus which in addition to spawning multiple hits was a success in its own right.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
My prerogative #7
Do something #8
(POPULAR IN 2004, 2005)
This is to date the penultimate album from System of a down which they released mere months prior to their final album Hypnotized which wasn't a big hit here in Australia although will be appearing much later on this list regardless. This was also the album where the band went political which is perhaps why it did as well as it did down under given how Green day had opened the door to safely criticising the American government without getting cancelled.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Lonely day #37
BYOB #42
(POPULAR IN 2005)
Given the success of the Beach boys medley (which naturally appears on this album) the Beach boys decided to capitalise off their brief comeback by releasing a greatest hits package that of course was a huge success for them here in Australia.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Beach boys medley #16
(POPULAR IN 1981)
There was a popular grunge band from around this time that had a very similar band name to this Australian jazz rock band, although confusing these guys for those guys is a bad mistake considering their sound are nothing alike to each other. This was D.I.G's only notable success here as they were able to win over both the rock and EDM crowds here with this album of theirs and none of their other work.
Peak position #6
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1994)
It took him nearly ten years, but Richard Clapton was finally able to find success with one of his albums in Australia. I'm not sure why it was this one and not one of his 70's output given how he was more popular in that decade due to his regular appearances on Countdown, I'm guessing this was due to a memorable performance he gave of the lead single to this album which boosted its sales.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
I am an island #20
(POPULAR IN 1982)
Given how immensely popular their earlier entry on this list was, it only makes sense that Green day would release a live album to capitalise off of the world tour they embarked on which was also a success for the band. They would take a well-earned break after their collaboration with U2, only coming back as the decade was coming to an end with their next album.
Peak position #8
(POPULAR IN 2005, 2006)
This was the other successful album Sky had this year, again it wasn't among the most popular albums of the year here or in their native UK, however it did spawn a single that almost became a hit meaning there was potential for these guys to be big in the mainstream here.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Toccata #22
(POPULAR IN 1980)
His last album saw him working with the African bambaata band, so why not shift his sound towards Brazilian music on this album? It wasn't as successful as Graceland likely due to it lacking that catchy bop like "You can call me al" on this track, however it was still a success for the aging singer/songwriter.
Peak position #3
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The obvious child #42
(POPULAR IN 1990)
This was the only notable success that Hall and Oates had outside of their native America when it came to their albums, although at least they had better luck with their singles internationally including the lead single on this album which is perhaps what made it a success here in Australia and over in NZ for the duo. It does make you wonder why they weren't able to achieve more success with their albums back in the day.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Maneater #4
Family man #49
(POPULAR IN 1982, 1983)
This was the second album that Jimmy Barnes released within a year, although this came after the album cycle of Heat came to an end meaning he was at least pacing his career fairly well this decade. If you couldn't tell from the cover art, this was his foray into acoustic rock given he had learned to play the guitar around this time to help him further craft his identity away from Cold chisel.
Peak position #2
Peak position #2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
The weight #6 (AMR #5)
(POPULAR IN 1994)
This was the only successful album to come from Van Halen with David Lee Roth on vocals, although they would score an even bigger album two years later when they replaced him with Sammy Hager. I'm guessing this was big due to arena rock beginning to have mainstream appeal around this time, yes it had been around since they guys first broke through, however it didn't fit in with the other trends of the 70's.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Jump #2
(POPULAR IN 1984)
Roxette was really struggling for mainstream relevancy by this point of their career, although like most popular bands of the 80's and 90's they found massive success with a greatest hits package proving that audiences indeed did love their back catalogue and that they just weren't feeling it with their newer material. This would be the last time they would trouble the charts with anything related to them.
Peak position #10
Peak position #11 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1996)
Many fans of the Rolling Stones consider this to be their final decent album given the critical reception to their next album Dirty work, even so, it appears that they didn't enjoy this album as much as the rest of their catalogue at the time given how much less successful it was compared to the rest of their catalogue.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Undercover of the night #27
(POPULAR IN 1983, 1984)
This was a bit of a commercial disappointment for Kylie Minogue as it's the only album of hers where she tries her hand at standards music in addition to more of the fun bubblegum pop she had from her debut album. It was a moderate success here in Australia and the UK; however, it was such a failure in America that it resulted in her getting dropped from her label over there.
