I’ve decided to rank each album that appeared on the ARIA top 50 for this year based on how well they did on my albums of the 2010’s list from last year, although I should point out that I’ve included albums on this list that were a hit earlier in the decade to show just how reductive the year end lists and indeed the ARIA charts had become throughout the decade here in Australia.
One of the biggest mistakes I made on my old site was listing every time this second album from Ed Sheeran recharted here in Australia, suffice to say, I won't be making that mistake again and will only be including its success upon its initial release on this ranking.
Peak position #1x8
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Sing #1
Don't #4
Thinking out loud #1
Make it rain #26
Bloodstream #7
Photograph #9
Up until very recently, this was Adele's final album in her catalogue as she wanted to retire on a high note in her career, she's since changed her mind and released a new album which has also been a massive success.
Peak position #1x8
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Hello #1
When we were young #13
Send my love #13
Water under the bridge #23
If we're going by album sales, this was the most successful album of the decade worldwide thanks to Adele's vocals being able to unite many demographics in a way few others have been able to do in recent memory.
Peak position #1x32
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Rolling in the deep #3
Someone like you #1
Set fire to the rain #11
Turning tables #34
This will forever be Taylor Swift's magnum opus, mainly because it's the point where she transitioned from a country pop star into a pop diva among the likes of Katy Perry and Rihanna in addition to retaining the critical acclaim that she achieved from her earlier work.
Peak position #1x9
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Shake it off #1
Out of the woods #19
Welcome to new York #23
Blank space #1
Style #8
Bad blood #1
Wildest dreams #3
New romantics #35
Even from the very beginning, Sam Smith was destined to be a household name with their music given how inescapably popular their debut album was even in America which was uncommon for British artists this decade.
Peak position #1x2
(#1 digital, #2 physical)
Hit singles
Stay with me #5
I'm not the only one #11
Like I can #20
Lay me down #3
This debut album from Ed Sheeran was another entry that charted on multiple occasions throughout the decade, again its ranking is based purely on its initial release as opposed to when it became a success when he released his earlier entries on this list as is the case with several of these albums from successful artists.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #3 physical)
Hit singles
The a team #2
Lego house #4
Drunk #9
Give me love #9
Small bump #14
Frozen is another film that divides audiences, much like the Greatest showman, it all comes down to whether you consider it "woke" or not (I don't for either of these films for the record as I don't judge media based on political messaging.)
Peak position #1x2
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Let it go #16 (film version)
Let it go #25
Even though her music was panned by critics for having toxic messaging in her lyrics (no arguments from me) this debut album from Meghan Trainor was nonetheless a huge success for her thanks to appealing to a surprisingly wide market that accepted her messaging.
Peak position #1x2
(#1 digital, #2 physical)
Hit singles
All about that bass #1
Lips are moving #3
Dear future husband #9
Like I'm gonna lose you #1
This was a flop upon its initial release, mainly because it only came out due to the band finally calling it quits in 2011 after a long and tumultuous career. It became a massive hit here three years later when their biopic became a success on Australia TV.
Peak position #1x7
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Never tear us apart (reissue) #11
This remains the biggest success in Hilltop Hoods career, although the trio had uninterrupted success this decade as all of their albums they released since 2009 will be making an appearance on this list of mine.
Peak position #1x2
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Won't let you down #17
Cosby sweater #4
Pyramid building #42
Live and let go #42
Given how she had taken the mainstream by storm from the start of the decade with her multiple collaborations with big name artists, it makes sense that this album would be a massive hit for Sia even if diehard fans have complained that this was a sellout from her.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #3 physical)
Hit singles
Chandelier #2
Big girls cry #16
Eye of the needle #36
Elastic heart #5
This was another successful album that Coldplay had in their catalogue, although it would prove to be their final successful album as their collaboration with the Chainsmokers would kill their popularity.
Peak position #2
(#1 digital, #5 physical)
Hit singles
Adventure of a lifetime #20
Hymn for the weekend #24
This is another album on this list that would qualify for my comeback list, after all, JB had released an album two years prior to deafening silence due to him being cancelled for his questionable behaviour that I won't go over on this site. Suffice to say, this was the redemption ark that his career needed.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #2 physical)
Hit singles
Where are u now #3
What do you mean #1
Sorry #2
I'll show you #16
Love yourself #1
Much like the lead single, this debut album from Hozier sat on shelves ignored worldwide until it was nominated for several Grammys which encouraged the general public to check out what all the fuss was about from this album, needless to say, audiences were pleased with what they discovered.
Peak position #3
(#2 digital, #7 physical)
Hit singles
Take me to church #2
Someone new #24
This was a massive success for James Bay upon its initial release here in Australia, mainly because it spawned two massive hits for him that kept it from falling to the lower half of our charts. For some reason, he took his sweet time in releasing a follow up as did many British artist this decade which resulted in his second album being a huge flop for him.
Peak position #3
(#1 digital, #8 physical)
Hit singles
Hold back the river #4
Let it go #8
Scars #40
This was a hit twice for Chet Faker, the first time was upon its initial release which was a positive sign that indie music was making a comeback here in Australia this decade whilst the second was when the lead single was chosen as the best song of 2014 according to listeners of Triple J which helped it become a hit almost a year after its initial release.
Peak position #1x2
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Talk is cheap #34 (#6 due to Triple J)
Gold #40
If you can believe it, The Weeknd actually came from a tiny indie label initially, meaning that his breakthrough album managed to be a massive success here in Australia due to heavy promotion on Triple J which the RNB singer still manages to receive to this day with his new material.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Earned it #13
Can't feel my face #2
The hills #3
In the night #13
George Ezra was another artist who broke through in 2014 with their entry on this list that took forever in a day to release a follow up, he joins the ranks of James Bay and Hozier in this vein except he achieved moderate success with his second album thanks to one of the singles becoming a massive hit for him worldwide.
Peak position #4
(#3 digital, #7 physical)
Hit singles
Budapest #5
Blame it on me #10
While this didn't have that runaway hit anywhere in the world like their previous two albums had, this still managed to be a massive success for Florence + the Machine thanks to them having a strong and dedicated fanbase during the midpoint of the decade. Sadly, this would be their final successful album due to them being unable to compete on streaming services.
Peak position #1x2
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
What kind of man #16
Ship to wreck #48
Delilah #41
All three of Kendrick Lamar's albums sparked controversy when it came to the Grammys, mainly because they were beaten out in favour of albums from Macklemore, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars which led to a bunch of accusations towards the show that I won't get into here. Given how he was on a tiny indie label, his success here in Australia came from heavy promotion from Triple J.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #3 physical)
Hit singles
I #48
King kunta #32
This is another album that would qualify for my comeback list given how Human Nature somewhat fell into obscurity during the first half of the decade, this was a surprise success for them given how it had the same formula as their previous throwback albums of taking music of yesteryear and making it their own.
Peak position #2
(#2 physical)
This was a bigger hit here in Australia from the Marvel franchise; however, I'm only going by original chart runs for making this list which means that this album was less successful than the second edition as some of its success came when the second volume came out three years after this did.
Peak position #2
(#1 digital, #7 physical (eventually #6))
This is the final successful album from Mumford and Sons here in Australia, although they did release one more album after this which likely would've been a hit for them here had it not been pushed aside from streaming services like so many other albums from artists not playing to Spotify's services.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Believe #29
He may have been dead for nearly forty years by the time it came out, however that didn't prevent Elvis Presley from working with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from beyond the grave with this project. OK so this is a classic example of artistic graverobber as the orchestra took the works of the king of rock and roll and turned them into classical music presumably with the permission of his family.
Peak position #1x2
(#1 physical)
This is the first of two entries from the Pitch perfect series as the films proved to be highly lucrative throughout the decade (I haven't seen them myself) this was the more popular entry given how it spawned the biggest hit from the franchise when it was initially released.
Peak position #3
(#1 digital, #2 physical)
Hit singles
Flashlight #2
One of the most contentious franchises of the decade (in any medium) was the 50 shades franchise, primarily for the way it depicted BDSM which many feel is a gross misrepresentation of the sexual pastime (among many more problematic elements.) At least the soundtracks were well received, particularly the first one which was a massive worldwide hit upon its initial release.