Peak position #7
Peak position #9 (ARIA charts)
Hit singles
Especially for you #2 (ARIA #2)
Hand on your heart #3 (ARIA #4)
Wouldn't change a thing #5 (ARIA #6)
Never too late #17 (ARIA #14)
Tears on my pillow #19 (ARIA #20)
(POPULAR IN 1989, 1990)
Well, here's an album that deserved so much better back in the day, apparently the lead single "Easy lover" wasn't promoted here to encourage album sales of the album which ultimately didn't work as it only did as well here as it did everywhere else in the world where the duet was a huge hit. That said, this is still the biggest album Philip Bailey had here both solo and with his band Earth wind and fire.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Walking on the Chinese wall #20
(POPULAR IN 1985)
So, we all know that scene from the Blues brothers where the two leads are driving down the street and the musician of colour is entertaining everyone with his scatting right? Well, here he is fifteen years later with a successful album to his name likely due to the success of Scatman John and his hit single this year. John would live until 2001 where he passed away at the age of 83, making him one of the oldest artists to feature on this site.
Peak position #8
Peak position #9 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1995)
Following the success of their greatest hits package from earlier on this list, Earth wind and fire managed to score moderate success with this album largely due to the lead single being their duet with the Emotions which became both groups one and only hit here in Australia (unfortunately.) At least their back catalogue was finally recognised down under thanks to the success of both of these albums this year.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Boogie wonderland #6
(POPULAR IN 1979)
This was the only notable success for Joan Jett and the Blackhearts here in Australia, although at least they only appeared on Countdown long after the albums success in order to promote their back catalogue here in Australia. Still there was little chance this was going to fail here due to combination of Joan's sexual appeal and the pop punk of the record to give it a sense of female empowerment.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
I love rock and roll #1
Crimson and clover #6
(POPULAR IN 1982)
This was the final successful album to come from Madonna, it was mainly for the lead single becoming a massive worldwide hit for the queen of pop but also due to her having good will from her previous album which was one of the bigger hits of the decade for her. Unlike most artists who failed to find further success in the 2010's, her failure was due to her conforming to the internet culture of the decade to dire results.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
4 minutes #1
Give it 2 me #23
(POPULAR IN 2008)
This should've been much more of a success here in Australia, the reason why it wasn't was due to the album cycle being messed up as the lead single wasn't "West end girls" like it was everywhere else in the world, preventing that song from topping our charts and stalling the album's success. It's a shame because it was the introduction to one of the most influential EDM artists of all time.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
West end girls #5
(POPULAR IN 1986)
I did say on the previous list that Sade's return in the mainstream felt like a warmup for these guys, well here we are with the breakthrough album for M people, a fellow British band that blended RNB with rock. Although these guys also added an element of dance to their sound which perhaps they did to differentiate themselves with Sade, this worked out for them as this was a huge success worldwide.
Peak position #7
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Moving on up #4 (AMR #4)
One night in heaven #23 (AMR #19)
(POPULAR IN 1994)
The last contemporary Christian artist to find success here in Australia was Amy Grant from the start of the decade, enter Bob Carlisle who managed to connect with audiences here with this album which may have failed to spawn a hit, but regardless comforted us in a way that it was a success.
Peak position #10
Peak position #14 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1997)
This was always meant to be the second album to come from Jeff Buckley, in fact it was meant to be released the previous year but was delayed until this year due to his tragic death in 1997. When it was finally released, fans immediately fell in love with it, although naturally this would be the last they would get from him now that he was no longer with us.
Peak position #1x1
Peak position #1x2 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Everybody here wants you #35
(POPULAR IN 1998)
I should point out that Joe Cocker always had some level of success here in Australia throughout his career even if the peaks and valleys are very noticeable when going through his catalogue, indeed this release feels like it would've been a massive success at the start of the decade or even a decade later given how well it fits in with those points of his career.
Peak position #12
(POPULAR IN 1978)
Remember how I featured a live album that was a tribute to a musician known as Andrew Durant on my 1981 album list? Here's a studio album from the band who made that tribute which of course had him as the lead singer. It was the band's only success during their short time together as they were another Aussie band that only achieved limited success through their appearances on Countdown.