Peak position #1x4
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Earned it #13
Love me like you do #1
It looks like Flume wasn't the only Australian DJ to find international success as Kevin Parker AKA Tame Impala also achieved massive worldwide success with his material. Admittedly his was more of a sleeper success as his other two albums Lonerism and Innerspeaker both came close to appearing on here but didn't due to both charting on the lower half of our charts.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
This is an album that became a success twice here in Australia, the first time was upon its initial release which was around Mother's Day (no prizes for why it was a hit at this point) whilst the second was likely due to a successful tour as it rebounded on the chart's months later.
Peak position #2
(#1 physical)
Named after one of his more popular songs, the reunion tour between Olivia Newton John and John Farnham they made many years after their tour from the Main event was such a success that this live album managed to be a huge success for the two this far into their respective careers.
Peak position #1x3
(#1 physical)
While this album wasn't as big a success for 1D (likely due to the absence of Zayn) it was still a success for the boy band despite it being their final album as a unit (at least as of this writing.)
Peak position #2
(#2 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Drag me down #1
Infinity #22
Perfect #4
Home #48
History #25
Lee Kernaghan is another Australian country artist that didn't have much success in our mainstream, here he dedicates a full album to the Anzacs which is a greatly marginalised group of people here in Australia given how they've been horribly mistreated here similar to aboriginals and the LGBT community. Veterans appreciated this enough to make it a massive hit for him.
Peak position #1x4
(#2 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Spirit of the Anzacs #32
This was the only soundtrack from the Fast and furious franchise to find success in the music scene, mainly because of its lead single which serves as a tribute to the late Paul Walker who had his final onscreen performance in this entry.
Peak position #3
(#1 digital, #4 physical)
Hit singles
See you again #1
We have an appearance on this list of mine from AC/DC, this just goes to show that they've been able to retain an adorning fanbase despite failing to change up their sound over there years, proving that they've survived the test of time with their catalogue much to the chagrin of their naysayers.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
This is an album that will forever come back during every Christmas season due to it getting pulled from shelves (both digital and physical) at the start of every year, it's the album of choice that audiences tend to play during the holiday season.
Peak position #1x5 (original run)
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
(will forever continue to rechart during each Christmas season)
We have another band to heavily benefit from Triple J on this list, although this was only the case for their fifth album as the station didn't do the band many favours for the rest of their catalogue. I'm guessing it was due to their music being bizarre even for listeners of the station.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #7 physical)
Hit singles
The buzz #20
This is only the third album to come from Dr Dre in the three decades he's been a solo artist, it was only a success here in Australia due to his biopic coming out around the same time of its release which helped many Aussies discover his music as a rapper and not just as a producer.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #2 physical)
This will be the final Like a version album to appear on this list, again due to them peaking in popularity during the midpoint of the decade here in Australia.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
This is another album that was a success multiple times this decade due to being a Christmas album, again I'm only ranking it by its initial run which was strong enough to qualify on this list despite only having a two-month window to achieve its success.
Peak position #4
(#3 digital, #4 physical)
Given how the lead single was one of the biggest hits of the decade worldwide, it only makes sense that Mark Ronson would find huge success with the album that spawned it even if people think that it's a Bruno Mars track even to this day.
Peak position #2
(#1 digital, #4 physical)
Hit singles
Uptown funk #1
Here's the third and final greatest hits package that the 12th man released since the late 00's, again this goes to show how well loved his back catalogue is to this day here in Australia if he can outrank so many new releases from this decade with these albums.
Peak position #4
(#8 digital, #2 physical)
It appears these guys were able to squeeze in a second appearance on this list of mine given how well this album of theirs did during the midpoint of the decade, they had other albums released, however none of them saw that much success.
Peak position #1x1
(#1 digital, #1 physical)
Hit singles
Psycho #44
Although she made several attempts throughout the decade, this Christmas album from the princess of pop was the only entry from hers to appear on this list of mine due to how inescapable it was upon its initial release of Christmas 2015.
Peak position #7
(#6 digital, #7 physical)
I'm guessing the success of their greatest hits album form earlier on this list from earlier in the decade was enough of an incentive for longtime fans of Cold chisel to check out their (then) most successful album from the midpoint of the decade, I honestly don't have a better explanation for why this did as well as it did.
Peak position #2
(#1 physical)
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