Peak position #14
(POPULAR IN 1978)
It was inevitable that the debut album from Colbie Caillat would be a success here in Australia given how it spawned a huge hit here for her, although it's worth noting that it sat on our shelves ignored for almost a year due to how long it took for "Bubbly" to take off here compared to the rest of the world.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Bubbly #1
(POPULAR IN 2008)
It's a bit weird that this was the only successful album that Lisa Stansfield had anywhere in the world given how this managed to break her through into the American market, I guess everyone was intrigued enough with the lead single to check it out and was decently impressed but ultimately decided to have Lisa be a one album wonder given how her subsequent follow ups failed to become a success for her.
Peak position #7
Peak position #8 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
All around the world #9 (AMR #9)
(POPULAR IN 1990)
It looks like Sting was able to also survive the transition from the 80's to the 90's as this album managed to be a modest success here in Australia and throughout the world despite sounding like it would fit in with his previous two albums in his catalogue. I guess this was more of a hit thanks to there being a ton of nostalgia for his band the Police given how this was a good year for reggae and that was the band's influence in their sound.
Peak position #9
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
It's probably me #23
If I ever lose my faith in you #41
(POPULAR IN 1993)
Even though this wasn't a huge success for Darren Hayes anywhere in the world, the fact that this was following up one of the biggest albums of the turn of the century meant that it was guaranteed some success this year even if fans felt that this was a disappointment compared to his work as Savage Garden. At least it kept his head above water long enough for his fans to accept his sexual identity which he revealed at the time.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Insatiable #3
Strange relationship #16
Crush #19
I miss you #25
(POPULAR IN 2002)
From what I can gather, Juno was a popular coming of age film where a young woman (played by Elliot Page before he transitioned) gets knocked up and needs to navigate the burdens of life that comes with unplanned pregnancy. The film doesn't interest me in the slightest (its casting has nothing to do with this disinterest) however it did appeal to a lot of people back in the day as did the soundtrack which is indie fans dream playlists.
Peak position #5
(POPULAR IN 2008)
Well Mariah Carey did have a bunch of chart toppers on Billboard this decade (and likely would've had more if the chart format hadn't changed in America in 1991) so it seems fitting that she would release a greatest hits package themed around how many number one hits she had in her home country.
Peak position #6
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
When you believe #13
(POPULAR IN 1999)
Given how this managed to spawn two big hits in Australia this year, it makes sense that this album from the novelty band Sailor became a moderate success here even if its novelty prevented it from reaching the dizzying heights of success that its lead single achieved. The novelty also failed to provide any further success for them on their subsequent follow ups.
Peak position #17
Hit singles
A glass of champagne #4
Girls girls girls #21
(POPULAR IN 1976)
Here's that second volume of the Commitments soundtrack that I mentioned from earlier on this list, this was a very popular theme throughout the decade where a film would release more than one soundtrack (likely due to lacking space to include every song that appeared in it) with the second volume often doing rather well on our charts.
Peak position #6
Peak position #7 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1992)
You know that the Silver convention were among the most talked about artists of the moment when one of the members managed to achieve massive success with her own album during the height of their popularity, in fact, Penny Mclean was able to find more success here in Australia as a solo artist than she did with her band largely due to how much we Aussies fell in love with the title track to this album.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Lady bump #9
(POPULAR IN 1976)
I guess the album that spawned one of the most easily recognisable ballads of the decade would find success here in Australia even if it was likely at the expense of said ballad reaching the dizzying heights of success here it had in America. This was the only successful album in Harry Chapin's career, although it's possible he would've had a comeback had he not tragically passed away in 1981.
Peak position #15
Hit singles
Cats in the cradle #6
(POPULAR IN 1975)
This was initially a huge failure here in Australia as we Aussies were a bit sceptical when it came to allowing the brothers Gibb to transition from a Beatles knockoff to the eventual kings of disco, it was given a second chance when their live album from earlier on this list became a huge success for them which finally allowed them to carve their own unique sound from their inspiration.
Peak position #16
Hit singles
You should be dancing #20
Love so right #28
(POPULAR IN 1977)
We Aussies loved Dirty dancing so much this year that its sequel soundtrack managed to be a modest success over there, this would be a trend that would explode the following decade as popular movies would have more than one soundtrack to find success here throughout the 90's.
Peak position #9
(POPULAR IN 1988)
This was the first album that Steely Dan saw significant success with in their career, even then it's more for the lead single which curiously bombed here in Australia despite it being a staple on oldies stations after all these years. They would find more success as the decade went on due to their popularity growing.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
Rikki don't lose my number #30
(POPULAR IN 1974)
The last time Neil Diamond troubled the Australian charts with one of his studio albums, it was almost a decade prior with Heartlight which was caught between two years to make an appearance on my site. Fast forward to this year and he has a surprise comeback with this album which he released alongside his earlier entry which resulted in his greatest hits package taking off later in the year.
Peak position #15
Peak position #13 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1992)
When word got out for when the Beach boys would be releasing a new album, fans became excited despite the mediocre reception of their previous album Still cruising from the start of the decade. They rediscovered their back catalogue with this greatest hits album in preparation for the new album, said album was Summer in paradise which is considered to be their worst album.
Peak position #11
Peak position #10 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1992)
It seems odd that Roxy music would find success with a live album this early in their career here in Australia given how their popularity wouldn't peak until they reformed at the end of the decade, I guess it was this album which launched Bryan's solo career with his earlier entry on this list.
Peak position #15
(POPULAR IN 1976)
From what I can gather, Rock Follies was a British TV series that followed a fictitious rock band in their trials and tribulations of making it big, it's kind of like Sweet and sour only made almost a decade prior. Nowadays, the show is best known for being the launching pad of Julie Covington who went on to have a massive hit the following year with her theme to the Evita show.
Peak position #9
(POPULAR IN 1976)
Well, if Limp Bizkit and Korn could have success with nu metal in Australia this year, why not a homegrown band? Here we have the breakthrough album of 28 days who managed to make it big through a combination of heavy promotion on Triple J as well as fans finding this similar to what their American counterparts had to offer upon its initial release.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Here we go #21
Rip it up #12
Goodbye #50
(POPULAR IN 2000)
This was the final album to be released from George Benson to have any sort of success here in Australia, it's curious that a rare musician of colour who was able to thrive pre-MTV would struggle to retain his popularity once any prejudice towards black music was dispelled around this time.
Peak position #13
(POPULAR IN 1983)
This was the first major success that Julio Iglesias had here in Australia since his English-speaking debut from 1984, it didn't have that runaway hit that album had, however it did benefit from being released around the same time as the three tenors’ earlier entry on this list.
Peak position #13
Peak position #12 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1991)
This was a huge flop upon its initial release the previous year, although thanks to the renewed interest in "Baby did a bad bad thing" due to its involvement with Eyes wide shut, this album became a success here in Australia for Chris Isaak. Unfortunately, there weren't any more gimmicks he could benefit from going into the 00's, meaning this is the last taste of success he achieved here.
Peak position #11
(POPULAR IN 1999)
Much like his previous album, this was also a critical darling for Paul Kelly and his backing band the Coloured girls (later changed to the Messengers to avoid potential accusations of racism as yes, his backing band was mostly women of colour.) It's hard to say if this would've been even bigger if Countdown had been around to promote it given how it worked wonders for his previous album, however it found an audience regardless.
Peak position #19
Hit singles
To her door #14
(POPULAR IN 1988)
This was originally released in 1971 for the Rolling stones, I'm guessing this became a success this year due to it being released on CD for the first time much like many of the other older albums on this list.
Peak position #10
Peak position #13 (AMR charts)
(POPULAR IN 1993)
This was the only successful album that comedy band TISM (short for This is serious mum) managed to achieve in Australia, I'm guessing because audiences found the concept of combining Machiavelli with the Four seasons onto an album to be the height of comedy gold which allowed it crossover from their niche audience to the mainstream. This might also be their tamest album as the rest of their catalogue is far filthier than this.
Peak position #8
Peak position #5 (AMR charts)
Hit singles
Ol man river #23
(POPULAR IN 1995)
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